Do you think we'd even be getting Skyrim now if it weren't for Morrowind or Oblivion on consoles? And having a modding community is only a selling point for PC gamers -- which are a minority, by the way.

Again, you're right. As I said before, consoles are the vast majority of their source of income, so it's only natural that they focus on consoles.

That's actually wrong. The (Gaming) public isn't stupid when it comes to their wallet. It's actually a much better marketing move to show a "Lower quality" xbox360 version of the game, than the highest possible PC. This has been said by virtually every developer and publisher out there.



When the mod community makes their very own "Elder Scrolls" game from absolute scratch, that will carry some meaningful weight. Until then, I think it's the modders that have Bethesda to thank, for putting out the user-friendly tools that they use to such great effect. The amount of people still playing on the vanilla console versions after all these years (And this is only the figures that can be validated from Xboxlive and PSN) far outweigh the numbers on the PC, at least for Oblivion-Fallout3.

I know. Never said the opposite, but you're forgetting some quite important things about the PC version and its players, and that's why I mentioned it.

If I were Todd I'd focus on the platforms equally. If something extra graphically could be added for the PC the version without too much time or money being spent, then I'd do it. Otherwise, I'd focus on improving all platforms pretty much equally.

In a perfect world, I'm sure he could. But to bankroll proper optimization, it'd mean Xbox360 comes out first, PS3 next, and PC somewhere else down the line, and we'd still have ten(or more) "PC GAMERS UNITE AGAINST BETHESDA FOR CONSOLE FAVORITES GIMPING OUR GAME" every day.

Some people just completely ignore the time and economic strains of game development, simply because the modders "Can do it", well, the modders aren't under the oppressive boot of the market.

As do I. Vanilla shouldn't have to be "fixed" by modders.

To say that we are lucky to even get a PC version is a bit ridiculous though. If they don't want to put the time into making it perform the way it should perform on a PC or take full advantage of the hardware (as they are doing with the console(s)). Then they should just cut the PC version all together. Even with mods for Oblivion the game is still annoying with its damn tabbed menus, and other things. If modders are given more control in Skyrim then that would be great. If they don't want to waste the time to do it properly then I guess the modders will do it (some people enjoy fixing things, if given full control to do so). I just wish the modders could create, instead of have to fix.

I'm glad Rockstar didn't port RDR to PC. If GTA IV is any indication to what would have been. Then no thank you. The only reason I can tolerate playing Oblivion is the fact that I love the dungeon crawls/exploration and some of the small exciting (deadra quests, finding some guys dairy in an abandoned house, etc.) side quests. Just about everything in between reeks of a poorly ported PC version (horse turning, tabbed UI, quit crashes, alt tab, 8 hotkeys, etc.). I hate sounding so negative all the time. But, damn I love some of the things in Oblivion (as stated above, I have 60+ hours in it atm 2nd play-through). I just hope that Skyrim will actually have care being put into the PC version more so than Oblivion.

I just wish it was more about the art and creativity. Not ALL about money. Peoples gotta eat though, amirite? Ugh. Maybe I'll just have stay away from the AAA multiplatform games from on. We'll see.

The console versions are the reason Skyrim looks as good as it does today. All the extra money that's been made has been put into hiring better artists, better animators, and more voice actors. As well as into the making of the Creation Engine.

Blaming it on the PC users that they don't have enough market share isn't really fair, is it? We can't afford to buy 10 copies each just to get heard. We just want the best quality for our machines, how is that a crime?

All my hopes are on a possible DX11 patch or DLC that Todd mentioned

Linkage please?

Isn't there something of the sort for Crysis 2? A DX11 patch? That's an interesting idea.

Todd isn't always the most accurate source.


According to TES-NEXUS data, its more like 30%, and thats not considering people who don't use mods. Todd's 550k figures are literally impossible, and far off.

Well if it is closer to 30%, then I see no reason why investing in extra PC goodies (such as the DX11 patch idea) wouldn't be a good idea.

Consoles are greatly limiting how the game could look.

More importantly, how it plays - 512mb of RAM puts a fairly low cap on how detailed you can make an area, which is a great pity indeed.

Of course, I've long since accepted that it's easier for companies to develop for the lowest common denominator - it's the same in all mainstream media, why would video games be any different? All I want is a proper version of the game. Bethesda have always delivered on that, even when the UI is hideous, it's at least the same hideous you find on the consoles.

If they can make a good UI this time around, I'd be pretty dang happy. I mean, sure I would LOVE for a vanilla PC release with DX11 options and all the extra eye candy, but I think if they can make the rest of the PC version good, I'm fine with waiting for graphic enhancing mods.

Those "graphic enhancing mods" you'll be waiting for will just be texture replacers. And that can only do so little compared to other things.
You'll most likely never get a graphics extender mod for Skyrim. And if it does come, be prepared to wait several years for its release, and a several years again for DX 11 features to get added.

It wouldn't be a bad idea, though I'd also like to see some console-exclusive things at that point as well (most likely DLC).

I highly doubt there will ever be any major content like expansion packs or addons that will be on one system and not another. They make more money releasing DLC for all platforms, and they don't have to hear the player base [censored]ing about how system X gets DLC A and system Y doesn't.

The DX11 patch wouldn't be PC exclusive for [censored] and giggles, though. Platform-exclusive (or worse, retailer-preorder) specific content is an awful, awful idea, and saying "Well, while the game might be tailored entirely to our platform, if you're getting something tailored to yours we want more" is a bit petty.

Depends on. Console companies can pay lots and lots of money for console-exclusive stuff.
Really doubt Bethesda will go for that though, and if it does happen, it's really only for a limited time. Like the xbox 360 players could get a DLC earlier than the rest players.

Also note that graphics are just that. Eye candy. Getting better graphics isn't the same as getting more playable content.

Skyrim's going to crush that video chip hard. :flamethrower:

I think that it's actually quite fair considering console gamers are spending the same amount for the game, buying more in comparison to PC gamers, and lack the ability to mod (which, in my opinion, is a PC-exclusive feature designed to grab more PC gamers -- the same thing a console-exclusive DLC would accomplish).


System Y gets modding, access to the in-game console, and higher-res textures than system X does, so they're already hearing that sort of thing. If anything, it'd be a solution. Consoles get official DLC while PC gamers are able to make their own, better looking mods. Sounds good to me.

Again, none of the PC-exclusive things are PC-exclusive for fun, they just can't happen on console. Why should I be penalised for buying a game on a more open platform?

And why should I pay the same price for the console version of a game that can't be fully realized on a console? At least give console gamers something over PC gamers. It's only fair that this point.

Buying more in comparison? How so? We pay the same price for everything. Plus we shell out more for higher end systems.



Higher-res textures is just a plus of having the hardware capable of handling it. You can always go buy yourself a PC. Same goes with having the construction kit. Also, not all player made mods are that great. Plus WE have to make them, and that takes time. Lots of it actually. Where as you'd pay a small one time fee for gamesas quality work.