I remember Duke Patrick making a mod the did this for Oblivion. That was a great mod, but the only function I'm concerned with, right now, is the stamina drain while holding the bow string back.

The main reasons I'd like this:
1. It's more realistic &
2. (The main reason) So npc archers can't just hold the bow string back forever, just waiting for you to step out from cover to get an auto hit off on you.

It should be easy to do, considering that the Eagle Eye perk in the bow tree drains Stamina when using it.

Unfortunately it's a hardcoded game setting that controls this. There is no setting for just drawing a bow without zooming in. Should be possible to script though.

Ack!
I would've thought that the zoom WAS scripted because you get it with a perk. :/
That makes things a bit more painful

To make it "fair", you'd also need to make changes to archer AI so that ducking behind obstacles doesn't auto-drain their stamina.

BTW, you can dodge those "auto hit" arrows if the archer isn't too close and you know they're there - just gotta weave about.

I know you can dodge or block them. Especially if you're far away. What I hate is the fact that they will just sit there, on the opposite side of a tree or a tent, etc. while you circle around it, and never let go of their bow string. They really shouldn't be using a bow that close, anyway, but that's an AI issue. I feel like that if you're within 5-10ft of an npc that has a bow drawn, and you're behind cover for more than 4-5 seconds, they should just switch to melee and come after you with that. And I know they'll go to melee weapons at that range IF the bow isn't already drawn. Again, probably more of an AI issue. I just think the stamina drain would be a good way around it before (if) those specific AI changes are made. Not to mention, it would make the player have to think more about when to draw back the bow for a shot.

I agree with this. Hopefuly Duke Patrick will make some revisions to archery once he's further along with his combat mod...

This would be a good change to have.

They've said they didn't include crossbows due to their redundancy with bows, but they wouldn't be redundant if you couldn't unrealistically pull back your bowstring forever and still fire an accurate shot. You could have shortbows as easy to hold for longer without damage reduction but shorter range, long bows that would be taxing to pull back but long range, and crossbows to not have to worry about drawing back the string but with slow reload.

Doesn't drawing a bow already drain stamina? The green bar goes down as I hold down the mouse button.
Or are you guys talking about something else entirely?

Only once you've taken the "Eagle Eye" perk. And that only drains stamina when you use it, i.e. holding the block button while the bowstring is drawn, so that your vision is zoomed in. I'm talking about adding the same type of effect to the normal bow draw. So, that no one could, theoretically, hold the string back forever.