Skyrim Game Informer Thread XVIII

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 2:36 am

The Skyrim issue of Game Informer will be available for sale in stores around the 14th of January.

Copied from the previous thread:



Spoiler
The February Game Informer Cover Thread XVII


The Skyrim cover was revealed at 11:00 AM CST!!!!!!


"And yeah, once people read this, heads will explode." - Andy McNamara, Editor-In-Chief of Game Informer

When responding to a question asking how the game looks:

As most of us know the February issue of the Game Informer magazine will feature 14 whole pages of Skyrim information/pictures/awesomeness.
The prestigious cover of the mag will also belong to Skyrim!

This thread is for thoughtful discussion and speculation of the topic and what we think will be revealed. Once the cover has been revealed we can keep all discussions to this series of threads so the mods don't have to spend all their time redirecting people's rants about how the cover is "zomg cool". Once the Mag is shipped to subscribers we can post small bits of information to share with other forum members who don't subscribe to GI.

For information on the rules of posting info on the magazine click on this Magnificent Link.*
It seems people keep missing the above Magnificent link. GO READ THAT BEFORE POSTING ABOUT THE ARTICLE PLEASE. It covers the forum rules on Scans, Transcripts and Links. Thank you - Outlander

*

Fortunately Todd Howard has already stated that "when we show it, we want to show a lot, because there's a lot of game there to play right now." Link

Here is the link to the Game Informer article on the matter: Link

Here is the link to the Bethesda Podcast in which Todd Howard touches on the subject: Link
(They start talking about GI around the 6:50 mark in the podcast if anyone just wants to skip to it.) - Wahoo

"They saw a lot [Game Informer visited the office of Bethesda last week] and I think, I hope, everybody is surprised with how much stuff were showing. It's... it's a lot. We wanted to sorta compress the amount of time that we talked about the game. It's still eleven months, it's a long time, but traditionally we're going on like two years talking about a game, so we start out very slow and we wanted to come out of the gate with a lot of... A lot of STUFF. So I think the fans will be excited." - Todd Howard


"And wait until you see what this game is all about! Mind...blown..." - Andrew Reiner

"Our Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim coverage has expanded from 12 pages to 14, making it our largest game-based cover story." - Andrew Reiner Link


If anyone has any other information then post it here and I will add it to the first post.






What we have learned so far (copied from MrTamarian's Got The Magazine thread):
Spoiler

Confirmed Features:

-2-handed weapons and duel wielding confirmed.

-A variation of level scaling.

-18 skills.

-Perk picking at every level-up

-Finishing moves, unique to each weapon and enemy you fight.

-Dynamic Shadows

-Kids

-Overhauled Combat-system Example :(Dual wielding spells, able to pick diffrent spells for each hand, or put the same in both for a more powerful effect.)

Radiant story

-5 Major Cities

-Improved Faces/Improved Models Example: Faces have been dramatically overhauled. Characters now exhibit more emotion show of distinctions between different races and just plain looks better.


-Radiant AI

-Updated Engine Snow falls dynamically (not as a basic texture on the ground)
Trees and branches move independently with the wind
Water flows and huge draw distances !

-The Hero has a mentor: His name is Esbern and Voiced by Mark Von Sydow (Surviving Blade)

-The game takes place 2 centuries after Oblivion

-Initiating a conversation between a NPC no longer zooms: Quote (Conversations aren't done in a zoomed in static shot anymore. Start a conversation with some and they will act like someone would in real life, looking at you occasionally and walking around a bit and also continue doing a task if they were doing one while talking.)

-Sprint is added !

-Randomly generated quests.

-Beards

- Dialog will pop up when you approach an enemy

- You can't run backwards as fast as you do forward.

- 10 races to choose from

- confirmed creatures: zombies, skeletons, trolls, giants, ice wraiths, giant spiders, dragons, wolves, horses Elk, mammoth, saber-toothed cats

- presumeably open cities (as dragons can attack)

- cooking/farming/mining/woodcutting/blacksmithing

-Hud-free first-person view and improved third-person perspective

-5 Magic Schools Destruction Alteration Conjuration Restoration Illusion. (Alchemy Enchant (now added) are not magic schools (?) )

-very unique landscapes! Also unique dungeons! In other words, lots of uniqueness!

-Character creation improved, body features customizable

-Radiant story

-Plot: The plot is that you are possibly the last Dragonborn, a group characterized by their ability to hunt dragons. The Septim line was a prominent Dragonborn line protected by the Dragonguards which eventually became the blades. After the death of the Septim line, the Blades were hunted down and killed one by one and now are almost completely gone. The return of the dragons was foretold in the Elder Scrolls and was ushered in by the destruction of the Staff of Chaos, the creation of the Numidium, the events at Red Mountain and the Oblivion Crisis. The last event to unfold before the dragons return was the people of Skyrim turning against each other which is happening at the beginning of the game. Dragons start to appear in greater and greater numbers as the game goes on and will eventually culminate with Alduin possibly coming into the world, but we have no idea yet.

-Combat: The combat system has once again been overhauled. Now you may choose what you place in each hand, whether it be a sword and shield, dagger and sword, two swords or even a weapon in one hand and a spell in another. Assaulting with your shield is now apart of melee combat, being able to shield bash them to stagger them to give yourself an advantage in combat. Spells can now be dedicated to a certain hand meaning you can fight with your left hand aflame while your right hand is charged with lightning. Ranged combat has been improved by increasing the damage bows deal significantly, so much so that it is possible for one to one shot an npc from stealth but also so the draw time of your bow has been increased. Ranged combat shouldn't be able to be abused from stealth like in Oblivion due to the fact that NPCs are FAR more intelligent than any TES game ever and possibly any game to date, we shall see.


Have something new to add to the list? Post and I will try to add it.

Useful Links:
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1156583-skyrim-game-informer-thread-xvii/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1156392-got-the-magazine-iii/
http://www.gameinformer.com/p/esv.aspx
User avatar
REVLUTIN
 
Posts: 3498
Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2006 8:44 pm

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 4:36 pm

On a different matter:

I saw some other people asking as well about the mountains on page 48, whether it's a screenshot or artwork. I got an answer from Pete now.
It is indeed a screenshot.

I am officially excited now.

It could be edited in Photoshop. :)
User avatar
Jake Easom
 
Posts: 3424
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:33 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 3:40 pm

Like I said in the last thread,

I hope they don't scrap radiant AI and story again, just look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsxl7l1otUE
I went to that bookstore, nothing happened. :sadvaultboy:
User avatar
Casey
 
Posts: 3376
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:38 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 3:32 am

Like I said in the last thread,

I hope they don't scrap radiant AI and story again, just look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsxl7l1otUE
I went to that bookstore, nothing happened. :sadvaultboy:


Yes, but i really think that Bethesda won't make the same mistake twice ? And they should have some experience by now, So im 99% sure that they won't cut it this time.
User avatar
Leah
 
Posts: 3358
Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2006 3:11 pm

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 8:48 am

Yes, but i really think that Bethesda won't make the same mistake twice ? And they should have some experience by now, So im 99% sure that they won't cut it this time.

Indeed, dropping a two hander in the street and two burly men fighting over it makes for hours of fun :cool:
User avatar
Laura Samson
 
Posts: 3337
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:36 pm

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 6:26 pm

I have to admit I am becoming much more optimistic and excited now that we know a fair amount. hardcoe mode will be the decider between ecstatic and excited.
User avatar
Laurenn Doylee
 
Posts: 3427
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:48 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 11:05 am

Indeed, dropping a two hander in the street and two burly men fighting over it makes for hours of fun :cool:

ROFL
Just imagine: you drop 10 swords in the street and this action causes 2 fights, 2 young boys run towards you asking if you want to take your sword back. :brokencomputer:
User avatar
Ally Chimienti
 
Posts: 3409
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 6:53 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 7:08 am

Right, a few questions on the info in the OP:

What is the variation of level scaling?
What are the 18 skills? Anything new added? What's been cut out?
5 major cities... That should be fine, so long as there are minor cities/towns about. Any news on that front?
Radiant AI. How so? Is it basically what we were shown in the old Oblivion trailer, but reworked to actually work?
How are alchemy & enchant handled in the magic system? (Woot for getting Enchant back! <3)


Also, any news on armour pieces? Is it staying as it was in Oblivion? Are we going back to more distinct pieces (separate pauldrons etc), or are we all going to be running around in onesies now?


And a rather important one to me. Will NPCs now have a sense of self-determination and -improvement? Might I be able to drop 10k gold in an NPC's chest and come back in a week to see them living in luxury?
User avatar
Lew.p
 
Posts: 3430
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2007 5:31 pm

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 6:30 pm

Right, a few questions on the info in the OP:

What are the 18 skills? Anything new added? What's been cut out?



I'm really curious too. I really hope they have spears again and axe/blunt separated...
User avatar
Vicki Blondie
 
Posts: 3408
Joined: Fri Jun 16, 2006 5:33 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 3:29 pm

Something nobody seems to have mentioned.

There is a dog in the top screenshot of page 52. Dogs will be in the game.
User avatar
Shannon Lockwood
 
Posts: 3373
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:38 pm

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:07 am

I'm really curious too. I really hope they have spears again and axe/blunt separated...


Axe/blunt seperation is the least important thing IMO. They are basically identical fighting styles IRL. Long and short blade however should be seperate. A longsword specialist wouldn't be that great with a dagger.
User avatar
Syaza Ramali
 
Posts: 3466
Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:46 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 6:01 am

It's highly unlikely that they have made more weapon skills when they have decreased the overall number. Personally I hope that Merchantile and Speechcraft have been merged for one, this is the one thing they could do that would cause least damage
User avatar
Darlene Delk
 
Posts: 3413
Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:48 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 3:10 pm

ROFL
Just imagine: you drop 10 swords in the street and this action causes 2 fights, 2 young boys run towards you asking if you want to take your sword back. :brokencomputer:

I wonder how they are going to be able to pull off the radiant ai/story with situations like this becoming a potential danger to make things go really wonky?
User avatar
Jordyn Youngman
 
Posts: 3396
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:54 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 7:53 am

It could be edited in Photoshop. :)


Somehow I don't think he would lie to our face like that. In any case it makes me optimistic.
User avatar
Miranda Taylor
 
Posts: 3406
Joined: Sat Feb 24, 2007 3:39 pm

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:51 pm

I wonder how they are going to be able to pull off the radiant ai/story with situations like this becoming a potential danger to make things go really wonky?

Maybe the kids will become wise to you not wanting what you dropped and the burly men being thrown in jail for public disturbances or something.
User avatar
cosmo valerga
 
Posts: 3477
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:21 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 4:56 pm

Nice list, i dont have the magazine im from Finland :(
User avatar
Laura Tempel
 
Posts: 3484
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:53 pm

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 3:31 pm

ROFL
Just imagine: you drop 10 swords in the street and this action causes 2 fights, 2 young boys run towards you asking if you want to take your sword back. :brokencomputer:



They'll work around it somehow, maybe if you drop it a few other times, only one of the drop will get activated.. something like that.

And the other drops will be forgotten in the mud.
User avatar
naome duncan
 
Posts: 3459
Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:36 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:15 pm

Nice list, i dont have the magazine im from Finland :(

Nor do I, I am from England. But i do have scans saved though :disguise:
User avatar
Tania Bunic
 
Posts: 3392
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 9:26 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 7:06 pm

I wonder if European magazines will do 14 pages like GI or they will just summarize every detail, I mean OXM did like 5-6 pages for New Vegas. Bethesda's RPG's are highly anticipated over the world.
User avatar
Hairul Hafis
 
Posts: 3516
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:22 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 6:23 am

I can tell Radiant AI is going to svck unless Bethesda can figure out some way for NPCs to settle disagreements without killing each other. They mentioned that Radiant AI in Oblivion would jump to bat-**** insane conclusions and murder people for slight things like having a rake or something when they wanted one.

Maybe these random fights should end in one NPC losing about half his health. When he gets to that mark, he forfeits and runs off. Or if they are fighting with fists, first one to get knocked out loses.

Sadly, Bethesda has never been talkative, unlike Obsidian, and therefore we will never get confirmation of details like attributes, what exactly is Radiant Story, and stuff like thaf until E3 because the devs never talk to anyone outside of Meet The Devs threads :( .
User avatar
MatthewJontully
 
Posts: 3517
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:33 am

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 7:25 pm

I can tell Radiant AI is going to svck unless Bethesda can figure out some way for NPCs to settle disagreements without killing each other. They mentioned that Radiant AI in Oblivion would jump to bat-**** insane conclusions and murder people for slight things like having a rake or something when they wanted one.

Maybe these random fights should end in one NPC losing about half his health. When he gets to that mark, he forfeits and runs off. Or if they are fighting with fists, first one to get knocked out loses.

Sadly, Bethesda has never been talkative, unlike Obsidian, and therefore we will never get confirmation of details like attributes, what exactly is Radiant Story, and stuff like thaf until E3 because the devs never talk to anyone outside of Meet The Devs threads :( .

Maybe the NPC's will squabble for a while and if it leads to violence the guards will come and break it up.
User avatar
BaNK.RoLL
 
Posts: 3451
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2007 3:55 pm

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 11:51 am

Dual wielding sounds like it should be pretty neat. :D

Finally, I can do a proper paladin with mace in one hand and righteous fiery death in the other.
User avatar
Kira! :)))
 
Posts: 3496
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:07 pm

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:19 pm

I really want to see these screenshots and read the article for myself. I'm in the UK - does anyone know which UK magazines will have the information?
User avatar
Sherry Speakman
 
Posts: 3487
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 1:00 pm

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 7:48 am

How in depth do you think crafting will be? Will we be able to break down weapons and armor for material and then build/upgrade our own stuff or will it be like shivering isles where you find ore and stuff and bring it to a blacksmith and choose what you want?
User avatar
Jarrett Willis
 
Posts: 3409
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 6:01 pm

Post » Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:18 am

I really want to see these screenshots and read the article for myself. I'm in the UK - does anyone know which UK magazines will have the information?

Most likely:
OXM.
PSM.
and PC gamer.
The big 3, I don't see multi-platform magazines in England often.
User avatar
Alberto Aguilera
 
Posts: 3472
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2007 12:42 am

Next

Return to V - Skyrim