I was at Gamestop and the clerk convinced me to get the guide, or I should say preorder the guide. The is 23.99usd. If you preorder it you get 10% off then when you pick it up you get another 10%. So if you want it cheap I'd do it now. Personally I hate them but I did get sold. He said imagine a normal size guide and and times that by 4, so...that is huge. Wow!

Another thing is he said the preorder map they they initially thought was cloth is actually paper. When they got the email he said it stated it was cloth but then he go another email saying it was paper. Oh well I thought it was a cool idea but any map would do I guess.

Let me make this 100% clear. I'm buying the guide for collectors purpose only. It's the hard cover edtion and it features art worl and such. It's only 13.99 after discounts so I can't beat that.

Edit: I messed up when I said 10% off. It's actually ten dollars then another 10%. It's not 10% twice. Sorry.

Meh. All that info will be free online - no need to pay another ~$20 for it.

I know I'm getting it, I'm sure it will hold secrets and possibly an Easter egg or two, this is a joyas occasion as I usually never get the guide, only the lucky few. . .

But isn't it so much more fun to find those secrets and easter eggs yourself, than to have a book tell you about them?

This.

I would rather pay Skyrim around twenty times before I start reading stuff that may potentially ruin something for me

The reason they worked so hard to sell you that guide is because the 600 page special edition HARDCOVER of it is only 25 bucks on Amazon. If you want a guide I would get that one.

And I'd trust Bethesda with info about their own game before I'd trust Gamestop. They've said several times the map is cloth.

getting the CE Guide and itll be free if you got the power up rewards card its a great deal.

I have a strategy guide: UESP.net

This.

This is what makes the TES games so great. Its not the combat or the graphics, its the sense of adventure and discovery when and where u want. For me a strategy guide would totally ruin my experience. Maybe good to have after a few playthroughs to pick up those side quests you dont know about, but like what someone else posted all that eventually comes online for free. But to each their own, would be a nice collectible to have.

It is? I cant seem to find it or maybe Im just not looking hard enough. I would definitely cancel my order from Gamestop if thats the case.

Beat me to it.

I would not like to get the guide. We've always known the map is burlap paper. This was stated as soon as it was announced there would be a special map for preorders.

I think the only discussion that causes more elitism than the Pc vs console fight is the strategy guide one.

Why does everyone assume that people who are planning on getting the guide are going to spoil their first playthrough? People smugly post "Well I am going to explore on my own. I don't need a guide."

That's great, good for you! I'm buying the guide because I can't afford the CE and I want some of that stunning artwork. I also want to read all the little lore tidbits that will be included, after I complete the main quest and play a few characters.

Don't be so condescending about the strategy guides, they're a great, affordable collectible.

Hate getting spoiled while reading it.

If I get stuck on some quest that I really can't find out myself, I'll wait some time, do other stuff, until it has been posted on some site like uesp or so.

Was it ever confirmed that everyone who preordered got the cloth one? I thought only the CE got the cloth map.

No they haven't said the map is cloth. The preorder map is burlap paper. It's a thicker paper, and high quality, but definitely not cloth.

http://www.amazon.com/Elder-Scrolls-Skyrim-Collectors-Official/dp/0307891402/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2AU6BXZIVMPXO&colid=2HIIAJRG6F5HU

http://www.bethblog.com/index.php/2011/06/23/get-a-premium-skyrim-map-with-your-preorder/

"We've had a lot of questions about the material...similar to burlap..."

http://www.amazon.com/Elder-Scrolls-Skyrim-Collectors-Official/dp/0307891402/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_h?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1318000786&sr=1-1

Just like in MW and OB, I will play the game on my own for some time. If I get stuck, I will come here for any help that I need.

This.

That is the one I got the hard cover special edition. It ended up being 13.99 with all the discounts. I couldn't beat that.

Oh, fair enough. I may go preorder Skyrim now!

Thanks for clearing that up.

You have entire community making guides, why would you need to buy one? It is pointless. Just wait for a couple of days, enjoy the game and guides will be out. Simple as that.