People with irrational fears should be aware that they're irrational. If you treat an irrational fear as if it is rational, then you only encourage and reinforce the fear. People can recover and move past phobias, but it doesn't happen by being coddled.

http://cdn.someecards.com/someecards/usercards/1294077376832_3660956.png

^^this^^

Phobias are a serious thing but being afraid of computer images of the thing your scared of is just silly in my opinion. In real life I have a fear of the paranormal and I would not dare to enter a graveyard or a old house that is well known to be haunted. In a video game I can easily walkthrough graveyards that actually look creepy and I can deal with the paranormal mainly because I know that it is not really happening and I am not really there. I used to have a phobia of dogs when I was a kid but that did not stop me from playing video games that features them. Also I am terrified of deep water but that does not stop me from swimming in it in a video game.

To bad, the cazadors in Fallout NW scared me to death, cause I hate wasp's but I got a kick and shivers when I got a pack of them after me. Fear can make a game much better in my opinion!!

Uh, no. Its a game. So definitely, definitely not. Would be a complete waste of time when the devs could be working on actually ADDING stuff.

If you're that scared of something in a video game...then maybe get counseling. I'm not telling him to "get over" his actual fear of spiders - but if the spider happens to be a bunch of pixels...then call me insensitive 'cause I have no sympathy for that.

I am myself not only deadly afraid of spiders, but my heart risks a seizure every time I see any mammal - including horses, sheep, bears, deer, wolves and people. I think they shoud remove those as well. If they're gonna respect arachnophobes, then they better respect all other phobias as well. Also, I know about a lot of the evangelical christians who thinks demons and dragons are disgusting and despicable, so no Daedra or dragons in the game either. I've also spoken to a real Annunaki lizardman from Nibiru who's hiding inside our hollow earth, and he told me that Argonians do NOT truthfully represent lizardmen. They are going to eat all human beings, starting with Todd Howard, if Argonians are implemented.

Khajiit, however, er just too cute to be cut out, and I know that all of you agree. Because if you don't, then you are all psychopaths (not just the ones who don't like them).

:trophy: :trophy: :trophy: :trophy: :trophy:

No, I don't think there should be a removal option. Not because I don't believe these people having these fears, but because once a game developer makes this step, there will be no end to the various complaints coming from all sorts of minorities that want things toggleable. This would be a ridiculous precedent. These issues are so easy to solve by the PC modders that I think everyone who claims being a big fan of the game while having this phobia could start saving money for a PC already.

Haven't read all posts, but enough to understand why the OP posted this. I voted NO but not because I don't sympathize with the OP. I think any of you who bashed him for a phobia that is completely out of his control should be ashamed of yourselves.

That being said, unfortunately, I don't think it is feasible to include toggles for everyone's phobias or preferences. There would be a ton of toggles in the menu if that were the case. It would be difficult where to draw the line on what to include and what to exclude. The blood and gore toggles are mainly for parents to control what their kids are playing. That being said, if BGS is going to include Blood/Gore toggles, how is that any different than a toggle to turn off spiders or anything else that bothers people. In shooters as well as this type of RPG game where you are attacking people and creatures with weapons, you're going to see blood and violence. Even with no blood, the actions in the game, as well as much of the content, are going to be for advlts. As a parent, even if there is no blood, I won't be letting my child play violent games. I will buy him games tailored for kids. I won't however, request that the developers alter their game so that my child can play it. I will wait until I feel my child is old enough and then let him play the game.

Which leads me into my point. OP, I am so empathetic to your plight, but I don't think that altering a game is going to help you deal with your phobia. It sounds as though arachnophobia is not something you wish to live with, so I think the answer is that you need to seek professional help and get to the root of the problem. My suggestion is that you don't purchase this game straightaway, but instead save that money and put it towards a good therapist to help you deal with your phobia. Then, once you've confronted and conquered your fears, buy the game to reward yourself for a job well done.

Best wishes and best of luck to you in this!

While I understand your pain (I have extreme archniphobia, too), I'm not sure that is likely to happen. It would be nice not to see spiders... (eek, I'm getting the shivers just thinking about them...) But spiders in a game have never prevented me from playing the game--it certainly does give me a massive adrenaline rush, though!

Hopefully, I just won't run into them often.... But I have a question, as I didn't know about the spiders until this thread--are they giant spiders?

I actually like the Spiders in Skyirm, they look like real Spiders. Bioware must've sent a spy into the beth studio because their spiders in DA 2 also looked really good. :biggrin:

Spiders are small, your big you can squish them or stomp them (That's for IRL). In game well just deal with it, the spiders aren't real they aren't going to jump out at you or anything. Although they may scare the crap out of you or startle you if they sneak up on you. I know I'm going to get startled if they sneak up on me but to me they're just another enemy that I get to kill and get loot from. Maybe they'll be some unique poisons that you can get from killing Spiders.

No to removal options and if anybody mods them out don't replace them with dogs :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

If you do mod them out replace them with lizards that breathe fire, or something else but don't make them a complete walkover.

Actually, that is a lot easier said than done. People with irrational phobias know that they are irrational--but it is beyond their control. I would know, as I am one of those people. Seeing a spider in my home can put me into a frightful attack of fear, and while in the midst of my crying and hyperventilating, I am well aware that it is ridiculous--but I really cannot help it. I have to get my husband or someone else to kill the little creature for me, or I can't go on with my day.

Phobias, while irrational, are a real thing to those who have them, and it is very hard to overcome a phobia. So, if you are lucky not to have one, at least have the decency to be sympathetic and not judge those of us who have phobias as if we are incompetent morons.

That said, I still don't think it's logical to remove spiders just because some of us are terrified of them.

If you consider cars to be giant, then yes.

I get panic when I land in water in games, always fear that "something big" will have me for supper any second, but I still manage to swim around.
Hell, when I do get scared of something I like to overcome that fear, so while I absolutely HATE spiders I'm gonna charge into a spider dungeon and panic.
But once I get out I will have overcome the "fear" (more like disgust) of spiders in Skyrim and I will know what tactics to use to make short work of them.

Really?

Stop with this nonsense, everyone has a dreaded fear of something. Lets just take out zombies, ghosts, and what ever giant insects will be in the game. Thanks for making the game boring!

This is the 4th thread or so. STOP.

Maiq: Maiq is scared of spiders. Maiq runs fast, spiders never catch Maiq,

In other words, it's not easy to change how the brain is wired. It requires extensive reprogramming (therapy). This is a well known, established fact among psychologists.

Just keep telling yourself "it's just a game, it's just a game"

It's a slow day on the Skyrim Forums when discussing whether or not we should have a "no spiders" option is the hot topic of the day.

Exactly. However, few of us with such a phobia have the time or money to see a therapist, and it doesn't always work, if the therapist can't get to the root of the problem. I've lived with arachniphobia my whole life, and when I was still a small child (easily programmable), my mother took me to a psychologist, and this person, while very good at what she did, could not get to the bottom of it, and obviously didn't make me any better--I still live with that fear, but I try to get over it. I held someone's pet taranchula once to try to overcome this fear--but guess what? It still didn't work. It svcks! :confused:

I think the spiders are a nice addition, I'm looking forward to adventuring in their lairs with a torch and a lot of flaming spells.
That being said, I don't associate the video spiders with the real ones. The real ones are small, hairy and ...OMG I'm gonna say it, [censored] juicy! If a spider sneaks under my shirt at night and I feel those damn legs touching my skin, I just can't squash it on my skin because the damn thing will crack with a crispy sound and spill that [censored] on me. Then I'd have to feel those legs shaking in agony...eeeeew! This is gross, this is why I loathe spiders, their form, their hair, their speed and their damn liquids. Other than that I'm perfectly aware that 99,99% of them species are not dangerous at all.
But looking at the spider in the trailer...come on, that's what you call a spider? it's too big, it's not that hairy, and will probably make sounds that make it even less believable. It's like fighting a hippopotamus.

That's it! The no spider mod should replace the spider model with that of a hippopotamus!

That's about all we can do... I won't let it stop me from playing the coolest game series ever! Besides, I like being afraid! I laugh in the face of danger (when I'm not hyperventilating from fear, lol).

No, fake spiders don't put me in such a state of panic, but I certainly have sympathy for those who can't take it....

I beat Doom 3 on Nightmare difficulty once. A LOT of phobias defeated that way, although I did get tons of insane nightmares. Freddy Kruger is pancakes in comparison xD

Heres how you fix your phobia. Acquire a few thousand spiders get someone to tie you down in a tub + gag you. pour the spiders all over you.Wait a couple of hours...job done.

Or just kill virtual spiders in skyrim though I think the first option is better imo.

I understand the seriousness of the problem for some of these people, but overcoming fake video game spiders is definitely a good first step to recovery.

If i were deathly afraid of spiders i might WANT them in the game. Something that really, honestly, scares me in video games is rare these days, and i would love the thrill.

I would NEVER let someone put me in a tub full of spiders, not even for a million dollars! However, fighting them in a video game is tolerable, and that's about as far as I'll go in trying to overcome this fear. (I may not be able to get the little bastards in RL, but I'll enjoy taking those nasty creatures out in the game!) Death to the arachnids!!! :flamethrower:

The only problem with this method is that you'll risk psychosis or even death, due to the stress caused by the panic attack. The method is actually used, but only on people with moderate phobias.

I've been trying to fight my own ridiculous phobia for chitinous insects (excluding spiders actually, for whatever weird reason), but it's really hard. I usually get the reaction from stink bugs and other beetles, or from flies, moths and millipedes. Even right now, I thought I saw a millipede on my keyboard for a split second, and I got shivers (just for talking about it).

For me, it's usually when they surprise me. I can psyche myself up to tolerate them, but I always freak out if they just suddenly are there.