» Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:00 pm
I'm confident that Beth will come up with some really cool new creatures that we'll want to encounter just to get a look at them.
But in terms of lifting from previous games:
Maybe it's just too much RDR, but I don't want to see Cougars/Mountain Lions unless they're substantially rarer than they were in OB (and maybe a little deadlier to compensate). I don't know if Mudcrabs will make a return, but since it's bound to be a lot colder in most places, probably a good idea if they are the hardier-shelled, less-insectoid Morrowind variant. And I'm glad to be done with Mehrunes for a while, as I'll be expecting fewer (or at least a more reasonable number of) scamps in this installment.
I'm seconding the Ogrim suggestion (I don't know exactly know how big dumb scaly lizard gluttons will fit in with the Skyrim climate, but they were pretty funny looking with their little red eyes and big green stomachs in MW, and a nice change of pace from the deluge of ash monsters at that) and n-thing the obvious advice for the devs, if they haven't already, to go take a second look at the Bloodmoon bestiary (the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/File:BM-creature-bear-snow-1.jpg were especially cute) for the earthlike tundra themed creatures . It would also only be natural for the Spriggans/Nymphs to return. I personally would, rather than vampires, see werewolves (and maybe M'aiq's weresharks) make a return with a vengeance in terms of their presence in the hinterlands, replete with the sort of sidequestline treatment the Vampire clans got in Morrowind. It seems much more appropriate for Skyrim. Hircine, prince of the Hunt, could be back (or not), and the mechanic of lyncanthropy could really be explored in terms of you having to live in self-imposed exile while turned, lest the villages (some of which could have a long history of passing down legend and being vigilant as regards werewolves) panic and start up a hunt, or turn you out completely (but not the whole of Tamriel suddenly finding out). Bloodmoon got the necessity of hunting down (perhaps too well) and the general consequences of being transformed into a hideous creature, but as a result really didn't make playing as a werewolf for any length of time anything less than tedious after a very short while.
Speaking of Bloodmoon, I remember that expansion more for its little touches: what could be found exploring the various underwater caves, the unorthodox quest design (e.g: following the Swimmer), and of course the signature Nord mead hall, with its mounted cliff racer as a nod to that vile creature's unpopularity. For that matter, I will of course consider Skyrim a complete failure without a Nord mead hall.
And, while it's an even more unrealistic demand, I'd really like to see the return of the dreaded Udyrfrykte, but unlike Oblivion, spelled correctly, with its own unique toothy, glowing green eyed mesh (not a half-hearted reskin of a troll) and last but by no means not least, selfishly clutching the unique weapon that is badassery incarnate: the glory that is beating some poor sap to death with ... the Severed Nord Leg!