I remember seeing a topic like this before, but that was well before the announcement. There is still time for the release, so it may be possible to still influence the design decisions. So, what included or missing features would make you skip the game completely? Is there something in the game absolutely must have to make it worth your money? Is there something that must absolutely stay away from the series for you to play it?

Say Steam if you must, but please, let's not turn this into yet another debate about it. And no bashing on previous games either, you can dislike a game and still be civil about it [/backseat moderating]

For me the only thing i can think of would be not having playable beast races, as for me that is one of the things that sets TES apart from other fantasy worlds. Still, seeing how they have been playable in every other (main series) TES game, i am not worried about it. What about you?

I'll wait until the Construction Set is released. If, for some strange reason it is never released, I'll wait until the price drops before buying it.

There are lots of things they could do to annoy me (lots of expensive voice actors, dumbed down skill system, abundant dragons or other molestation of existing lore), but make me not buy the game outright? That would have to be a remarkable departure from the TES norm.

If they had lots of withheld content then yes, I would boycott it. I would probably find out about the withholding too late to do so though.

I would say the only way I would not buy Skyrim is if it included a bunch of Fallout-like things, like V.A.T.S. and perks. That would be extremely stupid.

If it looks exactly the same as New Vegas and Fallout. Or if for some strange reason there is Machine guns avaliable in game?

I would be peeved if there was no construction set, but I'd likely of had the game already at launch. Bethesda knows mods are extremely important to the PC community, so I'm sure something will exist.

A lack of an other-world feeling. MW was completely alien; OB was generic Europe. I prefer the former.

Also, if my computer can't run it, I wouldn't buy it.

Nothing. I'd buy it even if it cost 1000 dollars and included nothing but a literal pile of horse [censored].

Yes, that would be one possible reason too, but again seeing how TES 3 & 4 and both Fallout's have gotten one, it doesn't seem too big of a worry.

€60 price tag combined with Games for Windows Live.

i don't think there is any way at all that i wouldn't buy that game

Steam is the only deal breaker for me, or having to install any 3rd party thing I don't want.
But besides that, if there is something wrong, the modding community will fix it so I have no worries.

Things that'd make me not wanna play the game:

- linearity, non-open world
- simplifications and recuctions compred to oblivion and morrowind (mainstream leveling system, smaller playable world, less skills, less spells, etc. )
- copied concepts of other games, especially RPGs
- Skyrim being "completable" (not ever having the feeling to have missed something) and not worth to play again
- Skyrim being a mmorpg

The only way that would happen, is if they did not make it.

If it is not released for PS3/360

Lack of 1st person view.

Ah yes. That too.

*shudder*

This would come the closest, but I would still end up getting it, no doubt.

It's possible. There have been rumors that Bethesda is working on an mmo and at no point have they mentioned that Skyrim would NOT be an mmo.

What would cause me to NOT buy TES V - Skyrim?

I can't really think anything other than unnecessarily obtrusive DRM(Ubisoft!) or the lack of mod support. Steam would rather be an annoyance than a dealbreaker.

If it didn't come out for PC.

Yea, thats about it, I'd at least try it regardless of anything else. However, if it suddenly got tropical and Nords turned into pink gnomes I'd wait for the bargain bin.

All of these reasons are unlikely to happen, and I eagerly anticipate the game!

1.) Excessive gore without an option to disable it. (I have not played Fallout 3 due to this, though I understand there are mods to disable it.)

2.) Lack of mods combined with it being a lackluster console to PC port, or extremely restrictive modding abilities that cripple the mod community.

3.) The removal of many of the races as a choice, or worse ONLY being able to play as a Nord. (I like Nords but I like choice.)

4.) A grossly inflated launch price (say $70 for normal and $100 for the special edition).

5.) System requirements high enough that I couldn't run it (I'd get it eventually in this case though).

6.) Intrusive DRM. I'm hoping for Steam if they use DRM. Spore's was a disaster for example.

7.) If it's a MMORPG game.

No, ZeniMax Online is working on an MMO. Bethesda Game Studios are working on TES:V. Bethesda Game Studios do not make MMOs.

ZeniMax Online may very well be making a TES MMO, but it isn't Skyrim.

Don't start...

Simply put, a stupidly-implemented DRM scheme. If Skyrim requires 3rd-party software to play, it'll get an automatic pass from me.