You guys must have gone out of your way to hire some great writers. The characters in this game are just that; real characters. They make me laugh, they make me angry, they make me think. I had no idea a game could do that. Some of them are racist as hell and make me want to slap them. The [censored]y woman in the apparel shop in Solitude is worthy of the same treatment. The war veteran who just wants his old helmet found, the underage Jarl being puppeted by her counselors, the best bard in all of tamriel....

I was trying to make a good, strong, balanced, character until last night. Now I am just part of the story. Conquering this game seems a lot less interesting than becoming a castmember. No game has ever done that for me. Bravo!

P.S. The Mind of Madness questline in Solitude was story writing worthy of an award.

Just finished that, had me rubbing my head to figure it out, and the award goes to most entertaining and awesome NPC [no spoilers].

Theres quite the theme and discussion in almost every other thread, where we try to convince people to stop trying to "beat the game, roll credits". I think its a losing fight, but its nice to see posts like this once in a while.

Yeah, when you play the Character and not the Class the game becomes a lot more fun. There are still Races to guide you in a direction if you need it. For instance my Dark elf uses primarily Destruction and my Imperial uses Heavy Armor and Restoration. I don't consider him a traditional Paladin or anything either. Just an Imperial who uses those skills. Pretty much Lawful Neutral by that old system.

Sounds to me like you're role playing. And having a blast doing it. Imagine that! Hopefully more people will follow your lead.

I'm puzzled how you think this.

Tbh I think this game is the worst game Bethesda's ever written and they should be ashamed of the quality of those faction storyline and the main quest.

Definately agree.
I spent a lot of time by alchemist tables and the forges in skyrim. And although I feel my character is a little too powerful, the only reason I did not start over, with a mage, that seems balanced, is im so involved in the story.

I listen to every conversation. I stop and listen to people in bars or on the street. As a matter of fact, numerous of my quests have started that way. Which is maybe why, after 45hours into the game, I have just done 6 quests in the main story, I have finished the companions quest and am half done with joining the storm cloaks in the war effort. Thats it. And Im already lvl 32 without trying to level, just exploring, listening to people, finding amazing small quests and, just enjoying.

its just so much FUN to walk around, listen, watch overhear conversations that lead to the most absurd quests and just...play the game.
I just wish combat, for me, was harder but its ok. I have just minor enchantments, dont want more, but quite nice self crafted armor and weapons, and I do on Master difficulty. I will admit that I lower this difficulty slider when a frost dragon, elder dragon or Ancient dragon prsent themself. Even on Expert they are insanely hard, but on adept they are a little too easy. But on Master......maybe as ranged.

But anyway, back on Topic. I utterly agreed. I stopped thinking about my next level just before lvl 20, I enjoyed it earlier too but now I just tag along for the ride.
But I will say that I am strongly considering restarting as a mage or something, where I cant smith or get too much out of enchanting.

I think that people that rush through the MQ of this game like they would a God of War game would definately think that. But in this game (and other TES games) it's the other stuff that makes the world alive and real and just a lot of fun to discover and explore. The fact that I can spend days just hunting deer for hides. Lovin it.

Then you sir, have not played the same game that so many others of us have.
Im an extreme critique in those aspects. And im completely blown away.

But if you only focus on the main story, maybe go to the college and do that, then you miss around 99% of the other quests, stories and things out there.
That said, the greybeards behavioiur and voices are amazing.

How can you say this?

What are you comparing too? A film?
Cause there is no known game out there, known to man, and I have played almost them all thats worth playing, that is better then Skyrim in this departement.
Unless you believe that text based games fall into that. They dont.

I wholeheartedly agree
My first character had no personality and was boring because I was spamming an just trying to level

I made a few new ones and RP'd them much more fun, so I restarted my main nord character and I'm roleplaying it and it's so much more fun, I have a backstory and everything and he has personality, it's great. I never do things out of character and I'm not spamming skills and just letting them grow naturally as I play the game.

I love how you can go to a new town because of a quest you are on, and then get swept away by the local events there. Last night I realized that 3 hours had passed while I was runing local questlines, and I hadn't gotten anywhere with the original quest I came to complete. As a long time wow player, I know very well how to grind quests and stay focused, but this game is so immersive, you just can't help but get sidetracked sometimes.

And if you really want to Role Play, go out at night and catch insects.

Caught two so far.

Same thing can be said for not using Fast Travel.

Last night I finished gathering information at the Thalmor embassy and needed to report back in Riverwood. It was midnight (in game) I didn’t have all my items with me and I was tempted to fast travel there (I have only used fast travel about 3 times in 10 hours)..

Anyway I began the long walk from Solitude to Riverwood in the darkness. I encountered a dragon that a giant and mammoth helped me defeat.. infiltrated a bandit hideout and found a journal that led me to a secret stash of items near a waterfall, and freed a fellow Nord prisoner being taken to his execution by Thalmor guards. Suddenly the sun was rising over the mountains and I was getting close to Riverwood. I stopped and realized I had traveled all night and what an adventure it was and I scolded myself for even being tempted use fast travel.

I almost forgot that there is a main quest and factions sometimes.....

Thats a clue as to how we'd think that.. operative word is think.

That's a shame you think this. Otherwise you would be enjoying a fantastic game. Maybe in the next 5 years you will enjoy the next ES game. I hope Morrowind and Oblivion can tide you over until then.

This.

When I play RPGs, my first goal is always try to conquer the system, and this is a very bad habit. In Skyrim, specially, there's so many ways to exploit the rules that it becomes boring quickly. The solution to real entertainment in this game is forget about everything and just make part of the story.

+1 to OP.

I am sad to see this pseudo-Korean obsession with "maxing out" your character as quickly and efficiently as possible make its way into the Elder Scrolls Community.
I have seen people ask questions on these forums to be given a response like "oh just go into console and type *command* and you can get *whatever you want*".

The people who complain have obviously forgotten how to enjoy a video game.

THIS !
Like you, i was spamming and trying to level...
I'm level 23 now, and i'm not satisfied with it..

Then i decided to start a new Character that i'll role-play.. much better !!

I agree with so much of this thread, it's great to see how a game like this brings out the inner storyteller in everyone. Love it.

How is spamming skills to level Up fun? People that do that seriously are playing the wrong game. Same with the people that spam iron daggers. Did you forget your playing the elder scrolls? Your cheating no one but yourself.

It's hard not to "rush" through the factions. I don't think anyone expected them to be six quests long. I even tried to make a new character after hearing claims that "there's six STORY based quests but a ton more dynamic ones you could be doing, you just rushed the story ones." Nope. Made an effort to stay away from the story-based quests, but after I do one dynamic quest, everybody yells at me to go see Person A, forcing me to continue with the story ASAP.

Definitely didn't rush the main quest either. If you call completing the Companions, half the Thieves' guild, the Stormcloaks, finding and fighting Krosis and exploring enough locations to unlock the Explorer achievement "rushing it" then I dunno what to tell you.




"I'm Nils. I'm the cook down at the Candlehearth hall."
"I work for Belethor at the general goods store."
"Considered being a mercenary? Could be just the work for you."

I don't see what story there is aside from quests, factions and the main quests. I've completed so many quests now that turned out to be fetch quests with just a "oh thanks" as a reward and no further story.

And I'm comparing it to Fallout New Vegas. (inb4 "patrolling the mojave") That's a game with complex factions and realistic relationships with each other, not to mention dynamic reactions to how the player handles a situation or completes a quest. That's a game where the guy who says "I really hate that other faction" is gonna threaten to leave me as a companion if I actually assist the other faction. He'll notice and confront me. Where if I actually go and attempt to assassinate the opposing faction's leader, the faction declares me a terrorist and shoots at me on sight, instead of me finding out the target NPC is essential before leaving awkwardly. That's a game where the story is actually thought-provoking. And Dead Money probably has to be the most well-written DLC that's ever been published. Here the NPCs feel so...artificial. Someone will tell me he was a great warrior before taking an arrow to the knee, but provides no evidence of this. Nor can I have a talk with him. I can't ask him about his war story. That one line of dialog was it. It's really hard to take him seriously when he doesn't even have a story or any quest involvement. That goes for a very nice % of the named NPCs, and as I've already stated, I find the faction quests and main quest utterly disappointing.
I complain because I miss all that. This game can't even hold a candle to New Vegas, storywise. I'd love if it COULD, but until it does, then might as well voice my disappointment in hopes that they'll improve for TES VI.

I'm using alot fast travel in my first playthrought just to see the diference between using and not using... THIS YOU SAID, is the proof that Fast Travel only makes you rush in the game and don't enjoy it at its most..

My friend almost don't use fast travel, he can't stop telling me his adventures and how he enjoy the game..

This was a "test" that we made, one play using fast travel and the other don't, to see the diferences...

,My next playthrought that i will maybe start tomorrow, a real playthrought where i'll roleplay etc, will be MUCHH better...

I think that if people can't stop using fast travel, try using carriages..

These games have never been about the levels of your character. In fact, if you follow the story through the game, your levels are almost always where they need to be to deal with what is in front of you. Morrowind was this way, Oblivion, well, should have been this way. But, I have noticed that Skyrim is more like Morrowind in that if you just play the game, you are almost always leveled to what you need to be by the time you get there. Of course, you can go places that you should not go to yet and have your butt spanked, but that makes it more fun when you go back after you are ready.

I just noticed last night that some of those huge tree stumps have ants crawling all over them. I got all excited, but then realized you can't harvest them for alchemical purposes.

exactly what i do i dont try to level if i level then i level. grinding can ruin the best games so i dont do it.

OP, your topic title says it all. With my first character I was worried too much about what skills were used and built up, etc. etc. It all just didn't feel right.

I started over and in second play though am just enjoying the game as a Nord, returning to her homeland, sticking to some basic character principles, and basic role playing. I like after a long weary road renting a room in an inn, trading my wares, and taking a walk through town behind the safety of the stone walls. I try not to use fast travel as much as possible, and always stick to travel by foot so I can really take in the views.

The game is so much better if you just enjoy it rather than worrying about stats. I have no idea whether I'm 'leveling' faster or slower than most. I suspect slower only because I'm not grinding a single thing. I use a balance of sneak, destruction, archery, sword+shield and dual wield. I'm starting to branch into conjuration, enchantment and blacksmithing. So much diversity. I never use a skill that doesn't make sense at the time.

I also find if you approach the game in different ways it really helps. I came upon a Draugr Warlord the other day in the dank depths of some crypt who was leveled way above me (single hit, I'm dead 100% of the time). I tried so many approaches, but didn't stand a chance. So I tried something completely different. I used my brain. Really. I snuck down to a good vantage point, learned his pattern, and realized at one point of his movement he passed in front of a large hole (like a 100 foot deep well). I snuck down and hid behind a pillar where he passes. As he passes, I step out from the shadows, he screams bloody murder right in my face, I shout Fus Ro Dah, sending him flying across the room. He hits a wall and falls into the well to his death.

Now that is why I love this game. Its gameplay and story is rich, you just have to stop grinding, stop worrying about how uber-leveled your character is just because you want to brag about useless achievements or tell everyone on the forums how cool you are.

Just play and enjoy