I've never finished the main quest. I've only finished one guild questline, and I haven't explored everywhere. I am a MASSIVE elder scrolls fan - adored morrowind, and liked oblivion alot. So why in god's name can I not get into this game? The very thought of playing the game elicits strong feelings of lethargy and apathy, in the extreme. Whenever I try and play it, I never get more that an hour in without just becoming extremely bored with the formula.

So what is it that has changed so much from the old games that prevents me from liking this one? Surely they can't be that different?

I feel like it is a mix of things - boring, short guild questlines. A main quest in which everything feels forced, fake, and unnatural. Every hidden chest seems to contain nothing of value whatsoever, and seems to change with the level of your character. Every point of interest is just another generic draugh cave, or a generic bandit hideout.

Where are my long involved guilds from oblivion? Where is my armour and weapon degredation? Where is spellmaking? Where are my caves hidden with interesting unique loot? Where are my random spells that can fortify any of a number of random, interesting attributes [fortify speed on your own horse anyone?]. Where is that addictive, drug-like quality that all other elder scrolls games have induced in me?

I guess I'm going to have to wait for the kickstarter revolution to produce a decent, modern first person open world rpg, because the way things are going, the next game is going to be even more shallow, streamlined, modernised, dumbed down.

What a terrible shame that modern day games have been reduced to nothing more than the throw-away playthings of the young.

What is your formula for playing?

Dude, millions of people feel diffrently.

play game - attempt to have fun - fail? Or did I miss the point of your post?

Dunno, but I've played Skyrim more than Oblivion and Morrowind so... it did something right.

Wait and play a few other games. Or, force yourself through it.

It took me a while to get into FO:NV. I eventually said "Know what? I'm gonna play this, and I'm gonna at least beat it." Found it was enjoyable... except for the ending. Was kinda expecting more...

see, for me, new vegas has basically filled the hole I thought skyrim would fill. I am a much bigger fan of fantasy than post-apocalyptic settings, but new vegas did so much right that I was missing from skyrim - long, branching questlines, a disposition system, loads of optional dialogue via skillchecks, hardcoe mode, item degradation - all these things made it a better rpg than skyrim could ever be imo

Because it's obviously just not your 'cup of tea.'

Find something else to play. I feel that way about Oblivion. Despise it. Morrowind is fantastic and Skyrim is great.

I wouldn't beat myself up over it, or try to over anolyze the issue. The easiest fix is to shelve the game and play something else. You know what the game is and is about. You either like it or you don't and no amount of "oohhh try this" is going to help.

Put it away and/or sell it and move on.

So basically a whole bunch of things TES has never done or has only done poorly. Yet Oblivion and Morrowind were great and Skyrim svcks. K.

Yeah, this.

I had the same problem with Fallout 3. I liked it at first but my interest started to fade after a week, even though attributes actually mattered and gave different dialogue options (something the TES series lacks). I'm still trying to force my way through it and maaaybe I'll get all the achievements when I'm done, but chances are I'm shelving it for good afterwards.

Previous elder scrolls games did have a disposition system, item degradation, and long, branching questlines - there were loads of quests in morrowind that had multiple outcomes, and quite a few in oblivion. And the disposition system and item degradation certainly weren't done 'poorly.' So that's three out of four.

Furthermore, just because I listed a bunch of things I liked from new vegas that I would have also liked to see in skyrim, and which I felt made the game a better rpg, doesn't mean I meant that all those aspects were features in the previous elder scrolls games - they weren't the original offending aspects I was referring to, just things that came to my mind when the other poster mentioned new vegas - can you really not understand that?

The mystical nature of the series kinda died in Skyrim. Maybe that explains the reason it isn't as addictive for you. And the lack of a lot of other things doesn't help either.

my advice to you - play new vegas : p

Disposition and item degradation svcked in both Morrowind and Oblivion. Better than nothing? Maybe, but it never made much of a difference and item degradation was just annoying in Oblivion.

Also.. long branching questlines in Morrowind and Oblivion? Ha... are there different versions of the games that I missed?

The guilds were definitely better in the past. Skyrim's guilds are loaded with radiant quests that just feel like filler. Despite that, I can't stop playing Skyrim. I love exploring and dungeon raiding.

I am this, the same exact way. Skyrim did some things right or wrong, but I can tolerate the wrong stuff. I love exploring, but the guilds I stay away from now because of how shallow they are

Could it be possible that you're deluding yourself? I remember Oblivion, and it was much less detailed than Skyrim despite its features that have been removed. I'm not bashing Oblivion either; Oblivion's my favorite of the series. I suggest that you do something differently. Just recently I've added a sword to close-encounter duels after playing a pure archer for almost two years, and it's helped with my game greatly.

Yep. Dark Brotherhood, Dawnguard and Thieves Guild only factions really all that fun. Still have problems, but I generally enjoy those quests.

I like skyrim. I also played and liked very much Morrowind and Oblivion. My advice? Treat them as wholly seperate games.

Skyrim is a sandbox. It doesnt look like one at first, but after a while it gets a bit better. Yeah, it svcks that Unarmed is gone... Until you find that heavy Armor perk that gives you an unarmed damage equal to your armor. Or something. Also no one's forcing you to like the newest game, harsh though that may sound. After Final Fantasy 12, I just said "[censored] it! I'm done!" and havent played a new FF game since. It was just my time.

Same with World of Warcraft. Once Mists of Pandaria was announced, I was basically "Well, I've gotten all I can from this game." and stopped playing. I was done. No need to feel bad about it; sure, i spent a lot of time playing and did a lot of things, but my fun was over. I don't regret any part of it.

You may just need a bit of a break too, you know? some other, completely unrelated game in ever sense. like, I dunno, Pokemon.

Or... you could try to play Daggerfall. Its free you know.

Still, its not that your complaints are invalid. Its just that...yeah, this may not be the game for you. Which is sad cause its fun, though I can certainly see reasons why you wouldn't care for it. But from someone whos been playing since Morrowind, I can tell you that there is a good game in Skyrim, and its been a lot of fun.

On my Rogue in Oblivion, I switched from unarmored to semi-full light armor and a two handed weapon...really brings out a new "you" in the game IMO

It's funny how small things change the character so much. My character has become much braver after this transition. Before, he wouldn't get close to a dragon. I've been playing since release, and I just got my first "Jump-on-the-Dragon" kill-cam.

Now, if only they could add some further customizing options for weapons and armor.

OP actually makes some good points though. Understandable as to why you simply cannot like the game. None the less, have I still enjoyed it like previous TES games.

Listen to this man. His words are wise.

It's a game and made for enjoyment. If you don't find it any fun, there is no reason to force yourself to play it. It's not supposed to be work, so move on. You have some good points, but I personally find that the good outweighs the bad and have fun playing it. Obviously it is the opposite for you so it is time to find another game to play.