Skyrim - Hands-on Video @ G4TV

From a couple of days back, G4TV has a video interview/preview on Skyrim with input from Todd Howard. It's only a three-minute general overview article but there might be some different footage in the background here and there.
More information.

Yeah she was one of the journalists who got to play the game for an hour. She commented on the character she created somewhere - think it was a female Argonian.

What's frustrating though is that all the footage used in that interview is spliced together from previous trailers. I don't think anyone who got to play for that hour was allowed to record footage of it. I suppose that's understandable so there wouldn't be tons of spoilers. Still, its a little annoying that she doesn't even really talk about her experience playing it either.

Originally Posted by jhwisner
Yeah she was one of the journalists who got to play the game for an hour. She commented on the character she created somewhere - think it was a female Argonian.

What's frustrating though is that all the footage used in that interview is spliced together from previous trailers. I don't think anyone who got to play for that hour was allowed to record footage of it. I suppose that's understandable so there wouldn't be tons of spoilers. Still, its a little annoying that she doesn't even really talk about her experience playing it either.

There are no new information in this vid. I wonder if any of the journalists play-time was recorded either by Bethesda or Quakecon? It would be nice to see what the they did during their one hour hands on.

November really isn't that far away and I imagine the game is pretty much done. Bethesda is probably ironing out any bugs they find. A few months ago there was some talk about Skyrim being delayed, but I think it's safe to say that 11-11-11 is a firm date.

I'm surprised Todd is surprised so many people play in 3rd person. I always prefer to play in third person. I think I just enjoy the peripheral view all around my character, a preferential remnant from the isometric days of old.

Game designers should be forced to play their competition. How anyone could find first person melee better after a playthrough of Risen or even G2 is mind boggling. Oblivion wasn't entirely bad - the shield felt surprisingly real, but the swordplay was downright aweful.

Funny thing is, I wouldn't call the controls of the gothic series or risen series their strong points….I guess your first comment is a double edged sword.

Originally Posted by TheMadGamer
I'm surprised Todd is surprised so many people play in 3rd person. I always prefer to play in third person. I think I just enjoy the peripheral view all around my character, a preferential remnant from the isometric days of old.

Originally Posted by ToddMcF2002
Game designers should be forced to play their competition. How anyone could find first person melee better after a playthrough of Risen or even G2 is mind boggling. Oblivion wasn't entirely bad - the shield felt surprisingly real, but the swordplay was downright aweful.

If I play in third person I feel disconnected from my character. I treat them differently than if I am in first person. In first person I am getting hit or I fall down, in third person some dude gets hit or falls down and I don't care as much. Fighting melee in first person is more difficult but I find more rewarding. In first person you can't see what is attacking you from behind or sneaking up for the backstab, it makes for tense combat.

I wonder what happened to second person?

Personally I've always played TES games in first person. I just think their type of game experience lends itself best to that view. I've found that the third person view and feel has always been inferior to what the Gothic games offer and as such they're just different games. Thus, it'll be pleasing if they improve it and make it more playable.

Given the success of Piranha Bytes' games and other third person cRPGs, it is a bit puzzling to hear Howard's "kinda surprised" comment on third person. Not everyone plays the same way…

The success? How do you measure success for the piranah bytes games? I mean, if they were looking at sales, they were not successful in comparison with thier own product. If you mean the reviews sure, I can see your point then.

Originally Posted by pox67
If I play in third person I feel disconnected from my character.

This is all subjective there is no right or wrong. For me it's the opposite - that I can see my character, what he's wearing, what weapon he's using, how he fights - all that connects me to my character more than the 'realism' of seeing thru his eyes.

Originally Posted by ToddMcF2002
Game designers should be forced to play their competition.

You mean Bioware should play The Witcher 2 and CDprojekt should play Dragon Age 2?
And after they play, they should do what?

Originally Posted by TheMadGamer
I'm surprised Todd is surprised so many people play in 3rd person. I always prefer to play in third person. I think I just enjoy the peripheral view all around my character, a preferential remnant from the isometric days of old.

Third person is nice so you can check how your character looks, but the default third person view in for example Fallout: NV is terrible imo, to me if feels like the character is just blocking the view.

Third person is nice when it gives you an advantage (if you can zoom out really far), but it also breaks immersion in many ways and can kill moments of surprise.

I most definitely prefer the choice between 1st and 3rd at all times. I think I play with them equally - and for different reasons. I tend to go 1st person when I first enter a new area/town/dungeon - to really immerse myself into the experience. But when approaching a situation in a tactical sense, I almost always go to 3rd person - even if it does feel like cheating sometimes.

Also, I like to admire my character as he upgrades his gear and gets new moves and stuff - just as a reward for the time I've spent developing him. 3rd person is pretty vital to that sensation.

For combat, it really depends on what KIND of combat. Ranged combat tends to lean itself to first person best - and melee is typically better in 3rd person - but it all depends. If I'm figting a single opponent, I rarely feel like I need to look at my surroundings - but if I'm fighting multiple opponents, the more I can see - the better.

So, give us both for pity's sake.

I am not actually sure what I prefer!

When playing TES games, I am more than happy to play in first person. I never felt the urge to play in 3rd. Also when playing Gothic games I am happy to play in 3rd person and never felt the urge to play in 1st! One thing that annoys me about 3rd person is when some games does not let you to zoom in or out (I am looking at you TW2).

Like someone mentions above, melee combat is definitely easier in 3rd person while ranged is easier in 1st. There are lot of times in TES games I was taken unaware from the behind and that felt more "realistic", even though I wasn't too happy with the outcome!

So all in all gives us both!

Gothic's gives us both (at least G2) but i doubt anyone is playing those in first person, give us both but make sure both are equally good, and don't f*cking mess up the FOV in first person

Originally Posted by rune_74
The success? How do you measure success for the piranah bytes games? I mean, if they were looking at sales, they were not successful in comparison with thier own product. If you mean the reviews sure, I can see your point then.

Extrapolationary Hint: If as a AAA developer, you've managed to create three role-playing games, one with an expansion, another in a new series that is also anticipating a sequel, chances are - you've experienced a relative amount of success in the industry regardless of the perch you choose to judge it from.

Originally Posted by Pessimeister
Extrapolationary Hint: If as a AAA developer, you've managed to create three role-playing games, one with an expansion, another in a new series that is also anticipating a sequel, chances are - you've experienced a relative amount of success in the industry regardless of the perch you choose to judge it from.

Actually, I wouldn't consider PB "AAA" developers - which is another reason to expect their games to have been successful - because they've invested far fewer resources in making them.