Skyrim - Skyrim Missing Twenty Things @ OXM

aries100 · July 12, 2011

In an editorial OXM discusses twenthy things they think Skyrim is missing, some for the worse some for the better. Two examples:

4. Class selection
Perhaps Skyrim's most-lamented omission among old school Elder Scrollers, designed to avoid the get-three-hours-in-and-restart experience reportedly typical among casual users. Perks, skills and independently levelling attributes sort of fill the breach - if you focus on spells, you'll be a wizard in all but name. Bit of a departure, hopefully for the best.
9. Key racial differences
Divisions between the playable races have been softened in Skyrim. Choice of origin no longer affects your maximum encumbrance or speed, for example, though races still boast unique abilities and starting attribute make-ups. Orcs get the Berserk power, for instance, while Khajiit can see in the dark.

More information.

Zloth · July 12, 2011

Class selection is no loss to me. I always made a custom class anyway.

You'd be amazed at the things you can find in a garden-variety Oblivion wolf. Pelts and bones we can understand. The deluge of cutlery is a little harder to explain.

Forks for Big Head!!

TheMadGamer · July 12, 2011

The article's title, 'Skyrim: 20 Things It's Missing' seems to imply features of past TES games that may be 'missing' in TES 5. I'm going to go ahead and run with that implication and point out that the following items never appeared in prior TES games (with the exception of Spears and Levitation - both missing since Oblivion). These items may be missing, but they were never in the series to begin with. Sort of a strange article.

1 - Dragon Riding
5 - Spears (removed with Oblivion - not sure if spears were in Morrowind or not)
6 - Dragon Transformations
7 - Levitation (Missing Starting With Oblivion)
8 - Skill Perk/Ally Management
11 - Total Environmental Destruction
14 - Co-Op
16 - Dwarves
17 - Gunpowder Weapons

Fnord · July 12, 2011

5 - Spears (removed with Oblivion - not sure if spears were in Morrowind or not)

They were in Morrowind. Probably the weakest class of weapons in that game, with some wonky hit detection, so most people never used them (plus, spears are far less iconic among fantasy weapon), but they were there.

16 - Dwarves

Well…

There was one in Morrowind

1 - Dragon Riding

On the other hand, dragon riding is cool. Ever since I was a small kid I have wanted games that includes dragon riding/being a dragon (and having the freedom to fly around in a fully 3d environment). As far as I know, only 2 games have had this, Drakan: order of the flame and Divinity 2 (the dragon jousting dragonlance game does not count).

Corwin · July 12, 2011

I want a return of Fly and Meltwall!!

ChienAboyeur · July 12, 2011

0- Role playing support.

But hey, not a feature missed by many players around.

kalniel · July 12, 2011

ChienAboyeur said:
0- Role playing support.

You mean, like a hot line you ring to ask how to role play?

Most of us don't need it thanks, just give us a sandbox world like skyrim and we've got all the tools we need

DArtagnan · July 12, 2011

I actually like that TES games don't have classes. But what I don't like, is that it's too easy to become a jack-of-all-trades without significant downsides.

Then again, the actual character mechanics were always dreadfully boring in those games.

I've come to accept that mods will be where to look for interesting mechanics.

Tarash · July 12, 2011

Some things will be good others will be missed from the get go but the modders will save the day once more I presume.

I just hope there will be decent mod support tools from the start or shorthly after.
Don't feel like waiting a year or two before I can start to play this game with mods

DArtagnan · July 12, 2011

You have to wait 6 months at least for thoroughly balanced gameplay mods.

There will, naturally, be UI mods and stuff like that - but it takes a lot of work to make significant adjustments to the core game.

I'll just play around with what they give me and deal with the inevitable design flaws. It's Bethesda - and I know what they can and can't do.

Tarash · July 12, 2011

6 months I can live with, I want to give the modders some time of course

It depends also I guess on how modder friendly the tools will be.

I was suprised to see how fast decent mods were released for Fallout: New Vegas so there is hope

DArtagnan · July 12, 2011

Yeah, but many of those mods were variations of what had been done with Fallout 3.

I doubt Skyrim will be as easy - but, as you say, one can hope

Tarash · July 12, 2011

That's true, hadn't thought of that.

Well I'm sure the base game will give me enough to keep me occupied cause I'll probably can't resist it to buy it soon after release anyway :lol:

Tragos · July 12, 2011

No classes very bad, me not happy

Dean · July 12, 2011

DArtagnan said:
I actually like that TES games don't have classes. But what I don't like, is that it's too easy to become a jack-of-all-trades without significant downsides.

Then again, the actual character mechanics were always dreadfully boring in those games.

I've come to accept that mods will be where to look for interesting mechanics.

Hopefully the new skill tree like system will change this for the better. I'm looking forward to it, as I agree, the old system didn't work very well. I'll be interested to see if the new system leads to better character diversity and less jack of all trades.

DArtagnan · July 12, 2011

Dean said:
Hopefully the new skill tree like system will change this for the better. I'm looking forward to it, as I agree, the old system didn't work very well. I'll be interested to see if the new system leads to better character diversity and less jack of all trades.

The perks might make a difference, but I don't think Bethesda understand the finer things like intricate gameplay mechanics.

Maybe they just don't care.

It seems they're more into the spectacle part of it all, than details like balanced and interesting gameplay.

It's not like those things matter much, as long as you have beautiful environments and firebreathing dragons to sell the game.

kalniel · July 12, 2011

The jack of all trades was a consequence of the freedom to create whatever class you wanted. If you wanted an armour wearing mage you could do it, and that freedom was one of the joys of TES. Lack of predetermined negative consequences created the jack of all trades thing *if you wanted it to* - role players of course were fine because they don't need artificial constraints from a game.

Better though, IMHO would be to re-introduce the system from Daggerfall, so we could have custom penalties as well.

DArtagnan · July 12, 2011

Games are artificial by nature, so talking about game design as an artificial constraint is silly.

Either the design supports interesting choices or it doesn't.

TES was never about interesting choices. You just do what you want to and there's no penalty whatever you decide.

I like it when my choice matters, because it inspires me to think before I act.

Some people like to play without having to think about they're doing, and that's great. TES is probably one of the best RPG franchises for exactly that kind of experience.

In fact, I'd say Oblivion represents the peak of the franchise in terms of letting casual gamers enjoy a traditonally enthusiast genre.

GhanBuriGhan · July 12, 2011

DArtagnan said:
Games are artificial by nature, so talking about game design as an artificial constraint is silly.

Either the design supports interesting choices or it doesn't.

TES was never about interesting choices. You just do what you want to and there's no penalty whatever you decide.

I like it when my choice matters, because it inspires me to think before I act.

Some people like to play without having to think about they're doing, and that's great. TES is probably one of the best RPG franchises for exactly that kind of experience.

In fact, I'd say Oblivion represents the peak of the franchise in terms of letting casual gamers enjoy a traditonally enthusiast genre.

I do enjoy that "reckless" freedom of character generation in TES, although I absoluteley don't want it in every game. I would however like more consequences based on what I chose to become. In a TES game, IMHO, I should be able to make whatever character I want (so character progression should have very few limitations) but the game should treat me based on what I become. If I am a Fighter with one spell and 10 in magic skills, the Mages guild should kick me out and laugh at me all the way back the the fighters guild, where I belong - etc..

DArtagnan · July 12, 2011

GhanBuriGhan said:
I do enjoy that "reckless" freedom of character generation in TES, although I absoluteley don't want it in every game. I would however like more consequences based on what I chose to become. In a TES game, IMHO, I should be able to make whatever character I want (so character progression should have very few limitations) but the game should treat me based on what I become. If I am a Fighter with one spell and 10 in magic skills, the Mages guild should kick me out and laugh at me all the way back the the fighters guild, where I belong - etc..

Yeah, that's pretty much the kind of thing I'm talking about.

One of the big issues I have with certain TES games is that there's little or no reason to replay them - because you can do everything with one character. It sort of cheapens the experience of choosing factions and developing a character according to playstyle preferences.

I really like the idea of playing a huge open world game, knowing I have a completely different experience waiting for me - should I build another character with a different set of powers.

They "kinda" managed that with Fallout 3, though it takes mods to really get there.

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