Skyrim - GamesCom Preview @ GameSpot

GameSpot has A Few Thoughts about Skyrim after another look at the game at GamesCom:

Dungeon Designs
You remember Oblivion's dungeons, right? Those underground stone labyrinths or dirt tunnels that you'd sometimes, maybe, feel tempted to go exploring on the off chance you might find some neat loot inside? They were fine for what they were, but they don't exactly cling to your memory as one of the better parts of the game. According to Bethesda's Pete Hines, the development staff has taken quite a different approach with Skyrim's dungeon designs. Literally. Whereas Oblivion's dungeons were largely drawn up by the staff's artists, now dungeons are in the hands of a team of full-time level designers. The aim is to make each dungeon stand out, serve a purpose, and feel like its own unique chunk of the world with its own backstory. Hopefully, that will mean more incentive to explore dungeons you'd otherwise pass by during your overland adventuring.

They also have some (new?) screens to accompany the piece.
Thanks, Thrasher!
More information.

I did read some place there they are to be over 180 dungens so this is something I am looking forward to.
I find most of the times I have more fun just exploring than doing the main plot…I think in the witcher one and two I did 98% of all quests…

2 Photos of mine with a strange writing on them can be deciphered here : http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showp…8&postcount=36

The last line was closed just before my nose - like last year, at Bethesda as well, if I remember correctly …

It's good that they got level designers in their team. Level design in previous Bethesda titles has been atrocious, consistently one of the worse parts of any of their games.

Next they need to get writers in their team too.

And game designers.

Always amusing to me when previews for sequels talk about flaws in the previous game that were never mentioned in that game's reviews.

The dog, in the fourth screenshot (behind the female dunmer) is the player's, isn't it?
You can have a spouse, you can buy real estate and then rent it out, you have a clairvoyance spell which shows you the way, and now fluffy dogs. It seems Skyrim looks a hell of lot like Fable 3.

This:

Originally Posted by blackcanopus
The dog, in the fourth screenshot (behind the female dunmer) is the player's, isn't it?
You can have a spouse, you can buy real estate and then rent it out, you have a clairvoyance spell which shows you the way, and now fluffy dogs. It seems Skyrim looks a hell of lot like Fable 3.

Careful you will piss off the fable and fallout fans. I personally killed the dog and eat it as it was annoying. To bad you couldn't do it in fable.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
Careful you will piss off the fable and fallout fans.

Why would such a comment piss off Fable or Fallout fans?
If it has potential to piss someone off it΄s Skyrim/TES fans .

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
Careful you will piss off the fable and fallout fans. I personally killed the dog and eat it as it was annoying. To bad you couldn't do it in fable.

Good thing I didn't mention the Mabari wardogs.

Originally Posted by blackcanopus
Good thing I didn't mention the Mabari wardogs.

He was useless as well. Seems fable started the whole dog trend and others try to mimic it.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
He was useless as well. Seems fable started the whole dog trend and others try to mimic it.

As far as I can remember, Fallout 1 started it and it was followed by Fallout 2, Arcanum and other games. I can't remember any RPGs (or games) with a dog companion before Fallout 1.
And the dogs were usually annoying and/or useless. I remember Dogmeat (in Fallout 1) kept killing itself again and again by trying to cross laser walls.

Yawn……….

That Dunmer should have a Nix Hound or a Guar.

Originally Posted by blackcanopus
It seems Skyrim looks a hell of lot like Fable 3.

Only much, much more grim.

Originally Posted by blackcanopus
You can have a spouse,

Boobs sell.

When did the Dark Elves become Klingons? Worf would be proud of that brow line on the pic above

Skyrim sounds/looks pretty cool and I'm actually really excited about TES5 - more so than back when 3 & 4 got released (though I enjoyed Morrowind). The only thing I don't like is their choice in DRM (Steamworks)….

Whereas Oblivion's dungeons were largely drawn up by the staff's artists, now dungeons are in the hands of a team of full-time level designers. The aim is to make each dungeon stand out, serve a purpose, and feel like its own unique chunk of the world with its own backstory. Hopefully, that will mean more incentive to explore dungeons you'd otherwise pass by during your overland adventuring.

That sounds fantastic!

Skyrim looks nothing like any Fable game.


@GG - I agree.

Skyrim looks like Fable?

Ok, then Fallout 3 looks like Final Fantasy VII.