In retrospect, that's probably a better, less exploitative way to play the game.

IMO, the enchanting/smithing/alchemy system breaks the game. You shouldn't be able to create more powerful gear than you can find unless there's also a limit on your ability to develop your combat skills if you focus on the craft skills (so that the super gear just compensates for low skill).

I think I'm level 61 with 100s in Alchemy, Smithing, Enchanting, Lockpicking, 1-Hand, and Heavy Armor and 90+ in Archery, Light Armor, Speech, and Sneak. My perks were used primarily to improve 1-Hand, Smithing, and Enchanting. Getting up to the "Merchant" perk in Speech was useful.

No. I don't want to end up as one of those stories they use to condemn gaming. :D

I don't use enchants at all, only use alchemy for healing potions, and only level smithing in order to upgrade my weapons and armor.

I am also playing as a Nord "Hold Guard" so I only use hold guard armor (classified as light) and do not use anything "out of character" - no heavy armor, only "Nord" weapons like iron and steel (no ebony, elven, dead rid, or anything like that), no magic items or spells.

That's pretty impressive.

I am also playing on the highest difficulty level. I die once in a while. ;)

The problem with that is eventually you'll have to start using the "out of character" skills or you'll quit gaining experience points.

I'm level 52 now and the only "out of character" perks I have taken so far have been on the right side of the smithing tree (to get to dragon smithing).

I have perks in light armor, blocking, 1-handed, 2-handed, archery, and alchemy. Only blocking, light armor, and 1-handed are maxed at 100.

I have plenty of room to grow in 2-handed, archery, alchemy, lockpicking, and speechcraft before I have to do anything "out of character".

Yeah, I initially tried to only used one-handed combat with very little archery or sneak, but after I maxed out in one-hand and heavy armor, I decided to switch to sneak, light armor, and archery to keep earning XP.

I admire the way htismaqe is approaching the game though. I wish I'd have made some ground rules for myself like that, although I woudn't have gone as far as he did. I probably should have sworn off enchanting altogether. That alone would have probably made a pretty big difference.

I look at it this way. I am missing out on the power of enchanting.

I also don't have to do ANY managing of soul gems or any of that recharging shit...

Personally I think it's reeruned, but so what? If it works for him and he enjoys it, more power to him.

For me, games like this are all about advancing my character and getting the highest level skills/best equipment possible. As soon as I can't do that anymore, I lose interest quickly. Skyrim requires that you be flexible and have a well-rounded character to do that effectively, so I roll with it.

I don't play games like this much. It's been a decade since I last played an RPG all the way through (NWN 1). My initial approach was just like what you seem to be describing and it was a lot of fun to advance and see how good I could make my enchanted equipment, but eventually I got to the point where my battles with the bad guys were pretty ho hum because my gear was just too good.

I'm still playing and trying to find ways to keep it interesting though.

I just started a new character - complete mage. I'm not using any armor, and using only magic or bound weapons. It's been interesting - added a significant level of difficulty since I have no armor, especially early on.

I take it that you do a lot of running away.

No, but I've done a lot of dying! ROFL

The only time I've actually run away from something was at Shearpoint. Krosis flat kicked my ass.

Welcome to Bethesda games.

It got a lot less fun after I got dragon armor. Hopefully I get back into these expansions.

Play a mage wearing only robes, gloves, and boots...

I'm thinking of starting over soon.

Dragonborn tomorrow!

Make sure you download ASAP.

Sony is "apologizing" for the delay by offering all DLC at half price...

FOR A WEEK.

Weak.

It's not there... >:(

ROFL

Of course not.

What about the 1.8 patch?

I've had it for a month and beat it...

And you paid a premium for it too, M$ fanboi. :D

Yeah I downloaded that. It now says downloadable content, but there's nothing there yet or in the PSN store.

I'll be looking for Dragonborn when I get home.

Still not there.

After about 30 ****ing minutes of trying to get my debt or credit card to work it's finally downloading!!! I had to look at my information online because for some reason the bank had my old area code with my new address.

I had my wife pick up a pre-paid card today so thankfully, I won't have to deal with all of that.

13 cents a day, man. Totally worth it. :evil:

And I'm sucked back in again

Here's a novel concept - I paid Netflix already and can watch Netflix WITHOUT paying Sony too! :thumb:

Well, I downloaded it, but have not had a chance to view it, yet.

So can I, right from my DVD player. Amazon Prime streaming too.

So you have 2 devices to do what my one can do.

You paid EXTRA.

TWICE.

:evil:

I had a PlayStation 3. It sucked.

I had a 360 since launch. Great system but not really any better (or worse) than the PS3. At that point, the only real differentiator is online play - I don't play online.

I just got tired of getting gouged by M$. I don't play online so them continuing to shove an online membership down my throat as the ONLY way to get certain services became a matter of principle at some point.

My biggest complaint about PS3 was game selection. Also didn't like controllers. I don't care about online play either, so I don't subscribe...

Well, again, you can't use Netflix, or Hulu, or ESPN, or anything else, if you don't subscribe. For you, that's not a big deal because you have another device to do that. For me, in my setup, I need an all-in-one device.

And as I found out, there's certain couch coop games that you can't play with the person SITTING NEXT TO YOU, if you don't BOTH subscribe.

I've completely adjusted to the PS3 controller - it's a non-issue.

Add in the fact that Microsoft gave me the run-around on my kids' Live accounts for over 3 months (it took 30 seconds to make the same changes to their PSN accounts) and another 3 months to cancel their accounts after I had decided I had had enough, I won't buy another Microsoft product ever again.

The only edge Xbox had for me was most of my friends had that instead. Now that more people are switching to the superior system, PS3 easy.

Yeah, I didn't play online, even with friends. And using the XBox for IM? ROFL

I only played games like Halo and COD, and it was more fun on teams with your friends wearing headsets if we weren't in the same house. Skyrim is the first game I've gotten into by myself since like Madden 05(and all the previous ones). Oh but I did buy 2K13 last week that I also play by myself. I just prefer the PS3.

Played about 30 minutes of Dragonborn. Liked it. It's nice to see some different terrain.

I got a shit ton of gold from a cave last night. Like thousands in one cave.

Screenshtos, por favor.

I've done everything on Dragonborn.. Does the next one come out tonight?

Yes. Unfortunately, tonight's is Hearthfire...

There are some things in Hearthfire that are pretty cool. If you do much alchemy, you can grow a pretty extensive garden for ingredients...

You can also build a house in the 3 marches that didn't have a house in them.

You can also adopt kids and stuff.

But as far as I can tell, there's no actual new awesome quest content like in Dragonborn and Dawnguard.

It looks like "The Sims" for Skyrim.

I don't guess you're playing on PC?

I just found the Bards college... Pretty sure this is like the only thing in the game I hadn't done yet.

I ended up spending the $2.49 for Hearthfire. My house is pretty legit. And I adopted a little boy and girl. Damn slut wanted some money her first night in the house. The boy told me I could take what I wanted out of his chest... he just has bugs and plants and shit in there.

Damn kids.

ROFL

Most people play games to get away from that kind of bullshit....

I finally was able to get my new computer and play Skyrim. I must say I like a lot of things about it compared to Oblivion. There are a heck of a lot more side quests and things to do, a lot more places to find. I do find not a lot of variety in the caves and mines.

I am a 30th level male Breton who is mostly concentrating on one hand, smithing, and destruction

If you haven't yet, register your game with steam, makes it super easy to download/install/update mods and can really increase the playability/scope of the game

Bought it from steam

Been doing another run through of this game myself. Got a mean green Orc Warrior this time. No Magic. War axes and maces only. I'm trying to do the majority of the side quests this time, since I flew through the game too quickly last time.

Doing a bunch of Dark Brotherhood assassinations right now. I'd forgotten how much fun that is...

I recently started with Nord to play the Stormcloak quest line. Heavy armor, two-handed hammer, no magic, run-in-guns-ablazin' character. And I'm not being greedy this time around and picking through every random urn - bodies and chests only. That makes cave diving and ruin exploring a lot faster...

I absolute love the worlds that Bethesda creates, Elder Scrolls, Fallout 3, etc...but their combat mechanics suck.

I'm finding my second run through much much more enjoyable. Like you, more exploring and less opening every chest, urn, pile, stash, dead body, etc. I'm putting much more resources into Smithing and Enchanting too, and making weapons much better than any I can find in a fight. I'm taking my time, doing all the side quests I want, and focusing my points into specific areas.

Last run through was a constant battle of having enough mana and magic potions to throw fireballs at everything that moved. And while that was fun, it required shitloads of work to battle the way I wanted. This time I'm keeping it simple. Violent hack and slash.

I'm doing a lot more exploring as well. I can't believe the amount of stuff I missed the first time.

Totally underwhelming. Only one real quest and a few side quests. No ability to play instruments, no progression. The player is essentially a gopher.

The gopher aspect of this game is probably its biggest weakness. In Oblivion you had to do a bit of investigation to find the location the quest would take you. In this game the quest giver just marks the location on your map and its up to you to find it. Its also very difficult to find the path to some locations, even with clairvoyance, especially for dragon roosts.

It's pretty easy on horseback. Just ride up the side of the mountain.

You never played Morrowind apparently.

Also, I'm pretty sure Oblivion marked the map in the exact same way.

Not quite. Generally you needed a bit of investigation to find out where the quest would end up. And they weren't all just dungeon diving.

I am trying to get back into the game and the ****ing thing keeps freezing on the PS3. One one particular side mission it has frozen 4 times. I may try playing on my slim PS3 and see if it works better.

Is it the one where you have to go on something like an acid trip?

Good memory, sir. I think it's called the Nightcaller chapel and you drink this potion where you go into a dream state to get to a certain point in the chapel.

If you're going to say that Oblivion was less redundant, then I just don't agree at all.

All ES games are redundant, and Oblivion was the most redundant of the three I've played.

Also, FWIW, I hate walking around trying to find locations on the map. I hated it in morrowind and I love the map markers.

I just looked it up. If you try to save inside of the temple after you drink the potion, the game will freeze so you exit the temple and save and it should work ok. I ****ing hate goofy glitches like that.

If you're on PC, there's a workaround that involves rapidly saving at just the right moment and then reloading. I'll try to find it.

Edit: I see you're on PS3 and that you've found a fix.

I never got the Nightcaller Temple thing to work. I've seen "fixes" where youuse a platter to trick the game into going through a wall, or something, but I could never get it to work.

The main problem I have is with Dawnguard. I've never been able to transform into the vampire lord, so that entire quest line is unavailable for me. But the last time I tried to play as a straight vampire hunter, I encountered some glitch that made one of the main quest characters endlessly fight everybody. It was maddening.

Not saying its less redundant. I'm just saying you don't have to do any work to finish the quest. The quest giver in Skyrim almost always tells you exactly where to go. They made it to simple. Get the mission, go dungeon diving to get the goal, bring item back to quest giver. Rinse, repeat. There was a certain amount of that even in Oblivion, but you had to do some investigation to finish the quest. Oblivion also didn't have an arrow over the quest item.

http://www.bethblog.com/2013/04/08/s...es/#more-22071

Just downloaded Dragonborn. Have to say I'm liking it so far. I never really bought into the werewolf/vampire thing so Dawnguard will be the last official DLC I load. Anybody have suggestions on good quest mods?

Anyone use the construction kit?

My kids use the construction kit and seem to enjoy it. They also dig Minecraft as well, so take it for what its worth.

Can somebody explain why I would want to have one of my 100 skill areas returned to 15 and start working up in that area again? What is the advantage?

The only advantage I can think of is that it lets you get your overall level up over 80 or whatever it maxes out at in the original game.