Skyrim - The Elder Scrolls V

[sophie]

Oblivion and Morrowind are both filled with caves too, but I kind of agree. Although the aves are a thousand times better than they are in Oblivion (which are very dull).

It's kind of funny, but I think that by taking out the multitudes of random offshoot paths and paths to nowhere that were a staple of Oblivion, and instead making caves just one main path with a couple offshoot rooms has made caves much more interesting and much more varied in Skyrim than in Oblivion. I actually find myself seeking out caves - something I definitely didn't do in Oblivion.

 

[Rub'Rum]

The linearity of "dungeons" is a little striking though. It doesn't bother me too much, but it IS a bit... I don't know... Suboptimal for immersion. I'd like some more believable open-world dungeons, there is kind of one BIG one at some point. But for a game where the top-world is so open, the dungeons are very linear. And also I'm glad there is a quick way out of every dungeon, but it becomes a little lolworthy that every place you visit has a "oh look a secret door leading right back to the entrance" moment. Strange architects.

 

[DaemonDD]

I kind of avoid going through Dwemner Ruins after having been in the Reach for a long while. There is only so much steampunk that I can handle to be honest.
What I really wish for, are more dungeons like the final part of the main quest, and the Hircine Daedra-questline. They were original and very charming.

 

[Maniacal]

I actually don't like caves/dungeons that offer 3 or more paths that aren't dead ends. I start to worry that I am missing something and end up backtracking a lot. Although in Oblivion that is partly because they all look the same, and I just don't like missing areas or potential loot

Branching paths are awesome though. Also you can never have too much Steampunk, but you can have too much of the same stuff being used over and over again.

 

[Rub'Rum]

I don't want 3 long linear paths that, to be explored, require a lot of backtracking, but believable constructions are usually built to minimize travel time between the rooms, so... You know, just more believable places.

Also, I think that, in the same way Skyrim has so much content I didn't feel compelled to do all the quests everywhere as I did in previous games, if dungeons were big enough or believable enough requiring too much backtracking, I would end up finally giving up on the idea of hoarding everything and making sure I see every nook and cranny, which may be a good thing.

 

[Arakhor]

You know, Owen, you could always buy a new controller. It never hurts to have a spare!

 

[GoodGame]

The linearity of "dungeons" is a little striking though. It doesn't bother me too much, but it IS a bit... I don't know... Suboptimal for immersion. I'd like some more believable open-world dungeons, there is kind of one BIG one at some point. But for a game where the top-world is so open, the dungeons are very linear. And also I'm glad there is a quick way out of every dungeon, but it becomes a little lolworthy that every place you visit has a "oh look a secret door leading right back to the entrance" moment. Strange architects.

That was the same as Oblivion. Pretty LOLsome. You pretty much come to expect it of the world designers---all torture chambers MUST have an emergency exit back to entrance!

 

[sophie]

You know, Owen, you could always buy a new controller. It never hurts to have a spare!

a.) Controllers are like, 50 bucks
b.) I already have 2
c.) I've totally already thought about it seriously

 

[Double A]

It's a valid complaint that the game is all about Nordic ruins, Caves or Dwemer ruins (I guess there are some forts too). That sums up the theme of almost every dungeon. However, they are obviously hand crafted and almost all of them have individual and interesting stories, it's insane. But yes, nordic ruins especially, are a little over-present. The same claw puzzle etc etc can make it seem redundant to some players I'm sure. But these people obviously haven't seen the redundancy of previous TES games' dungeons

I believe that the level designers made about half a dozen rooms and just used random.org to find the sequence.

"Oh, wow, this one's entrance, smasher, Welkynd stone room, Welkynd stone room, smasher, arrow hall, Welkynd stone room, axe hall, loot room!"

 

[Rub'Rum]

Sure, the patterns and types of puzzles and traps are a bit repetitive, with obligatory crypt section, for instance, with all the draugr. But really, there is so much less substance to this complaint in Skyrim than in previous Elder Scrolls game. Each dungeon manages to have more character and huge sections that are obviously hand made to have a theme or tell a story of something that happened there long ago.

 

[Double A]

I was talking about Oblivion.

 

[Mango Elephant]

I'm addicted to this game. My first character was a Khajik (cat thing, don't know how to spell), my next character was a Breton Mage, and I liked her alright, but I was tired of how hard it was to survive (I didn't know you could change difficulty). Now I play a Wood Elf Archer, and I love him to death. I love sneaking up on a wolf or something and shooting a carefully placed arrow to the head, and bang! he's dead. The Thieves Guild quests are really fun, too.

 

[Eat_Up_Martha]

So I found myself wandering through a dwemer ruin for the first time, Mzuflt, from the Mage's College questline. I decided to completely empty the place out. It took me easily half a dozen trips back to town, maybe more.

I got enough scrap metal to be able to smelt out 414 Dwarven Metal Ingots.

 

[Rub'Rum]

Doesn't sound like much fun

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

I'd probably have stopped after three trips. That sounds like way more Dwarven Metal Ingots than you'll ever need.

 

[uat2d]

As if the time it takes the game to load on each fast travel somewhere and back wasn't dull enough...

 

[Eat_Up_Martha]

Doesn't sound like much fun

I'd probably have stopped after three trips. That sounds like way more Dwarven Metal Ingots than you'll ever need.

As if the time it takes the game to load on each fast travel somewhere and back wasn't dull enough...

I agree completely, it wasn't exactly thrilling. But I just felt compelled to see how much I could get for the whole place and after the 2nd trip there was just so much sunk cost in the idea it felt like I would be letting myself down.

Besides, now I'm rich as an astronaut.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

My rule of thumb for loot is 'If it has a worth/weight ratio of 5 to 1 or greater, pick it up' at the start of the game and the more money I have the more that ratio grows. Now I have 35.000 septims and it's at least 20 to 1, which means I don't bother to pick up most Orcish weapons. I don't really need a lot of money, most of my equipment is found or self-made and my Restoration perks save me a lot of healing potions.

 

[sophie]

My rule of thumb for loot is 'If it has a worth/weight ratio of 5 to 1 or greater, pick it up' at the start of the game and the more money I have the more that ratio grows. Now I have 35.000 septims and it's at least 20 to 1, which means I don't bother to pick up most Orcish weapons. I don't really need a lot of money, most of my equipment is found or self-made and my Restoration perks save me a lot of healing potions.

Yeah I tend not to pick so much stuff up either; I spend almost no money as it is, save to buy a house here or some metal ingots for weapon improvement/creation there. I started out using potions, but I quickly used them all up at the beginning of the game, and promptly began investing in Restoration, and now I find I don't ever really have to use potions anymore.

 

[Disgustipated]

I'm around 95,000 gold right now, so close. I don't pick up non enchanted weapons usually except the good stuff like ebony and sometimes glass. If it is magical in some way, I'll pick it up. I pick up all potions and gems of course. And all gold. I pick up a lot of robes since they only weigh 1 pound, so if it's worth over 100 gold, I'll pick it up.

Speaking of linear dungeons from above, I don't mind the caves and barrows. They are pretty cool. I should mention there are some above ground places to "clear out" like the one quest in White Run where you rescue the family member from that place up North. Sadly, despite being a fort of some kind, that place is filled with linear hallways which doesn't make sense. The building is rectangular I believe, so why doesn't the inside seem to match the outside? Most interiors of buildings in real life have a rectangular setup so there isn't a lot of wasted space between walls. So why are there long corridors with no rooms on either side? Sometimes it's like corridor, room, corridor, room, corridor, room, etc. But I generally like the dungeon setup visually.

I picked up the dog from outside of Markarth stables, I didn't realize you could have 2 followers. He's not that great, since I can't sneak with him, but he's an alright tank. I have the mage follower, she summons frost astronachs which in theory could be a tank, but I find them too large, and find they block my view of what I'm shooting firebolts at. They just generally annoy me, and I usually kill it after the battle.

And the reason why I haven't seen any dragons in days is because I haven't done the quest: A Blade in the Dark. I'm pretty sure that's why. I did the main quest up until there. I've gone months in game time without seeing a dragon.