[Dennis]

Recap of info courtesy of ShadowPampers


Ok, here is my recap of the info, hope it helps. This is not all the info, however.

On leveling:
Totally revamped, no more class selection at the start of the game, every skill you level contributes to your overall level. And each time you level you get extra health plus the ability to get either more health, magicka or stamina.
Each level also brings you perks. Cool abilities I guess like in Fallout 3.
Also, the leveling was moved from 1-25 or something like that to 1-50, but 50 is soft-capped, you just advance really slow after that.

On skills:
Mysticism is gone.
18 skills, down from 21 on Oblivion, and 27 on Morrowind.
Tries to accomodate players who want to specialize in a certain proffesion (like mage or thief), while at the same time giving room for players who like to do plenty of everything. They want to keep a special care so that this feels good, not prone to cheating and organic.

On the story and lore:
200 years after Oblivion. Set in Skyrim, a region north of the imperial city, where the Nords live.
The dragons are returning, as it was prophetized. You are gonna be trying to stop the wicked dragon god. You are a dragonborn, a dragon hunter. Your mentor is one of the last blade, voiced by some old dude from Shutter Island and Minority Report.
Also, there is a civil war, since the king is dead.
Enemies include were-yeti's, giant spider, dragons and other cool creatures.

On combat:
They want to make it more dynamic and tactical. You have to assign each hand with a function I think, either magic, 2 weapons, a weapon and a shield, etc.
You can also waste stamina by sprinting, allowing you to get access to tactical postitions.
Emphasis on really improving the combat this time around.
They are also putting care on how each weapon feel on your hand.

Other:
Third person view has been improved
5 massive cities, more variation in caves and underground stuff.

On quests:
Quests are much more dynamic now.
The quests are now more determined by how you build your chracter, individual actions and overall much more dynamic. Examples provided: If you are more of a magic user, some other mage may approach you who may not have had if you were just a melee character. Or if you killed some dude who owned a store that was gonna give you a quest, his sister would inherit the store, but she may resent you before giving you the quest. Also, if you drop a weapon in the street instead of selling it, it may just dissapear, some kid may get it and give it back to you, which would lead to a series of stuff, or some dudes may fight over who gets it.
Also, it said that the quests you are given would be modified by how you have played (I guess like scaling the quests). For example, the location of a rescue mission would be determined by which location you have visited (it will try to give you a dungeon you haven't been in) and I guess also giving you appropiate enemies to your level.


I can add that there is an option for no HUD.


On Conversations: (thanks MrBig)
Conversations aren't done in a zoomed in static shot anymore.
Start a conversation with some and they will act like someone would in real life, looking at you occasionally and walking around a bit and also continue doing a task if they were doing one while talking.

On Weapon smithing:
Go to a forge and carve a new weapon out of red hot metal.


Recap from raphier

Dual-wielding: you have two hands now in combat and you can wield anything to both hands. You may assign a dagger on left hand and use a mace with right hand. The choice as they say is yours.

Duel: You may duel any NPC on the streets western style.

Inheritence: When you kill a shopkeeper, his/her family member will inherit the shop and will be angry about you, but stil give you missions.

Level-scaling: It is coming back

18 skills: supposedly even less skills to play with?

No mysticism

Perks: Rumored to be in Skyrim. I may have understood it wrong.

Boosts: Pick stamina, health, magic boosts on level up.

Enchanting: This skill makes a return.

"Radiant storytelling" or Level Scaling 2.0: "The game eventually logs a huge storehouse of knowledge about how you've played, and subsequently tailors content to your capabilities and experiences. Entering a city, a young woman might approach you and beg you to save her daughter from kidnappers. The game will look at the nearby dungeons you've explored, automatically set the mission in a place you've never visited, and designate opponents that are appropriately matched to your strengths and weaknesses."

Fast-Travel: As you probably expect, you can instantly travel to previous locations with a tap of the button

Sprinting: You can now sprint about!

Town visiting: You may do more in towns, like tailor weapons, cooking, farming or mining. Not much details about this or how detailed they are as jobs.



Yet another recap:

-A variation of level scaling.
-Dynamic Shadows
-Overhauled Combat-system
-Improved Faces/Improved Models Example: Faces have been dramatically overhauled. Characters now exhibit more emotion show of distinctions between different races and just plain looks better.
-Radiant AI
-Updated Engine Snow falls dynamically (not as a basic texture on the ground)
Trees and branches move independently with the wind
Water flows
-Randomly generated quests.
-Beards
-You can't run backwards as fast as you do forward.
-10 races to choose from (Holy crap thats a lot of races)
-confirmed creatures: zombies, skeletons, trolls, giants, ice wraiths, giant spiders, dragons, wolves, horses Elk, mammoth, saber-toothed cats
-presumeably open cities (as dragons can attack)
-Hud-free first-person view and improved third-person perspective
-very unique landscapes! Also unique dungeons! In other words, lots of uniqueness!
-Character creation improved, body features customizable
-2-handed weapons and duel wielding confirmed.
-Finishing moves, unique to each weapon and enemy you fight.
-Kids
-The game takes place 2 centuries after Oblivion
-Sprint is added !
- Dialog will pop up when you approach an enemy
- cooking/farming/mining/woodcutting/blacksmithing
-18 skills.
-Perk picking at every level-up
-5 Magic Schools Destruction Alteration Conjuration Restoration Illusion.



On level scaling from the Senior Community Manager:

Scaling is similar to what we had in Fallout 3. See the comment I put in our official forums Since people are asking, wanted to briefly touch on level scaling. All our games have had some amount of randomness/levelling based on player level. Skyrim's is similar to Fallout 3's, not Oblivion's.

[benny_a]

Also I think the crouch + camera position to me says that this is still Gamebryo.

[Trojita]

No Classes?

[MrBig]

Conversations aren't done in a zoomed in static shot anymore. Start a conversation with some and they will act like someone would in real life, looking at you occasionally and walking around a bit and also continue doing a task if they were doing one while talking.

Weapon smithing. Go to a forge and carve a new weapon out of red hot metal.

[rexor0717]

This will be my GOTY whenever its comes out. Oblvion was amazing, and I really hope this will be too. GOTY unless StarHawk :(

[Backfoggen]

Peoples faces look good confirmed.

[UrbanRats]

For great justice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZqBdv4Akes

[Dresden]

The quests are now more determined by how you build your chracter, individual actions and overall much more dynamic. Examples provided: If you are more of a magic user, some other mage may approach you who may not have had if you were just a melee character. Or if you killed some dude who owned a store that was gonna give you a quest, his sister would inherit the store, but she may resent you before giving you the quest. Also, if you drop a weapon in the street instead of selling it, it may just dissapear, some kid may get it and give it back to you, which would lead to a series of stuff, or some dudes may fight over who gets it.

Sounds like bullshit.

Probably some scripted moments where you have to drop a weapon at a predetermined point within the city.

[RyanDG]

I asked in the other thread.

Have they confirmed beards for PC?

Playing a beardless nord in the first game made me feel dirty.

[Desi]

Also I think the crouch + camera position to me says that this is still Gamebryo.

please, that is all i ask. how many deaths i had because of that choice I do not know.

[disappeared]

Damn you Dennis! I needed one more minute! :lol

[ShadowPampers]

I haven't looked at every single page so that's just what I managed to read.

[maniac-kun]

The dynamic quest stuff sounds awesome!

[Rahxephon91]

Like the idea of 5 massive cites. Sounds cool. And sure Beths, I'm sure the 3'rd person view has been improved.

Oh and improved variety and no static conversations. This sounds like they really are improving the game over 4.

[dream]

On the story and lore: 200 years after Oblivion. Set in Skyrim, a region north of the imperial city, where the Nords live. The dragons are returning, as it was prophetized. You are gonna be trying to stop the wicked dragon god. You are a dragonborn, a dragon hunter. Your mentor is one of the last blade, voiced by some old dude from Shutter Island and Minority Report. Also, there is a civil war, since the king is dead.

That's the funniest shit I've read all day. :lol

[LiK]

holy shit, FIVE cities.

there better be fast travel in the cities. :3

[bounchfx]

man, it looks awesome.
Two swords at one time!? YES.

but how to block then? can I parry? CAN I PARRY? RIPOSTE!

can't wait

[disappeared]

Like the idea of 5 massive cites. Sounds cool. And sure Beths, I'm sure the 3'rd person view has been improved.

They honestly need a 3D movement system in third person. Ditch the tank controls.

[Ledsen]

If that "Radiant Storytelling" level scaling bs includes LOOT SCALING, I'll be pissed >_<

[V_Ben]

No more unending stares? Praise be! :D

[lastplayed]

Good, as long as conjuration is still in I'm happy. :D

[bounchfx]

They honestly need a 3D movement system in third person. Ditch the tank controls.

I disagree here. MAYBE as an option, but a change like this would change how the entire game feels

[xKilltheMx]

I need to tell my cousin about all of this, he is going to assplode.

[bestami]

Sounds like Fallout with swords.

[Blue Ninja]

Man, everything's the way I wanted it to be, and then some. The only thing I'm worried about is level scaling, but I'm confident Bethesda learned from Fallout 3, which was a lot better in that regard.

This game is going to be amazing.

[disappeared]

I disagree here. MAYBE as an option, but a change like this would change how the entire game feels

Perhaps yeah. Just something that doesn't feel so stiff.

[DaBuddaDa]

A game with Demon's Souls-esque combat set in a Elder Scrolls-style open world would be amazing. This sounds like a possible step in the right direction.

[Grimm Fandango]

Game sounds so epic, can't wait.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK1jbzMyFeU

[Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!]

Daggerfall, Morrowind, and Oblivion all took place around the same time right?

[LiK]

A game with Demon's Souls-esque combat set in a Elder Scrolls-style open world would be amazing. This sounds like a possible step in the right direction.

something tells me they've been studying the world of Boleteria.

[Grayman]

Or if you killed some dude who owned a store that was gonna give you a quest, his sister would inherit the store, but she may resent you before giving you the quest.

Sounds like a black and what morality system.

[Old Gimlet Eyes]

Is Enchanting back as well? It was mentioned in the closed thread....

Also, weapon smithing sounds hot. Kind of wary about no attributes and just skills. Everything else sounds great though, really liking how the quests are much more dynamic.

[Geoff9920]

Sounds like Fallout with swords.

I see what you did there.

[SteelAttack]

Nice, nice. I'm all for a revamped combat system that rewards a thoughtful or tactical approach instead of just mindless slashing. I'd love to dual wield and parry.

[ShadowPampers]

I think that everything in theory sounds cool, and it could work really well. However, in an RPG specially, the way the overall designed implements every element in a cohesive manner is really important to see how good the experience will be.

I prefer no scaling in TES, but given the structure of the game, its really understandable. The thing is that, in Oblivion, the level scaling was so awfuly implemented it broke the game.

As Francesco conversion shows us, level scaling can work and make sense if its implemented well and in a not rushed manner.


I also like the idea of dynamic combat, quests and skills, but again, we will have to see how everything is implemented together.


But if it ends up sucking like Oblivion we can always trust in the community to make it awesome.

[disappeared]

Just let me role play a rogue, Beth. Please. Give me more dialogue options and backstab/sneak opportunities!

[Sickboy007]

Sounds like Fallout with swords.

from oblivion with guns to fallout with swords. cant wait to play skyrim with xxx.

[Emitan]

No more unending stares? Praise be! :D

Now they won't even look at us! Brilliant!

[MrBig]

Is Enchanting back as well? It was mentioned in the closed thread.....

Yes.
Enchant items with new magical effects.

[UrbanRats]

Will they be able to make decent animations?
Oblivion had.. like, the worst horses ever made :lol

[SteelAttack]

something tells me they've been studying the world of Boleteria.

Oh god I hope so. DS was the first thing that came to mind when thinking of engaging combat.

[DaBuddaDa]

something tells me they've been studying the world of Boleteria.

All open world RPG developers, over the past couple years, have been commenting/discussing how to create a compelling combat system within an open world RPG. I am anxious to see how they will turn out next couple of years (Skyrim, Witcher 2, Kingdom of Amalur). They are keen to the fact that combat in open world RPGs is almost universally terrible.

[ajim]

YES! Can't wait. I just hope loot in caves isn't randomised anymore like it was in Oblivion, I enjoyed it much more in Morrowind having everything in a predetermined place.

I actually just started Oblivion against yesterday, enjoying it a lot thus far.

edit: AND DRAGONS! Finally. Woo.

[LiK]

Now they won't even look at us! Brilliant!

sweet, we'll be ignored by strangers, just like in real life.

[Oni Jazar]

I have a strong feeling this will be delayed. It just sounds too incredible to be true.

[UrbanRats]

I have a strong feeling this will be delayed. It just sounds too incredible to be true.

That's a given.

[Lagspike_exe]

Some of this sounds very intriguing. I also feel that some of the described stuff sounds waaay to context-sensitive to be ever activated.

You drop an item, a boy comes, "stuff happens"? Really? The chance of someone dropping a an item in a certain area, isn't very high, is it? Unless the game hints you at this possibility, it sounds like a complete waste of time to design quests over such unique events, unless there are multiple starting triggers. The rescue mission example sounds very tricky and very hard to properly play test.

I fully support the leveling system revamp, although I highly favor Fallout - style XP leveling instead of the traditional TES skill leveling system.

Also, sounds very details heavy, with some very, very specific touches. Previous Bethesda games were kind of a bare-bones, with a lot of repeating content. Quests were great, but those soft touches were missing. I don't have much hope that they'll successfully implement those kind of things when we know Bethesda is famous for their quantity-heavy philosophy, but we'll see.

[lastplayed]

Is Enchanting back as well? It was mentioned in the closed thread....

Well Oblivion had enchanting of sorts, except now they've removed Mysticism which means no more capturing souls. Unless they add that to a different school.

[maniac-kun]

Just let me role play a rogue, Beth. Please. Give me more dialogue options and backstab/sneak opportunities!

If the radiant story thing works you will get contacted by people who want you to kill someone ._.

[Old Gimlet Eyes]

Yes. Enchant items with new magical effects.

So they bring back Enchanting, but get rid of Mysticism? Hopefully there will still be a Soul Trap spell so I can get me some grand souls for my constant effect goodness.

All I need now is to know if levitation and super jumps are coming back......

Well Oblivion had enchanting of sorts, except now they've removed Mysticism which means no more capturing souls. Unless they add that to a different school.

Sneaky Bethesda. I just want to be able to summon my own Golden Saints and Soul trap them, the way the Nerevarine would have done it.

I'm also hoping for a massive Alchemy system like Oblivion had. I spent hours roaming the land collecting plants and flowers, so awesome.