[upJTboogie]

Damn I need to find out if the load times are significantly longer uninstalled on 360 than installed 360, and how it compares to forced install PS3, I might switch my pre-order.

[Einbroch]

As someone else who LOVED Oblivion, this is all great to hear. How is the performance on 360 (assuming you have the game installed)? Oblivion was very stuttery at times for me, on two different Xboxes, regardless of cache being cleared or not.

I never ever encountered any stuttering outside of auto-saves. Whenever the game auto-saves I freak out because it "freezes" the game for like 5 seconds.

[Wallach]

Load times are kinda bad in the sense that every time you go into a store/shop/building it loads. Only like 3-4 seconds, but it still breaks the immersion. I have the game installed, and it DOES read off the disk while installed. I hear it spinning sometimes then stopping. 3.8GB installed, but like I said it definitely sometimes runs off the disk.

They have to be doing something weird with the 360 install. 3.8GB isn't even the size of PS3's mandatory install, which is like 5.5GB (from Bootaaay's report).

[Einbroch]

They have to be doing something weird with the 360 install. 3.8GB isn't even the size of PS3's mandatory install, which is like 5.5GB (from Bootaaay's report).

It's just bizarre. Not a complaint at all, but it spins at the most random times. I'll just be walking along then WHURRRRRRR. I'll zone into a new dungeon...silence.

[zethren]

It's Oblivion without the crappy stuff from Oblivion.

That's all I ever wanted in a new TES...so good to hear.

Thanks for the impressions. Can't think of any particular questions I have that haven't already been addressed, but I'll post any that might come to mind.

[SpudBud]

The music is outstanding: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87Smr...el_video_title http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0iEO4gQPrg http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=CGoWJN3owvA

Wow, I need to buy this soundtrack.

[BlueTsunami]

They have to be doing something weird with the 360 install. 3.8GB isn't even the size of PS3's mandatory install, which is like 5.5GB (from Bootaaay's report).

This has got me more interested in how the PS3 version performs. I may go with whichever version has even marginally less load times. Load time annoyance adds up over time for me.

[Philia]

Impressions from playing the 360 version about 6 hours today. I'm enjoying this more than I enjoyed Oblivion, and Oblivion is my fourth favorite game of all time. More than willing to answer a few questions about specifics. I. Love. This. Game.

AWESOME impressions. I'm happy from what I've read. I loved Oblivion too, I went as a rogue Khajit Thief and she was pretty awesome at level 10 lmao. I just hope I can continue using the same build in Skyrim.

I don't care about magicka as much, but I'll definitely get into crafting and hopefully build some equips with a chameleon type magic into it. Mostly I like that the fact that you can play this game (Oblivion at least) as completely deaf and not get penalized. Hence the sneak/constant invisibility is important to me since I'm deaf myself. I always hated the melee/sudden face to face combat and loved that there's double damages from sneak attacks and the like. Besides I like to have some kind of control over my surroundings somehow even if its only visually.

[Saige]

Does this game have some sort of hardcore mode like New Vegas? Or at least will health potions not work instantaneously from the pause menu because that stuff really killed any sense of danger in combat or exploring in Oblivion and Fallout 3 (even with its modified level scaling).

[zethren]

Wow, I need to buy this soundtrack.

http://www.directsong.com/

Do it.

[Einbroch]

Sneaking seems much harder in Skyrim, maybe because the sneak skill/perks make a big difference, but I'll be silent and wearing light armor and I'll be heard from 10+ meters away.

But the joy you get when you stab someone for triple damage (yes, TRIPLE) and watch their life drop to a sliver...priceless.

[Pollux]

I think now that people on GAF have actually played the game and can answer questions, I'll ask this again, and hopefully one of you can answer...

I just have one question about this game: Will there be equipment that I can go get as a low level character that won't change as I level up, like there was in Morrowind, and not really much of in Oblivion? For example from Morrowind: Umbra Sword Goldbrand Sword of White Woe Chrysamere Daedric Crescent Dragonbone Cuirass Bow of Shadows Ice Blade of the Monarch etc.

Anything y'all know would be appreciated. Thanks.

[ashbash159]

As someone who had never played a game like Oblivion before I played Oblivion, I loved that game so much.

Hearing Skyrim is like Oblivion but without the stuff that was bad in Oblivion is getting me very excited.

Something about Fallout 3 didn't make me enjoy it, nowhere near as much as Oblivion.

It seems like so long since I've played Oblivion. My body is ready.

This may be the most excited I've been for a game for a long time.

11/11/11!

[Philia]

Sneaking seems much harder in Skyrim, maybe because the sneak skill/perks make a big difference, but I'll be silent and wearing light armor and I'll be heard from 10+ meters away. But the joy you get when you stab someone for triple damage (yes, TRIPLE) and watch their life drop to a sliver...priceless.

AWESOME. <3 What race did you go as?

[LiquidMetal14]

I await for DAT PC PRE LOAD

[Einbroch]

AWESOME. <3 What race did you go as?

High Elf. Sorry I'm not more aware of the lore to know what they actually call themselves. I almost went Kah-whatever (cat people) because there is a good amount of brawling in this game.

Anything y'all know would be appreciated. Thanks.

Are you talking about growing equipment that strengthens as you do? I have yet to see a piece like that.

[Wallach]

High Elf. Sorry I'm not more aware of the lore to know what they actually call themselves. I almost went Kah-whatever (cat people) because there is a good amount of brawling in this game.

They call themselves Altmer. The cat people are Khajiit.

[BlueTsunami]

Sneaking seems much harder in Skyrim, maybe because the sneak skill/perks make a big difference, but I'll be silent and wearing light armor and I'll be heard from 10+ meters away. But the joy you get when you stab someone for triple damage (yes, TRIPLE) and watch their life drop to a sliver...priceless.

That's interesting seeing as how a maxed Sneak in Oblivion could just straight up break the game. Hnnnngggg, I want this game right now!

[Philia]

Ahhhh ok. Khajiit had much better sneaking abilities btw. At least in Oblivion. I was prepared to use the same race in Skyrim if it meant much better initial sneaking abilities.

[zethren]

So does anyone know if Bethesda has released the Dragon Language onto the internet at all yet (or even if they will)?

EDIT:

Nvm, a simple search on the wiki lead me here:

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dragon_Alphabet

Interesting. Time to craft a character name :3

[Pollux]

High Elf. Sorry I'm not more aware of the lore to know what they actually call themselves. I almost went Kah-whatever (cat people) because there is a good amount of brawling in this game. Are you talking about growing equipment that strengthens as you do? I have yet to see a piece like that.

No, i worded that question wrong I think. I"m NOT thinking of something like heirlooms in WoW that scale with you.

Something like a legendary or rare weapon/item that has a set stat level. In Oblivion there wasn't anything really like that.

In Morrowind you had a crap load of them. If you wanted when you got off the boat in Sedya Neen you could go get a badass sword in Balmora or anything else you wanted if you were daring and lucky enough. You get a sword like that at a low level you feel like a badass.

In Oblivion loot scaled with you. You weren't going to find someone rolling witha Daedric Dai-Katana at level one. There were three of them in Morrowind. Dren Plantation, Dai-Katana. Ghost Gate, Daedric Claymore. There was a third, and a fourth if you count Daedric Crescent for example.

[CrankyKong]

[IMG]http://www.gamersdailynews.com/userfiles/image/2011/November/skyrimmusicsetgatefoldinside.jpg[IMG] http://www.directsong.com/ Do it.

You get all that AND Jeremy Soule personally autographs it if you pre-order before december 23rd.
Amazing

[Einbroch]

No. Something like a legendary or rare weapon/item that has a set stat level. In Oblivion there wasn't anything really like that. In Morrowind you had a crap load of them. If you wanted when you got off the boat in Sedya Neen you could go get a badass sword in Balmora or anything else you wanted if you were daring and lucky enough. You get a sword like that at a low level you feel like a badass. In Oblivion loot scaled with you. You weren't going to find someone rolling witha Daedric Dai-Katana at level one. There were three of them in Morrowind. Dren Plantation, Dai-Katana. Ghost Gate, Daedric Claymore. There was a third, and a fourth if you count Daedric Crescent for example.

Gotcha. No, the loot is similarly "scalable" in Skyrim as it was in Oblivion.

[JambiBum]

Gotcha. No, the loot is similarly "scalable" in Skyrim as it was in Oblivion.

I think it is scalable in the same sense as dungeons are right? As in you're a level 10 going into a dungeon meant for 20-25. You might get your ass kicked but if you can make it through then you will find loot meant for those levels.

[Wallach]

Gotcha. No, the loot is similarly "scalable" in Skyrim as it was in Oblivion.

You played for ~6 hours right? How many places on the map did you get to? Seems like that would be a hard thing to judge early in the game unless you knew where to look.

[zethren]

Here's my username in Dragon langauge (just for fun) using the alphabet I found on the wiki:









Haha. Kinda fun. If you guys want to do it, I'll post the url again:

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dragon_Alphabet

[Derrick01]

Gotcha. No, the loot is similarly "scalable" in Skyrim as it was in Oblivion.

Why would Bethesda do this again?

[Y2Kev]

Gotcha. No, the loot is similarly "scalable" in Skyrim as it was in Oblivion.

:gurgle

[zethren]

You get all that AND Jeremy Soule personally autographs it if you pre-order before december 23rd. Amazing

Yeah, I snatched that deal up as soon as I heard the music in this game.

[Complistic]

I await for DAT PC PRE LOAD

That's got to start like Monday or tuesday right??!?

[Einbroch]

You played for ~6 hours right? How many places on the map did you get to? Seems like that would be a hard thing to judge early in the game unless you knew where to look.

I went into like 5 dungeons (cleared) and completed like...four main quests I think?

You know what, you might be right. There MAY be items that don't scale. I'm just saying that there are definite tiers of items, enchants to attach to items, and the like. I have found about four items that are named, none of which seem to be "strong for my level" if you get what I mean.

I may be wrong, and I hope I am, but I cleared this pretty dang hard dungeon, got a unique bow, and it was BARELY better than the "tiered" equivalent of what I already owned from a shop.

[EviLore]

Need more details on how Bethesda fucked up, please, so we know the extent and whether it's fixable :D

How have you determined that everything you're receiving is level-appropriate?

Edit: ah. Hrm. Not conclusive but headed there it sounds like.

[Pollux]

Gotcha. No, the loot is similarly "scalable" in Skyrim as it was in Oblivion.

If true for the whole game (as you've only played 8 hours...not calling you a liar but still a lot of game to go lol) then this won't kill my expectations but it's fucking shot my hype in the face.

Bethesda. You made a perfect fucking game with Morrowind. Oblivion was a shit show. Make a game like Morrowind damn it.

I want to go find Skyrim's "Sword of White Woe" but apparently there isn't one. Todd Howard you've disappointed me lol

Need more details on how Bethesda fucked up, please, so we know the extent and whether it's fixable :D How have you determined that everything you're receiving is level-appropriate?

Considering I don't have a gaming PC...you know how I dealt with being so disappointed with Oblivion? I slaughtered every single person in Balmora, Viven, Ald-Rhun, and Peligad. Then had a ham sandwich.

[Blue Ninja]

So does anyone know if Bethesda has released the Dragon Language onto the internet at all yet (or even if they will)? EDIT: Nvm, a simple search on the wiki lead me here: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dragon_Alphabet Interesting. Time to craft a character name :3

They have the alphabet out there, but no dictionary or something: I had to ask Nick Breckon for help in translating the thread title. So the UESP can add in two more words to that list: "HET" means "Here" and "KOS" means "Are/Be".

[GarthVaderUK]

It's sounding like Bethesda got a lot more right than wrong here, roll on Friday!

[Timber]

There were so many unique items in Fallout 3. Makes no sense to revert to Oblivion's system. Good job you made it to the end of yet another Oblivion gate we now reward you with some bullshit trinket you won't possibly need because you already got fifty of them.

Einbroch you better be wrong about this >:(

[Derrick01]

Yeah this is a real kick in the balls and hype deflater if it's true. Level scaling and loot scaling are the 2 most egregious and outrageous things from Oblivion. I'm a little sour about other RPG elements being cut but I can deal with that, but loot scaling is unacceptable.

[Wallach]

I went into like 5 dungeons (cleared) and completed like...four main quests I think? You know what, you might be right. There MAY be items that don't scale. I'm just saying that there are definite tiers of items, enchants to attach to items, and the like. I have found about four items that are named, none of which seem to be "strong for my level" if you get what I mean. I may be wrong, and I hope I am, but I cleared this pretty dang hard dungeon, got a unique bow, and it was BARELY better than the "tiered" equivalent of what I already owned from a shop.

By tiers, do you mean like Lesser Soul Gem, Common Soul Gem, Greater Soul Gem, etc? Those kinds of tiers have always existed in TES.

What we need to know is how stuff is hand-placed. It's something that is probably going to require a lot more observation.

Out of curiosity, how close to the start of the game did you come across that unique bow?

[Complistic]

Why would Bethesda do this again?

So that modders could do another OOO. They didn't want to take all the modder's jobs away!

[zethren]

They have the alphabet out there, but no dictionary or something: I had to ask Nick Breckon for help in translating the thread title. So the UESP can add in two more words to that list: "HET" means "Here" and "KOS" means "Are/Be".

Yeah, after I asked that I remembered you mentioning early on in the thread that Nick Breckon helped you out with the Dragon language in the title.

Still though, the wiki has a bit of known words compiled which might be useful in creating an interesting name for those interested:
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dragon_Language

[Pollux]

Yeah this is a real kick in the balls and hype deflater if it's true. Level scaling and loot scaling are the 2 most egregious and outrageous things from Oblivion. I'm a little sour about other RPG elements being cut but I can deal with that, but loot scaling is unacceptable.

Agreed. If this is the case and it's basically the same as Oblivion then I'll be playing Morrowind for another 4-5 years. Whoopie.

[GarthVaderUK]

Out of curiosity, how close to the start of the game did you come across that unique bow?

Yeah, the good stuff may be further away from where you start off. If enemies have set level ranges in different areas, perhaps the loot has set level ranges in those areas to match.

[Saige]

Why would Bethesda not put unique items back into the game? I thought the main reason they weren’t in Oblivion was because of the level and gear scaling, and didn’t FO3 have a unique version of each gun with set stats?

[Blue Ninja]

I admit, I hope Einbroch's wrong about loot scaling, too. That's just bad design.

[NBtoaster]

I went into like 5 dungeons (cleared) and completed like...four main quests I think? You know what, you might be right. There MAY be items that don't scale. I'm just saying that there are definite tiers of items, enchants to attach to items, and the like. I have found about four items that are named, none of which seem to be "strong for my level" if you get what I mean. I may be wrong, and I hope I am, but I cleared this pretty dang hard dungeon, got a unique bow, and it was BARELY better than the "tiered" equivalent of what I already owned from a shop.

Perhaps you could try going to some place far away, on the edges of the map maybe? See if you get much tougher enemies and different loot.

[Timber]

Einbroch tell us you were wrong or I'll ban you for piracy.

[Crazetex]

I know that Blue Ninja posited this a while back and I thought that it was different due to the second main story quest, but super-massive story spoiler in the intro, spoiled by subtitles: the dragon that attacks Helgen is, indeed Alduin. I'm watching an LP right now and the player immediately turned on subtitles, so you get messages like <Alduin> Yor Tool!

Even if you've seen the intro, you might not want to spoil that for yourself unless you've already guessed (so don't quote this post).

[Fjordson]

There were so many unique items in Fallout 3. Makes no sense to revert to Oblivion's system.

Yeah, that's really baffling if they did. FO 3 and New Vegas had a ton of cool items in that regard.

It won't kill the game for me by any means, but it's a huge bummer for those of us without mods if true.

[NBtoaster]

Why would Bethesda not put unique items back into the game? I thought the main reason they weren’t in Oblivion was because of the level and gear scaling, and didn’t FO3 have a unique version of each gun with set stats?

He says there are unique items.

[zethren]

Perhaps Bootaaay could shed some light on this particular subject, having had more hours logged into the game? Or any other second opinions from people who have played a considerable bit?