Support NeoGAF

[The Lamonster]

HQ downloadable videos are up. These are based off Bethesda standard wmvs, so even better quality ones will be coming soon
http://www.gamersyde.com/news_20_minutes_of_skyrim_gameplay-11878_en.html
Edit: Actually it is based on the transcode HQ version, so there you go.

What is FR and why is it half the file size but the same resolution and FPS?

 

[Data West]

I played Oblivion with a controller and found it more enjoyable, so I'll probably do the same here.

 

[Tony Redgrave]

I don't get people saying that the combat is dull, you do realize that what you're seeing here is just a little tidbit right? you can be a full warrior/mage hybrid this time around and magic has been impressively enhanced, also you have a wide variety of Dragon Shouts (like slow down time etc...) and over 100 perks, it's going to be much more interesting.

 

[Lakitu]

Just watched all three videos. My impressions:

It was about what I expected. It's definitely the E3 version of the demo... it must have been recorded way back then because all the direct-feed footage we saw around that time meshes in with what we see in this video. Also, things like screen-tearing, the animation of the dragon dropping the Giant and the rain going through the building were all absent in the newer Quakecon demo.

But I have to say it was refreshing to see it like this, even though we've pretty much seen this demo since June. For one thing, there's no annoying crowd screaming in the background and it's much easier to make out details.

Bleak Falls Barrows looks awesome. I love going through dungeons, only in Oblivion it got tedious very fast due to the repetition and lack of variety in their designs. This looks improved. It looks like it has some history to it (the hall of stories part really intrigued me) and best of all, it looks large. Hopefully they've taken this approach to all the dungeons in the game and by reading previews, it seems they have (towers, mountain passages, ice caves, among other things). I'm still cautious though considering Todd Howard did say Oblivion's dungeons were all handcrafted when it's gameplay series equivalent was released.

The art, world design and atmosphere looks leaps and bounds ahead of Oblivion's as well. The forest, streams, mountains and tundra all look incredible. The combat does seem more refined and enjoyable, but it's really not what I play Elder Scrolls for.

The music is also epic. I could listen to them all day. The music when he ascends the mountain is probably my favourite.

I'm glad they finally released this and I plan to watch it a few more times before the game releases. Part of me is happy they've only stuck to this demo because it feels like we've barely scratched the surface and there's so much waiting for us to discover when we play the game. On the other hand, a new 2-minute trailer with some new locations wouldn't hurt. Anyway, roll on November. This game will consume my soul.

 

[Khezu]

Its probably best to make the UI for consoles.

A console UI can be modded out of the PC version, a PC UI can't be modded out of a console game.

 

[Desaan]

These videos make me want to crack open Oblivion again, just as well I can't find the disc. Then there are the mods......oh the mods!

 

[Dennis]

Its probably best to make the UI for consoles.

A console UI can be modded out of the PC version, a PC UI can't be modded out of a console game.

Not being a games developer but....how hard is it to just make two great UIs - one for PC and one for consoles?

 

[Fjordson]

The music is also epic. I could listen to them all day. The music when he ascends the mountain is probably my favourite.

Yeah, I loved that too. Most of the other stuff we've seen has been shown live at a show, so it's nice to hear all of the sound effects and music here. Sounds really great.

 

[Woorloog]

Not being a games developer but....how hard is it to just make two great UIs - one for PC and one for consoles?

I assume they just don't bother. Because it's good enough for a casual player.
Not nice but world rarely is.

 

[Bloodsent]

I played Oblivion with a controller and found it more enjoyable, so I'll probably do the same here.

Maybe I don't know what I am missing, but I have played pretty much all of the Bethesda games starting with Oblivion with a 360 controller. Just works better for me.

 

[Khezu]

Not being a games developer but....how hard is it to just make two great UIs - one for PC and one for consoles?

Not hard at all, but beth is beth, and it will probably be one or the other.

 

[Hulud]

Still doesn't look as brilliant and atmospheric as Morrowind. Still my most wanted game of the past five years. I love that they are re-using some of Morrowind's music though.

 

[Seanspeed]

I assume they just don't bother. Because it's good enough for a casual player.
Not nice but world rarely is.

Probably because of time/budget constraints more than anything. I dont think its a matter of their inability to do it, just that they dont feel its worth it in the end.

 

[Mindman]

Wasn't it 720p with 2xAA?

Oblivion was 600p with 2xAA. Fallout 3 was 720p with 4xAA. Skyrim will be the same. Great stuff for us console peasants.

 

[Hulud]

Oblivion was 600p with 2xAA. Fallout 3 was 720p with 4xAA. Skyrim will be the same. Great stuff for us console peasants.

Full 720p and 4xMSAA on consoles? With those graphics? Sounds fishy to me but bravo if they actually managed to pull that off.

 

[Woorloog]

Oblivion was 600p with 2xAA.

Right. I don't notice resolution, nor 2x/4x AA difference. What i do notice, is shitty level of detail. Look at distance in Oblivion on 360. Tell me it looks good.
Skyrim didn't seem to have bad distant level of detail based on the video.

 

[Borgnine]

Still has the awkward "conversations" people are having with each other when you're walking by or when you sneak up on them. "HELLO! HELLO! HEY DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE TREASURE IN THE CAVE OUTSIDE OF TOWN? YES. I DID. WELL, GOODBYE. GOODBYE." Also the combat looks janky as fuck. Can't wait.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

Mods are officially going to be supported on consoles this time out?

no lol.

 

[Zeliard]

I don't get people saying that the combat is dull, you do realize that what you're seeing here is just a little tidbit right? you can be a full warrior/mage hybrid this time around and magic has been impressively enhanced, also you have a wide variety of Dragon Shouts (like slow down time etc...) and over 100 perks, it's going to be much more interesting.

It's not so much the combat options as the feel of combat, or at least what one can gauge from videos.

Dice rolls are one thing, but it becomes an issue when you don't have a to-hit dice roll and your combat still doesn't feel tactile, like in Oblivion, where you never miss a swing based on the underlying math.

It doesn't seem as off with Skyrim and they've definitely made improvements, but the combat still feels somewhat loose and detached; it doesn't really feel like you're swinging a sword or whatever at a physical creature. There's this weird disconnect at times, and without your hits governed by dice, there should never be.

It's most noticeable in the vid when he's fighting the Giant, and the enemy doesn't really react to the various mace blows or the Dragon shout flame.

 

[Muzzy]

What is FR and why is it half the file size but the same resolution and FPS?

FR is for French. I didn't check but if the size is not the same, I guess that's because the bitrate differs and that the original files from Bethesda don't all have the same size.

 

[Vlodril]

The storm shout was ridiculously awesome. I haven't connected with any of the Bethesda games i have played (daggerfall,fallout 3,oblivion) but maybe this time it will be good.

Game looks pretty good.

 

[Tony Redgrave]

It's not so much the combat options as the feel of combat, or at least what one can gauge from videos.

Dice rolls are one thing, but it becomes an issue when you don't have a to-hit dice roll and your combat still doesn't feel tactile, like in Oblivion, where you never miss a swing based on the underlying math.

It doesn't seem as off with Skyrim and they've definitely made improvements, but the combat still feels somewhat loose and detached; it doesn't really feel like you're swinging a sword or whatever at a physical creature. There's this weird disconnect at times, and without your hits governed by dice, there should never be.

It's most noticeable in the vid when he's fighting the Giant, and the enemy doesn't really react to the various mace blows or the Dragon shout flame.

I see where you're coming from, it's definitely weird when you see you slice a man's throat and he just keeps going at it, but I choose to see it as a necessary evil realistically these kind of injuries would kill an enemy instantly, it's also be more realistic for a guy covered in flames to start screaming and roll on the ground but there's no way you can make a challenging combat system when every hit knocks back or incapacitates every enemy.

 

[blackflag]

I was always going to get this but haven't looked at any videos or even screenshots of it until now. I wasn't purposely avoiding them, I just didn't bother.

This looks incredibly immersive. I almost felt like I was the one journeying through the wilderness just from watching these videos.

Yes, combat looks janky..in a good way. Seems like there are a lot of options.

Can't wait for this but how will I ever find the time?

 

[Zeliard]

I see where you're coming from, it's definitely weird when you see you slice a man's throat and he just keeps going at it, but I choose to see it as a necessary evil realistically these kind of injuries would kill an enemy instantly, it's also be more realistic for a guy covered in flames to start screaming and roll on the ground but there's no way you can make a challenging combat system when every hit knocks back or incapacitates every enemy.

Demon's Souls manages it just fine, with hits staggering both you and the enemy. In fact that game is the perfect example of how to have RPG combat that's both deep and feels weighty.

I don't want realism and I'm not saying the Giant needs to start rolling on the ground when alight, but when he isn't reacting to anything you throw at him, there's an automatic disconnect there in terms of feedback to the player and it makes the combat feel very static. You may as well be whacking away at a tree that happens to swing back. It has implications on combat mechanics as well if the game is inconsistent about what does and doesn't stagger a foe.

 

[DanielJr82]

What do the marks mean by the item's listing - to the left and to the right in the inventory. One of these symbols must mean equipped but what of the others?

You can "favorite" items, like bookmarks on a web browser, for quicker access on the fly without going to the main menu screen.

 

[Conciliator]

I could swear I've already watched this exact demo. Probably just some similar thing though. Anyway, looks badass as ever. No surprise. Keep keepin' it real Bethesda.\

EDIT: Someone needs to make a mod that decreases the ragdoll physics weight on the dragons to like 3 ounces, so you can uppercut one as it's flying towards you and watch it sail off unconscious into the mountains.

 

[astroturfing]

looks like one of the most incredible games ever. but how buggy will it be?

 

[Zeliard]

It'll probably have the technical issues you can expect from a game of this sort. It has a huge scope and several underlying systems to govern. I'm fine with trading ambition for some bugginess, especially if most of that ambition is met.

Certain issues are fairly inexcusable, i.e. ones that screw with your game saves or mess with quest progression in some irreversible way, but there's only so much you can test in QA with a game like this. Some stuff is bound to get through, but hopefully they've taken care of anything major that risked coming up.

 

[astroturfing]

It'll probably have the technical issues you can expect from a game of this sort. It has a huge scope and several underlying systems to govern. I'm fine with trading ambition for some bugginess, especially if most of that ambition is met.

Certain issues are fairly inexcusable, i.e. ones that screw with your game saves or mess with quest progression in some irreversible way, but there's only so much you can test in QA with a game like this. Some stuff is bound to get through, but hopefully they've taken care of anything major that risked coming up.

i'm mainly worried about the game constantly freezing my PS3. Fallout 3 and New Vegas were completely ruined by having to spend several minutes of every 20-40min just watching the console reboot. only Bethesda games have this shit. many other complex open-world games by Rockstar or Assassin's Creed games etc play just fine and never freeze my PS3 (although Skyrim probably does have more underlying complexity than even GTAIV or RDR).

 

[exYle]

Gotta wonder... If the Quakecon demo was 40 minutes, what kinda footage did they cut from this?

 

[NBtoaster]

Strange how there was no visible screen tearing at Quakecon but there's plenty here..

 

[supersaw]

Gotta wonder... If the Quakecon demo was 40 minutes, what kinda footage did they cut from this?

I don't think the Quakecon demo was actually 40 minutes there was a bunch of talking at the start and random descriptions of shit with not much happening or the game being in menus.

One main thing that's not in this demo is when the crowd yells at Todd to jump in the water, he splashes around a bit and you get to see a bit of the water physics. They weren't Crysis but sufficient in my book.

 

[Sotha Sil]

A tad disappointed that they maxed the character's health. Understandable, but the fights were void of any tension. The dragons should remain threatening in our minds, dammit.

 

[Garrus Vakarian]

Really am loving the atmosphere in the game so far, also that super-lunge power looked pretty neat.

 

[Yo Gotti]

I don't want realism and I'm not saying the Giant needs to start rolling on the ground when alight, but when he isn't reacting to anything you throw at him, there's an automatic disconnect there in terms of feedback to the player and it makes the combat feel very static. You may as well be whacking away at a tree that happens to swing back. It has implications on combat mechanics as well if the game is inconsistent about what does and doesn't stagger a foe.

Biggest disappointment while watching that video came from the combat, it was like the character was fighting puppets. After playing Demon's Souls I just feel spoiled, so many years of shitty combat in fantasy games, then DS finally gets it right and now seeing the combat in Skyrim does nothing for me at all.

I'll probably have to start Skyrim on Hard just to keep it interesting.

EDIT: I play a Stealth class anyway, so I'll probably be avoiding most face-to-face encounters. I guess the rewarding stealth gameplay has always been where the Elder Scrolls series separates itself from other open world RPG's.

 

[Sotha Sil]

Biggest disappointment while watching that video came from the combat, it was like the character was fighting puppets. After playing Demon's Souls I just feel spoiled, so many years of shitty combat in fantasy games, then DS finally gets it right and now seeing the combat in Skyrim does nothing for me at all.

I'll probably have to start Skyrim on Hard just to keep it interesting.

Demon's Souls is the very first thing that came to my mind during combat, too. Skyrim looks so amateurish in that regard. Looks like I'll be playing another mage/thief.

 

[Fjordson]

Watched this three times now today. I wanted them to finally release this video, but now it's just making the wait more difficult.

One thing that stands out for me for some reason: the water throughout the dungeon. It looks and sounds fantastic. Especially when Todd casts that light spell and it travels over some of the rushing water. Love it.

 

[Luthos]

Just watched the demo for the 3rd time... =\

I need this game in my veins.

edit: wow, didn't refresh to see the guy above me say the same thing

 

[krypt0nian]

Now this is what I want from gaming!

Preordering the CE tomorrow, but firing up Oblivion for a new play through now.

 

[Seep]

I still think the speed the arrows get fired needs to be doubled, at the moment it doesn't look like they'd cause much damage.

 

[Aguirre]

Aside from the Dragons, does the rest of the enemies Todd encountered in that demo just feel like XP fodder? I mean, hardly any of them landed a single hit. Also, the animation doesn't seem all that fluid. Have they fixed that awful ice-skating-on-land effect?

 

[Crazetex]

I still think the speed the arrows get fired needs to be doubled, at the moment it doesn't look like they'd cause much damage.

They keep saying that they made bows slower in order to greatly increase their damage - notice how that guy goes down in two or three hits; in Oblivion it would take like eleven not-sneak shots.

Aside from the Dragons, does the rest of the enemies Todd encountered in that demo just feel like XP fodder? I mean, hardly any of them landed a single hit.

Decided about four pages ago that it was on godmode; you can see that the Prisoner has 999 health (oh god, I need to finish that game... again). One can only assume that he has super-charged weapon damage as well.

 

[bengraven]

I came here to be cranky about seeing the same demo we saw the last few months, but no.

- the music
- they added the heavy epic feel they brought to Fallout3: the loud BOOM when you discover a location made me smile wide. I hope when you get a quest you get a chime equally epic...that was one of my favorite parts of FO3: the slow reveal of the quest name and the apocalyptic sound effects that went with that
- perks are going to be so fucking awesome
- runs so smooth on 360 so I know it will look fantastic on my PC

 

[Amir0x]

i really dont know how i'm going to manage my time between Skyrim and Skyward Sword alone...

 

[Crazetex]

- they added the heavy epic feel they brought to Fallout3: the loud BOOM when you discover a location made me smile wide. I hope when you get a quest you get a chime equally epic...that was one of my favorite parts of FO3: the slow reveal of the quest name and the apocalyptic sound effects that went with that
- perks are going to be so fucking awesome

Given how (at least I consider) FO3 to be the much better Bethesda game, even though I enjoy Oblivion more as a fantasy guy, I am really quite excited that they've picked up so many Fallout-style elements while keeping it a distinctly Elder Scrolls game. It's a great example of a series that tries something new every iteration but doesn't completely ignore its predecessors in an attempt to be UBER RADICAL (you could say that Bethesda is in a different paradigm shift than other companies this age (did I really use two forced puns/allusions in one sentence)).

It's also nice that they've implemented many of the mods that I use on Oblivion to make it actually fun (I have almost 13 gigs of mods).

 

[bengraven]

I'm constantly adding more games to my "2012 list" because Skyrim, DX:HR, Minecraft 1.8/.9/release, and wrapping up FO:NV are going to take up most of the rest of the year.

Given how (at least I consider) FO3 to be the much better Bethesda game, even though I enjoy Oblivion more as a fantasy guy, I am really quite excited that they've picked up so many Fallout-style elements while keeping it a distinctly Elder Scrolls game. It's a great example of a series that tries something new every iteration but doesn't completely ignore its predecessors in an attempt to be UBER RADICAL (you could say that Bethesda is in a different paradigm shift than other companies this age (did I really use two forced puns/allusions in one sentence)).

Yeah, I almost caught myself saying that TESV needs to just be Fallout with Swords. While I missed use-based skillups, I think the XP/perk system worked incredibly well. Hell, I would have even liked VATS in Skyrim, but I'm in a minority.

I really loved the presentation in Fallout 3 the most and I'm glad some of that weighted, darker feel has come to Tamriel.

 

[Hyphen]

Demon's Souls manages it just fine, with hits staggering both you and the enemy. In fact that game is the perfect example of how to have RPG combat that's both deep and feels weighty.

I don't want realism and I'm not saying the Giant needs to start rolling on the ground when alight, but when he isn't reacting to anything you throw at him, there's an automatic disconnect there in terms of feedback to the player and it makes the combat feel very static. You may as well be whacking away at a tree that happens to swing back. It has implications on combat mechanics as well if the game is inconsistent about what does and doesn't stagger a foe.

Just want to say that I totally agree. I thought Demon's Souls handling of combat was brilliant. The feeling of 'weight' from striking or blocking was perfect (for me atleast).

I prefer walking anyways, though. If its far away and I really dont feel like walking, I'll fast travel. Nothing like just taking your time and enjoying the sights.

I know how you feel, that's what I like to do.

 

[sykoex]

By the way, a little tidbit: you can no longer ride horses in first-person. The game automatically goes to third-person when you do.

Incredibly stupid. I found it so awesomely immersive being in first person and turning my head with mouse-look while controlling the horse with WASD.

 

[Hulud]

Demon's Souls was a freak game that kind of had no right to be as amazing as it was. If you compare every game's combat to the condensed brilliance that is Demon's Souls combat, you're going to be disappointed in many many games. For example, The Witcher 2 is the best game I've played all year. I like it even more than Demon's Souls but the combat system is no where near as good.

I think that is because combat was the #1 focus of Demon's Souls, whereas for an ES game, they have to worry about tons more. If Bethesda nails the RPG elements, atmosphere, and exploration, the combat will matter little. Just like Morrowind. In a perfect world, they would be able to design a DS-quality combat system while still delivering all the content needed for an ES game in a 4-5 year dev-cycle, but that's a lot to ask.

 

[supersaw]

The Fallout influence is definitely there and it all makes perfect sense; when you line up the open world Bethesda games in order from Morrowind to Skyrim it's like one of those evolution charts.

For all it's flaws Oblivion was definitely a step forward graphically and had it's place along the with the rest. I hope they took some lessons from Obsidian as they definitely improved upon the Fallout formula. I would definitely appreciate the inclusion of a hardcore mode in Skyrim.