Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[wretcherd]

I really wish there were a 'call horse' command or something similiar.

[sandman]

I'm loving this, its easily my GOTY. But playing without a guide I feel like I'm missing out on a lot. Can anyone shed light on how to do any of the following

1 - Join a guild

2 - Get married

3 - Buy property

4 - Spend money on decent things. I have over 7000 gold and nothing to spend it on.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[Shook]

I wish there was a 'sorry about punching you mate, I pressed the wrong button' option in this.

Can really fuck your shit up.

[Rudi von Starnberg]

1. The various organisations are based in different places. To get started with them, check out:

Companions:

Whiterun

Mage's College:

Winterhold

Thieves' Guild:

Riften

Dark Brotherhood:

Windhelm

Imperial Legion:

Solitude

Stormcloaks:

Windhelm

I recommend avoiding the Imperials and Stormcloaks because the Civil War questlines are vestigial and really poor. But the others are highly recommended.

2. Visit the temple in Riften and you should find out all you need.

3. You need to become trusted in a city by helping out the Jarl there, and then you'll be able to buy houses. Different cities have different houses available, ranging from cheap to very expensive.

4. Houses might be an idea for that!

[bingowings]

had a couple of wtf! moments - talking to some old crone about magic and whatnot in some village, when a dragon suddenly appears and starts causing shit. i wade in and kill it so everyone runs up all like 'i don't believe it!'. i'm standing there with my sword and flames - the old crone just turns around and says '...i hope you're going to be careful with those flames'. lady, i just saved your asses from a flying terror. i nicked all their crops and ran off.

then, on entering a new town, some guy was giving a woman grief - some pish about being a spy etc. etc. i give him a few swift punches and he wisely changes his attitude. the apology isn't enough - i want blood. a few stabs later and the guards appear. i get overrun and die and just as the death animation plays out one of the guards stands over me and says '...i know you!' *fade to black*

[sandman]

1. The various organisations are based in different places. To get started with them, check out:

Companions:

Whiterun

Mage's College:

Winterhold

Thieves' Guild:

Riften

Dark Brotherhood:

Windhelm

Imperial Legion:

Solitude

Stormcloaks:

Windhelm

I recommend avoiding the Imperials and Stormcloaks because the Civil War questlines are vestigial and really poor. But the others are highly recommended.

2. Visit the temple in Riften and you should find out all you need.

3. You need to become trusted in a city by helping out the Jarl there, and then you'll be able to buy houses. Different cities have different houses available, ranging from cheap to very expensive.

4. Houses might be an idea for that!

Cheers!!!

[simms]

I wish there was a 'sorry about punching you mate, I pressed the wrong button' option in this.

Can really fuck your shit up.

I accidently dragon shouted a shopkeeper once but fortunately I had the voice of calm spell to calm the situation which I could use once day. I'm sure this spell is available to buy from somewhere.

[Shook]

I accidently dragon shouted a shopkeeper once but fortunately I had the voice of calm spell to calm the situation which I could use once day. I'm sure this spell is available to buy from somewhere.

Any idea where I might get it?

[Shook]

I really wish there were a 'call horse' command or something similiar. Often I find myself getting off if I need to sneak up on someone or just scout a bit ahead to see if it's safe. Then sometimes when I run back to my horse, it has fled and I need to look for it.

Plus, a satchel on the horse to stash loot.

+1

[Rudi von Starnberg]

Any idea where I might get it?

Isn't that the racial ability for Imperials? Or am I getting confused.

[Shook]

This is not the right game for someone who is self-employed and has loads to do.

[Garibaldi]

Is it not out yet then? The pc version has it. I'd put that down to xbox cert process more than anything else.

Apparently it was submitted last friday so it may be another week or so.

I wish they'd taken the other one down, it keeps tempting me with better textures every time I load up.

[SPE]

Quick question regarding format: I want to know which console version to get.

Has the PS3 version been fixed, or does the save files issue still plague it?

Has the Xbox issue with the textures not streaming when installed been fixed?

[Garibaldi]

It sounds like the PS3 version's problems are actually in the game engine so while Bethesda can litter it with band-aids it may never be fixed but merely improved.

And yes, the 360's texture problems have been fixed, but the patch to do that removes all resistances from the game.

[Shook]

Quick question regarding format: I want to know which console version to get.

Has the PS3 version been fixed, or does the save files issue still plague it?

Has the Xbox issue with the textures not streaming when installed been fixed?

I haven't played the ps3 version but the crosshairs when doing ranged combat are a bit tricky. It's pretty buggy anyway (360) but the controller may influence your decision.

[simms]

Isn't that the racial ability for Imperials? Or am I getting confused.

Yes your right it's a racial ability but I assumed there would be a spell that could be learnt which offered the equivalent. I have a staff that has a calming effect up to a certain level.

edit : my memory may be playing tricks on me as I have not played this in a couple if weeks while Im waiting for a patch. the staff I have could be a staff which has a fear effect rather than calm

[Ferine]

I haven't played the ps3 version but the crosshairs when doing ranged combat are a bit tricky. It's pretty buggy anyway (360) but the controller may influence your decision.

I find it controls slightly better on PS3, actually. Playing both at default sensitivity there's a definite difference in stick response, especially around the centre; I get the impression there's more input lag on Xbox, although I've no way to measure it.

That said I'd recommend the 360 version. The aiming's a bit stiff on both, but the Xbox version maintains a better framerate — even discounting the save size issue — has cleaner image quality and the dithering on the shadows makes their pixelation less distracting. It should also be getting the DLC first, whenever that happens. Oh, you'll probably want to ramp the brightness up a couple of notches, though: you spend a lot of time nosing about poorly lit areas and you'll miss all sorts of items amidst the black crush of the default setting.

[Strangelite]

The load times on 360 are really starting to get longer.. The thieves guild in particular is a chore to get to because it involves 4 loads (2 on the way in, 2 on the way out) and the "main world" load is taking longer and longer and longer...

I know it's a console and I should just STFU but the load times are definitely starting to bore me now... (whats that? Oh here come the PC master race to tell me to get a PC - Reply: No)

[Kelthink]

I found the infamous backward-flying dragon last night. Fucker flew away when I ran near him. Or maybe he was flying forward like in the Red Dwarf episode 'Backwards', I don't know. Also there was a dragon which just flew in one point, not moving. I kept bombarding it with arrows, each one giving me sneak bonus damage, but the dragon jerked about with each hit (and also lowering the framerate with each hit). By the end it was spazzing out massively (then disappearing as I shot the fatal arrow) and the game ran at about 2 fps for about 5 minutes. Somehow, I'm still hopeful for a fix to all this mess.

[Jimmy Shedders]

On the road to Markarth spoilers;

Does anyone know what the headless horseman does?

I spent the entire time chasing after him only for him to turn back around the way he came after I caught up with him

[Wickedkitten]

Jimmy, I'm 160+ hours in, and am yet to...

... even see the headless horseman. Where would I find him?

I found him riding the road from Whiterun to Markarth after midnight. He will lead you somewhere good though if you follow him the entire way

[Jimmy Shedders]

Speaking of Markarth

After seeing a woman getting stabbed the second I stepped in the city I began a quest to find out the truth behind the Forsworm and why the guards don't seem to give a shit.

After much snooping I seemed to have caught the attention of some of the higher ups in Markarth, and the guards themselves.

It all came to ahead when I found out who was really all behind everything but was arrested and had all the recent murders pinned on me.

Whilst in Chidna Mine I found a way to meet with the leader of the Forsworn with every intention of getting revenge on him for getting me sent to this shit hole.

I soon discovered there was more to the Forsworn than meets the eye so after much deliberation I agreed to help the leader escape Chidna Mine and take back Markarth.

That'll teach the city guards to cover up blatant murders and pin them on me!

....Who did it on orders of the Forsworn.

......Who I just helped escape from prison

I didn't think this one through, did I?

[Kelthink]

Also I fucking love the shield bash. Especially prodding enemies off cliffs. But mostly in one-to-one combat with other high-level warriors. Magicmen can fuck off though, bloody shock damage is a bastard.

[Wickedkitten]

Speaking of Markarth

After seeing a woman getting stabbed the second I stepped in the city I began a quest to find out the truth behind the Forsworm and why the guards don't seem to give a shit.

After much snooping I seemed to have caught the attention of some of the higher ups in Markarth, and the guards themselves.

It all came to ahead when I found out who was really all behind everything but was arrested and had all the recent murders pinned on me.

Whilst in Chidna Mine I found a way to meet with the leader of the Forsworn with every intention of getting revenge on him for getting me sent to this shit hole.

I soon discovered there was more to the Forsworn than meets the eye so after much deliberation I agreed to help the leader escape Chidna Mine and take back Markarth.

That'll teach the city guards to cover up blatant murders and pin them on me!

....Who did it on orders of the Forsworn.

......Who I just helped escape from prison

I didn't think this one through, did I?

Ha, I did the exact same thing and came to the same realisation, pretty easy to rectify though because I just followed them on after our escape and killed them all

[NecroMorrius]

Mount & Blade does it brilliantly. Along with Shadow of the Colossus, they're the only games I can think of that do horses properly.

I thought the horses in RDR were good. Especially jumping from the saloon window onto the back of your horse and making a daring escape. The way they handled getting a new one (i.e. kill your horse and you can just call another one) didn't make much sense but took a lot of frustration away.

Riding them across the plains felt genuinely absorbing and exhilarating.

[Cosmic_Guru]

That said I'd recommend the 360 version. The aiming's a bit stiff on both, but the Xbox version maintains a better framerate — even discounting the save size issue — has cleaner image quality and the dithering on the shadows makes their pixelation less distracting. It should also be getting the DLC first, whenever that happens. Oh, you'll probably want to ramp the brightness up a couple of notches, though: you spend a lot of time nosing about poorly lit areas and you'll miss all sorts of items amidst the black crush of the default setting.

As for brightness, I find the Candlelight spell brilliant to light up cleared dungeon areas since everything shines up and it's easy to spot lucrative lot. In fact if you use it outside you get NPCs commenting about all the lovely colours.

God, this game keeps giving. Just when you think you have reached the watershed point and it's all downhill from here on because you have been to all the towns and cleared a shit load of old misc quests, you find more things to do.

Last night I found my first Orc encampment which had recently been subject to ancient dragon attack so I will never know what I may have missed in terms of minor quests, but I gained insight into the orc culture and, yes, won another brawl.

Then I resumed my clear out of Daedric quests and was truly repulsed. Dar'Zhavani started out as a young "chosen one" , from a very different culture and climate. She has always been blinded by bling and prepared to rifle through drawers and cupboards even when a funeral is taking place, such is her greed. However she is no cold blooded killer and can justify the one or two murders so far committed. This is beginning to change. She now seems to be irredeeemably corrupted by nasty Daedric things which urge her to sacrifice and sacrifice again to get her paws on shiny cruel artifacts. She has shrugged this off - who wants a housecarl anyway, they just clutter the place up, and a few priests here or there don't really count either. This was until [spoilers ahead relate to quest which originates from investigating the hall of the dead in Markarth]

she had to escort a priest to the newly cleared out cave. She wanted to do a bit of shopping on the way so nipped into the general goods store. Strange, no shopkeeper (Lisbet) - check time of day, Ok should be there but she isn't. Oh well, probably a glitch, go out to the market instead. Market seems pretty quite too. No worries, load isn't too great. Take priest to cave. Oh crumbs, this has changed a bit recently. And who are all these characters round the table - don't I know you ? . The bloodiest meat in Markath indeed. I'm only in the midst of a covern of cannibals including folk I had gone to the trouble of helping out. Can I go through with this? Well I did, but felt nauseous and I've made a note of these folk's names. Do they deserve to go on living?

Then I went back to the main quest and got to the point of being able to get pointers for more dragon words from the Greybeards.

Then I had a very deja vu moment at the beginning of "Diplomatic Immunity" where the invitation to the party was reminiscent of the scene in Baldurs Gate. Spoilers re this quest and the immediate aftermath

I chatted to the guests who included the batshit mental Jarl of Dawnstar who may be a crazy old coot but at least recognised a favour deserved a favour in return. Being a Khajiit I couldn't use the Hitman approach of wearing Thalmor clothes to avoid detections, so I had no choice but to eliminate any of them who got in my way. I rescued the prisoner only for him to fall into the clutches of an ice troll at the end. I went on to the next part immediately and was harassed by two Thalmor agents, one of which I should have killed earlier, and one of which was a traitorous Khajiit, and found myself back in the loony bin section of the Ratway, where I had earlier considered putting the poor tormented souls out of their misery.

Just epic stuff basically

[JoeK]

It's gonna be fab to see what the new DLC provides - please god, don't let Bethesda fuck it up like they did with the Fallout 3 ones. I don't want many new weapons, horses and clothes. I just want new areas and epic fun shouting at folk (like some mad tourettes sufferer).

[Cosmic_Guru]

It's gonna be fab to see what the new DLC provides - please god, don't let Bethesda fuck it up like they did with the Fallout 3 ones. I don't want many new weapons, horses and clothes. I just want new areas and epic fun shouting at folk (like some mad tourettes sufferer).

I'm intrigued by what this could involve - surely not an old fashioned Rpg expansion where the difficulty level is cranked up and there are new weapons and armours to use. They have to somehow cater to the folk who run multiple medium level characters to slice up the gameplay, the ones like me who try to cover all bases in a single run and get to a pretty high level, and those who have only dabbled in the game.

[Broker]

I think it's a huge shame that there is no 'growth' of anything around you, the thieves always rabbit on about 'returning the flagon etc back to it's former glory and I've finished off the quest line and done loads of the little jobs so by all accounts they should have more money but bugger all difference to anything. Would have been nice to have other noob thieves starting to mill about that you could send on missions, or just more stuff in the flagon, or other little shops and things in the other alcoves around the big pond thing. Same with DB and every town in the whole place, I'm sure it would be a logistical nightmare but it would be brilliant and give you a much better sense of completing stuff. I still heard Dirge or whatever his name is saying 'Oh you're Brynjolf's protege' (or whatever it is he says) and I was one mission from running the whole bloody lot of them!

Yea hfair enough but there's nothing like any of the other stuff I suggested. I want the flagon to turn into some sort of opulent ballroom.

Maybe there's something up with your file? What you're describing is exactly what happened during my playthrough.

After doing the main quest and the influence missions, as well as one for Tomilia, I now have a much more busy Flagon complete with extra shops, more people, more opulent and affluent surroundings and lots of trophies on the shelves behind Mercer's desk.

[Strangelite]

Seems quite promising that they aren't saying "we're just gonna make the world bigger" instead saying "we're going to make the world better"

My DLC wishlist:

hardcore mode - hunger, tiredness, coldness. (fixes the completely useless food at the moment)

more world depth - own a store, sell junk you've found - see other people buy (and use) the things you've found. Help the towns function.

more unique weapons / armour - not just armour with buffs, but actually unique armour

A few more options - be able to tell your companion to shut up.. "hey, could you just shut up for a bit?" - or "Hey Lydia, I *really* want to hear your thoughts about every god damn cave we go past - thanks"

UI usability improvements (particularly in the favourite system, which is a bit poor at the moment) - get your favourite weapon disarmed? pick it back up and HEY it's a favourite again... (instead of currently resetting)

Bettererer horseys...

A few more enemy types.

Obligatory new missions / areas.

etc etc