Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[robdood]

So I had a look at the smithing exploit thing last night and it seems like you're all just breaking the game to fire up the levels. It's not really in the spirit of immersion is it? I also now realise that having weapons with crazy damage stats is only going to make the game far too easy and where's the fun in that?

I'll just stick to muddling my way through, learning as I go and revisiting the difficult dungeons once my level's up a bit.

I don't think that's really fair. Personally I don't feel I've broken the game, I just muddled my way as you did until I started to see how things worked. I certainly haven't used boosting smithing/enchanting/alchemy to level up my character quickly as you run the risk of levelling the enemies but not your combat skills.

I do think they fucked up by not making smithing and enchanting level up in the same way alchemy does (ie by the 'value' of the item you craft) though.

Having said that, it would've been good if the balance was worked out a bit better so I didn't have to turn the game up to the highest difficulty level just to get a bit of a challenge.

But its all about the adventures!

Since i need to level other skills to progress now, I've switched to dual wielding (tried 2 handed but its so bloody slow!!) So improved some ebony weapons I've hoarded. I'm now wielding an ebony sword with flee + fire damage, and an ebony axe with turn undead + frost. In hindsight I should've probably used leech stamina but I don't have the enchant yet! but its amazing watching every single enemy (pretty much) leg it as soon as I hit them.

[Mr Ben]

Below is the current (that I've seen anyways) patch notes for the 1.4 patch (spoilered, as its a very long list)

Current 1.4 Changelog (all platforms unless noted)

NEW FEATURES

Skyrim launcher support for Steam Workshop (PC)

BUG FIXES

General optimizations for memory and performance

Fixed occasional issue with armor and clothing not displaying properly when placed on mannequin’s in player’s house. (PS3)

Improved compiler optimization settings (PC)

Long term play optimizations for memory and performance (PS3)

Memory optimizations related to scripting

Fixed crashes related to pathing and AI

Fixed crash in Haemar’s Shame if player had already completed “A Daedra’s Best Friend”

Fixed rare crash with loading saved games

Fixed issue with accented characters not displaying properly at the end of a line

Master Criminal achievement/trophy unlocks properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian

Fixed issue where dragon priest masks would not render correctly

Fixed issue where quests would incorrectly progress after reloading a save

Fixed issues with placing and removing books from bookshelves in the player’s home

Fixed issue where weapon racks and plaques would not work correctly in player’s house if player immediately visits their house before purchasing any furnishing.

Fixed issue where the player house in Windhelm would not clean up properly

Fixed crash related to giant attacks and absorb spells

Fixed issue with ash piles not cleaning up properly

Fixed occasional issue where overwriting an existing save would fail

Fixed memory crash with container menu

Fixed infinite loop with bookshelves

Fixed issue where traps in Shalidor’s Maze would not work properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian versions

Fixed issue where transforming back to human from werewolf would occasionally not fail

Bows and daggers will display properly when placed on weapon racks

QUEST FIXES

The Unusual Gem inside the Thalmor Embassy is now accessible after finishing “Diplomatic Immunity”

In “Breaching Security”, the quest token is no longer required to receive a fortune reading from Olava the Feeble

Fixed issue where Galmar would not complete Joining the Stormcloaks properly if “Season Unending” was an active quest

Fixed issue where starting “Season Unending” after finishing “Joining the Stormcloaks” would prevent “The Jagged Crown” from starting properly.

Fixed issue progressing through “Message to Whiterun” while “Season Unending” was still open would block progression for both quests.

In “Arniel’s Endeavor”, fixed issue where a quest journal would trigger multiple times

In “Forbidden Legend”, the amulet fragment can no longer disappear after player leaves a dungeon without taking it

Fixed rare issue in “Forbidden Legend” where killing Mikrul Gauldurson while sneaking would make his corpose unaccessible

In “The White Phial”, the phial can no longer disappear if player leaves dungeon without taking it

“The White Phial” will now start properly if player already has a briar heart in their inventory

Player can no longer get stuck in Misty Grove after completing “A Night to Remember”

Fixed issue where leaving Riften during “A Chance Arrangement” would prevent quest from progressing

In “Darkness Returns”, a door in Twilight Sepulcher will properly open if the player leaves the dungeon for an extended period of time before completing the quest

In “Under New Management”, if the player leaves the Oculory for an extended period of time after placing the focusing crystal and returns, the quest will proceed correctly

“Onmund’s Request” will now start properly if player has already found Enthir’s staff before receiving this quest

Fixed instance where Tonilia would stop buying stolen items and also would not give Guild Leader Armor

“Repairing the Phial” will start properly if player already has unmelting snow or mammoth tusk in their inventory

Finding Pantea’s Flute before speaking with Pantea no longer prevents her quest from updating

In “The Coming of the Dawn”, fixed rare instance where a quest object would spawn incorrectly on the Katariah during Hail Sithis

Fixed rare issue in “The Mind of Madness” where player is unable to equip the Wabbajack

Fixed issue in “Pieces of the Past” where Mehrunes Dagon’s Razor will not trigger properly if player leaves the cell for extended period of time before activating it

“Blood’s Honor” will start properly if you visited and completed Driftshade and an extended period of time passes before starting the quest.

Fixed rare issue where “Dampened Spirits” would not start properly

Fixed issue where player would be unable to become Thane of Riften if they purchased a home first

Fixed issue where killing guards in Cidhna Mine woud block progression for “No One Escapes Cidhna Mine”

Fixed numerous issues with “Blood on the Ice” not triggering properly

In “Blood on the Ice”, Calixto can now be killed if player owns a house in Windhelm

In “The Cure for Madness”, killing Cicero then resurrecting him no longer impedes quest progress

Fixed rare issue in “To Kill an Empire” where an NPC would fail to die properly

Clearing Knifepoint Ridge before starting “Boethiah’s Champion” no longer prevents quest from starting.

Glad the Dampened Spirits bug is fixed there, I couldnt progress at all in the Thieves guild questline as a result.

[robdood]

I've generally been OK with huge bugs but I've just hit two really annoying ones toward the end, after spending AGESin Blackreath doing the quest in there, I can't finish the pissing thing off. Or I can but I've got to collect 20 Jazbay grapes as well as all the dicking about I did in Blackreath

Also, I can't buy a house in Markarth because the old steward is a bloody knob.

Why can't you finish Blackreach? There is an annoying button thing at the end that's just really fiddly. I had to fucking use the wiki if :s that bit let me know and ill tell you,

[sir stiff_one]

So I had a look at the smithing exploit thing last night and it seems like you're all just breaking the game to fire up the levels. It's not really in the spirit of immersion is it? I also now realise that having weapons with crazy damage stats is only going to make the game far too easy and where's the fun in that?

I'll just stick to muddling my way through, learning as I go and revisiting the difficult dungeons once my level's up a bit.

I've already ploughed 70 hours into it and I'm still only a level 23, but now I've got a decent follower and the Sanguine Rose I'm feeling a lot more confident I'm doing things for the best.

No I haven't done any exploits with smithing. The skill levels up regardless of what you make, so you're stupid for making anything but what you need to really. It didn't need to be that way, but it is, so that's how the game works. Levelling up doesn't really mean much if you've got shit weapons and armour and can't fire an arrow straight because enemies level up too. What's more important is to be strong relative to your level.

And those hours spend muddling around in Whiterun, travelling over to Riverwood, to Solitude etc, and trading - not forgetting that lovely Orc lady who smiths in Markarth - they were well fun for me. There's no wrong way to play it as I've said - I preferred to go on long 'walkabouts' and discovering the world, eventually cashing in and sorting out my affairs in town before the next adventure.

As for making the game too easy - again it depends what you want from the game. If you want to walk through it casting aside enemies as the whelps they are, then that's up to you, maybe you love it that way. If you want to up the difficulty, if that makes you feel more 'pr0', then you can do that. There are just different ways of playing and for you it appears that you're chasing someone else's' rainbow rather than finding your own fulfilling path through the game.

[Guest]

Looking at that list it seems to two quests I've got which are fucked haven't been fixed. On The whispering Door I don't get any dialogue options to progress the quest and on Scoundrel's Folly, Gullum-ei left The Winking Skeever and now I can't find him.

I don't suppose anyone's had either of those bugs and knows a way to fix them, do they?

[Guest]

No I haven't done any exploits with smithing. The skill levels up regardless of what you make, so you're stupid for making anything but what you need to really. It didn't need to be that way, but it is, so that's how the game works. Levelling up doesn't really mean much if you've got shit weapons and armour and can't fire an arrow straight because enemies level up too. What's more important is to be strong relative to your level.

And those hours spend muddling around in Whiterun, travelling over to Riverwood, to Solitude etc, and trading - not forgetting that lovely Orc lady who smiths in Markarth - they were well fun for me. There's no wrong way to play it as I've said - I preferred to go on long 'walkabouts' and discovering the world, eventually cashing in and sorting out my affairs in town before the next adventure.

As for making the game too easy - again it depends what you want from the game. If you want to walk through it casting aside enemies as the whelps they are, then that's up to you, maybe you love it that way. If you want to up the difficulty, if that makes you feel more 'pr0', then you can do that. There are just different ways of playing and for you it appears that you're chasing someone else's' rainbow rather than finding your own fulfilling path through the game.

But that's exactly it. I'm not chasing anyone else's rainbow and I want to do things my own way. I'm having hours of fun bumbling around and now I'm getting to grips with the less immediately intuitive aspects of the game I can only see it getting better.

Personally I just don't think I'd get much fun out of grinding smithing/enchanting just to get my levels up. I'm actually quite looking forward to getting my smithing up to 60 do I can make some of my enchanted armour better.

I know there's no wrong way to play it really, but spending hours exploiting that loophole just doesn't seem in the spirit of properly getting involved to me.

I thin I'd rather be the mongiest dragon born around for now, so when I do finally get to a point where I can destroy anything that comes near me the sense of progression will have more impact.

Each to their own though, eh?

[Kryptonian]

I think it's fair to say the people like those posting guides to make 'God' armour where nothing can touch you by exploiting alchemy / enchanting / smithing are missing the point though. For me at least - why would you want to walk around and be effectively invincible?

[Guest]

I think it's fair to say the people like those posting guides to make 'God' armour where nothing can touch you by exploiting alchemy / enchanting / smithing are missing the point though. For me at least - why would you want to walk around and be effectively invincible?

Exactly. Where's Ernie again?

[robdood]

But neither stiff nor I have power levelled :/

[Cheyenne]

I think I'm beginning to regret getting the Dragon Smithing perk. While Dragonscale is the best light armor, the existence of the armor cap has got me suspecting that I'll be able to hit it without the need of the aforementioned Dragon items. The way my Light Armor skill is levelling (and with associated perks), it looks very likely that the two later armor sets given out in the Thieves Guild storyline will hit the armor cap. Daedric Smithing has the consolation of netting you access to the best weapons so it doesn't feel like too much of a waste.

At least Dragonscale Armor looks ridiculously cool.

[sir stiff_one]

But that's exactly it. I'm not chasing anyone else's rainbow and I want to do things my own way. I'm having hours of fun bumbling around and now I'm getting to grips with the less immediately intuitive aspects of the game I can only see it getting better.

Personally I just don't think I'd get much fun out of grinding smithing/enchanting just to get my levels up. I'm actually quite looking forward to getting my smithing up to 60 do I can make some of my enchanted armour better.

I know there's no wrong way to play it really, but spending hours exploiting that loophole just doesn't seem in the spirit of properly getting involved to me.

I thin I'd rather be the mongiest dragon born around for now, so when I do finally get to a point where I can destroy anything that comes near me the sense of progression will have more impact.

Each to their own though, eh?

Oh you got hung up on that comment eh? Well apologies - I genuinely think this is one game where it doesn't matter how you play. Who cares if you are the mongiest dragon born, all it means is your narrative is more of an action comedy starring Rob Schneider than a straight faced LOTR type fantasy.

In my narrative I spent months learning the crafts, slaving over a hot forge, trying to make sense of arcane runes and enchantments and studying herbs and shit like a chemistry set. I gathered the materials I needed and kept them safe, I went on long adventures to try out new weapons and learn the art of skullcrushing in the wild. I had moments of fear, I ran from danger when I needed to. This drove me on. I never pictured myself an archer, but after letting fly useless, limp arrows, I practised. Let's just say somewhere in mudcrab territory there are enough iron arrows stuck in the mud to build a boat and a lot of happy mudcrabs. I whittled myself a nifty bow and learned how to sneak around. I was useless at first, I imagined my character clunking around ungainfully. After many hours in game, I feel I've gone from a little sneak thief who was sometimes a match for a single bandit to becoming the strongest individual in all of Skyrim. That sense of progress has been one that you only tend to get every now and again, and it's usually skill based, getting better at Vanquish or Bayonetta. But this is different, you can get better at x without having to be any better on the controls.

Like you say, or rather, like I've been saying for ages, each to their own though!

[Guest]

Oh you got hung up on that comment eh? Well apologies - I genuinely think this is one game where it doesn't matter how you play. Who cares if you are the mongiest dragon born, all it means is your narrative is more of an action comedy starring Rob Schneider than a straight faced LOTR type fantasy.

In my narrative I spent months learning the crafts, slaving over a hot forge, trying to make sense of arcane runes and enchantments and studying herbs and shit like a chemistry set. I gathered the materials I needed and kept them safe, I went on long adventures to try out new weapons and learn the art of skullcrushing in the wild. I had moments of fear, I ran from danger when I needed to. This drove me on. I never pictured myself an archer, but after letting fly useless, limp arrows, I practised. Let's just say somewhere in mudcrab territory there are enough iron arrows stuck in the mud to build a boat and a lot of happy mudcrabs. I whittled myself a nifty bow and learned how to sneak around. I was useless at first, I imagined my character clunking around ungainfully. After many hours in game, I feel I've gone from a little sneak thief who was sometimes a match for a single bandit to becoming the strongest individual in all of Skyrim. That sense of progress has been one that you only tend to get every now and again, and it's usually skill based, getting better at Vanquish or Bayonetta. But this is different, you can get better at x without having to be any better on the controls.

Like you say, or rather, like I've been saying for ages, each to their own though!

The Mongiest Dragonborn featuring Rob Schneider!

Like you've said your initial adventures were probably as tough as mine, but I'll keep on going and in time I'll be feared throughout the land.

Such an amazing game.

[neoELITE]

How many different claws are there? Everyone knows about the golden one, but I've found a sapphire one now as well. The dungeon associated with it was a very nice one too.

I bought a coral claw from a moaning woman merchant in Winterhold. There's ten altogether.

I did a fairly weird mini-quest today where I had to gather Elf blood (including Orc blood) for a mage character. He lives in a glacier near Winterhold. It's worth doing for the perks/levelling up that you receive and it's a fairly easy quest to complete.

I've started the Thieves Guild storyline now and I'm looking forward to experimenting with stealth as I've just been a bash, whallop hard nut thus far. The muffle spell is pretty useful but it's levelling me up stupidly fast. I went on a pickpocket spree to practice that particular skill and using it around thirty times levelled me up three times from 32 to 35 within about twenty minutes.

[b00dles]

@dood The reason I can't finish off the quest in Blackreath is (do not read if you have not been to Blackreath)

I can't finish the Crimson Nirnroot quest (not the one as part of the main storyline) because when I went to see the bird at the Nirnroot farm (Athissomethingoranother) she only spoke to me about Jazbay Grapes and I couldn't give her the pissing 30 Crimson Nirnroots I just dicked about for ages getting (and got some extra) and I don't really even know where I can reliably find Jazbay Grapes. Arse.

[Royshan]

@dood The reason I can't finish off the quest in Blackreath is (do not read if you have not been to Blackreath)

I can't finish the Crimson Nirnroot quest (not the one as part of the main storyline) because when I went to see the bird at the Nirnroot farm (Athissomethingoranother) she only spoke to me about Jazbay Grapes and I couldn't give her the pissing 30 Crimson Nirnroots I just dicked about for ages getting (and got some extra) and I don't really even know where I can reliably find Jazbay Grapes. Arse.

Quick look on gamefaqs showed:

To the northeast of Ivarstead, like right next to the Atronach stone, there are some steppe lakes with a dragon roost right in the middle. A TON grow in that area. Which is useful, because I need to find these as well.

[robdood]

Re jazbay:

The archmage has a bunch growing amongst the crops in the centre of his room. They regrow fairly quickly.

Otherwise I accidentally hit the quota when fast travelling to each town to stock up on alchemy ingredients. Ic you fast travel around the main cities in order, they'll each have restocked by the time you revisit

[b00dles]

Cheers chaps, it seems that according to UESPWiki, there's a weird inventory item count bug for them, typical, which means I don't need to find Jazbay's at least but I might get some now anyway, just to prove a point.

Then kill the bird for being difficult.

[OogyBoogy]

I encountered a bug yesterday. I was killing a draughur and it triggered the kill animation. Just at that very moment, a trap sprung and covered both me and my enemy with a bunch of falling boulders knocking us both down.

At first I though we both died but my character got up, and although I was able to move him around, the camera stayed static in 3rd person. Lucky enough I had just saved minutes before.

[Distinct muttering]

Jon, I really don't see the smithing as an exploit, certainly not how I did it. I just decided to spend about a week or so of in game time forging daggers and some armour to get me to level 60. I think it's safe to assume if you did anything for this length of time you would improve at it. I don't see how it's any different from spending the same time out in the woods twatting things with your sword and leveling that up.

[Jimmy Shedders]

I managed to fail the "A Night to Remember Quest" in spectacular style last night.

I got to the part where you have to rescue a goat from a giant.

It was all going well but the giant didn't take too kindly to me stealing his precious goat (Pervert) so he started to attack.

It was fight or flight so I did a bit of both - Ran the fuck away whilst shooting fireballs at him.

Then I had a brilliant idea - Knock him to the floor then slash the shit out of him!

Turning to face him I let out the biggest "FUS RO DAH" anyone ever did hear.

What I didn't count on was the goat being by the giant's feet.

As he was knocked to the ground he crushed the goat under his massive giant penis - Quest failed

[Loki]

I think I'm going to make my second character tonight. A Khajiit assassin.

Do the Khajiit's have any issues with their helmets displaying weirdly? I can't say I've noticed from my time playing.

[Guest]

Jon, I really don't see the smithing as an exploit, certainly not how I did it. I just decided to spend about a week or so of in game time forging daggers and some armour to get me to level 60. I think it's safe to assume if you did anything for this length of time you would improve at it. I don't see how it's any different from spending the same time out in the woods twatting things with your sword and leveling that up.

Yeah, I suppose. I guess it's just the ease in which you can level by creating endless iron daggers that goes against the grain a bit.

I don't really blame anyone for doing it, but Bethesda could have made it more interesting by increasing levelling from forging bigger/better/more difficult items.

It just seems like a cheeky shortcut really.

Anyway, has anyone got any pointers on the couple of broken quests I posted about last night?

[Loki]

Yeah, I suppose. I guess it's just the ease in which you can level by creating endless iron daggers that goes against the grain a bit.

I don't really blame anyone for doing it, but Bethesda could have made it more interesting by increasing levelling from forging bigger/better/more difficult items.

It just seems like a cheeky shortcut really.

Anyway, has anyone got any pointers on the couple of broken quests I posted about last night?

If you think of it this way, you won't find it so much of a scam as such:

- They should have made it so your smithing improves dependent on the level of the item you're making

- The level at which your smithing improves when making hide bracers stays the same

That way, I see it as though Bethesda scammed me out of skill points in smithing when I made my Daedra sword and Ebony Armour set, rather than me scamming their broken smithing mechanics

[Stolly]

I suddenly discovered the perks on enchanting yesterday - up till now I have done a fair bit of disenchantimg/enchanting (I'm level 54 I think) but I've never been arsed with the perks, and can't for instance improve a magical weapon or owt. I think I will spend some serious time getting perky with enchanting now

[Teeohbee]

I think I'm going to make my second character tonight. A Khajiit assassin.

Do the Khajiit's have any issues with their helmets displaying weirdly? I can't say I've noticed from my time playing.

Massive sideburns (You'll know the one when you see them in the character creator) have a tendency of showing through hoods, not sure about helms.

Masks and the Nightingale hood make your face look distinctly human rather than Khajiitian but apart from that I can't think of anything else.

You obviously have a tail.

My khajiit looks like a total badass!

[Loki]

Cheers Teeohbee. Khajiit it is then!

[Teeohbee]

Brawls are also really good fun as a khajiit!

[Jimmy Shedders]

This Lydia thing is really getting out of hand.

I thought it'd be a nice idea if she got some fresh air, seeing as she's done nothing but sit by my bedside for the past 3 months.

In a move that was in no way intended for any "accidents" to happen to her I thought we'd take a trip to the nearest mountain top where there were rumours of a dragon nearby.

Sure enough, as we approached a massive dragon was there waiting for us.

It quickly took off and Lydia followed it down the mountain.

I did what any man in my situation would have done - I got on my horse and quickly sped off in the opposite direction.

Yes! I had done it! I've finally got rid of the mentalist stalker! There's no way she could've survived either A) The fall down the mountain or B) The dragon attack.

With a spring in my step I headed back to my house in Whiterun for some victory sex with my wife.

I decided to go upstairs to the bed and wait for her.

As I stepped up the stairs I heard something - I can't be my wife as I passed her on the way in.

Readying my swords I crept slowly towards the source of the noises.

Walking in to the bedroom I was horrified - There was Lydia. FUCKING LYDIA. Sat in her usual chair. Acting like nothing had happened.

If you don't hear from me soon, presume the worst.

[robdood]

There's a shrine at a certain part of the map awaiting a sacrifice.. no one has to know.

[b00dles]

There's a shrine at a certain part of the map awaiting a sacrifice.. no one has to know.

Unfortunately, that's one of the few things in my game that I can't seem to activate for toffee. I've had Lydia, Mjoll and a random assassin up there, simply doesn't work for me.