Elder Scrolls V in the works - direct sequel to Oblivion [Archive] - Page 4

frau kaleun

01-09-12, 09:35 AM

Lol I can't believe anyone would keep Lydia as an active follower long enough to outfit her with fancy armor. I'd forgotten what a PITA she is until I restarted with a new character.

Lydia: "I've got your back."

Me: "Yes, very commendable. Unfortunately my front is wedged into this tiny space where the <insert highly desirable or necessary item here> was hidden. There is nowhere for me to go but 'back,' so can I have my 'back' back, please?"

Lydia: "Huh?"

Me: :stare: *jostle bump jostle jostle nudge bump jostle bump*

Lydia: "OW!"

Me: *sigh*

She wasn't a bad fighter but she didn't seem very bright. She was always getting in my way, especially after I'd leveled up a bit and could take on more opponents on my own. I think maybe she was intended to be a "starter follower" who would take care of some of the lower level combat stuff in the earlier, "gimme" quests in the Riverwood/Whiterun area, but IME she soon becomes more of a liability in some ways.

I put soul trap enchantment on my bow as soon as possible so I could go out and hunt and 1) get pelts and hides for leather to help with my smithing and 2) get some cheaper soul gems filled up to use for enchanting and recharging stuff and 3) get some archery/sneak practice and use up some of the cheap throw-away arrows that I keep accumulating. I didn't dare *not* take Lydia along, because I never knew what I might run into and I didn't want to be caught in a melee alone.

However every time I shot an arrow at an animal that didn't die immediately, she'd treat it like an enemy that was attacking me and start chasing it all over the place and firing more arrows at it. So, you know, I've wounded a huge elk down to about half health with the first arrow, but I can't stalk it and finish it off because Lydia is now chasing it across the tundra screaming and shooting at it. Even if I tried to follow her in case she killed it and I could still get some supplies from it, it still didn't pan out as she never seemed to succeed in actually finishing off anything I'd hit. She'd just scare it so far away that I couldn't finish it myself.

She would continue chasing whatever poor critter I'd shot at as long as I had my bow drawn and didn't move away from the vicinity. She'd chase something from Whiterun to Rorikstead and back if I let her. :haha:

Perhaps I should've taken a wild shot at a distant mammoth just to watch the ensuing hijinks. :hmmm: :O:

Anyway I made her a steel helmet and made sure she had as good a bow/sword/shield as I could manage at the time, and that was it. Kept her around long enough to grab enough swag to buy and fully furnish the house in Breezehome, where she now resides in perpetuity or until I get very, very poor and desperate for some help.

Went to Riften as a little side excursion and hired Marcurio and sent Lydia home. What was cool was that when my new follower and I left Riften on our way to my next adventure, we actually passed Lydia on the road back to Whiterun hold.

At my current character's level(s) - working my way up through the 20s - having a mage as a follower is awesome. He gets and actually makes good use of any staff I find and want to give him, which I don't do as well since I concentrate on two-handed weapons and if I've got a smaller one in my right hand it's because I want a shield or maybe the flame spell for draugr immolation in the other. And it's so much fun to watch him battle another magic user. He's also more of (and a much better) conversationalist than Lydia, altho that's not really an astounding achievement.

I've now got him fitted out with Elven armor, all enchanted to boost his Magicka and/or Stamina and/or Destruction skills as is all the jewelry I've given him. I may throw some Resist Frost bling in there if he doesn't stop complaining about the Skyrim climate. :O:

I gave him up with my last character so I could travel with Vilkas as follower/spouse but I don't know if I can let him go this time. He's my own little Imperial Magigolo. :D

BTW for those of you playing out of Breezehome, there is a mod that will put an enchanting table in with your alchemy set. You have to buy the alchemy furnishings first and then enable the mod. It removes the small table and chair to the right of the alchemy table, and puts one wider table in there with the alchemy set on the left and an arcane enchanter on the right. Saves all that running back and forth to Dragonsreach to use Farengal's enchanter. :yeah:

The only thing I don't like about Breezehome (with the arcane enchanter mod working) is how small it is, which means there is way less storage space. It also gets very crowded if you have Lydia there as housecarl plus another follower hanging out on the premises. Heaven forbid you should marry a third person and have him/her move in there. :o

What I've heard/read is that the house in Solitude is not worth the price even when you get it furnished - but the house in Windhelm, when cleaned up and fully furnished, is by far the best property, with just about every possible convenience available for purchase once you buy the house. Windhelm also has a blacksmith with all the available workspaces and a smelter on site, and he generally has enough money to take stuff off your hands if you're picking up or forging a lot of weapons and armor. There is a good market area near the blacksmith for more bartering in weapons and armor, general merchandise, food, and alchemical supplies. For some things you may still want to hit up the wizard in the palace, but that shouldn't happen too often.

BUT - you can't have the house in Windhelm without getting involved in the civil war, because it doesn't become available until that storyline is either fully or partially resolved depending on which side you take and nothing happens with that storyline unless you get involved in it. :wah:

I wonder how my Imperial Magigolo will feel when his Skyrim Sugar Mama joins the Stormcloaks? :O:

frau kaleun

01-09-12, 09:58 AM

Anybody know if you can do something to "reset" the quest in Dawnstar about everybody having nightmares and the priest takes you to the old temple?

I was in Dawnstar on a stopover between Windhelm and something I had to do outside Solitude and I sort of accidentally stumbled into this nightmare temple quest thingy which I didn't want to do but since it seemed like the location was right there and didn't involve running all over the place I thought, fine, I'm here anyway, might as well take care of it.

But then I followed the priest to the temple and he went in and I went in behind him but my follower didn't follow me in, which made me go back out to make sure he hadn't just... disappeared or accidentally been released from service or told to wait or something. Then when I went back in the temple... the priest is gone. The quest marker shows the direction I need to go but I can't go there, I finally gave up and looked it up and apparently the priest does a spell and walks through a wall and you have to follow him through and I guess I missed my chance. Now I think he's just stuck in there all alone and there's no way for me to finish the quest.

I'll check and see if he's around anywhere when I go back to Dawnstar but if not I'd like to just reset everything like it never happened and put him back in the inn where he started.

soopaman2

01-09-12, 10:11 AM

I honestly found the best companion to be Aela the Huntress.

She keeps her distance in combat, will train your bow to 75 IIRC (which you can promptly ask for your money back). Just gotta marry her.

As for a quest reset in Dawnstar. I do not know. These games can be buggy at times, and quests can mess up. I had some not complete before. Or I complete them and their waypoints are still on my map and journal.

Revert to old save perhaps?

You do save often? TES since Morrowind have been buggy. The more open ended a game is, the more exploits and bugs that exist, and only so many could be found by playtesters when you can easily soak 200 plus hours into one playthrough.

Yes I cat-assed it!:oops:

frau kaleun

01-09-12, 10:38 AM

I honestly found the best companion to be Aela the Huntress.

She keeps her distance in combat, will train your bow to 75 IIRC (which you can promptly ask for your money back). Just gotta marry her.

I don't think you have to marry her... IIRC she's available as a follower upon request once you've completed the main Companions questline (or maybe after you become a Companion, can't remember which). Anyway she's not available to marry until the questline is completed which means you could definitely have her as a follower without marrying her.

As long as she's your dedicated follower you should be able to ask her to train you and then "trade" the gold you paid back out of her inventory. Works with Farkas and Vilkas, anyway. You should be able to make the Companion trainers/followers follow you briefly just for that purpose - ask them to follow, ask them to train you, ask them to trade some things, take your gold back, release them from service, repeat as desired provided you have the necessary gold on hand to start with.

Although I only made a habit of this last time around with Vilkas, because I did actually marry him eventually so it made sense that he would not charge me for training. With Farkas and the others it just felt wrong somehow.

As for a quest reset in Dawnstar. I do not know. These games can be buggy at times, and quests can mess up. I had some not complete before. Or I complete them and their waypoints are still on my map and journal.

Revert to old save perhaps?

Nope, because I've already moved on and completed the several other quests (and then some) that I was on my way to when I stopped over in Dawnstar. Not giving those up either. It's not a gamebreaker if this priest stays stuck in there alone forever on a bungled side quest, so long as he doesn't turn out to be essential to something else I need or want to do. I don't think he is. But it will bug me to know that he's still in there and the thing is in my journal as an incomplete.

One of the few things I don't like is this thing where you go through a door to pursue a particular quest and suddenly your follower isn't there, with no apparent warning that it's going to happen or an explanation of why when it does. It's the second time this has happened and I don't know why. If I go back out the door, the follower is still standing there waiting but they will not pass through to help complete the quest. If it's deliberate I wish there would be some indication that I *must* continue alone, if there's a message on the screen to that effect I'm missing it.

It happened before and I spent considerable time going back and forth and fast traveling to places and back to make sure my follower was actually still following me. But he would not go through this particular door and follow me to the end location of that bit of questing. It was very annoying because I have occasionally selected the wrong thing when conversing with a follower and accidentally released him/her from service at a very critical moment and when I pass through a door and suddenly I have no follower and we were just talking, I kinda freak out. That's why I kept going in and out of the temple in the Dawnster business, and how I got separated from the priest.

soopaman2

01-09-12, 12:00 PM

I thought I had lost followers at times too. In my case they were married to me, and ended up at my house a few days later. At least she cooked me a meal and gave me money.

Good thing too. I had a few empty soul gems.:O:

Dowly

01-09-12, 12:57 PM

She wasn't a bad fighter but she didn't seem very bright.

You dont say.. :rotfl2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTMwjYgJsFQ

frau kaleun

01-09-12, 01:38 PM

I thought I had lost followers at times too. In my case they were married to me, and ended up at my house a few days later.

Well, yeah, spouse or housecarl follower will just go back to where they live and you can pick them up again if you are willing to go back there. However a hireling will go back to where they live or normally hang out and if too much time elapses, you have to rehire them = pay them more money. They will also leave with whatever items you gave them to carry or equip. It's not like you can't find them again if necessary. It's an inconvenience and can be a real problem if it happens accidentally when enemies are nearby and you can't fast travel to wherever your follower went AND you may suddenly be surrounded by hostiles while any support you expected to have is gone.

And there are certain places in the game where no follower can accompany you - I've found two so far, one is definitely not a bug (the Dawnstar one, the priest becomes your temporary companion with a small 'c' while you are in the temple, no other follower allowed). The other was a mine that unbeknownst to me exited into a dragon lair. My follower at the time simply would not enter the mine, and he didn't show up at the lair either, even after I waited a good long time after killing the dragon, so it's not like he came around to "find" me after I took a route he couldn't take himself.

OTOH he is an NPC who can give a quest where he wants to go to a dragon lair and help kill a dragon and maybe that lair was one from that quest, so he wasn't "allowed" to go there unless it was a part of that side quest or that side quest had already been completed.

Anyway it's still annoying to have a follower *not* follow you and not get any indication why they are staying put. Just a little message "you must enter [x] alone" or "you cannot take a follower into [x]" would be nice.

frau kaleun

01-09-12, 01:43 PM

You dont say.. :rotfl2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTMwjYgJsFQ

OMG I know. In my new character when I was traveling with her, everytime we came to a pressure plate trap I would just go at it running and jump clear over it and then keep moving in the hopes I would be out of the danger zone before she came up behind me and stepped right on it. Or I'd just make her wait in case I could find a deactivation lever or chain on the far side of it, but the former was more fun because sometimes I could hear the trap spring behind me and her groaning cuz she got hit with whatever it was.

TteFAboB

01-09-12, 02:18 PM

To reset the Dawnstar nightmare quest:

Save game, open console, type "resetquest DA16" without quotes, cross fingers, press enter, do a barrel roll, ???, profit.

The barrel roll step is of vital importance.

Hopefully you can start the quest all over again and nothing else gets broken.

frau kaleun

01-09-12, 02:28 PM

Thanks, I looked it up on the wiki and apparently it's one quest that is turning out to be very buggy. There are instructions for moving the priest character back to the player's location because losing him seems to be real problem especially if you don't enter the temple before he does, so maybe my going back in and out wasn't even the issue to begin with since I let him go in first anyway.

Also found instructions for resetting it entirely which I will probably do because it's not like I care that much about doing that one at all at the moment. I'm back in Whiterun now getting ready to start the Companions quest line. Altho I did leave a bunch of dragonswag that was too heavy to carry at a spot just south of the city so I may fast travel back there just to see if I can pick them up and sell them. Maybe I'll at least pop into the inn and see if the priest is back in his starting position.

One other little picky thing that sort of annoys me is the way a quest will get marked in your Journal as started just because of something someone says to you even if it involves them asking you to take it on and you turn them down. Seems like in those cases not accepting a quest should mean it didn't start at all. I guess it's nice to have a reminder that a quest is available, but I'm one of those people that likes to tick things off a list and sit back and say "Alrighty then, done!" and having a bunch of stuff on my 'list' that I already took a pass on and have no intention of pursuing at any time in the foreseeable future rankles my OCD nerve. :O:

Krauter

01-09-12, 05:38 PM

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Waking_Nightmare

Bugs

This quest is extremely glitchy. It is recommended to save often but NOT overwrite previous saves. Erandur can become unresponsive, aggressive, and/or erratic, thus breaking the quest.

When you first enter the fort, Erandur may seem to disappear entirely. In fact, he is actually teleported to the past version of the temple in the dining hall. Possible workarounds include:

Loading a save from before Erandur enters the tower.

On the PC,
prid 0024280 moveto player

in the console will move him back to the entrance and the quest will then proceed correctly.

Takeda Shingen

01-09-12, 05:55 PM

In terms of homes, I find Hjerim in Windhelm to be the best home in the game. Just make sure you finish the Blood on the Ice quest first. Otherwise you'll be suck with some bugs.

frau kaleun

01-09-12, 06:04 PM

In terms of homes, I find Hjerim in Windhelm to be the best home in the game. Just make sure you finish the Blood on the Ice quest first. Otherwise you'll be suck with some bugs.

And make sure you purchase the clean-up option for the house before you furnish all the rooms. Wiki says if you furnish a... 'messy' room without paying for the clean-up first, the... 'mess' just stays there underneath all your lovely fine furnishings. :dead:

Krauter

01-09-12, 06:13 PM

Takeda Shingen

01-09-12, 06:30 PM

That's the downside about Hjerim. The only ways to get it are to either side with the Stormcloaks, which wouldn't make any sense for a Dunmer, or to complete the Civil War questline in favor of the Imperials, which will grant you the option to buy but now you're known as the guy who killed Ulfric so everybody in town hates you.

Krauter

01-09-12, 06:48 PM

I don't mind if everyone hates me :DL I'm the Night Mothers Listener. If anyone angers me I can just "complete some contracts" in town :D

Edit: Will I still have access to the Housecarl Calder even if I side with the Imperials?

Takeda Shingen

01-09-12, 06:58 PM

Edit: Will I still have access to the Housecarl Calder even if I side with the Imperials?

Yes. So long as you complete quests for the Jarl (whoever he may be at the time), you'll be named thane and will be given a housecarl. It is always Calder.

Krauter

01-09-12, 07:20 PM

Takeda Shingen

01-09-12, 07:58 PM

Thanks a lot Takeda!

Just wondering, what is a usefull spread of Magicka/Health/Stamina points upon levelling up? Currently I'm at 100/250/150 respectively, my player is mostly involved in using archery and sneak attacks in light armor rather than brawling in heavy armor. However, when I do use my swords I also use destruction spells (the starting fire and spark ones, I've upgraded to fireball and blizzard though). Just wondering how I should spend my points when I level up.

Now this is to be taken with a total grain of salt, but in my experience 250 hit points is a hell of a lot for what I assume is essentially a thief build with some destruction magic on the side. My suggestion is to either pour more into your stamina or magicka, depending on which you want. If you want to go with the melee (I assume you are dual-wield--that's what my thieves always are), then you need to kill things fast which means you want a heavy dose of dual-wield power attacks. Your best defense will be a great offense, and a deep stamina pool with the appropriate perks will keep you spinning and swinging all day.

If you want to go more with destruction, then pour it into the magicka, but be advised that unless you get the Silent Casting perk (which, unfortunately requires a 50 in Illusion with the prerequisite perks as well) your magic attacks will be very noisy and will greatly hinder, if not eliminate your ability to sneak up on your enemies. Unlike using bows, which cause your enemy to begin to look for you, casting will immediately give your position away to the enemy. This means larger, more protracted fights with multiple enemies--a no-no for sneaky-type characters.

Krauter

01-09-12, 08:23 PM

Well it's not really a thief build per se.. Currently when I fight it's, enter sneak and shoot them with bow. If they survive, go to melee which is sword + destruction spell + dragon shout and sick Lydia on them. If things get hairy then I cast Ethereal Shout and wait for Lydia to revive and then sneak off to a corner to plink them with arrows.

The main reason why I put so much into Health was because while I was doing the first companion quest with Farkas (think that's his name) I was constantly getting stuck in 1 on 5 situations and needed the health to survive.

Takeda Shingen

01-09-12, 08:48 PM

Okay, so if that is the way you want to go, I would say that your magicka could use some love. 100 points is pretty puny, even for a non-dedicated magic user with perks. Once that magicka goes, you've essentially got a useless hand and have cut your damage potential in half.

Krauter

01-09-12, 09:23 PM

Takeda Shingen

01-09-12, 09:35 PM

With 200 you could shoot all day, unless you want to go to the master level spells, which doesn't sound like it would fit with your playing style. I'd say 150 with good One-Handed skill will serve you well.

Krauter

01-09-12, 09:37 PM

Perfect, honestly I'm not too hot on magic since I hear its a little overpowered, but I do enjoy casting summons and healing and all that.

frau kaleun

01-10-12, 08:33 AM

Thanks for the tips!

I'm currently kind of stuck deciding what side I want to pick.. on one side the Imperials did try to kill me... On the other, Ulfric Stormcloak and the snooty little buggers at Windhelm are racists against my race (Dunmer).

See, that's interesting because I get the "snooty" vibe in Solitude but not really in Windhelm. Is there an anti-Dunmer vibe in Windhelm? In some quarters, yeah, that's obvious... but I don't get the overall feeling there that I'm being looked down on in general by the people I interact with (in high and low places alike).

From what I've read, the race you choose for your character has no bearing on interactions with NPCs, the game is not coded to have them "recognize" you as Nord or Dunmer or Imperial and react differently based on that. So I guess "snooty" is in the eye of the beholder. :haha:

My interactions overall with overt Imperial supporters and overt Stormcloak supporters definitely tip the scales in favor of the Stormcloaks for me. Especially since I spend so much time in Whiterun and the most vocal Imperial supporters there come off like total dicks IMO and the Stormcloak supporters are much friendlier and seem more worthy of my sympathy and respect.

Krauter

01-10-12, 09:54 AM

See, that's interesting because I get the "snooty" vibe in Solitude but not really in Windhelm. Is there an anti-Dunmer vibe in Windhelm? In some quarters, yeah, that's obvious... but I don't get the overall feeling there that I'm being looked down on in general by the people I interact with (in high and low places alike).

From what I've read, the race you choose for your character has no bearing on interactions with NPCs, the game is not coded to have them "recognize" you as Nord or Dunmer or Imperial and react differently based on that. So I guess "snooty" is in the eye of the beholder. :haha:

My interactions overall with overt Imperial supporters and overt Stormcloak supporters definitely tip the scales in favor of the Stormcloaks for me. Especially since I spend so much time in Whiterun and the most vocal Imperial supporters there come off like total dicks IMO and the Stormcloak supporters are much friendlier and seem more worthy of my sympathy and respect.

On the subject of recognizing race, I believe it does, since either in the quest to become Thane of Whiterun the Jarl said he was surprised a Dunmer was the Dovakhiin (or maybe it was his wizard :hmmm:)

Anyways, I don't mind most people in Windhelm, just some people (drunken idiot that yells in the gray quarters) I don't like. I also don't like how it. snows. all. (ALL) the. time. in Windhelm. Personally, the city I enjoy the most is Whiterun, seconded by Riften and Markarth. Since Whiterun is predominantly pro-Imperial, yet still neutral I enjoy it. That and theres no freaking snow :)

In Solitude I can't really say if I find them "snooty" since I haven't spent a whole lot of time there, maybe a whole 20 minutes to assassinate a bride and the head of an Imperial security organ. Snooty people don't help their case when they're being assassinated :haha: (yet the bride was pretty nice...)

frau kaleun

01-10-12, 10:14 AM

On the subject of recognizing race, I believe it does, since either in the quest to become Thane of Whiterun the Jarl said he was surprised a Dunmer was the Dovakhiin (or maybe it was his wizard :hmmm:)

It's not that they don't recognize you as Nord or Dunmer or whatever, it's just that it doesn't matter with regard to how you are treated by them in a way that makes choosing one race over another an advantage in general interactions. They may comment on your race but it doesn't affect gameplay except in terms of random, inconsequential dialogue. At least that's what I read somewhere. :hmmm:

Anyways, I don't mind most people in Windhelm, just some people (drunken idiot that yells in the gray quarters) I don't like. I also don't like how it. snows. all. (ALL) the. time. in Windhelm. Personally, the city I enjoy the most is Whiterun, seconded by Riften and Markarth. Since Whiterun is predominantly pro-Imperial, yet still neutral I enjoy it. That and theres no freaking snow :)

Oh, in terms of how people treat you overall, Whiterun is the best I've found. I don't really care for Riften and Markarth, mostly because they seem to be controlled by powerful and corrupt individuals and/or factions that must be appeased in order to make substantial progress in either location.

In Solitude I can't really say if I find them "snooty" since I haven't spent a whole lot of time there, maybe a whole 20 minutes to assassinate a bride and the head of an Imperial security organ. Snooty people don't help their case when they're being assassinated :haha: (yet the bride was pretty nice...)

Next time you're in town, pay a visit to Radiant Raiment - it's an apparel shop on the right just after you enter the city gates and pass the execution platform. Talk to the proprietor, Endarie. Yeah she's an Altmer but she could dial it down a notch when what I'm wearing and carrying is worth more than her entire shop, contents included.

I have to say in my previous character I ended up with a lot of high value stuff (for non-armor apparel, anyway) in my inventory that I was looking to sell and I made a special point of going to Solitude, using/activating everything I had that gave me an advantage in bartering and haggling, and taking every last septim she had while still having plenty left over that she couldn't afford to buy. :smug:

Krauter

01-10-12, 10:58 AM

It's not that they don't recognize you as Nord or Dunmer or whatever, it's just that it doesn't matter with regard to how you are treated by them in a way that makes choosing one race over another an advantage in general interactions. They may comment on your race but it doesn't affect gameplay except in terms of random, inconsequential dialogue. At least that's what I read somewhere. :hmmm:

Ah that makes sense then. Still, I'm glad to see it NPCs recognize your race and dialogue changes a little bit.

Oh, in terms of how people treat you overall, Whiterun is the best I've found. I don't really care for Riften and Markarth, mostly because they seem to be controlled by powerful and corrupt individuals and/or factions that must be appeased in order to make substantial progress in either location.

True, Riften I like simply because it's in the Rift and I love hunting there, Markarth because the architectures pretty cool (but it's a pain in the ass to get to, I don't use fast travel all that much).

Next time you're in town, pay a visit to Radiant Raiment - it's an apparel shop on the right just after you enter the city gates and pass the execution platform. Talk to the proprietor, Endarie. Yeah she's an Altmer but she could dial it down a notch when what I'm wearing and carrying is worth more than her entire shop, contents included.

I have to say in my previous character I ended up with a lot of high value stuff (for non-armor apparel, anyway) in my inventory that I was looking to sell and I made a special point of going to Solitude, using/activating everything I had that gave me an advantage in bartering and haggling, and taking every last septim she had while still having plenty left over that she couldn't afford to buy. :smug:

:rotfl2: I'll make sure to stop by :har: Maybe pay her a visit in the dead of night and take a five finger discount on some of her wares.

frau kaleun

01-10-12, 11:59 AM

:rotfl2: I'll make sure to stop by :har: Maybe pay her a visit in the dead of night and take a five finger discount on some of her wares.

And then go back the next day like a normal customer and sell it back to her at a 100% profit. And please let me know if you manage to pull it off so I can enjoy a good long gloat. ;)

In other news, I did manage to reset the Dawnstar quest that got stuck - went back there to pick up a bunch of dragon scales and bones that I couldn't lug home the first time around and when I went to the inn the priest was back there again. But it still showed up in my journal as partially completed, so I just talked to the priest to start the thing over and finished it properly this time around.

Then I headed back toward the spot where I'd left my dragonswag and took a short detour to investigate a seemingly innocuous small ruin... and wouldn't you know it, another dragon shows up. I don't know if he'd been fighting with something else or if my Magigolo just pounded him really good while he was flying over, but it only took one shout to ground him and he landed some yards off facing off to my right with about 1/2 health left on the bar. Charged into his side with a poisoned blade and that was all she wrote.

But then I'm thinking... great, I've got all this loot from the nightmare quest, plus a bunch of dragonswag to pick up, and now MORE valuable but heavy dragonswag on top of that. Then, miracle of miracles - who do you think wanders up to comment on the dragon killing they just witnessed from afar? The roving Khajiit caravan traders. Oh well hello my good sir what do you have for sale and would you like to buy these fine remnants of the carcass you see before you? Why yes I believe you would. :woot:

Krauter

01-10-12, 12:08 PM

Will do, also just wondering, which "side" did you pick in regards to the Greybeards and the Blades?

frau kaleun

01-10-12, 12:57 PM

Will do, also just wondering, which "side" did you pick in regards to the Greybeards and the Blades?

My current character is not that far along yet in the Main Quest - but my previous one had already gotten to the top of the Throat of the World and I don't think I could do Paarthurnax any harm unless something happens to drastically change my opinion of him. He was kind to me and unless he becomes hostile or is proven to be deceitful, the Blades can bite me where he's concerned. I see them as useful in getting information and providing some protection... for now. But I won't kill him for them just because he's a dragon.

mookiemookie

01-10-12, 01:17 PM

It's a shame that both the Blades were marked as essential. I would have slaughtered them both for their ludicrous command.

frau kaleun

01-10-12, 01:27 PM

It's a shame that both the Blades were marked as essential. I would have slaughtered them both for their ludicrous command.

Yeah, see the thing about me is... I *like*dragons. I mean in RL, it's my Chinese horoscope sign, so I am one, and I've always been drawn to them anyway.

And in the game I feel like the Dovahkiin and the dragons are "kin" somehow, and I imagine that taking in all those dragon souls only intensifies that relationship, so I kind of imagine that eventually he/she will still kill them if necessary in defense of self and others or as a means to that end but maybe sheds a little tear over the necessity of being on hostile terms with such potentially noble creatures. Especially after meeting Paarthurnax.

That was quite something, when I first got to the top of TTTW and saw a dragon I attacked it with a shout immediately because I really didn't realize at first. I mean I suspected the leader of the Greybeards might turn out to be a dragon but I didn't know if that was him, or if he was going to be hostile to me and it would turn out to be a big boss challenge of some kind. So that whole experience, the way it turned out, was just delightful and very moving. No way I'm killing him... I would rather have the support of the Greybeards than the Blades in the long run. What are the Blades gonna do? Help me kill dragons? I'm already doing that without their help, thank you very much.

Edit: I just had a brilliant idea. I'm going to recruit Lydia for the Blades. This may make Delphine and Esbern stop speaking to me earlier than scheduled, but that's a small price to pay for not having her 1) spend most of her time poking around in my bedroom and 2) constantly get up and down from the same chair in my bedroom to greet me and ask me if I need anything when all I did was come in there to drop or pick up gear and change clothes. Seriously... SHUT UP LYDIA.

OTOH, there's this:

If Lydia is recruited by the blades she may reappear in Whiterun (Wearing Blades armor) during the Battle for Whiterun Impereal quest. She then returns to her residence from before she was recruited.

http://nooooooooooooooo.com/vader.jpg

Krauter

01-10-12, 02:16 PM

My current character is not that far along yet in the Main Quest - but my previous one had already gotten to the top of the Throat of the World and I don't think I could do Paarthurnax any harm unless something happens to drastically change my opinion of him. He was kind to me and unless he becomes hostile or is proven to be deceitful, the Blades can bite me where he's concerned. I see them as useful in getting information and providing some protection... for now. But I won't kill him for them just because he's a dragon.

I would rather not kill him either, but according to his past (and name) some would say he is worth killing. I like him though, and, as you said frau, I had a delightfull surprise when I finally made it to the peak of the great mountain.

seaniam81

01-11-12, 11:29 AM

Has anybody tried Bard's Leap Summit yet? And it's quest? I did that the other day it was totally amazing!

frau kaleun

01-11-12, 12:27 PM

I remember being at some 'Leap' or another but not on any particular quest, other than that I was clearing a path through Forsworn country on the way to whatever quest I was currently trying to finish. Although the picture in the wiki doesn't match the one I remember, maybe I was just looking over a different spot but at the same bunch of ruins. Pretty sure there was a Word Wall and I know I learned that shout as that character so I bet that was it. I probably just didn't pay attention to the wooden plank, usually if I run out to the end of something for the view it's one of the stone bits with the dragon head on the end.

Got the first two words of "Marked For Death" last night in my current character. Used it on a dragon I went to kill at its lair after picking up a bounty request in Riften. I must say it looks like it's going to make my life considerably easier for the foreseeable future. I think I can probably just shout the damn things down now and then hide behind a rock while Marcurio the Magigolo finishes them off with an assortment of destruction spells and staves. :O:

I think I'm going to marry him this time because then if he gets arbitrarily "dismissed" by the start of some quest that assigns me a different but temporary follower (and I know some of those are coming up with the Companions) he'll just go to Breezehome instead of all the way back to Riften.

Besides at this point he's saved my bacon so many times I really should make an honest man out of him. I can still call him the Magigolo, though, right?

seaniam81

01-11-12, 01:33 PM

Frau Kaleun, I think we are talking about the same spot. If you manage to jump and survive you get a nice bonus to speachcraft, and are greeted by the last person to jump.

Krauter

01-12-12, 11:20 AM

Just captured Odahviing :rock:

frau kaleun

01-12-12, 03:53 PM

Just captured Odahviing :rock:

I still have so many things I need to do before I get that far! :wah:

On a funny note, remember that snooty shopowner in Solitude I was talking about? Well I passed through town again recently and was hitting up some of the shops and I went up to hers and it's late morning, all the other traders are open for business, and when I get to her door it says "Open" (not "Unlock" so clearly they are not closed).

I walk in and she looks at me and says "Can't I get a minute's peace from all these customers?" Which is not unusual given her general attitude so I keep walking towards the counter at which point her dialogue turns into things like "Get out!" and "I'm warning you!" and "You'll be sorry!" and at that point I just think, screw this beeyotch and I turn back towards the door by which time she is already yelling for the guards and I'm like, WTF LADY HOW DO YOU EVEN STAY IN BUSINESS?!?!?

The funny thing was, I actually went there this time to SPEND money. :haha:

But no guards appeared and I hadn't done anything wrong, on further investigation it turns out that "shop" is a bit buggy which results in you being treated like a trespasser sometimes even if they're open. But given the way you're treated when they actually are open, it's really hard to tell the difference. :hmmm:

Anyhoo I went and did all my business with the nice blacksmith's wife who runs the odds'n'ends place next door, and with the sweet old lady alchemist across the street so BITE ME ENDARIE.

I swear I'm tempted to run the civil war storyline all the way to capturing Solitude for the Stormcloaks on the off chance that Endarie will end up being collateral damage in the battle.

"Uh... Mr. Ulfric sir I think I accidentally killed a civilian."

"WHAT? Did I not give specific orders that civilians were not to be harmed?"

"Yes my Jarl but... you know that elf lady who..."

"Elf, Nord, Khajiit, Breton, it matters not. Orders are orders, Thane, and you will be severely--"

"...ran that apparel shop just inside the gate..."

"--dealt with for this... hold up a tick, not Endarie? Endarie from Radiant Raiment?"

"That's the one, sir."

"Well, I always did think she had it coming. Treated me like scum and I'm a freakin' Jarl, for Ysmer's sake. Carry on!"

Ducimus

01-13-12, 09:32 AM

If anyones interested, i figured out how to reduce the range at which Point of Interest markers appear on your compass. Putting some of the exploration back into the game without removing markers entirely. Instead of the game telling you where everything is, from seemingly miles away, now the point of interest markers won't show up until you can visually see the place in the game world. In short, i reduced the range markers appear by 60%. Or in other words, if you can't see the place on your screen (line of sight not applicable), it doesnt show up on your compass either.

Can download this simple ESP file here:
http://www.gamefront.com/files/21177296/z_Compass_Range_Reduction_rar

frau kaleun

01-13-12, 09:47 AM

Do you know if that works for the quest marker arrows as well? It would be nice, especially if you have several active quests. That way an arrow for things you need to do on the other side of Skyrim wouldn't be cluttering up the compass when you're currently only working on one in your current locality.

Speaking of mods, is anybody using the SkyUI mod? I've downloaded it and have it ready to go (I think) but since I'm in the middle of clearing out a cave full of bandits I probably won't enable it until I'm back home in Whiterun sorting out my loot for smithing, enchanting, and bartering purposes. I'm just wondering if anybody else is finding it worthwhile, especially when it comes to viewing and sorting the in-game lists like inventory, favorites, magical stuff, what's in a particular container, etc. Because the vanilla lists are really a bit clunky especially when it comes to sorting the various items in a given list.

Ducimus

01-13-12, 09:55 AM

No, it doesnt work for quest markers. Personally i just leave one active marker at a time to remove the clutter.

As for SkyUI, yeah i tried it. It is a good UI and great for displaying info at a glance. While it is a great UI, and awesome for PC's, I personally didn't like it, because i think it added too much clutter with all the extra fuctionality and what not. I'm more of a streamlined/functional/minimalist kinda guy where the UI is concerned.

SkyUI, seems to function, kinda like the old UI from obivion, just with extra sorting functionality.

Krauter

01-13-12, 10:04 AM

frau kaleun

01-13-12, 10:10 AM

No, it doesnt work for quest markers. Personally i just leave one active marker at a time to remove the clutter.

That's what I've been doing as well.

As for SkyUI, yeah i tried it. It is a good UI and great for displaying info at a glance. While it is a great UI, and awesome for PC's, I personally didn't like it, because i think it added too much clutter with all the extra fuctionality and what not. I'm more of a streamlined/functional/minimalist kinda guy where the UI is concerned.

SkyUI, seems to function, kinda like the old UI from obivion, just with extra sorting functionality.

I might give it a go when I'm back in Whiterun and see what it's like. I'm used to the UI now but the way stuff is sorted is really annoying. There are a couple mods out there that address that issue only, so I may take a look at those too. Mostly they are just renaming items so that everything sorts in a way that makes it easier to keep track of what you've got by grouping common items together, if I can see how it's done I can probably tweak it myself so the lists sort to my own specifications. Another big issue is how tiny the favorites menu is and how it's sorted as well but I think there's a mod that also addresses that.

frau kaleun

01-13-12, 10:18 AM

Donno what the controls are for PC, but for quest markers, press start to open the menu (not the one with magic, items and map, the one that lists your quests) and click on the ones you don't want to do so they're not prioritized.

It works the same way on the PC by hitting J to open the Journal which contains all the quest information. Marking them active/inactive is not the issue, though, the issue is whether or not it's possible to have a quest marked as active but have the marker *not* show up on the compass until you get within a reasonable distance of the destination.

There are times (most of the time, actually) when I would prefer to have more than one quest active, I just don't want markers for stuff I need to do in Markarth cluttering up the compass and giving "false leads" from three holds away when I'm trying to finish up a quest (or quests) in The Rift. Then when I eventually got to Markarth, those arrows could start showing up when I was close enough to the destination(s) for it to be helpful instead of just clutter.

Krauter

01-13-12, 11:43 AM

Aah gotcha, I'd also rather not have any markers at all and just rely on using the map, but I'm on console :(

frau kaleun

01-13-12, 12:01 PM

Aah gotcha, I'd also rather not have any markers at all and just rely on using the map, but I'm on console :(

Sucks to be you. :O:

The main thing is that I get so many miscellaneous objectives and small "one-off" quests, and for some of them the places I need to go are near enough in location that it would be simpler to keep them all active and that way when I get into one area I could see quest markers for everything I need to do there. Unfortunately if I keep them all active, I also see markers for stuff I still need to do all the way on the other side of the map.

Right now I just have to keep checking the Journal and telling it to show me something on the map, then make it active if it's nearby or near where I'm going anyway and I want to kill two birds with one stone. But tasks start piling up and it gets really tedious checking the Journal over and over again.

Oh and you're right, I've spent more time than usual in the countryside in The Rift lately. Hunting there is pretty darn good. Also it's nice to grab some new and sometimes different ingredients for mah potionz, altho I keep expecting the Magigolo to ask me if I'm really going to stop and pick EVERY DAMN PLANT between here and wherever we're going. :haha:

And the answer is yes, yes I am. There's not really much growing around Whiterun anymore, I think I picked the tundra clean. :shifty:

I have now (as my current character) joined the Companions and am doing whatever odd jobs they're giving me, altho I'm avoiding certain people because I don't want to get started on the final bunch of major quests for them yet. I still just want to pick up loot and raw materials to fund my little crafting obsessions. I'm getting close to topping out in Enchanting and Smithing, altho I've been spending my perks on the former so I'll need to level up a couple more times before I can get to where I can finally make use of all the lovely Ebony I've collected so far. :D

Oh and do you guys know if Ore Veins reset after some time has passed? I mine everything I can find but after I cleared out one mine in Whiterun it seems like I went back a while later and all the Ore Veins were still inactive. I don't know if it's worth making note of where such things are if you can't re-mine them periodically.

mookiemookie

01-13-12, 12:16 PM

Oh and do you guys know if Ore Veins reset after some time has passed?

30 in-game days.

Krauter

01-13-12, 12:24 PM

Ou very nice, I'm about 5 skills away from Ebony so can't wait to deck out my next companion in it.

frau kaleun

01-13-12, 12:44 PM

30 in-game days.

Ah, probably time for me to revisit a couple places in Whiterun then. Grab some free ore and snag some animal hides on the way, with what I've got on hand I should be able to do some serious enchanting.

I also got the Transmute spell very early with this character so I end up just buying all the iron ore I can wherever it's available. That way I'm never lacking in silver and gold to forge jewelry with all the nice gemstones I find. It's also kind of fun to buy iron ore from Warmaiden's, run home, turn it into gold ore, hit up the smelter and sell the gold ingots at a handsome profit. :haha:

Ou very nice, I'm about 5 skills away from Ebony so can't wait to deck out my next companion in it.

I have the ebony armor with my previous character - who I may go back and play again, now that I know how to get back into the character creation menu and can tweak her a little (mistyped the name the first time around and didn't know how to change it and it always bugged me). I know the Daedric and Dragon armors can give a bit of a boost in protection but really the Ebony is so beautiful I hated even to think of parting with it. The Daedric doesn't look too bad but the Dragon armor is just butt ugly. I'm just hoping there's a mod out there that does it over into something more aesthetically pleasing by the time I'm ready to make the stuff.

Krauter

01-13-12, 01:26 PM

Aye I really like the look of the Ebony and Daedric armours. Also yes it is a one-month time that needs to go by for mines to regain their ore deposits.

Krauter

01-15-12, 04:19 PM

Has anyone done the Daedric Quests yet? Which ones are best to start first?

mookiemookie

01-15-12, 04:50 PM

Has anyone done the Daedric Quests yet? Which ones are best to start first?

If you don't mind a bit of murder and you have a thing for blunt weapons, look for the abandoned house in Markarth. Tell the man standing outside it that you'll help him investigate it.

Look for a guy named Sam Guenvere in any tavern in any town (he randomly shows up). Take him up on his offer for a drinking contest.

If you're in Solitude, look for a crazy beggar wandering the streets of Solitude. Take what he gives you to the Blue Palace.

These are three good ones to start out with...the rewards are very nice for each.

seaniam81

01-15-12, 05:05 PM

Ya I've done two of them. The first was easy take a dog back to the shrine, and get a war axe for the guy. The second was retrieve a sword and then kill some necromancers. Easy peasy.

Krauter

01-15-12, 05:18 PM

If you don't mind a bit of murder and you have a thing for blunt weapons, look for the abandoned house in Markarth. Tell the man standing outside it that you'll help him investigate it.

Look for a guy named Sam Guenvere in any tavern in any town (he randomly shows up). Take him up on his offer for a drinking contest.

If you're in Solitude, look for a crazy beggar wandering the streets of Solitude. Take what he gives you to the Blue Palace.

These are three good ones to start out with...the rewards are very nice for each.

Ah thanks for the quick response! I have found my good 'ole drinking buddy Sam, but he's dissapeared :cry: Seems we had a fun night together and I can't see past the drunken haze :haha:

Mostly I'm looking for a good 1H sword or bow that I can use to complement my current main weapon.

Also, must find Azura's Shrine as quickly as possible. Her gift is da bomb.

mookiemookie

01-15-12, 07:15 PM

Ah thanks for the quick response! I have found my good 'ole drinking buddy Sam, but he's dissapeared :cry: Seems we had a fun night together and I can't see past the drunken haze :haha:

Mostly I'm looking for a good 1H sword or bow that I can use to complement my current main weapon.

Also, must find Azura's Shrine as quickly as possible. Her gift is da bomb.

Head west of Solitude. You'll see the shrine marker for Meridia's Statue on your compass. You'll be happy with the quest reward.

Takeda Shingen

01-15-12, 07:21 PM

Head west of Solitude. You'll see the shrine marker for Meridia's Statue on your compass. You'll be happy with the quest reward.

SPOILER

Don't you have to run across Meridia's Beacon before the quest will activate? I always found it first.

END SPOILER

Krauter

01-15-12, 07:25 PM

Aye I hear Dawnbreaker is quite a nice piece. I've already "talked" to the statue, just haven't gotten around to actually doing it

Ducimus

01-16-12, 12:56 PM

Drive by posting with conclusions by Captain Obvious:

- Skill level is much more important then character level.
- Focus on a very limited skill set. Avoid leveling with skills that do not contribute to what your primary focus is.
- Power leveling smithing when your combat skills are not up to par is not healthy.

:O:

soopaman2

01-16-12, 03:33 PM

Takeda Shingen

01-16-12, 03:37 PM

soopaman2

01-16-12, 03:48 PM

Exactly how I play. Glad to see a fellow [virtual] criminal on these boards. :up:

It's a middle atlantic thing. Just proves that all Yankees (american usage of the word:as in northerner) are scum, guttersnipes:D

The joy of this game is that I know it is possible. It would be awkward to me, but possible.

My cousin plays this game heavy armor, 2 handed weapon, smither, and finds my favored stealth methods boring, and time consuming. Me on the other hand feel naked without a shield, and love the momentary stun a bash gives to the enemy.

This game is awesome because it lets you be whatever you want, or everything.:yeah:

Krauter

01-16-12, 04:38 PM

Ducimus

01-16-12, 04:39 PM

BTW, JSGME works just as well on Skyrim as it does on any SH title.

kiwi_2005

01-16-12, 06:09 PM

Does anyone think fast travel kills this game last two days I completed the Companions, Thieves and Stormcloaks guild quests & the bards I liked the two bards quests. But all I did was quick travel to destination kill required mobs, grab whatever needed and quick travel back - quest completed & repeat. I got bored playing this way and have gone back to just roaming skyrim on foot doing whatever quests I bump into while avoiding fast travel. Ive given up on horses they get in the way and die the stupid buggars :haha:. I need that shadow mare? or the ghost horse the only two horses ingame that can't die? & I need a mod that disables quick travel completely, Bethsheda should of had a choice to disable it in options its a killer.

Takeda Shingen

01-16-12, 06:18 PM

Does anyone think fast travel kills this game last two days I completed the Companions, Thieves and Stormcloaks guild quests & the bards I liked the two bards quests. But all I did was quick travel to destination kill required mobs, grab whatever needed and quick travel back - quest completed & repeat. I got bored playing this way and have gone back to just roaming skyrim on foot doing whatever quests I bump into while avoiding fast travel. Ive given up on horses they get in the way and die the stupid buggars :haha:. I need that shadow mare or the ghost horse the only two horses ingame that can't die? & I need a mod that disables quick travel completely, Bethsheda should of had a choice to disable it in options its a killer.

That's why I don't fast travel; it removes the 'epic' from this epic game. It's one of those great things where if you don't like the feature, then don't use it. No penalties either way.

kiwi_2005

01-16-12, 06:40 PM

That's why I don't fast travel; it removes the 'epic' from this epic game. It's one of those great things where if you don't like the feature, then don't use it. No penalties either way.

Nimrod is now lvl 32, and the reason I did some guild quests is to get better armor, well that was the goal got sick of looking at that Dwarven set but I found from 30 onwards I don't know if its because of my level but I am now finding armor and weapons worth keeping plenty of glass weapons, an ebony 1hd axe dmg 36!! An orcish armor & helmet, an ebony gauntlets, & glass boots & qauntlet. If I keep this up I just might end up with a whole set sooner or later :yeah::D Plus its more a thrill finding a good piece this way. I just couldn't get into smithing.

soopaman2

01-16-12, 07:37 PM

BTW, JSGME works just as well on Skyrim as it does on any SH title.

I feel like a fool just noticing it works on Total war games as well.
Teach me to not read the documentation. Truly a great program, from great folks.

Thank you.
:salute::salute::salute:

Dowly

01-16-12, 07:53 PM

Very much liked how fast travel was made in Andrew's Terminus System mod for Nehrim.

First you had to find all the terminals and then find orbs to power them, before you could use them.

As for JSGME, you can use it with pretty much anything. :up:

ReallyDedPoet

01-16-12, 08:45 PM

Takeda Shingen

01-16-12, 08:53 PM

Is this new in the series? I have played Oblivion a bit but was not a fan of the time commitment.

No, you could always fast travel once a location was discovered. I just don't do it for the opposite reason that you stated--I like the time commitment. Sure it is just a game, but it gives a sense of accomplishment and allows you to find 300 other cool little things along the way.

Skyrim is one of those games where I find something new every time I play it.

EDIT: A great example is the quest that I have just been given. I am in Riften, way down in the southeast corner of Skyrim. I need to go to Solitude, which is located in the far northwest; the complete opposite side of the map. Sure I could take a carriage and get there immediately, but what's the fun in that? The great appeal of these games is that they lend themselves to slow play. Get out there, walk the countryside. I love it.

Drewcifer

01-16-12, 10:09 PM

I generally fast travel to the nearest major city and then take it on foot from there. I don't enjoy having to hoof it from one side of the map to the other, but I like to take a walk and if I so desire take a sudden left and end up in a troll cave if I so wish it.

So I don't think fast travel really needs to be an option I think you just need to have self control and not use it to go right to the spot of your quest, or use it in the degree in which you find the game enjoyable. Obviously to each his own, and everybody either has an hour before bed, or a WHOLE saturday to play.... so I think mileage varies.

ReallyDedPoet

01-16-12, 11:20 PM

No, you could always fast travel once a location was discovered. I just don't do it for the opposite reason that you stated--I like the time commitment. Sure it is just a game, but it gives a sense of accomplishment and allows you to find 300 other cool little things along the way.

Skyrim is one of those games where I find something new every time I play it.

EDIT: A great example is the quest that I have just been given. I am in Riften, way down in the southeast corner of Skyrim. I need to go to Solitude, which is located in the far northwest; the complete opposite side of the map. Sure I could take a carriage and get there immediately, but what's the fun in that? The great appeal of these games is that they lend themselves to slow play. Get out there, walk the countryside. I love it.

Did not realize that, nice to have the option ( fast travel ). Perhaps I'll fire it up again and try both ways. Thanks for the reply :up:

Krauter

01-16-12, 11:42 PM

I like Drewcifers option, where you travel to the nearest main city. Travelling to some obscure mountain pass does seem kind of cheesy.

ReallyDedPoet

01-16-12, 11:52 PM

I like Drewcifers option, where you travel to the nearest main city. Travelling to some obscure mountain pass does seem kind of cheesy.

Yes, some nice info in that post ( Drewcifers ) as well :yep:

Krauter

01-16-12, 11:56 PM

I think I'm going to start over and not use any wikis or fast travel in my next game, simply to keep everything 'magical and new'

kiwi_2005

01-17-12, 03:30 AM

For a bit more epic-ness set timescale to 2 default is 20, I had it set from 20 to 1 but read it can cause bugs - (I waited for days for a main quest from the Thieves guild to show up), so 2 is safe. Night and day is now close to real time as it gets. Night/day cycle is far to quick at 20.

console command
Set timescale to 2

seaniam81

01-17-12, 03:45 AM

I will admit I will take the carriage between towns. But I usually walk to a quest but might quick travel back, unless there was something I wanted to do on the way.

frau kaleun

01-17-12, 08:48 AM

Don't you have to run across Meridia's Beacon before the quest will activate? I always found it first.

Nope, I've been given the quest with both characters played so far and I hadn't found the Beacon yet in either case. All you have to do is climb up to Meridia's statue. It's worth the trip anyway as there's something very close and right out in the open that is worth visiting and you don't even have to kill anything to get to it. :D

If you haven't already found the Beacon she instructs you to find it and bring it back. I presume if you've already found it she just skips that part and tells you what to do with it. She doesn't tell you where it is, though. IIRC the Beacon's location is randomized so you could run across it anywhere and even if you are told to go look for it (as I was both times) it won't necessarily be in the same place for one character that it was for another.

I hope it's not in the same place for me this time around, last time it was in the Dwemer ruins that you access from Understone Keep in Markarth, and I had to go in there I don't know how many times for different things, even after I'd cleared it of hostile creatures completely I would suddenly see in my Journal or on the map that I *still* needed to go back there and retrieve or do something else. And I never knew if whether or not all the hostiles were going to magically respawn like "new" bandits taking over a cave or mine that I've already been through.

Anyway I *HATE HATE HATE* those ruins. Actually I find pretty much all Dwemer ruins creepy, the fact that they seem to be crawling with Falmer doesn't help, but in general there's something about them that is worse to me than a barrow full of Draugr.

frau kaleun

01-17-12, 09:08 AM

Did not realize that, nice to have the option ( fast travel ). Perhaps I'll fire it up again and try both ways. Thanks for the reply :up:

I like Drewcifers option, where you travel to the nearest main city. Travelling to some obscure mountain pass does seem kind of cheesy.

I will admit I will take the carriage between towns. But I usually walk to a quest but might quick travel back, unless there was something I wanted to do on the way.

I will take the carriage between major towns, because that seems less like "cheating" than using the fast travel function. I mean, you're using an actual convenience provided to your character by an NPC, your character isn't teleporting anywhere. But typically I will only do this if the *only* reason I need to get to a capital is to deliver some random item or report to a specific NPC in order to finish a quest.

Um watch out guys on the Fast Travel thing, though, I am doing that less and less and almost never to an important location like a hold capital or settlement or someplace with people/services/etc. that are valuable to me. Too much fast traveling = DRAGON. I think the "random" dragon attacks are scripted to occur so many times in a given timeframe or something, and fast traveling a lot keeps advancing the time in-game and then so much time passes and *boom* suddenly you're killing dragons IN DOWNTOWN RIFTEN I kid you not.

mookiemookie

01-17-12, 09:46 AM

Anyway I *HATE HATE HATE* those ruins. Actually I find pretty much all Dwemer ruins creepy, the fact that they seem to be crawling with Falmer doesn't help, but in general there's something about them that is worse to me than a barrow full of Draugr.

You never know when the Dwemer will return. Perhaps their punishment for using Kagrenac's tools on the Heart of Lorkhan was only purgatory, not outright annihilation. You could be wandering around the in the dark, when all of a sudden....*POP!* you're surrounded by angry dwarves.

Muahahahahaha...

frau kaleun

01-17-12, 10:21 AM

You never know when the Dwemer will return. Perhaps their punishment for using Kagrenac's tools on the Heart of Lorkhan was only purgatory, not outright annihilation. You could be wandering around the in the dark, when all of a sudden....*POP!* you're surrounded by angry dwarves.

Muahahahahaha...

Meh, they could just be grumpy.

Or bashful, which would explain why you never see them. :haha:

Anyway the Nzadchoowhatchamacallit ruins won't be too bad this time with the Magigolo in tow. Even the actual fighting bits weren't too bad with Vilkas the last time around, it was just the place I hated. Later on with that character we were traveling somewhere else out in the wilds and I started up a side path into some ruins I hadn't seen before and halfway up the climb Vilkas suddenly says something like "These Dwarven ruins always make me a little nervous" and I was like "did you say Dwarven? mmmmkay not even going there" and back down we went toot sweet.

I remember I tried Shimmermist Cave way too early with the current character, with Lydia along for backup. BAD IDEA. I'd forgotten about what's waiting at the end of that one. Died several times - hell, died several times just getting through the Chaurus, GET OUT OF THE WAY LYDIA I'M BEING EATEN ALIVE HERE - before I finally gave up and reloaded an earlier pre-i'msostoopid save and resolved to go back later which I did.

With an intelligent, actually-knows-what-he's-doing combat mage at my side? Easy peasy lemon squeezy. My current combat strategy is to debilitate the most dangerous opponent in the area with a poisoned arrow or a shout if it seems warranted and then hide behind something until he wears them down or (usually) finishes them off. :shifty:

I can't even count the number of times we've been running along through the wilds and all of a sudden I hear a *sizzle pop* back behind me and I turn around and he's just killed whatever it was that was about to attack me that I didn't even know was there. And it's not uncommon for him to charge ahead of me in dungeons as soon as we're detected and clear out an entire chamber before I even get there. I took a bounty to kill a giant in a camp and got there and killed him but there was another giant and a couple of bandits just outside the camp, I think they were fighting each other and hadn't even addressed our presence yet altho we had been detected. He took out everyone and everything in the general vicinity, including two mammoths, just on principle. I think he may have... issues. :O:

I swear everytime I go to Jorrvaskr and see Vilkas I haz a sad because I didn't marry him again but there is no way I'm giving up the wizard.

I'll just have to have a torrid affair with Vilkas when I'm finishing out the Companion quests and the Magigolo is safe at home mixing potions and cooking dinner. Heaven knows Lydia is too stupid to take advantage of the situation. :rotfl2:

frau kaleun

01-17-12, 11:12 AM

I never tried an outright smith. I want to, but do not see the point.

I just feel as if I would be gimped if I do not perk up my combats. I find shield skills, and stealth multipliers so much more useful, and by the time I have points to spare for smithing, I am finding better gear on quests, and in dungeons/caves.

The thing with smithing is that the "better" gear you find is not actually as good as it can be in terms of protection provided or damage done until you improve it at a grindstone or smithing workbench. For the higher end stuff, you need the smithing perks to improve it to its full potential (or at all)... plus the more perks you have, the more stuff you can actually *make* and then improve yourself instead of hoping you can cobble together a good set from loot or what you can buy. Granted this may be more important if you are going to be wearing and carrying a lot of gear anyway. But if you are wearing armor and carrying weapons of any kind, it is well worth getting to the point where you can at least get the best protection/damage from what you are actually going to be wearing and using.

Improved gear is also more valuable for bartering purposes, especially so at the higher skill levels. I'm at 100 in smithing altho I have not taken the Daedric and Dragon perks yet. Nevertheless any lower level stuff that I find can be resold at a huge profit even if I have to outright buy all the raw materials needed to improve it.

The first two skillsets I went after this time around were enchanting and smithing - both are at 100 now with full perks in enchanting which means I can make and/or improve just about everything I want or find, and then double-enchant all of it with the bonuses of my choice. I still have a couple enchantments to learn, but nothing that I will ever use as a combat-based character unless it's just for fun on something I will sell or give to a follower.

Honestly I don't even bother enchanting stuff I'm going to sell any more, unless it's really low-level gear just to get the price up a bit. I don't need the practice any more and for higher level gear adding an enchantment plus the first couple of Speech perks I took makes it all so valuable that I spend way too much time looking for someone with enough money to buy it. :haha:

However I have made a lot of coin by pursuing smithing and enchanting and then selling off all the stuff I did along the way for practice. Plus I've provided myself with some really great gear that gives me bonuses in all kinds of (to me) crucial areas and does a great deal of "special" damage to anyone that gets the business end of one of my weapons. I will not need to trade any of it in for a good long while so the last smithing perks can wait while I level up in other areas.

Krauter

01-17-12, 11:20 AM

Just make sure he doesn't find out! Or else those awesome potions he makes you might turn poisonous :DL

Edit: Didn't read the post directly after that frau, and I totally agree, Smithing is essential if not for the gear, than for the fact I can double if not triple the cost of a piece of gear only by paying 60~160 septims for a piece of ore, if I haven't mined it already.

frau kaleun

01-17-12, 11:46 AM

Just make sure he doesn't find out! Or else those awesome potions he makes you might turn poisonous :DL

I don't buy any potions from him, I make my own. Then I barter whatever I don't want for stuff I will actually use, although if I can make enough of those myself the homemade stuff is usually better than what I can buy or find.

Edit: Didn't read the post directly after that frau, and I totally agree, Smithing is essential if not for the gear, than for the fact I can double if not triple the cost of a piece of gear only by paying 60~160 septims for a piece of ore, if I haven't mined it already.

Yep, I think even if you have settled on a stealth or magic character but are still wearing armor and/or carrying a physical weapon of any kind, it is worth it just to get to the place where you can improve it as much as possible.

And you're right, everything I find now that I don't want to keep - which is most of it - I can improve to the point of making a huge profit on it. Generally I end up buying a lot of raw materials from the blacksmiths I'm selling it to just so they have enough money to buy it from me... which means the next load of found gear I bring home, I've already got most of what I need on hand when I want to improve that lot.

But at one point I had so much ore and leather and so many ingots in storage that I just went to Warmaidens and made as much as I could with what I had on hand, leaving enough ingots to improve every piece I made. Then I managed to sell it all by visiting every blacksmith I passed the next time I went out.

Now that I don't need the practice I just pick up what I can, buy whatever I need to improve it, and resell it.

I also got a lot of smithing experience making jewelry - it counts! And I find tons of gemstones, plus with the Transmute spell I can just buy or mine iron ore and make all the silver and gold that I want. But even having to buy the ore or ingots, I still turned a profit on it by enchanting it before selling it.

Between that and the enchanting and making potions to sell off (which usually means trading some of them for an alchemist's entire stock of ingredients, which means more potions to make and sell down the road) I currently have between 25 and 30 thousand in gold on hand which at this point will probably all go for training in other areas. The only other property I'm qualified to buy right now is the one in Solitude and so far I'm taking a pass on it, unless I finish out my next batch of quests with a really huge surplus. I still want the house in Windhelm eventually and that's not only cheaper but from what I've seen is a much better property anyway. Unless you hate Windhelm, which I don't.

Krauter

01-17-12, 11:52 AM

Ah gotcha,

Just a question, where do I get this transmute spell? My main character has loads of random gems but no use for them.

Also, a good pass time is hunting. Currently playing my newly created character (2H Nord warrior) and hunting moose and elk. Just tracked a fricken moose from Whiterun all the way down to Falkreath. My archery is so bad I've stuck him twice now but he's still not dead!

frau kaleun

01-17-12, 12:02 PM

Ah gotcha,

Just a question, where do I get this transmute spell? My main character has loads of random gems but no use for them.

Like any other spell you have to acquire the Spelltome and then read it, or rather the option is "use" it because what happens is that you select the tome in your inventory and then hit E to Use it and *boom* you learn the spell. The tome disappears from your Items inventory and the spell will show up in your Magic menu. Then you equip it to one hand or the other. When the spell is cast it will search first for silver ore in your inventory and turn any silver ore it finds into gold. If you have no silver ore but have iron ore it will turn the iron ore into silver.

It's problematic if you want to make nothing but silver, as you have to drop each silver ore before you cast the spell again otherwise the spell will turn the silver you just made into gold since it always searches for silver first, and then iron. Learned that the hard way.

Unfortunately, the Spelltome for Transmute can't be bought, at least according to the wiki. I have found it both times. Hint: one location is very close to Whiterun and I'm pretty sure if you hang around there and keep asking for work you will eventually be sent to clear it out if you don't go there on your own. I can't remember if it was a bounty that sent me there, or a Companions side/radiant quest though. But that's how I found it so early with this character, the last time I found it somewhere else just by chance.

Also, a good pass time is hunting. Currently playing my newly created character (2H Nord warrior) and hunting moose and elk. Just tracked a fricken moose from Whiterun all the way down to Falkreath. My archery is so bad I've stuck him twice now but he's still not dead!

I do hunting for the pelts and hides, sometimes the ingredients that can be harvested, and also to keep the smaller soul gems filled up for recharging weapons. Plus it does help you get a handle on archery. Mine has really improved that way.

Ducimus

01-17-12, 12:29 PM

Any word when the creation kit will be out?

frau kaleun

01-17-12, 12:37 PM

Any word when the creation kit will be out?

I think the current official info is still "sometime in January 2012" with no date set.

Ducimus

01-17-12, 12:55 PM

Bummer. I keep hoping it comes out soon. Sky edit isn't bad for little things, but i find myself wanting to do a little more.

Takeda Shingen

01-17-12, 04:45 PM

I remember I tried Shimmermist Cave way too early with the current character, with Lydia along for backup. BAD IDEA. I'd forgotten about what's waiting at the end of that one. Died several times - hell, died several times just getting through the Chaurus, GET OUT OF THE WAY LYDIA I'M BEING EATEN ALIVE HERE - before I finally gave up and reloaded an earlier pre-i'msostoopid save and resolved to go back later which I did.

Exactly why I don't travel with [humaniod] followers. I am a big fan of non-humans like Dogmeat, Rex, ED-E, and in this case, Meeko. They don't seem to provide obstructions like others. Also, my in-game activies tend to be......morally questionable at best.......and they don't mind either way.

kiwi_2005

01-17-12, 04:48 PM

1 mod I can't live without

Lockpick pro
- yea ok I am not pro using lock pick pro but I am dragonborn I kill dragons! Yet I have to fiddle round with locks! I should just have to stare down that chest and it will open. Every time you go to open a lock chest or door a bar shows up with red, blue or green colors just direct the arrow to blue part and bingo! :smug:

frau kaleun

01-18-12, 08:55 AM

Exactly why I don't travel with [humaniod] followers. I am a big fan of non-humans like Dogmeat, Rex, ED-E, and in this case, Meeko. They don't seem to provide obstructions like others.

O RLY? Have you met Barbas? Lol. Okay he didn't get "in the way" so much during combat, but he did make everything else a PITA by constantly bumping and pushing me when I was trying to do things not directly related to his personal business. I finally realized I could open up a dialogue and dismiss him like any other follower and just meet him later when I got to the designated location. That was a relief, but sadly the damage was done... long story short, let's just say The Rueful Axe is currently on display in Breezehome. :shifty:

I've had a couple of goggie followers - Meeko twice, the first time he rushed a bear that crossed our path about five minutes after leaving his shack and was immediately killed. The second time we picked him up on the way to a rescue mission at Northwatch Keep and he waited while we cleared out some minor trouble in a cave along the way and I was happy to see he was still alive and waiting when we came out. But we got attacked by three sabrecats while sneaking up to the Keep and of course he rushed right in on them. Not sure if the cats got him or if he got in the way of one of the Magigolo's destruction spells but when it was all over we had three dead bad kittehs and one dead good goggie. :wah:

Tried out a couple horses just for fun but they never last long either. Riding them is problematic, they don't seem to be able to carry anything (except you) so even if you decide to walk with one in tow they're just something else to rush into trouble and get killed. Now if somebody could make it possible to use a horse as a "container" for carrying extra gear, that would be worth something. :hmmm:

Also, my in-game activies tend to be......morally questionable at best.......and they don't mind either way.

Eventually I'm going to have to try playing a less... righteous character, just to see what it's like. I don't even like taking the things that are freely available to me in, say, a friend's home or shop, unless I need the item to fulfill a specific quest and am really desperate.

1 mod I can't live without

Lockpick pro
- yea ok I am not pro using lock pick pro but I am dragonborn I kill dragons! Yet I have to fiddle round with locks! I should just have to stare down that chest and it will open. Every time you go to open a lock chest or door a bar shows up with red, blue or green colors just direct the arrow to blue part and bingo! :smug:

For some reason I have never had any trouble with lockpicking, I picked it up really easily. It probably helps that I generally carry 100+ lockpicks and am very, very persistent. :D

It's actually one of the few "puzzle"' type things that I really enjoy. I think I'm getting way up there in that skill and it's all through hands-on practice. I learned to buy or take every lockpick I could find and with this character, I have yet to meet a lock that I could not pick with a little care and patience. And sometimes a lot of broken lockpicks. :O:

Oh and whoever said that thing about setting the timescale to 2, I tried it and it is awesome.

Is there anyway to set that and the FOV in one of the .ini files so you don't have to go into the console and do it every time you launch the game? Because that would be fantastic. There was something out there about permanently setting the FOV but I tried it and it didn't "take" in the game.

mookiemookie

01-18-12, 09:46 AM

Eventually I'm going to have to try playing a less... righteous character, just to see what it's like.

A stealth Dunmer that dual wields daggers is a great place to start with that. The cinematic sneak attack kills are just too fun.

Krauter

01-18-12, 10:05 AM

A stealth Dunmer that dual wields daggers is a great place to start with that. The cinematic sneak attack kills are just too fun.

:yep:

Also, if you're having trouble with lockpicking. Do the Thieves Guild Quests for a nice little lock picking gift.

frau kaleun

01-18-12, 10:09 AM

A stealth Dunmer that dual wields daggers is a great place to start with that. The cinematic sneak attack kills are just too fun.

I have to admit I get a lot of use out of the Stealth skillset anyway... I've gotten pretty far in Alchemy, Lockpicking, Speech and Sneak and except for Alchemy that's all through practice or finding the occasional skill book. Have not done any Pickpocketing because it's not my thing and there's been no need for it so far, nor anyone that I really *wanted* to steal anything from in that fashion. No Light Armor experience, except maybe for a little from when I first started out and was wearing whatever I could loot off of bodies on the way out of Helgen.

I guess with Sneak getting up there I can try some Pickpocketing eventually as the need arises. My next thing in the Main Quest is the infiltration of the Thalmor Embassy and it might be fun to try and "stealth" my way through that as much as possible.

kiwi_2005

01-18-12, 11:10 AM

For some reason I have never had any trouble with lockpicking, I picked it up really easily. It probably helps that I generally carry 100+ lockpicks and am very, very persistent. :D

It's actually one of the few "puzzle"' type things that I really enjoy. I think I'm getting way up there in that skill and it's all through hands-on practice. I learned to buy or take every lockpick I could find and with this character, I have yet to meet a lock that I could not pick with a little care and patience. And sometimes a lot of broken lockpicks. :O:

Oh and whoever said that thing about setting the timescale to 2, I tried it and it is awesome.

Is there anyway to set that and the FOV in one of the .ini files so you don't have to go into the console and do it every time you launch the game? Because that would be fantastic. There was something out there about permanently setting the FOV but I tried it and it didn't "take" in the game.

:up:

Nimrod has picked locks in Morrowind picked more locks in Oblivion, I was terrible at it in Oblivion:haha: And curse the gods if he's gonna pick locks in Skyrim!

Krauter

01-18-12, 11:50 AM

A good light armor that will help you sneak but that I find is still usefull is the Shrouded Armor from the D.B

kiwi_2005

01-18-12, 12:10 PM

Is there anyway to set that and the FOV in one of the .ini files so you don't have to go into the console and do it every time you launch the game? Because that would be fantastic. There was something out there about permanently setting the FOV but I tried it and it didn't "take" in the game.

Try this:
http://j-u-i-c-e.hubpages.com/hub/change-fov-skyrim

You already know how to make the changes in the ini file I presume but see below part at what you have to do & what to avoid.

To change the default FOV, find the Skyrim.ini file in your Documents\My Games\Skyrim\ folder and place the following line under the [Display] settings header:
fDefaultWorldFOV=x.x
where x.x is the number of degrees you'd like to set it for. For example, fDefaultWorldFOV=90.0 will set the FOV to 90 degrees. (The decimal and trailing zeroes aren't required.)

**Take note of this**
The next time you load your game, switch to first person view and press the Tab key to open the Menu. When you close the menu, your FOV should update automatically. This setting should persist through opening and closing the map, fast traveling, and sprinting as long as you don't change the FOV in the console. Changing the FOV using the console command has a tendency to revert the FOV back to its default when any of these situations occur.

frau kaleun

01-18-12, 12:22 PM

Try this:
http://j-u-i-c-e.hubpages.com/hub/change-fov-skyrim

You already know how to make the changes in the ini file I presume but see below part at what you have to do & what to avoid.

To change the default FOV, find the Skyrim.ini file in your Documents\My Games\Skyrim\ folder and place the following line under the [Display] settings header:
fDefaultWorldFOV=x.x
where x.x is the number of degrees you'd like to set it for. For example, fDefaultWorldFOV=90.0 will set the FOV to 90 degrees. (The decimal and trailing zeroes aren't required.)

**Take note of this**
The next time you load your game, switch to first person view and press the Tab key to open the Menu. When you close the menu, your FOV should update automatically. This setting should persist through opening and closing the map, fast traveling, and sprinting as long as you don't change the FOV in the console. Changing the FOV using the console command has a tendency to revert the FOV back to its default when any of these situations occur.

Thanks! I will give it a try.

Arclight

01-18-12, 01:21 PM

Timescale is saved as a variable in the save files, so you don't need to worry about that one. Just change it, save the game and from that point it's set. (unless you revert to a save before the change of course)

soopaman2

01-18-12, 03:20 PM

:yep:

Also, if you're having trouble with lockpicking. Do the Thieves Guild Quests for a nice little lock picking gift.

Gotta give that back to complete the quest.

Catch 22, especially for light armor users.:)

Takeda Shingen

01-18-12, 04:39 PM

Eventually I'm going to have to try playing a less... righteous character, just to see what it's like. I don't even like taking the things that are freely available to me in, say, a friend's home or shop, unless I need the item to fulfill a specific quest and am really desperate.

You absolutely should, if for no other reason than the the fact that the Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild questlines are probably the two best in the entire game. They certainly warrant a playthrough.

frau kaleun

01-18-12, 05:02 PM

soopaman2

01-18-12, 05:58 PM

You absolutely should, if for no other reason than the the fact that the Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild questlines are probably the two best in the entire game. They certainly warrant a playthrough.

They net the best light armor in game. No need to craft a single leather bracer or iron dagger, nor waste perks on silly crafting skills.

A mix and match of DB and Theives armor is godlike, as well as sneak damage bonuses, and clever bow usage, makes being a sneaky cut-throat really fun, and nearly invincible.

The perk where you crouch, and they lose you momentarily is mean. Gives you enough time to impale them with an arrow, with the sneak bonus...Even at near point blank range.

FK, play one on the dark side. You will find yourself giggling in evil joy, along with the rest of us :D

Takeda Shingen

01-18-12, 06:06 PM

A mix and match of DB and Theives armor is godlike, as well as sneak damage bonuses, and clever bow usage, makes being a sneaky cut-throat really fun, and nearly invincible.

Nightingale armor, yes. Standard Thieves Guild armor, no. I have always felt that the standard set was completely mismatched, as it grants no bonus to sneaking. The Dark Brotherhood set is awesome.

soopaman2

01-18-12, 08:02 PM

Nightingale armor, yes. Standard Thieves Guild armor, no. I have always felt that the standard set was completely mismatched, as it grants no bonus to sneaking. The Dark Brotherhood set is awesome.

Sorry.Yes Nightingale armor.:)

You all gonna make me play this again?

I can't put the Deus Ex down yet. Have to get through the game without killing first.

Krauter

01-18-12, 10:25 PM

Gotta give that back to complete the quest.

Catch 22, especially for light armor users.:)

Yes but why would you complete a quest when you can have awesome lockpicking skills :O:

Takeda Shingen

01-18-12, 10:37 PM

http://www.hugdaily.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/chase-community-giving-2011.jpg

Hail Sithis.

Task Force

01-18-12, 11:03 PM

I wonder what they do when you don't pay up...:hmmm: "looks at ebony dagger in hand" Oh yeaaaaaa....

mookiemookie

01-18-12, 11:07 PM

http://www.hugdaily.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/chase-community-giving-2011.jpg

Hail Sithis.

Aaahahhaha, that's great.

I was wondering why my ATM receipt said, "We Know."

Dowly

01-19-12, 12:13 AM

The Elder Scrolls Lore in a Minute
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw9_M8w-N1c

:DL

----------

Tested the SkyBoost mod the other day and if you have performance issues, it's definitely something to try out:
http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=6058

Merrily running the game on ultra atm instead of medium/high, there's some stuttering
in busier areas, but overall the performance is heaps better. :yeah:

frau kaleun

01-19-12, 08:32 AM

The Dark Brotherhood set is awesome.

Thanks, I'll see if I can collect some when I kill Astrid. :O:

No need to craft a single leather bracer or iron dagger, nor waste perks on silly crafting skills.

That's all well and good but at least I'll have something to fall back on if the whole Dovahkiin thing goes belly up. I can't be out there forever, running all over Skyrim just trying to scrape up a decent living. The Magigolo is very high maintenance! :D

Edit: speaking of which, I went to Jorrvaskr to report to Aela and pick up info on another job. I kind forgot I still had the Magigolo in tow. So we're standing there talking to Aela and Vilkas walks by and I swear he gave us this look like "That's who you chose over me? Pfffffft."

frau kaleun

01-19-12, 08:33 AM

http://www.hugdaily.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/chase-community-giving-2011.jpg

Hail Sithis.

I was wondering why my ATM receipt said, "We Know."

:har: :har:

Krauter

01-19-12, 10:11 AM

Just forged my first set of dragonplate armor :rock:

Ducimus

01-19-12, 02:16 PM

News on the Creation Kit and Game Updates, posted today.
http://www.bethblog.com/2012/01/19/news-on-the-creation-kit-and-game-updates/

Takeda Shingen

01-19-12, 04:21 PM

Thanks, I'll see if I can collect some when I kill Astrid. :O:.

You can't. The DB members wear a special NPC-only version of the armor.

kiwi_2005

01-19-12, 09:05 PM

Just installed a new sound card and it messed up my graphics for some reason set the widescreen res to 800x600! I got it all sorted out & its good to have real BASS compared to the rubbish onboard sound. :)

Anyway while I was in nvidia site grabbing the 285 drivers I read this about the beta release skyrim support if anyone interested.

The new NVIDIA GeForce 290.53 beta drivers (http://www.geforce.com/News/articles/nvidia-geforce-290-53-beta-drivers-released) improve Skyrim performance by up to 25% and update the game's ambient occlusion profile for better compatibility and image quality. A new and improved 3D crosshair is also included for 3D Vision users.

290.53 Beta drivers
Optimizations for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Increases performance by up to 25%

in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (http://www.geforce.com/GamesandApps/games/elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/GPUAnalyzer) vs. 290.36 drivers (measured with GeForce GTX 560 at 19x10 Ultra ***8211; Indoor Scene). Results will vary depending on your GPU, system configuration, and in-game location.
Updates the NVIDIA Control Panel ambient occlusion support for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (http://www.geforce.com/GamesandApps/games/elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/GPUAnalyzer) to a higher performance profile.
Added new 3D Vision laser sight /crosshair options to better match Skyrim crosshairs.
For a full Skyrim tweak guide, visit GeForce.com (http://www.geforce.com/News/articles/optimize-your-skyrim-experience).

frau kaleun

01-20-12, 08:23 AM

Just forged my first set of dragonplate armor :rock:

I found a pair of dragonplate boots in a chest in Ysgramor's Tomb this week. Definitely weren't there with the last character, must've been leveled loot since that character went there a lot earlier. But it's the first time I've seen dragon armor appear in the game.

Not much I can do but store them at the moment as I still haven't taken the last two smithing perks and I'm not ready to upgrade my armor yet. I I want to do a Daedric set first anyway and I may stick with that for a long time because the Dragon armor is so oooogly. Anybody seen a mod that addresses that?

Maybe I'll just sell them and wait to make my own when I get to that point. :hmmm:

Dowly

01-20-12, 08:26 AM

News on the Creation Kit and Game Updates, posted today.
http://www.bethblog.com/2012/01/19/news-on-the-creation-kit-and-game-updates/

Ah, good to hear something about the state of the CK finally. Been thinking of
giving it a go when it's released. :yep:

Krauter

01-20-12, 09:52 AM

I found a pair of dragonplate boots in a chest in Ysgramor's Tomb this week. Definitely weren't there with the last character, must've been leveled loot since that character went there a lot earlier. But it's the first time I've seen dragon armor appear in the game.

Not much I can do but store them at the moment as I still haven't taken the last two smithing perks and I'm not ready to upgrade my armor yet. I I want to do a Daedric set first anyway and I may stick with that for a long time because the Dragon armor is so oooogly. Anybody seen a mod that addresses that?

Maybe I'll just sell them and wait to make my own when I get to that point. :hmmm:

Well actually Daedric armor is statistically better then dragonplate

Dowly

01-20-12, 10:14 AM

Well actually Daedric armor is statistically better then dragonplate

And Dragonplate is only (very) slightly better than Ebony, so balls to that. It looks ugly anyway. :O:

I know I've said this many times already, but I'm going to say it again: the end-game heavy armor is a joke. :nope:

frau kaleun

01-20-12, 10:55 AM

And Dragonplate is only (very) slightly better than Ebony, so balls to that. It looks ugly anyway. :O:

I know I've said this many times already, but I'm going to say it again: the end-game heavy armor is a joke. :nope:

Yeah, unless something is done via modding to make it more appealing I will probably make some dragon armor just for kicks and hang it on a mannequin in one of my houses. Or once I have the perks I can just keep making things when I get the raw materials and selling them.

(I wonder if you started making and selling a lot of dragon armor, if you'd eventually see some NPCs walking around wearing it because it's suddenly back on the market again. :O:)

But I'm not sure there's any point to that unless the final Speech perk is unlocked to give every merchant in the world more gold for bartering... because I don't know what the value is on the dragon armor, but just the glass and ebony was getting difficult to unload until I was able to invest in some businesses and flood a few local economies with pretty, pretty septims. :O:

Dowly

01-20-12, 11:11 AM

But I'm not sure there's any point to that unless the final Speech perk is unlocked to give every merchant in the world more gold for bartering... because I don't know what the value is on the dragon armor, but just the glass and ebony was getting difficult to unload until I was able to invest in some businesses and flood a few local economies with pretty, pretty septims. :O:

That's another thing I was disappointed to see remained the same from Oblivion.
Very much would've liked a dynamic economy, but now it's just merchant x gets
x amount of money every x hours.

Ducimus

01-20-12, 12:32 PM

And Dragonplate is only (very) slightly better than Ebony, so balls to that. It looks ugly anyway. :O:

I know I've said this many times already, but I'm going to say it again: the end-game heavy armor is a joke. :nope:

Dragon plate isn't ugly. Nope, its FUGLY. (which is worse then ugly if your not familiar with the term. :O: ) The funny thing is, on my first play through , i totaly bypassed wearing ebony, said, "screw daedric" because each piece wanted a heart, and went straight to the fugly armor because i had a veritable dragon graveyard stuffed into a chest. (edit: Go go gadget Smithing powerlevel)

I wonder though, what makes you feel end game heavy armor is a joke? I have to wonder because two sets of it i completely missed. The only experience i have is with dragon plate.

My next run through, im really considering light armor, regardless if theif or warrior. My only gripe is the selection seems more limited as compared to heavy armor. Also, Ancient nord armor looks like it should be light armor to me. Or something in between light and heavy, oh and by the time you have access to it, its already obsolete in its protective values. pphhhhttt.

Dowly

01-20-12, 12:55 PM

I wonder though, what makes you feel end game heavy armor is a joke? I have to wonder because two sets of it i completely missed. The only experience i have is with dragon plate.

I don't know if they have changed the stats since the patch I last played on,
but back then the difference between the three end-game heavy armor sets
(Ebony, Daedric, Dragonplate) was very small when comparing the stats.

I made some ranting posts in this thread, but I don't really feel like going through
the whole thread to find them and check what the stat differences were,
but they were in the range of 3-8 points per armor piece at that level I was on.

frau kaleun

01-20-12, 01:04 PM

Dragon plate isn't ugly. Nope, its FUGLY. (which is worse then ugly if your not familiar with the term. :O: ) The funny thing is, on my first play through , i totaly bypassed wearing ebony, said, "screw daedric" because each piece wanted a heart

I've found that one of the advantages to investing some time in Alchemy is that rare ingredients like Daedra (and Briar) Hearts start becoming less and less rare. I've been able to buy them from alchemy shops for a while now, usually a round trip of the better shops across Skyrim nets me at least a couple of each. Plus there is one Daedra Heart in Kodlak's quarters in Jorrvaskr that becomes available (without stealing) if you play through the Companions quest line. I'm pretty sure that it respawns every so often, I seem to remember collecting 2-3 that way with my last character. Never actually made the armor, though. I will this time.

Also, Ancient nord armor looks like it should be light armor to me. Or something in between light and heavy, oh and by the time you have access to it, its already obsolete in its protective values. pphhhhttt.

Yeah I was kinda excited when it suddenly became available in the smithing menu until I looked at it a little more carefully, and then I wasn't impressed. And by that time it was so completely linked in my head with creepy Draugr stuff that I really didn't see the appeal in wearing it.

Arclight

01-20-12, 02:03 PM

Quite fond of the dragonscale set.

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj2/EZatHome/ScreenShot122.jpg
Team dragonborn! *cough* sorry... :nope:

Also, recognition:
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj2/EZatHome/ScreenShot128.jpg

frau kaleun

01-20-12, 02:25 PM

If only I could paint the dragonplate some other shade... that whole family of yellowish/off-white/beige tones just looks awful with my coloring. The design wouldn't be so offputting if I didn't hate the color with a vengeance.

Edit: One thing I found out this week, don't know if it's happened to anybody else... Drinking Contest "Sam" showed up in The Bannered Mare a while back and every time I've gone in there I've just ignored him because I was already in the middle of a bunch of stuff and didn't want to do that quest again at the time. Well, the last time I went in and ignored him, he followed me home. Then he stayed in my bedroom, of all places, and kept challenging me over and over until I finally took him up on the contest.

This is very embarrassing when your husband/follower and housecarl are also in the same house. :O:

The only advantage is that I usually run up to The Bannered Mare alone after coming home, just to sell off anything I have that they will buy - especially if it's the middle of the night and they're the only place open for business - so the last time, I ended up in Markarth all by my lonesome. At least this time the Magigolo followed me there because I hadn't switched him out of follower mode yet when I took up the challenge.

Task Force

01-20-12, 03:52 PM

Indeed, well, at least you get a cool staff.

Krauter

01-20-12, 04:47 PM

Also note that with ebony+ and with glass armor you can hit the armor cap of 500something. This is with tempering and smithing perks. Thus it is somewhat more efficient in perk points to go light armor.

Drewcifer

01-20-12, 05:22 PM

Or go alteration... and you can nearly be immune to phyiscal and magical attacks with a breton.

Krauter

01-20-12, 08:05 PM

True, but I don't like to rely solely on Magic. If I'm going to kill something I want to stab it rather then throw a fireball at it :O:

Drewcifer

01-20-12, 08:13 PM

True enough I suppose, but I get tired, and sweaty swinging around a sword or some such brutish tool of death. A simple flick of the wrist and everything in the immediate area is dead, fireball. Or two flicks of a wrist and a boss is dead, thunderbolt.

Ducimus

01-20-12, 09:09 PM

Sooo..... I made a little modelet..... that....

Makes ancient Nord armor
- As light armor
- weigh as much as dragon scale
- same protective values as Glass armor
- requires advanced armor for the X2 improve (same perk required for scale armor)

Originaly i had it as basic smithing, but figured youd be able to jack it up to legendary too easily, so i upped the perk requirement to be the same as scale. (EDIT: you still need to finish the companion questline to make the armor however)

I threw it up on my gamefront directory, along with the compass adjustment. Their at the bottom of the page.
http://www.gamefront.com/files/user/ducimus554

I made this mainly because im thinking my next toon will be a Nord/barbarian/ranger type. Light armor, a major in a big honking axe, and a minor in bow.
Alchemy and enchanting too i suppose, oh and some smithing couldn't hurt... anywhoo.. I redid this primarly as a replacement for glass, which really clash's with the rest of the light armor in terms of the conanesque artistic motiff.

d@rk51d3

01-21-12, 02:01 AM

Anyone noticed any easter eggs in this one?

I found an ice cave (can't remember it's name) and inside was an ice troll, and also skeleton hanging upside down from the ceiling, with a sword on the ground just out of reach.................... very Star Wars - empire strikes back.

Dowly

01-21-12, 02:09 AM

Haha, that's a good one. :DL

Here's a list of easter eggs found so far if anyone's interested:
http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Easter_Eggs_%28Skyrim%29

kiwi_2005

01-21-12, 09:39 PM

Came across an interesting quest, they could be anywhere right no arrow pointing to where each one is so this is a dungeon crawl. Oh goodie. :D

http://i43.tinypic.com/258766h.jpg

Krauter

01-21-12, 09:47 PM

Has anyone become either a vampire or werewolf? Which do you prefer?

kiwi_2005

01-21-12, 09:51 PM

Krauter

01-21-12, 09:58 PM

Was a werewolf, hardly use him as I would forget I had that ability and just swing the axe instead I got rid of the curse at the end of the companions quests. Never been a vampire don't think I would want to either vampire is not a good look for a Nord warrior we fight with weapons not with our teeth! :DL

Aye, currently a werewolf also, but I think I'm going to cure myself of it as I just don't use it that often. Character is more of a sneak based attacker so I think the vampire perks would work quite nicely.

Takeda Shingen

01-21-12, 11:34 PM

Aye, currently a werewolf also, but I think I'm going to cure myself of it as I just don't use it that often. Character is more of a sneak based attacker so I think the vampire perks would work quite nicely.

Have been both. The werewolf is great due to the fact that there is no need to maintain yourself. You are not subject to forced transformations as you were in Bloodmoon, and you are a big furry ball of death in your beast mode. The only real drawbacks are the fact that you no longer get to use the Well Rested and Lover's Comfort mini-perks, and that you are vulnerable to silver and daedric weapons in beast mode. Frankly, it is a small price to pay.

Being a vampire is more complicated. You will need to feed in order to manage your vampirism. You grow stronger the longer you don't feed, but if you progress to stage 4 vampirism virtually all NPCs will attack you on sight, making it impossible to complete quests. Sunlight will not drain your health, but you will suffer some hefty penalties to your magicka, health and stamina reserves. None of them will regenerate in sunlight either, making it very difficult to travel during the day. You will have a 25% weakness to fire, making it difficult to fight most dragons at night, and rendering dragon combat during the day as paramount to suicide. On the plus side, you get a 25% bonus to sneak, illusion spell effectiveness and frost resistance.

Overall, playing as the werewolf is easier. You can use it or ignore it as you see fit. If you are a sneaky character, playing as a vampire will work well for you if you are prepared to do some management and plan your battles out to compensate for your weaknesses. As a notorious micro-manager in games and a guy who thinks that War in the Pacific is fun, I actually prefer playing as a vampire. It adds another layer of complexity to the game that I find enjoyable.

Krauter

01-22-12, 02:34 AM

Thanks Takeda! I found playing as a werewolf a little to easy and not in the spirit of my character so I dropped that. That and I played as a vampire in ESIV and didn't find it too bad. We'll see how it goes. From what it seems vampirism is easier to cure and can be contracted more then once.

frau kaleun

01-23-12, 08:51 AM

Came across an interesting quest, they could be anywhere right no arrow pointing to where each one is so this is a dungeon crawl. Oh goodie. :D

<"unusual gems" quest pic>

I don't think I've found any of these in a dungeon yet. All the ones I have seen were on display in the inhabited dwellings of various notable NPCs, I think most of the time you only have access to them if you have completed a particular quest or are in the process of carrying one out which is what gives you access to the different locations.

At least one of them comes as part of the purchased decorations for a property you can buy in one of the holds. Some of them are in the possession of people you may or may not become friendly with, and becoming friendly with them is what gives you access. Or I guess you could steal them if you know where they are, but I haven't played that type of character.

I don't know why I picked up one of them again, I knew from my last character that I had to start the Thieves Guild thing just to get on ID on it and I didn't really want to do that this time around. And as the mouse is hovering over it my brain is saying "don't take it don't take it don't take it" but my finger had a mind of its own, I guess. Now with one stuck in my inventory anyway I just pick them up when I find them, altho I don't think I will be able to collect them all since I'm pretty sure I may never have access to all of them given the different requirements involved. :wah:

As of this weekend I've completed my goal to become Thane of every hold except Eastmarch, I will take care of that in the course of playing out the Civil War questline when I get to it. I wasn't going to do it but one of the benefits of getting myself sorted with Enchanting and Smithing was that I made so much money selling off all the stuff I crafted that I had a serious excess of coin, lol. Plenty enough to buy the house in Solitude and get it fully decorated and after that it was like well pfffffffffffft I might as well start making a habit of this. It *is* nice to have different places to unload loot instead of having to drop it or find someone to buy it or else hoof it all the way back to Whiterun. And there are some halfway decent mods out there that buff out the properties, adding storage and crafting stations which makes it really nice.

Sadly the housecarls all seem to have the same basic attitude. I haven't had any of them except Lydia as a follower so I don't know if the others are any better on adventures but at home it's just the same old same old in a (sometimes) different voice. I shall have to decide which two of them are annoying enough to join Lydia as Blade recruits later on. Probably the ones from houses where I can't avoid them, the ones in the larger homes with multiple stories and entrances are probably safe. :hmmm:

Oh and I got Thu'umed twice! In two different dungeon quests, by the boss draugr at the end of each. Those leveled bosses are getting pretty nasty. :stare: It is very disconcerting to go through an entire dungeon taking out draugr after pathetic low-level draugr with one flaming arrow each, most of them sneak attacks and sometimes on draugr who haven't even gotten up to fight you yet - and then have the main guy at the end not want to die so easily. :O:

Unrelenting Force both times and I got a nice little cinema clip of myself being tossed back on my butt. Joke was on the draugr, though, because when they Thu'umed me it was in response to me Thu'uming them only my Thu'um was Marked For Death, so neener neener. :D

Ducimus

01-23-12, 09:06 AM

The biggest perk of being a werewolf, imo is,

a.) Don't have to worry about vampires. For some reason, i hate fighting vampires. Childhood fear i guess, but i see vampires, i shy away. As a werewolf, i tear right into them.

b.) Being a werewolf is alot like having that grey cowl from Oblivion. Anything you do while a werewolf, (assuming nobody see's you wolf out), isn't counted toward your crime/bounty. This is particurally helpful during one quest in ehh maracath i think it is.

c.) No more concerns about brain rot, rockjoint, crotch rot, etc etc

edit:

Oh yeah, i was digging around the ESM file with skyedit. It looks like your SUPPOSED to have night eye as werewolf, (kinda like how a vampire does), but it isn't working for some reason.

frau kaleun

01-23-12, 09:26 AM

Werewolf by default since I've completed the main Companions questline. I've never really used it with this character, except one quest where I was trying to lift a curse that caused another werewolf to lose control and do very bad things and get caught. Had a choice at the end to either hunt down or help the other werewolf. I chose to help him and since he was in beast form I changed too... we took out everyone that had to be dealt with and then suddenly HE attacked ME. I'm not sure what happened unless he reverted to some thing where NPCs are automatically hostile to the beast form when they see it... which was stupid because he was also in beast form at the time. Looked it up and he wasn't supposed to turn hostile as part of the quest, so... Anyhoo I reloaded and stayed in human form and it all turned out okay.

My previous character only turned once, and that was by accident. I went into a mine on the side of a mountain and followed it through to the exit, which turned out to be the top of the mountain and a dragon lair. I hit one of the hot keys meaning to equip a particular shout but hit the next key over by mistake and equipped the Beast Form instead. Hit 'Z' expecting to breathe fire and did the werewolf thing instead. I didn't even remember assigning a hot key to Beast Form. Surprise! :haha:

Well what can I say you play the cards you're dealt and as it turned out the Beast made pretty short work of the Dragon. :yeah:

Krauter

01-23-12, 10:41 AM

Aye I enjoyed just completely crushing my foes with the werewolf form, but I have to say, taking on a bunch of quests, going out into the wilderness til I'm stage 4 and then stealth killing everything in my path is pretty fun too. That and the DB gives me a free source of.. sustenance so I don't find it too hard being a vampire.

Ducimus

01-23-12, 01:38 PM

All Werewolf executions and Death blows (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0ZAsnHa4c)

Dowly

01-23-12, 01:45 PM

Haha, being a werewolf can be pretty cool. Tho, it is a bit overpowered at times,
especially the shout thingy.

I remember one fight with some bandit boss or something, I died constantly in
human form, then switched to werewolf, growled at him and he just whimpered
in the corner waiting for me to go and kill him. :haha:

frau kaleun

01-23-12, 05:17 PM

Does anyone know if it's still possible to do the Season Unending bit (negotiate the truce) if you've already played through the Battle of Whiterun as a Stormcloak and Balgruuf has been replaced as Jarl?

Some places say "talk to the Jarl" about capturing a dragon in Dragonsreach which makes it sound like it doesn't matter but some places specify that Balgruuf is the one that precipates the truce quest which means the war would still have to be undecided not only for Skyrim in general but for Whiterun in particular.

I want to qualify for Thane of Eastmarch which I'm sure requires you to have gone past Whiterun in the Civil War questline on the Stormcloak side but I also want to negotiate the truce. I guess I can put off joining the Civil War effort until later. :hmmm:

Also on a side note HOW THE HELL DO YOU GET A *BEAR* IN YOUR HOUSE WHEN YOU LIVE INSIDE A WALLED CITY LIKE SOLITUDE? I mean it's not like someone released a cub into the sewers and then it grew up and climbed out your loo. :shifty:

Ducimus

01-23-12, 05:59 PM

Does anyone know if it's still possible to do the Season Unending bit (negotiate the truce) if you've already played through the Battle of Whiterun as a Stormcloak and Balgruuf has been replaced as Jarl?:

According to the associated page on http://www.uesp.net/, it doesn't look like it. From the sounds of things, the best way to get, and get through, the season unending quest is to not started any of the civil war quest lines.

Massive spoiler regarding this quest:
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Season_Unending

Drewcifer

01-23-12, 06:05 PM

anyone playing on the beta update? I just downloaded it but I have heard its much better optimized for PC, and that most of the quest bugs and glitches are fixed.

kiwi_2005

01-23-12, 06:23 PM

I don't think I've found any of these in a dungeon yet. All the ones I have seen were on display in the inhabited dwellings of various notable NPCs, I think most of the time you only have access to them if you have completed a particular quest or are in the process of carrying one out which is what gives you access to the different locations.

At least one of them comes as part of the purchased decorations for a property you can buy in one of the holds. Some of them are in the possession of people you may or may not become friendly with, and becoming friendly with them is what gives you access. Or I guess you could steal them if you know where they are, but I haven't played that type of character.

I don't know why I picked up one of them again, I knew from my last character that I had to start the Thieves Guild thing just to get on ID on it and I didn't really want to do that this time around. And as the mouse is hovering over it my brain is saying "don't take it don't take it don't take it" but my finger had a mind of its own, I guess. Now with one stuck in my inventory anyway I just pick them up when I find them, altho I don't think I will be able to collect them all since I'm pretty sure I may never have access to all of them given the different requirements involved. :wah:

I don't think I found my one in a dungeon either I'm sure I found it in a house early in the game and didn't think much of it, then when I started doing side quests for the Thieves guild I had an option from one of the quest givers if they wanted to buy the stone which she didn't want it and stated they aren't worth much unless I get all of them and told me to go see someone forget now. I hope they aren't in dungeons cause that would mean I will have to backtrack and redo the dungeons I completed just to find the bloody stones I might of missed! :rotfl2:Well I did say this game needs more hardcore mode and now im complaining.... :rotfl2:

Ducimus

01-23-12, 07:03 PM

anyone playing on the beta update? I just downloaded it but I have heard its much better optimized for PC, and that most of the quest bugs and glitches are fixed.

I'm waiting to see what the general consensus is before i download a beta patch. Just in case they end up having to put out a hotfix for whatever reason.

That said, most feedback thus far seems positive. Just one or two people complaining about major issues, but i suspect they have a heavily modded install. Personally, ive been keeping any mods ive been running, small and simple, just for that reason.

frau kaleun

01-23-12, 07:25 PM

According to the associated page on http://www.uesp.net/, it doesn't look like it. From the sounds of things, the best way to get, and get through, the season unending quest is to not started any of the civil war quest lines.

Yeah, I'm guessing that's how it's got to play out. Apparently it is possible to negotiate the truce if you've joined one side or the other and don't have any pending Civil War quests still hanging out there... but *not* if the Battle of Whiterun has been fought and the city's taken over by one side or the other, at which point I guess whoever the current Jarl is then would just go along with the Dragonborn's plans for Dragonsreach without the rest of it.

Well, Hjerim will just have to wait a while for its new owner. I can't pass up the opportunity to have the option of throwing Elenwen out of the room. :O:

Ducimus

01-24-12, 12:57 PM

I just have to say., looking over the beta update forum on bethsofts boards,........ people are idiots. Patching over a modded installation, and running mods for a different version of the game, over a BETA patch, and then they bitch because their game wont work right. Well.. .DUH!!!!!

I pity the developers.

Arclight

01-24-12, 01:20 PM

News at 11. :O:

But yes, I agree. Always bewildering to just play a game for a good bit, enough to form a proper opinion on it beyond first impressions, and then having a peak on the game's forum. Usually I'll have been having a good time, only to find a "this game is broken" topic right at the top of the board.

Krauter

01-24-12, 01:59 PM

Same, usually quite entertaining to see that people can gripe about the most trivial of things..

Anyways, if I'm enjoying a game who gives a crap what others think.

Takeda Shingen

01-24-12, 05:30 PM

Anyways, if I'm enjoying a game who gives a crap what others think.

^^This. Now, if we could only get some others on the SH3/4/5 boards to listen to you. :haha:

Ducimus

01-24-12, 05:33 PM

^^This. Now, if we could only get some others on the SH3/4/5 boards to listen to you. :haha:

Everybody think's "their game" is the best, and aims to prove it. :haha:
(hell, i did too at one point)

frau kaleun

01-24-12, 05:48 PM

Protip: do not spend half an hour rearranging the decor in your newly purchased and furnished home and then accidentally hit 'Z' when you have the Unrelenting Force shout equipped. :haha:

It made such a mess that I ended up just picking up half the stuff and selling it to the nearest merchant because trying to put it back in some kind of orderly fashion was just too much work.

The really odd thing - the housecarl just sat there and continued munching a loaf of bread like nothing happened. OTOH when I walked over to the table to scootch a piece of fish back into the middle of a plate, I got a very curt "WHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT FOR?"

The sense, it makes none. :O:

Ducimus

01-24-12, 07:08 PM

Protip: do not spend half an hour rearranging the decor in your newly purchased and furnished home and then accidentally hit 'Z' when you have the Unrelenting Force shout equipped. :haha:
:

:har:

Dowly

01-24-12, 07:38 PM

frau kaleun

01-25-12, 10:14 AM

FUS-RO-
http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/Dowly/fuuuu_by_gamerdudexi.jpg

:har:

I know and it just had to be the place in Markarth that is positively loaded with pretty, pretty clutter and open enough so that the force of the shout pretty much plows right through the entire space. I swear I found stuff from the back of the house piled up against the door in the front entry hall.

On another note, I must say again that I am really loving the new slower timescale. No more dragons turning up everywhere I go because so much time is passing getting from one place to another. When an attack occurs, or I get a "tip" about a possible dragon location, it's actually exciting again. I've even come across dwellings at the foot of some mountain that were burned out with crispy human remains scattered around, kinda gross but it really contributes to the "uh oh there's a dragon around here somewhere maybe I should look into that" feeling. And then I find a note that got written to the authorities but never sent, warning them that someone saw a dragon nearby. With dragon encounters being less frequent overall, I'm more inclined to interrupt whatever I'm doing and investigate immediately instead of saving it for later.

Even fast travel and the carriage rides seem "safer" with respect to causing constant dragon encounters, altho I still try not to overuse them. OTOH I'm trying to finish out the Companions stuff and seriously how many animal exterminations and escaped criminals do I have to deal with before I get to finish out the more interesting stuff with them? And they keep sending me to the far corners of Skyrim for that stuff too, like, there's not a single solitary warrior already in The Rift or The Pale who can handle it? :shifty:

Anyway when they keep sending me all over creation just to kill doggone bears and big cats and I've got all this gold on hand and nothing to spend it on, screw it, I'm hailing a cab. I just consider it one of the perks of being independently wealthy. :O:

One sort of odd thing, I was coming back from another escaped criminal hunt in The Reach which took me northeast of Markarth so I came back down the road through Rorikstead. As I'm approaching the village I can see the telltale glimmery column shooting into the heavens that means Alduin is at the nearby dragon mound trying to resurrect one of his buddies. So I find the path up towards the mound and I'm trying to sneak but I can hear Alduin doing his magic chant thing and the crosshairs show "Detected" which he always does know I'm there when I get close enough, but doesn't care so whatever. (The last time it happened he stopped what he was doing for a moment and switched out of Dragon Tongue and TALKED TO ME DIRECTLY and boy did that send shivers down my spine!)

Anyway he finishes (I assume) and flies off and I'm hunkered down behind a rock waiting for the resurrected dragon to emerge so I can kill it and... nothing. The glimmering column just keeps glimmering and humming but no dragon. I even went all the way back down to the town a couple times, ran around, got closer and farther away, waited a good long while, and still no dragon. The glimmer only disappeared when I got far enough away from the area that it would've been gone anyway, if I went back it was still there.

So... was it a glitch, or did Alduin not finish the job (and why?) or is there something special about that mound that means I'm not supposed to be in a position to fight the dragon that comes out of it just yet? I don't know. I've come upon Alduin doing that at other mounds and he always finishes up and the dragon always emerges. :hmmm: Don't know why the game would generate the scene and then just leave it with no dragon coming out. But I felt really bad when I finally gave up and headed back to Whiterun, like I was leaving Rorikstead undefended against an imminent dragon attack.

Edit: Oh and I've gotten really tired of the Thief who just runs up on the road and demands all my money and then we have to have the silly conversation where I persuade him that I don't have any which, at this point, usually works but you know what? He's just gonna try to rob the next poor sap that comes along, and maybe the next poor sap doesn't talk as pretty or look as scary or have such wonderful weapons at his disposal, and as I said I am *really* tired of having that conversation over and over again. So I have found what I consider to be a truly elegant solution to the Thief Problem: an arrow in the chest before he gets close enough to say anything. Sure the first one may not kill him, but that's why I have the Magigolo. :woot:

mookiemookie

01-25-12, 11:42 AM

As a TES lore junkie, I'm a wee bit disappointed in the depth of the lore in Skyrim. There's just enough to make the story go, but not enough to satisfy someone who likes to read about CHIM and dragon breaks and the divinity of Vivec and the Earth Bones and the differences between the Aedra and Daedra.

Kinda makes me sad that I feel like they're dumbing it down for mass consumption. It could just be me though.

Krauter

01-25-12, 11:49 AM

mookiemookie

01-25-12, 12:46 PM

The history of the land of Skyrim, yes, but not as much metaphysical stuff as before. I guess I'm just being picky.

kiwi_2005

01-25-12, 05:29 PM

I donno.. I've been amassing quite a lot of books, almost enough to rival the library at the Mages College in Cyrodil :haha: and gotta say reading through some of them there is quite a lot of info on the Lore of Skyrim.

Yea I like to read the books I spend to much time in dungeons reading than fighting at times. If Bethesda published all the Skyrim books and sold them for a few $$ each I am sure they would make a killing I would buy them and have my very own Elder scrolls library. :rock:

Krauter

01-25-12, 06:15 PM

Yea I like to read the books I spend to much time in dungeons reading than fighting at times. If Bethesda published all the Skyrim books and sold them for a few $$ each I am sure they would make a killing I would buy them and have my very own Elder scrolls library. :rock:

:rotfl2: How true.

However I don't read them in dungeons. I bypass loot just to haul the damn things home :haha:

Markarth so far (I only own that and Breezehome) has the most book storage space so it makes a nice library space :)

frau kaleun

01-27-12, 01:33 PM

But I felt really bad when I finally gave up and headed back to Whiterun, like I was leaving Rorikstead undefended against an imminent dragon attack.

Which, as it turns out, I was. Had to go right back past there on my next job for the Companions and sure enough there was a dragon getting ready to attack. Checked after it was over and the mound above the town was empty.

He landed right smack in the center of the settlement but fortunately he was a frosty fellow so he didn't set anything on fire before we killed him and I don't think there were any casualties except for some farmer's tater crop. And maybe his prize goat but I am not taking the rap for that this time. :O:

FINALLY got the Purity quests from both Farkas and Vilkas and cured my own self on the second one, now there's only the Dragon Seekers business with the Companions which should be a lot more fun than trekking and retrekking all the way back to Y's Tomb just to do five seconds' worth of work. To be fair we did take the carriage as far as Winterhold both times because: independently wealthy, perks, etc., stop looking at me like that Vilkas, just shut up and get in.

On a sad note, Skyrim Network News is reporting that someone snuck into the assassins' sanctuary near Falkreath and wiped out the core of the Dark Brotherhood... which was already reeling from the mysterious disappearance and presumed death of its leader, Astrid von McMonologue. Reports of some very interesting apparel turning up on display mannequins in a noted Solitude basement could not be substantiated at this time.

And woohoo took my Daedric Smithing perk and made a full set of armor + shield and a battle axe since that was all the hearts I had on hand. Trying to decide whether to go ahead and enchant it and start using it now, or wait until I buff up the rest of my Alchemy perks so I can make a really bitchin' Fortify Enchanting potion to use first. With the ebony armor I didn't mind going through 2-3 different sets as my other skills improved, since acquiring the raw materials was so much easier... but it's not quite the same with Daedra hearts, this may be the only set of Daedric I make and I want it to be as powerful as possible. And I still need to check my supplies in Riften and Markarth to see if I've got another heart there for additional weaponry. A new bow would be nice. I've got a few Daedric arrows I picked up somewhere, I don't think I've ever seen them for sale though - are they only "found" items in the game?

Krauter

01-27-12, 02:34 PM

*Hint*

If you're hurting for hearts, complete the quest for Mehrunes Dagon and return to his shrine every 2 days...

frau kaleun

01-27-12, 03:22 PM

Naw, not really hurting for them - two more for a bow and sword should not be that hard to obtain by making the rounds of Skyrim's better apothecaries. And I don't so much need the one for the sword, as I will be heading to Sky Haven Temple pretty soon and will pick up Dragonbane there and that may end up being my one-handed weapon of choice anyway.

It's just a question of not wanting to wait until I pull together another 5 for a full set of armor + shield if I realize not too far down the road that I could have far more powerful enchantments on them because of extra perks I might end up taking. I will probably stick with Daedric from here on out as a heavy armor set and it's not like you make a "throwaway" set of Daedric armor just to get you by until something better comes along.

I may still stick with the ebony I have for a bit, it's pretty tough stuff and has served me well.

And I tend to shy away from the Daedric quests themselves, with the rare exception the requirements for completion in the ones I've seen so far are generally repugnant to me anyway and the rewards not really worth holding my nose while I earn them. Enchanted axe/sword/whatever? I can already make darn near any weapons I want with the double enchantments of my choice, most of which deal more damage and are worth more than the Daedric quest weapons even after I've improved them as much as possible. About the only thing they're good for to me is filling spots on empty display plaques. :shifty:

Krauter

01-27-12, 03:26 PM

I found that Dragonbane is only useful for Dragons, which I can kill quickly with my Daedric Bow anyways :03: So it's currently sitting on a weapons plaque in Vlindrel Hall with another Blades sword. At the moment I'm dual wielding two Daedric swords which work quite nicely.

As for Daedric Quests, I found that, considering the oblivion crisis, Mehrune's quest wasn't all that bad. That and after completing it I get 4 Daedra hearts for free + some pretty good loot and Gold and Ebony ingots.. for free.. every two days.

Anyways, up to you :D

frau kaleun

01-27-12, 04:18 PM

That and after completing it I get 4 Daedra hearts for free + some pretty good loot and Gold and Ebony ingots.. for free.. every two days.

Right now I've got extra ebony on hand and almost every smithy I visit has it for sale anyway. Enough leather and leather strips to make more armor and weapons than I will ever need are stowed in various homes across Skyrim. About 40 chunks of iron ore likewise stowed away, and it's cheap (or free with a pickaxe) and available just about everywhere you go, and I can turn it into silver or gold with a flick of my wrist. All the major alchemists offer me a Daedra heart for sale almost every time I hit town.

That, and I have upwards of 180 thousand septims in my rucksack. As I've said before, the triple major in Smithing/Enchanting/Alchemy has served me very, very well. It's nice when I find it, but I don't really need to do quests for the free loot any more. :haha:

I keep telling all y'all, there are perks to being independently wealthy. :O:

Skybird

01-29-12, 12:14 PM

OH! THE! IRONY!

Got visited by friends today, we planned to meet during the days between christmas and new years eve, but their little kid became ill, and so it was delayed until today. I gave them my present, and when I unpacked mine, it was - Skyrim.

:88)

I comfort myself with that I did not pay money to once again need to try Steam, and hope the experience works better this time than it did with Shogun 2. If it works, I have no doubt I will enjoy Skyrim a lot.

I also hope it installs without a 5 hours download first that installs right over the just installed program that came with the DVD, and then every couple of days again - just to finally break down anyway. Also, Shogun 2 messed up frequently when I ran Steam in offlinemode via Steam, or in desperation then blocked it via firewall - does offline mode work in Skyrim, or am I once again forced to stay online all the time??

frau kaleun

01-29-12, 01:32 PM

I gave them my present, and when I unpacked mine, it was - Skyrim.

So I guess we'll be seein' ya... in about, oh, six to eight weeks. :O:

does offline mode work in Skyrim, or am I once again forced to stay online all the time??

Skyrim is my first experience with Steam and everything installed very quickly, more so than many games I've had that installed only from the DVD with no downloading. There have been patches since the release so you will no doubt have to wait for the current version to download and install but, as I said, it worked for me with no problems whatsoever.

And I did start out in offline mode and had no problems with that either, altho my computer is always online with a LAN connection but I had Steam in offline mode.

frau kaleun

01-29-12, 01:42 PM

I found that Dragonbane is only useful for Dragons

Well it all worked out because one of Ulfric's first gifts to me was a Daedric sword so I have that plus Dragonbane just for the dragons plus my Daedric battle axe and bow. :D

Actually it's nice that I waited longer to do the Alduin's Wall quest this time since Dragonbane is leveled and I think I ended up with the version where it tops out on extra damage to dragons. I have killed a couple by myself since then but with the fully charged Marked For Death shout and the Magigolo in tow blasting them with destruction magic in mid-air, when we work as a team they tend to be dead by the time they hit the ground and I only get a couple swings in on general principles and to, you know, impress any bystanders. :O:

Attacking Whiterun and beating the Jarl into submission did kinda suck overall but I have to say it was quite exciting turning up outside the city and thinking it was some random fire mage battle going on, but no they were flinging some kind of burning ammo at us over the walls with catapults which I did not expect at all.

And I have fulfilled my dream of sending Lydia off to work for the Blades, buh-bye Lydia. Now the Magigolo and I can have Breezehome all to ourselves. Also the housecarl from Riften altho I wasn't around her enough to get anywhere near as annoyed, but that house is just too small for me, a follower, and a housecarl. The one in Markarth can stay and I think I've decided the one in Solitude as well only because the space is so big and I spend all my time in the lowest level and she's never down there. The one in Hjerim I think will go to the Blades as a third recruit because he's got Vilkas' voice and the wrong face for it and I'm not gonna deal with that every time I go to Windhelm.

Krauter

01-29-12, 03:00 PM

Very cool! I think with my next character I will pick sides.

Also note that at 35+ all leveled loot don't get better

Krauter

01-29-12, 03:40 PM

Are the gifts that Ulfric/Imperial counterpart gives you levelled or...?

Ducimus

01-30-12, 09:29 AM

Offline mode in steam works well for most games. Not all, but most. It works VERY WELL for skyrim as it queues up yoru achievements and updates them when you finally do go online (if achievements are of concern at all). I find steam is probably the least draconian of the options available out there.

frau kaleun

01-30-12, 09:39 AM

Very cool! I think with my next character I will pick sides.

Also note that at 35+ all leveled loot don't get better

I'm not sure about that, I don't think I started finding dragonplate pieces until I was in the 40s somewhere.

Are the gifts that Ulfric/Imperial counterpart gives you levelled or...?

I think some are and some aren't. In my case it really was a mixed bag: a Dwarven sword, a hide shield, a Stormcloak officer's uniform, and two enchanted Daedric swords. At least that's all I remember. The second Daedric sword was Ulfric's own weapon, which he gave to me at the conclusion of the Civil War questline. The wiki says that gift is definitely leveled and I'm guessing the first Daedric sword was also a leveled reward especially since none of the other stuff I remember from him was that special.

Oh and the Blade of Eastmarch when I was Thaned but that was pretty much the standard "oh you have joined my court here's a little something from my armory" type reward.

But you know after everything was all over with and the crowds were dispersing from Castle Dour I asked him if there was anything else he needed from me and he said something like, how could he ask for anything more? And I had done enough and the gods had other plans for me and I was free to roam.

Free.

To.

Roam.

:shifty:

NO ULFRIC I WANT TO SERVE YOOOOOUUUUUU on a platter to myself with a side of LUURVE.

But he just walked off into the sunset. :wah:

And I'm lookin' at Argis the Bulwark like, dude, did I just get dumped? And Argis is all like: can we go home now? And don't you already have a husband back in Whiterun? Little guy likes to shoot fire out his fingers? BTW does this Orcish armor make my butt look big?

But I'm convinced though that it totally wasn't a "don't call me I'll call you" thing, it was really an "if you love something set it free" thing. At least that's what I'll tell myself when I'm weeping bitterly into my pillow every night. :O:

mookiemookie

01-30-12, 09:54 AM

Free.

To.

Roam.

:shifty:

Well see, that just means that now you're free to start all over again. Indulge your dark side.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ok1jkUAaU8k/TsNZSAmYxFI/AAAAAAAABEk/yJYfWesH3ps/s320/skyrim_dark_brotherhood.jpg

:arrgh!:

frau kaleun

01-30-12, 10:16 AM

Well see, that just means that now you're free to start all over again. Indulge your dark side.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ok1jkUAaU8k/TsNZSAmYxFI/AAAAAAAABEk/yJYfWesH3ps/s320/skyrim_dark_brotherhood.jpg

:arrgh!:

HAHAHAHAHAHA you so crazy, whatchoo talkin' 'bout Willis? There is no Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim.

At least, not any more. :|\\

mookiemookie

01-30-12, 10:32 AM

Yes but they don't have to be destroyed. Once you achieve CHIM you see that anything and everything is possible. All outcomes and possibilities are feasible for you are the godhead.

AE GHARTOK PADHOME [CHIM] AE ALTADOON!

heheheheehe...forgive me, I've just been playing through Morrowind again...

Krauter

01-30-12, 11:57 AM

Frau, for the 35+ thing I mainly meant for unique items like Dragonbane, Dawnbreaker, etc. The point at which their stats won't improve anymore is lvl 35

Ducimus

01-30-12, 12:25 PM

Frau, for the 35+ thing I mainly meant for unique items like Dragonbane, Dawnbreaker, etc. The point at which their stats won't improve anymore is lvl 35

You just reminded me about something. I think my next run through, im gonna go for a light armor, shield warrior with an axe. I ended up going sword because

a.) finishing blows seem cooler
b.) Greater selection of unique weapons.

However, i also find that.

1.) At some point, you've seen all the cool finishing blows enough times. (though they never get old)

2.) A sky forge steel weapon can last you the entire game, and it only takes 1 (or 2 perks if you've enchanted it), to keep it upgraded. I mean, all you need is one perk in steel smithing, and a high skill level (80 or so), and you've got a legendary weapon after using a blacksmithing potion before sharpening it.

Krauter

01-30-12, 02:02 PM

You just reminded me about something. I think my next run through, im gonna go for a light armor, shield warrior with an axe. I ended up going sword because

a.) finishing blows seem cooler
b.) Greater selection of unique weapons.

However, i also find that.

1.) At some point, you've seen all the cool finishing blows enough times. (though they never get old)

2.) A sky forge steel weapon can last you the entire game, and it only takes 1 (or 2 perks if you've enchanted it), to keep it upgraded. I mean, all you need is one perk in steel smithing, and a high skill level (80 or so), and you've got a legendary weapon after using a blacksmithing potion before sharpening it.

Nice, also, if you plan on going 2H and using mostly unique stuff, you're going to be forced to use axes as the only unique 2H weapon in the game (Ebony Blade) uses 2 hands but is in fact levelled off of 1H prowess..

frau kaleun

01-30-12, 07:04 PM

Some screenies:

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/1075/solitudespeech.jpg

Had to crop this a bit since too much detail was lost by just resizing the WS image. Addressing the crowd after the Battle of Solitude - huzzahs all around! That's me in my Daedric gear standing in front of Galmar. Oh and Ulfric does Shout during the battle altho it sounds like a thunderclap. I don't know if that's because it was an afterthought during development and they didn't record the actor's voice doing a proper shout but put somethingin anyway, or if it was deliberate. Maybe his shouts sound less impressive because he's not Dragonborn and only spent a short time training compared to the Greybeards. Anyway it's pretty cool when you both stand there and shout enemies down from the ramparts together. :yeah:

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/1719/wedding2t.jpg

"Mawwiage..."
An older one I forgot about, me finally making an honest man out of the Magigolo. I'm pretty sure that's Sven from Riverwood sitting there in the back pew, which was odd since even though I took his side in the Great Riverwood Love Triangle Caper I later had to beat the crap out of him on a job for the Companions. I suppose that could be why he didn't buy a gift. :hmmm:

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/4338/paarthurnax.jpg

On of my favorites: Paarthurnax perched at the Throat of the World.

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/4286/bffsf.jpg

Totally BFFs. :D I love this picture, using the fullsize cap for wallpaper.

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/3975/roughlanding.jpg

Argis the Bulwark and I brought this critter down on our way out of Markarth. Went to investigate a spot where the Greybeards said there might be a word of power and I guess he didn't want us to find it. Or it's possible he might've just emerged from the mound, I'm not sure. He was flying around in the mountains right above it and we didn't even notice it until after it was all over.

Got him with a Marked for Death shout and then since he was blowing nothing but frost got one really good head-on hit with Fire Breath. Not sure if it was that alone or maybe Argis put a few well-placed arrows in him, the poor guy kept getting frozen up from the icy dragon breath and lemme tell you it's a good thing Nords have some natural resistance cuz a couple times I thought I might be lugging a huge Nordsicle back to Markarth.

Anyway I think he was dead when he hit the ground, it was a really rough landing. He hit at the top of that ridge and plowed a furrow all the way down until the empty mound stopped his slide. Very fitting that he should end up there.

Takeda Shingen

01-30-12, 07:55 PM

HAHAHAHAHAHA you so crazy, whatchoo talkin' 'bout Willis? There is no Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim.

At least, not any more. :|\\

Pfft. As listener, my Breton mage-thief is the living (well, technically undead) embodiment of evil in Skyrim. He's so good at his job that he even finds the odd evening to spend in Breezehome with his wife Muiri. Breezehome, of course, because the listener should never draw too much attention to himself. Lydia is kept blissfully unaware. Muahahahaha

mookiemookie

01-30-12, 08:11 PM

Krauter

01-30-12, 08:59 PM

Any thoughts on what you'd like to see in an expansion/DLC?

I'd like to venture back to Morrowind...maybe not Vardenfell, but the mainland. Blacklight is close to Skyrim. As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been playing Morrowind again. I'd really like to see what happened to Vivec. Plus you've got the Argonian invasion of Morrowind, and that could provide a cool kind of backdrop, especially for Dunmer or Argonian characters. Maybe a return to Hammerfell? They're mentioned as resisting the Thalmor...there could be some fun times to be had there.

I think Summerset Isle is too big and intriguing for an expansion pack to do justice. My guess is that's going to be TES VI.

I'd really love to have a go in High Rock with the Bretons and their wish to have Markarth seperated from the empire. Also would love to return to Morrowind.

I don't think that there is enough interaction with Daedric Lords compared to TESIV which would warrant something like the Shivering Isles. Thus, in order of preference:

Morrowind
High Rock
Hammerfell

AS for TESVI, I think it'd probably be in Sommerset Isles or the provinces of Elseweyr and Valenwood (would be pretty cool.)

Have they done anything in the Black Marsh also?

mookiemookie

01-31-12, 10:14 AM

Have they done anything in the Black Marsh also?

Arena, but that doesn't really count.

Krauter

01-31-12, 10:21 AM

Ah alright.

Also, just got my Conjuration and Destruction to 100 and doing the ritual spells for each. Gotta say it's pretty sweet! I finished the Conjuration one last night and now have two permanent Thralls helping me out! (On top of my follower and dog... sweet).

It almost feels too easy...

Krauter

01-31-12, 11:38 AM

mookiemookie

01-31-12, 11:53 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=lHbF9ynGZV0

:rotfl2:

Has anyone managed to summon a Dragon Priest yet? From what I understand you need Konakrhik (sp). But where do I find the spell after that?

You don't. It randomly summons one when you're low on health.

And yes, conjuration is super powerful. The Summon Dremora Lord spell is the best in the game, IMHO.

Krauter

01-31-12, 12:27 PM

Ah alright.. maybe I'll put that mask away then.. I don't like things that *might* happen when I'm almost dead.

Aye he is, I only wish that he would last longer... Hmm... If I kill a Daedra and then use Dead Thrall on it, would that keep them animated indefinitely?

Ducimus

01-31-12, 01:22 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=lHbF9ynGZV0

:rotfl2:

So true, and so funny. I don't sneak very often, but when i do, it's exactly like that video. :har:

mookiemookie

01-31-12, 02:23 PM

So true, and so funny. I don't sneak very often, but when i do, it's exactly like that video. :har:

I played a stealth Dunmer and it was fun, but yeah, the sneaking system is completely retarded. The AI is just not built around it. Look at games like Thief and both of the Batman Arkham titles...that's sneaking done right. If you launch an arrow at someone, they should never go back to an unalarmed state. Characters in a video game should act somewhat like a real human being would react if an arrow came whizzing by them out of nowhere, or else any believability is destroyed.

I say if a game can't do sneaking right, it shouldn't do it at all.

Krauter

01-31-12, 03:35 PM

True. Generally as a rule of thumb, when I'm sneaking and attacking, unless I can't 1HKO the person, I won't attack, but will move past or put myself in a position so that when I do attack I am in an advantage.

Ducimus

01-31-12, 05:16 PM

I started a stealth oriented archer a couple of times. I'd say both times, i got as far as lvl 10 or so before I got bored. You just go around one shotting everything in a dungeon. Except for any boss's. Those can suck unless you find some place to perch and rain arrows down upon them, or run away fast enough so you can hide and shoot them from stealth. (Upon which the game promptly bugs and your unable to loot their corpse).

Anywho, while stealth kills from afar make me giddy, it's also boring in its repetition, and lacks some of the cooler more rewarding aspect of the game like the finishing moves. Id say about the only real challenge of archery, is being a marksman.

And yet, despite all that, i still like to do it every now and then. So, ill dabble in archery as a minor thing from time to time, just to satisfy my craving for cheesy kills, though because i didn't speclaize in it, there not one shot kills, but the snickering from the above linked video still holds true. :O:

frau kaleun

01-31-12, 10:43 PM

I am having a problem now with the game crashing to desktop, either when I try to do a manual save or when I move from one cell into another and the game has to load the new cell (i.e. going from a city street into a shop or inn or home, or vice versa).

After messing around this evening it seems like the crashes are only happening *after* I have done something to advance time - first noticed it after sleeping overnight in an inn, after which the game would crash when I tried to go out of the inn. Reloaded a previous save and went back in the inn but did not sleep or wait, just went right back out the door and it was fine. Then I did a Wait in the street to get to the time when the shop next door would open, and the game crashed when it tried to load the interior of the shop.

I could use console commands to move myself back and forth from the village street to the inside of the shop, but I couldn't go through the door normally without a CTD.

Have also tried similar stuff with trying to move into a new cell after fast traveling or even using one of the carriages to get from one city to another. Pretty much the same deal - once I do that, at some point I have to move from one cell to another and *boom* I'm back at the desktop. This also happens if I've done a wait/sleep/fasttravel/carriage and then try to do a manual save.

I looked online and found suggestions about playing only in offline mode, deleting old unwanted saves, disabling all the Autosave functions, and I will try those but if anybody has any other suggestions please let me know.

I also found something about using a utility of some kind to identify corrupted save data and delete it? But that may have been for one of the consoles and not the PC version. I've looked in all the Skyrim folders and I can't find anything like what I read about. :hmmm:

frau kaleun

01-31-12, 11:24 PM

Okay this is definitely a wait/sleep/fast-travel thing. I tried deleting old saves and turning off autosave and I can go in and run in and out of places and do fine UNTIL I sleep, wait, or otherwise do something that advances the time in-game. After that, if I try to save, it CTDs. :stare:

Also when I was poking around looking at files I found a "warning" message in the Skyrim.ini file about one or more files that some plugin needs to work properly not being found. The last time I changed any mods the game worked fine afterwards until now... and I don't think I changed or added or removed anything that required a plugin. Altho I did upgrade to the latest version of SKSE, however according to the readmes all the mods I use that need should be fine with that.

The warning message says to check some file called warnings.txt for details but I can't find any such file. :06:

Skybird

02-01-12, 06:31 AM

I'm still alive. Barely. Since over 2 days no posting from me - guess why. :)

Game installed and updated in two minutes, without that several hours-long torture I had before with Shogun, offline mode thankfully works this time as intended. Very nice game, can't remember when the last time was that I played anything so exessively. Occasional quest bugs that so far Google helped me to handle. Have specialised in experimenting with fellow fighters accompanying me, somehow this really catches me. My favourites are that female darkelve archer from the tavern in Whiterun, for she avoids traps by herself and uses her bow preferrably (playingh the sneaky archer-type of guy myself). Lydia is a nice balance between distant and close fighting, but seems to run into any trap there is. I have just unlocked Mjoll (and almost got killed during that quest) and gave her best armour I can find. And then Marcero or what the guy is called, the magican in Rifton. Definetly has seen too many Star Wars movies, one moment I see the enemy, the next moment he already has zapped it. He even zaps stuff I never have seen. It'S a constant zapping noise behind me. The big zapper of Rifton county, that's what they called him, but they did not live long enough to tell anybody. :D But I do not use him anymore, he is not really fun - got grilled myself too oftenb, too, and he leaves me too little bloody fun for myself to do.

Maybe not everybody knows it, but there are bugs with the companions (the followers I mean, to be precise), it is sometimes hard to make them wear the stuff you give them, and they never use any other bow than their default (except Imperial bows which they accept if they are stroinger than their hunting bows). Solution I found via Google: take everything from them you still want them to carry, later. Then open console, click on the character, and type removeallitems. This frees them of all deafault cloathing and default weapons, especially those weapons that usually do not get listed in their inventory, including their bows. Then give them a body armour first, and then anything you want them to use. They now will use just these weapons, and not the default bow anymore. Also nice is that they keep the stuff you gave them when you leave themn and later rejoin them - it still is there.

Shields obviously are wasted on companions preferring to fight with two-handed weapons (Mjoll). Give them the best two-hander you can get instead, but also a good bow. Give them best armour.

I also had the luck - I assume it is randomised - to find dwarf boots very early, a very strong item for that early stage of the game, the boots are giviong 100% silence. I give them to the companion I travel with, and take it back when I leave him/her. The companion will no longer give our presence away when I carefully make a sneaky approach onto a dungeon. It is details like this, or the fantastic landscape, water, sky colour-light-show that impresses me most.

In tight tunnels, I order companions to an elevated position from where they can rain arrows, or I leave them in a hall with much room if the tunnels are too tight. I then lurk overwhelming hordes of enemies into that hall where the companion can join me in massacring them - else I constantly feel my companion'S weapons stinging in my back. :) Its just that followers ordered to halt nevertheless start moving all by themselves once a fight begun, and they close in, and too early. In giving orders to followers, there is space for improvements. Basioc orders like "Stay here, do not close in", "Close in to infight", "Prefer distanced weapon, avoid infight", "stay concealed".

It seems companions have different combat styles indeed. The elve archer avoids close fighting if possible and sticks to her arrows, if possible. Lydia and Mjoll fire just from the distance, but seek the closer infight early on.

So far it all runs wiothout the troubles Shogun gave me, I hope it stays like that. It'S really the great game people are saying. Already a classic. I know I will play this exessively over the next months. It simply looks marvellous. I loved Oblivion, I now love Skyrim. And the soundtrack, with the occasional repetition of the old Oblivion-theme- that's those little tricks by which to make Oblivion-players feel at home immediately. Or the Nirnwurz. :)

Funniest thing that made me laugh out loud. Bad guy mumbling to himself: "Diebstahl, ja, das ist noch echte Kunst. Man schleicht sich rein, nimmt sich was man will, und geht wieder. Ganz ohne Gewalt. - Hm. - Klingt eigentlich eher langweilig." :lol:

frau kaleun

02-01-12, 09:04 AM

I'm still alive. Barely.

http://h.static.memegenerator.net/cache/instances/500x/10/11153/11421136.jpg

:D

And then Marcero or what the guy is called, the magican in Rifton. Definetly has seen too many Star Wars movies,

I knew I loved him for a reason. And be nice, that's my Magigolo you're talking about. :O:

one moment I see the enemy, the next moment he already has zapped it. He even zaps stuff I never have seen. It'S a constant zapping noise behind me.

That's another reason why I love traveling with him, especially on long treks through the wilds. I don't really have to worry about wild animals or other hostiles taking me by surprise from behind or the side. I just run and let him watch my back and he does it very well, so many times I hear the *zap* and turn around with my weapons drawn and he's standing there bathed in the glow of some protective spell, hands all a-glimmer with destruction, and the lifeless form of a would-be attacker at his feet. And he just looks at me like: "What?"

My biggest complaint with him as a follower is that sometimes his spells blast the enemy so far away from where I last saw them that I have to spend several minutes trying to find them before I can loot them properly. :haha:

And of all the followers I've had so far I found his conversation the most appealing.

Maybe not everybody knows it, but there are bugs with the companions (the followers I mean, to be precise), it is sometimes hard to make them wear the stuff you give them, and they never use any other bow than their default (except Imperial bows which they accept if they are stroinger than their hunting bows). Solution I found via Google: take everything from them you still want them to carry, later. Then open console, click on the character, and type removeallitems.

There also appears to be an issue with followers and carry weight, i.e. how much stuff they can carry for you. It happens IME when you have a follower who is dismissed (either deliberately by you, or by the start of some quest that requires you to play alone or only with another designated follower) and picked up again repeatedly. What seems to happen is that every time you reacquire the follower, the game gives them another set of their default clothes, weapons, etc. I'm not sure if this is with every follower, but I really noticed it with Marcurio after I married him and did a number of quests where I was given other temporary followers and so he was constantly being dismissed and then I'd have to go back and tell him to follow me again. It got to the point where I'd give him an extra dagger to carry and suddenly he couldn't carry anything else.

If that happens you can use removeallitems as noted above and also there's a command to reset inventory, which will give them back one and only one set of their original stuff so they still have apparel and weapons if you need to take back everything you give them afterwards.

I have been using Argis lately, the housecarl you are given if you become Thane of Markarth, and I don't know if it's because I'd leveled up more before I met him and his stats were set or what, but he is a total badass. Found/made him a set of Orcish armor and preferred weapons and enchanted them all and he's turning out to be a lot like the Magigolo only without the magic. So far he has been almost unstoppable even against some strong magical opponents, I'm sure the resistance enchantments help, but even before that he was a powerhouse. Also I have not taken any of his original equipment away from him but he is definitely using the Orcish bow and arrows I gave him instead of his default stuff, I can tell because the bow is enchanted so it's easy to see he's pulling out that one instead of the default and I usually find and retrieve Orcish arrows when I loot the bodies of baddies that he's hit with it.

Shields obviously are wasted on companions preferring to fight with two-handed weapons (Mjoll). Give them the best two-hander you can get instead, but also a good bow. Give them best armour.

From what I've seen, followers will generally equip themselves with the apparel that provides the most protection and the weapons that (potentially) do the most damage, regardless of whether or not the gear is appropriate for their preferred fighting style and skill levels in various areas. I found this out the hard way with my first character when I traveled almost exclusively with Vilkas, who is pure warrior/combat with an emphasis on two-handed weapons and zero magic. I kept finding all these staves and eventually I had to give him a couple to carry and then in the middle of a pitched battle I would hear some zapping and popping and turn around and he would be trying to use one of them instead of whatever axe or greatsword he had.

I mean it was just sad, he actually got killed once by trying to shock a bear to death with a staff when he could've taken it down easily in one or two swings of his blade. :nope: Lesson learned - do not, I repeat DO NOT, give Vilkas any magical weapons to carry because he *will* use them. Badly.

I also had the luck - I assume it is randomised - to find dwarf boots very early, a very strong item for that early stage of the game, the boots are giviong 100% silence.

:yep: The Muffle enchantment is great. Use it on my own gear and anything I give to a follower. Especially nice since we all tend to wear heavy armor. Definitely helps with the sneaking, even at a higher level of Sneak skill it still seems to make a difference.

Ducimus

02-01-12, 09:38 AM

@ frau kaleun,

Reguarding CTD's, im not sure how to fix that, except to maybe back those saved games up, and wait for the patch. It should be out soon. (Supposedly at the end of January). I say wait for the patch because I've seen messageboard posts from some users who claim the beta patched fixed similiar problems to what your having, and even optimized the save game files from "bloat".

Speaking of save game files, how large are yours? I have this theory i developed while playing Fallout New Vegas which uses an earlier (more like previous ) version of the game engine Skyrim uses. My theory is that the longer you play, the bigger your save game files become. Watch them, and you'll see. Why do they become bigger? Tracking more data obviously. FInished this quest, started that quest, inventory items, stuff stored in houses, etc etc. However, also part of that data tracking is stuff you leave laying around. Ever load up on a bunch of loot, and suddenly find your out in the middle of nowhere, encumbered, and can't move very well? What happends? Drop.. drop. drop drop drop drop.

All that stuff you drop, it stays there, game tracks it. Even items you manipulate in the game world. Ever just pick up a book, then toss it aside? Game tracks that too. In sum, my theory is to help reduce save game file bloat, try not to trash the game world, as the game tracks it all. In other words, keep a lite footprint, so you don't give the game more to track.

At first, this isn't an issue, but the longer you play, the more data is being tracked. You'll notice it become an issue when you notice quick save and quick load take longer and longer. Perhaps even the game freezing up from time to time when loading a save file or new area. At least thats my theory. I think one hits a trouble area when your saved game file hits around 12-14 megabytes or so.

Again, this is all just my personal theory developed from playing another (similar, but not the same) game.

Aside from that, id recommend going lite on mods, and avoding any massive overhauls. (hypocritcal of me to say so i know.) But, my advice again, is to keep a lite footprint on mods as well. Using as few as possible, and only ones that directly address an issue (and ONLY the issue) that is bothering you, whatever that issue may be. The Elder scroll serieis has a ton of modders, and i think most of them don't know what their doing; changing things because they can, so you end up with mods that spiderweb into areas they probably shouldn't. At least that my personal opinion, and I am no modding guru in the elder scrolls game, so take it for what its worth.

frau kaleun

02-01-12, 10:27 AM

Thanks Duci, I have seen stuff about savegame sizes being an issue, but I don't think that's the problem here as I can save with no problem (and load those saves and play from them) and enter any location I've tried with no problem but *only* if I have not waited, slept, fast-traveled or used one of the carriages for quick travel from one city to another during a given playing session.

I did this over and over again last night after trying out some of the suggestions I found online, and it was always the same. I had no problems until I did one of those things. I could move around from place to place and make saves (either auto or manual) with no CTDs but as soon as I used one of the options that caused a "quick advance" of the in-game time, the next time it tried to save (or load a new cell, which usually autosaves so I think it's saving that's the issue) the game would crash.

If I reloaded a save I could play fine and make saves while playing and reload those saves and it was fine - until I waited/slept/etc. and after that point, it was impossible to save without a CTD. A manual save would cause it as well as anything that caused the game to autosave.

I don't have many mods but I read something after I posted about some of the mods for Proudspire Manor causing trouble with saving, but intermittently and sometimes only after hours of gameplay does the problem pop up. I am using one of the mods in question and I hate to give it up since the house is pretty much useless to me without it, but I am going to try removing it and see what happens. I will have to travel all the way back to Solitude from Breezehome and pick up everything I've stored there and then carry it somewhere else, fortunately I think it's only some weapons and the light armor/apparel I looted from the Dark Brotherhood and a few books. I think between the two of us my follower and I can lug it all somewhere else, sadly this will all have to be done in "real time" in order to get a decent save once it's stashed away elsewhere. Probably just store it all back in Whiterun since the only mods I have for that location are an enchanting table and some extra bookshelves and I've had them in place since (almost) Day One for this character with no problems at all. Stash everything in one of the original storage containers just to be safe and then get a good save and get out, remove the Proudspire mod, and see what happens.

If that doesn't work then I can just repeat the process as needed with other homes and keep removing the associated mods, and then anything else I'm using, until I see if something can be identified as the culprit.

I will really hate for it to be one of the mods for the player homes, since they are a big part of what makes owning the properties worthwhile.

Skybird

02-01-12, 11:25 AM

frau kaleun

02-01-12, 11:58 AM

I am not aware of any loggage problems with followers when giving them the removeallitems-treatement, I read about it, but after that treatement did noit see it. In fact this night I have sent Lydia home, loaded with tons of loot earned between Whiterun and Rifton until she could bear anymore, then had Mjoll packed with more loot after I continued to Rifton. We went to whiterun, and I sold my stuff, got Mjoll'S load, and sold that, sent her home, and rejoined Lydia, got her parcels, and then sold these. It all worked well.

But after just two days and nights of play, I have not seen much, mostly Whiterun and Rifton, and some of the icy North when doing the quest for Mjoll'S sword. Solitude I saw from a distance, Windhelm I bypassed during that quest, and Markath I have not even discovered so far. But many dungeons I stumbled over.

Bethesda is a master in distracting players from the main quest'S path. :D

Tell me about it. I have been playing almost every day since before Christmas, sometimes for 24-36 hour stretches when not working. On my second character and I *still* have not completed the main quest. I know it's probably not true but I'm a little afraid that after it's done everything else will seem almost anticlimactic.

I think the thing with the followers and the encumbrance issue starts to be a problem if you acquire and dismiss them repeatedly and never remove/reset their inventory using the console, and the game resets their default inventory on acquisition enough times that they end up carrying a lot of weight you can't see. If you are using removeallitems on them as a matter of course in order to insure that they use only the weapons and armor you give them, it should never be a problem.

Actually I think the removeallitems console command probably works on any NPC, I may have to try it the next time I'm in Windhelm paying Ulfric a visit. Just as an experiment to see if it, you know, really works on everybody.

I'll give him his clothes back when I'm done, I promise. Altho I've heard that he pretty much just ignores you once the Civil War quest is over, so maybe making him walk around in his undies is the only joy I'll get from him from now on. :hmmm:

The quest for Mjoll - I've got it in my journal but haven't gone any farther than that. I don't know if the location is randomized or not but in my current game I think it's in some Dwarven ruin and I really hate those. OTOH, I've got the Muffle enchanted boots now and I've gotten pretty good at stealth attacks... it even makes fighting the Falmer less repugnant altho they still give me the creeps. But I cleared out the excavation and ruins under Markarth again, which was my *least* favorite place with my previous character, and it really wasn't too bad. About 90% of the Falmer we encountered never knew what hit them. (Hint: it was an arrow.)

Ducimus

02-01-12, 12:38 PM

Bethesda is a master in distracting players from the main quest'S path. :D

Oh yes!

Tell me about it. I have been playing almost every day since before Christmas, sometimes for 24-36 hour stretches when not working.

Yeah same here, sans the 24 hour + stretchs. More like 4 or stretchs in the wee hours of the morning while the Mrs is still asleep. :O:

Yes, I fear that anyone waiting for me to go back to modding SH4 is going to have a bit of a wait on their hands. :har:

Oh, and I can't wait to get my grubby mitts on the construction kit! :arrgh!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU4oAKZE1VI&feature=g-u-u&context=G2e176e9FUAAAAAAAAAA

Skybird

02-01-12, 02:25 PM

I think the thing with the followers and the encumbrance issue starts to be a problem if you acquire and dismiss them repeatedly and never remove/reset their inventory using the console, and the game resets their default inventory on acquisition enough times that they end up carrying a lot of weight you can't see. If you are using removeallitems on them as a matter of course in order to insure that they use only the weapons and armor you give them, it should never be a problem.
I'm not sure. NPC have a default bow, a hunting bow (NOT the often quoted Imperial bow). As long as the have default bows, they will never use any other bows. They will use better swords, but never better bows, it seems. Googled boards say that, too.

If they would default their original equipment once you removed it, they would not use any better bow you have given them and which they continued to own even when you had sent them away. But they seem to do, they stay with their given weapons and bows, and I also have not seen their loadingh capacity decreasing - I tested it just this afternoon after reading your last answer above.

So it seems to me that once the removeallitems command has been given at least once, the problem you descriobed becomes non-existent?!

Something else, the game does autopatch when I switch Steam online every couple of weeks, and a newer version is available, yes? I mean I do not need to additionally choose "update" anywhere, yes?

frau kaleun

02-01-12, 03:01 PM

I'm not sure. NPC have a default bow, a hunting bow (NOT the often quoted Imperial bow). As long as the have default bows, they will never use any other bows. They will use better swords, but never better bows, it seems. Googled boards say that, too.

I'm not sure this is true of all follower NPCs, I have not taken any equipment away from Argis (my current follower) but have given him an enchanted Orcish bow and a good number of Orcish arrows to go with the armor I gave him. Prior to that in ranged attacks he would use whatever (hidden) bow he came with. Now he equips himself with the Orcish bow and uses the matching arrows.

The Orcish bow is enchanted so it has the telltale glow/aura and I have checked many times when we readied our weapons while creeping through dungeons or up towards a dragon lair. He is definitely bringing out the Orcish bow, unless he is switching it up for the hidden default one when he actually starts shooting and I just don't see it. But I'm almost positive I have watched him shoot and it *is* the better bow he's using. He is definitely using the Orcish arrows, because I will often loot one or two of them off the bodies of someone he's just killed. Many of those individuals carried no bow and arrow themselves or were unarmed (except for magic) and I don't use Orcish gear, so they have to be coming from Argis.

So it seems to me that once the removeallitems command has been given at least once, the problem you descriobed becomes non-existent?!

Regarding encumbrance, I don't know. It's possible that if you do removeallitems once and *never* reset the followers inventory back to its default, the game never does it automatically either. This would result in them never having anything other than what you gave them. I have only used removeallitems once when it was obvious Marcurio was carrying a lot of hidden items after having been dismissed and reacquired numerous times. The only explanation I can find is that the game was continually adding a new set of default items every time I reacquired him as a follower; I don't think it was his "merchant" inventory as that only seems to be active when he is out of follower mode and had he been carrying all of that around for as long as we've been together the problem would've become obvious a lot sooner.

Something else, the game does autopatch when I switch Steam online every couple of weeks, and a newer version is available, yes? I mean I do not need to additionally choose "update" anywhere, yes?

It should, when I went back to online mode when the last patch came out it downloaded and installed it automatically as soon as I opened the program.

Ducimus

02-01-12, 03:57 PM

I do beleive patch 1.4 has gone live, im downloading a 192 MB update now.

Dowly

02-01-12, 04:02 PM

I do beleive patch 1.4 has gone live, im downloading a 192 MB update now.

:yep:

Change log:
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/news/article.php?id=57

frau kaleun

02-01-12, 04:10 PM

:yep:

Change log:
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/news/article.php?id=57

In ***8220;Blood on the Ice***8221;, Calixto can now be killed if player owns a house in Windhelm

*SPOILER* (just in case for Skybird)

I thought you had to *solve* Blood On The Ice (and possibly Pt 2 if you didn't get it right the first time) before you could buy the house in Windhelm, which is the SAME house being used by Calixto for his crimes. The point at which you realize Calixto is the killer would seem like the only logical point at which to kill him. If you already bought the house before starting the quest or while it was ongoing, then wouldn't the whole "get the key to and investigate the abandoned house" part of it be borked? :hmmm:

frau kaleun

02-01-12, 11:47 PM

Well I took out all my mods and backed up all my savegames and got today's patch, started adding them back in and it looks like the problem is with the mod that added the smithing stuff to the house in Windhelm. Couldn't even load the game at all with that enabled, I mean the game would load but selecting any save at all just resulted in a CTD. Finally narrowed it down to that one mod. Without it everything seems to work fine, saves load and I can save manually in-game after sleeping, waiting, and traveling. I turned the Autosaves back on just to be sure and there doesn't seem to be a problem with those either. Bummer about not having a smithy inside Hjerim but there's a full set of stations for it at the blacksmith's in the market so I'll just have to make do.

Anyway it looks like I can play again, yay!

But I went to see Ulfric while I was buzzing around checking things out and he has nothing new to say to me, the dog. After all we went through together. :nope:

Skybird

02-02-12, 06:13 AM

Is it possibly to deactivate HDR? I would like to see the chnage it makes. All in all it works well, but on some instances it simply is far too shiny. I think the wonderfully modelled fires from ttorches and campfires also suffer immensely from using HDR. I had it deactivated in Oblivion for that reason, too.

Blood on ice, sounds like a drink.

Saw a hottie in some hall in Whiterun, named Aela. Damn, I need to chase that girl down. :D

frau kaleun

02-02-12, 08:14 AM

Blood on ice, sounds like a drink.

It's a side quest in Windhelm that lets you play detective for a while, hot on the heels of a serial killer who has been murdering the local womenfolk. I believe it's also required if you want to purchase the property there and become Thane of the hold.

Saw a hottie in some hall in Whiterun, named Aela. Damn, I need to chase that girl down. :D

Join the Companions (the faction that lives in Jorrvaskr, the hall you no doubt saw her in) and complete their questline. Then she will be available to you as a follower and/or spouse. :yep:

She will also come along as your follower on a couple of the quests you must do to complete the Companions storyline. TBH I didn't care for her much as a follower but YMMV. She can also train you in archery altho I suspect you would prefer training with her in other areas. :haha: ;)

(I did extensive training with Vilkas - another Companion - in handling two-handed weapons. Nudge nudge wink wink. :O: )

Skybird

02-02-12, 08:29 AM

She will also come along as your follower on a couple of the quests you must do to complete the Companions storyline. TBH I didn't care for her much as a follower but YMMV. She can also train you in archery altho I suspect you would prefer training with her in other areas. :haha: ;)

(I did extensive training with Vilkas - another Companion - in handling two-handed weapons. Nudge nudge wink wink. :O: )

Two handed weapon... so-so... What slippery folks there is to meet in this Skyrim...

Not to mention the players.

frau kaleun

02-03-12, 12:13 PM

Hilarious Skyrim moment of the day, provided by the Windhelm carriage driver. Why this guy is driving a buggy instead of doing something a little more hardcore for a living, I'll never know, because apparently he has cojones made of genuine Skyforge steel.

So I'm leaving Windhelm for the sole purpose of lugging a bunch of stuff to Riften for storage. I decide to take the carriage. Where would you like to go? Riften. Hop on back and we'll be off. Ching kaching, money changes hands.

As I'm walking to the back of the carriage, an ancient dragon plops down directly behind it. No warning, no telltale roars, all I hear is one swoosh of big wings and sense a shadow overhead and next thing you know THUD there he is.

Thankfully I had Marked For Death armed and ready so I hit him with that right away and arrows were coming from everywhere, Argis for sure and probably some of the local guards. Anyway, it was a mercifully short battle BUT the whole time it was going all I can hear is the carriage driver in the background grumbling about the fact that I haven't gotten in the carriage.

Are you ready yet? *grumble grumble" I can't sit here all day.

Oh I'm sorry mister driver I'll just be a moment WHILE I KILL THIS DRAGON THAT ALMOST DID A LEELOO INTO THE BACK OF YOUR RIG. :haha:

In short: Skyrim Carriage Service = Serious Business.

Honorable mention to the stable guy who came around the corner of the stable and walked between me and the dragon's giant angry snapping maw of death in the middle of it all and then calmly apologized for getting in my way.

Also, I seem to have acquired a horse. I'm not sure what happened, really... all I remember is that during the Civil War quest we had to take some fort that was down the road from Rorikstead. I left the Magigolo at the inn there and went and did the battle, after which I saw a lone horse stabled at the fort, and the prompt when I got close said Ride and not Steal, so I figured what the heck and I got on and rode him back to Rorikstead since it wasn't very far. I left him by some farmer's house there and figured he'd find his own way home.

But now it seems like he's following me around, about every other time I leave or arrive at a city he's standing there outside the local stables pawing the ground and making his cute little horsie noises when I walk by. When I leave it seems like he follows us but I run everywhere if I'm traveling on foot and he just walks so we end up leaving him behind but two cities later, there he'll be again.

Did I "win" him by killing his owner at the fort? I dunno. I've ridden random horses that I found in the wild, usually standing over the body of some dead previous owner... but they never stick around.

Also I am having a LOT of seemingly random CTDs since installing the new patch, no one event that I can pin them on so far. It's like the game suddenly just decides that I've played long enough. I'm saving like mad but sometimes it happens in the middle of something where I'm not going to be stopping and saving and it's really frustrating. :stare:

Ducimus

02-03-12, 01:15 PM

/facepalm (http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1341343-patch-14-20-30-min-crash-cycle/page__pid__20212829#entry20212829)

I swear, mods to the Elderscrolls community, is like Eyecandy to the subsim community. First, foremost, and to nearly the expense of all else. :doh:

Drewcifer

02-03-12, 02:08 PM

Yeah since the new patch for me the game is almost unplayable really... It CTD every 20 to 30 min, and its stuttering so bad I can't hardly move. Thats on both Ultra and Lowest settings, its not a graphical issue as I was running Ultra before at a steady 60 fps. Now Everything runs fine until you move the mouse then it just stutters like crazy, and of course 20 to 30 min in will crash no matter where or what your doing.

I actually just left myself in the center of winterhold college and didn't move and set a timer while I watched tv, exactly 22 mins in the game crashed to desktop.

Task Force

02-03-12, 02:47 PM

I have had afiew odd crashes in the new patch (annoying enough one was right after fighting a ancient dragon, and a frost troll.)

Though performance is alot better for me, way better than it use to be.

Ducimus

02-03-12, 06:16 PM

I haven't had one crash yet post patch.

frau kaleun

02-03-12, 09:37 PM

/facepalm (http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1341343-patch-14-20-30-min-crash-cycle/page__pid__20212829#entry20212829)

Yup, I have been running the latest "stable" version of SKSE in order to use SkyUI with the newly patched game version and it seems like that may be a possible culprit. That '20 minute crash cycle' sounds about like what I've been experiencing. I really like SkyUI but I'm gonna take those two out of the mix and see what happens.

Edit: well I was referring to SKSE 1.4.08 but apparently there's a newer version out since the one everyone was complaining about. Will give that a try instead.

Krauter

02-03-12, 10:02 PM

@ Frau, initially I enjoyed horses (ie. Shadowmere) but I am actually getting so sick and tired of having him spawn right next to me when I fast travel to a new city. Not only that, if I accidentally hit a guard with a shout or what have you he goes on a goddam killing streak!

kiwi_2005

02-03-12, 11:34 PM

There's a new patch out? What are we up to now I have v1.3.10, and shouldn't the construction set be out anytime soon end of Feb?

darius359au

02-03-12, 11:50 PM

Latest version is 1.4 ,it was a beta but went live a couple of days ago .the construction kits supposed to be this week now the patch is live.
The new 195.51 beta nvidia drivers give a nice little bonus in performance on top of the new patches boost :D

frau kaleun

02-04-12, 12:41 AM

Have played for the past couple hours crash-free with the latest release of SKSE. Keeping fingers crossed. :yeah:

Also, it appears that being the Hero Of Skyrim really does have its perks...

http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/9715/ohulfricyounaughtyboy.jpg

Oh, Ulfric. If using "removeallitems" on you is wrong, I don't wanna be right. :rotfl2:

Altho leaving my husband/follower waiting downstairs while I do it does make me feel just a little guilty. :O:

darius359au

02-04-12, 12:48 AM

and in breaking news ,the creation kit is Tuesday :rock:http://games.on.net/article/14824/Skyrim_Creation_Kit_to_Launch_on_Tuesday

Ducimus

02-04-12, 08:00 AM

I just have to say, there's a couple war axe finishing move i like alot. In short, a war axe in the face! Talk about skull splitting. Needs more blood. :har:

HunterICX

02-04-12, 09:24 AM

You know whe you've played too much when you....

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

:dead:

HunterICX

Takeda Shingen

02-04-12, 09:34 AM

You know whe you've played too much when you....

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

:dead:

HunterICX

:haha:

kiwi_2005

02-04-12, 10:27 AM

Takeda Shingen

02-04-12, 10:50 AM

Unrelated to patch, but I am betting that one of the DLCs will feature Solstheim. Just a gut feeling.

Skybird

02-04-12, 11:36 AM

frau kaleun

02-04-12, 04:23 PM

Hm, I think I ran into another bug,m and this one threatens to stop the main quest. I met Delphine, went to Kyneshain, killed that dragon there, she told be she belonged to the Blades (? = Klingen)and that I should meet her in Riverwood (? Flußwald in German). I am, I slept in the Inn, I visited the hidden room, I talked to her, but nothing happens, she offers the same options for talking, I could ask her who the Thalmor are and why it is important whether or not I am a Dragonborn. She does not enter the basement hidden room, but stays in the tavern. Nothing else.

Have no clue what to do now, there is no quest continuing, I mean no main quest, only side quests. Googling tells me that I will infiltrate some embassy next, and that Delfine would instruct me. But she doesn't.

From the wiki:

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:A_Blade_in_the_Dark

Delphine may decide that messing around in the inn is more important than saving the world, and never enter her room. No amount of waiting will fix this. As usual, reloading an earlier save and hoping it works next time is the only option. This has been patched.

But I don't know if that refers to the scene at the inn before or after you kill the dragon at Kynesgrove, and it's the latter where you appear to be stuck. :hmmm:

This is the page for the Thalmor Embassy quest,

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Diplomatic_Immunity

which should be the next one in the main storyline. If reloading a previous save doesn't work (or would lose you too much stuff that you don't want to redo) you could try setting the Blade in the Dark quest to complete and then see what happens if it doesn't already show as complete in your journal. If it does, you can try using the console to advance the Diplomatic Immunity one to the point where she's already given you the first instructions for that (which would be telling you to go to Solitude and talk to Malborn).

Just offering the info, so take it FWIW - meaning I haven't tried advancing the main questline in that fashion. So far everything there has worked fine for me.

Skybird

02-04-12, 05:19 PM

I already had restarted a savegame from just short of Kyneshain three times, but it did not change anything. I also tried the console command "setstage MQ106 150/155/160 (/170/200)" to end that quest for sure, or in the tavern, "setstage 201 0/1/5 (/10/15/20)" to get the new quest started, but again: to no avail. It does not start that way.

Definitely a showstopper bug. Game is version 1.4.21.0.4 . No mods whatever.

:nope: :damn:

A pleasant surprise of a game - now ruined. But sometimes things are just too nice to be true. Where there is one bug, there lurk more in the shadows, evil dirty slimers - and knowing that one needs to expect more of that, dampens considerably any enthusiasm to continue the game. I already had several sidequest bugs, but so far could bypass them via Google and workarounds. Not this one. Just the wiki, when I discovered it - it is filled with bug descriptions from A to Z, almost every quest there is a chapter on seems to feature a longer list of issues some players are haunted by.

Will break off for some more months and meanwhile track the patchline they implement over the next month. At least once again I was lucky and have not payed money on the game.