[Jawbone54]

Did you find Borderlands' single-player any less enjoyable after teaming up with people?

[The Final Dakar]

Yes.

[sek929]

Borderlands was certainly a game that became a great deal more fun with firends.

[The Final Dakar]

I wouldn't consider it a primarily single-player game. The quality of weapon drops were dependent on the player count and it was marketed for the 4 player drop-in and out co-op.

[The Final Dakar]

[The Final Dakar]

Tom Bissell on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Grantland

[mattyb]

Before opening the last door of a place that you've just spent 30 minutes exploring, save the game.

You're welcome.

[Kevin Bogues]

Originally Posted by mattyb 

Before opening the last door of a place that you've just spent 30 minutes exploring, save the game.

You're welcome.

Ever played a Bethesda game? this rule is long standing.
I remember exploring like crazy, finding great ammo, weapons, and new side quests in fallout 3.... and then i got stuck in a tree

(that rhymed)

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by Kevin Bogues 

Ever played a Bethesda game? this rule is long standing.
I remember exploring like crazy, finding great ammo, weapons, and new side quests in fallout 3.... and then i got stuck in a tree

(that rhymed)

lol, I was stuck last night in some rocks, but some left and right movement along with jump-button-mashing sorted it. Your companion can also block you sometimes, but I've learned that you can just shove the bitch out of the way. She complains a little but loves it really.

[Kevin Bogues]

Originally Posted by mattyb 

...you can just shove the bitch out of the way. She complains a little but loves it really.

This is MORE than just a rule in Bethesda games...

[mattyb]

She must have read this thread, she's left me.

Not killed, just disappeared. Last thing she said 'Hey I'm on your side!' when she got in the way of my flames.

Lonely in frosty Skyrim when large breasted heavily armed brunette is not by your side it is.

[mattyb]

And, for some reason, she's back. She didn't find me, she turns up next to me after I fast travel to my house.

Stalker?

[The Final Dakar]

She can't quit you.

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

She can't quit you.

My magnetic personality?

--

I knew that she'd come back eventually, lots of people have lost companions for a bit.

[sek929]

Also a very similar bug to the Fallout games. If I ever lost my companion fast-traveling would usually bring them back.

[mattyb]

For those that like maps, biggie here.

http://cdn.botchweed.com/wp-content/.../skyrimmap.png

I'm not sure if Skyrim, in terms of size, is/was as big as Fallout, but FFS its HUGE.

Took me over 2 hours to get from (top of map, D:2) Solitude to the Solitude Lighthouse to the wreck of the Icerunner to the wreck of the Brinchammer.

[The Final Dakar]

That's amazing. Doubly so if there's no loading.

[mattyb]

When you go inside, there's always loading after you pass through a door. But stay outside and you can sometimes see the scenery being created as you get closer to an area. The areas with heavy snow you can't see shit past 4 or 5 metres. When it rains it reduces your vision as well.

I think that when you're on top of a high mountain looking around with rivers and forests and birds flying and you look down and get that feeling in your stomach that you wouldn't want to fall off ... its at moments like these that I can forgive Bethesda for the rock that isn't solid, the dagger floating in mid-air or falling through the map and dieing.

[Jawbone54]

Got a nice Christmas bonus, and decided to go ahead and pony up. I'm tired of looking at this game and not having it.

The only issue is the massive problems on the PS3 version. I prefer my cross-platform games on PS3, but I'm wondering if Trying to Explain Skyrim's Awful PS3 Lag are ever going to be resolved.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

I prefer my cross-platform games on PS3

Isn't that pretty much everything then? Now had you said single-player, then I would have nodded my head.

---

I'm leaning towards buying this at some point down the road, mostly on the back of the ridiculous size of the map (No loading? No one has commented). My only hesitation is, well, none of these have really ever appealed to me, but I think that's mostly a lack of knowledge than full-on disinterest.

[Jawbone54]

Yes, single-player. Basically everything that's not CoD or BF.

Watching videos of Skyrim online was a guaranteed way to get me interested in the game. Going through this thread didn't exactly do it, but just seeing the locales, scale, and even the wonky-looking combat of the game has been pulling me in steadily. Can't wait any longer.

[Kevin Bogues]

Before Fallout 3 hit my radar with the post apocalyptic atmosphere I refused to play any "open world" RPG... Obviously F3 changed all that for me.

Honestly it's not the combat or the skill trees that I like, it's purely the exploration, side missions, layed back "GTA" do whatever you want at your own pace attitude.

Want to spend hours exploring looking for items to craft the best thing since sliced bread? Do it. Wonder around at night sneaking into people's houses looting anything and everything? Do it. Go to towns and murder every innocent man, women, and child?... Umm okay... Do it.

I can't speak for skyrim directly (yet) but I've put hundreds or hours in The last two fallouts and oblivion and as long as you have proper expectations about what the game does awesome and average (combat for example) then its a great gaming experience.

[mattyb]

I've been watching a whole lot of boost-this-boost-that type vids recently. I finally came across someone who gave a warning. "Don't do this if you still want to play the game. It makes it too easy and boring afterwards".

Outstanding advice.

============

I really wish that we could label certain saves. I'd like to fool around a bit more in terms of stealing, murder etc but apart from noting 'Do not delete save 245' on a notepad next to my Xbox, I have no way ensuring that I can go backwards.

============

The arrow in the knee jokes are getting tedious.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

The only issue is the massive problems on the PS3 version. I prefer my cross-platform games on PS3, but I'm wondering if Trying to Explain Skyrim's Awful PS3 Lag are ever going to be resolved.

Doesn't look good: Digital Foundry vs. PS3 Skyrim Lag • Articles • Eurogamer.net
Also, Wow.

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Doesn't look good: Digital Foundry vs. PS3 Skyrim Lag • Articles • Eurogamer.net
Also, Wow.

Agreed, wow. Some of the comments are rough as well (and we thought that Blops was bad).

One has to wonder if Bethesda even care about PS3 performance.

[The Final Dakar]

These are the same people from Fallout, right? This shit is in their DNA.

[sek929]

I'm more appalled that Skyrim supposedly runs on an all-new Bethesda engine yet exhibits the same problems the old one had.

Doesn't matter, I'll still buy it, but really.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by sek929 

Doesn't matter, I'll still buy it, but really.

Not a shot at you (I'm interested after all) but this is why this shit is going to keep getting worse.

[Jawbone54]

Case settled. Going with 360 version.

The sad thing is that this makes me nervous about all cross-platform titles on PS3, not just ones from companies with terrible track records.

[The Final Dakar]

Oh, I thought you had already bought the PS3 version with the first post. Crisis averted, I guess.

[Jawbone54]

My friend came over yesterday with the PS3 version to show me around a bit. The game looked fantastic. I've actually been without Internet at home for 4 days (just got hooked back up), so we were playing without the patch as well.

I just can't chance them never fixing the problem.

[The Final Dakar]

Black Ops is a good example there. The general takeaway from patches is they're good for tweaks, but rarely (never) do you here someone go "It's a whole different game now."

[Jawbone54]

Question for everyone:

Do you think Skyrim should be eligible for Game of the Year consideration when the PS3 version was essentially shipped as a colossal, broken mess, and even the PC and 360 users have reported relatively serious glitches?

[The Final Dakar]

God, that question is probably worthy of its own thread.

[Jawbone54]

Bethesda outright denied Sawyer's claims, but how am I to believe anything they're saying at this point?

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Question for everyone:

Do you think Skyrim should be eligible for Game of the Year consideration when the PS3 version was essentially shipped as a colossal, broken mess, and even the PC and 360 users have reported relatively serious glitches?

I haven't heard of serious glitches on the Xbox version, was there anything that serious?

I wouldn't know how GOTY choices are made, but it is an amazing/large/diverse game that can easily eat up 100 hours.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by mattyb 

I haven't heard of serious glitches on the Xbox version, was there anything that serious?

I wouldn't know how GOTY choices are made, but it is an amazing/large/diverse game that can easily eat up 100 hours.

That's not the point. The issue is whether the gaming media has a moral responsibility to not reward a developer like Bethesda who:

1. Has a track record of pushing out games with "tens of thousands" of bugs.
2. Released the PS3 version with what appear to be near-fatal flaws, rendering the game unplayable after a few dozen hours (in a game that can "easily eat up 100 hours."
3. Did not send review copies of the PS3 version to the media, apparently knowing that it was broken.
4. Wil likely push out DLC for the game before the more serious issues are addressed.

Yes, the 360 version is incredible (though there have been reports of textures not loading when the game has been saved to the hard drive). Yes, the game is epic in scope. Yes, it might very well be the best game released this year.

But knowingly pushing out a product like the PS3 version is unforgivable.

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

That's not the point. The issue is whether the gaming media has a moral responsibility to not reward a developer like Bethesda who:

1. Has a track record of pushing out games with "tens of thousands" of bugs.
2. Released the PS3 version with what appear to be near-fatal flaws, rendering the game unplayable after a few dozen hours (in a game that can "easily eat up 100 hours."
3. Did not send review copies of the PS3 version to the media, apparently knowing that it was broken.
4. Wil likely push out DLC for the game before the more serious issues are addressed.

Yes, the 360 version is incredible (though there have been reports of textures not loading when the game has been saved to the hard drive). Yes, the game is epic in scope. Yes, it might very well be the best game released this year.

But knowingly pushing out a product like the PS3 version is unforgivable.

I understand your frustration, but this is par for the course in the software industry. What sucks is that its now basically an accepted trait. With my capitalist hat on, I'd like to think that 'da market' will resolve this sort of behaviour but that doesn't help in the short term.

I agree that Bethesda are scum for their behaviour towards the PS3, but so are/were Activision for PC users and MW2 (no dedicated servers), Microsoft and Sony for the new TOS etc. While it isn't cheap, luckily you can chose the platform that you want to play this game on.

[ajprice]

So not having a gaming PC, is Xbox version the one to get over PS3 with it's 'fatal flaws'? It's £22.50 at Gamestation (half price) and I've got a bonus points voucher to use there, so it might be a weekend purchase.

Reading around more, I think Xbox is the one to get, has the low texture bug when it's installed been fixed? http://www.computerandvideogames.com...exture-glitch/

[Jawbone54]

From what I understand, if you install a larger hard drive (which I did years ago) with plenty of space remaining, you won't have quite the same issues on PS3. According to IGN's poll, 25% of PS3 users have experienced the slowdown, and it appears to be ones with smaller hard drives with little space remaining. Turning off auto-save seems to help as well.

Side note: I had a question concerning Skyrim read on IGN's latest Podcast Beyond. Had a little "woo" moment listening to it on the way to work.

[sek929]

Turning off auto-save is a surefire way to get really, really burned by the random freezes.

[gradient]

I'm at 60+ hours on this game (360 version) and am frightfully addicted. At first I was a little disappointed at how much it resembles the last couple Fallout games but I'm enjoying the storylines so much more than the in Fallout that it became a non-issue quickly. I have to say, though, killing dragaons is waaaaayyyyy too easy.

[Jawbone54]

I haven't seen a dragon yet, but I'm only about 2 hours in (started my own last night). I'm afraid my holidays just disappeared.

[The Final Dakar]

It was amusing the other night to log on and see Jawbone at Level 1 and a friend at Level 81. The Alpha and the Omega.

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by gradient 

I'm at 60+ hours on this game (360 version) and am frightfully addicted. At first I was a little disappointed at how much it resembles the last couple Fallout games but I'm enjoying the storylines so much more than the in Fallout that it became a non-issue quickly. I have to say, though, killing dragaons is waaaaayyyyy too easy.

Stupid question, but how do you see the time that you have spent on this game? I can only find the number of days (Skyrim days) passed.

[mattyb]

There's a quest where you end up meeting some guards who want to take you to prison. You have 2 replies : Ok then or No, I'll fight to the death.

You cannot win the battle with the guards - I've found out since. Why give players the choice here? So that you can spend several hours killing but then getting killed by a stab in the back by a guard that wasn't there 2 seconds ago? Should we HAVE to use Google and/or YouTube to learn that we cannot in fact win the fight? A bit frustrating having spent a good 30 mins trying to get through this sequence.

[lpkmckenna]

That does seem like absolutely horrible game design. Why not just have the player lose the fight with the guards, and then wake up in custody? Why allow them to fight thru an unwinnable situation over and over again?

I'm not an RPG player, so take this with a grain of salt guys, but everything I read about Skyrim sounds negative to me. It's loaded with all the stuff I hate about RPGs (the grind, the endless gear management), plus absolutely crazy bugs and design choices like mattyb's example. I'm already overly critical of games, so I think Skyrim would make me tear my hair out.

[The Final Dakar]

There's no doubt that's awful game design. Like Deus Ex's boss fights.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

It was amusing the other night to log on and see Jawbone at Level 1 and a friend at Level 81. The Alpha and the Omega.

I believe I saw the same thing. I can't remember who it was though.

I felt more than a little insignificant.

[boy8cookie]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

I felt more than a little insignificant.

wat.