Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim ! {lulz?^^}

[Deolrin]

Wouldn't call Daedric princes "evil gods". Not some of 'em, anyway. Generic heroes commonly look for their artifacts in the TES lore, so I think it's fine.
And uh, you could find the Steed standing stone(in the far, cold north of Skyrim, near Winterhold, I think), which reduces any weight from your worn armor(though both the Light Armor and Heavy Armor trees have a perk for that), increases your carry weight and reduces movement speed penalty for wearing heavy armor.

 

[Edhel-dur]

Yeah but the perk is so far.

 

[RED BARON]

Yeah but the perk is so far.

Find something with very little damage output, find a cheap channel health spell, and just stand still for a few hours ).

Honestly thats how I trained my light armor (When I went from Heavy to light, as besides the stagger meant little to me at this point). (I did also have a fairly good health regeneration).

Show Example

 

[Deolrin]

Find something with very little damage output, find a cheap channel health spell, and just stand still for a few hours ).

Cheating. Please don't do that. Takes away all the fun.
Plus, getting to 100 in your main skills is incredibly easy. I'm a sneaky dagger\archer type character, and still managed to get 100 in Block, Two-Handed, Light Armor and Heavy Armor rather easily.

 

[Wazzz]

it's not cheating, persay, it's grinding
and incredibly boring

cheating would be copying that book that boosts the stats a kajillion times so that you reach level 81

 

[RED BARON]

Cheating. Please don't do that. Takes away all the fun.
Plus, getting to 100 in your main skills is incredibly easy. I'm a sneaky dagger\archer type character, and still managed to get 100 in Block, Two-Handed, Light Armor and Heavy Armor rather easily.

I do believe you missed my point entirely... I was making a joke and referring to what I did when I after 260 hours+ of gameplay changed from Heavy Armor to light armor due to cosmetics, but wanted to avoid the weight at that point..and as someone else say: Its grinding, not cheating

Besides Grinding is part of skyrim - Want to get smithing? Good luck getting that purely by smithing what you need.. Same goes for potions and so forth. And yes, I have trained just about any stat to about 100 by using it, but still I "grinded" for both smithing, enchanting, magics and so on. You appear to have no clue how long for instance it takes to get restoration up (When one use it only for healing), even with attempts to grind it, I am still only at 67 for that one. With the mechanic of gaining skills at it is, there is a large part of grinding intertwined with the gameplay and as such you will also have grinded, though you might not consider it such - For instance purely by going with the main story, can you honestly say you got dagger, archer, block, two handed and so forth without killing other enemies than those you meet during that story? (Yes hunting foxes, wolves and so forth with a bow is grinding, since that is how you increase that skill - thats how skyrim is made, same as getting hit on the armor is how that increases) Just the fact that you have both light and heavy indicates a level of grinding as you have made a change in armor to get it. Same does an archer/sneaky that gets 100 in block (Or you might just indicate your bad at it ). Anyway point being that by just going around killing or lets say in case of a warewolf eating, you are grinding - Calling it cheating is just a major fail.

 

[marko9]

I do believe you missed my point entirely... I was making a joke and referring to what I did when I after 260 hours+ of gameplay changed from Heavy Armor to light armor due to cosmetics, but wanted to avoid the weight at that point..and as someone else say: Its grinding, not cheating

Besides Grinding is part of skyrim - Want to get smithing? Good luck getting that purely by smithing what you need.. Same goes for potions and so forth. And yes, I have trained just about any stat to about 100 by using it, but still I "grinded" for both smithing, enchanting, magics and so on. You appear to have no clue how long for instance it takes to get restoration up (When one use it only for healing), even with attempts to grind it, I am still only at 67 for that one. With the mechanic of gaining skills at it is, there is a large part of grinding intertwined with the gameplay and as such you will also have grinded, though you might not consider it such - For instance purely by going with the main story, can you honestly say you got dagger, archer, block, two handed and so forth without killing other enemies than those you meet during that story? (Yes hunting foxes, wolves and so forth with a bow is grinding, since that is how you increase that skill - thats how skyrim is made, same as getting hit on the armor is how that increases) Just the fact that you have both light and heavy indicates a level of grinding as you have made a change in armor to get it. Same does an archer/sneaky that gets 100 in block (Or you might just indicate your bad at it ). Anyway point being that by just going around killing or lets say in case of a warewolf eating, you are grinding - Calling it cheating is just a major fail.

Use SkyRe it allows for a greater level cap, and skill trees go up to level 300. Its awesome and much more balanced... there is no stuff like Drinding.

 

[Edhel-dur]

I really don't feel like I'm grinding. I just play as things happen. I got Elven smithing, really wanted the elven sword, but I couldn't get refined moonstone... no worries really... two levels later.. i bought it from a vendor, got to be a really happy Breton woman. Human armor, Elven sword... LOTR style!

I just think I am not used with these types of RPGs, since I didn't ever had the chance to play Neverwinter, Baldur's Gate, Icewin Dale, etc. When I had tho, I felt the graphics were too bad, and I lacked patience. The only similar RPG I played before would be KOTOR I & II.

Anyway, I don't feel like there is any grinding in Skyrim, it's not like you are stuck and have to grind to get to a point. I am semi-stuck now in certain cities, with the questing... so I just went to a different one.

 

[Deolrin]

Besides Grinding is part of skyrim - Want to get smithing? Good luck getting that purely by smithing what you need.. Same goes for potions and so forth.

I have over 600 hours total on all of my characters, and this is literally the only instance where I "grinded". This was before the Smithing patch, mind you. I would collect every piece of leather and hide I find, kill every wolf, bear and fox, and when my adventures take me to a town, I would craft a bunch of Hide Bracers. Leveled me up pretty fast to 100.
I never really liked alchemy. It's just... Confusing. I basically feel like I have no idea what I'm doing, and 90% of the time, the potions I create will be useless. Really, the only potions I use on a regular basis are Blacksmithing potions and Healing potions. I do, however, use some poisons when fighting powerful enemies, especially during lower levels.

Anyway, Red Baron. My point is that I never really got out of the way to level things up. I switched to Imperial Heavy Armor during the Imperial Legion quests, upgraded it to Legendary through smithing, enchanted it to be awesome, found a secret\hidden\unique closed Imperial 'cavalry' helmet(looks like the ones in Oblivion) inside the East Empire Company warehouse outside of Solitude, improved\enchanted it as well, and from then on I just did quests in that armor. Didn't notice much of a change, because I hit the armor cap with both of my sets, thanks to smithing.

 

[RED BARON]

Use SkyRe it allows for a greater level cap, and skill trees go up to level 300. Its awesome and much more balanced... there is no stuff like Drinding.

Yea, I have that one as well

Anyway, Red Baron. My point is that I never really got out of the way to level things up. I switched to Imperial Heavy Armor during the Imperial Legion quests, upgraded it to Legendary through smithing, enchanted it to be awesome, found a secret\hidden\unique closed Imperial 'cavalry' helmet(looks like the ones in Oblivion) inside the East Empire Company warehouse outside of Solitude, improved\enchanted it as well, and from then on I just did quests in that armor. Didn't notice much of a change, because I hit the armor cap with both of my sets, thanks to smithing.

Yep, but thats somewhat in relation to what I meant - doing all the exploration and such is in a way "grinding", though I do not consider it such either - And I would likely have gone the same had I picked a side (Sounds like you been playing it over and over from new, some times - while I should mention that mine is still my first char - I am basically exploring everything, so for me certain things have come down to "grinding" as I don't increase them doing my normal play - Armor: I am a conjure/archer and never gets hit, restoration: I don't have a follower, pickpocket: not a thief, block: No weapons and so forth). Sound nice with the helmet - Though I personally prefer to appear less armored due to the talking with people appear more real to me that way. Might chance should I get around to actually complete the main story at some point. And yea, alchemy is odd and I basically just used it and got it for two purposes: Blacksmith potion and enchanting potion - I tend to find all the healing I need and rarely get around to create cure poison when I need it - I have had a use for it once for a carry potion - But I did look it up to see what the ingredients were. As for confusion I find it somewhat easy, 4 effects which is known by either use or eating it - combining two ingredients with the same effect creates the potion with that effect, add a third for additional effect - Such as increased duration.

Anyone got a good mod with lots of hidden ways?

 

[Edhel-dur]

I just realized Heavy Armor doesn't work with Dragonforge Armor. I still want to go for Dragonforge though, my question is if it's stronger than a daedric armor with heavy armor buffs.

 

[RED BARON]

I just realized Heavy Armor doesn't work with Dragonforge Armor. I still want to go for Dragonforge though, my question is if it's stronger than a daedric armor with heavy armor buffs.

No, it isn't to my knowledge. Besides the deadric is also a heavy armor + in my opinion the vanilla dragon armor is pretty damn ugly.

 

[Edhel-dur]

@Deolrin, I actually managed to understand Alchemy.

So what you have to do first is decide what kind of potion you want to make. Let's say you want to make Restore Health potion, but you don't know how to, or which ingredients to use. Well you need to harvest ingredients and eat them to show their properties. When you find two ingredients which both have Restore Health as a property, than you go the Alchemist Table, use those two ingredients and there you have it, a potion.

Basically ingredients have different properties and when you want to make a potion you just need to match the ingredients based on properties.

 

[Deolrin]

Yes, that's the basics, Edhel-dur.
But every ingredient has four possible effects. And you can simply mix three ingredients with unknown effects, and if any of the effects 'overlap', or exist in two or more ingredients, you will create a potion and permanently discover those effects. The only problem is: How do you level it? Do you just keep discovering effects and make random potions? Do you try to make the most expensive potions(those give you the most experience)? Do you only make useful potions? I don't understand.

 

[RED BARON]

The only problem is: How do you level it? Do you just keep discovering effects and make random potions? Do you try to make the most expensive potions(those give you the most experience)? Do you only make useful potions? I don't understand.

Leveling it is simple - The more potions you make (no matter the type), the more you level - Using items to increase alchemy effectiveness helps (For me it also appears that using more rare ingredients gives more experience). Not sure if thats what your asking though.

 

[marko9]

Leveling it is simple - The more potions you make (no matter the type), the more you level - Using items to increase alchemy effectiveness helps (For me it also appears that using more rare ingredients gives more experience). Not sure if thats what your asking though.

Correct but that is because you use SkyRe, if not Alchemy is more like a grinding perk tree... but SkyRe gives you more options with it

 

[Deolrin]

Stop bringing up that SkyRe mod. It completely breaks any sort of immersion that Bethesda created. It adds a shitton of stupid, ugly items(like Daedric armor recolors into golden\white colors), etc.

 

[RED BARON]

Correct but that is because you use SkyRe, if not Alchemy is more like a grinding perk tree... but SkyRe gives you more options with it

I checked and realized that what I had wasn't skyRe - Guess thats why this makes no sense to me - Also now that I have actually checked what skyRe is - I would likely not install nor recommend it.

 

[Edhel-dur]

You can continue eating until you discover all the 4 properties. When I want to get healing potions done, I just match two ingredients. My alchemy is low tho so...

 

[marko9]

I checked and realized that what I had wasn't skyRe - Guess thats why this makes no sense to me - Also now that I have actually checked what skyRe is - I would likely not install nor recommend it.

Why not dude?

 

[Deolrin]

You can continue eating until you discover all the 4 properties. When I want to get healing potions done, I just match two ingredients. My alchemy is low tho so...

No you can't. You have to get perks for that, in the Alchemy table.
And you can mix up to three ingredients together, though I don't think that 3 ingredients with only the "Restore Health" effect in common are more powerful than 2 ingredients.

 

[RED BARON]

Why not dude?

"blow up bandit camps with explosives"

"disguise as a Forsworn" -> Why?

"It is also strongly advised to start a new game. Do not attempt to apply this mod to an old char - it will mess everything up. The older the char, the bigger the damage caused. Characters created with SkyRe can NOT roll back to vanilla, so backing up savegames is advised (as always)." -> I am still playing my original char - Hence no odd mods before that Then maybe.

"The goofy "Fists of Steel" has been removed; all unarmed perks are in "Light Weaponry"" -> I Disagree with the thoughts about Heavy armor

But well main point is that it changes so much that I would not use it nor recommend it for a first time play through, for a second less serious one, I'll be willing to both recommend and give it a try. However we're recommending for a new player.

No you can't. You have to get perks for that, in the Alchemy table.
And you can mix up to three ingredients together, though I don't think that 3 ingredients with only the "Restore Health" effect in common are more powerful than 2 ingredients.

Yep, and also tried with the additional ingredient with no effect, so as said before I believe the third needs to have an effect that boost the effect of the others - while not being the same effect.

 

[Edhel-dur]

No you can't. You have to get perks for that, in the Alchemy table.
And you can mix up to three ingredients together, though I don't think that 3 ingredients with only the "Restore Health" effect in common are more powerful than 2 ingredients.

Oh, right. Well my Alchemy is still 26 and I feel like it should have been higher for how many potions I crafted.

Anyway really like the choice system in this game. There are no Good/Evil points, and most of the time the choice you make isn't through dialogue but through your actions.

 

[Edhel-dur]

So I feel dumb for saying this, but I have at last learned how to transfer my items from the personal inventory to a stash or chest. Now I have no more weight problems as I just stash everything in one place. It's in the Companion HQ. I hope no one steals anything from there.

I've also got the perk for Heavy Armor to not slow me anymore, feels a difference in combat as I can avoid power attacks better, when I'm out of Stamina and I can't block.

So I've only just started doing the Thieves Guild questline, and so I want to start using Bows as my weapon, but apparently I suck at using them effectively. What strategies do you guys recommend.

 

[marko9]

So I feel dumb for saying this, but I have at last learned how to transfer my items from the personal inventory to a stash or chest. Now I have no more weight problems as I just stash everything in one place. It's in the Companion HQ. I hope no one steals anything from there.

I've also got the perk for Heavy Armor to not slow me anymore, feels a difference in combat as I can avoid power attacks better, when I'm out of Stamina and I can't block.

So I've only just started doing the Thieves Guild questline, and so I want to start using Bows as my weapon, but apparently I suck at using them effectively. What strategies do you guys recommend.

You should combine bows with stealth, that Is the combination I play with, also use poisons on Arrows (Especially if you play on Master) and use Light Armor... sneak just does not go well with heavy armor, as well as bows

 

[Deolrin]

So I feel dumb for saying this, but I have at last learned how to transfer my items from the personal inventory to a stash or chest. Now I have no more weight problems as I just stash everything in one place. It's in the Companion HQ. I hope no one steals anything from there.

Horrible idea. Most containers reset. You need to buy a house in order to have safe containers. I suggest you go back to that chest and take everything back.

 

[RED BARON]

Horrible idea. Most containers reset. You need to buy a house in order to have safe containers. I suggest you go back to that chest and take everything back.

They might be safe for it, otherwise get the General Storage mod to ensure no matter what mod or update you apply you'll never risk losing stored items. (Have happened with a Skyrim patch and can apply to certain mods changing areas and/or when updating those). And it autosorts your items

Otherwise I find the magic academy after completing its main quest a good safe place to store stuff.

 

[Edhel-dur]

Yep, damn Companions stole everything from my Chest. How dare they nose in into the Harbinger's Chambers.

Anyway, have a House in Riften, stashed everything there.

Now, I am level 37ish or so. I am stuck at about 65 smithing. I run on the latest patch so just spamming Iron Daggers doesn't help me. I am interested I guess in a Glass Sword I guess, as I hope it deals more damage than my Elven Sword. However my main goal is still Dragonforge Armor, so any tips on how to get lv 100?

 

[RED BARON]

Now, I am level 37ish or so. I am stuck at about 65 smithing. I run on the latest patch so just spamming Iron Daggers doesn't help me. I am interested I guess in a Glass Sword I guess, as I hope it deals more damage than my Elven Sword. However my main goal is still Dragonforge Armor, so any tips on how to get lv 100?

I believe I already mentioned it, but find some Dwemer locations and get all those Dwemer ingots - There is usually a ton of them.

Stash as many as possible and start creating Dwemer bows - They are cheap yet give decent skill upgrades.

 

[Edhel-dur]

So I have to research Dwarven smithing? Hmm okay.

 

[RED BARON]

So I have to research Dwarven smithing? Hmm okay.

Actually I should make the note, that if you have the heartfire dlc, you'll likely also get a lot of smithing from that, given the many nails, locks and hinges one have to create. And those use iron.

 

[Edhel-dur]

I heard the next patch is in beta. Besides all the bug fixing it seems that when we will reach 100 in one skill, we have the option to go 'legendary', meaning it resets back to 15... although if it resets to 15.. won't we loose the benefits of that skill tree?

 

[RED BARON]

I heard the next patch is in beta. Besides all the bug fixing it seems that when we will reach 100 in one skill, we have the option to go 'legendary', meaning it resets back to 15... although if it resets to 15.. won't we loose the benefits of that skill tree?

Hope not, wouldn't really see that point in doing that (Speaking of bugs, I assume you have added the unofficial patches right?)

 

[Edhel-dur]

Well it seems they are doing this for two reasons. The first reason is so you can keep on leveling even after you reached the 100 cap. The second reason I think it serves as a respecc. Like you understand that you don't want certain perks because they don't work how you imagined it. Or maybe they just want you easily re-specialize from Warrior to Thief. Eitherway sounds wierd. Though it will also come with a new difficulty.

Yes actually I have added the unofficial patches and the optimization for performances mod.

Edit: I also added some immersion and UI enhancing mods. Also character skin and mesh improvements, mostly for the face. Tried to install better hairs but they look to good compared to everything else. Also Immersion Armors mod doesn't install for me, I think it has something to do with my hardware.

However for some odd reason I still have some FPS drops when I go into the Red Flagon. I noticed it happens everytime when there is shining rocks/textures in caves. Any ideas on how to fix that?

Oh, I also can play with textures on Medium now since I got the optimization for performance mod.

 

[RED BARON]

However for some odd reason I still have some FPS drops when I go into the Red Flagon. I noticed it happens everytime when there is shining rocks/textures in caves. Any ideas on how to fix that?

Oh, I also can play with textures on Medium now since I got the optimization for performance mod.

Nice As for the red flagon (I assume you meant the ragged flagon) I would propose to look at the two mods I posted a link to earlier, in regards to cleaning the files and hiding things from view not visible anyway - Both increase performance without risk.

Links:

Texture Optimizer(be a bit careful with this - Read carefully)

TES5Edit to clean your save (safe)

Try updating the texture or the area for that region (if area remove stuff from chests first):

For instance is it just the entrance that does it - mayhap another will help?

Or do a little reduction on textures, while still keeping them nice:
Redux

Or removing fog might help, though also ruin some immersion

This have been said to solve lag issues for some: Window Mode

As an alternative to those commands to remove shadows, I recommend:
Performance Improvement - This works quite great if you have a low grade performance - Though I myself am not using it, I have tested it on a low end setup.

According to some an FPS limiter mod can help, though I dunno if it will make any difference and be careful with it - Alternatively you can use nvidea's manager or MSI afterburner.

Just for kicks some mods I found and want to add myself:

Sword of Woe replacer - More unique appearance

Red Eagle Sword replacer - Make them have their own look

And make the easter-egg look more worthy

Oh for fun try this:

Tropical or Minecraft

Anyway Good luck with it.

 

[Edhel-dur]

I've checked your earlier posts already and hadn't found anything related to performance increase.

Texture Optimizer & TES5Edit - will check into those.

Redux - looks good, will test it, altho it's for people with 1gb Video Ram, I'm on 512.

I will keep the fog.

I don't want to add any weapon mods just yet, maybe I will for my second run. I checked that Tropical mod earlier today, sounds good but, maybe on the second run.

Edit: Ragged Flagon FPS drop fixed by Colorful Lights - No Shadows - More FPS mod.

Do I need to High Resolution Pack for Redux to work?

 

[RED BARON]

I've checked your earlier posts already and hadn't found anything related to performance increase.

Texture Optimizer & TES5Edit - will check into those.

Edit: Ragged Flagon FPS drop fixed by Colorful Lights - No Shadows - More FPS mod.

Do I need to High Resolution Pack for Redux to work?

Doubt it, they are just textures and as such doesn't require anything else. If you have the unofficial texture pack patch I would recommend getting that, but as your not running with high quality texture pack from them I see no need.

Glad to hear it fixed it As said its a very nice mod for low end specs.

I might have miss remembered posting them, but I reposted most of them except one, I check and see if I can find it.
Found it, though dunno if you already have it, but its: Skyrim Project

Also another one I can't recall if I recommended: Glowing ore


Very useful, just use the less glow so it still looks "real".

 

[Edhel-dur]

The Optimization Mod was the first one I got. It's really amazing. I had problems with running the game on Medium, I had to be on Low, however with that Mod + a few other small tweaks I can enjoy the game on Medium settings, which you really notice the difference.

Yeah I like Glowing Ore, altho I'm okay with just buying and selling stuff in order to advance in smithing.

I've seen a mod but I didn't save it at the time, maybe you know it, it removes the glow from the character skin. The skin just looks haloish and I dislike that.

 

[RED BARON]

I've seen a mod but I didn't save it at the time, maybe you know it, it removes the glow from the character skin. The skin just looks haloish and I dislike that.

I would assume it could be this one, if you have that problem:
Skin Glow Removal

Well other than that, I know that some character glow is controlled by this command which you could set to 0 in the init file:

iBlurDeferredShadowMask to 0

It effects the shadow as well, but can be made up for my adjusting those as well (its only how hard the shadows appear).

Shadow commands:
iShadowMapResolution=4096,
iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=4096
iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=4096

(Be aware that this high might not be what you want, just suggestion)

The glow (if I am thinking about the same one as you) is not a problem all have though.

 

[Edhel-dur]

Yes, thanks, that's the one.

Playing Skyrim, I have to think that TESO won't be as great. I mean, Skyrim is good without mods, but it's great with mods. Especially on the performance and optimization side. I mean Blizzard has a long history of great optimization on their games, that's one of the reasons why WoW was such a great MMO. So I have to wonder, in an MMO where performance and optimization is pretty much a key part of the game, how well will they do? Also bug fixing.

 

[RED BARON]

Glad to hear it and yea I am doubtful about that as well.

 

[Edhel-dur]

Well, finished most of the main storylines. Lv 49 now.

Have to say, the Dragonborn quest series ending feels light to say the least. Was also expecting better scripted fights with Alduin, and also, after doing so many quests, getting my skills up... you receive a one-shot-wonder-ability shout which makes him feel weaker and erases all your training.

 

[RED BARON]

Well, finished most of the main storylines. Lv 49 now.

Have to say, the Dragonborn quest series ending feels light to say the least. Was also expecting better scripted fights with Alduin, and also, after doing so many quests, getting my skills up... you receive a one-shot-wonder-ability shout which makes him feel weaker and erases all your training.

huh? The only thing the shout does is make him mortal and force dragons to ground? Or are you talking about something other than dragon rend? If you feel its weak, then just go with: Deadly Dragons

If your referring to the Dragonborn dlc quest then I haven't tried it yet

 

[Edhel-dur]

I disagree with you here. The game is supposed to be good stand-alone. Addons are there to customize and go from good to great.

The problem is, as you enter the final stage of the Dragonborn quests which in-game are reguarded as the main storyline along side the Civil War, nothing unique happens, and it's all brain dead.

I had to use my brain to kill normal dragons, as a close combat character, I had to make them come on the ground. Alduin wouldn't tho, he was just flying around, so I had to use Dragonrend. Okay, but once he is on the ground, he was 3-6 hits dead. He is the main character you want to slay. And he died in 3-6 hits, without anything spectacular coming from him. He barely did any damage to me.

After he dies, you aren't rewarded with much. You are in Valhalla, you see some characters who you encountered earlier, and you can't have any kind of deep interaction with them. I meet Ysgrimmar and he doesn't notice I am using his shield. I meet Koldrak and he doesn't ask anything about the guild, or comment about me as the Guild Master.

The Thieves Guild ending was amazing. You become an agent of Nocturne, you make a pact with her, you are given a full set of thief items (swords, bow, full armor), you become the leader of the Guild, you are given a new daily power to use. Sure, the last fight wasn't that good, but he was just a mortal, a human. And killing him you also need to find a way out and than luck comes into play and saves you. It's dynamic.

The Dragonborn ending isn't dynamic. I had more trouble with regular dragons than with Alduin. I don't feel great that I killed Alduin. It felt like I used all my strength to crush a bug. Dragonrend could have had a longer cooldown, Alduin could have had more health, scripted stuff could have happen especially since the fight was in Valhalla. I mean he feasts on the dead, yet he never releases them to attack you? And the path to Sovengard, is really dull. I really expected a unique looking, with more interesting creatures and puzzles dungeon. Not same old, same old. I mean, on my way to defeat the 'great evil', I see 'same old, same old' areas and mechanics? All they did was spawn a lot of undeads with helmets which takes 3 attacks to kill.

Just that, it really felt immersive breaking, or maybe as not as immersive as other quest chains.

Edit: Still the game overall is great.

 

[RED BARON]

[HIDDEN=""Show]I disagree with you here. The game is supposed to be good stand-alone. Addons are there to customize and go from good to great.

The problem is, as you enter the final stage of the Dragonborn quests which in-game are reguarded as the main storyline along side the Civil War, nothing unique happens, and it's all brain dead.

I had to use my brain to kill normal dragons, as a close combat character, I had to make them come on the ground. Alduin wouldn't tho, he was just flying around, so I had to use Dragonrend. Okay, but once he is on the ground, he was 3-6 hits dead. He is the main character you want to slay. And he died in 3-6 hits, without anything spectacular coming from him. He barely did any damage to me.

After he dies, you aren't rewarded with much. You are in Valhalla, you see some characters who you encountered earlier, and you can't have any kind of deep interaction with them. I meet Ysgrimmar and he doesn't notice I am using his shield. I meet Koldrak and he doesn't ask anything about the guild, or comment about me as the Guild Master.

The Thieves Guild ending was amazing. You become an agent of Nocturne, you make a pact with her, you are given a full set of thief items (swords, bow, full armor), you become the leader of the Guild, you are given a new daily power to use. Sure, the last fight wasn't that good, but he was just a mortal, a human. And killing him you also need to find a way out and than luck comes into play and saves you. It's dynamic.

The Dragonborn ending isn't dynamic. I had more trouble with regular dragons than with Alduin. I don't feel great that I killed Alduin. It felt like I used all my strength to crush a bug. Dragonrend could have had a longer cooldown, Alduin could have had more health, scripted stuff could have happen especially since the fight was in Valhalla. I mean he feasts on the dead, yet he never releases them to attack you? And the path to Sovengard, is really dull. I really expected a unique looking, with more interesting creatures and puzzles dungeon. Not same old, same old. I mean, on my way to defeat the 'great evil', I see 'same old, same old' areas and mechanics? All they did was spawn a lot of undeads with helmets which takes 3 attacks to kill.

Just that, it really felt immersive breaking, or maybe as not as immersive as other quest chains.

Edit: Still the game overall is great.[/HIDDEN]

Ahh, well thats why I haven't come to that part yet - I have only acquired the dragon rend, I have yet to complete the main story go to Valhalla, kill him play any of Dawnguard other than random vampire spawn and do any dragonborn dlc stuff Been way too busy completing every single other side-quest and finding every location. If its as you say, which I don't doubt - then I would/will feel equally disappointed. I have already seen some examples of that in the game, and having the ending like that is typical - reminds about my disappointment in the Oblivion ending (something the shivering Isles ending fixed, by being so awesome ). So if they have done that again, meh hope the dlc ending make up for it to some degree.
But well, that is one of the prime reasons I have for going into game creation, so at least I can take comfort in the fact that it is still something thats lacking even in great games.

 

[Edhel-dur]

I did a lot of main and side quests too. Just that I wanted to save some for my second character who will be a thief. I will also add more mods for my second run, make it more realistic. But that will happen when I get a new PC. Haven't done much of Dawnguard tbh, might do on second run. Assassin-Thief-Vampire-Dark Elf incoming I suppose.

 

[Deolrin]

In case you make an assassin, I suggest you try out Illusion magic. It's really fun to frenzy people and make them fight eachother, or go invisible for a stealthy kill, or stab someone, calm them down and then stab them in the back again.

 

[Edhel-dur]

I've been snooping around Lighting Mods.

Which one do you use, or you think is best and why?

 

[Deolrin]

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/30450
Simple, realistic, doesn't destroy my performance. I love the mid-day lighting conditions outside, but I don't really like the uber-dark caves.

 

[Edhel-dur]

And with what other mods do you pair it with? Like Lanterns of Skyrim for example.