The OFFICIAL Anandtech Forums TeS V: Skyrim Thread

[QuantumPion]

The interface was annoying for the first hour or so, then I got used to it and can navigate just fine...I mean I get that it's not ideal, but after awhile it is no longer a distraction (for me at least). I actually wouldn't have given it a second thought if I didnt see all the hate on here and other forums...just doesnt seem like that big of a deal. Loving the game so far.

Same thoughts here.

 

[Merad]

The interface was annoying for the first hour or so, then I got used to it and can navigate just fine...I mean I get that it's not ideal, but after awhile it is no longer a distraction (for me at least). I actually wouldn't have given it a second thought if I didnt see all the hate on here and other forums...just doesnt seem like that big of a deal. Loving the game so far.

x3

 

[zerocool84]

Reviews look good and from what you guys say it's good but I can definitely wait a while for this. Bethesda games usually need a couple patches to run well plus I've always thought Oblivion/Fallout were overrated but still fun. I'll wait a few months until it's cheaper and I've played through all the other good stuff that's come out.

 

[coldmeat]

For a miscellaneous quest I need to make a hide helmet, but I can't figure out how to do it. What machine do I use? The workbench will only let me improve a hide helmet I already have.

edit: nvm, apparently you make a hide helmet with a forge.

 

[Locut0s]

Ok so far graphics are very very nice. Textures are indeed rather low res on my 30in display but nothing horrible. Game feels very immersive but also very familiar. So if you liked Oblivion you will know what to expect more of the same but better done. If you didn't like Oblivion this game probably will not change your mind.

FRAPS shows that I'm getting 30fps in some places outside at 2560x1600 but I didn't have it running during the intro where I was clearly getting less than 30 so during heavy battle sequences I think I'm getting like 15fps. However it looks like crossfire is not in use now so I should get much better frame rates when a profile comes out.

One thing that worries me is that I've already had 3 crashes to the desktop in 90min. WTF? Hope this gets better.

 

[Locut0s]

Now that I have some of it mapped to the extra buttons on my mouse it's much much better!

LAWLS I get 7-8 fps in ultra at 2560.

 

[KentState]

Well, just installed and it tried playing. The entire time playing I'm thinking WTF did I buy this for the PC. The game looks like crap, the UI is horrible and animations are pitiful. I never played Witcher 2, so how do these graphics stack up? This game looks and feels worse than stuff from 5 years ago.

 

[dennilfloss]

Every once in a while, one has to take a leek in Skyrim...

http://steamcommunity.com/id/fadeddream/screenshot/631856593578096006

Buckets are so important in this game...

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/11/wanted-buckets-accomplices-to-theft-and-murder-in-skyrim/

 

[Northern Lawn]

Well, just installed and it tried playing. The entire time playing I'm thinking WTF did I buy this for the PC. The game looks like crap, the UI is horrible and animations are pitiful. I never played Witcher 2, so how do these graphics stack up? This game looks and feels worse than stuff from 5 years ago.

I like this post. I bought a xbox 3 years ago or so just to play Halo 3, haven't even turned it on since... only PC games for me. But now I just bought a 60 inch plasma so I decided to get skyrim for xbox, I haven't tried it yet but all these problems PC games have had lately might make me a console player (except for shooters). Then again, I remember that last thing on the xbox I was doing was working my way through halo 3 on legendary.

 

[coldmeat]

Does the sun not move at a constant pace? It seems it only moves every few seconds, or at least the shadows do. So what happens is every few seconds the shadows kinda jitter and flash. It's ugly and distracting.

 

[Jaiguru]

Every once in a while, one has to take a leek in Skyrim...

http://steamcommunity.com/id/fadeddream/screenshot/631856593578096006

Buckets are so important in this game...

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/11/wanted-buckets-accomplices-to-theft-and-murder-in-skyrim/

The bucket had be rofling pretty good over here.

Has anyone had a run in with the giants yet? I found out the hard way to just stay the hell away from them at all costs. One decided to chase me through the open field them send me flying at least 400ft in the air when it finally killed me.

 

[zerocool84]

I like this post. I bought a xbox 3 years ago or so just to play Halo 3, haven't even turned it on since... only PC games for me. But now I just bought a 60 inch plasma so I decided to get skyrim for xbox, I haven't tried it yet but all these problems PC games have had lately might make me a console player (except for shooters). Then again, I remember that last thing on the xbox I was doing was working my way through halo 3 on legendary.

It seems the Xbox version is having problems as well. As usual, Bethesda games cannot release without a ton of bugs.

 

[Locut0s]

It seems the Xbox version is having problems as well. As usual, Bethesda games cannot release without a ton of bugs.

The way they design their games seems entirely built around the scripted editor concept. The same tools they give the modding community. This allows them to quickly build HUGE worlds with a mind numbing amount of content. But it also means everything is cookie cutter in nature and they spend very little time testing out all the variations. So you end up getting all kinds of small animation and texture alignment bugs. Some of this is forgivable as they have to concentrate on the big picture in order to create this amount of content. You just can't test out everything if you literally have thousands of square miles worth of content. But then again the shear number of bugs still points to a lack of testing discipline. It really does feel like they are falling back on the modding community to hand polish their games for them.

Still having said that the level of immersion in these games is hard to beat and it's easy to get lost in them.

 

[Locut0s]

I'm actually going to hold off a bit and only play only a little bit each day. I'm going to wait till AMD gets a crossfire profile out for it before sinking my teeth in deeper. Also wonder how long it will take for the first patch to come out. It clearly needs a patch or two, or three. Still it's fun.

 

[Gryz]

People are complaining way too much.

Yes, I hate the UI with a passion. Yes, I blame it on consoles.

Yes, I had mouse-lag. Yes, the FoV is ridiculously narrow. Yes, there are more little issues like that in the PC version. But I don't care. There are easy ini-changes to take care of that. Those problems are small and will be fixed soon, either in patches by Bethesda, or with ini-changes and mods.

But the game itself is pretty sweet. Technology-wise, I don't think it is a big step up from Oblivion. But would you really want a Crysis2-like RPG ? Nope. I rather have a good game with Oblivion-level graphics. And that is what we are getting here. I have played only for 2 hours. But I was enjoying myself. The landscapes looked beautiful. The animations aren't perfect, but a big improvements over Morrowind/Oblivion. The voice-acting was good (I wasn't annoyed by them, so that's good).

I've been postponing to upgrade my system. E8500, 4GB ram and a GTX260. I'm running all sliders at max (including Ultra shadows), with 4xAA. I am getting 25-60 fps everywhere (1920x1200). Good enough for me. Only when plugins with lighting changes and ultra-high textures come, I might need to speed up buying my new machine.

So far, I am impressed with the game.

 

[KentState]

People are complaining way too much.

Yes, I hate the UI with a passion. Yes, I blame it on consoles.

Yes, I had mouse-lag. Yes, the FoV is ridiculously narrow. Yes, there are more little issues like that in the PC version. But I don't care. There are easy ini-changes to take care of that. Those problems are small and will be fixed soon, either in patches by Bethesda, or with ini-changes and mods.

But the game itself is pretty sweet. Technology-wise, I don't think it is a big step up from Oblivion. But would you really want a Crysis2-like RPG ? Nope. I rather have a good game with Oblivion-level graphics. And that is what we are getting here. I have played only for 2 hours. But I was enjoying myself. The landscapes looked beautiful. The animations aren't perfect, but a big improvements over Morrowind/Oblivion. The voice-acting was good (I wasn't annoyed by them, so that's good).

I've been postponing to upgrade my system. E8500, 4GB ram and a GTX260. I'm running all sliders at max (including Ultra shadows), with 4xAA. I am getting 25-60 fps everywhere (1920x1200). Good enough for me. Only when plugins with lighting changes and ultra-high textures come, I might need to speed up buying my new machine.

So far, I am impressed with the game.

All the things that people are complaining about should not exist in a newly released product. The graphics and animations are what you expect five years ago. Yes, I do expect something closer to Crysis 2 or BF3. In the first "sewer" section, one of the guards actual ice skated on one leg to move. The hair looks like something from a PS2 game and the trees do not look realistic at all. For reference, I'm running on Ultra settings using a i7-920 and a GTX 580 both overclocked at 1080p.

The controls and UI are also a step backward from Oblivion and not on par with anything recently released on the PC.

In the end, this feels like DLC for Oblivion and not what Bethesda has been showing us for the last 6 months.

 

[Locut0s]

People are complaining way too much.

Yes, I hate the UI with a passion. Yes, I blame it on consoles.

Yes, I had mouse-lag. Yes, the FoV is ridiculously narrow. Yes, there are more little issues like that in the PC version. But I don't care. There are easy ini-changes to take care of that. Those problems are small and will be fixed soon, either in patches by Bethesda, or with ini-changes and mods.

But the game itself is pretty sweet. Technology-wise, I don't think it is a big step up from Oblivion. But would you really want a Crysis2-like RPG ? Nope. I rather have a good game with Oblivion-level graphics. And that is what we are getting here. I have played only for 2 hours. But I was enjoying myself. The landscapes looked beautiful. The animations aren't perfect, but a big improvements over Morrowind/Oblivion. The voice-acting was good (I wasn't annoyed by them, so that's good).

I've been postponing to upgrade my system. E8500, 4GB ram and a GTX260. I'm running all sliders at max (including Ultra shadows), with 4xAA. I am getting 25-60 fps everywhere (1920x1200). Good enough for me. Only when plugins with lighting changes and ultra-high textures come, I might need to speed up buying my new machine.

So far, I am impressed with the game.

I'd say the graphics are actually quite a nice jump up from Oblivion. I think what you mean is they aren't the kind of jump some might expect given the time difference between the 2 games and some of the other games out now. But it clearly looks better than Oblivion. The reason for this though is cause Bethesda was aiming at console specs and low PC specs. So the textures and poly count are set so the game runs smoothly on the 360 and a low common denominator for PCs. Turning up the resolution will only do so much if your game assets can't match it. I'm sure the modding community is already working on a high res texture pack though.

The UI and graphics don't bother me. Other bugs do though. The crashes to desktop, texture problems (not quality), animation issues and the like should gotten more work. I can forgive a lot of the cookie cutter look of the game cause that's how these games are put together, I just wish they had polished it a bit more.

But by and large I agree with you.

 

[Locut0s]

All the things that people are complaining about should not exist in a newly released product. The graphics and animations are what you expect five years ago. Yes, I do expect something closer to Crysis 2 or BF3. In the first "sewer" section, one of the guards actual ice skated on one leg to move. The hair looks like something from a PS2 game and the trees do not look realistic at all. For reference, I'm running on Ultra settings using a i7-920 and a GTX 580 both overclocked at 1080p.

The controls and UI are also a step backward from Oblivion and not on par with anything recently released on the PC.

In the end, this feels like DLC for Oblivion and not what Bethesda has been showing us for the last 6 months.

Your PC specs, and mine, are a good 2-300% more than anything they could be expected to design for. I wish they WOULD design for higher specs but unfortunately the truth is that consoles, the 360 and PS3, have become the default system they design for now. And the hardware in these have not changed over the past 5 years of course. If you want to blame them for something blame them for making a console game first then and porting it over to the PC, instead of the other way around. Sadly this has now become more and more the default as that's just where the money is to be made today. I don't blame them though and I'm not going to let it stop me from having fun if I can help it. Though I do wish they would get the first patch out soon!!

 

[KentState]

Your PC specs, and mine, are a good 2-300% more than anything they could be expected to design for. I wish they WOULD design for higher specs but unfortunately the truth is that consoles, the 360 and PS3, have become the default system they design for now. And the hardware in these have not changed over the past 5 years of course. If you want to blame them for something blame them for making a console game first then and porting it over to the PC, instead of the other way around. Sadly this has now become more and more the default as that's just where the money is to be made today. I don't blame them though and I'm not going to let it stop me from having fun if I can help it. Though I do wish they would get the first patch out soon!!

Well, most of my frustration comes from getting my hopes up too high after seeing how good games like Crysis 2 and BF3 look. I'm going to set it aside for now and give it a second chance tomorrow.

 

[RavenSEAL]

The bucket had be rofling pretty good over here.

Has anyone had a run in with the giants yet? I found out the hard way to just stay the hell away from them at all costs. One decided to chase me through the open field them send me flying at least 400ft in the air when it finally killed me.

Yeah, it was ugly. I lasted like 2 seconds. :|

 

[exar333]

Game runs well, pretty fun so far. One of the worst inventory management systems ever though, really bad. Hope this gets improved soon.

I agree with someone else here that when you look at a chest/object/etc having to click 'tab' to leave that view is annoying.

Like others, I got used to it, but it still feels funny. The actual game is great, so it doesn't bother me a lot, but a polished UI goes a long way...

 

[Imp]

Just finished my first session. I thought it was pretty, then I realized that it was just a souped up Oblivion/Fallout. Animations are better than Fallout, but not having guns is obviously a set back.

Interface screams console and feels less optimized/thought out than Fallout's. The default key mapping makes everything flow pretty well though. Can't believe there are no #key mappings available, just a "favourites" list though.

After playing Deux Ex: HR, I expect more from a game world. This one's way way bigger in scale, but a lot of it is just empty hills/mountains. I am having fun, but not getting blown away or anything like that.

 

[Carfax83]

I'd say the graphics are actually quite a nice jump up from Oblivion.

The graphics must suck because no one's uploading any screenshots. :whiste:

BTW, is this game DX11?

 

[BrokenVisage]

OMG is it glitchy!! People saying crap to me right as I walk into the room, NPCs laying down ON THIN AIR, my character "walking" while still in a crane stance that you go into right before you land from a jump. Also the menus and too minimalist for me, and I wish there was a better system for weapon/magic switching.

 

[BrokenVisage]

Game runs well, pretty fun so far. One of the worst inventory management systems ever though, really bad. Hope this gets improved soon.

I agree with someone else here that when you look at a chest/object/etc having to click 'tab' to leave that view is annoying.

Like others, I got used to it, but it still feels funny. The actual game is great, so it doesn't bother me a lot, but a polished UI goes a long way...

All this x 1,000,000! How could they get it so wrong, is it even possible for it to be fixed?