The OFFICIAL Anandtech Forums TeS V: Skyrim Thread

[shortylickens]

Its best to take carts to towns first, then when going to quest locales you usually have a closer place to quick travel for your jumping off point.

 

[dust]

I guess I should look into that, as I have a giant pile of untouched edibles. I was looking at my stats the other day:

Days passed: 220
Days as a werewolf: 215 (odd, didn't think I did that so quickly--and I've only changed into werewolf once)
Hours slept: 22
Hours spent waiting: 200something. (rofl at those 2 numbers)
Food consumed: 8 lbs (don't remember how this is calculated, but I know I haven't eaten anything since ~those first days, heh)

The big difference is that early game, I pretty much walked everywhere, then realized I could take that cart to a new hold that I haven't explored (I avoided this, as I preferred that they open up as I approached--but places like Winterhold and Dawnstar were just too freaking far at the time)



So, much more fast travel from place to place and hours sat spent waiting for the proper time as I got further along.

Dog years lol!

 

[zinfamous]

so, anyone spent time with 1.4 after having used SkyBoost? is it necessary to uninstall SKyBoost? is that possible?

I haven't noticed any improvement, or any loss, with both supposedly active (maybe 1.4 replaces the SkyBoost files?)

I only started working with the big mods a few days ago, after 1.4--installed one improved texture mod posted by plasma, I think, and enhanced Night (nice and simple). No problems with those, except installing an HD armor pack really hit my frame rate, hard--and I didn't even notice an improvement to visuals.

 

[dennilfloss]

OK. For a level 22 destructomage who wears no armour, uses no shouts, has no companion, and can only summon one nonpotent flame/frost atronach yet, that poison-spitting chaurus reaper was bitching tough. Much satisfaction in killing the creepy ah heck and his falmer handlers. Gotta love it when a single combat encounter takes close to half an hour with lotsa dodging and retreating in the confined quarters of a long, sinuous cave.

 

[dennilfloss]

so, anyone spent time with 1.4 after having used SkyBoost? is it necessary to uninstall SKyBoost? is that possible?

http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1338015-skyboost-topic-9/page__st__90

 

[dennilfloss]

Its best to take carts to towns first, then when going to quest locales you usually have a closer place to quick travel for your jumping off point.

Plus that fixes the regional levels to a lower setting if you do this to get to these places early. Otherwise, each region fixes to a higher range if you only enter them much later.

 

[zinfamous]

Plus that fixes the regional levels to a lower setting if you do this to get to these places early. Otherwise, each region fixes to a higher range if you only enter them much later.

but why would you want them stuck at a lower level late in the game?

 

[dennilfloss]

The regions retain their own range of levels determined by Bethesda; these still each have a different lower limit. You just set them each at their own lower limit instead of, for example, one being at its upper limit.

You can still just use the cart to visit other regions later, one at a time as you progress. For me, it just an old habit from the Might & Magic series to visit as many of the towns as early as possible because some had better shops. I kinda do it unconsciously.

 

[shortylickens]

but why would you want them stuck at a lower level late in the game?

Thats funny cuz all I hear is guys whining about how the game is too easy.

 

[shortylickens]

The regions retain their own range of levels determined by Bethesda; these still each have a different lower limit. You just set them each at their own lower limit instead of, for example, one being at its upper limit.

You can still just use the cart to visit other regions later, one at a time as you progress. For me, it just an old habit from the Might & Magic series to visit as many of the towns as early as possible because some had better shops. I kinda do it unconsciously.

I think most shop keepers are also leveled so thats less of an issue. However visiting the college early is a smart way to get a bunch of spells easily. I wandered around without basic utility magic for a long time and I damn sure wont be doing it in my next game.

 

[Rakewell]

Prolly a dumb question,

But when your companion kills something, do you get XP for that? (Like the Fallouts.)

 

[zinfamous]

Prolly a dumb question,

But when your companion kills something, do you get XP for that? (Like the Fallouts.)

Nope, and even you don't get XP for killing.

"XP" isn't really xp in this game--you level only by improving your skills. Every time one skill gains a new level (each goes up to 100), your character gains a level.

This is how you can easily spam character levels early by spamming smithing/enchanting skill trees, or spamming restoration spells while standing in fire, or something like that. Not recommended early on, though, as you'll have a weak ass character that, while it can make some badass daedric armor, can't really do shit with it as it's stuck on level 20 or so heavy armor and level 20s for the weapon skills, heh.

 

[shortylickens]

Thats how I was able to get to level 62. Almost never used a helper.

 

[Rakewell]

Got it... Thanks for that clarification.

Makes sense now, I've been killing like crazy, but leveling up slowly.

How do you guys feel about the way they've set this up? Doesn't seem right to me...

 

[coloumb]

Holy crow. Were mobs DR [damage resistance] and damage output increased with the patch?

Level 21 and I'm near the town where you talk to the NPC who helps you become human again. Spiders near the town were very difficult to kill and the vampires in a cave close by were very difficult to kill and had no problems killing me off with a few hits [their ranged [arrow] hits would be instant death for me].

 

[shortylickens]

Got it... Thanks for that clarification.

Makes sense now, I've been killing like crazy, but leveling up slowly.

How do you guys feel about the way they've set this up? Doesn't seem right to me...

OK, so, obviously you've never played Elder Scrolls 1, 2, 3, and 4?

 

[Rakewell]

OK, so, obviously you've never played Elder Scrolls 1, 2, 3, and 4?

Nah... This is my first, been playin' Fallout 3 & NV.

Definitely going to go back to earlier ones after I finish this one.

(If this one actually has an end.)

:awe:

 

[Martimus]

I far prefer this method of increasing stats versus the completely abstracted xp that was developed decades ago because of the technology available at the time. I would honestly prefer not to have character leveling at all, and just keep the skill leveling part.

 

[zinfamous]

Got it... Thanks for that clarification.

Makes sense now, I've been killing like crazy, but leveling up slowly.

How do you guys feel about the way they've set this up? Doesn't seem right to me...

Well, considering how easy it is to overpower yourself very early on with this system, I think it's fine. Plus, if you just focus on a core set of stats for whatever character you want to play, it should remain somewhat balanced.

There are certain skills, of course, that everyone is going to spam or level up without trying--lockpick will just happen for any character (DO NOT waste any perks in that skill tree, though. it is the most useless skill tree in the history of RPGs), and almost everyone will eventually level up alchemy for any character, once they realize the benefits.

So, there will be plenty of extra leveling opportunities and more than enough perks by the end game to put you in God Mode.

I far prefer this method of increasing stats versus the completely abstracted xp that was developed decades ago because of the technology available at the time. I would honestly prefer not to have character leveling at all, and just keep the skill leveling part.

I do need some form of skill leveling, for my part anyway, but I do like how they stripped down the core character leveling to 3 stats. At first this annoyed me, and is probably heresy to most TES fans, but I think it helped by removing one of the more excessive layers of interface and development in this game--something that helped me to give up on Morrowind rather quickly, and avoid Oblivion altogether.

I've grown to appreciate the skill leveling, too, even though I was a bit annoyed that killing didn't do anything--though that is completely necessary. Far too much to kill as it is.

One thing that is probably crazy for this game, but I would like to see--is high-level respawn dungeons with bosses that drop random phat loot.

 

[shortylickens]

I far prefer this method of increasing stats versus the completely abstracted xp that was developed decades ago because of the technology available at the time. I would honestly prefer not to have character leveling at all, and just keep the skill leveling part.

OK, did you ever read Kevin Siembiedas essay on experience?

 

[General Kenobi]

Pete Hines on Twitter: Creation Kit release will be on Tuesday.

Now the mods will start increasing in numbers and comlexity.

 

[zinfamous]

Pete Hines on Twitter: Creation Kit release will be on Tuesday.

Now the mods will start increasing in numbers and comlexity.

lol at your sig, man!

:awe:

 

[General Kenobi]

Hey, it's not an original idea, I'm just a copycat...

 

[zinfamous]

Nah... This is my first, been playin' Fallout 3 & NV.

Definitely going to go back to earlier ones after I finish this one.

(If this one actually has an end.)

:awe:

I should clarify--you don't gain a character level every time a skill gains a level (that would be insane), but you gain progress in the character level--basically, XP.

the higher the skill level, the more progress you gain for your character when that skill gains another level (2 or 3 bars vs 1/2 bar, or so). Maxing all skills to 100 each sets the character level cap at 82, I think? maybe 81. that may look low when you are getting into the late 40s with only one or two skill sets maxed, but remember that all of those other skills that you haven't touched will barely scratch your character level until you get them much higher.

 

[zinfamous]

Hey, it's not an original idea, I'm just a copycat...

I've just never seen one so large that someone added a scroll bar, lol.