Funny stuff, maybe the odds of getting a bounty are tied into past crimes? I hacked the old bag at the orphanage with a two-handed sword in plain site of everyone with the kids and assistant yelling after the fact. Becoming a Thane of the city lets you skirt a lot of crimes too. Skyrim needs a hit-list for witnesses; complete with quest arrows above their heads...lol.
I have been tempted to axe Paarth, since letting him live doesn't seem to effect evil dragon spawn rate. I have more attacks now, than before sending Alduin back to the twilight zone. Paarth speak with forked tongue...he's not recruiting dragons.
The variable to play is on your end now in regards to making something new. I started out with the typical Conan type and now trying the sneaky archer. January is said to be when the Creation Kit comes out, and with that more new quests.
It's cheaper and more viable to have consumer's bug test than staff, hence a lot of software seems to be beta releases. Sales of Skyrim are epic, so I'd say they did an adequate job in regards to the bottom line aka profit.
Empty? Last time I checked nearly everybody keeps mentioning alternatives or games that have pulled the mentioned aspects in a better way (some of them made or published by Bethesda). The only empty things in all these threads are the one liners of people dropping by with some flamebait. Your post is a prime example the absence of relative alternatives coupled with even more whining = un-constructive criticism aka waste of breath.. Maybe you can think of a better game in the same genre hereafter and debate the cons and pros..
It's fine and I enjoyed it....ignore the anal bastards, who had their sweetroll stolen, and you'll have a happier life. Maybe they need to be shouted off a cliff too ;)