What Changes Skyrim Would Benefit From

[Dicecaster]

Alright, here’s another wish list of many more to come, I’m sure. I put 5 major items in the “Major” section, which are all things that I think would be fantastic things to change from Oblivion that would add a great deal of value to the game. I put 3 minor things in the “Minor” section, which I think could do some to increase the game’s value, but aren’t really very important.

 

Major

 

1. Combat System: Okay, lots of players have been talking about the addition of special combat moves, and I agree. Shield bashing, hitting people with the hilt of your sword, etc. ought to be standard in such an advanced game. I mean, if magic-users get all kinds of diversified attacks, why shouldn’t hack-‘n’-slashers? While I’ve never used it myself, I think extrapolating from the Deadly Reflex mod, from what I’ve heard of it.

2. Go Back to XP: Ever since Daggerfall, the system has been “you level up when you increase your major skills”. Now, while this is a fairly logical system, it’s also hampering; if you take blade and blunt, you’d have to constantly switch between blade weapons and blunt weapons to keep both skills up, but that would slow down the progress of both. And if you stick to just one offensive skill, then you won’t level up as quickly. But if they let you spend skill points, you could specialize your character just the way you want with no restrictions (and you’d still get XP if you killed the enemy in special ways, such as leaving all the traps ready to be sprung and leading enemies through them, whereas you wouldn’t progress that way with Oblivion).

3. Mounts: Most people agree that mounts were a serious afterthought for Oblivion. There’s no horse combat, like ride-by attacks, and you can’t cast any kind of spells on horseback (so, if I come across a bunch of trolls and I don’t have any fireballs handy, I can’t ride away and heal myself while doing so). Plus, mounts aren’t even particularly fast. I could probably do about the same speed if my speed and athletics were fairly high. Plus, I think the only mounts available were horses (but I haven’t played through the entire game, so if there are other mounts feel free to contradict me in that regard).

4. Static World: By this I mean no leveled stuff/creatures. What is the fun of always coming against the same [relative] challenge and always getting the same [relative] rewards? I should come to a place, find it too hard, and come back ten levels later in order to wipe the place out. I personally consider that a standard RPG element. And if you’re going to do leveled creatures, at least make different creatures for each level category, instead of just beefing up standard base creatures. I mean, where’s the realism in coming against a group of bandits who’re all wearing mithril?

5. TES Construction Set: Oblivion has got to have the best single-player video game community ever. Not only to they take a tool that you give them and create vast amounts of content that outshine the original game, but they actually make an extension for the tool itself (OBSE). For free. This is probably what made it last so long. Now, keeping this in mind, imagine what would happen if they put a large amount of time and energy into TES: Vs Construction Set. It would become a legend among its kind. I’m talking Diablo II, World of Warcraft level. This is the most key ingredient in advancing what probably already is a cult classic.

 

Minor

 

1. Bigger Map/More Dungeons: Of course, it would be nice to have more caves and ruins. The 24/7 hardcore gamers who discovered every cave in Oblivion would certainly like a world that’s twice as big, I imagine. I put this in the minor section for two reasons: (a). Oblivion got along just fine with the content it had, so it’s not really incredibly important for TES: V (b). Unless they put truly colossal amounts in, people would always want more, so the amount of dungeons is fairly arbitrary.

2. Jumping while up against a surface: This is more an annoyance I personally had with Oblivion, and it may be fixed in the new engine Skyrim will use: whenever I’m running against a raised platform (like, 3in. above the ground or more) I can’t jump onto it; I have to back up and get a small running start before I do so. It’s really very obscure, and the only reason I’m putting it here because it was a very big annoyance for me while playing. I definitely don’t think I’m speaking for the whole community, nor do I think it’s particularly important.

3. Enhanced Spellcasting Methods: By this I mean a more effective way to switch between spells. I know, there’s the hotkey method, but that allows for only a very limited number of spells (especially if you use some slots for other purposes), and hotkeys 6-8 are awkward to get to in battle. While I’ve never used the mod myself (like Deadly Reflex), if Mousecast can pull it off, why shouldn’t Bethesda?

 

Okay, there you go. Please comment. I’ve probably missed a bunch (I’m only one guy), so if you people have any other ideas, feel free to tack ‘em on. All I ask is that you keep on topic; if even one person puts something off-topic in, everyone else will pile on to it

Edited December 23, 2010 by Dicecaster