LE Lessons From Morrowind

[Zoothulu]

Greetings Modders,

 

As we look forward to the 'Creation Kit' for Skyrim, I'd like to take a few moments to look back at Morrowind and think on how some of the freedoms there can help increase the freedom and enjoyment of Skyrim. Since My modding talents are limited to plopping a little shack in the woods, or a tiny cave in a rock I'd like to hopefully stir some ideas in those more moddingly talented.

 

(Let's be clear I'm not saying morrowind is superior to skyrim, or that it's more fun or anything like that.)

 

There are the stats, might just be me but I like stats in an RPG.

Mad Skills ... Athletics was fun, I like being able to run and jump better. Along with all the rest, and it was great that if you spent long enough training you could max out everything. It took a long time and not a lot of people did it, but hey the option was there. Now I just look at all the perks I can't get and say ... if I keep using that skill why can't I learn that thing that I see there to be learned but I ran out of perk points so can't learn it ever now.

Clothing ... I want bling, are two rings too much to ask. Why can't I wear 3 or 8? And if I want to load down on gold necklaces, Mr.T had it right. Shoulder armor, individual gloves, robe over armor, shirts under, and where are my socks? Stuff like that.

Spells that I would actualy improve as my skill in magic improves, spells I can create, spells for all occasions more spells and the ability to design them.

Potions ... See spells (But remove the word spells with potions)

Enchanting ... Maybe I want a magica regen amulet, why can't that happen? And maybe I want to put a spell in an item that I haven't already found and destroyed. (although I like the breakdown mechanic for learning, like learning the spell by studying the enchantment on an object would be cool.) Also a little enhancement to Soul Gems wouldn't hurt. (the game keeps tract of the soul 'value' why not display that .... and make them look a little more varied)

Armor ... I think that fits with clothes (at least it did in Morrowind) (And could someone make Dragon armor that doesn't look like you just duct taped a bunch of bones on your coveralls?)

Weapons ... of course I like crossbows and thrown weapons .. and no spears in a norse based fantasy land? What is easier than attacking someone with a pointed stick? Attacking them with Raspberries or a banana perhaps? Once spears are unleashed there is a plethora of polearms waiting in the wings. There are other weapons too but they get more difficult to include the more unusual they get (Like flail weapons or bolas or whips)

 

Well that's it for the immediate things that jump out at me from morrowind. I know why they say some of these things were 'streamlined', but I say I liked those things and maybe other people did too. Some of these things people have already been working on and a hardy 'Good going people!' to all of you. But if anyone wants to make a morrowindization of skyrim I's like to say Thanks, and I wish you all the best.

 

Have fun modding!

[Shadowstriker144]

Yes, I second this. I really hate how Beth cant make their new games like how the vanilla morrowind was and now you have to look forward to the people that can actually mod to do it for us.

[Matth85]

I really hate how Beth cant make their new games like how the vanilla morrowind

Morrowind is still here. If you don't like this game, go play another?

 

Athletics was fun

Acrobatic was fun, yet weird. It was fun being a thief and jumping on roofs. However, the athletic running kind of thing was useless. It was not specified to any archtype, and had no skills involved. It was a way for the 100% players to not fast travel, but damn that skill got boring at higher level!

 

Clothing ... I want bling, are two rings too much to ask. Why can't I wear 3 or 8? And if I want to load down on gold necklaces, Mr.T had it right. Shoulder armor, individual gloves, robe over armor, shirts under, and where are my socks? Stuff like that.

That's because of balance issues. You can break the game with 4 pieces. How would 15 more help? Of course, you don't care about balance. However, if there is no balance: People get bored quickly. Inbalance should be modded in, never released in the vanilla game.

 

Spells that I would actualy improve as my skill in magic improves, spells I can create, spells for all occasions more spells and the ability to design them.

That I agree with. Some more variation in spells would be fun, and perhaps a little spell making. Not the kind of thing we had in Oblivion though.

 

And maybe I want to put a spell in an item that I haven't already found and destroyed.

How, exactly? You character just knows how to apply increase damage as an enchant? I say: Enchanters guild or something. You study, you learn, you break items. You add some more depth to enchanting. But why would you remove the little depth there is?

 

And could someone make Dragon armor that doesn't look like you just duct taped a bunch of bones on your coveralls?)

Eh, it is made with dragon bones and scale. It would be weird if there were anything else in it, other than some metal here and there.

 

Weapons

Here I agree as well, and I assume a lot of people are working on this allready. Though it is not the models that is a problem. A good modeller is a million times easier to find than ANY animator.

 

I will put out this:

A few of these ideas are good. However, getting to hookt up into the past, and old games, does not help anybody. We need changes. Besides, Morrowind is right here and will not leave any day. There is no reason to expect Skyrim to be a remake of Morrowind, since nobody par fanboys hoped that. Skyrim is Skyrim, and even though it lacks some depth and a few parts - like more weaponry and spells, it stands pretty good as off now. Nothing we can't fix.

 

I also suggest waiting a little before you post requests. We've had requests every hour since the release of Skyrim, and the CK isn't out yet. Topics got a habbit of flying 30 pages out very fast. I suggest perhas waiting a week after the Ck, and see what attention it builds. Besides, I suspect a lot of people are planning to fix most of this. I know for certain half the forum is wanting a morrowind transformation - which I disagrees on, and a bunch is going on about the ring problem. Breaking up the armor into more pieces will be harder, due to no good spot to put them. Not unless we get somebody that can mod the UI and character screen.

 

Try not to read this as offensive. I know I tend to be harsh on people who suggest Morrowind on Skyrim, but I tried to be as much on-topic as possible.

 

Cheers,

Matth

[Shadowstriker144]

@Matth85,

 

I love this game don't get me wrong, I was just saying how come beth can't do with the armor/clothing like they did in morrowind in this one. I am not asking for a morrowind remake, but maybe i would like to wear one deadric pauldron and one steel one? It's all about options and creativity, it can be balanced because you can always rework the stats of the armor because it will be broken up into pieces.

[Matth85]

It's all about options and creativity

Which I understand. However, look at Bethesdas side here: They set a date they HAD to keep. They got 2 consoles and the PC to fit this for. They are running out of money.

They didn't have time nor money to add all we wanted. Heck, we ended up with MAJOR bugs at release, and some even now. They could've added everything, but then they'd need a few more millions in form of donations and a few more years to get it right.

[David Brasher]

Clothing ... I want bling, are two rings too much to ask. Why can't I wear 3 or 8? And if I want to load down on gold necklaces, Mr.T had it right. Shoulder armor, individual gloves, robe over armor, shirts under, and where are my socks? Stuff like that.

That's because of balance issues. You can break the game with 4 pieces. How would 15 more help? Of course, you don't care about balance. However, if there is no balance: People get bored quickly. Inbalance should be modded in, never released in the vanilla game.

 

Oblivion did not seem imbalanced with 2 rings and 1 amulet. I don't understand why Skyrim only has 1 ring and 1 amulet.

 

Morrowind had some better game mechanics in ways than Oblivion and Skyrim have. I was ticked off that Oblivion took away my pauldons. Now Skyrim has taken away my greaves! In TES 6 they will just throw in the towel and an outfit will take up all the slots including footwear, gloves, jewelry, and headgear, and you will will only be allowed to wear this single item and nothing else.

 

I want crossbows and spears and throwing stars and throwing knives and darts and staffs to hit people with, and short swords. I used to have them. I thought new games were supposed to be bigger and better. Not more and more abbreviated.

 

I was totally amazed that they took away character classes and birth signs. Now everyone will just play as a stealthy battlemage and there will be even less incentive to role-play and try to behave as a member of a certain class would.

 

I think it is amusing how on some other forum threads everyone attacks the Morrowind and Oblivion fans, but Skyrim is above reproach and perfect in every way. "The best thing to ever happen to PC gaming!"

[rattail]

expect lots of patches and the lots of expansions ...

[gigantibyte]

... I like being able to run and jump better.

 

I also miss wall climbing and levitation. Adding these skills might be easy, but the hard part would be going around the game world and fixing all the places the player would be now able to get to and break quest progression.

 

Imo, they were dropped so the game designers would not have hassle of designing cells with those skills in mind. Pity.

 

And there's also the problem of cities being in their own cells and if the player could climb/jump over the city walls, all they would find is an uninhabited low-res version. What I don't understand is why they just can't put an invisible dome over cities, that when touched, transported the player inside the real version.

[huntsman2310]

I haven't played Morrowind so I'm intrigued about the spears, thrown weapons, polearms, crossbows and all that.

 

Honestly what I would like to see is a skill that helps you jump higher, or at least gives you the ability to do a long jump by doing a sprint jump.