RedRavyn Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Actually, I agree with you fraquar. Nobody should be above the law -- not even the Jarl (hence why I have to agree that the Empire was justified in having Ulric arrested for killing the High King). However, I've personally found that being the Thane of a city carries with it no real benefits at all. I'm getting along quite nicely in my current playthrough (level 35+) without having ever set foot in a walled city, except for the minimum I needed to get the Bard's College quest line out of my Journal. I don't use followers (except Meeko in this playthrough), and I don't really need the facilities in a city to do what I want. I have access to all the tools I need to survive (including crafting) without ever speaking to a single Jarl or Steward. So I have to ask. What's the point of working your butt off for a city to made a Thane when it carries no benefit, short of being able to dodge a single imprisonment or fine? Sure, I know some people have a "thing" for Lydia, or one of the other housecarls, but you can get followers who are just as good without going through all that trouble. Homes? Yes, again, I know some players absolutely MUST have the latest, greatest (modded) version of every single home that can be purchased, but many of us get by quite well with much more modest housing arrangements. I usually grab Anise's cabin early in the game -- a little bit of safe storage, Alchemy station, Enchanting station, close proximity to Riverwood with all the crafting facilities except for a smelter. What more does an itinerant adventurer need? Do you absolutely have to be the Dovahkiin to have fun in the game (You WILL become Thane of Whiterun if you go that route)? I don't think so. Sure, I'm a bit out-matched by some of the Draugr who can shout at me and I can't shout back at them, but I'm having fun in a playthrough where the Main Quest hasn't even been started, yet. I actually like being part of the "common rabble". I just don't want city guards constantly reminding me that I am, seeing as how I can whip most of their butts from Riften to Markarth and back, again. Besides, the Jarls say "common rabble" as though that's a Bad Thing. Is it, now? Where would they be without us? I'm sure Balgruuf would be quite happy with only Nazeem and his palace residents to keep him company, yes? And if we all left for a different hold, where would he be, then? Who will grow the food that he needs to feed himself and his children? Who will do all the repairs around the city when things break? Basically, the common rabble is what gives the Jarl his/her job in the first place, so treat us with a little respect -- especially after one of us manages to become the Thane of a hold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevkiev Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 The problem is quite simply that Bethesda did not finish scripting the game (11/11/11 strikes again) ... Obviously NPC recognition is working and fully active, note the clairvoyant guards, who seem to know when you kill a chicken 2 streets over, behind a house, at night, whilst you are hidden! Or they seem to 'know' that you have a high 'Sneak' skill and are constantly telling you to keep your hands to yourself, but they DID NOT finish scripting WHEN and HOW these recognitions and dialogues should happen. With a little more effort they would have been able to 'script' and 'trigger' dialogues to start/stop with certain in game events ... maybe after patch 123.0005687H they will finally get it right ... Case in point: Skjor's continual "You still have to prove yourself, whelp" after your char becomes Harbinger of the Companions. Ignoring, of course, that Skjor is supposed to be DEAD.:facepalm: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perraine Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 The worst, most frustrating part of it all, is that we KNOW that the game engine is capable of it ... Note the ability to even wear 'disguises' in FO:NV, so it's a simple case of either laziness or marketing pressure form Bethesda and now that they have their millions of sales and their wall full of GOTY awards from the sycophantic reviewers, what pressure is their for them to fix the game in any sort of hurry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moraelin Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 To be honest, Skyrim actually feels like a change, after the abuse I took from NPCs in Fallout 3. I mean, in Skyrim they just seem to ignore my achievements. In Fallout 3, even the guy I was personally saving from the mutants, and while I'm still escorting his sorry ass, took the time to rudely berate me for accidentally kicking an empty can while making my way through that demolished building. Or the doctor who I rescued from being quite literally eaten by supermutants, then I asked for no payment, then I rescued a patient that was beyond her help, then I helped defend their town... still treats me like a thief if I as much as look at an empty syringe. Never mind that if I were that much in a money above morals frame of mind, I could have sold her to the slavers for a lot more than that syringe is worth, instead of escorting her home. I guess I've kind of learned by now to set my expectations low, when it comes to Bethesda games and respect. If these guys just treat me like a nobody, hey, it's still a step up from being verbally abused by everything bipedal :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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