Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim announced

Chris_Nahr · 2011-12-05T11:26:24.000Z

Oh. Well, we did run into some Nord rebels and Imperial torturers on our way out, and I didn’t want to side with the torturers!

Brian_Seiler · 2011-12-05T11:28:21.000Z

I had that same reaction, but now I’m beginning to change my mind, not because of anything I’ve experienced (cities are too far away from one another - I can’t get to one without finding something interesting and quest related to do before I get to there), but because I’ve heard the word “racist” associated with the Stormcloaks for some reason.

I’m saving the Civil War quest line for last before I clean up the main quest because I just don’t want to deal with it.

TimJames · 2011-12-05T11:34:57.000Z

Chris Nahr:

Um, what exactly should I do now if I want to both visit his sister and join the uprising? Go with him or not?

You’re doomed.

Chris_Nahr · 2011-12-05T11:36:40.000Z

Nooo! :(

frank_austin · 2011-12-05T11:36:52.000Z

Can we talk about the perception of the Stormcloaks as racists for a second? Because I did the entire Stormcloak quest line and I never once heard anything that struck me as racist. Nationalist, sure, but racist? Some of them hate elves, but… they’re fucking elves. Who gives a shit about elves?

extarbags · 2011-12-05T11:37:45.000Z

Tracy Baker:

It’s not about making them nigh-unbeatable. It’s about making them always at least threatening. The vast majority of dragons I encounter are trivial to kill, even though previews indicated they were supposed to be these menacing beasts you would spend most of your time running away from. Every once in a while I run into an ancient dragon that means business, but it’s a bit ridiculous that what are presumably the biggest, baddest monsters in Skyrim are often easier to deal with than random dungeon trash.

I would say that it’s a bit ridiculous to insist that an enemy you first encounter at level one be the hardest one in the game.

Chris_Nahr · 2011-12-05T11:37:53.000Z

frank austin:

Can we talk about the perception of the Stormcloaks as racists for a second? Because I did the entire Stormcloak quest line and I never once heard anything that struck me as racist. Nationalist, sure, but racist? Some of them hate elves, but… they’re fucking elves. Who gives a shit about elves?

Exactly. Never trust an elf!

triggercut · 2011-12-05T11:37:59.000Z

Chris Nahr:

So I got tired of waiting for the patch to be patched and finally started playing. The introduction was super-confusing – I already knew about the choice of sides and wanted to join the noble Nord resistance but still ended up accidentally joining the vile Imperial oppressors instead because I didn’t realize that this particular moment was supposed to be the choice. Reload time…

And right after the daring dungeon escape (still not qualifying as a spoiler I think) my new best friend says I should join the uprising, but he also says we should part ways and I should visit his sister. Then he walks ahead and waits for me to catch up. Um, what exactly should I do now if I want to both visit his sister and join the uprising? Go with him or not? I don’t want an important NPC stuck in limbo somewhere. Choice is good but the presentation of the first choices is really pretty terrible.

On the graphics side, I had first set the game to 720p with Ultra and 8xAA because I thought hey, it’s a lame console port, right? Sure enough, it didn’t look to great and wasn’t even very smooth on my 6970. Then just as an experiment, I went for the full 2560x1440 resolution without AA and shadows turned down to High (the flickering was annoying anyway). Wow, what a difference! The game actually loads high-resolution assets, shows great detail at extreme viewing distance, and most surprisingly runs faster at 2560x1440 than at 1280x720. I know that AA and shadow detail make a difference but I’ve never seen that kind of inversion. Very strange… but nice!

You’re overthinking it by a factor of a million, dude. Skyrim features some very underrated and surprisingly deep narrative and storytelling, but this ain’t Planescape…or even The Witcher 2.

extarbags · 2011-12-05T11:38:50.000Z

frank austin:

Can we talk about the perception of the Stormcloaks as racists for a second?

I haven’t heard this. Is this a thing?

Brian_Seiler · 2011-12-05T11:40:19.000Z

extarbags:

I haven’t heard this. Is this a thing?

As the guy who mentioned it, I’ve only heard it a couple of times in passing. Can’t remember who it was that was saying it, either, but it was a podcast personality. I don’t know at this point, because I’m saving those quests for the end because I’m not interested and don’t really want to pick a side.

Chris_Nahr · 2011-12-05T11:43:13.000Z

triggercut:

You’re overthinking it by a factor of a million, dude. Skyrim features some very underrated and surprisingly deep narrative and storytelling, but this ain’t Planescape…or even The Witcher 2.

Huh? I’m not thinking about the narrative at all. I was simply asking if there’s actually a choice of quests at that point, because the game is really unclear here, and if so which choice is advisable. So am I supposed to just follow the dude along for now, despite what he’s said about parting ways?

KWhit · 2011-12-05T11:44:38.000Z

Just do whatever. You can kind of do whatever you want in this game.

Chris_Nahr · 2011-12-05T11:47:48.000Z

I know what I want to do. I want to do the starter quests that are already in my quest journal. Specifically, visit the guy’s sister and join his rebellion. My question is how do I do that? Because he makes it sound as if I should walk away from him but then waits for me to keep walking with him. So the dialog is poorly written here and I am actually intended to keep walking with him until we get somewhere, yes?

Alistair · 2011-12-05T11:58:45.000Z

Weird - I did exactly the same, made that decision without realising it was a decision, took the path you originally took and the same confusion is there. Your friend says it’s better if you split up… and then waits for you. I just went with him. I expect you do the same.

KWhit · 2011-12-05T12:00:38.000Z

Chris Nahr:

I know what I want to do. I want to do the starter quests that are already in my quest journal. Specifically, visit the guy’s sister and join his rebellion. My question is how do I do that? Because he makes it sound as if I should walk away from him but then waits for me to keep walking with him. So the dialog is poorly written here and I am actually intended to keep walking with him until we get somewhere, yes?

You can either walk with him or not. Just get to the guy’s sister at some point to continue the quest.

extarbags · 2011-12-05T12:01:04.000Z

Chris Nahr:

Huh? I’m not thinking about the narrative at all. I was simply asking if there’s actually a choice of quests at that point, because the game is really unclear here, and if so which choice is advisable. So am I supposed to just follow the dude along for now, despite what he’s said about parting ways?

There is no either/or choice. You can walk with that guy or just run ahead and meet up with his sister, or neither. You can join the rebellion or the Empire. You haven’t locked yourself into anything.

Joe_M · 2011-12-05T12:01:38.000Z

Just walk into town, Chris. Your buddy there took one too many hits over the head and doesn’t know what he’s saying.

Soapyfrog · 2011-12-05T12:02:24.000Z

I split up from him the first time, taking him at his word that we were better off splitting up. 2nd playthorugh I followed him. It does not ultimately matter… you get a little more dialog and explanation if you follow him; actually I would advise following him as on my first playthrough I struck out cross country and missed the first set of stones.

Really though; whatever you do it’s going to be ok.

Edit: oh yeah and it does not really matter which guy you follow at the very start. You can join either faction anyway.

Paul_cze · 2011-12-05T12:13:32.000Z

The “let’s split up, but I am going to wait for you” bit at the beginning was pretty stupid.
I went with the guy (Imperial, since I did not even know you could go with rebel) to Riverwood and there was some additional dialogue etc.

btw 115 hours into the game, the “join the legion” and “join the rebellion” quests are still in my miscellanous part of journal.
I kind of do not want to join anyone to be honest…I am playing imperial, but I hate both empire AND rebels, and Thalmor to boot. All of them just want to have the power to rule over others, fuck them.

Morrolan · 2011-12-05T12:15:54.000Z

frank austin:

Can we talk about the perception of the Stormcloaks as racists for a second? Because I did the entire Stormcloak quest line and I never once heard anything that struck me as racist. Nationalist, sure, but racist? Some of them hate elves, but… they’re fucking elves. Who gives a shit about elves?

Go to Windhelm, the fact that you think its justified because they’re elves doesn’t make it any less racist. Ulfric’s rebellion is far from noble.