The Elder Scrolls Online MMO!

Skyrim with your friends.....?

Well it's official there is going to be an Elder Scrolls Online MMO, therefore I'll start by saying WOOT, let's hope it's as good as we want it to be....

It's worth noting though that it's not Bethesda that are developing the MMO, as they're no doubt sticking with TES 6. The guys doing TES Online are Zenimax Online, a sister company but with the financial backing of Beth. Let's hope it's a beautiful partnership. For all the DAoC fans out there, it's also worth noting that Matt Firor works at ZO and is heavily involved in TES Online, therefore I expect some DAoC flavour.

Here's the "Yes, we're making an MMO" trailer

Worthwhile links are:

http://elderscrollsonline.com/
http://www.gameinformer.com/p/elderscrollsonline.aspx

Ish

The Dragonborn Comes!

Cover of the Skyrim bard song, with a female voice:

I found myself just sitting next to the fire and listening to the Bard, I swear I nodded off too!

Ish

Steam Workshopness

The thing I plan to do with Skyrim is, at some point, throw many a mod at it to either make it look even better or to improve my playing experience. That being the case I've looked at current PC mods and far too many have complex installations, which involve editing .ini files amongst other things.

Ho, Dragonborn, Ho!

Whilst reading the Bethesda Blog I was pleasantly surprised to see that there are plans to allow user developed mods to be searchable within the Steam Workshop and easily installed. Now that sounds superb, as it's not only allowing gamers to search and install mods easily, but it sounds like a brilliant platform for developers who want to have their creations easily searchable.

Roll on next year I say :)

Ish

Skyrim - Wow!

I had a little left over birthday money from August so I thought I'd pick up a copy of Skyrim as I'd read the hype & love the whole sword, shield and magery setting. My verdict .... WOW, what a game!

It's an RPG and follows on from the previous Elder Scroll games, Oblivion being the last but it's a big step forward from that. It seems Bethesda wanted to improve every aspect and make a truly engrossing, enthralling time sink of a game. I mean the world is so vast and so full you just don't know what to do with yourself, there are the main quest lines to follow but on route to an objectives you can stumble across caves, mines, camps, other quests that send you off on tangents, which can be annoying ... but in a good way!

I'm only level 9 at present but I feel like I've been running around for bloody ages. Early on I decided to go sword and board spec, however I'm now thinking I should have perhaps gone for a little more of a mixture of magic and melee (you can do that you know!) and be wielding a sword in one hand and a staff in the other! I'm sure I'll find out as I continue to level and spend my points/perks if I've made a good or bad decision though.

If I did have one complaint however, it would be that the melee combat isn't as engrossing and energetic as I'd have hoped for and I have found myself using my bow a little more that I probably should do. I mean melee is there and it has it's moments (with the finisher 'esk moves) but it does seem a little disjointed at times and not as polished as it could have been.

I'd say the biggest seller for the game is the sheer size of the world and just how beautiful it is. If you don't find yourself panning the camera around for a good perv of the scenery when you're up a mountain or atop a keep then there's something wrong with you! If it's not the snow covered mountain peaks, the detailed trees or the sculpted architecture of the towns (starter ones at least) that get you something will, I assure you.

I'm working my way through the main quest lines, but I haven't decided yet if I will stick with them, as like I say there are so many side quests and other things to do (join a thieves guild, or become a thief) that you could spend many an hour each night happily going down another road completely.

I'd say this is by far the best game on any platform I have ever bought.

Ish