The combat and AI in this game is halfway idiotic sometimes, and I think that I may as well be playing a Monty Python RPG. Look, if I shoot something in the head and it's got an arrow sticking out of it, it should be dead. Also, if I shoot from stealth, and there's an arrow sticking out of the enemy's throat, I should not hear it say "Huh, guess it was nothing..." or whatever it is they say when they are alarmed but can't find you.

So many sloppy things in this game that really detract from the fun and immersion.

Those same flaws could be said of Oblivion.

And you think in 5 years they would have learned something...

I thought Bethesda did pretty good on making it more realistic, even if people do live from headshots. Back in Oblivion, I could be fighting an Imperial Guard and break two swords on him before he died. I have put arrows into people's heads many times and they lived.

It's never been that way in ANY of their TES RPGs, be thankful you actually hit them when you swing your weapon through them in this game...because pre-Oblivion, that wasn't always a guarantee.

I don't let it bother me but yes it should have Been fixed.

If you want semi-realism, play an action game or an FPS. This is an RPG. Being able to one-hit kill any human enemy from the beginning of the game would be a bit game-breaking, don't you think?

Check your FPS fantasies at the door, please. Being hit in the head by an arrow is not a death sentence any more than taking a hit to the torso is.

People have helmets. And skulls. And non-essential parts of their faces.

The game is structured so that you could clear out entire dungeons of higher-level enemies with a long series of headshots.

Headshots from arrows have ALWAYS done more damage in TES. In this game so far none of my headshots even connect. I sense something needs patching.

EDIT: Just saw a post from an actual BETHESDA dev. He said "Head shots do not do more damage."

Which is just bonkers...in Oblivion (yeah yeah save your groans) head shots, if your marksman skill was high enough, was pretty much a kill. It was very satisfying to make a long-range headshot with a bow. I hope a mod takes care of this soon

Headshots from arrows have NEVER done more damage in TES. Ever.

Edit: Although I think I may have just missed some sarcasm.

Coming from a long history of regular "hitpoint vs damage" RPGs (you know, sword does 1d10 damage, you've got 90 hp), the whole idea of locational-damage insta-kill thing just bugs me. Why bother even increasing my hp (or my weapon skills, or weapon quality, or anything), if Attack The Weak Point For Kill? is the name of the game?

I think they learned plenty. Anyone in this thread that has sold millions of dollars in gaming software, from many award winning franchises, raise your hand.

*No one raises hand

Exactly. A company with as much clout as bathesda doesn't just forget to fix something. It's not like it's an oversight. There's probably technical, and aesthetic reasons behind leaving these "bugs" intact.

Not being a really devoted fan, just playing the other side of the coin. It's a hobby of mine.

Here's just a broad reply from me to those that chimed in taking the argument path of "it's not an FPS, etc, if you want limb damage, try another game, Please continue, my good sir., etc etc."

Seeing arrows sticking out of peoples faces in an RPG while they are still moving - or speaking dialogue claiming they can't find you and not paying attention to the arrow or the fact they got shot in the face - does nothing but derail the immersiaon factor of which companies strive to conquer. RPG's like TES have always been about immersion, not hacky slashy action RPG stuff. These little oversights are disappointing since it's obvious they do their best in many other aspects to "pull you in", this does nothing but pull me right out.

This is the silliest thing I think I've read on the forums. Bethesda makes good games, possibly even great games, which is why I've been a dedicated customer since 1996. But they are hardly flawless. Their games ship with bugs, and sometimes serious game-breakers. I think the archery issue in this thread is exactly what was intended even if it does look a bit funny. Still, Bethesda misses its share of stuff, and while they have a decent track record of handling bugs, it's worth remembering that Oblivion required a series of fan-made patches to address the literally thousands of bugs and glitches left in by the last developer patch.

How often does it occur? Are you face shotting enemies so often that it pulls you out of your immersion frequently? It doesn't happen to me that often, and my current characters main skills are sneak and archery. It feels to me that you are splitting hairs, and looking for something to complain about.


Exactly. You answered your own complaint.

/thread

Headshots? Let's add killstreaks, too :3

Nah, just kidding. But insta-kills with bows at low levels would seriously be game-breaking.

You say you've been a fan sine '96? Then you should be used to the bethesda game bugs by now.

Me and my roomate have a saying: "Bethesda makes great games, but they are horrible programmers"

I'm not saying it's ok for them to ship buggy games, I'm just saying it should be expected by now. You all act like it's something new.

To Bethesda's credit, I've yet to see a single bug yet. But I'm only level 7.

Maybe arrows should only stick out of people's heads with they're heavy damaged, otherwise it would just glance off your break, but still do the same damage.

I once got a sneak crit shot to a target's head. He was crawling on the ground begging for mercy with an arrow through the back of his head out his eye. Thought that was kinda funny, then finished him with my dagger.

It's an RPG, most are not always super realistic. It should come to no surprise as every Bethesda game in the last 10 years or so is like this, not because they svck but because it's an RPG.

you are wrong good sir. in oblivion headshot did matter big time! one of the very few things i miss in skyrim: localized damage. why the hell they didn't implement it is beyond me. skyrim is a great game and i think there is no need for any mods. except localized damage hehe. i always aim for the head even though i know it won't do more.

Actually a damn good idea. The OP's issue doesnt really bother me but I wouldn't mind it being better of course.

Wait so you're saying I answered my own complaint by saying that TES is not hacky slash? That's completely backwards and I think you're drunk. If it't not a hack and slash oriented game, and more realism based, then common sense will tell you that walking around with an arrow in your face is more slasher oriented then realism, basically supporting my argument.

Sober up and come back and argue.

Location-specific damage has never been implemented in any TES game.