» Fri Dec 07, 2012 3:39 pm Dear Bethesda Developers,
Hello, I am writing you simply because I feel I should share my thoughts on your recent DLC Dragonborn and the impact it left me. Now let me just say I would normally never write something like this as it would likely fall on deaf ears and I am after all just a simple consumer with no other importance other than a percentage of the revenue earned by your releases, but I will write this despite all that.
I completeled the Dragonborn DLC in record time, 3 days to be precise, I anticipated the DLC for over a month and was sure to make the time for it. The speed at which I completed it is by no means a testament to any shortcommings on your part. On the contrary I feel Dragonborn managed to ignire a spark of passion in my gameplay session that the other DLC did not.
When I first played Skyrim I was so excited, and when I saw finally reached Whiterun and took in the vast and beautiful surroundings I was nearly blown away. I was looking at something amazing, and so much awaited me, I'm sure it sounds lame but it was a near magical experience for me, so few games had ever reached me in such a way. However, that spark, that magic, was quickly lost as I tore through Skyrim and began to master the game. I have played all the Bethesda games like this, Fallout 3, Oblivion, Fallout: New Vegas, the only exception being Morrowind, so the game came to me naturally. The experience was familiar for me, and so the freshness really only extended to the game world of Skyrim but that too became familiar as I explored near every inch of the game over the year.
However, when I played Dragonborn I was delighted to find the moment I stepped off the boat it was somewhat alien. As I have never played Morrowind I was not predesposed to the "feel" or Dark Elf culture, and it was very refreshing to experience it on Solstheim, where the northern landscape of Skyrim merged with that of Morrowind. The sounds and music particularly captivated me, but what was the most exciting thing of all was the mast landscape of Vvardenfell and Red Mountain that loomed over Solstheim. It was beautiful, and so intimidating at the same time. I have seen similar sites, the mountains of Skyrim loom over the player but not in the same way, from Whiterun the beautiful mountains resemble walls more then anything. The walls that keep the player in Skyrim, the walls that contain the game, the end of the Journey in sight from the very beginning. However, seeing Red Mountain from Solstheim is a different experience, it appears far, but so visibly near, within reach. Theres a desire to leap towards that landmass, even if its a hostile wasteland. That and all the tone and enthasis placed throughout the story of Dragonborn seems to implant the idea that the journey is not yet over. Many believe Dragonborn to be the last DLC but I hope it isn't, if it is the beginning of the end so be it but I hope it will be the beginning of a vast new journey as well.
I want to go to Morrowind, more specifically Vvardenfell. After all I have become a member of House Telvani, a supposed member of Morrowind Nobility, so I would hope to get to experience such treatment. Even if Vvardenfell suffers from the constant eruption of Red Mountain, even if its an ashy and molten wasteland, I want to explore it. I'm sure there are some forms of life attempting to endure such a struggle, and I wish to join them. What quests, stories, journeys await I have no idea, but I hope they will come.
Now I am no developer, in fact I understand very little of how video game are made, so I wouldn't be surprised if this idea is highly inpractical but sometimes inpractical ideas are the most succesful. Morrowind is regalled as a legendary game, I can understand this even if I didn't experience it, and Skyrim undoubtably attempts to rival that status, however it could surpass it with one swift leap of DLC content that surpasses all others. An old fashioned expansion modern in design and scope would push Skyrim to a whole new level. I know that players out there love this game intensely and would do anything for more content, worthwhile content, even pay extravagent prices. A 40 Dollar expansion probably isn't something your marketing division would appreciate but it would sell never the less, maybe not initially but overtime it would become a worthwhile endeaver both for players and yourselves. Even if something would take a long time, half a year or more, it would be worth it I think and consumers would appreciate it. I don't know if its even possible to expand the game like that, maybe a large gigabyte size expansion based in the hardrive that can simply be executed via in game and allow the transfer of items? I cannot begin to imagine how you do anything you do, but you do good work and I'm sure you could come up with a way to make this happen if you wanted to.
The hardcoe fans as I'm sure they call themselves support Skyrim no matter how old it is, and will play it for years to come just as they do for your previous titles. If you can support the game as much has they do, that would be something. To support Skyrim like you've never supported any other game, to push it further and further, thats legendary.
Thank you for all the hours of fun over the years as I've played your great games, I wish the best for all of you and eagerly await whatever you cook up next for Skyrim or future projects. Sincerely, your fan.
