Multiple Playthroughs : V

» Mon May 07, 2012 9:54 pm

People always talk about multiple playthroughs with different characters I have never did more than one playthrough because I usually just do everything that there is to do or try to do alot in one go but by that time I already know all the quests and storyline and have gotten bored or think there is no point. I just want to know how people do multiple playthroughs without getting bored such as do you do certain quests with one character in one playthrough then do the main storyline and other quests and things with different characters. I'm asking this because skyrim is the first new game I have bought in years and I want it to last a long time thanks.

» Mon May 07, 2012 7:40 pm

I try and do the main quest and one guild main quest like companions or the Dark Brotherhood. Just do not do all the quest with one playthrought try and sticking with they build for the quest you pick up I guess also enjoy the game just have fun in towns just dnt go from one quest right to the next... To be honest I think this game replay value is going to be extremely good

» Tue May 08, 2012 3:08 am

I personally have several characters for several different things. I may have an evil character and use him for murder sprees and the Dark Brotherhood quests. Another character may be a mage, who joins the mages guild. I wouldn't want my mage to be known as a mass murderer, but rather a helpful person.

If you do several playthroughs, do the game in pieces. This way you will be able to experience all the game has to offer. Otherwise, you may playthrough using swords and do it all. This would make playing a mage or stealth character boring because the only new aspect is the combat.

» Mon May 07, 2012 9:40 pm

First time through I just play the game. Learn the ropes, what works and doesn't, what perks help and which I'll leave out next time. Second time and on I try to specialize: This time I'm only going to use magic and not a single melee weapon. This time I'm wearing nothing heavier than leather and using a bow/dagger. Etc. Playing with play styles outside of my normal melee/magic hybrid style lets me explore the game (or at least solutions to quests) in a different way than I normally would.

Edit: Clarification and spelling

» Mon May 07, 2012 9:19 pm

I tend to play with the "power gamer" mentality too and understand what you are getting at. However most often when you hear people talking about playing multiple characters / play throughs they tend to "limit themselves" For example if they want to play as a pure mage, they don't run around with a 2h axe cracking open skulls, they may refuse to join certain guilds etc.

This style of play leaves certain aspects of the content to be "fresh" on new play throughs.

I am actually planning on trying to change my play style to something similar to that for Skyrim. Of course there are also there is also new potential now with Raident Story which should hopefully change things up just enough to keep some stuff feeling fresh even if you have done it before.

If you are on PC (which I am) then there is a bottomless pit of content that will be created via mods.

» Mon May 07, 2012 4:46 pm

The replay value of these games are very high. Four years ago, I ruined Oblivion. Well, maybe ruined is not the right word.

Oblivion is my favorite game of all time, for the moment. But, I took my first character through everything. Metagaming to get everything to 100. I don't play like that anymore. When you become that strong, the game is broken, as far as I'm concerned. It becomes boring and unchallenging. I don't condone anyone for playing that way. To each his/her own. The point is for everyone to enjoy them selves.

For the past 2 years, I have created specialized and limited characters. RPing them with different personalities and play styles, trying to give the game a fresh approach. I realized that this is how I should have played, from the start.

You can create a mage that is good, and primarily uses Destruction, explore 30% of the map, take him through the game, doing quests that help people, and making choices that is fitting for that character. You can join the mages guild, only. You don’t even need to undertake the Main Quest. I can easily spend several hundred hrs on this character.

Then make an evil Assassin character, that specializes in one-handed weapons. Just do the DB quest line, talk to different people in different ways, through dialog, except different quests and explore some different areas. Again, spending 200-300 hrs.

Start a Warrior, yada, yada, yada. That is just one of each major class. You can create many different variations, of each and never touch the MQ.

After several different characters, start another mage. This time make them evil and primarily a Necromancer. Do different side quest, act and respond completely different from your first mage. Yes, you will still be going through the same Mage quest line, that ends the same way. But, it will be with a different feel. Now 600-800 hrs from your first one, if you are like me, you have forgotten most of the details of it anyway. Yay, for growing old!

With this Radiant story thing, it should make each playthrough just that much more unique.

» Mon May 07, 2012 4:23 pm

Try coming up with a few characters now.

I've got 9, though ill probably abandon most.

Brooding Dunmer trying to rebuild everything he's lost.
Orc warrior.
Khajit to just run around and explore with (Sneak, Lockpick, Pickpocket)
Nord repelling the Imperial invasion, uses zero magic.
Nord Mage that uses no armor or weapon.
Pirate.
Assassin.

Anther thing that might help....try starting two characters from the beginning. Take one of them to one side of the world and the other to the opposite and start playing.

» Tue May 08, 2012 2:27 am

The replay value of these games are very high. Four years ago, I ruined Oblivion. Well, maybe ruined is not the right word.

Oblivion is my favorite game of all time, for the moment. But, I took my first character through everything. Metagaming to get everything to 100. I don't play like that anymore. When you become that strong, the game is broken, as far as I'm concerned. It becomes boring and unchallenging. I don't condone anyone for playing that way. To each his/her own. The point is for everyone to enjoy them selves.

For the past 2 years, I have created specialized and limited characters. RPing them with different personalities and play styles, trying to give the game a fresh approach. I realized that this is how I should have played, from the start.

You can create a mage that is good, and primarily uses Destruction, explore 30% of the map, take him through the game, doing quests that help people, and making choices that is fitting for that character. You can join the mages guild, only. You don’t even need to undertake the Main Quest. I can easily spend several hundred hrs on this character.

Then make an evil Assassin character, that specializes in one-handed weapons. Just do the DB quest line, talk to different people in different ways, through dialog, except different quests and explore some different areas. Again, spending 200-300 hrs.

Start a Warrior, yada, yada, yada. That is just one of each major class. You can create many different variations, of each and never touch the MQ.

After several different characters, start another mage. This time make them evil and primarily a Necromancer. Do different side quest, act and respond completely different from your first mage. Yes, you will still be going through the same Mage quest line, that ends the same way. But, it will be with a different feel. Now 600-800 hrs from your first one, if you are like me, you have forgotten most of the details of it anyway. Yay, for growing old!

With this Radiant story thing, it should make each playthrough just that much more unique.

I'm sorry but I don't advocate sticking with just the Mage guild or just the Dark Brotherhood and pumping 200-300 hours into that same character without doing the Main Quest. In fact, kudos to anyone who can keep themselves entertained like this.

» Mon May 07, 2012 6:52 pm

The replay value of these games are very high. Four years ago, I ruined Oblivion. Well, maybe ruined is not the right word.

Oblivion is my favorite game of all time, for the moment. But, I took my first character through everything. Metagaming to get everything to 100. I don't play like that anymore. When you become that strong, the game is broken, as far as I'm concerned. It becomes boring and unchallenging. I don't condone anyone for playing that way. To each his/her own. The point is for everyone to enjoy them selves.

For the past 2 years, I have created specialized and limited characters. RPing them with different personalities and play styles, trying to give the game a fresh approach. I realized that this is how I should have played, from the start.

You can create a mage that is good, and primarily uses Destruction, explore 30% of the map, take him through the game, doing quests that help people, and making choices that is fitting for that character. You can join the mages guild, only. You don’t even need to undertake the Main Quest. I can easily spend several hundred hrs on this character.

Then make an evil Assassin character, that specializes in one-handed weapons. Just do the DB quest line, talk to different people in different ways, through dialog, except different quests and explore some different areas. Again, spending 200-300 hrs.

Start a Warrior, yada, yada, yada. That is just one of each major class. You can create many different variations, of each and never touch the MQ.

After several different characters, start another mage. This time make them evil and primarily a Necromancer. Do different side quest, act and respond completely different from your first mage. Yes, you will still be going through the same Mage quest line, that ends the same way. But, it will be with a different feel. Now 600-800 hrs from your first one, if you are like me, you have forgotten most of the details of it anyway. Yay, for growing old!

With this Radiant story thing, it should make each playthrough just that much more unique.

All of that, exactly. Especially about the Radiant Story.

I have only ever once made a character that is good at everything, and it really does ruin the game for me. It sounds backwards, but it's the honest truth. Everyone concerned with extending their replay value:

Read the quoted post again!

» Mon May 07, 2012 8:49 pm

To make a game last, especially games like these, a good way to do it is to do some actual role-playing. one time you might be a warrior doing the main quest and join the companions, or be a stealth character and join the dark brotherhood/thieves guild. Maybe even not worry about doing the main quest like could be done in oblivion or Morrowind and play as if you weren't the dovakiin.

If you get the game on the PC your playthroughs could be extended by the many mods that will surely be out there by the time you finish it the first time. And believe me, those mods will keep you occupied for quite some time, especially if we get the vast amount of content the brilliant minds behind the modding community have given us over the past decade. Its mainly because of that community that has allowed me to enjoy Morrowind even now. I am truly hoping Skyrim mods will give us the same life span of play as well.

» Mon May 07, 2012 11:16 pm

From what I've read of the different experiences that the reviewers have had, and what I've seen of leaked material etc... it seems Radiant Story will make the playthroughs very different as long as you move in a different pattern, talk differently etc from your first char. I don't think we have to worry as much about over-saturating ourselves like we have with other RPGs. I imagine it's kinda like Diablo, where the map, loot, etc is different every time, only this time, the sequence and location of quests is different, while the map remains the same. Although even so, locations here respond to your level, so if you visit one dungeon when you're level 5 the first time, and then next playthrough you enter it at level 30, it would seem the dungeons inhabitants and loot changes to match your level. I'm not worried.

» Mon May 07, 2012 1:17 pm

Often there are different ways of getting things done. It is easy to go through a quest once and find yourself trapped into thinking the way you did it the first time is the only way. Of course, some quests, even in Oblivion, offered choices with different outcomes.

» Tue May 08, 2012 12:22 am

I'm only going to play though it once, and only have one character.

» Mon May 07, 2012 10:34 pm

Personally, that's why I play on PC. Mods = unlimited replayability, because there's always new content. A lot of it is on a level of quality equal to or greater than official DLCs (in previous ES games, that is).

» Tue May 08, 2012 4:47 am

People always talk about multiple playthroughs with different characters I have never did more than one playthrough because I usually just do everything that there is to do

I do it by:

1) Not obsessing about "doing everything". I've been playing OB and FO3 for years, and I've still not really looked up much in the wiki, or gotten the hint books. I know I've never found Umbra in Oblivion, and I still don't know where a good number of the bobbleheads and unique weapons are in FO3. Eventually, I'll stumble across these things. Maybe.

2) Mods. Each time I play OB or FO3, I've got a different set of mods installed. More races, more armors, more quests, more locations..... I frequently don't even bother with the main quests - in the later playthroughs, I'm playing to mess around in the world and with the new stuff. Explore, quest, mess around... have fun.

» Mon May 07, 2012 9:04 pm

Maybe it will be a little more difficult to gather all the skills you want to try out on a single run through, so running through again with someone different might give you the opportunity to try out different skills and abilities.

» Mon May 07, 2012 10:44 pm

I'm sorry but I don't advocate sticking with just the Mage guild or just the Dark Brotherhood and pumping 200-300 hours into that same character without doing the Main Quest. In fact, kudos to anyone who can keep themselves entertained like this.

I don't think it's makes sense for a character to be a member of opposing factions.That's just me.

There are a lot of side quests. Although, you don't need to just do one quest after another. You can easily go out and do your own thing. I've been doing it Oblivion. Not using fast travel will add a lot of time and increase the things and places you find. Those hrs will add up pretty fast.

I will run the MQ with one of these characters, but you don't have to.

» Mon May 07, 2012 7:35 pm

Just make different characters and character backgrounds and do the quests and quest lines that relate to each specific character. And radiant quests will help with this because depending on your character each quest may go differently.

» Tue May 08, 2012 2:42 am

Thanks for the suggestions I will try to be a mage first and just join them and not explore as much and hopefully I don't get bored so I can be an assassin.

» Mon May 07, 2012 5:25 pm

First time through I just play the game. Learn the ropes, what works and doesn't, what perks help and which I'll leave out next time. Second time and on I try to specialize: This time I'm only going to use magic and not a single melee weapon. This time I'm wearing nothing heavier than leather and using a bow/dagger. Etc. Playing with play styles outside of my normal melee/magic hybrid style lets me explore the game (or at least solutions to quests) in a different way than I normally would.

Edit: Clarification and spelling

me too. first playthrough is the "me" character. I do what I'd be interested in doing, go mostly swords with some destruction magic and a light bit of sneaking, play a generally good morality character. See what works, where things are, play through the mainquest and most of the side stuff I stumble across.

next playthroughs are a mage only or a thief/assassin only character, evil alignment maybe, depends.

» Mon May 07, 2012 12:33 pm

You can also borrow from D&D and play as though you're a different alignment.

Warning, this might involve Role Playing

One go around - Goody Two Slippers Glass Cannon Mage, lives to help, supports the Mage Guild to the end, and chases butterflies in fields in her spare time.

Another go - World weary battlemage, doesn't care about commoners, but begrudgingly joined the Mage Guild. Does the quests when he wants to advance in the guild, but has no sense of urgency. Prefers to go on a good dungeon crawl and wants to wipe goblins out of existence.

Two different mages with different playstyles, which potentially lead to completely different experiences in the game.

Note - you don't have to spend hours crafting a long, detailed backstory to Role Play. Some people love doing this, and that's great. If that much detail isn't for you, all you have to do is make a couple decisions when you start. If you don't stick with them completely, that's okay... play on. If it doesn't really fit what you want to get out of the game, scrap it and try again.

» Mon May 07, 2012 10:27 pm

Lol, my one playthrough will be over 150 hours long. So...I got my hands pretty full.

» Mon May 07, 2012 8:44 pm

I think the big trick to multiple playthroughs is a slight roleplay element. I played through oblivion probably a dozen times, always trying to change something. Some characters where strictly warriors, and I stuck to the Fighter's Guild and Knights of the Nine, another I played a mage with through mages guild. I've played clerics and paladin esque characters and stuck to the path of good, I've tried playing necromancers, thieves, and assassins (though, sadly, there isn't much chance to raise the dead or kill dukes). There was always a way to change up one play through from another, even if I had already finished a storyline 4 or 5 times. Compared to Oblivion, the Fallout universe gave the player hundreds of decisions and ways to do finish quests, something I'm gets carried over into Skyrim.

» Mon May 07, 2012 8:03 pm

Mods. Lots and lots of mods. My last playthrough I went for broke. Got the FCOM convergence thing, added most of the mods they listed in their load order, and a threw in some more for fun. Created all kinds of surprises (some of which ticked me off -- where'd that giant minatour come from, I'm only level 2!!!!). Kept it fresh.

» Tue May 08, 2012 12:17 am

Maybe it will be a little more difficult to gather all the skills you want to try out on a single run through, so running through again with someone different might give you the opportunity to try out different skills and abilities.

This exactly.

From what i gather, the new levelling/perk system means you have to specialize somewhat, in Combat/Stealth/Magic. To get a character good at everything will be pretty tough! This alone wuld add to the replayablility.

As for me, I always start with a tester character. One that I will play for quite a while, do quests, a bit of the main quest, explore, try things out, pretty much get the feel of the place.

Then my second character will be my 'main' one. The one I will spend a long time playing and developing. Then if i get a bit tired of said character, i'll have a brainstorm and come up with something new! Then go back to my other character a couple of months later, or create a new one, and the cycle continues.

This is the formula i followed for Oblivion, and it lasted me easily 4 years.