First I would like to say, first time Elder Scroll user and first time forum poster (anywhere). So yes I am a hard core newbie, but love this game to death. However, after playing the other night I had a thought.
With so much to do and explore in the game, it makes my head swim (in a good way). But what if you were out exploring, find a dungeon, cave, hideout, ect… and go on inside and complete it, what’s to say that it may not have been a side quest later in the game that I just have not gotten to yet. If so, what happens to that quest (if it was one)? Or is that even possible?
Quick example would be. I was out on a long walk for a side quest to some town far away and along the way I pick flowers, chase butterflies, and attack wolves. Needless to say I got lost, only to find a cave, go into said cave, kill and plumage everything, and gain some nice things in the process. It seems that some of the things I found might to have meaning to someone somewhere in Skyrim. This makes me wonder if this would have been some kind of quest later on in the game. I will hold on to the important things I found just to see. But, does anyone know how this may affect a quest later in the game? This game truly does let you do whatever you want whenever you want, I love it!!!

The new Radiant AI/Story system will solve any issue you have with completing dungeons "early." The game checks to see what you've cleared and what you haven't, and adjusts quests accordingly. Don't worry about completing things--just enjoy the game.

I just had that happen with the Jarl of Whiterun's Wizard. It runs you through the dialogue where he gives you the quest and then it updates immediately with Completed: Did so and so. Then the dialogue comes up where you give him what he wanted.

Easy Peasy.

And welcome to the forums. Have a http://images.uesp.net//c/c4/Fishystick.jpg

In theory it should be absolutely fine. The game is designed to assign some of the more random quests to dungeons that you haven't yet explored. As an example me and a friend of mine are playing and chatting via steam and discovering different groups of enemies / treasures inhabit the same dungeon at different times. If the quest is a main storyline quest or a faction quest then you will definitely be safe as they should have been playtested thoroughy, or so the theory goes.

Also it being an elderscrolls game who's to say your current character will finish the main quest? They don't have to! The world is your oyster!

Welcome to the Elder Scrolls

^For an example, I completed the Bleak Falls Barrow(s?) before the Jarl's mage ever asked for the Dragonstone or whatever it's called. When the stone came up in conversation, my character informed him that I had already obtained it, and the mage was pleased.

So you should be fine. Anything strictly made for quests will probably be blocked off to you until the storyline is ready for you to access that area.

EDIT: Ninja'd, bah.

I did have one quest however where I discovered a fort, entered and killed the bandits and left through a cave. On leaving the cave I discovered a band of men wanting me to open the gates to the fort so that they could go in and retake it. Alas, i'd already open the gate before I got the gate so the game won't progress the quest. I assume this was more of a random quest.

I just completed that quest, though I started with the camp. What happens, exactly?


You might just need to open the gate and speak with the bald guy again.

SPOILER ALERT!!!


I found the fort, cleaned it out, noticed the lever I think it was for the front gate and opened it, then went into the fort itself and out through the cave to find a bunch of guys camping. It tried going back to the gate and closing / opening it to no avail. It's no big deal, just thought I'd mention it.

Weird. I did a dungeon with some vampires where at the end there's this sort of gladiator ring with wolves behind bars and some kind of chief vampire sitting on a throne looking down. Killed them all and cleared the dungeon. Then got sent back for a quest into the same dungeon, where all the vampires were respawned and the exact same chief was in the same throne with the same wolves in cages... =/

Hey thanks a lot everyone! I thought that is how it worked, but wanted to check. Some may not think so, but thus far, Skyrim is the best RPG experance ever, for me. I will play through this game so many times, in so many ways, its scary. Have fun, I have to go to work (real work )