In Oblivion in Skyrim, you put things in your inventory just by pressing an activate button, and you "grab" things by holding the activate button. This causes you to be able to move that object, with physics, in the environment. With invisible hands.

What if we had some system, even rudimentary, like Crysis has. When you put an item in your inventory, what if we could have a simple up/down or left/right snatching animation? You get close to the item, press activate, and your character does a really fast and hand grabbing animation that looks like you're storing the object in a bag or something on your waist.

And what if when you went to grab something, the same animation plays, you snatch the object, your hand goes offscreen for a second, and then comes back up from the bottom of the screen, showing your hand carrying the object? From there you could throw the object with the attack button, with an appropriate throwing animation, which would also have cool gameplay additions (throw that cup sitting on the table to distract someone).

Just an idea, and I know if it is possible it would probably be a lot of work.

Come on... any thoughts on the animation modding?

I Approve

I second this motion, if at all possible.

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=19847 for Oblivion has this, somewhat.

Most animation mods I've seen, though, only replace vanilla animations with new ones. Since there is no current grab animation, I don't know how it could be done.

I'm aware of that mod. But it only affect grabbing (not adding things to your inventory), only has one grabbing animation, and still has you pick things up with floating arms.

It's a great mod, don't get me wrong, I use it. But it's not exactly what I'm suggesting.

Possible? Yes. Propably looking crappy? Yes.
You see getting those animations looking real is somewhat hard I believe, especially in 3rd person.
But I'm sure this mod will come sooner or later so don't worry about it.

And as for the throwing the animation could somehow be ripped of the Fallout NV.
Don't know, modding isn't really my professionality.

Any other thoughts?

I dont really care about the grabbing part, except maybe better control of the object for placing on my shelves and such, but I am waiting to see if Hex Off will release a Throwing mod for Skyrim like he did for Oblivion.