Skyrim feels very linear to me

Post » Fri May 18, 2012 6:04 pm

Skyrim was advertised as a non-linear open world action RPG, that is what I wanted to play. Unfortunately, in the world I feel like I am running down corridors because of the inaccessible mountains. In fact much of the world that I can travel through is just mountain paths! I have tried climbing the mountain but after a while of jumping all I find is an invisible wall, not to mention the animation is absurd why wasn't exciting mountain climbing animation included in the game, could have even been a climbing skill for this game.
I am saying the "open" world is an illusion alas the world in Skyrim is a somewhat linear corridor because of the mountains.

Also, the lack of real character options outside of how to kill things makes the game more linear. I liked Fallout New Vegas (Obsidian game) because of the way my character's skills allowed more choices other then kill no name NPCs. Skyrim even has a speechcraft skill and perk tree but 99% of the time it is relegated to the usual hack and slash sword & sorcery game trope, discounts from merchants. I love how some bandits are not agro to you unless you walk right up to them, imagine if Speechcraft perk or skill would pervent them from going agro unless they catch you stealing, etc. Little additions like this would make the game feel more non-linear. Not to mention if the entire story can be altered by your PC's skills.
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Rob
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 11:11 am

You're playing it wrong.
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biiibi
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 6:50 am

Um....Um.....
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hannaH
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 7:01 am

You're playing it wrong.
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Alan Cutler
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 1:08 pm

He's spot on about speechcraft. If they trashed all of those other skills sets, it doesn't make much sense why they'd keep speechcraft since it's basically just a money making perk tree. The choices in your dialogue don't have much affect on anything and they all filter down to the exact same outcome. It lends itself to making each character feel like they're treading the same path as each other thus where the linear feeling comes from.

World wise, I don't agree. I can see where he's coming from, though.
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Adriana Lenzo
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 8:54 pm

No. Just... no.
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Monika Krzyzak
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 8:57 pm

You're playing it wrong.


Um....Um.....


No. Just... no.


I thought all three of those.
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mollypop
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 7:55 am

It seems we are inventing new meanings for the word "linear" today !
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Thomas LEON
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 5:19 am

It's like the second half of your post doesn't even exist, OP. :shakehead:
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Isaiah Burdeau
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 10:46 am

Not sure I understand how not being able to climb mountains makes a game linear, and you do realize that New Vegas was littered with invisible walls right? I do agree with you that New Vegas allowed for a LOT more options as far as social skills though.
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willow
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 3:23 pm

Not sure I understand how not being able to climb mountains makes a game linear, and you do realize that New Vegas was littered with invisible walls right? I do agree with you that New Vegas allowed for a LOT more options as far as social skills though.

The mountains become effective walls that force you to go forword, as if the game allows you to go a certain path, if you could clime the mountains or lets say fly over them with magic then you choose your own path then the game is More non-linear .
I do know New Vegas has the same invisible wall issue but I only referenced New Vegas in my second point not the first and thus we are in agreement on that one :)
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Kelly Tomlinson
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 8:24 am

The invisible walls were the worst part of new vegas. it made it non linear. every character basically has to go the same path.
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Genocidal Cry
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 11:32 am

I.... I'm speechless at that post...

This forum is a loonatic asylum isn't it? Things seem to be rapidly declining by the day, looking forward to what the complaints are tomorrow.... Maybe saying it's just a Modern Warfare rip off or how it svcks because it's not a 1990's RPG.

Good times here...
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Rebecca Clare Smith
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 6:51 am

I have to admit that Skyrim would have benefited immensely from the New Vegas approach to quest design, where the majority of the quests had 2-3 ways to be resolved. In Skyrim, on the other had, the majority of the quests have a single outcome.
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CHangohh BOyy
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 4:24 pm

I've got about 35-40 hours in and still haven't visited over half of the large cities, can't even guess how much of the map I've yet to explore. Linear is one word I definitely wouldn't describe Skyrim, nor any other TES game, as.
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Ally Chimienti
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 4:38 am

You're playing it wrong.


Definitely.

Level 40 and:

The only Blade I've met is Delphine.
The only guild I've joined in The Companions (and I'm not close to done with them).
The only major cities I've found is Whiterun, Falkreath and Markarth (and that was because of an in game drunk night, through radiant AI).

Linear? Maybe to someone that followed the main quest through first.
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Dalley hussain
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 11:49 am

It seems we are inventing new meanings for the word "linear" today !

I think this post is spot on. I have a million different things to do and am being dragged in 100 different directions at once. Every time I think I will trim that log up a little, more gets pored into it. If anything, I would say the sheer non-linearity of this game can be overwhelming at times.
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James Baldwin
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 10:32 am

I have to admit that Skyrim would have benefited immensely from the New Vegas approach to quest design, where the majority of the quests had 2-3 ways to be resolved. In Skyrim, on the other had, the majority of the quests have a single outcome.
Yeah it's definitely linear in regards to questing. There area few things that Bethesda did right way back in Fallout 3 (and that Obsidian did better in New Vegas), but they've somehow forgotten all about it for Skyrim. PC UI that makes sense, better hotkeying system, speech more relevant to gameplay, and so on.
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cutiecute
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 9:17 am

I have to admit that Skyrim would have benefited immensely from the New Vegas approach to quest design, where the majority of the quests had 2-3 ways to be resolved. In Skyrim, on the other had, the majority of the quests have a single outcome.

I 100% agree with you, the one way to solve the problem approach makes the game feel non-linear. Skyrim is great if you are satisfied with choice of killing things with magic, one hand weapon, two hand weapon or arrows but when it comes to choice and consequences, believable NPCs and the PC making an impression to the game world it is all just smoke and mirrors

Some people want just an illusion I guess, afterall even real life is littered with examples of this
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Pants
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 11:45 am

Skyrim was advertised as a non-linear open world action RPG, that is what I wanted to play. Unfortunately, in the world I feel like I am running down corridors because of the inaccessible mountains. In fact much of the world that I can travel through is just mountain paths! I have tried climbing the mountain but after a while of jumping all I find is an invisible wall, not to mention the animation is absurd why wasn't exciting mountain climbing animation included in the game, could have even been a climbing skill for this game.
I am saying the "open" world is an illusion alas the world in Skyrim is a somewhat linear corridor because of the mountains.

Also, the lack of real character options outside of how to kill things makes the game more linear. I liked Fallout New Vegas (Obsidian game) because of the way my character's skills allowed more choices other then kill no name NPCs. Skyrim even has a speechcraft skill and perk tree but 99% of the time it is relegated to the usual hack and slash sword & sorcery game trope, discounts from merchants. I love how some bandits are not agro to you unless you walk right up to them, imagine if Speechcraft perk or skill would pervent them from going agro unless they catch you stealing, etc. Little additions like this would make the game feel more non-linear. Not to mention if the entire story can be altered by your PC's skills.

The Xbox version is not linear at all, you can go wherever you want should try it out.
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Penny Wills
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 1:35 pm

It wasn't articulated very well, but I kinda agree. :nerd:
The world itself isn't linear at all, but many of the quests are. There aren't really any major ways to use your skills outside of combat, and (with one or two super obvious exceptions) there aren't many choices to be made. There isn't a whole lot of player agency going on there.

What he doesn't seem to acknowledge is that Skyrim's world is open and there are (literally) unlimited quests.
As a general rule in New Vegas you play your character by choosing how you complete a quests, whereas in Skyrim you play your character by choosing which quests you complete. You might prefer one style to the other, but both are equally valid ways to allow players the chance to explore their characters.

Having said all that, there have been many, MANY more chances then I was expecting from an Elder Scrolls game, for my chaotic-good elven assassin to turn the tables and change the course of quests. More than a few quests have allowed me to (without spoilers) accept an evil quest and then (when the time is right) turn on them. A lot better then the linear fetch/kill quests of Oblivion (and to a lesser extent, Fallout 3). Kudos to Bethesda for allowing those options.

:tes:
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Red Bevinz
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 8:38 am

I agree 100%, but because of roleplaying I'm still enjoying this game.
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CxvIII
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 11:24 am

Skyrim is about as linear as a straight line is curved.

Your example of Fallout: New Vegas? That game was more linear than anything else, being forced to generally take the same path with each character you make.

Skyrim is only linear if you let it be, based upon how you play.

Did you know that you don't even have to do a single quest? You could roleplay your character as a blacksmith, and stay in the same town doing nothing but smithing and woodcutting. Not even do one quest, or even visit another town.

And there's nothing stopping you from doing that.

That's what non-linearity is, not being able to fly over the mountains.

I'm guessing this is your first time playing an Elder Scrolls game.
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Dalley hussain
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 8:12 am

Maybe the quests don't have a lot of different paths and choices like Fallout 3, but there are many more quests as a result.This was a design decision that Beth made early on.

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1207390-skyrim-fan-interview/

4) Are the main and faction quests branching or linear? What about side quests?
Bruce: We’ve focused on telling one story well. There are decision points in all the quest lines that can change things, but overall it’s a single story. Because the side quests are smaller stories, they are more likely to have major branches. For example, you can decide to save or betray someone, which changes the whole end of the quest. Overall the quest structure in Skyrim is closer to Oblivion than Fallout 3, in that there are many more quests, but they have fewer branches.
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Cheryl Rice
 
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Post » Fri May 18, 2012 3:42 pm

When I don't feel like walking around mountains, I just run up them. If I am stopped by the slope being too steep, I spam the jump button and eventually can reach the top of the mountain no problem.
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xemmybx
 
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