I figured I'd post this here so hopefully it gets seen.

I'm playing on about a 30 inch SD TV. I don't sit too far from it, and it's usually fine for gaming.

However, I'm having some real problems with Skyrim. The font used in the menu's is rather hard to read sometimes, because it's quite narrow. Also, the feed on the top left of the screen (like when you eat alchemical ingredients, for instance) is unreadable, the text is far too small to be of use. Finally, when smithing, the list of required materials gets cut off.

To fix these issues, I would suggest having some kind of option for SD TVs, that uses a slightly larger font in menu's (Magic and Items menu's) and perhaps a different font for the smaller texts such as the previously mentioned feed, and the favourites menu. Also, the text for the smithing menu should wrap onto a second or third line (however many required obviously).

One final issue is the screen size. My screen cuts off a small part of the game on the edges. Most games, even COD, have options to adjust screen size to fit onto your screen for people playing on older tvs without widescreen. I can't imagine it being too hard to patch this, and my other suggestions, in.

Thanks, and the game is great so far.

I'm having this same issue, it's unbelievably frustrating. The game is quite literally unplayable on SDTVs in it's current state. Bethesda, if you're reading this, here's some suggestions:

- Forced letterbox. Most games I've played recently (Dark Souls, God of War 3) have this and it seems to fix the issues quite nicely because nothing gets cut off.
- Increase the font size. Don't do it on the text in the corners however, because they would get cut off even more.
- Allow screen adjustment options like screen position.

If this isn't patched I'd have no choice but to sell your game, which is a shame because I was very much looking forward to enjoying it.

Good suggestions. If they were to increase the size of the fonts in the corner, I would presume they would wrap the text onto the next line as well.

I also have the same problem. Really annoying. Also, is it normal for when you turn left, you can't see your weapon anymore as it goes too far to the right of the screen? Or is that another SDTV problem? Does this happen to you OP?

It happens to me, irishboy. I'm playing on an SDTV as well.

im not having this problem but it seems i have encountered every other one possible its very very frustrating including the fact that i didnt even get the premium map either im tempted to return the game and get my money back and never play another bethesda game again i also had bad problems with new vegas and it seems to get worse the better they make the game maybe instead of cramming in useless features they can get the game working properly next time (i only call them useless cause i cant even get to use half of them

Both the weapon disappearing into the right of the screen, and the text problems?

Yes.

At least now I know I'm not the only one.

Does anyone know how to fix it?

Yeah, that's another thing they should do as well; move the HUD (text updates, compass, menu screens, basically everything) to a position more optimal for SDTVs. You could have it as an option in the options menu to choose between a 4:3 or 16:9 HUD positioning or something.

From what I've been reading at different sites around the internet, it's a universal issue to anyone playing on an SDTV regardless of console and there's no definitive way to fix it. Fortunately my household has an HDTV in the living room, but being able to play on the TV in my bedroom would be nice, and I'm sure this issue is infinitely more frustrating to people who don't own an HDTV at all. This affects far too many people not to fix.

I notified one of the staff members, hopefully that will speed up a possible patch.

Sadly most developers never even test games on SDTVs these days and certainly not for readability of the text and consistency of the UI. (like not getting cut-off)

Really a shame as a good tube set still blows away most LCD sets save the aspect ratio stuff.

Yeah the tv I use is decent enough. I mean, I'm only a teenager, I can't afford to buy a new TV, I have to use my parents old one. I imagine a lot of people are in similar situations. I can understand if it's unreadable on a 20 inch crt, but a 30 inch isn't even that small.

Sorry for this guys but not to bye a BETHESDA game are not the solution here....

i would suggest to buy any cheap hdtv on the near future....because the game rocks on PS3.... ))))

I just wanted to echo some of the comments above.

I have a standard definition 36" TV. I can't read a damned thing here and the screen is totally off centered.

It's a pretty bad way to try to play and enjoy the game, and I can't read hardly anything on the screen.

Yeah, it's pretty bad. I certainly hope they patch this.

Just wanted to add my voice to list regarding the problems when using an SD display. I could maybe live with the hard to read text, but the cutting off of text within the interface is making the game unplayable. I can barely see the magicka, health and stamina bars. Also when in the inventory I can't see any text on the bottom of the screen. (I'm presuming that is where it tells me things like my gold and what my carrying capacity is?)

I am fearful that even if this is considered a high enough issue to patch it will be weeks (or longer) before I can actually play.

I am exp. the same exact same thing as I have already posted in 2 other similar threads the only solution that may help is going to the system settings/display and change the screen format to 'widescreen' this is for the 360. it has brought the compass and letters from the top left down a little,i still cannot make out the top left text really at all though,it seems to help the on screen text as well...im still playing and loving the game,i just cannot help but imagine how much better it would be with a patch,playing the game as it is meant ot be played...i meant this game is awesome! just imagine if i can say that and be playing with these sdtv issues...with a fix.wow. Bethesda please patch this!

I'm going to bump this...bump the crap out of this.

To be fair to Bethesda, this is an industry-wide problem. But it is a big problem and an unnecessary one. For some reason game developers think that everyone has huge HDTVs just like they do. Wrong. So very wrong. Things should be made to the lowest common denominator, for this exact reason, so that everyone can enjoy the product/service/whatever. One solution would be to have a display setup screen upon first starting the game, in fact that should be mandatory on all games.

Mini Ninjas, Red Dead Redemption...and many others I can't remember just now, all suffer from this HD bias. I think it's unforgivable.

I had the same problem as you guys, kind of. I was running sdtv plugs through an hd-tv. Though it was just my fault for being lazy and not buying an HDMI cable. So I know how crappy it looks.. Well worth complaining about if you have this problem. I hope for your sakes they take care of this issue.

Well apparently they said that a patch is being worked on,but haven't actually specified what they're patching exactly. So lets hope this issue is a part of the many fixes within that next patch. I'd LOVE to play my game. I clocked in countless hours of both Fallout 3 and NV,and Oblivion before those. I'd like to do the same with this game. Fingers crossed!

this is exactly why i came to the forums. i have a SD TV also. i only began the game an hour ago, and i had to turn it off already because trying to read the text has given me a huge headache. i am probably going to return this game i played thousands of hours of morrowind and oblivion and i am so disappointed that i won't be able to play skyrim because of such a dumb thing.

Exact same problem here. Luckily, when nobody is watching TV in the living room, I can just use the 37' LCD, and it looks beautiful on that set-up.
I want to be able to play in my room too, and it's simply unplayable on an SDTV.