Big PHAT Nord MEAD halls, that's what. I find that Skyrim's culture is much different than that of Bloodmoon's Nordic culture. For one they don't drink enough mead, second they don't have mead halls, and third... well they're not barbarian forest/village people anymore. Nords in Skyrim are too civilized. Don't get me wrong I love Skyrim's feel, I just finally figured out why this doesn't feel like Morrowind's Solstheim. Is there anything you wish was in Skyrim that's not, or should be?

Roaming tribes of nomads, of whatever race, would have been quite awesome.

One could say that the troubling times are why they aren't their usual party-hardy selves.

But if they were going to be realistic about it, yeah. They should have made them ignore the world's problems and get s**tfaced.

Bigger Cities...

I am not a big fan of the 3 house providence cities..

I wish that there was good writing, in depth quests, companions and NPC's that you actually gave a [censored] about, the consequences of your actions in the world, a UI that wasn't completely broken, and better magic and spellmaking.

I'm sure that I've forgotten some things, but I'll stop there for now.

soul

On to the part about mead halls, I'd like to add another cultural topping known as werewolves. No, I'm not talking about the transform-at-will thing of The Companions, I'm talking about actual werewolves... you know, the wild, roaming beasts that prey upon unsuspecting villagers on the night of a full moon... the terrifying beasts whose bloodcurdling howls ring in the dark forests on the edge of all clear sight sending the local villagers into the retreats of their homes hoping for assistance from the wayward traveler (the player) who may happen to stumble across town and save them from this evil while rescuing the abducted villagers held prey by the beasts... all while traversing deep into the heart of the thick, dark, mysterious forest where danger has the upper hand and camouflages itself at every turn, waiting for you to be drawn in by the allure of the mysterious wild where sunlight never touches the floor and peril threatens your very existence wherever you go in this alien world to discover what lays within. Skyrim, with mead halls, werewolves, and many other things, never really delivers on the promise of cultural atmosphere such a setting should allow. The NPCs/world are too one-dimensional, boring, and nihilistic (would have thought modern AI could have spruced things up a bit plus maybe add some holidays, festivals, reaction, and, of course, mead hall celebration feasts), the scale of the world still far too small (and not very believable), and the nature of the world and content far too predictable and monotonous.

Tying into that would, of course, be the severe lack of RPG elements within Skyrim. Bethesda forgot the reputation system, they forgot the choices, they forgot consequences, they forget intriguing stories, they cut down on customization options, and, of course, they forgot to make the world feel compelling... all for what, the dragons that the PC can slay to no one's care? I'd take a world that feels more mysterious and easy to get lost into... a world that presents choices, recognizes who you are and what you've done, reacts accordingly, and, subsequently, feels "real". Instead, we get a little cardboard amusemant park that, while pretty, rarely brings surprises, rarely makes the player feel insignificant in a wondrous and alien world with many secrets, rarely ties the character to the player via choices and a sense of place, and overall is just... shallow. No, instead of that, we get to, yet again, bash some more dragon skulls in and raid yet more dungeons for even more fetch quests that build up but never really go anywhere just to get another dragon shout, 200 gold, and another sword in a box, at the end. Then again, maybe I'm expecting too much, but that's the game I would have loved to see... hope someone out there takes up the challenge.

To hell with 300+ hours of content if none or barely any of it is unique, surprising, tied-together, "deep", believable, or influential. Want to make the ultimate sandbox RPG? Tip: Add the RPG elements and brilliantly decorate your sandbox to be, you know, interesting and beckoning. Make the people act "real", make the world dynamic, add in surprises, saturate everything with a sense of depth and intrigue... make it feel like a unique and believable world. Back when the game was still new and all I knew were Riverwood, Whiterun, and some of the surrounding area, it somewhat felt that way, but it quickly fell apart as the game did little to maintain that feeling. Reputation never built, choices never presented themselves, quests/dungeons become blatantly formulaic and monotonous, I never had any effect on anything, NPCs never did much to flesh themselves out, and regions/locations ceased to be anything truly interesting or mysterious. Depth, interaction, and story are key.

skyrim takes place 200 years into the future

But i know what your saying, i sorta miss how nords had the voice where they sounded dumb, now they sound russian

The Nord and Orc guy in Oblivion was a manly mofo.

What Todd promised.

TOOOOODDDDDD!!!

wait they dont drink enough? most of the theives guild questline revolved around mead, it is pretty damn important

fixed.

At first, I read the OP as "Big fat Nord mead balls".

Needless to say, I was concerned.


Also slightly intriqued.

"Poison the mead."

Yes sir.

/captain drinks mead from non-poisoned barrel.

"!@#@#$%%@#^#%!@#$! How DARE you give me AWFUL TASTING mead! YOU GO TO JAIL FOR REST OF LIFE!"

o.O

Quality writing right there.

MMMMMM :F <3

Todd did not lie- he thought the lack of character foundation would be freeing and smooth. the world is chock full of stuff- they have the technology to do that, and Bethesda was not stingy.
There just isn't enough reason to repeat going through it all without a deeper character build, NPC interactions, spell making and more choices.

What comes next is most interesting- do they percieve a lack, or just keep making Fallout? I'm betting they keep making Fallout. We'll have post apocalyptic Fallout and Fallout with swords and magic. I think this will happen because I'm a cynic, not because I wish it. Perhaps I'll be wrong and Bethesda will realize what is missing and put it back and then some. But so many love the current Fallout 4- I mean Skyrim, there is no real reason to change.

More mead halls and more drunken Nords will not fix Skyrim. Though it wouldn't hurt. Then my hero could stop in and drown his sorrows.

Buying land for my own keep would have been a great gold sink not to mention interesting.

Took the words right out of my mouth. Sir, I applaud you .

Todd Howard's a good guy, give him credit. And ya I think there should be a better werewolf element to the game. I hope in DLC they build on it. I hope you turn into one at night, and that they add them into the wildernesses.

"Good" is subjective.

I'll give him credit as soon as what he says matches what we get. Otherwise I'll give him as much as an infomercial dude deserves.

All or any the lesser daedra that have been in every TES game since Daggerfall besides the dark elves with face paint/dremora and the atronachs.

I lol'd

do we ever get what todd say we going to get I'm guessing no....

lol that funny.