Dear Bethesda,

First of all, congratulations! You have truly succeeded in bringing the TES series to the next level. I particularly enjoy the new perk system, the absence of having to "define" my character at the start of the game - it makes the character development much more free and enjoyable. The fact that I can govern each hand individually and the implementation of a more responsive combat system improve the role-playing experience greatly!.

However, I have a few constructive criticisms that I would really like to see implemented in a future patch. A few of these might seem pedantic, probably because they are, but I'm confident you are aware of the fact that a role playing experience is both made and broken by the game's application of spacial presence, or immersion characteristics if you will. I find several mechanics and aesthetic choices made detrimental to this, the role-playing, experience and, frankly, cannot fully rationalise why some of these choices were made.

My first comment is in regards of the fact that if I dual wield, my character only sheaths a single weapon. This disappoints me for the following reasons:

• 1 It breaks the immersive pattern, thus far maintained, for it is not coherent with character-development choices made by the player.
  
• 2 NPC's wielding a single weapon do not appear different, while observed from a distance, from those who dual wield, prohibiting the player from prioritising targets prior to attack.

I also find it a pity to find out that you, after implementing shield 'bash' and 'charge' abilities, have excluded the option to augment (through enchantment or otherwise) shield as weapons. I cannot therefore weaken an enemies resistance to, say, flame by bashing with my weakness to flame augmented shield, before striking with my flame augmented 1h. Of course, one could suggest I work around that by dual wielding, or 1h casting, which is fair to note, but beside the point; it is an unnecessary restriction on character development and I see little reason why shield are excluded from offensive augmentation since they are usable as a 'weapon'.

I find the way the menu is set up very 'messy' and disorientating. The 'favourites' system is one of the worst I have experienced thus far. If I want to use a new spell, I first open the inventory, book, spell, close inventory, magic menu, choose school of magic, find spell, press F (perhaps it is less tedious on the console, I would not know). This is horrible. Also, why does the magic menu have to share the right side of the screen with the stamina bar? this makes no sense to me.

Other than that I am thoroughly enjoying Skyrim, and always look forward to new Bethesda .