So, seeing as many people on these forums claim to have invested hundreds of hours into this game, I actually want to know what it is that is keeping everyone interested? I have spent many hours on Skyrim, but most of it has been just trying to find a nice build - I haven't actually enjoyed the game past the first 20 or so hours. I don't know why though, as I love RPG games.

Role playing, exploring, making characters, making stories for the characters, gameplay, and just how much there is to do and find. For me, at least.

I restart with a new character on a regular basis. Thanks to the dead-is-dead mentality, the game is fun and challenging at all times.

Currently, the promise of a distant dawnguard keeps my interest up. I still play other games though. After 500+ hours of Skyrim, I've got to play some other games to refresh my interest.

The same thing on every TES game making an army of characters of every style I can think of and getting them to a comfortable 'pick up and go' level of around 40 or 50. So no matter how I feel like playing that day I can just load up and go.

Here are my problems with Skyrim...

• The world isn't dynamic nor reactive and at times just doesn't make sense. For example, almost all of the events (spare random dragon encounters) feel scripted and there isn't much freedom within the quests themselves. I, for one, would've liked an option for a peaceful resolution to the civil war for example. Or, looking at the Companions' Quests, I don't see why I needed to become a werewolf to do anything more with them. Then, there are scenarios like Helgen, which is a city that just doesn't seem to ever get repaired despite it having been months of game time since the dragon attack there.
  
• The characters are boring. Whilst I understand that the often criticised voice acting is usually due to the sheer number of NPCs and, compared to that, lack of voice actors, I find the most important character of them all boring - my own. In dialogue, I don't think there is enough options to express my character's personality.
  
• Combat is lacking considering that the majority of the game involves combat. Swords don't feel like they have substance to them and some of the magic doesn't make sense. Then, there is the fact that (like in Fallout) you can shoot a guy in the head with an arrow and he'll live. It just isn't realistic!

I don't like that in an RPG. For me, an RPG is all about the story and my character's progression.

Highlighted things are the most Primary things to keep interest,
but all of those help.
Role playing has a lot of categories under it, but being on the forum's for awhile kind of tells you what those are.

Primary thing to LOSE Interest = Power Gaming o.o

wrong post to put this on the person asked what keeps you interested not whats wrong lol my goodness some people cant wait to talk about what they dont like lol

but what keeps me interested is what bloody gear can i rearrange to make me look awesome to Me

Ahem. That's the post of the original poster himself though.

Playing the game on and off. If I play a single game for too long, even competitive ones which I enjoy, I get burned out and tired of it.

I know i just wanted to do one of those idiot uh oh moves lol

Okay. I enjoy single-player games, don't generally get burned out until I've beaten the game, but I haven't beaten Skyrim yet don't really want to. I mean, besides the main quest, I still have the vampire side of the quests to do and I haven't ever even reached level 25 before.

Why does everyone accuse my of "power gaming"? I simply played the game how I've played every single game! For enjoyment at my own pace.

I have NEVER made it past level 35.

Ever.

I am ALWAYS making brand new characters and going different routes with them. I cannot stay with one character... I have to have more than once and I have to know what it could be like.

I guess it's all about what you prefer to do. I like creating my character and telling his or her story.

The thing with "Must become a werewolf", you don't you know, if your characters moral's say...NO... then don't. The you'd say "but I can't progress through the questline" well if your RPing a character that wouldn't want to become a werewolf because of their morals, then they wouldn't really want to be part of a faction that the head people are werewolves.

Same with other choices in the game, they are their, just depends on the way you look at it. Sure the Dialogue could have more options, it wouldn't matter cause it wouldn't be enough for someone.

I don't think Ordun was saying you power game, so much as that is a primary way to loose interest.

That is my problem, but it has gotten to the point that I have gone through every single character imaginable and gotten bored with them all without really playing with any?

I understand that. But, from a role-play perspective, my guy would neither want to join in with the violence of the civil war nor would he want to sit by and let it happen. I wish there was a peaceful solution. As for the Companions, my guy - again - would want to help the Companions as they are honourable warriors, but he wouldn't want to become a werewolf. Not due to morals, just he wouldn't.

I know what you mean for the dialogue aspect. We might as well not have any dialogue choices for our characters at all.

What keeps me in it is the prospect of new, better armor and weapons. Plus the more powerful spells.

Role-Playing , Lore , the obsessiveness for TES.

A peace treaty is an option in the civil war. Maybe you just don't like the game, man? It's not like you have to like it.

Are there problems/questions where RP'ing isn't the solution for you?

Well all the possible solutions are:

PC , mods , Lore , Role-Playing.

A peaceful solution where no fighting starts?...where you have to run back and forth doing set-up's for a meeting that you moderate to get a peacful solution. It would be nice, but for something like that to be interesting there would have to have enough dialogue choices to fill the whole game. You can't just do the end where side "A" get's this and side "B" gets that and neither is happy. And that is what it would boil down to... go to side "A" they want this, this and this to peacefully reslove...got to side "B" they want this this and that.... back and forth... Sorry...that IS what peace negotations are like. Unless one side has already won the "battles".

I think that is why they put a cure in... I just never "use" the werewolf form....and RP that it doesn't take effect til I kill someone. Think of it like a test to get into the inner circle.

Because it's bloody fun. That trait seems to be shared by TES games. Just remember to take it easy sometimes, read a book or something.

Well, I've already mastered the last two. And I'm close to becoming a true son of TES and play Skyrim on PC