And I understand yours as well, but when you title the post "Why all the hate" I feel you are already prejudging people that do not go right through the MQ and assuming they have something against it.

I meant no insult, I speak my mind and my opinions directly. If you felt that was insulting then I apologize, that wasn't my intent.

This i can understand im one of those people who has to know everything lol, thats why RPGs appeal too me cause there is so much to discover.

I don't mind the main quests from any of the games. I just don't like being thrown into them without a choice is all.

In Daggerfall, you only had to respond to your letter in a certain amount of time (like a month) at the very beginning, which was the very first part of the main quest. If you did not, you recieved another warning letter and were alotted something like another month to respond. If you failed to respond then the main quest was closed forever.

To OP: I prefer to do some exploring, followed by economy & politics, followed by a little bit of guild advancement before allowing myself to wander into the MQ; it gives it a more important feel and provides time for me to develop a back story in the game, and allows me to learn the mechanics.

Lol I wasn't referring to you i was just hoping to cut that off early but i'm sorry about the title its not like literal im saying you hate the MQ thats just the way i say dis-regard, dis-like, etc......

The world should be saved by a HERO. While I'm this wimpy creature who can barely fight a rat I'm not qualified to even try. Maybe once maximum level creatures start appearing I'll be ready.

My 2 cents worth... I hated the Oblivion MQ... It has traumatized me int regards to TES MQs... I am afraid that Martin (Bean or whatever his name is) is gonna come out at the end and kill Alduiin (with his stoopid mono-tone voice) and take my glory.... Again.....

I agree it is handled better, Morrowind had a thing of pointing in multiple directions, first thing I think of is the very first quest when you have to find Caius Coscades then after going to the next part of the quest the game goes "No! You have to do this for me first."(Dwemer Artefact) It starts to feel more branched out already, Oblivion on the other hand all it did was give you the exact locations and puts it bluntly, no diverging from the main quest, this makes is what makes Morrowind a better game then Oblivion.

Also Morrowind does what I like in Borderlands, it gives you quests that you cannot be guaranteed to do the first time because of difficulty, so you then will proceed to venture out and start exploring so you can evolve to eventually beat the quest; I hope Skyrim is dealt similarly and I liked how Morrowind had a "level system" only for wild enemies but for Quests the enemies will be at set-levels, this helps with the difficulty part where you have to evolve to beat these enemies.

For me it is the fact that the MQ invariably makes you a super-hero or celebrity...which kills it for me. I like to play the nobody in these worlds, so becoming a celebrity defeats this for me. I will do it eventually, but I hope to have a cause to (wife killed by a dragon for example) and it will be the end-cap to my character, the climix.

I usually like to finish off all of the faction quest first, or do most of the other quests, before tackling the bulk of the main quest. Though I have wondered why some people are fine doing other quests but then avoid the main quest like it's the plague and say that they've never completed the main quest ever. Because it's pretty much just another quest line like any other.

I can understand RP purposes as well.

If we're lucky then we may have to do some exploration or major information digging to find out how to progress in the main quest... Fallout 3 didn't represent the main quest as being hugely urgent, especially before finding Dr lei (lee?) in rivet city... I'd appreciate having the narrative option to do segments of the main quest as and when I please rather than being urged on by the connotations in dialogue

Save the best for last... i hope => it's the best.

I'm looking forward to join the Guilds and do there quests first, which i always do.

And by leaving the MQ open my world will stay/be more alive.

It's not a matter of hate, it's simply what people expect from TES games. Usually the good stuff is what you stumble upon, which is the magic of these games for a lot of people

I don't usually bother even starting the MQ, but that doesn't mean I hate it by any means. When I create a character, I try to stick to things that would be appropriate for that character. Most of my characters aren't meant to be the Champion of Cyrodiil, so they don't bother.

Good answer right there.

ill be doing it on one of my characters who is a wetboy ( cookie for reference) and the dragon souls act as a sort of kakari so if i get enough DS then ill do main quest for him

I just don't consider the main questline to be very important in TES games at all. The emphasis of the game should be on player freedom, the world itself, factions, and side quests.

Everyone is a little different. It's why Elder Scrolls is such an anticipated game. It gives the players freedom to do whatever they want, when they want to.

Personally, I'll play through the MQ dabbing in random dungeons I come across. Primarily I want to finish the game, see what the result is, then replay it without touching the MQ at all. Probably mess with some mods and the TES Construct.

Edit: What I think a lot of people are forgetting is that, Bethesda has said that dragons won't appear until you do part of the quest line. So anyone hoping to run into dragons without messing with the MQ and not on a PC, imo, won't enjoy the full experience. Unless you don't like dragons.

Something to do with knowing the game. In Morrowind you got to do something else before you start the main quest to get to know the game or what the NPC say go undercover, work for a guild or go freelance.

One of the weakness of Oblivion is when you start the main quest right away and you get next to nothing for it because the world of Oblivion levels with you.

This is my way to play Oblivion which is rewarding and challenging .

I explore the place, go into caves and ruins to make my character stronger before I join a guild. The I join a guild or do one of the DLC's to get more stronger and get more reward and more loot. When I done with one of those then I start the main quest.

Once I started the main quest at level 32 and it is a very good challenge. Even playing with OOO

Also there is no panic when you start the main quest. I hope Skyrim fixed that.

As most of the time, Daphne is spot on once again. Her/his? feelings on this are my exact feelings too. It's about exploring the world. Meet new people, see new places, do new things. All the little things everywhere. The MQ, will be done, eventually, once I get around to it. I am in no rush whatsoever to get it over with. It's an open world sandbox game, for a reason. Way too many games I play are way too linear in their design (some VERY good though) so it is very refreshing when a new Bethesda game comes out and I can run about and do whatever I want, whenever I want it, without being lead by the nose all the time.

I wouldn't have any qualms about finishing the main quest if only the rewards would be appropriate. In Morrowind and Oblivion you stay a nobody with really little social influence on the province's society. When you become the champion of a land you expect to gain a bit of increase in your social standing, if that's fixed in Skyrim I'd happily finish the main quest.

It should be balanced however, I wouldn't want a sneaky character to be recognised as the benevolent champion of Skyrim by every peasants I come across. Maybe a choice at the end or something.

It isn't hate on the MQ, I just don't want to make large decisions that could impact the rest of the world too deeply before I get to see it all. I will do a "MQ" quest every once in awhile, but for the most part I want to see Skyrim.

I'll do the MQ only once during the first playthrough. Then, I'll forget it entirely and concentrate on sidequests with different character builds, on exploring, on MODs, etc...

I dont hate the MQ its just not what keeps bringing me back to TES so Im not nearly as excited for it as i am for everything else. I will play it when i get to it... maybe... eventually