Why is called a PC port when the game is built using a multi-platform engine and developed simultaneously for the Xbox, Playstation, and PC? Sorry, just something that's been bothering me while reading through reviews and posts.

the devs clearly had consoles in mind

Many people, myself included, feel that the game wasn't really designed with the PC in mind. See the UI, which doesn't favour mouse-and-keyboard at all (and, in fact, barely works with a mouse for many people). PC sales have carries Bethesda this far since Arena, and the thanks their PC fans get is a game that works best on everything but their chosen platform. That's why people call it a PC port.

But if you're developing for multiple platforms, then you have to design your interface to be compatible with the least capable platform. A port implies a game that was developed originally for consoles and then ported over to the PC later. It carries a negative connotation of being poorly optimized, extremely buggy, and often a rushed job to get some fast cash. The first Mass Effect is a perfect example of this. Bethesda obviously cares about PC because releasing modding tools to the public is a big project in and of itself.

console sales make up something like 80% of the total sales of a new release game, so it isn't that surprising really.

Skyrim is a console game that can be emulated on PC.

It's called a pc port because it was made with the console limitations in mind. Like the console's lack of a mouse/keyboard for a proper menu GUI

It is poorly optimized, people just don't notice because the game runs off of CPU power and not Graphics cards. the UI is obviously ment for use with a Controller and the game likes to ignore the mouse's existence even when you turn off 360 controller support. you want indepth info look in the PC hardware section.

To play devil's advocate, doesn't the introduction of console gamers to the market give Bethesda a bigger budget to make the game bigger and better than would otherwise be possible? Aren't we (PC users) benefiting from the console players in this way?

the real downside is how OLD the xbox graphics capability is. and how the game is really held back from its true awesomeness having to cater to graphics technology from six years ago.

Yes and no. Yes, in that more content is being poured into each TES. No, in that the UI and other essential functions that make the PC different are being stripped and bared down. Case and point the UI. If they have a bigger budget, the least they can do is invest into some top-tier talent that knows a thing or two about designing interfaces.

Maybe, but it isn't nearly as bad as, say, Mass Effect which is a true PC port of a console game. Skyrim runs better on my machine than Oblivion does, but that could just be because Oblivion doesn't do a good job of utilizing multiple CPUs.

Mass Effect's inventory system was just awful in general, in terms of consolized UI, this game is one of the worst I've seen. Sometimes clicking will bring you out of the menu for no reason, some places you have to click twice for some reason, sometimes the mouse will stop scrolling through the menu, atc.

That sounds like Skyrim. The UI is... usable, but it could have been better. I like the game, but there are so many technical problems right now...


True, but the other problems make it feel like a port.

I agree it would be nice if the PC could get its own UI that took advantage of the keyboard and mouse. However, I think they did a better job this time around than they did with Oblivion. I find I can navigate the menus and inventory a lot faster than I could in Oblivion.

Indeed. And I have to say, my two ways of playing TES in Daggerfall and Morrowind were Hand-to-Hand and Flails in Daggerfall, and Hand-to-Hand and Spears in Morrowind. In Oblivion (which I loathed, from the UI to the story to the gameplay) I at least had Hand-to-Hand fighting. Now I don't even have that in Skyrim. My once unarmed monk fighter is reduced to dual-wielded daggers and light armour, because Bethesda thinks they need to spend all of their money on graphics and very poor interfaces, because they have a console market to please. In fact, I personally have not benefited one iota from Bethesda opening up to a console market.

So, yes, maybe they have more money, but I see most of it going into graphics, and needless gameplay gimmicks mostly to appease the larger crowd.

I'm not sure why one would think because Beth releases Modding Tools means they "care" some of us don't believe Modders should be left to fix or address things obviously wonky with the game.


Modders are their to Add, not fix. fortunately we have some not to complacent folks who don't mind taking up the task. we'd be in the crapper for some time without them

I mean come on, Oblivion, FO3, FONV (yes I know they didnt make it) these games sold REALLY WELL. they'd be swimming in cash no? barring their obligations to investors and other costs. but its pretty clear they kinda took some side steps with the PC.

the only reason I'm not all guns on them is because, if your looking, and listening in Skyrim. you'll realize they still give a damn.

I'm going to have to disagree vehemently. Even if the UI worked perfectly, I feel it's still a bad UI in general. You need to exit the menu to go to a different one, there's no paper doll, there's no icons for quick identification, there's so way to see weight, cost, or damage without selecting the item first, and there's no way to organize your items to see which weigh the most or sell the best.

And I think it bears mentioning that I have been afflicted with diseases twice without even realizing that I had them until someone mentioned it says much about the "Active Effects" menu. Had it been vampirism, and I was stuck without a good save before I ran out of time to cure, I would have basically had to scrap the characters entirely. (One was a monk, the other a paladin type, and I at least try to roleplay them in-game.)

Aside from the UI, and some control issues (which I personally haven't noticed), I really don't see why some people are getting so worked up about it being multi-platform. Oblivion was exactly the same, and yet many of the detractors here are constantly praising that particular game.

Only issue I have is that sometimes I HAVE to use mouse ... or maybe I am missing something, but when the dialog pops out, I have to use mouse to click it. the standard e/tab does not work on it. Aside from that the UI feels right for me.

I play on Console, but the overwhelming amount of people complaining about the PC UI, (and rightly so) is about the only problem with the PC version that I can see.

It's just a major freaking problem. A game with a poorly designed UI is frustrating, and I can't stand when it's difficult to do the most basic things mid menu. I know modders will fix this problem, but they really shouldn't have to.

They said a good six months back that the Xbox 360 was the lead development platform. Not that anyone couldn't have figured that out just by playing it on the PC for ten minutes. It feels so much like RAGE, a game also focused on the 360 and published by Bethesda, did at release. Not that it has the same bugs, but a lot of the same optimization problems are present.

It sounds like it's just a matter of semantics then. To me a PC port means something completely different than simply "designed with consoles in mind." Oh well, it's not like it's keeping any of us from playing and enjoying the game. I'm off work now, so it's time to play some Skyrim

It's because everything in the game is built around using console with a controller with limited buttons. You can easily see it with the menus and game buttons all overly simplified and menu driven which is needed when playing with a controller with only a couple buttons to do 100 different spells and potions and scrolls and ......................

With a keyboard and mouse with almost limitless keys and buttons to use it's obvious that the PC version is just the Xbox version that runs under windows, Look at the option menu it even has Xbox controller turned on by default for the PC version !!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY !!!! how much bigger proof do you need lol