To give a little context for why this question came up I bought Dues Ex on steam as it was on sale (oh lord the evil that is Steam), and after playing it I realized how Mass Effect it was (from the synth cords, to the cinematics, to the dialogue options). Those minor annoyances aside one strong relation is how it deals with a real world issue, and that being the lack of harmony between those with synthetic augmentations, and those without. This is science fiction as of now since synthetic augmentations are either expensive, or limited in what they can do. However it poses a interesting question, and paints an interesting scene for you to take part in.

Fast forward to Skyrim which poses some real world issues (Racism, sixism to a degree, government censorship) which are there, but never really fleshed out. You're giving the briefest reason to care for those who worshiped Talos, or those forced to live in slums in Windhelm, however their trials, their lives, and their problems are never really opened for you. You can interact with them, and there are (I believe) some radiant quests assigned to a select few temples, and the slums in Windhelm, those aren't really enough to actually portray their lives, nor is it enough to give me a reason to care.

One could argue that these two problems are really just there to show the negatives of both sides of the war. The Imperials are ready to censor a god that is very dear to the people of Skyrim, while The Stormcloaks are full of zealous, nationalists that believe alienating races is an okay practice. The stereotypes I've written are a reflection of the faction as a whole, not as the individuals who make up that faction as there are characters who become the exception to the rule.

I'm not arguing for long questlines detailing the life of Joe the Argonian shopkeeper, I'd just like to have these ideas develop more as they play a big role in the world, and make it feel much more real. In a lot of ways Bethesda has never made me feel like the world they've created is relatable in anyways, even Fallout 3 felt foreign and unrealistic. Granted I think it portrayed these types of problems in a more developed way, one that felt more advlt, for lack of a better term.

All I'd like is to be given a reason to care, I'd like to feel like when I join the Imperials it was for Joe the Argonian shopkeeper, and not me wanting to playthrough the game via some parallel universe in which both sides capture the exact same strongholds, and kill their enemies in the exact same way.

No, no modern political anology crap. It's boring and cliche'.

More cliche than dragons trying to the destroy the world? More cliche than a nationalist leader fighting for his people, but merely using them as pawns to cement himself in history? More cliche than powerful gods manipulating people for their pleasure?

Honestly Skyrim is already full of cliches, as almost every fantasy game is, granted it isn't on the level of Dragon Age, but it still suffers from cliches that in a sense provide nothing (granted the Daedric quests are amazing).

Modern politics of Capitalism, Socialism, Communism, etc differ from mercantile.

So no.

Unless you would be fine with the people arming them selves & butchering the king & queen. In which would be better.

I would like deeper interaction and deeper conflicts.
Skyrim definitely suffers when it comes to the depth of characters and the intrigue they offer.

Games are supposed to be entertaining, and that's what I want from them. I don't want them reduced to propaganda designed to produce feelings one way or another on whatever social issue the writer wishes to make a statement about.

And I was really annoyed this morning when I saw Deus Ex on sale 66% off. I bought it just last week and haven't even finished it yet, and here it was for twenty bucks less than I payed for it.

Racism in Skyrim is terribly done.

No.

Its a game in a fanasty world, thus it pure entertainment and it does one hell of a job at it. The very idea of your topics post is insulting to the game. I couldn't even stomach reading your post because your making the game political.

And a video game + politicans = disater.

I have underlined your problem. If you cannot turn off such thinking, then what will stop you from thinking it with any other story line?

Have you considered that perhaps the issue lies more in over-intellectualizing what is at the end of the day only a video game than it does the game itself?

Oh indeed. Now I have a car for sale really cheap. I just need you to connect to my server when you wish to drive it and you won`t be able to start driving it UNTIL you connect to my server first. Also I`ll periodically need you to connect up cos I want it that way. You haven`t a say in the matter. But it`s on sale so that`s alright.

Isn`t it?

Except this is a video game with a rich history & lore. It would make less sense to not go into politics; for it already has done so as well as in past games.

What you underlined is more a problem with how the civil war quests were structured. It feels like the same play, just with different actors.


You're right in the sense that it can become preachy if it is shoved down your throat from the perspective of the writer. However if it is presented in an unbiased way then it can be a tool to create a more fleshed out idea, and ultimately a more fleshed out civil war.

As for sale, I bought Skyrim, Morrowind, and Oblivion for their "retail" price only to have all 3 go on sale for at least half of what I purchased them for. Such is the retail market.


But the civil war is already about politicals and honestly Racism and government censorship don't even have the same effect as they did 60+ years ago, at least not in America. Those aren't even hot topics in terms of civil rights, or just rights in general (and yes I know SOPA and all that BS but that would never pass).

i don't want my videogames to use real-world issues at platforms.

the racism of nords and elves, though, it involves racism has nothing to do with any real life groups. nor should it.

the way mass effect "deals" with real-life issues is a joke to me.

I sit here and argue with people on the internet over trivial crap so of course I'm going to over anolyze a game


No different than you voiding a warranty because you took it to a different dealership, or mechanic than the one they specify.

If I had to complain about Steam it would be that I now have a backlog of games that I'll never play, because it was on sale for cheap.

Such self entitlement. Yet such a small amount of common sense via reading what was stated.

As for Steam, I would have to agree with Failed. Only if we could trade them in.

I understand you, but the problem is that you do not get into any good spirit at start. You play through the game in all its variations, because none really fits you. This is your problem and not the game's problem. You fail to see yourself as an Imperial and as a Stormcloak. If you would really slip into a role and make their believes, ideals and morals your own then you will have no issue playing this game many times.

Your problem is that you fail to associate yourself with either side. You have played through the quest lines because you could, not because you really wanted to be the Imperial who fights the Stormcloaks, nor did you really put the shoe on of being a Stormcloak. Or else it would not matter to you. It only matters because you cannot get into it.

Yep.
You and me both. *sad brofist*

Very, very different. You need to think more on what Steam actually does compared to real world purchases such as music DVDs and movies, etc.. If Steam did with other normal items what it gets away with in games there would be a public uproar.

You can deny and stick your head in the sand all you want (I know how much Steam has become mummy to some people), but it`s nothing like how normal purchases are usually done- or should be done.

p.s. I don`t even think you actually read what I wrote.

What you are basically stating Sdack, is that he/she is playing the game wrong while doing the Civil war.

You do not have to role play to get into it.

i agree that the conflicts needed more depth to them.. but not necessarily that they relate closely to current RL issues.

Mmmm...Well, I don't need lemon juice and bicarb soda to get bloodstains out of my clothes...

Yes, you do. In his case where he wants to feel a deeper connection is proper role play what he needs. If he only makes decisions based on his own morals and experience and for both sides, then each play through will feel the same and because he is the same and his decisions are based on the same morals. Only once you can fully slip into a role will it get fun and you will forget the mechanics.

How about some bleach Gun?

The question is what kind of material you draw on. Mythology, fantasy, medieval history- good. Thinly veiled modern preoccupations- bad. Trite and dreary. I can turn on the news if I want to think about those.