Noticed a couple of immersive things that surprised me while travelling in Skyrim...

1. I was attacked by a large spider. i`d been attacked by them before, but this time I noticed actual SALIVA dripping from its mandibles as it attacked. It looked very realistic (though i don`t think real spiders drip saliva). that was pretty cool.

2. Was climbing down the side of a mountain when I saw a bird flying below me. I wondered if maybe I could kill it with my arrows from above. just as I was about to fire, I saw it land on a nest in tree! I had no idea the birds actually nested. I thought they just flew around forever! Very nice detail indeed. I then killed the bird- Just joking, I decided not to.

3. Came across imperial guards with a prisoner. we killed a Troll together and lost one man. The guards warned me to keep away, but I thought i`d follow them to the nearest village. When they entered the village, they were attacked and killed by the village! the prisoner was left alive and got away!



These little things are quite amazing which makes me wonder why then did Bethesda do silly things like not allow an immersive 1st person view on horses?

Strange...

The spider was probably dripping poison, not saliva. They do like to spit it at targets, right?

Oh yes, it probably was poison . Although this one did not spit.

Oh yea tons of stuff. I remember the first walk along the river toward Riverwood. I smiled when I saw salmon jumping up the waterfalls. Cool stuff. Reading the books is always a good time as well.

I agree about the view on horses... and also wish they would impliment mounted archery.

A little thing that I noticed impressed me. I was walking along the road near Morthal one time, enjoying a relaxing stroll. When a spider seemed to come out of nowhere and attack me. I killed it swiftly (I play on Novice lol). So I thought 'That was strange, did it jump out of the snow or something?'

I forgot about it and moved on. I played lots of quests and did general things after that. It was about 100 (in-game) days later that I was walking along the same road outside Morthal when I neared the area of the first attack. I stopped and glanced over at the snowberry bushes that line the road. I was just quick enough to see a spider running into the bush and suddenly standing still. I didn't move and it just waited there! It was really hard to see it, as its black thin legs blended in with the snowberry bushes perfectly!

It just stayed perfectly still and didn't move for ages. Eventually I started walking towards it and it jumped out at me!

That's one thing I really applaud Bethesda on. They do a very good job at open, realistic worlds.

Now that`s very interesting. i`ll keep an eye out.

Go look at some rapids. You'll be impressed, at least on PC. Haven't seen the game on console yet.

The water on consoles (360) looks amazing. I've often find brilliant scenic views, or wandered into some corner of a city and found a beautiful flowing stream or something, and thought to myself, the people who made this game really poured their heart into it, because they made this lowly corner of a city that probably not a lot of people are even going to care about, into something beautiful to look at. Everywhere you look, even in places where probably no one will, you will see nice details.

If you really take your time to admire the details, the game becomes even more amazing.

I always enjoy it when I'm dungeon crawling and I come upon a caved in area and I see pebbles and dust fall down as if to signify that the area still isn't safe.

Indeed, couldn't agree more with the OP, some of the first impressions of these little things that make Skyrim feel alive, are really another level of impressive.

And yes, horses...
Besides the "no first person" issue, I struggle to find a single benefit to riding over walking/running (besides RP)
Perhaps there are rare horses in the game with better stamina/mobility, which I have yet to discover, but as far as the early ones go, they well and truly svck.

Immersive, no. Interesting, very!

While I was picking up some coins I noticed that they are marked with the Imperial crest on one side and a face on the other.

Once I saw a daughter asking her mom what her dad was like and the mom actually answered her question. It absolutely had nothing to do with any quests. Amazing.

Except for how no one seems to recognise anything you do.

I never said immersive.

Granted that aspect of the game isn't perfect, but frankly they aren't the strong point of the game anyway. Being able to walk around in these sorts of environments is.

Except for the guards. Oh, and the people you help along the way.

And chickens. Spy bastards.

You said realistic (would would lend towards immersion if it were done properly), it's isn't very realistic how almost nothing you do really matters and how no one properly recognises it.


Except for how they still act like I just joined the companions and thieves guild, despite being leader of both, among many other things. So no, they really don't.

I get called Harbinger all the time, by the Companions and by the guards.

I guess I should have qualified it with visually realistic.

Love how when setting off fire traps when opening a chest it actually leaves a burn mark on the chest afterwards. Its also great how guards can tell what am wearing and will compliment me on it which feels nice after having just smithed some armor to superiour class.

You know what would be cool? Being able to fish! I see all those salmon and found a fishing pole but couldn't use it... I would have another reason to quit my job and stay at home forever.

Immersive for sure.

• Had a wolf kite me up a mountain behind a crag into a wolf pack. Got jumped! Thought it was well done.
  
• Threw bodies off a bridge into the river down below and watched the current take them down stream.
  
• Followers have their quirks and preferences.
  
• Snow storms f!up my vision!!! Can't see real clear.
  
• I get flanked in combat!!!
  
• Sounds. NPC's hear your weapon being unshealthed or if you kick/step on an item.

How dragons leave footprints when they land.