How do you people manage 200+ hours on a single character? : V - Skyrim

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:44 pm

When you walk from Riverwood to Riften, not on roads but along the bottom of the mountains, you'll find a lot of dungeons to do, animals to kill, bandits, mining nodes, etc. Add to that pushing out to where you get the message, "You can't go there," and following that line all the way around Skyrim, is very time consuming.

I don't know how many hours my 3 characters have put in singularly, but all together, I'm at 412 hours. And I've cut my playing hours back quit a bit recently.

Talking about going to the outside border, I once took one of my characters in WoW, and swam around both the large landmasses, and also around the Lich King expansion - that island. Sorry, can't remember names, my memory is not what it used to be, but you get the idea.

I like to explore lol.

» Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:06 am

Ive done all quests on 3 different characters, explored all locations, talked to everyone, found almost all random encounters, and i clock around 100 hrs per character....max....thats with sitting at a tavern and eating some bread occasionally.....or sitting at a fire talking to the locals.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 10:32 pm

We do a lot of pointless stuff. Like sleeping every night, eating two or three meals a day, going to the rivers to bathe, chopping wood or working other "jobs". Basically we role play, so we do more then just quest and adventure. I've spent time just sitting in a camp at night staring at a fire after just eating. Call me brain dead, but I enjoy taking my time with stuff, and it also makes the game feel more alive.

I couldn't have said it any better. I get extremely attached to my character and I sent my follower away and just spent the last hour following her around to see what her routine was.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 7:35 pm

You people? YOU PEOPLE?!

Just kidding. Anyways, a lot of people like to RP and just explore.

Yeah, "You people" is an inflammatory statement. :biggrin:

Yeah, don't you people me you, you :swear:

My latest character, who NEVER fast travels or uses carriages, has logged 88 hours, visited 316 locations and cleared 170 dungeons according to the stats. He didn't join any guilds, and is very early on the main quest, but did pretty much everything else. I can't see him ever going over 100 hours, so how do some folks manage 200 or even 300 hours with the same character?

... anyways :biggrin:

401 hours... what's up? :bunny:

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 10:19 pm

My latest character, who NEVER fast travels or uses carriages, has logged 88 hours, visited 316 locations and cleared 170 dungeons according to the stats. He didn't join any guilds, and is very early on the main quest, but did pretty much everything else. I can't see him ever going over 100 hours, so how do some folks manage 200 or even 300 hours with the same character?

I ask the same question.
Wander around aimlessly for extended periods is my guess. My play time is similar to yours with similar play style.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:25 pm

My latest character, who NEVER fast travels or uses carriages, has logged 88 hours, visited 316 locations and cleared 170 dungeons according to the stats. He didn't join any guilds, and is very early on the main quest, but did pretty much everything else. I can't see him ever going over 100 hours, so how do some folks manage 200 or even 300 hours with the same character?

So by my basic math skills, that means you spent an average of approximately 30 mins. in each dungeon you cleared. And that doesn't account for traveling between any of those dungeons. I don't understand how you people manage less than 200+ hours on a character.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 11:48 am

Most of the dungeons aren't THAT big.

30mins to run through is probably pretty accurate. Not even sure why you'd want to go to most of them, half of them are pointless.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 12:39 pm

Also, if you play in offline mode, your hours are understated by Steam.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:30 pm

I always fast travel I'm at level 60 and I still have half the main story to finish. And the civil war and companions and daedra quests still to do. Oh and I've been playing it for about 250 hrs. I just spent last week levelling up alchemy, enchanting and smithing for the first time just to see what it was like. I never once did any missions or quests for the whole week.

» Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:26 am

My latest character, who NEVER fast travels or uses carriages, has logged 88 hours, visited 316 locations and cleared 170 dungeons according to the stats. He didn't join any guilds, and is very early on the main quest, but did pretty much everything else. I can't see him ever going over 100 hours, so how do some folks manage 200 or even 300 hours with the same character?

Lessee...ummm.....wait, wait! I know this one.....uhhhh.....explore a lot, do lots of non-quest activities, talk to everyone, and don't die....

Sorry, contestant. You forgot to phrase it in the form of a question. But you can have the home version as a consolation prize.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 6:39 pm

Most of the dungeons aren't THAT big.

30mins to run through is probably pretty accurate. Not even sure why you'd want to go to most of them, half of them are pointless.

Yeah, I'd probably feel the same way if I ran through a bunch of them.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 2:13 pm

Yeah, I'd probably feel the same way if I ran through a bunch of them.

There's not much else to do in them. Kill all the draugr, get mundane "boss" chest and leave.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 5:34 pm

We do a lot of pointless stuff. Like sleeping every night, eating two or three meals a day, going to the rivers to bathe, chopping wood or working other "jobs". Basically we role play, so we do more then just quest and adventure. I've spent time just sitting in a camp at night staring at a fire after just eating. Call me brain dead, but I enjoy taking my time with stuff, and it also makes the game feel more alive.

Same here eventhough it doesnt feel pointless ingame :tongue:

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 12:49 pm

My oldest character has been going from city to city in an anti-clockwise fashion, generally looking for any work that'll pay him well.
He's way past the 200+ hour mark, but how? you ask? well from exploration, roleplay, going off on fun random adventures, trying new skills out etc.
Hell I haven't even reached Whiterun with him yet. He's only just finished up Riften's quests and now is off to work for the dark brotherhood.

You just have to be devoted to your character and learn to not keep yourself on focusing on everything the world has to offer, just generally have fun.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 4:42 pm

lol just broke 120 hours or less (Less I think) on my second character and have completed everything except for some random bounty's and go fetch quests... somehow still not bored

» Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:43 am

I wish my character cloacked 200 hours

Im 80 hours in my khajit assasin (sneak) on master and I am

75% done main quest
2 quests away from theives guild
just started college and brotherhood
almost done companions

I feel like I rushed trought most of it and never tried magic or followers

Im restarting as nord warior and i hope it will take longer but i doubt it

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 11:14 pm

People also don't play at the same speed as everyone. I'm sort of a slow player, always look at everything, move carefully when "nervous" ect. Then there's also ways to prolong the game, like traveling to and fro to get loot to a merchant ect. Some people do everything with one character, others do different quests with different characters. And so on.

And there are some of us, who do both 0.o... If by everything you mean all the guild quest/main quest, almost every dedric quest and some questionable side projects.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 10:04 pm

I do this crazy thing where I play and have fun doing it.

It's never occurred to me to keep track of how much time in terms of hours I have invested in a character. I play the character until I don't feel like playing it anymore. If it's a DiD character that dies jumping out of the tower in Helgen or if its my main character, I play however long I feel like playing.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:44 pm

Ok some points to reply to some of you people

.

I roleplay. My character only uses a long bow (family heirloom), iron arrows, and hide armor (he likes travelling light). He explored everything he could, but did abuse the compass to do so. While I'm not a hardcoe roleplayer (walk everywhere, eat and sleep regularly), I always play in character, and I never do anything to break immersion such as skipping dialogue (yes, even the "Some may call this junk. I call them treasures."). He also spends some time collecting alchemical ingredients, particularly deathbell and swamp fungal pod in the marshes surrounding morthal. And he hunted often, to gather hides to level smithing (only used to upgrade his long bow and hide armor to flawless).
To the person who said you need an imagination, read my character's background story linked in my sig. Probably more imagination there than in one of your 200+ hour playthroughs.
Despite being self-gimped, my character still has an easy time in dungeons, and never dies. I do run in the dungeons because I abhor sneaking (killed off my first character because it made him OP as hell). Early on when he was weak I'd sometimes walk around with my bow drawn, but that didn't last long. Oh, I also skipped the Ranger and Quick Draw perks because it makes kiting too easy. I also don't use a companion.
He's still only level 38, but that's probably because he only really leveled archery alchemy and smithing. Light armor takes ages to level when you're an archer, and he didn't use any spells or melee weapons.
He does't bother with stuff such as collecting and selling off every piece of loot (would make for countless, repetitive trips back to town even with his high weight allowance). In fact, he rarely picks up any loot heavier than 2. He also doesn't care about decorating his house (he didn't even have a house for 2/3 of his play time).
I don't read books ingame because it breaks the flow of the game. I read them at the imperial library site.
I did every single quest I could find.
I didn't join any guilds because none fit the character's RP.

So you see, I'm not a rushing powergamer with ADHD. I really LOVE my character and have had an absolute blast playing him, and I wanted to keep playing him for 100 more hours, which is why I made this post.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:54 pm

You people? YOU PEOPLE?!

Just kidding. Anyways, a lot of people like to RP and just explore.

I lol'd so hard at this, I don't know why. Is that a reference to something?

More on topic, I'm with you on this OP. I can't fathom logging 200 hours on a single character, even with heavy role-playing involved. My longest living character is about 90 hours.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 7:09 pm

There's not much else to do in them. Kill all the draugr, get mundane "boss" chest and leave.

Most of them (and I use most because I haven't done every dungeon, yet every one I have been in) tell stories. Subtle stories that if you aren't paying attention you'd miss. Dungeon diving is pretty much the whole purpose to a game like this, like Neverwinter Nights, like Diablo, like Oblivion/Morrowind and so on. It's no wonder you find it hard to see why people have so much time invested in a character if you skipped so much because "if youve done one, youve done them all." Honestly that can be said about anything in any game. Kill one mob you've killed them all why bother anymore? You shot one dude in COD you've shot them all why bother anymore?

Because that's the point of the game.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 11:03 am

To the person who said you need an imagination, read my character's background story linked in my sig. Probably more imagination there than in one of your 200+ hour playthroughs.
I don't read books ingame because it breaks the flow of the game. I read them at the imperial library site.

#1. I am confused by this. To write a background story for your character is a sign of imagination and creativity. Also you don't think people who have 200+ hours give their characters back stories? I give every character I make a backstory along with traits, habits, hobbies and so on before they even see the light of day. It helps me feel like the character I am playing is a real person instead of just an emotionless avatar.

Spoiler

Primary Motivators

Recognition, Liberation, Honor, Adventure.

Core Traits

Calm, Curious

OUTLOOK
Optimistic
idealistic, confident, trusting, hopeful, upbeat

INTEGRITY
Conscientious
industrious, honest, responsible, meticulous, pragmatic

IMPULSIVENESS
Spontaneous
capricious, flighty, hyperactive, rash

BOLDNESS
Intrepid
daring, reckless, chivalrous

FLEXIBILITY
Stubborn
rigid, tense, relentless, intractable, narrow-minded

AFFINITY
Warm
altruistic, nurturing, empathic, supportive

COMPORTMENT
Discordant
gruff, critical, arrogant, crude, defensive, sanctimonious

INTERACTIVITY
Engaging
talkative, listener, entertaining, touchy

DISCLOSURE
Secretive
closed, mysterious, evasive, cryptic

CONFORMITY
Conventional
orthodox, formal, down-to-earth, mainstream, traditional

Secondary Traits
Cynical, Prankster

sixuality
ORIENTATION - heterosixual
LIBIDO - Healthy

sixUAL DEMEANOR
Expressiveness: Flirtatious
Style: Romantic
Openness to experience: Moderate
Promiscuousness: Monogamous

Religion & Spirituality

ADHERENCE
casual adherent

TOLERANCE—
intolerant

RELIGIOUS DEMEANOR
Expression of beliefs:occasional
Converting others: casual
Attitude: humble

RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATION
Solitary

RELIGIOUS ROLE—
Pilgrim

Habits

Daydreaming, Fingernail biting, Chewing (e.g. sticks, small bones), Knuckle cracking, Snoring, Eavesdropping, Blade sharpening, Beard stroking, Superstitious

HOBBIES & ENJOYMENTS

Fishing, Hunting, Combat competition, Gambling, Metalwork, Pipe smoking, Sports

Favorite Topics of Conversation
Politics, Religion, Current events, profession

Group Affiliation
Stormcloaks

Mental & Emotional Disorders
Depersonalization Disorder, Hypochondria, Addiction,

And that's just a 3rd of what I put into a character before I even make him. My backstories tend to be 2-4 pages long on microsoft word.

#2 As for books, I collect and read them in game. Something which adds time to the clock and something you admittedly don't do. So again, you might softcoe roleplay, but the people who are hardcoe RP'ers will easily have over 200 hours on a character without even doing a single quest. I played Paladin in Oblivion that I clocked over 1,000 hours on and he never did a single quest. Just adventured and "lived" in the world. Okay I lied, he did shivering Isle because I loved that expansion and some player made quest that were made for paladins but that is all.

» Sun Jun 10, 2012 2:26 pm

picking up EVERY plant

:tongue:

it's an addiction

Also, re-reading the books (though tbh that doesn't take that long). Not sure how many hours I've logged though. Took a break recently but I'm sure I'll get around to it again soon. Plus I don't finish the games very often, I always seem to get diverted constantly :tongue:

edit: Lol

you made me look

I've logged 146 hours.

What's sad is that was mostly within the first two weeks of the game coming out

» Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:14 am

Remembering to take your Ritalin for your ADHD seems to help.

It also helps to have an IQ outside of the single-digit range, but you can't expect that from the current crop of gamers either.

» Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:05 am

What surprises me is that some people can get to 300, 400 or 600 hours without the game collapsing within itself.

But yeah, I agree with many here. I've been playing faster lately and I'm almost at 200 hours and I still have to do all the Dark Brotherhood and the Civil War questlines, plus finish the main one.