Hi everyone. I'm sure this topic has been covered many times but I am somewhat new to these boards and haven't really had a chance to peruse them sufficiently.

Anyway, I wanted to give my opinion on how races are handled in Skyrim. I feel as if there is not a significant enough difference between playing different races. Skyrim makes a point to show the player that it is the land of the Nords and outsiders, especially Elves and Beastfolk, are not welcome. However, when playing as a dark elf or an argonian, there isn't enough emersion as that race. You can still talk to everyone and do everything just like any other race. The prejudice that Skyrim seems to set up disappears when it comes to the player's race (other than small comments here or there).

I don't think that the racial "power" is enough to distinguish the races. And it's nice that Argonians can breathe underwater and that Nord's are resistant to frost, but these are just background qualities. I think there needs to be more consequence for choosing a race (and I don't mean negative consequence necessarily). When I'm starting an Elder Scrolls Game, I want to feel like the race I choose matters and is distinguishable when I'm NOT in 3rd person mode.

So, what do you guys think should be done to augment this? Do you agree that there is a lack of racial differentiation?

I absolutely agree. You know I'm going to bring up another game Dragon Age Origins, it was very interesting because they had people behave to you with different races.

Such as a blacksmith, elves are used as slavers. And if your main character was a slaver he would say, "Pick up that damn sword and start forging elf," or something like that.

And you could reply

Rude, What did you say

Power, I'm a Grey Warden

Polite

Blah blah blah. The point is the racial differences were played out. And it's a bit frustrating in Skyrim that these aren't played upon more.

It would be interesting as a Khajit to have the gaurds come up to you as the main character:

Halt, you're kind are not allowed in the gates

Main character

I am a Thane of Whiterun [if done that part of the MQ]

Persuasion option

Intimidate option

Bribery option

I agree completely with this. You never get any real difference in playing the races. Like I just made a High elf mage after my spellsword nord and I can't tell the difference. Like seriously, highborn really great to have too bad I can only use it once a day. They need to make some better changes to races so it reflects each races specialty.

For the immersion that would be so cool to have everyone react differently to you depending on your race. Maybe open different quests or like a extra merchant or something.