When i first played fallout 3 and discovered the "v.a.t.s." system my first thought was "I cant wait for this feature to be in the next elder scrolls game". When skyrim came out i was disappointed that it lacked a similar feature. Id think that in a game where you wield such weapons (melee, magic, bows) you would definitely want to be able to target individual limbs for crippling, or the head for a quick finish. It would make combat much more interesting by opening up more possibilites. Do you want to just cripple a guys legs so they cant chase you? do you want to take an arm just because they said the wrong thing? I feel it should be possible. Id go as far as to say theyd even be able to add it to the game with a DLC or something, they've done it in a game already. Id pay 30 bucks for that feature alone. Thoughts?

I think it would be cool to mangle a limb in live action. The one thing I didn't like about Fallout is that the limbs wouldn't fall off until the person/creature was killed. I would love it if you could lop off an arm during battle while your opponent is still living and hear him scream while blood spews from the wound like a fountain. But, I don't think there is anything built in like that in this game. For stuff like that, I think we'll have to wait for the next generation consoles, at least for open-world games like Skyrim. Only scripted games have the bandwidth to provide bloody executions like that at the moment.

Arrow in the knee jokes incoming!!

I think V.A.T.S. should stay in FO3. Just my opinion. It is a cool option that fits great in that series. To cross-breed it into a separate series...eh, I can see the mountains of complaints already.

I like the V.A.T.S system in Fallout but thats where it should stay. I was glad it wasnt in Skyrim, it wouldn't make much sense. With that said I would have liked to see localized damage but not a limb targeting system.

i dont want the "vats" system, just the ability to cripple and sever limbs

It could be implemented but it would change a lot of things from a gameplay perspective.

I hate to admit it...but I actually agree with Lucifer here.

They should be kept separated. However, I would support an additional damage to the head, if an enemy had no helm. That kind of limb damage is reasonable. Assisted limb "targeting is not. You shouldn't be able to kill a guy by hitting him in the arm. But that is TES and I will still be happy with it.

EDIT : The more I think about it, OP. I would support a motion to add dismemberment and independent limb damage as well. I misread the OP.

I don't want V.A.T.S but I do want to be able to cripple a enemies legs or arms. I think it would create a complicated part to combat though so maybe it would need to be handled differently.

I would like damage location, such as arrows to the head automatically doing critical damage, but a VATS system in skyrim? That would break the feel of the game altogether, its just something that fits better of the sytle of fallout than high fantasy

I don't think that the OP is advocating for VATS. I think he's speaking specifically of graphical localized damage that can be clearly seen... which I think would be cool.

I also think Skyrim is missing this a little. After Fallout 3 and New Vegas it almost feels like the combat is dumbed down a bit by excluding limb damage.

Let me make it clear that I don't want VATS in Skyrim, but I would be very happy if they found a way to implement limb damage/crippling like it is in the Fallouts.

I can just picture a scene where an axe-wielding raider is running at you while you just stand there; calmly drawing an arrow back, and then you release it into the raider's extended forearm. The raider drops the axe due to the damage caused by the hit, the second arrow hits him in the chest finishing him off.

Oh, in that case my mistake. Yeah, I could get behind that

im not sure about doing it like vats, maybe if it was done like finishers, say lopping of someones arm, but i think there should be localised damage and if you do enough you lop that body part of, also while talking about combat i think they should take away the hotkeys and replace them with dodge to the left, dodge to the right, kick and grab. but i doubt that will happen =)

This^ location damage would be awesome. there are only like 5 things that need improving, this would help to solve one of them. soon the game will be perfect.

since, the op said NOTHING about vats, my answer is, OF COURSE.

in fact, i think it's somewhat shameful that a rpg like skyrim in 2011 doesn't have damage differences and varying applications, such as, limb crippling and xtra damage etc, when different body parts are hit.

Hi theer kibilko!


+1. I dislike VATS altogether, from what I've seen, that is, since I haven't played FO. It tastes like old turn based RPG's, whereas the trend should be towards everything in real time. Definitely yes to locational damage, definitely no to VATS.

Hmm,Nooo
Sorry. It wouldnt feel like a TES game D:

With the severing limbs part would we have to make it so the Player Char was immune to havin his/her limbs taken off or how would this work? As a finishing move?

I hated the vats system in fallout. it is actually the reason why i never finished the game. i barely played it (sorry, i know that most people love fallout but i just hated the targeting system).

I'd love to see, even if you don't kill the opponent, that if you slash them with a sword like across the stomach with a power attack that they would double over and fall to the ground for a moment, not just reel back.

I hate to do this but....

PLEASE READ THE ACTUAL POST! OP DID NOT ADVOCATE VATS WHATSOEVER! HE ISN'T TALKING ABOUT ADDING VATS, HE WANTS TO ADD LOCALIZED DAMAGE!

I don't understand how twelve people all went full [censored] and didn't read OP's post all the way.

Fallout 3 is sort of intent on being a 'post-apocalyptic' simulator, but is instead a free-roam/RPG.

In that sense, it would be appropriate to be able to target enemies weakspots, since their technology is so far ahead of TES games.

Due to it's realism, I highly doubt there will be a 'target specific body parts' addition. Although I would enjoy it, it just makes it easier.

Then don't use it, you aren't forced into it... Srsly...


It was a concession to the style of the old Fallout games!

@OP

/sign

Locational damage would really add to the ranged combat, although it would make more melee moves a necessity in my opinion, in order to target specific areas.

I'd like not only localised damage, but localised armour. For example if a person was wearing, say a dwarven curiass but only iron bracers then if they got hit in the arm as opposed to the chest they'd suffer a lot more damage. So instead of 1 armour rating maybe 4 or 5. (It sounds a little complex but I thin it'd make the game more realistic.