It is now confirmed that we will be able to change our appearance in Skyrim (not race/gender), and even though I like that idea, I have a problem with it.

Considering that this NPC will be able to change our entire facial appearance and he/she lives in Riften, I think it's safe to assume that:

1. The NPC isn't just a regular barber but is some sort of mage/surgeon.

2. Considering that the NPC lives in Riften, he/she will probably be a criminal living in the Ratways.

Now, imagine that you don't want to make a plastic surgery and just want to get a new haircut. Imagine how weird it would be if the only way to get a new haircut was if we went to the Ratways to a surgeon. Sure, I know that many wants to edit their face, but I would like to have the option to just go to a barber and get a new haircut for a smaller price.

A normal barber would only be able to change haircut, facial hair, dirt and war paint, not things like eye color or facial shape.

Some people are talking about how it would be awesome if facial change at the surgeon could remove bounty, and I agree that it would be awesome, but that just gives another reason to add a normal barber (so that we can avoid messing with the criminal system for just getting a new haircut).


I would also like a "reset" function in the facial change (for both barber and the ratway surgeon), so that all edits we made are reset so that we look exactly like when we started the game. I haven't seen a function like this in any game with in-game appearance edit, and it always make me paranoid when they don't because I always get a feeling that my character doesn't look the same (when I try to undo the changes)...


I know it may be too late to add to Dawnguard now, and I don't want to sound like I'm complaining or anything, but maybe it's something that Bethesda could add in the future?


What do you think?

I personally think that sounds like a pretty good idea.
Having certain NPCs designated as simply barbers in more common or central towns. I agree that not everyone wants to completely change appearance. This mage/plastic surgeon/criminal does sound slightly suspicious to get involved with.
And the appearance reset button would be excellent. I know exactly what you mean when you feel that your character is never the same after editing. Being able to jump back to the player created default would be very handy.

I think you took Todd's saying of "Changing appearance" a bit too literally. I'm sure you'll only be allowed to change hair and warpaint.

I like this new a LOT.
To me its a clear sign Beth is,to an extent,listening to its fanbase.
Wich means a LOT in todays game industry.

Thinking too much into this? If they made it only hair and facepaint people would complain they cannot edit their face.

They cannot make everyone happy. I think this is a good compromise of requested feature and staying safe with lore.

Uhm, washing off face paint and cutting your hair is realistic. Taking a knife to your face to make your nose look better...isn't. In real life, it's a costly, damaging effect that never actually works out correctly.

I think that they should have a shop in Riften that is a barber shop, but then through certain quest lines in the Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood you learn that they offer other services that can alter your facial features. It should be fairly costly and it should also wipe your bounty.

Thats just my 2 cents worth though.

My point was that they should have both ways of editing the character

I understand it is not realistic, that is why I said -compromise-

If they had it where you could only edit hair and facepaint you would be happy but others who want to edit their face would be ticked.

If they make a full-on magical change whatever you want guy, then you would not be happy while others would.

They struck the middle ground.

Okay, have a mage at the college who can alter your face. But not some ratlady in Riften with rusty knives.

And the people ticked about not having realistic features are similar to people ticked about the lack of talking mudcrab merchants. Or Autotuned bears. Or people that are ticked by the lack of Giants in bikinis. Or that they can't shoot arrows that turn people into sweetrolls.

:/ exactly my point. Not everybody can have what they want.

Plus we have not seen this ratway makeover in action yet. They may have a good explanation lore-wise for it.

Ofcourse not, but my point was that there should be both the Riften surgeon and a regular barber.

Well, Barbers in history usually had some kind of medical experience (to that extent I'm not sure, but still)

Not trying to be "that guy" but they could've just not added it at all be grateful. After all if there's finally a barber/surgeon in tamerial who's to complain.

This ^

It's a new feature i'm sure it will be fine

One might play a character for a hundred hours or more, but not want to sit for two hours adjusting the face they'll live with that whole time. The ability to adjust apperance is imporant. No they didn't have experience they simply happend to be both the barber and the sugeron which usually just involved simple amputation.


And you base this on what non-existing evidence? We could change our appearance in Fallout 3, and that was eventually added by Obsidian to New Vegas. So why the hell wouldn't they do it for skyrim when its clearly in such high demand.

You misunderstand, I think it's awesome, but I want another option that is less...extreme.

I'm not saying "bethesda's doing it wrong", I'm saying "great, but I would like an alternative". I'm not complaining.

Yeah i probably did just got up [sorry!] but yeah i agree it is a good feature it would be even weirder if they let you change everything lol.

You honestly can't just ignore the facial options and move directly to hair?

It will be Sibbi and he will be barbing the hell out of you

I'd feel quite weird about it, but I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world...

I will probably not change anything at the surgeon anyways, because I'm quite happy about how my character looks, but it would be another thing with a barber. I would use a barber because I like to role play (that's mostly why I don't feel happy about going to a surgeon just to change haircut to be honest).

"Simply happening" to be a surgeon when you're a barber doesn't make you any less of a surgeon if you have the medical experience- which is what I wanted to put across. What I wanted to suggest was that this could be a way around it although there is a significant difference between as you said "simple" amputation and cosmetic surgery.

You know what would be funny? If facial surgery was in, and there would be a chance that the surgery would fail, and you permanently end up being an ugly freak with -100 disposition towards everyone and everyone would want to kill you on sight... XD

Apparently someone never heard of Micheal Jackson

You're seriously using MJ as a counter argument?