Well the other day I started my 9th Skyrim character, around 250 hours logged, and it occurred to me that I have not completed the main quest, nor have I completed most of the faction quests (I did make it through the thieves guild quest shortly before abandoning my level 43 nord, my 4th char, but that was the only one, and it was a struggle). I was absolutely loving the companions on my 8th char, but still barely got more than half a dozen missions in, other chars have made it partway through the mages guild, and imperial legion. As far as the main quest goes, well let's just say none of my chars have even seen Esbern (I've seen M'aiq the liar and the headless horseman, but not Esbern, maybe he's a myth), though one char made it as far as the quest to find him. Mostly I spend my time doing radiant and side quests.

I just don't understand it, every time my char starts getting powerful and having fun with a faction, I feel compelled to start a new character. I've run through bleak falls barrow so many times I could do it blindfolded, though oddly enough each time I go there it seems I find something new (have you noticed the chest behind the spiderweb? uncovered that with an errant fire spell on my 6th char). I'm having lots of fun but I can't help feeling I'm missing so much of this game.

So anyways, the point of this topic, first of all, anyone else having the same trouble as I am? secondly, any advice how I can force myself to complete something? I'd really like to find out what happens at the end of the main quest.

I've spent 141 hours on one character so far, mostly just exploring though i did eventually buckle down to do some questing (db, mages, and thieves). It's difficult when every sunrise, sunset, fullmoon, vista, etc, is an awe inspiring postcard. I am at 287 locations found, and still finding new places.

I do almost the same thing, except I actually rise to the top of a faction and think, "Now why would the Listener need to join the thieves guild?"........or "Would the guy who just went into the afterlife to kill Alduin really be interested in solving the skooma crisis in Riften?" I think the main reason I start a new character is because you would think that such heroic acts would be recognized throughout the world, but they're not. You may have just killed a dragon right outside the gates of Riften, but that guard still wants that damned gate tax. And people seem to think that the Arch Mage should really look into visting the Mage's College in Winterhold. AFter my fourth or so character, they all started out with me saying "Okay this character will be a bandit that preys on lost travellers," or something like that, then they all end up having 2-3 houses and being Thane of multiple Holds. In a way, the game almost doesn't allow you to be ordinary. The bandit I made was forced to plunge into ancheint ruins to find a fight because guess what...... there are probably only 6 travellers trekking the roads and 2 of them are Imperial/ Stormcloak scouts. And forget about raiding a city. Even in Morthal, almost half of the npcs are unkillable, making an absolute raid impossible. So what does that leave you to do? Epic story progessing quests that will strip all anonymity and feelings of normalcy from you the moment you kill your first dragon. All ranting aside though, my real beef is with the lack of recognition in Skyrim.

I can be like that sometimes, as I usually restart a game countless times before I finally finish things. Before I get anywhere near fighting the end-game boss, I feel like I'm an expert at the game just from all of the restarts.

With Skyrim, however, it just feels right being a Nord (my Oblivion character was Imperial) and if I do start other characters, they'll just be alternates. After I do one of the guilds, the next one will simply be another challenge; another area to conquer. My nord is a jack-of-all-trades and likes seeing all there is to see and do.

LOL I do that too. Haven't done the MQ and was just about to do the civil war quest and decided to roll a new character instead.

The way I see it, there's loads of content still to do which maximises the time I get from the game. With each character I find new places and quests (or do ones I've previously ignored for roleplay reasons or didn't get round to completing). If you're having fun, that's what counts. The content isn't going anywhere and it's likely you'll be getting new things out of the game when other people think they've seen and done everything and are bored with it.

I am just about to start my last character...my 10th! If you add up all my levels I'm lvl 152 My Nord and High Elf are 48 and 52 respectively and have finished the MQ. My Bosmer and Dunmer ar 22 and 17. I am one mission into the DB but I have yet to enter the thieve's guild, Morthal or the Blue Palace

I have logged 538 hours http://raptr.com/iijosephxii and I would say I'm not even halfway through what I want to do in Skyrim

I think i have 8 characters and none are above level 25. Starting to get a bit sick of Bleak Falls Barrow now

I have 4 characters in the 30-55 range, played for like 300 hours, and have yet to complete a single quest line I've promised myself to finish the thieves guild questline for my current burglar though. Would probably be done with it by now if the game didn't constantly crash (or nv driver eventually BSOD on me).

I suffer from the same problem. I think we're just too creative so our minds are constantly finding new character ideas that we just can't ignore. I envy those people that just make a run-of-the-mill nord sword and board character and have a blast for hundreds of hours.

Ah, we are all different.

I need quests to help me feel like I have accomplished something. I do spend time "cleaning up", and I do my exploring time by walking to distant places as part of the quests.

When I get bored of the random quests I hook up to the main quest again or whatever guild quest I am involved with.

Also, something that may drive you wanderers CRAZY - I NEVER enter locations without having a reason. I hate breaking quests or finding things that I have NO ideas what they are needed for. I have been carrying some damned Lute around for dozens of hours because it is a quest item for a quest that I have not gotten yet.

I map the locations and then go back later when I need to.

R

(p.s., I NEVER had more than one character in any Bethesda game - I really like the continuity, although it does mean that I don't get to enjoy all of the skills that are available - like focusing on a stealth / archery character instead of my Battlemage, for example.)

I always in TES play at least a half dozen characters and take my sweat time with the amin quest which I find really low priority in my enjoyement. Imersing myself in the world is much more fun. I do finish things but I feel I'm in my characters for the long haul. Maybe playing some for years so I'm in no hurry.

I have the same problem. I only just finished the main quest on my fourth character but only after forcing myself to do it and promptly maning a new character. Aside from that, the companions, and the thieves guild, all the other large quest arcs are incomplete for all of my five characters on two different consoles. I just keep getting sidetracked with other random quests and dungeon crawling.

I spent a good bit of time since release just wandering. Last week, I decided my journal was getting a little bit out of hand.

Since then, I've been concentrating on doing all those quests and getting them over with, not accepting anything new. Well, trying to concentrate, anyway. Seems like every time I talk to someone, I end up with a new quest.

Really, can't these people do anything for themselves?!

Well I haven't finished any questline in Skyrim yet.
I've still got things I haven't ever got around to doing in MW and Oblivion.
I shall have to concentrate mo.... ooh, look a butterfly

i always make only one character, i can't do the same thing twice lol

This. 100% Agree.

I was really enjoying my 3rd character. The main idea behind the character was to make his way up to Solitude and thief, kill and drink. Using the cover of night and the freedom of the rooftops.

But, then I realized I couldn't even jump from the tower bridge out onto the walls as there is an invisible wall there. It took the fun away. Now I'm thinking of starting a 4th character, but almost can't get myself to live through the intro again...

/sniffles

I have 3 characters going now. Well, two really, because my DiD character just D'd. :-p None of my characters have passed Level 20. I still have easily 3/4 of the map left to see for the first time. I can envision starting a half dozen more before I ever complete the MQ. So to answer your question...no, you are not unique...

hm.. that might have something to do with it. All my chars have backstories and personalities, seems that after I play for a bit I come up with a new one I just have to start.

My 9th char is a sword an board char though, with a good story, hopefully I'll be able to finish something, going to aim for the imperial legion, the main quest, and maybe the companions, will hopefully complete one of those.