Im rather befuddled by them. I hide and do a sneak attack on an enemy; enemy starts searching for me. The moment my enemy starts searching, my subsequent shots are no longer sneak attacks. If my enemy cannot find me yet, why would my attacks be only normal attacks?

He hasn't discovered my location yet, so my attacks should still have an advantage over normal attacks shouldnt it? Im suspecting its probably for balancing purposes though. Still, its bothering and befuddling.

If he is looking for you, he is expecting to be attacked. You can't sneak attack when they are expecting it.

So, wait until your hidden again before shooting.

i've found that there is around 4-5 second gap right after you sneak attack where it wont happen. so just wait a few or even several seconds, then attack again. also you actually can sneak attack while they are looking for you dont have to be hidden. not to contradict a moderator but i have done it several times and it has 'saved my bacon' so to say. also it might not always tell you it was a sneak attack when it still did the same amount of damage.

I love the comments though, if your arrow doesn't kill them and you wait until they stop searching.

"Must have been my imagination."

Wow, that's some vivid imagination to leave an arrow sticking out of your chest... Or if your shot killed the one next to them. Glad I'm not standing near you, your imagination kills people.

admittadly i think a lot of the 'must've been my imagination' is the skooma talking. that stuff (censored) you up.

Once an enemy took an arrow in the head, going literally through his skull but without killing him. Just immagination I guess?

*Shots arrow from enchanted fire bow, the bandit turns ablaze*

Bandit: Must have been the wind...
Me: ... do you live in oblivion or something? Do the wind make people burn there?

he spontaeneously combusted. awful lot of methane gas built up and BOOM! just like that one south park. hence the 'must've been his wind.'

This --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHbF9ynGZV0
Also, alternatively you can fire a shot somewhere completely random so that the enemy hears it hit something (its called misdirection) and then goes to investigate.
Had lots of fun with one of those pressure panels and a trap wall in a druagr crypt doing that one time. Killed about 3-4 guys. It was hilarious.

That's why we need locational damage.

You can still attack them while they are looking for you, it just increases the chances that they will find you. As for the Sneak Attack Bonus, that only comes if you get the message and your shot your arrow while you were sneaking. Remember, there are also Critical Attacks that give bonus damage too, you do not have to be Sneaking for that to happen.

Yeah, like(joke aside) if I shoot someone in the knee, they shouldn't be running at me full speed >.>

Like Red Dead Redemption: shoot someone in the knee, enemy starts crawling laboriously and can't get up.