I agree.... There should be limits to devs manipulating. Most people these days do NOT appreciate forced involvement. The gaming world is much different now - there are so many games.... Devs need to remember that.

Oh, I fully intent to console through the Archmage's door if possible.

I've heard it's possible to get into the college via a cave entrance, so I can skip the whole silly initiation thing. Hopefully that will work for me.


How about the Solitude house, though? Possible to get the stone without buying the house?

I think you have to buy the house, but there's an exploit you can use to get it and all the upgrades for free.

Hmm, I suppose you'll have to make up your own missions. I like to steal books (complete sets if possible) and sell them at the library of the college after laundering them. Or, if you're a werewolf you could steal everyones silver swords, ingots, ore. And, like http://www.gamesas.com/user/792580-gallariaichiban/ said, you could leave "calling cards" at all of your hit spots. I was leaving a single ebony arrow everywhere but now I like to leave snow fox pelts. Grey Fox style.

Since we're playing a thief ...
Pickpocket the key from the shopkeeper in 'Fletcher', the hunting shop in Solitude. That key also opens the door to Proudspire Manor!

Bah! I didn't even think about that. Nice. But gaining entry into the house doesn't give you ownership does it?

That really works?

Aha! Good to know that works. I had suspected that, for some reason.

Whoa! That's interesting!

lol..Solitudian just came in here and mindf*cked everyone.

Nope. And just getting the key without ownership AND UPGRADES doesn't provide the Stone either.

Seriously!?!?!

Wow.

I'm just....


Wow.

Why on earth would anyone design a quest like that? Are we to believe that some real estate agent is holding on to an Unusual Gem, and will only toss it in to the bargain if you'll buy the full living room and kitchen set?

Are we further to believe that this real estate agent is entirely inaccessible to the player - may as well be pulling levers on some alien spaceship orbiting Nirn?

So the player is just supposed to buy every house in the game and upgrade them, on the stupid chance that it will somehow, inexplicably provide the one gem that can't be found out in the world otherwise?

Makes. No. Sense.


Edit: AHA! Just talked to my wife, who said that the last time she played, she consoled the door of the house open, and found the Stone!

And the time before that, when she bought the house but didn't upgrade it, the Stone was there too.

This was all post-1.5 I believe, Serethil, so maybe your experience is different because of that?

Anyway. Rage subsiding.