Try turning off your compass : V - Skyrim

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 3:19 am

They think they're 'elite' and 'a real hardcoe RPGer' because they play without their compass like the cool kids. Sigh ...

This is the second time I've seen you use this insulting term about people. As I told you the last time you called people insulting names in this forum, some people enjoy playing without a compass. Get over it. You're becoming as obnoxious about this subject as the people you claim to criticize.

» Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:43 pm

This is a toggle function, that I longed for, since the release, playing on the Xbox. I mean can you can disable the "crosshair", but not the compass? Come on! The only solution was to turn the HUD completely off. I could live without the M/H/S bars. BUT not having the descriptions pop up was just unplayable.

The tags for doors, NPC, stolen goods, ANY goods...I want to pick up a single berry, NOT the whole damn platter!

Now, on PC and tyhe first mod I installed was Immersive HUD. Now I have no HUD at all, even the Sneak or crosshair. I thought I really needed the crosshair, but I found that still being able to display the name of objects was just as good. AND the M/H/S bars fade in and out so everybody wins.

Now I must use my map more, which has a mod that replaces the 3D GPS Satellite with the paper map you see in the game. It is still a raised 3D image, but don't feel like Zeus looking down on the humans. It has a function that turns off ALL the map markers. It is a light blue at night, which makes it feel like you are looking at it under the moonlight. Really great stuff.

I

What mod adds the map? I haven't seen that one.

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:19 pm

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=10044

That is so much better that the 3d map I wish they would have done this instead. I will have to try this mod. I currently use this mod to control what shows and what doesn't on the compass and the map (red dots, nearby locations, etc). Or disable the compass altogether. http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=912

Right now I just have the compass showing N, S, E, W, and that's it.

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 12:42 am

If I could turn of the compass without turning of the HUD I would, but I only get annoyed when I cannot see my health, stamina and magica.

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 2:19 am

I don't have a problem with the map (it's in the pause menu, belief already suspended), the NSEW points, or the red enemy markers, your character would be more aware of their surroundings than the impression you get from looking at the screen, but turn opacity down to one above zero on a console, you can't read the text, but the POI markers are still glaring. That to me is the single biggest obstacle to a sense of achievement you might get from exploration.

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 12:52 am

This is the second time I've seen you use this insulting term about people. As I told you the last time you called people insulting names in this forum, some people enjoy playing without a compass. Get over it. You're becoming as obnoxious about this subject as the people you claim to criticize.

And as I've said before, I'm not critiscising everyone, just the people who feel the need to tell EVERYONE that the only way to play an Elder Scrolls game is without the HUD. I thought I'd made that quite clear - I'm sorry of I didn't, but there's a fine line between praising a way of doing things and just plain telling people to do it.

» Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:50 pm

What mod adds the map? I haven't seen that one.

Look on the link below.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=10044

That is so much better that the 3d map I wish they would have done this instead. I will have to try this mod. I currently use this mod to control what shows and what doesn't on the compass and the map (red dots, nearby locations, etc). Or disable the compass altogether. http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=912

Right now I just have the compass showing N, S, E, W, and that's it.

Here is the Immersive HUD, http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=3222

It has a great custom feature.

» Thu Jun 21, 2012 10:34 pm

Normally I will play with the Compass on as it's a useful tool.

However when I want to play "hardcoe" I will simply turn my television off and guide myself using a combination of memory and the map that came in the box.

I fight enemies using intuition! :starwars:

Like all other features for the game though, it's nice that the option is there.

Az

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 8:10 am

Normally I will play with the Compass on as it's a useful tool.

However when I want to play "hardcoe" I will simply turn my television off and guide myself using a combination of memory and the map that came in the box.

I fight enemies using intuition! :starwars:

Like all other features for the game though, it's nice that the option is there.

Az

Are you on the PC or a console?

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:11 am

Completely agree - disabling the compass greatly improves enjoyment of the game.

However, you don't need to turn off the HUD's health/magicka/stamina bars, which disappear anyways unless you are taking damage. Simply open SkyrimPrefs.ini and change "bShowCompass=1" to "bShowCompass=0"

Before I disabled the compass, I would often chase after any new black location icon that popped up. Now I find that exploration is much more enjoyable, and you can find your way to various locations by consulting your map before embarking and identifying landmarks and visual cues in the landscape such as rivers, hills, terrain, forts, etc. Huge improvement, especially when combined with http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=13685 and http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=13056

I would caution anyone trying this not to do this for the very first playthrough at least until after you find High Hrothgar. (Would have taken me ages to find it the very first time without the compass.)
It's not about being "elite" or super hardcoe - it simply makes the game a lot more fun, at least for me.

I did this before I started the game up for the first time (I really truly despised it in Oblivion)

It was great

You just follow the path up the hill to find Hrothgar. It's awesome how many locations you find just by "reading" the landscape, and it is also great when you turn a corner and there's an unexpected Ancient Nord Barrow just "There"!

» Thu Jun 21, 2012 10:50 pm

Unfortunately, it makes archery and magic difficult with a controller. I tried it with my figher and loved it... but ran into a couple of mages and nearly died because I couldn't tell how much health I had left. The only other issue I have with it is when I'm trying to pick up the coin purse that's lying right next to the basket. There being no reticle nor text to tell me what item I'm hovering over. I wish there was a way to only turn off the compass. It doesn't really bother me enough to complain about it though... and I've just turned the opacity down to practically nothing (just so enough to where I can see the text of itmes I want to pick up and see the magic/health/stamina bars). The only bad thing about that is the markers do not decrease in opacity.

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:35 am

I currently use this mod to control what shows and what doesn't on the compass and the map (red dots, nearby locations, etc). Or disable the compass altogether. http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=912

Right now I just have the compass showing N, S, E, W, and that's it.

Yeah, same here. I also have the player marker hidden on map. It isn't much help anymore since i more or less remember the location of every location, but will make new landscape mods and DLCs quite interesting :hehe:

One of my favorite mod combinations in Oblivion was Ayleid Steps and Map Marker Overhaul, that hides your location on map, prevents the map from zooming into you location, and prevents map markers appearing on the map until you get back to a know landmark, if it is close enough. Lots of "Where the hell am i now? :ahhh:

" moments

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:58 am

Unfortunately, it makes archery and magic difficult with a controller. I tried it with my figher and loved it... but ran into a couple of mages and nearly died because I couldn't tell how much health I had left. The only other issue I have with it is when I'm trying to pick up the coin purse that's lying right next to the basket. There being no reticle nor text to tell me what item I'm hovering over. I wish there was a way to only turn off the compass. It doesn't really bother me enough to complain about it though... and I've just turned the opacity down to practically nothing (just so enough to where I can see the text of itmes I want to pick up and see the magic/health/stamina bars). The only bad thing about that is the markers do not decrease in opacity.

U No Read the Posts?!

Completely agree - disabling the compass greatly improves enjoyment of the game.

However, you don't need to turn off the HUD's health/magicka/stamina bars, which disappear anyways unless you are taking damage. Simply open SkyrimPrefs.ini and change "bShowCompass=1" to "bShowCompass=0"

Before I disabled the compass, I would often chase after any new black location icon that popped up. Now I find that exploration is much more enjoyable, and you can find your way to various locations by consulting your map before embarking and identifying landmarks and visual cues in the landscape such as rivers, hills, terrain, forts, etc. Huge improvement, especially when combined with http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=13685 and http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=13056

I would caution anyone trying this not to do this for the very first playthrough at least until after you find High Hrothgar. (Would have taken me ages to find it the very first time without the compass.)

It's not about being "elite" or super hardcoe - it simply makes the game a lot more fun, at least for me.

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:18 am

Nostalgia moment, and I am not even talking Morrowind. Remember the first time you found a Heaven Stone in Oblivion? And it didn't even activate for you yet, "No stars shine upon the Doomstone", "The Hero's fate is known when the Hero's fame has grown". So much better without POIs.

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 8:42 am

Here's a http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/ActionDragon/Skyrim/HUD.jpg. (No compass markers, no sneak eye indicator etc. hand-holding aids. Compass is visible only when sneaking)

Completeley agree although the ONLY quest line ive had the compass on was the Thieves guild as i beleived for the most part (the jobs) you would of had a map/locations detailing the hiest so that made sense to me however now with the Dark Brotherhood im not using it whatsoever and for general quests i never use it either, the sneak eye has always been there in my memory in some shape of form but i too turn this off, much more immersion and i find myself acting alot more ''carefull''.

Beth should really of had the option for more dialouge (even if it was text based) and no marker or the NPC could give you a ''note'' detailing the directions we shouldnt be forced to use the compass markers, and although were not it does feel like it to be honest.

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:11 am

Beth should really of had the option for more dialouge (even if it was text based) and no marker or the NPC could give you a ''note'' detailing the directions we shouldnt be forced to use the compass markers, and although were not it does feel like it to be honest.

How cool would it have been if some (not all) quest NPC's gave you a paper with a vague sketch of the location. Kind of like the treasure maps.

» Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:51 pm

Yes, in fact if the compass was off by default, hardly anybody would make it to High Hrothgar :tongue:

Personally I found the game to be more fun without the compass, but I wouldn't recommend trying it at least until you find High Hrothgar for the first time. Even with the compass and quest markers and constantly checking my map, it was quite a long, epic journey. Got lost several times along the way. ;-)

Hehe... out of all of my friends who have played this game, I don't know a single one who made it to High Hrothgar without problems... including myself.

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 7:52 am

U No Read the Posts?!

I guess, "I agree" would have sufficed... but I don't agree with everyone completely. :biggrin:

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 7:44 am

A lot of people have figured out by now how much turning off the HUD improves the game.

In fact, it's such a huge improvement that i'd consider turning off the HUD a fix for a serious game flaw, rather than just an optional improvement. Bethesda should patch the game immediately so that the HUD is off by default, and a warning message should come up when you try to put it back on saying that doing so will be detrimental to the gaming experience.

It is rare to see a post that succinctly describes how much self-opinion the post has, and ends it with opinion enforcement to boot!

Surely we have no need of "Health" anymore? A simple First Person Shooter "okay until heartbeats, self regenerating, non-visible health bar" mechanism should do the trick. I mean, Talos. You can't see your health bar, so why have a health bar?

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:17 am

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=10044

To bad I'm on Xbox 360. Why didn't they do this in the first place?

I don't have a problem with the map (it's in the pause menu, belief already suspended), the NSEW points, or the red enemy markers, your character would be more aware of their surroundings than the impression you get from looking at the screen, but turn opacity down to one above zero on a console, you can't read the text, but the POI markers are still glaring. That to me is the single biggest obstacle to a sense of achievement you might get from exploration.

I've been shot by invisible archers in Skyrim. Literally I had an Oblivion moment where an archer was somewhere really high and I couldn't see where they were. Poor Deimos got 1 shotted after a few of them missed me. Compass helps with this so that way I can get the archers I cannot see with my naked eye. And I don't like my games to bright.

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 3:22 am

I just figured out how to turn off the Compass, it increases Immersion by 100% because you truly start NEEDING Roads and Signs and you dont automaticly know where the Enemys are coming from.

In order to turn your compass off go to Settings then Display and turn off your HUD.

Note: this will also make it so you can't see your Healthbar as well but i like it better this way anyway.

I also would like to point out how many people were Begging for Bethesda to give the players this Option.

OH MY GOD THANK YOU!!!

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:29 am

Beth should really of had the option for more dialouge (even if it was text based) and no marker or the NPC could give you a ''note'' detailing the directions we shouldnt be forced to use the compass markers, and although were not it does feel like it to be honest.

How cool would it have been if some (not all) quest NPC's gave you a paper with a vague sketch of the location. Kind of like the treasure maps.

If you are on PC you could try this mod: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=11135. It has quite a few quests covered.

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:26 am

I was just telling my wife that I really wished Skyrim had a "hardcoe" mode... I think I just found it.... I'm VERY excited to try this out.

» Fri Jun 22, 2012 2:42 am

I personally use iHUD (http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=3222) and it has made the game much more enjoyable. It allows me to turn off the compass, but have it available if needed as well as keep all the important bars available when needed (and make them disappear when not needed). The ability for the cross-hair to disappear is awesome...

» Thu Jun 21, 2012 10:20 pm

I was just telling my wife that I really wished Skyrim had a "hardcoe" mode... I think I just found it.... I'm VERY excited to try this out.

If you are on PC, I've posted a list of compatible survival/realism type mods http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=17346 that might be helpful