I love this game, but there are also a few things I would change. I am finding that I don't really care that much about the people in Skyrim. The quests just seem like a great way to gain levels and find loot. In other games I feel like they did a much better job of creating an emotional attachment to the characters and quests.

You probably don't have a follower. They can help you connect to the people.

I'm up to level 37 with my first character. Not sure how many hours but quite a few.

And the only person I feel any attachment to is my housecarl Lydia. And that's only because we spent so much time together, she really don't have much dialog at all. So the OP may have a point.

That said, have clearly only begun to experience the game. The only "guild" I've spent any time in has been the Companions but I'm not particularly attached to anyone there.

You are correct, I don't have a follower. I will give it a try. I like to play with stealth so I was worried that a follower would give me away.

The witcher did a wonder job with making me care about the characters. Each female I was introduced to made me care deeply if I could bone her or not. It's a special feeling many games can't emulate.

Try Marcurio, I use him and he's never given me away before.

Try Leisure Suit Larry.

I don't know, I find a lot of the NPCs to be interesting, even the more generic ones.

I'll take generic over mudcrab retardation anyday. Wish there were more dream quests though. The one in Oblivion was great.

That's a risk you have to take. I don't know if all followers are the same, but the ones I had got really chatty during the crucial moments.

I don't have Lydia follow me. I'm completely disconnected from everyone. Only reason I don't go on a killing spree every other time I play it is to avoid the hassle of the guards. It would be nice if the NPCs remembered you for your achievements more often, so that their connection to you would help foster some lasting relationships. People see you svck up a dragon soul and they make comments about how amazing you are, or whisper about knowing your the Listener... then 10 seconds later they're calling you a sneak thief and giving you warnings like you're trash that they've never seen before. Kinda svcks.

My beef is that a "good" character really has little to do, and virtually no reward for doing it. I'd love to see a DLC which focused the existing game towards good, even at the expense of the main quest. I find playing an assassin/theif character fun, but unsatisfying in the long term.

You make a pretty good point. I actually cared for Martin Septim and Jauffre in Oblivion, I even cared for Lucien Lachance, because he was such a bad-ass.

But yes, a follower will really get you into the caring mood. It got so bad with me, that I felt bad, I mean really bad, when J'zargo died in a dwemer ruin. It was dark and I probably accidentally hit him. I went back to look for him, but I felt so lonely suddenly, that I had to get out, get Vorstag (my husband lol) and then we went back through the ruin until I found J'zargo... dead as I'd feared. So, I couldn't just leave his body there. I couldn't deal with his death, I used a console command to resurrect him. LOLOLOL

Now he won't follow me anymore, since I hurt J'zargo too much. He tells me to "Go away!" lol

I also care for Vorstag and now Belrand, my new companion. He makes some very nice and profound statements and he makes me smile.

I am not a fan of games with tons of cut scenes, but I think they could add a few to make the quest stories more visual.

oh the humanity!!!

To the OP I don't recommened getting attached to any followers. Anybody I get attached to dies on me...

RIP Lydia, Aranea Lenith and J'zargo. *sniff*

Why do they always take the good ones! Why couldn't it have been Sven that died! *shakes fist at the divines*

Lydia dies while carrying 300 lbs of dragon bones and scales (two dragon encounters)........ giving way to "Skyrim: Reloaded"

Just look for the followers that are listed as being good at stealth and go with one of them.

I agree totally. I have been trying to play a "good guy" but it just seems to get in the way of, well, getting anywhere really. If there were more quests that gave you good skill bumps, equipment, and the like for doing something good. (OK, I guess hunting down and killing the bandits that robbed and killed is good, but ultimately it gets to be a bit unsatisfying after the 20th+ time. (Really, it gets unsatisfying well before then, but I am trying to make a point here.)

I have to disagree, I like a few of the followers and NPCs, not the generic warrior types (Mjoll, Benor, that Unbroken chick; they're so boring and generic) I like the college mages, they're so cool.

Actions, good or bad, don't have consequences so caring for anyone is kinda irrelevant. Shame really. I don't use followers myself but i feel no strong connection to any NPC, yet.

Pre release i read UESP a lot and got the impression that there would be strong ties to Esbern, the Nord Chronicler, but i'm lvl 15 and haven't met him yet.

If you want to use stealth, you can have the follower wait at the start of a dungeon. Just don't forget them, they will remind you not to forget them. Uthgerd the Unbroken makes a great lure when I use stealth. I walk in front and start shooting arrows. The target runs up to Uthgerd and I unload more arrows until they die.

What does being level 15 have to do with meeting Esbern?

No they can't.
Followers are just a replacement for those who crave friends in real life.
Loner style is the only way to play.

I find fallout better loner style, tes, meh, both are great.

So far I feel attached to:
Farkas:Comapanions
Kodlak:Companions(After reading his journal)
Brynolf(Spelling):Thieves Guild
Lydia:Traveled with me everywhere at lower levels and now resides in my house.