Originally posted by DarkPony I know how "console ported UI design" is a capital sin in the pc community, and I had my reserves as well initially but some people are a little exagerating I think. After 8 hours in it really doesn't bother me anymore; I only use hotkeys in combat and whenever I need to go into the UI it's; right hand off the mouse and 100% keyboard navigation; once you get used to the button layouts and quirky stuff like cursor buttons not scrolling when you keep holding them but W and S do, it's very manageable. Whatever you can do with a console controller, you can do with a keyboard just the same. Innitially annoying bits like the crafting confirmation popups can be dealt with by pushing Y instead of navigating the mouse to it, to give an example. Like any game with a new UI: it takes some time to get all the controlls hardwired, but once you do it really is not a big deal in Skyrim .... imho.
After playing all day, the only thing that bothers me is that when I rebind a key (say to make WASD the arrow keys), all the associated things do not change to the new key.
For example. I make this change to arrow keys. When I pick a lock, I still have to use the A and D keys to twist the lock, even though my directional keys have been changed. I rebound the keys, but for whatever reason, all actions that use a given key are not together in one binding. This is also a problem with favorites, dropping items, exiting out of menus, and a few other things.
It isn't a terrible problem, and after these several hours, it doesn't really bother me much, save the dropping items. I can move my right hand to the A and D keys to pick locks. I can move my hand to hit tab to exit menus. But I cannot drop items. I just cannot. I can put them in containers, but just dropping them on the ground? Nope. Impossible. Literally impossible without using the default keybindings.
My problem, my real problem, is not that I can't do the things I want to do. It is that it is wholly unacceptable for a game to be released on the PC without the ability to rebind the keys to ALL actions (if you don't want to use a master binding that, when you change a binding, affects all associated actions, then you need to add a new binding in the options menu for every single thing). This isn't a hard thing to do, and it makes life easier for PC gamers. One reason I play PC games is the ability to use the control setup I prefer. And, over the years, I have grown very particular about my setup. I think many, many gamers have done the same (though with their own unique set of controls). And that should be our right. If it is easy, and it makes things easier (or, in one case in this game, makes something even possible), there is no excuse to NOT code it in.
This is also why I refuse to play games without an option to invert the Y axis control. It is asinine and unacceptable.
It is just beyond my comprehension that a company like Bethesda would release a game with such a blatantly obvious problem as keys that simply won't rebind at all.
This problem also existed with the new American McGee's Alice game, and I assumed that was because it was released early and in a rush. But maybe what we are seeing is a further reflecting of the shift in popularity to console games. Developers simply do not care so much about their PC games. Most good PC games now that are not MMOs are console ports or indie games (which may well also be console ports). It makes me sad, because PCs are so much more robust an environment, and you can do so very much with them.
Edit:
Teala - That is some weird stuff with the arrows and the imps. No way you should have been pegged for the crime.
"Gamers will no longer buy the argument that every MMO requires a subscription fee to offset server and bandwidth costs. It's not true you know it, and they know it." Jeff Strain, co-founder of ArenaNet, 2007
Pro-tip: bind items / spells / potions to 1-8 buttons by first favoriting them (F) in your inventory, then through the favorite menu (Q) assign a number key to them. Kind of unintuitive but there's still a way to keybind things.
Ah nice one! Good tip pony, I was getting tired of stopping the game everytime to change my weapons with Q.
Absolutely love it ! Slowly getting used to the controls. That would be my least favourite thing. Graphics are gorgeous. I often find myself standing looking at the fog shrouding the mountains! Ohh and the character models are superb. They have a lot more life in them compared to Oblivion.
There are just so many little details that add to the magic of Skyrim... god I haven't even touched the surface of the game yet!
Loving it for now. At first I didn't like the interface, but now I think it's kinda elegant. I like how I can navigate the menus using the mouse or simply with the WASD keys. Still I'll wait for some more PC-ish interface mod.
My only problem was with the classical "favorites menu" since it made me think "why the hell can't I just bind my skills to the number keys?!" but someone answered my doubts for me here.
Another thing that surprised me was how smooth this game runs. I thought it was going to be pretty heavy on my processor because of its small size. I'm running on high settings in a Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz, 2GB of RAM and a GTS 450. I get around 30 fps in the open world and 50 to infinite in closed areas.
Character creator is actually worse in many ways compared with Oblivion. Less customization options. Mods should come to the rescue for PC users on this flaw. I miss custom spells, also. Ostensibly more variety than Oblivion to monsters and dungeons. Still too soon to say if this will be a better game than Oblivion.
PLayed Oblivion when it came out until I realised it's actualy an adventure game with RPG elements tagged on. Your hero progres is non existent since the environment levels with you. The only interesting thing is to do the storyline.
I expect Skyrim to be the same with a bit better graphics. Not a game for me.
Absolutely love it ! Slowly getting used to the controls. That would be my least favourite thing. Graphics are gorgeous. I often find myself standing looking at the fog shrouding the mountains! Ohh and the character models are superb. They have a lot more life in them compared to Oblivion.
There are just so many little details that add to the magic of Skyrim... god I haven't even touched the surface of the game yet!
My words exactly !
The PC controls are weird at first but I got into it in a matter of hours
Oh and thx for the pro tip! Didnt knew about that
Oh and can someone tell me how to rotate items in your inventory? I only managed to freeze the entire game
+ Im still very surprised by how relatively small HW space Skyrim takes... If compared to Rage for example
I think I actually spent way more time reading and theorycrafting about MMOs than playing them
Absolutely love it ! Slowly getting used to the controls. That would be my least favourite thing. Graphics are gorgeous. I often find myself standing looking at the fog shrouding the mountains! Ohh and the character models are superb. They have a lot more life in them compared to Oblivion.
There are just so many little details that add to the magic of Skyrim... god I haven't even touched the surface of the game yet!
My words exactly !
The PC controls are weird at first but I got into it in a matter of hours
Oh and thx for the pro tip! Didnt knew about that
Oh and can someone tell me how to rotate items in your inventory? I only managed to freeze the entire game
+ Im still very surprised by how relatively small HW space Skyrim takes... If compared to Rage for example
press C when looking at a item, then use your mouse to rotate it.
The small size is because of the crappy shadows and low rez textures everywhere. The game still looks great, especially when looking at a distance. If you get too close though the textures are really bad.
So glad I got the PC version, because there are nerds out there working their asses off to make hi rez texture packs
Great game for a console port, even with the shitty shadows and low rez textures.
I can't wait for the new consoles to come out so PC gaming can finally get past 2006 tech. Skyrim is great, but Elder Scrolls 6 is going to be a much bigger leap forward than Skyrim was to Oblivion.
Skyrim as a game looks and plays very well on PS3 with large LCD TV. There is enough story in the scripted quest line and variety on the the peripheral RNG stuff as you progress along the main story arc to make the game enjoyable. If you aren't into the RNG RPG sim aspect to the game there is enough in the game to make playing Skyrim a worthwhile prospect for a week or two. Main quest line is a bit linear compared to say Witcher 2 or Dragon Age 2.
Im playing on hardest lvl but its not that hard so far that worrys me also.
I was afraid of that. Can you give us any details? It s easy cause enemies fight stupidelly in combat or it is easy cause of numbers? Enemies do few dmg have low life etc?
Also enemies suck if player is caster or mellier focused?
From what u see playing with 2 weapons ( duel wield makes combat very easy aka cheat almost ?
This is a very impressive game! I have the performance set at highest levels and the whole thing is beautiful, from the toons to animations to landscape. Played about 10ish hours so far, have a level 12 bow shooting rogue cat person thing. Trying out this first run sans-magic, sans-heavy armor, and it's going pretty good so far... died 6 times to a stupid master vampire in a dungeon, but hey, it ain't fun if it's easy.
Looking forward to more, but have social plans tonight. Tomorrow, I guess.
Geeezus, what is the deal with PC games forcing us to use console based UI's. Gawd damn their frakking laziness. I don't care how much I love certain development companies. I will not buy another PC game again that uses a console style UI. You really have disappointed me, Bethesda.
It took me 10 min to get used to... I think I'll be fine for the 99 hours and 50 minuites.
....and what makes it so impossible for these companies to make seperate UI's for different platforms? If they want my money, they better damn well make a configurable PC interface for a PC game. I hate consoles becasue I don't have the dexterity to use the controllers and I'll be damned if I'm going down that road on a PC. Even after 12 hours of played time, the controls still feel awkward to me, especially since I prefer to use the arrow keys and the number keypad over the wasd and number key row. I would kill for a modern day single player RPG that went back to auto-attacks with clickable hotkey bars.
Only a few hours in, but really well executed so far. I'm liking the details and small touches, like a guard commenting to me as I walked by that he knew a good hunting spot, because I had a bow equipped, and another guard speculating on my profession based on the armour I'm wearing.
Only a few hours in, but really well executed so far. I'm liking the details and small touches, like a guard commenting to me as I walked by that he knew a good hunting spot, because I had a bow equipped, and another guard speculating on my profession based on the armour I'm wearing.
The UI could definitely use some work, though.
At one point a passerby commented that he had heard "all about your silver tongue" because I had a boost to my speech at the time. Ridiculous. I love the little touches like that.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
Played it since Friday around 1:45 in the morning european time. Great Game! Wish the menus would be more pc game like and less console but the font size is nice, its not exhausting to read them. I play only ranged combat, magic and bow, bcs i dont like hoovering swords and axes making clunky moves with no attachment to my body but it doesnt matter to the game. Graphics. Music is also great! The translation and localization of the voice over is the one of the very bests! NPC have loot directly bound logically to what they be equipped with - how much i like this! I play on master but until now it seems a bit easy to me or i have already outleveled the region? Well, give it a good pc UI and it would be a 10/10 !
MMO - well, a game with freedom ends up in chaos bcs some bad apples make the basket rott! But yeah, if they would manage how to apply rules to the world that make it a reasonable, believeable world, it would be a great mmo!
PS: Steam is annoying!
"Torquemada... do not implore him for compassion. Torquemada... do not beg him for forgiveness. Torquemada... do not ask him for mercy. Let's face it, you can't Torquemada anything!"
I bought it today and had a lot of fun simply running around. I actually like combat system (in oblivion it was boring), this Quick abilit selecting is nice for me. It gives me time to select what I want to use.
Graphics are a little meh tbh. The textures need some love from modders. I don't play on max, but most of my settings are high except draw distance etc.
btw. How do I make a screenshot? Pritnt Screen doesn't work. I can;t paste it into a paint and there are no screenshots in any folder.
Anyone else feeling like this would make for a great MMORPG?
It would make a nice small scale mmo.. Like max 100-200 people per server imo. But we all kn ow the momeny this game would become mmo it would loose all cool features. Everything would become static to remove griefing etc.
The online system used in Dark Souls would be cool to use in this game too imo =p
Purchased from Steam, and I am very pleased with the game. Even though I have run into to sudden extreme drop in fps at certain locations, and had the game abruptly crash to the desktop with no error message to go along with it explaining the reason, I am enjoying the game thus far. Those issues and any others that other people are running into will hopefully be fixed in the weeks to come with patches.
But all in all, great storyline, crafting system, and even the graphics (which I turned down to medium to see if that helps any graphical problems) have amazed me. Bravo Zulu to Bethesda on a good game!
Comments
After playing all day, the only thing that bothers me is that when I rebind a key (say to make WASD the arrow keys), all the associated things do not change to the new key.
For example. I make this change to arrow keys. When I pick a lock, I still have to use the A and D keys to twist the lock, even though my directional keys have been changed. I rebound the keys, but for whatever reason, all actions that use a given key are not together in one binding. This is also a problem with favorites, dropping items, exiting out of menus, and a few other things.
It isn't a terrible problem, and after these several hours, it doesn't really bother me much, save the dropping items. I can move my right hand to the A and D keys to pick locks. I can move my hand to hit tab to exit menus. But I cannot drop items. I just cannot. I can put them in containers, but just dropping them on the ground? Nope. Impossible. Literally impossible without using the default keybindings.
My problem, my real problem, is not that I can't do the things I want to do. It is that it is wholly unacceptable for a game to be released on the PC without the ability to rebind the keys to ALL actions (if you don't want to use a master binding that, when you change a binding, affects all associated actions, then you need to add a new binding in the options menu for every single thing). This isn't a hard thing to do, and it makes life easier for PC gamers. One reason I play PC games is the ability to use the control setup I prefer. And, over the years, I have grown very particular about my setup. I think many, many gamers have done the same (though with their own unique set of controls). And that should be our right. If it is easy, and it makes things easier (or, in one case in this game, makes something even possible), there is no excuse to NOT code it in.
This is also why I refuse to play games without an option to invert the Y axis control. It is asinine and unacceptable.
It is just beyond my comprehension that a company like Bethesda would release a game with such a blatantly obvious problem as keys that simply won't rebind at all.
This problem also existed with the new American McGee's Alice game, and I assumed that was because it was released early and in a rush. But maybe what we are seeing is a further reflecting of the shift in popularity to console games. Developers simply do not care so much about their PC games. Most good PC games now that are not MMOs are console ports or indie games (which may well also be console ports). It makes me sad, because PCs are so much more robust an environment, and you can do so very much with them.
Edit:
Teala - That is some weird stuff with the arrows and the imps. No way you should have been pegged for the crime.
"Gamers will no longer buy the argument that every MMO requires a subscription fee to offset server and bandwidth costs. It's not true you know it, and they know it." Jeff Strain, co-founder of ArenaNet, 2007
WTF? No subscription fee?
Ah nice one! Good tip pony, I was getting tired of stopping the game everytime to change my weapons with Q.
Absolutely love it ! Slowly getting used to the controls. That would be my least favourite thing. Graphics are gorgeous. I often find myself standing looking at the fog shrouding the mountains! Ohh and the character models are superb. They have a lot more life in them compared to Oblivion.
There are just so many little details that add to the magic of Skyrim... god I haven't even touched the surface of the game yet!
Loving it for now. At first I didn't like the interface, but now I think it's kinda elegant. I like how I can navigate the menus using the mouse or simply with the WASD keys. Still I'll wait for some more PC-ish interface mod.
My only problem was with the classical "favorites menu" since it made me think "why the hell can't I just bind my skills to the number keys?!" but someone answered my doubts for me here.
Another thing that surprised me was how smooth this game runs. I thought it was going to be pretty heavy on my processor because of its small size. I'm running on high settings in a Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz, 2GB of RAM and a GTS 450. I get around 30 fps in the open world and 50 to infinite in closed areas.
Character creator is actually worse in many ways compared with Oblivion. Less customization options. Mods should come to the rescue for PC users on this flaw. I miss custom spells, also. Ostensibly more variety than Oblivion to monsters and dungeons. Still too soon to say if this will be a better game than Oblivion.
It's extremely satisfying to one-shot an enemy with an overhead power blow from my 2-handed frost axe.
This one's a keeper.
PLayed Oblivion when it came out until I realised it's actualy an adventure game with RPG elements tagged on. Your hero progres is non existent since the environment levels with you. The only interesting thing is to do the storyline.
I expect Skyrim to be the same with a bit better graphics. Not a game for me.
It's more like morrowind than oblivion, skyrim is a truly epic experience.
My words exactly !
The PC controls are weird at first but I got into it in a matter of hours
Oh and thx for the pro tip! Didnt knew about that
Oh and can someone tell me how to rotate items in your inventory?
I only managed to freeze the entire game 
+ Im still very surprised by how relatively small HW space Skyrim takes... If compared to Rage for example
I think I actually spent way more time reading and theorycrafting about MMOs than playing them
press C when looking at a item, then use your mouse to rotate it.
The small size is because of the crappy shadows and low rez textures everywhere. The game still looks great, especially when looking at a distance. If you get too close though the textures are really bad.
So glad I got the PC version, because there are nerds out there working their asses off to make hi rez texture packs
Great game for a console port, even with the shitty shadows and low rez textures.
I can't wait for the new consoles to come out so PC gaming can finally get past 2006 tech. Skyrim is great, but Elder Scrolls 6 is going to be a much bigger leap forward than Skyrim was to Oblivion.
Skyrim as a game looks and plays very well on PS3 with large LCD TV. There is enough story in the scripted quest line and variety on the the peripheral RNG stuff as you progress along the main story arc to make the game enjoyable. If you aren't into the RNG RPG sim aspect to the game there is enough in the game to make playing Skyrim a worthwhile prospect for a week or two. Main quest line is a bit linear compared to say Witcher 2 or Dragon Age 2.
I was afraid of that. Can you give us any details? It s easy cause enemies fight stupidelly in combat or it is easy cause of numbers? Enemies do few dmg have low life etc?
Also enemies suck if player is caster or mellier focused?
From what u see playing with 2 weapons ( duel wield makes combat very easy aka cheat almost ?
This is a very impressive game! I have the performance set at highest levels and the whole thing is beautiful, from the toons to animations to landscape. Played about 10ish hours so far, have a level 12 bow shooting rogue cat person thing. Trying out this first run sans-magic, sans-heavy armor, and it's going pretty good so far... died 6 times to a stupid master vampire in a dungeon, but hey, it ain't fun if it's easy.
Looking forward to more, but have social plans tonight. Tomorrow, I guess.
....and what makes it so impossible for these companies to make seperate UI's for different platforms? If they want my money, they better damn well make a configurable PC interface for a PC game. I hate consoles becasue I don't have the dexterity to use the controllers and I'll be damned if I'm going down that road on a PC. Even after 12 hours of played time, the controls still feel awkward to me, especially since I prefer to use the arrow keys and the number keypad over the wasd and number key row. I would kill for a modern day single player RPG that went back to auto-attacks with clickable hotkey bars.
Only a few hours in, but really well executed so far. I'm liking the details and small touches, like a guard commenting to me as I walked by that he knew a good hunting spot, because I had a bow equipped, and another guard speculating on my profession based on the armour I'm wearing.
The UI could definitely use some work, though.
At one point a passerby commented that he had heard "all about your silver tongue" because I had a boost to my speech at the time. Ridiculous. I love the little touches like that.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
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Follow me on Twitter if you dare.
Love the game so far except the UI and the controls.
"renigged"
I think you mean reneged.
Enjoyable game, spent most of my time (~6 hours) traveling and reading about the lore.
The books sure are worth reading, albeit they sometimes come in clusters of almost 10 (the vampire cave east of Helgen).
Anyway, I recommend it
Take the Magic: The Gathering 'What Color Are You?' Quiz.
Anyone else feeling like this would make for a great MMORPG?
Played it since Friday around 1:45 in the morning european time.
Great Game!
Wish the menus would be more pc game like and less console but the font size is nice, its not exhausting to read them.
I play only ranged combat, magic and bow, bcs i dont like hoovering swords and axes making clunky moves with no attachment to my body but it doesnt matter to the game.
Graphics. Music is also great!
The translation and localization of the voice over is the one of the very bests!
NPC have loot directly bound logically to what they be equipped with - how much i like this!
I play on master but until now it seems a bit easy to me or i have already outleveled the region?
Well, give it a good pc UI and it would be a 10/10 !
MMO - well, a game with freedom ends up in chaos bcs some bad apples make the basket rott!
But yeah, if they would manage how to apply rules to the world that make it a reasonable, believeable world, it would be a great mmo!
PS: Steam is annoying!
"Torquemada... do not implore him for compassion. Torquemada... do not beg him for forgiveness. Torquemada... do not ask him for mercy. Let's face it, you can't Torquemada anything!"
MWO Music Video - What does the Mech say: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF6HYNqCDLI
Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0x2iwK0BKM
I bought it today and had a lot of fun simply running around. I actually like combat system (in oblivion it was boring), this Quick abilit selecting is nice for me. It gives me time to select what I want to use.
Graphics are a little meh tbh. The textures need some love from modders. I don't play on max, but most of my settings are high except draw distance etc.
btw. How do I make a screenshot? Pritnt Screen doesn't work. I can;t paste it into a paint and there are no screenshots in any folder.
Nope. I like it just as it is.
It would make a nice small scale mmo.. Like max 100-200 people per server imo. But we all kn ow the momeny this game would become mmo it would loose all cool features. Everything would become static to remove griefing etc.
The online system used in Dark Souls would be cool to use in this game too imo =p
Purchased from Steam, and I am very pleased with the game. Even though I have run into to sudden extreme drop in fps at certain locations, and had the game abruptly crash to the desktop with no error message to go along with it explaining the reason, I am enjoying the game thus far. Those issues and any others that other people are running into will hopefully be fixed in the weeks to come with patches.
But all in all, great storyline, crafting system, and even the graphics (which I turned down to medium to see if that helps any graphical problems) have amazed me. Bravo Zulu to Bethesda on a good game!