[Obdigore]

Morgoth, on 08 December 2011 - 10:15 AM, said:

The thing is though; the Dominion is basically magical nazis with whom the Empire recently lost a war. By supporting the Empire you fight against the Thalmor rather than helping them. The only thing standing between the Thalmor and their goal of conquering all of Tamriel is the Empire.

There is going to be a second war, everyone and their dog seems to agree on that, and by supporting Skyrim's independence you make it even more likely that the Empire will lose. Ulfric is just as much a pawn of the Thalmor, if not more so.

Incidentally, I did my part in helping the Empire through the Dark Brotherhood questline and it felt goooood.

It was cool how he was like 'yes I expected this, do me a favor and kill the guy who sent you'. I thought that was nifty.

Hopefully the General from Skyrim takes his place, because he hates the Dominion. Send me over there in an xpack, I'll slaughter some elves!

[Gothos]

That very same Empire left Hammerfell to fare for itself - if it abandons it's member states, what good is it for? Would Skyrimg be better off on it's own without the Empire's corruption and decadence? Perhaps. Should the Thalmor come knocking, would you want Cyrodiils in charge? Not to mention - even though it was just the Nord legions that stopped the Thalmor from overrunning the Empire, Talos worship is now outlawed, and Thalmor agents roam the land freely. The Empire has failed already.

The big question marks in all this are Black Marsh and High Rock. Especially Black Marsh. What are they doing?

[Morgoth]

Gothos, on 08 December 2011 - 10:21 AM, said:

That very same Empire left Hammerfell to fare for itself - if it abandons it's member states, what good is it for? Would Skyrimg be better off on it's own without the Empire's corruption and decadence? Perhaps. Should the Thalmor come knocking, would you want Cyrodiils in charge? Not to mention - even though it was just the Nord legions that stopped the Thalmor from overrunning the Empire, Talos worship is now outlawed, and Thalmor agents roam the land freely. The Empire has failed already.

The big question marks in all this are Black Marsh and High Rock. Especially Black Marsh. What are they doing?

The Nords didn't stop the Thalmor on their own. They defeated one of three armies with the assistance of two other Legions as far as I remember (though those had suffered heavy losses already). Certainly, without the Nords the war would have been even worse, but the Nords alone would equally have been defeated had they fought the full Thalmor might on their own. The Empire lost partially due to poor management of the war, and it was probably a mistake to accept the terms they did (there's a book which debates that whole thing), but the Empire is still the only power capable of fielding large enough armies to fight the Thalmor. The Nords alone would not stand a chance.

It seems to me that the entire concord was designed to create as much discontent within the Empire as possible, paving the way for further Thalmor expansion.

[Gothos]

Still, according to Thalmor intelligence notes, a resolution of the civil war is against their interests. Even if Skyrim is independant that doesn't mean they wouldn't field armies along with the Empire to stop the Thalmor should the next invasion occur - note that part of the Stormcloak goals is to drive the Thalmor agents out of Skyrim, and as such give him more room to move against them given his history with their prisons. At present time neither side of the Empire / Thalmor war has the manpower to field an all out attack (Hammerfell drove out the Thalmor on their own after the Great War), and perhaps even a full generation will have to pass before the next war - the sooner the civil war is resolved, the better. Depending on where Argonians stand should another Great War occur, and if there'd be any resistance against occupation in Elsweyr and Valenwood, the balance on Tamriel could still change in a myriad of ways.

Perhaps it is high time for another Dragonborn to forge a new Empire, like Talos did.

[Lucifer's Heaven]

Your last sentence, Gothos.
I had been wondering since I heard the general outline of the plot if that was what they were working towards. Would be pretty awesome.
Especially if they set it all up and had some major stuff happen this time around, then possibly have the big war and conquest next game. A part of me doesn't want to wait that inevitably long a time, but I'd be a little dissapointed if an awesome story like that didn't get the attention it deserved...

[cerveza_fiesta]

Yeah, but then everybody would have been complaining

"oh it's just another farmboy becomes the "one" and saves the fucking world....again"

I'd be happy if the next TES installment had climbable ladders.

[Gothos]

Why ladders specifically? Can't say I missed ladders a single time in any TES game. Didn't even notice they weren't there until you mentioned it.

[cerveza_fiesta]

I dunno, it's just such a fundamental real-world thing to have. It's weird that there are ramps leading to absolutely everywhere.

I mean I get that it helps out the accessibility issue for all the disabled wheelchair-bound tamrielese war veterans, but it looks out of place IMO.

Not that there shouldn't be ramps and stairs, but ladders are a more appropriate thing to place in, say, a cave, sewer, or as the access to a tower's top floor....

Just a personal preference. I don't really care that much. I guess it's also kinda hard to argue a game should be more "realistic" when the bulk of the content consists of tearing around, raping dragons with fists of lightning day in and day out.

[POOPOO MCBUMFACE]

Todd has explained that Bethesda find ladders too difficult to code. Properly professional developers, they are.

Also, I'm half-expecting Ulfric/the player/possibly Tullius to form a new Talos-like. It's not quite the same enantiomorph, but Tullius as Tiber Septim, Ulfric as Wulfharth and the player as the mysterious helper and Shezzarine (Zurin Arctus/Underking - the main quest heavily implies that the player's power was granted by Lorkhan, especially near the end) who proved instrumental in their quest and provided the key to divinity. It seems to be what the plot's hinting at heading towards, allows one or more of the three to be killed off and provides a neat, lore-friendly resolution to the civil war questline in canon. The Nords and Lorkhan have always been the ones to throw off the damn elves. This time won't be any different. Fuck the dying Empire.

[JLV]

http://achievementhu...4039&v=comments

^ Invisible Treasure Chest Easter Egg.

[Obdigore]

fo rah'ed the sun in blackreach, that named dragon is pretty damn epic. Especially since I went to find him and there were numerous falmor battling him (and then me when I showed up) at the same time.

[Traveller]

POOPOO MCBUMFACE, on 08 December 2011 - 07:11 PM, said:

Todd has explained that Bethesda find ladders too difficult to code. Properly professional developers, they are.

Yeah, the closest thing to a ladder is where there is one leading to a trapdoor in the roof, that can be accessed by clicking on the trapdoor...

I've said it before, but compared to Dark Souls, the physical sense of the environment in Skyrim is virtually non existent. I still feel like I'm gliding over the ground like a wraith or something, and the ladders are just one more thing. In DS's, you can feel every rung, step and wall; even when you stand on a bit of split-level ground or steps, your feet make allowance for the different levels, and don't just 'hover' at the same level. And ladders allow some great level design options. In Skyrim, when I walk around a house, I sometimes knock over furniture and pots and things, which isn't very cool for a stealth character - but difficult to avoid when you have no real physical presence. (Also, what's with the item placing in the E S's series? I can never seem to put down an item back onto a table or surface without it falling over and rolling somewhere).

Anyhoo, anyone got married yet? I saved my game, and married a big warrior-type lass in Riften, to see what would happen. She came to live at my house in Whiterun - but brought her friend with her, a chap who saved her life a while back. I got a bit annoyed with him hovering around her in my house all day - he just wouldn't leave! So I had to kill him while she was upstairs, and hid him in the basement.

There doesn't seem to be any huge advantage though, apart from having someone else in the house to trade with or help with quests. Also, Lydia still comes and sits in the bedroom at the foot of the bed, while we're in it.

Which would be a lot more interesting if there were a few more options... like when she says 'is there anything I can do for you?'...

This post has been edited by Traveller: 09 December 2011 - 04:33 PM

[Obdigore]

I married the woman in whiterun who wants to start up the trading business with the caravans. She now runs a shop out of my house and has between 600 and 1500 gold to GIVE me every time I return home.

[Gothos]

I also married Isolde. Nifty profit and she's easy on the eyes.

[Obdigore]

Hey gothos you said you got the oblivion walker achievement? I can't figure out how, all the sites I read say you can get 14 artifacts since the skeleton key does not count?

[Gothos]

I just did all the daedric quests in favour of the daedric prince in question. The Black Star might not count. Also, I never sold any and kept them in a house always, if not on my person, maybe that counts.
You sure you did them all?

[Obdigore]

No I have not finished them yet, but I was reading up some places and it looked like it wasn't able to be done without getting both the ring and the hide. Talked to you in chat it looks right now. Will let you know if I actually cant figure it out when I have time to finish the last couple I have not done.

[QuickTidal]

Dusty Gillie Suit, on 09 December 2011 - 09:04 AM, said:

I married the woman in whiterun who wants to start up the trading business with the caravans. She now runs a shop out of my house and has between 600 and 1500 gold to GIVE me every time I return home.

Dammit, and here I went for Hotness and married Aella the Huntress. I'm too impulsive.

[cerveza_fiesta]

Shit. I'm playing a female character.

I didn't know marriage was part of the game. Things are gonna get pretty gay 'round here.

[Obdigore]

cerveza_fiesta, on 09 December 2011 - 01:28 PM, said:

Shit. I'm playing a female character.

I didn't know marriage was part of the game. Things are gonna get pretty gay 'round here.

I'm pretty sure you can go full on lesbian.