Skyrim

[RobVarak]

From the UESP wiki:

The game treats permanent (non-canine) followers in a similar way to "essential" NPCs, but still allowing the possibility of their death. When your follower would die due to an enemy attack or a trap, they will be incapacitated for some time and begin to recover their health, just like essential NPCs; enemies will stop attacking or targeting them during this time. However, if they lose all their health again during this period, they will die for good. Thus, you should try to move the fight away from them, so that they are not hit by a stray arrow or area-effect spell. They can also die if hit with a damage-over-time poison that is stronger than their health recovery. They can also die from enemy power-attacks, as well as your own "friendly fire" attacks.
If you strike your follower dead, on the other hand, there is no recovery. Attack carefully when your follower is low on health. Follower death by yourself, even accidentally, counts as murder on your crimes list.

Many temporary followers are "essential", so they cannot be killed, only incapacitated for a while. Non-essential ones will die immediately when struck down, just as ordinary NPCs.

To ensure follower healing, make sure you give them healing potions and food to carry in their inventory. This way, once a follower is "wounded" they may heal almost immediately and return to the battle. If a follower isn't carrying any healing items, you may have to wait until all enemies in the area are removed before they will heal themselves.

I rarely use followers, because I find they get in the way, trigger traps like dopes, and are often just collateral damage for the shock and awe of area-effect spells that I like to dole out. Some have entertaining personalities though (like J'Zargo) and there are several times when you have to team up for the purposes of a quest line.

You can also hold down the A button and instruct a follower to interact with an object. This is particularly useful if there is a locked chest or door that you can't open yourself.

[Brando70]

Lydia is definitely getting on my nerves, especially when she can't jump six inches onto a rock to follow me. This game really needs some of the follower options from Fallout: New Vegas so you can control their tactics. There's nothing worse than walking along a river and realizing that your companion left you a half a mile ago to fight a mud crab.

[RobVarak]

Dark Brotherhood. Wedding. Cool.

That is all.

[ScoopBrady]

Started playing last night with dual fire spells instead of sword and board and robes instead of armor and was having a blast (no pun intended). I cleared a couple of caves and I think I will now work my way through the entire college quest. Who knew (everybody except for me) that magic was so fun in the Elder Scrolls games?

[Slumberland]

I don't think it was as much fun until this iteration. They definitely took some cues from Bioshock as far as visuals and implementation. I only dabble in magic but dual wielding fire is dope.

[Brando70]

I only wish you could dual-wield different spells, so I could use Fire and Frost to make a UHF-strength stream of water.

[kevinpars]

So far, the only people who want to marry me are either male or look like the girl with the dragon tattoo. I just want to meet a cute blonde Nord who can use a sword!

[FifaInspected]

Guys.. Quick question. I know the game is rated M. However, i'm only at level 9 and i'm not seeing M rated material thus far. My son (11) would like to play it and i'm wondering if the game earns it M rating further down the road.

Thanks.

[XXXIV]

Guys.. Quick question. I know the game is rated M. However, i'm only at level 9 and i'm not seeing M rated material thus far. My son (11) would like to play it and i'm wondering if the game earns it M rating further down the road.

Thanks.

I think its M for the violence as there is no nudity or language that I have seen and I have seen.

Violence as in beheading.

[MizzouRah]

Guys.. Quick question. I know the game is rated M. However, i'm only at level 9 and i'm not seeing M rated material thus far. My son (11) would like to play it and i'm wondering if the game earns it M rating further down the road.

Thanks.

My 9 year old daughter has been playing.. I haven't seen anything yet.. and I hope I don't.

[FifaInspected]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

[GameSeven]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

I think commonsensemedia.org does a decent job hitting the bullet items on tv shows, movies, and most recent games. I think their Skyrim review is a tad overcritical, but like most things, digesting all information and putting it in the context for your children is best.

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-re ... s-v-skyrim

[Brando70]

Quick question with some spoilerish stuff in it:

I have 5000 gold, enough to buy the house in Whiterun. But I also have my own room at the College of Winterhold, complete with empty wardrobes and dressers galore. Is there any advantage to buying the house over just having a free room?

[RobVarak]

Quick question with some spoilerish stuff in it:

I have 5000 gold, enough to buy the house in Whiterun. But I also have my own room at the College of Winterhold, complete with empty wardrobes and dressers galore. Is there any advantage to buying the house over just having a free room?

Not really. Mostly cosmetics and convenience. For some reason the Arch-Mages quarters don't have functional weapon racks etc.
OTOH, this is the most forgiving ES game ever when it comes to money. I have over 100k and no matter what I do I pretty much stay there now.

I've got my stuff spread between the Dark Brotherhood sanctuary, College of Winterhold and a plush, multistory house in Solitude. Can be a problem when I need to find where I left my damn Daedra hearts.

[FifaInspected]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

I think commonsensemedia.org does a decent job hitting the bullet items on tv shows, movies, and most recent games. I think their Skyrim review is a tad overcritical, but like most things, digesting all information and putting it in the context for your children is best.

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-re ... s-v-skyrim

Great website. Thanks for sharing!

[XXXIV]

Just got the 50th and final achievement. First time I ever did the achievement thing with a game. Id like to thank the years of playing WoW for allowing me to mindlessly grind the last few.

Now what? I dont want to renew my subscription with Blizzard til Mists of Pandaria releases. Its going to be hard to switch back to the constant pressure of Dark Souls after the relaxing fun of this game.

When is the expansion for Skyrim?

[RobVarak]

Skyrim Valentines

http://oxboxer.tumblr.com/post/16475990 ... -why-did-i

[Danimal]

Now what? I dont want to renew my subscription with Blizzard til Mists of Pandaria releases. Its going to be hard to switch back to the constant pressure of Dark Souls after the relaxing fun of this game.

Only about 9 days until Kingdoms. Also I saw someone playing the Star Wars MMO last night extensively for a few hours as I was playing a board game nearby. I had no desire to buy that until last night, I swore I would never pay for an MMO again but I'm on the fence with the Old Republic.

[TCrouch]

That's about all I've done since mid-December is The Old Republic. It's not your traditional MMO.

[Brando70]

Skyrim Valentines

http://oxboxer.tumblr.com/post/16475990 ... -why-did-i

Ha! There should be one that shows Lydia running in the way of your Fireball spell that says, "I love you even though you drive me crazy."

That illustrates two things I wish Skyrim had from Fallout: the companion commands from New Vegas and the VATS targeting system. The extra challenge of lining everything up is nice, but the occasional wonkiness of the controller makes aiming harder than it should be for some spells.

[RobVarak]

I've heard lots of complaints about the companions, but except for those quests that thrust them on to the scene, I completely ignore them. I have housecarls laying around doing nothing all over Skyrim.

Polished off the civil war quests last night. Finally put those redneck Nord rebels back in their place.

[EZSnappin]

Skyrim Valentines

http://oxboxer.tumblr.com/post/16475990 ... -why-did-i

Ha! There should be one that shows Lydia running in the way of your Fireball spell that says, "I love you even though you drive me crazy."

Lydia's should be "I am sworn to carry the burdon of your love."

[Brando70]

I've heard lots of complaints about the companions, but except for those quests that thrust them on to the scene, I completely ignore them. I have housecarls laying around doing nothing all over Skyrim.

They are handy. I am playing as mage and decided to forgo all armor and most combat perks, so Lydia is handy to have. And with my Staff of Storm Atronach, I can get the blocking I need to hurl Destruction spells at opponents (especially with the Impact perk). It's just funny that I tend to be the biggest threat to her rather than the monsters we fight.

I am just surprised they didn't borrow the New Vegas companion model. That was simple to use yet really effective. Luckily Lydia is built for rushing headlong into battle.

[RobVarak]

Have you unlocked Shadowmare? No help in dungeons, but it's a relief tossing AOE spells around and not worrying about him.

I have had several situations where I've been fighting dragons and had a spell clip a guard, resulting in my massacring an entire garrison in addition to the big lizard.

[XXXIV]

Have you unlocked Shadowmare? No help in dungeons, but it's a relief tossing AOE spells around and not worrying about him.

I have had several situations where I've been fighting dragons and had a spell clip a guard, resulting in my massacring an entire garrison in addition to the big lizard.

Thanks to you I started using him and then he went and died/glitched on me somewhere.

As for Lydia. My house in Whiterun was getting a bit crowded with her, the wife(Companions huntress chick. I forgot her name already ) and all the junk I had aquired so I gave her away to the Blades at Skyhaven Temple. She is lucky I didnt sacrifice her to the Boethiah.