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LEGO robot automates Skyrim level grinding
Proving yet again that LEGO will play an insidious role in the impending robot apocalypse, enterprising YouTube user comicsacrifice has constructed a bot that automatically levels his restoration skill in Skyrim. The takeaway: Robots are now learned in the ways of magic. We tremble in terror.
Skyrim PC patch arrives, adds mandatory Steam DRM, kills some tweaks
It should come as no surprise that Bethesda's massive Skyrim needs some patching and last night, the first patch, weighing in at a humble 18MB, arrived for the PC platform. Unfortunately, this patch didn't address any of the game's bugs; rather, it prevented the main executable from running without Steam. "DRM," you cry, waving your makeshift pitchfork in the air. Well, yes ... but a bigger problem than that, as detailed by the good-looking folks at Rock, Paper, Shotgun, is that the patch disables some of the game's more popular mods. Initially the patch disabled the large address aware third-party patch that allowed the Skyrim executable to, well, address larger amounts of RAM. For some reason, the game will only recognize a maximum of 2GB of RAM (or: the same amount of RAM that a bathroom scale has). Luckily a workaround has cropped up that doesn't need to alter the executable and life goes on. However, the "fabled uGrids .ini file tinker that made the game's icy landscapes look significantly more gorgeous" is no longer operational post-update. RPS isn't bullish on long-term patch support from Bethesda, so consider this a warning if you're considering playing PC and have a religious or philosophical opposition to being unable to mod your software.
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim apparently contains much of Tamriel
You might have thought the world of Skyrim was big, but we can guarantee that, until now, you had absolutely no idea. As discovered by a Finnish blogger, Bethesda not only modeled the Nordic playground of Skyrim for the game, but much of the Elder Scrolls world of Tamriel. Why is it all in there? Your guess is as good as ours. Here on PPSh-41, you'll see that the scale is a bit off, and some details are awry, but the lands of Morrowind and Cyrodiil are right there available to those willing to do a little no-clip exploration. Your guide, 19-year-old Jesse, assumes that the other major landmasses are in there too, but he lacked the patience to check for himself. It's a shame too, because if he'd traveled just a bit further, he would have discovered 3D models of the Mushroom Kingdom, Seaman's tank and his own home.
The most impressive Skyrim trailer wasn't made by Bethesda
It was made by YouTube user "Wren the Reaper," and it features dozens of hours of footage, timelapsed and cut together for maximum efficacy. To say this is an impressive glimpse into the world of Skyrim would be selling Mr. The Reaper rather short, so we'll just let the video do the talking.
Is Skyrim full of happy little trees?
There's an implication floating around on Reddit that the beautiful landscapes of Skyrim may have been inspired by none other than the immortal Bob Ross. Of course, any such implication is moot, as we are – all of us – inspired by Bob Ross on one level or another. Still, the uncanny similarities between between Skyrim's forested lands and the legendary painter's happy little trees is hard to deny. Of course, it's hard to classify Skyrim's trees as "happy," what with the dragons and all. Head over to Sidequesting to see if you can best the Bob Ross / Skyrim challenge.
Skyrim without textures looks pretty neat
By messing with the graphics on Skyrim for PC, players can experience the game as if the art department was questing to make some kind of Team Fortress 2 and ICO love child. No lush, happy little trees here.
Skyrim updates coming the week after Thanksgiving, Hines hopes
As much as we're all enjoying our lack of sleep and food, plugging away countless hours in Skyrim, there are a multitude of bugs that need to be addressed. It would appear the wait is coming to an end, as Pete Hines took to Twitter to confirm title updates are incoming soon. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 updates have been submitted, with the PC soon to follow. Hines says current estimates for the updates to go live are the week after Thanksgiving -- that's the week after next, for all of you non-Americans -- but that's hardly set in stone. In the meantime, just try to keep saving as often as you can!
Skyrim console commands give the unlimited power you crave
Players who have already dipped into the seemingly infinite world of Skyrim already know the power of words. For instance, a clearly-spoken "Fus" has the ability to send the contents of a meticulously set dinner table into an adjacent room. Despite the strength of your shouts, there's another language that carries even more otherworldly potency: Console commands. PC Gamer has corralled all the console commands for the PC (duh) version of Skyrim; a codex which includes spells like "sexchange" (which changes your character's gender) and "killall" (which kills all things). Give them a look, provided you're playing the appropriate version of Bethesda's epic RPG, and are also a cheater-cheater-pumpkin-eater.
Child (dragon) born on 11/11/11 named Dovahkiin, bullies cower in fear
Maybe you thought nobody would take up Bethesda on its offer to reward anyone who named a child born on 11/11/11 "Dovahkiin" with a lifetime supply of Bethesda games, to mark the birth of its latest RPG opus, Skyrim. Well, you were wrong and that's something both you, and 8 pound, 1/2 ounce Dovahkiin Tom Kellermeyer, will have to live with. The day before the delivery, the young warrior's mother wrote, "We've toyed with Dovahkiin and the ramifications of naming a child that name, and that name being based on a video game character (however awesome), and what impact that would have on him. But the more I thought of it, the more I settled on Dovahkiin, contest or no." Congratulations to the Kellermeyers and, especially, to young Dovakhiin. Internet wisdom says you're going to be bullied, but we've got an alternative point of view: Like a boy named Sue, you're going to "have to get tough or die and it's the name that helped to make you strong." And by strong, we mean you can shout people to death. Be gentle.
Fantastic Skyrim bugs #2 through #11: Flying ponies, flipping carriages
Few things in the gaming universe are funnier than a well-crafted bug demonstration, especially when those bugs are as physics-defying as the ones that occasionally pop up in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. For instance: Flying horses. Those are pretty great, but what about flying mammoths? Just based on mass alone, that's like, forty times more hilarious. IGN has a pretty comprehensive round-up of giggle-inducing glitches -- though our personal favorite is the remix of the game's intro, seen above. Was that a collector's edition exclusive? The intro to our game was far, far less acrobatic.
Skyrim mod adds Street View-like map functionality
Skyrim could augment its free-roaming if, for example, it was just a huge map that you could look around in -- as it is in the "Map in full 3D" mod. As the name suggests, this mod gives you full control of the in-game map, allowing you to zoom "almost to the ground" and experience the whole world bear-free. PC Gamer compares it to Google Street View, which makes this the perfect way to role-play a Californian engineer in a Prius.
Grab some collector's editions on Amazon, collect some savings
Amazon's running a pretty enticing promotion well before the Black Friday onslaught begins. If you've had your eye on a collector's edition version of a recent game, Amazon's probably got it discounted right now. Some of these bad boys are marked down up to 75 percent. Crazy, right?
Bethesda ships 7 million Skyrim launch units, expects $450 million in return
Bethesda today announced official "ship" numbers (read: not "sold") for its latest Elder Scrolls tale, Skryim, counting 7 million units across Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC worldwide. As Bethesda's in the business of making money, it's expecting a return of approximately $450 million on those 7 million units, and claims that "more than 50% of launch units were sold in the first 48 hours" -- at least in North America, Europe, and Australia. It stands to reason that those 7 million units and the "launch units" are one in the same (we're checking with Bethesda). If true, then roughly 3.5 million units of Skyrim were sold in just 48 hours. Not too shabby! Also, if each game has infinite dragons and infinite quests, and 7 million copies exist, is that, like, 7 million infinity? Gadzooks! Update: Zenimax originally reported $500 million as its expected return, but changed it moments later to $450 million. That's a $50 million gaffe right there! Update 2: Bethesda confirmed with Joystiq that the 3.5 million units sold in the first 48 hours were indeed part of the "launch shipment." [Image credit: Skyrim Forums]
Amazon: Buy One, Get One 50% Off on MW3, Skyrim, Arkham City, Uncharted 3, and more
Amazon calls this deal "Buy One, Get One 50% Off" but we prefer to think of it as "Get Two $60 Games for Just $45 Each." Normally, these kinds of deals have perhaps one marquee title playing the role of siren, calling your wallet-shaped ship to its rocky, mediocre-game covered shores; however, this deal is different. Blockbuster titles like Modern Warfare 3, Skyrim, Batman: Arkham City, Uncharted 3, Rage, and more are available choices, with some junk like The Black Eyed Peas Experience and Go Vacation, just to keep us on our toes. With this many options, we're more inclined to think of it as a "Buy Three, Get One Free" deal. This offer is good for a "limited time," which we think means "not long."
Minecraft easter egg makes its way into Skyrim
Who says a nasty legal battle means you can't appreciate each other's work? A nice little nod to Minecraft made its way into Skyrim, Ology reports. Neat! Pictured above is the Notched Pickaxe, which looks an awfully lot like the one from Minecraft -- Notch, you likely know, is the creator of the game. Hats off to the Bethesda devs for including this in the game. If you want to see it for yourself (and perhaps use it to kill a few of the smaller dragon pups), you can find it in The Throat of the World. It shouldn't be too hard to find the one-of-a-kind pickaxe stuck in the biggest mountain in the game.
Metareview: Skyrim
Our Skyrim review was delivered in two flavors: the "pesky words" edition and the "too long, didn't read" version. Overall, the game delivers the most immersive experience yet in the Bethesda RPG formula, offering many dozens of hours -- hundreds of hours once all the inevitable DLC is out -- for those ready to experience being Dragonborn. Giant Bomb (5/5): "No other game I know of operates with this many moving parts to create such an immense world filled with this much choice in how you engage its excellent, endless fiction. It's one thing when a game offers dozens of hours of gameplay; it's quite another when that gameplay is good enough you'll want to live in its world for that long." Game Informer (95/100): "The biggest problem Skyrim runs into has plagued every Bethesda-developed game I've played: It's buggy. Not to the degree that Oblivion was – Bethesda makes headway in delivering a more stable product, but I ran into numerous bugs that forced me to reload previous saves. The auto-save system charts several recent points, which can be a relief, but losing progress is annoying and can erase significant victories and character development." IGN (95/100): "The changes made since Oblivion are many, and result in a more focused and sensible style of play, where the effects of every decision are easily seen." Gamespot (90/100): "Yet The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim doesn't rely on sheer scope to earn its stripes. It isn't just that there's a lot to do: it's that most of it is so good. Whether you're slashing a dragon's wings, raising the dead back to life, or experimenting at the alchemy table, Skyrim performs the most spectacular of enchantments: the one that causes huge chunks of time to vanish before you know it." Edge (95/100): "You play for the moment a dragon's silhouette fills the sky, backed up against the otherworldly colours of the northern lights. You play for the moment a diary clutched by a desiccated corpse sends you on a country- wide hunt for some ancient, forgotten loot. The illusion frequently falters – and sometimes completely breaks – but when it does you'll want to conspire with the game to pretend you didn't see."
Fantastic Skyrim Gameplay that looks like a Bug #1: Giant physics
So there you are, quietly guarding Whiterun Hold, when a massive, dumb giant comes stomping up the path and hits you with its club, trampolining you miles into the beautiful autumn sky, never to see your family or friends again. Rude. Ok, maybe you shouldn't have taunted it with your shield or said its mother was that particular brand of professional, but you didn't deserve such a severe punishment. But who knows, maybe you did, and maybe this video is why they call it Skyrim.
Fantastic Skyrim bugs #1: Horse rides a dragon
Look, just because dragons are massive, ancient and deadly creatures doesn't mean they can't also have a sense of humor. After all, what's the point in all that power if you can't engage in a little horseplay every now and again?
Bethesda squinting at Skyrim's texture scaling issues on Xbox
Poor vision and awareness may afflict some of Skyrim's population, but your bellowing, dragonborn protagonist is meant to have 20/20 vision. Blurry textures on the Xbox 360 version, which aren't replaced with higher-quality versions as they come into closer view, may be a symptom of having the mammoth RPG* installed on the hard drive, Bethesda now suspects. "Skyrim uses a lot of dynamic streaming systems, including textures," says a Bethesda community manager posting on the official forums. "We've seen a few reports of certain textures temporarily scaling down on the Xbox 360, and not scaling back up. We have verified that this issue does not occur when playing off the disk and when the game is fully cached (not installed)." For now, it seems the streaming glitch can be avoided if you play directly from the disc, and imagine the loud whirring emanates from Dovahkiin's vocal chords warming up. According to Bethesda, a solution is being prepared for installed Skyrim in the next title update. The patch notes for the most recent update are available here. * Sorry, we just wanted to share that we've been thinking about turn-based tusk battles between customizable mammoths all afternoon.
The unseemly side of Skyrim's Dragonborn origin revealed
So, the main character of Skyrim is a "Dragonborn," which essentially means he (or she!) is part dragon. But have you ever thought about what that means? Like, what it really means?
