The Elder Scrolls XVI: Sworn to Carry Your Burdens

[Kesnit]

My achievement for the month: I posted version 1.0 of my mod for fellow compulsive Skyrim restarters, which allows you to skip some of the more tedious and harder-to-ignore vanilla content.

It's my first published mod, and hasn't attracted much attention, but it does have a good endorsement ratio (more than 10% of unique downloads). Which, I tell myself, makes it above average, by the metric I choose to care about.

I was about to bless you because I HATE Blood on the Ice. Then I realized this is for Special Edition, and I never switched. (All my mods - I have over 200 that I switch between - are for the original.)

Edit: OK, so I spent all day today getting SSE mods. Several did not have SSE versions, but I got what I could find.

[Rynjin]

I can't think of any mods for LE that haven't either been ported or remade with superior craftsmanship in SSE. May as well make the switch at some point.

Kind of a pet peeve of mine at this point is people demanding mof authors backport SE mods to LE. Not that that's what you're doing, I just see it a lot in comments and places like Ensi Siaion's Patreon; I just don't get the attachment to LE at this point.

@Veti: If you ever get the main quest skips going, I'll download your mod in a heartbeat. Would really love to skip everything up to about the party.

[Ortho]

I can't think of any mods for LE that haven't either been ported or remade with superior craftsmanship in SSE. May as well make the switch at some point.

Kind of a pet peeve of mine at this point is people demanding mof authors backport SE mods to LE. Not that that's what you're doing, I just see it a lot in comments and places like Ensi Siaion's Patreon; I just don't get the attachment to LE at this point.

I can think of a few reasons:

NexusMods lists 66,000 mods for LE compared to 35,000 for SE. Or perhaps your computer doesn't have the oomph to play SE but can run LE just fine. Or it may just be that people don't want to pay $40 to get a game they already own.

[Caelestion]

Anyone who owned LE at the time SSE came out got SSE for free.

[Divayth Fyr]

Anyone who owned LE at the time SSE came out got SSE for free.

A bunch of people refused to get Hearthfire. Even though that would get them the SSE for free. Why? Don't ask me.

[veti]

NexusMods lists 66,000 mods for LE compared to 35,000 for SE. Or perhaps your computer doesn't have the oomph to play SE but can run LE just fine. Or it may just be that people don't want to pay $40 to get a game they already own.

A lot of those will be early mods that have been superseded, or at best abandoned. Yes, there are still good mods that haven't been ported for whatever reasons. In most cases there are new mods that are, if not better, then at least good enough to make the old one unnecessary. Otherwise you may be able to do the port yourself - I've done that a few times, and it's a lot easier to do solely for your own use than to publish it for others. There are tutorials on YouTube.

As for the oomph - I believe SE is actually less demanding than Oldrim. It's certainly more stable, and gives shorter loading times.

I'm one of those who bought Hearthfires specifically to qualify for SE when it came out, which is easily the best $2.50 I ever spent on a game. However, if you didn't qualify at the time, then I can understand the reluctance now.

I did intend to back-port the mod at some point, but at this stage it would take a solid day of work. Not sure when I'll have that sort of time.

[InvisibleBison]

A bunch of people refused to get Hearthfire. Even though that would get them the SSE for free. Why? Don't ask me.

It's not that complicated. We just didn't think that SSE was worth the cost. (At least I didn't. I suppose I shouldn't speak for others.)

[Ortho]

Anyone who owned LE at the time SSE came out got SSE for free.

I owned neither version of Skyrim when the Special Edition came out. When I did buy it, I went with the Legacy Edition, because back then I had a laptop with the computing power of a particularly imbecilic marmot.

I have a better computer now, but I'll stick with LE unless someone can sell me on why SE is worth it.

[factotum]

I have a better computer now, but I'll stick with LE unless someone can sell me on why SE is worth it.

Depends...did you also get all the DLC for LE when you bought it? If you did, SE doesn't offer much except for improved graphics--they didn't even bother to fix any of the numerous quest-breaking bugs. If you didn't, then SE has all the DLC bundled in, and some of that is most *definitely* worth having.

[Ortho]

Depends...did you also get all the DLC for LE when you bought it? If you did, SE doesn't offer much except for improved graphics--they didn't even bother to fix any of the numerous quest-breaking bugs. If you didn't, then SE has all the DLC bundled in, and some of that is most *definitely* worth having.

Bethesda didn't even bother to fix the bugs?

Yep, that's a pass on the SE then, thank you.

[Rater202]

So, for someone who hasn't toched Skyrim in forever...

I understand that people are still discovering things in Skyrim after all this time and that Bethesda keeps re-releasing it with occasional improvements.

I also understand that ESO occasionally drops lore things that add context to things from previous games.

...The insects in the jars.

There are five of them, a bee, a butterfly, a dragonfly, a moth, and a torchbug.

Each alive and flying around despite no signs of food or air.

and if you rotate them around when examining them in your inventory... There are symbols or letters hidden on the jar.

Did that turn out to be anything? Becuase when I was playing... Ten year ago god damn you time slow the hell down... I remember being frustrated because that was obviously a thing but I couldn't figure out the thing.

I even tried pinpointing the locations where they could all be found on the map to see if that was a clue or something but if there was I wasn't able to decipher it.

[Lord Raziere]

So, for someone who hasn't toched Skyrim in forever...

I understand that people are still discovering things in Skyrim after all this time and that Bethesda keeps re-releasing it with occasional improvements.

I also understand that ESO occasionally drops lore things that add context to things from previous games.

...The insects in the jars.

There are five of them, a bee, a butterfly, a dragonfly, a moth, and a torchbug.

Each alive and flying around despite no signs of food or air.

and if you rotate them around when examining them in your inventory... There are symbols or letters hidden on the jar.

Did that turn out to be anything? Becuase when I was playing... Ten year ago god damn you time slow the hell down... I remember being frustrated because that was obviously a thing but I couldn't figure out the thing.

I even tried pinpointing the locations where they could all be found on the map to see if that was a clue or something but if there was I wasn't able to decipher it.

Oh I have actually watched a camelworks elder scrolls detective video about them.

to save you sixteen minutes: After much investigating, it turned out it was just an idea that thrown around in development for something or other that we'll never know, the idea became cut content and the bugs in jars were just left behind because they didn't have the time to take them out. they aren't anything at all.

here is the video detailing the investigation into this in case you don't believe me

[Caelestion]

I don't really care what version of Skyrim people have; I was just pointing out that SSE was given out free to many people (including me).

[Triaxx]

SE is also using Fallout 4's version of the engine, which is both 64-bit and vastly more stable.

[Fyraltari]

Hi, guys! I have never played Skyrim, but I'd like to. From what part it is better to begin? Or it doesn't matter?

Skyrim is the fifth game* in the Elder scrolls serie. While the games all take place in the same universe they are only loosely connected as the main plots are all independent so you can start with whichever one you want. The first ones are very old so I'd recommand starting with either Skyrim or its predecessor Oblivion.

*Not counting spin-off games.

[veti]

Skyrim economics, Reach edition:

Mine owner in Karthwasten: "How can I get those mercenaries out of my mine?"

Me, to mercenary captain: "How's about 187 gold to go away?"

Captain: "Wow, that's more than the Silver-Bloods are paying us. We're outta here."

Mine owner to me: "Thank you so much. Here's 600 gold."

Me:

Of course Skyrim is full of examples like this. I've known this for nine years, but still they get to me. I think it's because it's such a blatantly unforced error. There's no reason why the sellswords couldn't demand, say, 1500 gold, then the whole transaction would have made some sort of sense.

There's the mine owners who'll pay full list price for the ore that you dug out of their mine, which is at least twice as much as anyone else will pay for it. Ditto the farmers and their crops. There's that idiot in Ivarstead who'll pay 750 gold (or way more, depending on level) for you to walk up a hill (that you were going up anyway), and the smith in Shor's Stone who'll pay the same for you to kill half a dozen spiders, which is approximately four minutes' work. Where do all these people even get that kind of money?

[Keltest]

Skyrim economics, Reach edition:

Mine owner in Karthwasten: "How can I get those mercenaries out of my mine?"

Me, to mercenary captain: "How's about 187 gold to go away?"

Captain: "Wow, that's more than the Silver-Bloods are paying us. We're outta here."

Mine owner to me: "Thank you so much. Here's 600 gold."

Me:

Of course Skyrim is full of examples like this. I've known this for nine years, but still they get to me. I think it's because it's such a blatantly unforced error. There's no reason why the sellswords couldn't demand, say, 1500 gold, then the whole transaction would have made some sort of sense.

There's the mine owners who'll pay full list price for the ore that you dug out of their mine, which is at least twice as much as anyone else will pay for it. Ditto the farmers and their crops. There's that idiot in Ivarstead who'll pay 750 gold (or way more, depending on level) for you to walk up a hill (that you were going up anyway), and the smith in Shor's Stone who'll pay the same for you to kill half a dozen spiders, which is approximately four minutes' work. Where do all these people even get that kind of money?

Its the inflation caused by the Dragonborn infusing so much ebony/magic stuff/other treasure into the economy as they go on their adventures /nod

[Kareeah_Indaga]

There's the mine owners who'll pay full list price for the ore that you dug out of their mine, which is at least twice as much as anyone else will pay for it. Ditto the farmers and their crops. There's that idiot in Ivarstead who'll pay 750 gold (or way more, depending on level) for you to walk up a hill (that you were going up anyway), and the smith in Shor's Stone who'll pay the same for you to kill half a dozen spiders, which is approximately four minutes' work. Where do all these people even get that kind of money?

I want to add the Thieves’ Guild radiant quest to steal X gold worth of items from a hold.

Step 1: Steal a bunch of items.
Step 2: Thieves’ Guild quest giver pays you for stealing items. Does not take stolen items from you in return.
Step 3: Sell items to fence - I repeat, get paid for stealing something you just got paid for stealing.

[Keltest]

I want to add the Thieves’ Guild radiant quest to steal X gold worth of items from a hold.

Step 1: Steal a bunch of items.
Step 2: Thieves’ Guild quest giver pays you for stealing items. Does not take stolen items from you in return.
Step 3: Sell items to fence - I repeat, get paid for stealing something you just got paid for stealing.

That one makes sense, because its the theft itself rather than the specific items that are the point of the quest. The guild is getting paid to burgle a place or person, the specific items taken arent relevant.

[Fyraltari]

Skyrim economics, Reach edition:

Mine owner in Karthwasten: "How can I get those mercenaries out of my mine?"

Me, to mercenary captain: "How's about 187 gold to go away?"

Captain: "Wow, that's more than the Silver-Bloods are paying us. We're outta here."

Mine owner to me: "Thank you so much. Here's 600 gold."

Me:

Of course Skyrim is full of examples like this. I've known this for nine years, but still they get to me. I think it's because it's such a blatantly unforced error. There's no reason why the sellswords couldn't demand, say, 1500 gold, then the whole transaction would have made some sort of sense.

There's the mine owners who'll pay full list price for the ore that you dug out of their mine, which is at least twice as much as anyone else will pay for it. Ditto the farmers and their crops. There's that idiot in Ivarstead who'll pay 750 gold (or way more, depending on level) for you to walk up a hill (that you were going up anyway), and the smith in Shor's Stone who'll pay the same for you to kill half a dozen spiders, which is approximately four minutes' work. Where do all these people even get that kind of money?

Several of these make sense because there's a risk involved. Others are stupid yes.

[Squark]

That one makes sense, because its the theft itself rather than the specific items that are the point of the quest. The guild is getting paid to burgle a place or person, the specific items taken arent relevant.

... Wait, what? I admit I haven't played much of the thieves guild quest, so I'm lacking context, but that feels... weird. What, has the ancient Atagean art of in-sewer-ants come to Skyrim, and someone's trying to commit fraud?


(I admit, much of the reason I decided to comment was to make the Discworld reference. But I am genuinely curious what's going on as well)

[Keltest]

... Wait, what? I admit I haven't played much of the thieves guild quest, so I'm lacking context, but that feels... weird. What, has the ancient Atagean art of in-sewer-ants come to Skyrim, and someone's trying to commit fraud?


(I admit, much of the reason I decided to comment was to make the Discworld reference. But I am genuinely curious what's going on as well)

Most of the radiant quests are of the generic "go to this place and use X skill to steal stuff" variety. Unlike most other guilds, you dont need to do any of the Thieves' Guild generic quests to progress the main storyline. Instead, doing so expands your corruption to a hold, allowing you to use your influence to get out of trouble with the guards, and expanding the wealth and amount of resources in the Ragged Flagon. Typically, these quests are framed as commissions to the guild to inflict trouble on a target for the sake of making trouble for them.

[factotum]

... Wait, what? I admit I haven't played much of the thieves guild quest, so I'm lacking context

Believe me, the Thieves' Guild questline won't ease your confusion any...hardly any of its missions involve thievery, for a start, and if you sit down and try and think logically through what's happening in it, you'll probably get more confused still. It's really not a very good questline.

[Keltest]

Believe me, the Thieves' Guild questline won't ease your confusion any...hardly any of its missions involve thievery, for a start, and if you sit down and try and think logically through what's happening in it, you'll probably get more confused still. It's really not a very good questline.

It's a perfectly good quest line if you look at them as a Daedric cult from the start.

[Thomas Cardew]

Believe me, the Thieves' Guild questline won't ease your confusion any...hardly any of its missions involve thievery, for a start, and if you sit down and try and think logically through what's happening in it, you'll probably get more confused still. It's really not a very good questline.

It's not a very good THIEF quest-line at all. If you want to imagine the thieves guild as a organized club of cat burglars and cut purses, it completely fails at that. There's relatively little sneaky, no real daring heists that let you play role of the shadow never seen or heard, who descends one night to liberate an overly burdened noble of his wealth.

It's a decent MOBSTER questline. The opening is setting up a merchant. The first quest is beating up people for protection money. The next is punishing a local business for not playing ball. Next is sabotaging a competitor for your political protection. These are all pretty classic petty mobster activities. Down to breaking items in a guys shop by 'accident' until he pays up. Then it picks up a few idiot balls so it can have Karliah be a special nightingale. Mostly to show of how you can be a super special nightingale. Then it's back to becoming a mob boss by hunting down the old mob boss who ran off with the organization's money. Sure, the questline lets you do far too much killing anyone who gets in your way and doesn't really involve heists; but that's par for the course for the mob. It's dumb that you can't fail out of it and can always hack your way thorugh; but that was Skyrim in general. The solution to any problem magical, political, or financial was: Stab it.

[Rater202]

It's not a very good THIEF quest-line at all. If you want to imagine the thieves guild as a organized club of cat burglars and cut purses, it completely fails at that. There's relatively little sneaky, no real daring heists that let you play role of the shadow never seen or heard, who descends one night to liberate an overly burdened noble of his wealth.

It's a decent MOBSTER questline. The opening is setting up a merchant. The first quest is beating up people for protection money. The next is punishing a local business for not playing ball. Next is sabotaging a competitor for your political protection. These are all pretty classic petty mobster activities. Down to breaking items in a guys shop by 'accident' until he pays up. Then it picks up a few idiot balls so it can have Karliah be a special nightingale. Mostly to show of how you can be a super special nightingale. Then it's back to becoming a mob boss by hunting down the old mob boss who ran off with the organization's money. Sure, the questline lets you do far too much killing anyone who gets in your way and doesn't really involve heists; but that's par for the course for the mob. It's dumb that you can't fail out of it and can always hack your way thorugh; but that was Skyrim in general. The solution to any problem magical, political, or financial was: Stab it.

I find it disappointing that despite the game playing up the connections between the Thieves Guild and the Brotherhood that you can't really do anything with it. Interactions between the two ae really minor.

Maven Blackbriar can threaten you with her dark brotherhood contacts even after her contact is dead and you've taken over the Dark Brotherhood.

You'd think that "I'm in the Dark Brotherhood/I am the Dark Brotherhood" would be a simple enough thing to program in.

If you've completed both questlines you basically own her ass because if she goes against you you can take her down with you and she just can't have you assassinated but it doesn't really play out that way.

[LibraryOgre]

... Wait, what? I admit I haven't played much of the thieves guild quest, so I'm lacking context, but that feels... weird. What, has the ancient Atagean art of in-sewer-ants come to Skyrim, and someone's trying to commit fraud?


(I admit, much of the reason I decided to comment was to make the Discworld reference. But I am genuinely curious what's going on as well)

The radiant quests come in a few different versions.

The Bedlam jobs are the ones where you steal a bunch of stuff, get paid to do so, and then get to sell it. Those are "showing the flag" kind of quests. You're not stealing to make the guild money, you're stealing to show everyone that the guild CAN.

Burglary, Sweep, and Heist are "Steal these things for a guild client". The items stolen are seldom standard items that you can sell elsewhere, they never appear in a home that's not the subject of one of these jobs... you're just getting quest items for the guild's benefit.

[veti]

Several of these make sense because there's a risk involved. Others are stupid yes.

There's some risk in two of them, but the rest are entirely peaceful. And in the case of going to High Hrothgar, it's a journey that the local fisherman apparently makes on a regular basis, just that he doesn't feel like it today.

Fighting the spiders is the only one with any real danger, and I can't help but contrast the reward with, say, the standard "100 gold" that the jarls give you for clearing a bandit den - which is significantly higher risk *and* takes a lot longer, if only because travel time.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

That one makes sense, because its the theft itself rather than the specific items that are the point of the quest. The guild is getting paid to burgle a place or person, the specific items taken arent relevant.

No it really isn’t, because they are still paying me twice for the same job.

[Rater202]

No it really isn’t, because they are still paying me twice for the same job.

"We want these people to know that the Thieves Guild means business. Go steal enough stuff that they'll notice it without getting caught. You're reward is a few hundred gold and you get to keep what you steal."

Also, since you're selling your stolen goods to a fence they're probably reselling them to someone else and making a profit on it in that manner.

They're not rewarding you twice, it's just... The thing you stole is part of the reward for stealing it.

So... What do people think about the theory that the horn of Jorgon Wingcaller being made from Paarthurnax's missing horn?