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[TheCheshireKhajiit]

Reposting from what I just put in the Skyrim subforum, if that is alright.

Long post incoming:

So a couple nights ago I went to check out how long it has been since the TES games in my Steam catalogue had been played. And holy crap, with the exception of ESO it has been a long while. In Skyrim's case, I hadn't played it since last December. I had the urge to dust it off so I booted it up, although I had no clue where I would be.

This little story I am going to tell here is with my first ever character in Skyrim, and by extension my first ever character in a TES game (well, I had first played Skyrim on my friend's Xbox 360 in late 2013, but that doesn't count), my Dragonborn. Turns out I had been chilling at Breezehome with my lovely wife Lydia and my two adorable daughters Sissel and Sofie, and Serana had been hanging out with us.

My primary task (now complete as of yesterday) was to build the rest of Heljarchen Hall and Windstad Manor. Lakeview Manor was already finished quite a while ago. My Dragonborn wants to use them for housing to get people down on their luck back on their feet, as he is quite content with his family back in Whiterun. I am hoping to run into Taren Dreth soon, and I am likely not going to try to get to the Ebony Warrior. I might console command him in, although that would feel pretty cheap.

My character, whose name I am retconning to Cincinnatus (the name in-game that I actually have is a bit of a long story), has seen enough adventures for a score of mere mortals. And while he has amassed much wealth, renown, and had loads of fun he has grown weary of the life of adventuring. He's become highly proficient in a lot of skills (he decided to take up two-handed weaponry recently). But he also has a family to go home to. He is extremely close to finally calling it a career.

But Cincinnatus has decided to go on one last trek around the province on a personal farewell tour of sorts to adventuring. Part of it is, again, to try to get that Taren Dreth encounter to happen. But it is also to see just how far he has come since he almost got his head cut off by the Imperials.

The first destination of the tour was to revisit where this all began: Helgen. Serana and Cincinnatus dispatched some bandits there with ease, and had a look around. He had been back to Helgen several times, but this time in particular held deep meaning for him with his impending retirement. After killing the bandits, Tundra played in the background, a fitting tune.

Here's a few pictures of Cincinnatus checking the place out (It occurred to me that I never actually took screenshots before. What the hell is wrong with me? ):
Overlooking Helgen
Having flashback to the beginning of his escape from Helgen

And some other pictures:
Out for a stroll
Looking north across the Padomaic Ocean

After revisiting a couple smaller places on the map leaving Helgen, Cincinnatus made his way to Dawnstar. He is currently in Winterhold about to go to Windhelm.

Kind of bittersweet to be finally concluding the story of my first-ever TES character. It's cool looking back on how I first got into the series and after putting a huge portion of it under my belt, though.

Yes, it's always a bit sad when it's time to quit a character. One of Khajiit's problems has always been having an idea for a new character and losing focus with the previous character and then deleting that character (restartitus).

[Dark Reaper]

Playing Breath of the Wild...I love this game .

This post has been edited by Dark Reaper: Oct 2 2017, 03:43 AM

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

Playing Breath of the Wild...I love this game .

Khajiit might look into getting a Switch next year if the price drops a little.

[Dark Reaper]

Khajiit might look into getting a Switch next year if the price drops a little.

Breath of the Wild has become my favorite Zelda and no matter how many time I play it I'm either discovering stuff I've either missed or just haven't seen before. The Graphics are also amazing and the opening never get old.

[RaderOfTheLostArk]

Now that I fired up Skyrim for some play sessions this week after a long hiatus, I played a bit of Morrowind last night. Goodness, I had to get used to the controls again.

Other games that saw some playtime this past week:

Unreal 2: I am about 5 hours into this game. I like it for what it is. A change from the original Unreal that I did like is the greater focus on story and characters, which I think has been done alright so far. But the actual gameplay itself, while solid when you increase the speed in the console, pales compared to the first, IMO.

Clive Barker's Undying: I had gotten a bit frustrated last time I had played it a few weeks ago, so I took a break from it. I'm enjoying it again and made some good progress. It's a very intriguing setting and story.

Rocket League: Getting some rounds in here again.

[Dark Reaper]

Got back to playing Ys Seven. I have it on the Vita but since I don't have a Vita I got it off of Steam. Since I've been using Steam for a lot of my gaming I've become very hesitant on buying another PS4.

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

Got back to playing Ys Seven. I have it on the Vita but since I don't have a Vita I got it off of Steam. Since I've been using Steam for a lot of my gaming I've become very hesitant on buying another PS4.

Yeah, Khajiit hardly turns on his PS4 anymore.

[RaderOfTheLostArk]

Unreal 2 is now in the books. I thought it was a solid game, but the original was better by a wide margin. Some of the things Unreal 2 actually did do better, IMO, were more emphasis on story, made actual characters to get invested in with some actually decent character development, and more in-depth lore of the Unreal universe.

Progressing more through Clive Barker's Undying is next. I'm also thinking of starting up S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl as well.

[monkeyemoness]

Listen lady the only reason I play these swords bullshit games is so I can make mental fireworks to kill people with also cook food sometimes

So I wanted to give my Oblivion character a little more time to develop which means i've been in Nehrim for a while and boy, the mod sure is a goddang mess. You go from your usual heroic ambient music to this twee medieval stuff then suddenly this loud magical fantasia-flute-jamboree it's like they couldn't' decide what they wanted to do with the game. Some of it is so loud it drowns out the (German) dialogue.

The above also applies to the aesthetic. Is it low-fantasy Germany or is it crazy MMO high-fantasy eye-burn. They also threw a bunch of concept and unrelated art as loading screens and paintings lol

I've been awake for 29+ hours ignore me

Anyways, this is my second time playing it and yeah, it's pretty amateurish for something of this scope. There's a lot of unfinished quests and dungeons still, and even some untranslated dialogue/books. Then again, Sure AI has REALLY improved over the years and Enderal is proof of that. Geeze. Gameplay's still not that great though What I'm getting at is giving this another go really makes me appreciate the work put into Enderal. Especially considering neither one was done for profit.

This post has been edited by monkeyemoness: Oct 9 2017, 10:28 PM

[monkeyemoness]

A Hat in Time apparently released a few days ago but tbh I'm going to be giving that one a pass, at least for now. After my recent playthrough of Psychonauts, I'm giving platformers a break for a while. Maybe next month.

Till then, Fable 2. Been missing this game a lot. It was my introduction to Western RPGs and it's still one of my favorites today because of all the crazy roleplaying things you can do outside of combat.

For example, the moment I was unleashed on Bowerstone my character began his climb for the title of Albion's most ruthless entrepreneur and so started working at the Smith's while flipping gemstones and gifts bought in the Market and Old town up in Fairfax Gardens. One in-game week of smithing and he's already at the highest position. On week 2, he gained ownership of smithy with the gold he made from the above AND from income made by the other stalls and bookstore he bought.

It took an NPC assuring him that one day he'll be a great adventurer to remind me that this was also a combat RPG.

Also, he accidentally made the jewelry stall owner fall in love with him. She's married. Her husband and son saw me dance at her to gain her approval. Neither one is happy.
She wants a ring.

To say nothing of the allegedly prudish alchemist who walked up to my character and asked if he could show him how he swings his sword. He seems to be receptive to flirting, but actually attempting to take up the alchemist's offer leads to offending him because he's saving himself for marriage. Hey, discounted potions, at least, and once he saves up enough money, he'll be able to buy the store for cheap.

In the end my character may or may not lose his virginity to a swarthy island hick with the "unchaste" trait perfectly willing to hit on him on sight. He, too, is married.

I flipping love Fable 2.

This post has been edited by monkeyemoness: Oct 12 2017, 09:23 PM

[Callidus Thorn]

Till then, Fable 2. Been missing this game a lot. It was my introduction to Western RPGs and it's still one of my favorites today because of all the crazy roleplaying things you can do outside of combat.

For example, the moment I was unleashed on Bowerstone my character began his climb for the title of Albion's most ruthless entrepreneur and so started working at the Smith's while flipping gemstones and gifts bought in the Market and Old town up in Fairfax Gardens. One in-game week of smithing and he's already at the highest position. On week 2, he gained ownership of smithy with the gold he made from the above AND from income made by the other stalls and bookstore he bought.

It took an NPC assuring him that one day he'll be a great adventurer to remind me that this was also a combat RPG.

Also, he accidentally made the jewelry stall owner fall in love with him. She's married. Her husband and son saw me dance at her to gain her approval. Neither one is happy.
She wants a ring.

To say nothing of the allegedly prudish alchemist who walked up to my character and asked if he could show him how he swings his sword. He seems to be receptive to flirting, but actually attempting to take up the alchemist's offer leads to offending him because he's saving himself for marriage. Hey, discounted potions, at least, and once he saves up enough money, he'll be able to buy the store for cheap.

In the end my character may or may not lose his virginity to a swarthy island hick with the "unchaste" trait perfectly willing to hit on him on sight. He, too, is married.

I flipping love Fable 2.

Dammit, now you're making me want to fire that game up again. The story might be(well, actually it is) atrocious, but everything else about the game is just brilliant.

I've fired up my 3DS again to play Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright. I've not gotten around to completing this one yet, but I really want to to get onto Conquest, which has the better gameplay.

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

A Hat in Time apparently released a few days ago but tbh I'm going to be giving that one a pass, at least for now. After my recent playthrough of Psychonauts, I'm giving platformers a break for a while. Maybe next month.

Till then, Fable 2. Been missing this game a lot. It was my introduction to Western RPGs and it's still one of my favorites today because of all the crazy roleplaying things you can do outside of combat.

For example, the moment I was unleashed on Bowerstone my character began his climb for the title of Albion's most ruthless entrepreneur and so started working at the Smith's while flipping gemstones and gifts bought in the Market and Old town up in Fairfax Gardens. One in-game week of smithing and he's already at the highest position. On week 2, he gained ownership of smithy with the gold he made from the above AND from income made by the other stalls and bookstore he bought.

It took an NPC assuring him that one day he'll be a great adventurer to remind me that this was also a combat RPG.

Also, he accidentally made the jewelry stall owner fall in love with him. She's married. Her husband and son saw me dance at her to gain her approval. Neither one is happy.
She wants a ring.

To say nothing of the allegedly prudish alchemist who walked up to my character and asked if he could show him how he swings his sword. He seems to be receptive to flirting, but actually attempting to take up the alchemist's offer leads to offending him because he's saving himself for marriage. Hey, discounted potions, at least, and once he saves up enough money, he'll be able to buy the store for cheap.

In the end my character may or may not lose his virginity to a swarthy island hick with the "unchaste" trait perfectly willing to hit on him on sight. He, too, is married.

I flipping love Fable 2.

Lol, Khajiit also enjoyed Fable 2. Always liked playing a rifle lady with mad cutlass skills.

[Callidus Thorn]

I had been intending to go back to playing Oblivion, but in response to all the serious and grim news popping up at the moment, I've decided to fire up Fable 2 instead. Been a while since I've played, so I'm starting over. Already loving the dog(which reminds me, I need to give him a name) for all the goodies he's found for me so far.

There are a few things in particular I'm looking forward to, one of which is getting hold of the weapon The Hammerthyst, which is exactly what it sounds like. It's not a great weapon, but I just love the look of it

[monkeyemoness]

Lol, Khajiit also enjoyed Fable 2. Always liked playing a rifle lady with mad cutlass skills.

I played a similar character that can be described as "a steampunk realtor with a rifle and an attitude". You mess with her dog, you get the gun.

But yeah, I think the dog was one of my absolute favorite features of the game to the point where I didn't hesitate making a choice at the end



Also, I thought the story started out okay but after Oakfield it took a nosedive and started going WAY too fast for my liking.

That said, I'm still upset over the closure of Lionhead Studios, especially after learning that if Fable: Legends, failed, they could easily reuse those assets for Fable 4. Unfortunately, Microsoft forced them into a failed venture (they even had to abandon another game idea where the entire game took place in Bowerstone) and in the end they got the shaft. Also Microsoft refuses to sell the franchise. Ugh. Fable 3 may have been kind of crap and The Journey may have been really crap, but Fable was my [censored], y'know?

At the very least, I would have liked an Annivesary-style remaster for 2 so it could finally make its way on PC.

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

Lol, Khajiit also enjoyed Fable 2. Always liked playing a rifle lady with mad cutlass skills.

I played a similar character that can be described as "a steampunk realtor with a rifle and an attitude". You mess with her dog, you get the gun.

But yeah, I think the dog was one of my absolute favorite features of the game to the point where I didn't hesitate making a choice at the end



Also, I thought the story started out okay but after Oakfield it took a nosedive and started going WAY too fast for my liking.

That said, I'm still upset over the closure of Lionhead Studios, especially after learning that if Fable: Legends, failed, they could easily reuse those assets for Fable 4. Unfortunately, Microsoft forced them into a failed venture (they even had to abandon another game idea where the entire game took place in Bowerstone) and in the end they got the shaft. Also Microsoft refuses to sell the franchise. Ugh. Fable 3 may have been kind of crap and The Journey may have been really crap, but Fable was my [censored], y'know?

At the very least, I would have liked an Annivesary-style remaster for 2 so it could finally make its way on PC.

Khajiit would totally buy a remaster of Fable 2.

[mirocu]

Started up another session of Star Wars: Rebellion a few weeks back. Haven't played since then though but I hope to soon.

[monkeyemoness]

So I'm still playing Fable 2 with plans of moving on to Fable 3 after, but I've also been thinking about my promised return to Oblivion. Mostly, what mods I'll be using. I already have an existing character started, but he hasn't gone far.

I'm set on some landscape overhauls, particularly those that turn Cyrodiil back to its original state before Oblivion came and retconned everything which...honesty probably doesn't fix much. It's not the jungle I'm upset with, it's the neutering of Cyordiil's established lore and culture, turning it into High Rock -1. Even with jungles everywhere, I'm still going to run into cheesy Knight stories straight from a Breton bard and I'm not going to find any meaningful differences between Colovians and Nibeneans.

Gonna need a bigger overhaul...or maybe I should settle for a more jungle-fied Blackwood.

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

So I'm still playing Fable 2 with plans of moving on to Fable 3 after, but I've also been thinking about my promised return to Oblivion. Mostly, what mods I'll be using. I already have an existing character started, but he hasn't gone far.

I'm set on some landscape overhauls, particularly those that turn Cyrodiil back to its original state before Oblivion came and retconned everything which...honesty probably doesn't fix much. It's not the jungle I'm upset with, it's the neutering of Cyordiil's established lore and culture, turning it into High Rock -1. Even with jungles everywhere, I'm still going to run into cheesy Knight stories straight from a Breton bard and I'm not going to find any meaningful differences between Colovians and Nibeneans.

Gonna need a bigger overhaul...or maybe I should settle for a more jungle-fied Blackwood.

Khajiit would've liked to have seen a Mesoamerican inspired Cyrodiil; certainly felt like a missed opportunity to this one. Honestly, Khajiit can't really blame them though, as "Ren. Fair" Cyrodiil was a safer choice financially, if not artistically, given the popularity of Lord of the Rings at the time (gotta cash in on the medieval fantasy bandwagon).

[monkeyemoness]

Yeah, it's why I eventually ditched the idea of using landscape replacers, but tbh no matter how hard I try and how many times I tell myself I'm over it, it's something I'll always be bitter about. Surprising, considering the kind of game i was looking for when I got into TES (Oblivion was "officially" my first).

At least there's an attempt to "fix" it in recent games? ???? Honestly though, I should really just let that go already it's been over ten years since the game was released.

Anyways, I find it amazing how in Fable 2 I went from Opportunist (neutral/neutral) and was so dangerously close to going to Saint (Good/Pure) until I knocked the purity down to get into a demon door, then I fell straight into Ghoul (Evil/Corrupt) within five minutes of being in Bloodstone.

Thanks to how games with moral choices work, I always seem to end up with super-good characters because of how petty and illogical evil options tend to be even though I'm playing a more greyish character. The fact that I ended up on the other side is...pretty great, even if I was working hard to stay neutral. Now I'm trying to figure out how to at least go back to neutral Purity.

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

Now I'm trying to figure out how to at least go back to neutral Purity.

Eat tofu, lol
If Khajiit remembers correctly, tofu increases your purity.

This post has been edited by TheCheshireKhajiit: Oct 18 2017, 03:14 AM