The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Preview

Bright Hub has conjured up a preview of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and while it’s fairly brief, you’ll discover that it manages to cover many of Bethesda’s primary goals for this next installment to the fantasy RPG series.

Probably the first change a returning TES player will notice is that the on-screen heads-up display is no longer a constant presence. Instead you can expect to only see your health, stamina and magicka when depleting one of them. The class system, last seen in Oblivion, is gone. The player still levels up by increasing skills – of which there are 18 in this game – and perks will be returning. In Skyrim perks will be skill specified abilities, with the option to add an additional perk with every level increase, organized in skill trees. At this time there are 280 perks available to choose from across 50 levels.

By blaze or by blade…tough choiceCombat in Skyrim has been refined into a “dual wielding” system, allowing players to decide whether to devote a shield, weapon or spell to each hand. Players can even forge their own weapons, designing them specifically for a certain hand. This allows for players to enjoy more customization in their character and to use their armament for multiple purposes. Shields can now be used for bashing in addition to shielding, and bows can be used in a defensive manner by employing a charging counterattack at close range. Arrows will be rarer and more costly in Skyrim, also taking longer to draw than in previous games, but will be that much effective as compensation. There will be over 80 spells available to the character in Skyrim.

The A.I system in Oblivion, known as Radiant A.I, has been improved to a Radiant Story system, taking influence from Fallout 3 in allowing the non-player characters much more freedom. Characters may travel, engage each other and the player in conversation or combat, and much more.