Although it's not the largest video game ever in terms of map size (not even when compared to other Elder Scrolls titles), Skyrim still boasts a hefty amount of land to explore. Its vastness gives plenty to see while out and about on (mostly) fun ques?ts, but there's no doubt that it could stand to be a bit bigger.

That's where Nexus Mods user Nevah comes onto the scene. As noted by DSO Gaming, we've got an opportunity to explore a brand-new island, thanks to "??Nevah’s Isle Redux." Not only is there an island/world to explore, but the mod also contain??s a ghost village, complete with a home for the player.

The description on Nexus says to get to the island, you'll need to head to the docks at Solitude. T?here's also a memorandum to the creator's father at the northwest point of the island, as well as "many sec?rets and hidden rooms."

To cleanse or not

Eagle-eyed readers will have spotted the word "redux" in the mod's title. This is because it's a redo of a previous creation. While it's pretty much the same as the older version, this time around, they've added an optional side quest that lets you restore t?he island/ghost village to its former glory.

Nevah strongly recommends going through with the quest, as the island is "far more beautiful that way" and, once restored, will have "no more cobwebs or decay or overgrowth."?? Of course, it's entirely up to you, so if you don't mind wandering around a new island that's home to ghost vendors, that's an option as well.

It's also recommended to install the mod manually, with the ESP ideally at the bottom of your Skyrim loadout list. It should also work alongside an??y other modifications you've got installed, but, as anyone will tell you, there's always a slight risk with these things. We like to live dangerously, yeah?

The post Skyrim gets bigger with this mod that adds a ??new island, ghost village appeared first on Destructoid.

Ah, Skyrim. If it weren't for the fact that you were a genuinely good (albeit buggy to hell) game that stays afloat thanks to the modding community, you probably would have disappeared into obscurity long ago. Also, hey, here's something you never, ever hear in the game: "O??h no! Look out for that tank!"

Until now, that is. If your WW2 artillery needs are not being met by Skyrim, perhaps this mod will scratch that battle scar. As reported by DSO Gaming, Nexus Mods user MixedMartialArtist brings "World of Tanks" to The Elder Scrolls 5.

It is, as you can imagine (and as the above clip shows), a means of combining the fantasy world of Bethesda's creation with the ability to �?and I quote �?"partake in The Greatest Tank Battles in history." Did I mention the destructive tanks? I'm pretty sure I mentioned the destructive tan?ks. It sort of answers the question of what would happen if you mashed up fanciful role-playing elements with world war re-enactments.

"You're finally awake. Here's a Mauser."

To put it in the creator's own words:

Now Skyrim can be played as a War-Tank Battle Game with an endless amount of epic battles. Skyrim i??s now full of action and chaos as armies of both sides continue to press into enemy territory with their squads of infantry and armored vehicles. Take part in the war by joining the civil war, and destroy your enemies with the plethora of weapons at your disposal - guns, rockets, tanks, bombs, artillery, you name it. Build your army with new troops and tanks at forts, or simply use your abilities to take control of nearby patrols to follow you. Shoot your machine gun from your commander's cupola, mowing down hordes of bunched up infantry, and fire your main gun to eliminate enemy armor.

I haven't had a chance to download and try "World of Tanks" myself yet, but the clips are putting me in mind of the old Medal of Honor games. Remember those? The idea that we can inhabit a fictional realm where World War 2 tanks and dragons can duke it out for moral supremacy is the sole reason ??we keep on gaming, I feel.

That and The Elder Scrolls 6 still feels like a long way off from releasing. Yeah, yeah. I know. Change the record, already. Or change the Instagram Reel. I'm not sure how to modernize retro sayings. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yes. Skyrim.

The post Welp, there it?? is folks; Skyrim now has fu??ll tank battles appeared first on Destructoid.

According to scientific theories, such as those in Popular Mechanics, it's estimated that the last particle in the known universe will decay after 10²⁰⁰ years (a long time, basically). However, I reckon people will still be modding Skyrim. You just? can't stop the unbridled tenacity of gamers.

Here's one more for all you hip cats to add to your TES5 loadout. Remember when ninjas were all the rage in pop culture? Well, Nexus Mods user Q10isarobot is bringing them to Skyrim. Repl??acing the rebellious Forsworn, these NPCs now know kung fu. Or something like that.

This mod changes all the Forsworn outfits for the more traditional ninja getup. This also includes giving them weapons worthy of any stealth warrior. Check them out in the video above, although it's pretty clear th??e player is more than capable of dispatching them. Look at all that blood!

Nin-ja or Nin-nein?

The reason why the Forsworn have been replaced with ninjas is, according to Q10isarobot, because they "fight kinda like ninjas and hang out in clans so I think it fits well in the game." Makes sense, though they do admit they're not a lore expert when it comes to Skyrim.

This also looks like a good mod for anyone who doesn't want to interrupt their current save file. The creator says it just replaces the mesh, so it's "safe to install o??r uninstall," and also doesn't require an ESP file for expanding scripting.

Right. Okay. We've played and modded The Elder Scrolls 5 for quite a long time now. When's the sixth game co??ming out? No, I will not stop harpin??g on about this.

The post This Skyrim mod turns ?the Forsworn into?? ass-kicking ninjas appeared first on Destructoid.

As you expand your castle's layout, you may be inclined to swi??tch things up a bit to establish your particular design. However, once you attempt to change it, you may receive a n?otification to get rid of the station first.

If you are unsure what to do, we'll show you how to remove stations in The Elder Scrolls: Castles.

How do you remove stations in The Elder Scrolls: Castles?

You can remove a station in The Elder Scrolls: Castles by pressing and holding it, triggering a red icon in the bottom-left corner. Then, drag it to the crate icon to get it out of the castle.

Fortunately, you won't lose out on the materials, ??a?s the station will now be transferred to your inventory. Open the build menu, and you should see an available card for the station.

If you simply want to move the station, you can perform the same interaction of pressing and holding it. This can be useful when you're reorganizing your castle layout or when you want to optimize the placement of? your main areas. Just make sure to have enough room available, given that some builds require more space than others.

You can also remove the room itself when in build mode's Room section. Press the left-most symbol with a square symbol, then tap on the area you want to remove. Like the stations, you'll gain the materials again, allowing you to use them elsewhere. The flooring and ?stairs work the same way, so don't stress about any unused resources.

Keep these steps in mind for the future since you'll likely be making more room for the advanced stations. This includes bigger domains lik??e the War Table, Shine of Mara, and Workshop.

The post How to remove stations in The Elder Scrolls: Castle?s appeared first on Destructoid.

We've seen it all from the Skyrim community. We've had everything from new quests, better visuals, bug fixes, and that one mod that turns the Giant Spiders into a creepy looking Spider-Man, complete with gangly limbs. But maybe it's time we had something more scatological in our TES5 experience. Or so one person felt, at least.

In what can only be described as something of a head-scratching moment, Nexus Mods user nakano52 decided to replace Skyrim's vegetation with literal poo. Referred to as DIY (or Doo Ingredients Yuk), this mod is potentially suited for those who often find themselves think??ing, "there's not enough shit on my travels" while adventuring across Tamriel.

Specifically, nakano52 says the mod replaces shrubs and plants "at a certain rate," whatever that means. However, it's not just for the aes??thetic grossness of it, though the modder admits they thought it would be fun to see vast piles of poop in the game.

Not quite healing powers

You see, Doo Ingredients Yuk does have something of a purpose. As noted in the name, the piles of plants-cum-feces can actually be harvested for those who consider themselves? quite the budding alchemist.

What can it be used for in this context? Why, nothing more than a simple poison, of course. Accordin??g to the description page, poop has a gold value of one, a weight capacity of 0.1, and has the following effects:

• Ravage Health
• Lingering Damage Health
• Lingering Damage Magicka
• Lingering Damage Stamina

There are, however, a few additional mods you'll need to download and install before this one will work, such as SkyPatcher and Base Object Swapper. Other than that, you're good to go, because we've all run out of things to do in Skyrim, it seems. Not that I'm above a po??op-based m?odification, you understand.

The post Here’s a Skyrim mod that replaces vegetation with poop, because why not at this stage? appeared first on Destructoid.

The legacy of Skyrim is such that it feels as though there will never be a time when it's not in the gaming limelight. I'm partly to blame for that, given all the articles I do about fan-made mods. But what can I say? The community does a lot of work to keep TES5's head above the ??water, improv??ing on Bethesda's original release. Oh hell, let's talk about one more.

This one comes from Nexus Mods user Enneal (as spotted by DSO Gaming), and is for those who like a little sea travel with their (specifically Special Edition of) Skyrim. The "Functional Ships" download essentially adds point-to-poin?t travel between the game's ports via the use of ships.

The video above gives a brief idea of what you can expect, with the mod even allowing you to explore the inside of your vessel as it sails across ??the water. Enneal says it adds six new ships, though apparently not all of them include interiors.

Skyrim by sea..."Searim"

It seems as though "Functional Ships" is best paired with other custom additions to the game, so it's unlikely that it will work with the basic, vanilla version of the game. Still, if you've been playing The Elder Scrolls 5 for the last 12 years, chances are your version is modded to Oblivion (little TES humor there) already.

As for features??, here's what Enneal's o??ffering comes with:

• Point-to-point travel
• Ships reflect quest progress & world events
• Accessible interiors from moving ships
• Real-time(-ish) travel while inside ships
• Ships travel between all ports on the Sea of Ghosts, including Raven Rock

Maybe one day I'll stop talking about Skyrim mods. Today is cl?early not that day. Onwards we go!

The post Sail the Skyrim seas wit?h this point-to-point ship mod appeared first on Destructoid.

These days, it's all Skyrim Skyrim Skyrim. A fine game it is, obviously, but sometimes it's good to look back at some of the older entries. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion was a landmark entry in the long-running series, being one of the best RPGs of its era. To that end??, I'm pleased that people are still finding the time to give it some love.

As noted by DSO Gaming, a fan-made mod will boost your TES4 experience by quite the margin. Uploaded by Nexus Mods user Vorians (and created by Lariatius), Citadel of Madness is a pretty hefty download, adding a ton of new? content.

According to? the descrip?tion, it adds the following:

• A new quest line, comparable in duration to any Cyrodiil guild. 38 new quests (23 in the main line, 15 side quests).
• A huge fortress on a floating island.
• Hundreds of new characters.
• More than 3000 lines of dialogue.
• Over 25 hours of play.
• Powerful bosses and new opponents. The Knights of Order among them are far from the strongest.
• New game territories: the Archipelago of Madness, the lands of Jyggalag and one more (you’ll see for yourself later).
• On the Archipelago of Madness there are three small but well-developed islands and, accordingly, three new settlements: a city, a village and a fishing village.
• Lots of new drinks and alchemical ingredients.
• A new gaming faction with its own career ladder, several non-playable and hostile factions.
• Many well-developed locations: more than 180 new internal cells (interiors).
• New types of caves and crypts.
• New magical artifacts and familiar old ones.
• New in-game literature, as well as books from other parts of TES.
• New music and sounds.
• New weapons and armor.

It even incorporates the lore from the Shivering Isles DLC.

Oblivion will never die

Okay, I should probably point out at this point that this isn't technically a new mod. According to Vorians, this is actually an English translation of a Russian fan project. I found what I believe to be the original download, which was uploaded quite so?me time ago. Still, it being a trans??lated version re-uploaded to Nexus Mods technically makes it new, right?

For all its flaws, Oblivion was a banger. I say flaws in the way that most Bethesda games come prepackaged with their share of bugs and errors. TES4 was probably one of the les?s egregious examples, but even so, it's aged.

However, it continues to hold a special place in the hearts of many, typically ranking high on lists of the best Elder Scrolls games ever (Morrowind usually takes the top spot). Modders continue to deliver the goods to keep us going back for more, so Oblivion's legacy can continue unabated. Is that t?oo much of a kiss-ass sentiment? I don't care. I love this game.

The post Want an e?xcuse to go back to Oblivion? This mod adds?? 25 hours of new content appeared first on Destructoid.

Prior to the release of Skyrim (cast your minds waaaaay back), Todd Howard boasted about the scalability?? of some of the game's most impressive mountains. While this is largely true, so??me feel there was still some freedom of movement or exploration that could be uncovered.

Modder JaySerpa is back with another edition of "I Will Stop Tweaking Skyrim When You Pry It From My Cold Dead Hands." This time, they've looked very much at the verticality of TES5, with a mod called Ascend. Essentially?, it allows the Dragonborn to climb their way up "10 hidden mountain peaks" dotted about the land.

The video above shows h?ow it works. JaySerpa also says they haven't done anything with the "vanilla records," which means it's pretty much co?mpatible with any other downloads you use.

Skyrim + climbing = "Climbrim"?

Upon? finding one of these peaks �?four in Solstheim, the rest in the base game �?you'll see little hints as to where you can scale the mountain. This could be bits of red cloth, gusts of wind, or subtle light indicators. These wil??l help you stay on track, though the modder says they can sometimes lead you astray.

You'll also notice in the video that the player has the option to actually "climb" up the side of the wall. Vanilla Skyrim doesn't have this, and I'm not sure if Ascend comes with the function built in. However, the mod descri??ption page does say this is compatible with something like Skyclimb, but? it seems as though the paths laid out should be sufficient.

As for why you would do this: well, there are some hidden rewards and Easter eggs hidden about some of the nooks and crannies. You might even get a few perks. Of course, the real reward is getting to see this cold slice of Tamriel from heights (possibly) never experienced before. Imagine looking down at the Throat of the World.

JaySerpa is also running a small competition for anyone who wants to take pictures of the view from the very tops of these lofty mountains. The prize will be "any game of your choice from the Nexus Author rewards store" or $50 to a charity in your name. Just submit your screenshot on Nexus Mods.

Once again, we have to marvel at the dedication people have when it comes to modding Skyrim, as well as other games. The fact that The Elder Scrolls 5 is still the subject of discussion (case ?in point: this article) kind of speaks volumes about the game's longevity, but it probably wouldn't b??e anything without all this fan-made content.

The post Discover Skyrim’s hidden peaks with this mountaineering mod appeared first on Destructoid.

I cannot even tell you how many hours I've logged in Skyrim since the game came out in 2011. Across multiple platforms and versions, The Elder Scrolls 5 just doesn't seem to end, and that's just the vanilla experience. To say nothing of the countless mods you can get that extend play??throughs even more.

Take, for example, Lordbound (as spotted by PCGamesN). While it's still in development, this pretty ambitious project, being made by ModDB user Arkay, promises over 60 hours of brand-new content, which includes tons ?of quests, many-a-dungeon, fully voiced NPCs, and even a new region??. Check out the announcement trailer below.

The fact that the modder is promising to deliver "the biggest main quest you've ever played in Skyrim" is quite the bold claim. But with all the above and more, it feels like there's just one more reason coming up as to why we can never stop playing TES5.

Skyrim is for life, not just for Christmas

Actually, let me break it down for you even more. This is what the mod description says you can expect in Lordbound (which is scheduled? to be released? in March of 2025):

• The land of Druadach, a dense new region larger than Solstheim, filled with quests, dungeons, events and activities, for you to enjoy.
• About 60+ hours worth of content through main questlines and side content.
• Over 40 quests, found through our many new settlements and exploring the world.
• Over 50 new dungeons, featuring the most epic spaces you've ever explored!
• The biggest main quest you've ever played in Skyrim, with choices and consequences that change the state of the valley.

  • Join Lord Haelan on a quest to uncover the truth behind his family’s past.
  • Assist the Imperial Legion in reclaiming the trade route to Jehanna.
  • Support the Orcs of Garshakur, as they defend their new home against the Legion.

• Loot that you’ll want to carry over to your future adventures. New weapons, armor, spells, and surprising consumables.
• Fully-voiced NPCs and an original soundtrack!

I've said this so many times in the past, but it's hard to wrap your head around just how much fan-made content there is for Skyrim. The game will be turning 13 at the end of? this year. That's over a decade?? of mods and community downloads that not only add to Bethesda's original release, but actually improve it as well.

Why am I even telling you all this? There's no way anyone reading right now isn't aware of how long they can extend their time in Tamriel thanks to modders. Modding the game is as natural as sun?light.

The post A new Skyrim mod? is going to add?? 60+ hours to your gameplay appeared first on Destructoid.

Despite being a huge success, Oblivion has no doubt been overshadowed both by time and its loftier successor, Skyrim. Still, The Elder Scrolls 4 exists as a major player in the RPG genre, but that hasn't? stopped someone from wanting to blend the two games together. Sort of.

The "Skyrim Border" mod comes from the mind of Nexus Mods user JoopvanDie, and is essentially a way of bringing a bit of TES5 to Cyrdoiil, the province where Oblivion takes place. Anyone who knows the ma?p of Tamriel is aware that the latter game borders the former, though players are unable to cross.

However, JoopvanDie invites us to step a little bit into Skyrim, giving us a small area to trek around in, perhaps breat?he in a bit of that cold, dragon-y air.

Just a quick pop by to say hello

As the name suggests, the mod by no means allows you to traverse the whole of Skyrim's landscape or cross over into any other part of Tamriel that's not officially part of the game. That would be far too ambitious. And, in fact, there is already a fan-made project that covers that idea.

What this does is bring just a little bit of the border within our grasp inside Oblivion. While there??'s not a huge amount there �?no new quests, for example �?there's enough that's worth a quick visit. This includes:

• an area for you to explore
• one small village with NPCs
• few small caves
• two ingredients
• one new creature (Frost troll)
• new armor and a medieval Scandinavian(ish) helmet
• treasure hunting

If you want to get to the area, th??e description says to go to the Echo Cave (shown just west of Bruma, which you can see in the image above) and follow the road to the northwest. Say hi to Paarthurnax fo??r me if he's there.

The post This Oblivion mod lets you explore Skyrim, but only a ti?ny bit appeared first on Destructoid.

Can anyone even remember what vanilla Skyrim looks like? I think we've all collectively decided that what Bethesda released a??ll those years ag??o is a far cry from what many of us experience today, thanks to the near-endless array of mods we can install.

No one in the modding community seems more dedicated to improving The Elder Scrolls 5 than JaySerpa. Ever keen to inject a bit more immersion, this time they're bringing us an expansion of one of the mor?e interesting side quests.

In the base game, "Destroy the Dark Brotherhood" does exactly what it says on the tin, in that it tasks you with killing the merry band of murderers that dwell within the assassins' Sanctuary. In this updated version from JaySerpa, however, a few additional things have been added, presumably to give the standard mission a bit of umph.

Improves the 'lackluster' original

As the description on Nexus Mods says:

This mod introduces new lore-friendly ways to get kidnapped by Astrid (allowing you to Destroy the Dark Brotherho?od even after sparing Grelod) while also expanding the actual quest to destroy the DB with new dialogue, choices, more memorable fights and a more cohesive quest. Enjoy!

It essentially implements two things by giving you an alternative way to meet the Brotherh?ood without having to kill Gre?lod the Kind, while also making "Destroy..." itself a bit longer. It does this by not giving you the password to the Sanctuary immediately, meaning you have to seek it out. The mod also comes with new voices, which have either been spliced from vanilla dialogue or has been recorded.

Basically, it's one more reason why people keep playing Skyrim. So long as there are mods out there that expand or improve upon the 2011 release, we're going to keep seeing TES5 in the gaming limelight. The Elder Scrolls 6 is seriously going to have to do a lo??t of work to match this kind of legacy.

The post A new Skyrim mod expands a pivotal ??Dark ??Brotherhood quest appeared first on Destructoid.

Even if you're a casual gamer, you've almost certainly at least heard of the Elder Scrolls series. A quick recap: it's a fantasy-based RPG franchise created by the Maryland studio Bethesda, beginning with Arena in 1994 and going all the way to the 2023 mobile game, The Elder Scrolls: Castles.

Over time, it's become one of the most successful role-playing series ever, turning its developer into an industry powerhouse. But say you've never played one before. Which Elder Scrolls game do you start with? There are five mainline entries so far, as well as an MMO set in the ??same universe, not to mention all the expansions and spinoffs.

While it's important to understand that it ??doesn't technically matter which order you play them in �?as each installment has its own storyline �?I've got some advice on which ones to go with first, based on what it is you might want to experience.

As a note, I'm limiting this to mainline entries only and consider expansions part of their respective main game. With that, here's a guide on which Elder Scrolls game to start with if you've never played one.

Chronologically (release date): Arena

Perhaps this one will make the most sense to some of you. If you're going to play a series of significant role-playing games, there's a solid argument for going through them in the order in which they came out. After all, you'll get to see how Bethesda improved upon its original formula over the course of a f?ew decades. That's got to count for something.

That being the case, you'll want to play The Elder Scrolls in this fashion:

• Arena (1994)
• Daggerfall (1996)
• Morrowind (2002)
• Oblivion (2006)
• Skyrim (2011)

?The one thing that will become immediate is the visual quality as you make your way through each game. Given how old some of ??the past entries are, there's inevitably going to be a lot of noticeable aging in terms of how each one looks (and how they play).

If you've never played an old-school RPG before, then there's also the question of getting used to the mechanics. One thing that will become apparent is how much emphasis is put on the actual role-playing aspects in things like Arena and Daggerfall (the latter especially), a??s well as how little th?e games will hold your hand.

Given this, a few of you may be immediately put off by some of the classic TES entries, but?? it will give you a sound appreciation for just how far not only this series has come,?? but video game development on the whole.

I should hasten to add that both the first games are free on GOG. However, for Daggerfall, it is highly recommended to check out the Unity remake of it, which is also free. This will give you the most authentic experience of the original while addin?g some modern twe??aks and quality-of-life changes.

Chronologically (timeline): The Elder Scrolls Online

The history and world of The Elder Scrolls is pretty vast. Th??ere are countless resources online where you can trek back through the timeline, trawling through all the most important events that happened, though they've yet to be actualized in any of the games.

Spread out over the course of six eras (two prehistoric and four modern), the timeline of Bethesda's fantasy universe covers an enormous range. As an example: the events of TES Online occur around 1,000 years before Skyrim, the latter of which takes place in t??he fourth era.

What's interesting about this is none of the games are set in the first era or before, which means there are huge swathes of Elder Scrolls?? history that have not b?een explored in any installment so far.

Technically, if you want to play them in order of story timeline, it's the exact same list as above, starting from Arena and going through to Skyrim, especially if it'??s the history you're interested in. There are tons of in-game books and documents you can read through at y??our leisure.

What I will say is, if you actually want to go as far back as you can across the timeline, it's best to start with The Elder Scrolls Online. It's not technically a mainline entry in the series, but ??it takes place in the second era, so it's the earliest in terms of historical significance.

More action than role-playing: Oblivion

The Elder Scrolls franchise is, at its heart, about role-playing. It always has been and it always will be (check back with this statement when TES6 comes out). But it also has action in droves. No matter which game you play, there's always a need to battle monsters, bandits, Daedric beings, dragons, and cliff racers (IhatethemihatethemIHATETHEM).

However, most who have played the games over the years will be aware that a shift has taken place. The first entries in the series had a much stronger emphasis on role-playing. Leveling up is more in-depth, with the older games very much taking cues from tabletop RPGs like Dungeons 'n' Dragons. It's noticeable in the likes of Daggerfall, for example??, in which y?ou literally "roll" the numbers to generate your character's stats.

Games 1-3 also have a greater lean towards encouraging exploration, with no?? quest markers or arrows pointing you to where you need to go. This can be troublesome for people who are used to games giving hints, so they may prefer the later installments.

As such, I would recommend Oblivion or Skyrim. It's honestly hard to decide between the two. Both games are accessible, especially for people who are relatively new to ??the RPG genre, but have downplayed the actually role-playing aspects somewhat.

If I were to be pushed for a more certain suggestion, I would go with Oblivion first. It's technically a prequel to Skyrim, though not in any obvious way, and it's a good entry point into the ser??ies for anyone who prefers their fantasy gaming with a bit more action.

Play the best one first: Morrowind

I really mean it when I say there's no correct order in which to play The Elder Scrolls in. You don't have to have played previous installments to enjoy any of them. They exist as separate stories, which is why I've split this article into different sections. But if you just want to start with what is arguably considered one of the best entries in the franchise, there really is only one answer: Morrowind.

Seriously. Look on just about any list that ranks the games in order of quality and, chances are, TES3 will be at the top. I'm not just following the crowd, either. I'm inclined to agree with them (though I might rank Daggerfall slightly higher for its greater sense of nostalgia and the game's sheer ?scope).

What makes it so special? Everyone will have their own opinion, but for me, it represents an ideal blend of RPG aesthetics and action combined with a huge leap in visual quality. I will acknowledge that it's aged horribly as the years have gone by. No one can deny that. However, between Daggerfall and Morrowind �?about six years �? the difference in graphics is jaw-dropping. I mean, you look at this and then look at this; night and day, really.

In short: if you just want to experience what many consider the crème de la crème of The Elder Scrolls, this is the one to go for as your first game.

In order of review scores upon release: Skyrim

There's a point at which you have to consider what all the fuss is about. As a long-standing series, The Elder Scrolls has made a huge impact on the world of gaming. Maybe it wasn't the first of its kind (it took inspiration from the likes of Ultima, which technically began in 1979 and is considered one of the first computer-based RPGs in history), but it's certainly one of the m??ost famous, and it's still going strong to this day.

For that reason, it'd be interesting to play the games in order of their success, based purely on review scores. However, as some data is missing from Metacritic, I'm going to use the percentage (out of 100) scores from each entry's Wikipedia page, tak?ing the highest number gi??ven at the time of each release. Strap in:

• Skyrim: 96/100
• Oblivion: 95/100
• Morrowind: 90/100
• Daggerfall: 90/100
• Arena (PC): 88/100

Well, would you look at that. It's exactly the same order as the?? years they were released in, and the respective timelines they take place in. It almost seems unanimous, really.

If you wanted to play them in a slightly different order, you could go off what the user scores on Metacritic say, but that would just swap Skyrim and Oblivion around. And there's little data for Arena. You know what, let's not get bogged down in the minutiae of how successful each game in the Elder Scrolls series has been.

If you want to keep it simple, it seems fairly clear that the best way to play them is basically in order of when they came out, which will also make sense chronologically (if you add in TES Online) as well as how well ??each one did. There. I'm glad I got out of bed this morning to tell you all that.

The post Wh??ich mainline ??Elder Scrolls game should you start with? appeared first on Destructoid.

Bethesda's Elder Scrolls series ha?s been a staple of role-playing video games. In terms of mainline entries, we're five releases in, with a sixth one out there somewhere being worked on. But we're not here to talk about the future. We're going to be discussing just how successful each game in the franchi??se has been.

Make no mistake—as the years have gone by, The Elder Scrolls has only become more popular. But the seri??es had to start somewhere, and I think it's int??eresting to compare the sales figures of each one side-by-side to really hammer home this success story.

6. The Elder Scrolls: Arena - 3,000 copies

At the time of release, Arena sold around 3,000 copies, according to former lead designer Ted Peterson. While these numbers have probably gone up since then, there doesn't seem to be any indication of how many the first TES game has sold overall. The fact ??that you can get it free these days makes it a moot point.

Cast your minds back three decades if you can. A small studio from Maryland, which had been developing sports games and a couple of Terminator adaptations, unleashed the first Elder Scrolls entry into the world. Called Arena, the crew had no idea just how big their fan??tasy universe was going to become??.

Arena may represent the seeds of The Elder Scrolls as a franchise, but gaming wasn't the corporate-driven beast we know it as today, which is probably why the sales figures don't look th??at impressive.

Still, Arena made an imp??ression, setting into motion new ways of creating interactive stories with detailed role-playing elements. The fact that it had a procedurally generated world was also hugely im??pressive for the time.

5. The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall - 700,000+ copies

Selling 120,000 copies upon launch, Daggerfall easily surpassed Arena. By mid-2000, former Vice President of Bethesda Softworks Pete Hines said the game had sold over 700,000 copies, and that number would have gone up since.

Encompassing a world the size of Great Britain, The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall improved on Arena in just about every way possible. While it's perhaps not as big as its predecessor, it beefed up the role-playing aspects and made a huge splas??h in the genre.

That it won more awards than Arena shows that Bethesda was onto something. It had enormous scope and a world so huge that its in-game map had a search function! Daggerfall was the first Elder Scrolls game I played; ??its vastness was mind-blowin??g to me, and I still go back to it sometimes.

If you want to experience Daggerfall today, you're best off playing the Unity version from GOG. It's a complete revamp of the game, keeping the visuals and classic style of the original but giving it a few quality-of-life tweaks and allowing for mod?s. It's also free.

4. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - 4 million copies

Now we're getting into the big figures. Morrowind was a hit when it was first released, and people are still buying it more than 20 years later. By the end of its launch year, the game had shifted around 200,000 copies. By mid-2005, that number had gone up to more than 4 million in sales.

The leap in visual quality between Daggerfall and Morrowind is utterly staggering. The Elder Scrolls 3 �?released at the start of the new millennium �?was a triumph in terms of immersion and advanced graphics. Sure, it's aged horribly now, but back then, just seeing the teaser screenshots prior to release was all the evidence I needed to know that the new TES game was going to be something special.

Morrowind is one of the smallest entries in terms of map size, but that didn't matter. It ?had a detailed world filled with a host of NPCs encased in a uniquely built world that took things beyond the usual knights and gray castles we're used to seeing in fantasy.

Morrowind was also the first entry to get a console port. It was released on the original Xbox and PC and went down as one of the best-selling games on the system at the time, almost surpassing Halo. Look at most people's lists of favorite Elder Scrolls entries, and chances are high that Morrowind will be at the top.

3. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - 9.5 million copies

According to a 2015 report from Polygon, Oblivion sold around 9.5 million copies throughout its lifetime, turning the small, Ultima-?inspired RPG series into a globally renowned video game franchise.

Oblivion was a phenomenal hit when it launched in 2006. Despite arriving just four years after Morrowind, it was yet an??other leap in just how advanced gaming visuals were becoming.

By now, The Elder Scrolls had a huge following, making Bethesda one of the biggest developers in the world. True, that Oblivion was when the series began ??to lean mo??re towards action rather than deep role-playing aspects, but the sales numbers speak for themselves.

Oblivion has a Metacritic score of 94 on Xbox 360 and has gone down as one of the top 100 video game releases of all time. I mentioned how blown away I was by Morrowind, but Oblivion absolut?ely knocked it out of the park for me when I first saw it.

2. The Elder Scrolls Online - Over 15 million copies

The Elder Scrolls Online was one of the top-selling games in the UK when it was released in 2014, and it has sold millions since. According to Pete Hines, ESO sold more than 15 million units as of 2020.

There's an argument to be made that Elder Scrolls Online isn't part of the mainline series. However, I decided to include it beca?use ??the numbers are still impressive.

The fact that this is an MMO is what sets it apart from the other Elder Scrolls games. The series is noteworthy for its focus on a single-player narrative. ESO instills players with a sense of power and? destiny fulfillment, though that does sort of fall by the wayside when thousands of people are playing as the ?story's hero.

While I did play the beta �?which was buggy �?I never gave much attention to Elder Scrolls ONline. It's definitely brought in a lot more players over the years, thanks to it ditching the subscription model required to play it. But it must be doing something right, as it's generated around $2 billion in revenue as of 2024.

1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - 60 million copies

There was never any doubt this was at the top, was there? The most recent figures show that Skyrim has sold over 60 million copies since 2011. That might not be enough to beat out the likes of Minecraft, Grand Theft Auto 5, or even Tetris, but what other game can boast being one of the most successful ??releases ever?

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is considered by many to be not only the greatest RPG of all time but one of the best video games in history. At the time of writing, Skyrim is registering over 11,000 concurrent players, according to SteamDB. That's nearly four times the amount that bought the original Arena, let alone played it.

We can make a lot of arguments about how Oblivion is buggy as hell and has taken up too much real estate in the gaming sphere, but that doesn't change the facts. The game ??was a surefire hit before it was even released almost 13 years ago.

Today, it continues to attract a steady stream of players and modders and boasts a total of 229 awards, according to IMDb. Yeah, gamers may be sick of seeing and talking about Skyrim, but it's definitely going down as one of gaming's biggest achievements--at least, until The Elder Scrolls 6 dethrones it.

The post Every The Elder?? Scrolls mai??nline release ranked by sales appeared first on Destructoid.

While we wait (and wait and wait and wait) for Bethesda to say literally anything about what's happening with The Elder Scrolls 6, let's talk about Skyrim. That should kill a bit more time. Specifically, let's talk about modding Skyrim.

Since time immemorial (well, 2011), TES5 fans have been modifying the game, improving it several folds, adding new content, fixing bugs...just generally getting as much life out of the ol' beast as they can. It's almost as if some people took one look at Skyrim in its vanilla form and went, "nah, mate."

Far be it from me to tell you there are countless ways to tinker with this aging epic RPG. But if you??'re n??ew to playing, or you just want a quick rundown on some of the better mods out there, I've cobbled together a list of what I feel are some pretty essential ones. You may agree with this list. You may not. I will be answering no questions.

NOTE: I will attempt to provide links to mods that are for the Special Edition of Skyrim where possible.

Skyrim Script Extender

When I talk about "essential mods," you can probably interpret that as just meaning a "generally solid modification that many players highly recommend." A lot of it will come d??own to personal preference and how you want to alter the game.

However, with Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE for short), this one is pretty vital. If you ask people in the community �?especially the PC community �?what to install first when it comes to modding Skyrim, this will likely be your first port of call.

As the description itself says: this is a tool "used by many Skyrim mods that expands ?scripting capabilities and adds additional functionality to the game." You'd ??be pretty lost without it. The version linked here has already been downloaded over 1.4 million times, and it was only uploaded in 2019.

Unofficial Skyrim Patch

Bethesda games have bugs. The sun is a large ball of burning gas. Everyone knows the uncomfortable sensation of having one shoe tied slightly tighter than the other. Microsoft is pure evil. Oh, sorry. I thought I was just listing things that can be filed? under "the bleeding obvious."

Yes, Skyrim has been laden with glitches and i??ssues since the day it landed in video game stor??es (remember them?) While over the years, the developer has attempted to quash some of the major ones, there are still plenty of bugs that exist, even in the Anniversary Edition which came out some tens after the vanilla release.

That's where the Unofficial Skyrim Patch comes into play. It is, as the name suggests, an unofficial mod for the game with an eventual goal of fixing every single bug TES5 has, and we all know that is quite the mammoth task. T??he most recent version was uploaded on April 18, which means the team is still hard at work. This is another must.

SkyUI

As gorgeous as Skyrim is (or was) when it first came out, there were some criticisms aimed at the game's stand?ard user interface. While I personally didn't have much of a problem with it, I could see why it wasn't everyone's favorite.

If you've played the game, you'll surely have your own opinion about it. Which is why we have SkyUI. This is described as an "elegant, PC-friendly inte??rface mod with many advanced features." Even from the single image above, yo??u can see the differences between the vanilla version and the mod.

Is it fair to say it's more "intuitive?" I'm bold enough to go along with that. While there hasn't been an update for? SkyUI since 2017, Nexus Mods registers over 4.8 million downloads, so they must be doing something right.

Open Cities

A game like Skyrim consistently delivers and entertains, largely bec??ause of its immersive quality. Forget the fact that it's now an older game. When it dropped all those ??years ago, it was a triumph. It drew people in with its utter splendor, enormous world, and cast of characters that were believable (well as believable as role-playing characters living in a fantasy world full of dragons can be).

However, some of that immersion does fall to the wayside slightly when you enter a new city??, like Whiterun. Upon opening the main gate, you find yourself confronted with a black loading screen.? It's understandable. Bethesda couldn't have put all the interior aspects of a city within the main world.

However, someone did just that. From the same modder that brought us the Unofficial Patch, we have Open Cities Skyrim. This is a mod that fluidly blends the game's city limits to whatever's outside its walls. The loading screens are now gone, which keeps you immersed. Plus, it means you can now ride your horse straig??ht into places like Riften. That can only be a plus.

Alternative Start

When I first got the game in 2011, I was enthralled by the opening. A few days later, a friend came round because they wanted to see it, so I booted the? game up, loaded a new save, and proceeded to go through the intro cut scene again. Then some time later, another friend wanted to?? see what all the fuss was about. By this point, my character's head had been cut off enough times to satisfy a revolution.

What I'm saying is, even before Skyrim had the long legacy it enjoys today, I had seen the opening section dozens of times. If you are a bit bored with that lengthy introduction, say hello to Alternative Start. Oh look, it's another mod by Arthmoor.

With this, you get to opt for a different beginning to your Skyrim playthrough. You can choose to be a hunter living in the woods, a vampire hiding in a cave, or maybe you've been ??shipwrecked. The good thing about this mod is it doesn't just give you an alternative starting point, it changes things about your character and doesn't immediately put you on the main quest p??ath.

Helgen Reborn

Speaking of that opening section, we don't get to experience Helgen much before it's terrorized by a dragon and left to burn in the ashes of its wake. It's there and then, in the blink of an eye, it's left in ruins as you run for y??our life and, presumably??, bugger off to literally anywhere else.

With Helgen Reborn, the city gets a second chance. Modders Mike ??Hancho (aka Balok) didn't ju?st turn the opening location on its head by rebuilding it. No, they went above and beyond, bringing something that is more than just a surface restructuring. The mod description tells it best:

Helgen Reborn is a fully voiced adventure with over 20 superb voice actors.? As you help rebuild the town you'll reunite two old friends, uncover an underground slavery ring, battle in an arena and many other adventure??s!

A Quality World Map

Skyrim's map is pretty good, says I. Not just a facsimile of the world you walk around. It's actually the real thing, just zoomed out immensely. It would have been easy for Bethesda to?? phone it in with a standard scroll-like map or something more cartoon-y. Well d??one to them, I say.

However, it can always be better, and that's what IcePenguin's A Quality World Map does. With over three million downloads on Nexus Mods, it presents itself as the last word in Skyrim topography. Consisting of ?high-detailed textures, AQWM (as I'm taking to call it) is a tasty visual addition to your game. I??'d say it pairs nicely with SkyUI as well.

Also, it doesn't just have this 3D map, either. It comes in a vivid style and even a paper version, if you want something that's perhaps a bit more Lord of the Rings-y.

Towns and Villages Enhanced

After a while, you start to see the same old Skyrim. It's pretty enough, even for a game that's 13 years old, but it would be nice to have something else to look at. If this is you, you may be interested in Aplestormy's Towns and Villages Enhanced mods.

The interesting thin??g about this project is that there isn't one single download that alters every location in the game. Instead, they come in separate files. There's one for Whiterun, Windhelm, Solitude, Riften, Riverwood, and some of the smaller villages.

As described, they basically "enhance" a lot of areas in Skyrim with tweaks and fresh design choices. Her?e's what the Whiterun mod adds and/or alters.

• Trees (Including new GKB Models)
• New Design - Less Trees, more Detail
• Shrubs and other Foliage
• Rocks and small Details
• New Lighting
• Clutter
• Architecture
• Alchemist Plants
• Effects
• Chickens

Skyrim 202X

I've said it a few times already, but Skryim is a pretty old game at this point. As such, it's not as visually?? arresting as it once was. Back in 2011, though...wowee. There wasn't much like it. However, things have changed??. We want our collective eyes melted out of our faces with graphical brilliance.

If you want nothing more than to make Skyrim look prettier, maybe even more modern, there are a wide range of options available in the modding community. Howver, one that comes highly recommended is Pfuscher's Skyrim 202X. This is a high-resolution overhaul of how the game ?looks.

It boasts more than 2,000 files (which come in several parts) and is a visual feast. It's been worked on since 2016, with the latest version going live on April 15 this year. It has over 1.8 million unique download?s, and it's easy to see why. It's. Just. So. Pretty.

Immersive Interactions

Anyone who's seen me talk about Skyrim mods before may be familiar with the name JaySerpa. They are, by far, one of my favorite modders work?ing on th??e game currently, and it's mainly because of how they change the game to be that extra bit immersive.

I'm choosing Immersive Interactions to put in this list, but really, I could have selected any one at random to showcase how simple tweaks can up the alluring quality of role-playing in Skyrim. This one in particular allows your character to perform "context-aware animations," which includes being able to greet N?PCs and generally interact with the world.

JaySerpa has also gives us realistic reactions to invisibility spells, new spliced dialog during brawls, the ability to pet dogs, even a fix for the flute playing animation. T??here's a selection there that I personally recommend.

The post 10 essential Skyrim mods you need to install appeared first on Destructoid.

When last we checked in on the possible whereabouts of The Elder Scrolls 6, we were still nowhere near to knowing when it was likely to be released. At the end of August last year, Bethesda confirmed the Skyrim follow-up was in early development, and there was some info implying it would take until at least 2026. Maybe. Other than that, we're non-the-wiser.

So what can we say for certain when it comes to the next Elder Scrolls game? Honestly, other than it's currently in the works, there's little to go on. Pretty much ?everything else has been a rumor or some wishful thinking.

Outside that, the only thing we've really been given is an official teaser trailer. However, as of next month, even this will be five years old, having been released in June 2018. And it didn't actually tell us much other than TES6 was happening, combined with a bird?'s-eye shot over an unnamed bit of Tamriel. It did, however, get people guessing wh?ere it's likely to be set (Hammerfell is the most popular theory).

Why is it taking so long?

Given the enormous legacy of Skyrim, the game that follows it is going to have to be pretty spectacular. That shit takes time, I'm sure we can all agree. However, TES5 came out towards the latter part? of 2011. That makes it more than 13 years ol??d at this point. A lot's gone on in that time.

Since then, Bethesda has released two Fallout games (with a fifth entry now in development), The Elder Scrolls online, and Starfield. Within the past decade or so, fans have heard very little about TES6, aside from the aforementioned teas?er and details mentioned a??bove.

We know it's definitely part of Bethesda's focus. In March of this year, a post went out on the studio's Twitter/X account to celebrate 30 years of The Elder Scrolls. In it was a message that said the ?"next chapter" was still very much in development, and some of the team had been "playing early builds." That doesn't mean we're closer to a potential release date, but maybe we can take comfort in knowing that work is underway on the project.

Can it ever hope to live up to the hype?

Look, we've been here before. Duke Nukem Forever is the poster child of what can happen when development on a long-awaited sequel takes way lon?ger than anticipated. It quickly became a scapegoat for terrible video game follow-ups that don't match the years they spent in development.

To be fair, though, Duke Nukem Forever had a number of factors working against it. Switching studios in the middle of ?development surely didn't help. On top of that, by t??he time it was released in 2011 �?having spent 14 years in development �?some of the humor and references were massively outdated, turning what should have been a fun FPS into something that inspired eye rolls from players.

The Elder Scrolls 6 is at least being kept close to the chest of the series' original developer. Bethesda surely knows what it's doing wit?h its intellectual property, but as the years go by, hype is only going to build, and it's hard to stay excited for something for this long.

What we know so far

As of right now, here's a list of things we can at least be a bit confident about when it comes to Elder Scrolls 6:

• TITLE: The Elder Scrolls 6 (no subtitle yet)
• DEVELOPER: Bethesda
• SETTING: Unknown
• STORY: Unknown
• RELEASE DATE: Unknown
• PLATFORMS: PC and Xbox are pretty much guaranteed, but we could be looking at a newer console generation by the time TES6 hits digital storefronts.
• BEERS I'VE DRANK SINCE SKYRIM CAME OUT IN 2011: An unhealthy amount.

Also, here's an interesting fact that will blow your mind: it took 17 years to get from TES1: Arena (1994) to TES5: Skyrim (2011). This means in four years' time, TES6 will account for half the lifespan of the entire Elder Scrolls franchise. Boom.

The post The Elder Scrolls 6: What’s happening with the Skyrim follow-up? appeared first on Destructoid.

While we wait for further updates on the delayed Fallout: London, we can at least take a quick gander at another unofficial modification of a well-known Bethesda IP. The team behind the rather ambitious Skyblivion project has put out anot??her dev diary, ??showing the work that's gone into the mod so far.

In the latest video, we get a glimpse into where things are currently standing, as the narrator takes us through some memorable locations from The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion that are in development. This includes the Great Forest, the Ayleid Ruins, as well as some of the ??denizens that haun??t the location, and the city of Chorrol.

One of the more interesting features of the video is the discussion of the UI. Since being shown off last, a lot of changes have been made to the interface, showing a much more immersive character creation screen. We also get told about how Oblivion's tumbler-based lockpicking function is making a comeback for Skyblivion, completely abandoning the Skyrim mechanic, it seems.

Mod release when?

For those who don't know, Skyblivion is a complete remake of TES4 done in TES5's more advanced (though aging these days) engine. It's been in development since 2016 and is helmed by a team of volunteers. The narrator does say that additional help is always welcome, so if you are interested in helping out the project, you can fill out the volunteer application form.

As for a release date, there's nothing set in stone yet. Currently, Skyblivion is aiming for a 2025 launch, but as the new dev diary cl??early states, there's still a lot of work to be done.

However, that work is coming along nicely. It's been a good few months since we last saw an update, but it's fair to say this is a modification with some impressive scope. It's going to take a long time for a project like this to become finalized, especially as it's entirely fan-made and, as such, does not appear to have the?? backing of Bethesda.

It is, however, a pretty solid testament to the dedication of the modding community. The aforementioned Fallout: London is another example of the drive the community has to create something unique and/or exciting, especially when you take into account that these are volunteers working in an unofficial capacity. To see a complete remake of Oblivion done in Skyrim is no small feat, so i?f it takes the team a couple more years to finish, I think it will be worth the wait in the end.

The post Latest Skyblivio??n dev diary shows how far the Skyrim/Oblivion p?roject has come appeared first on Destructoid.

The thrill of playing Skyrim is getting to roleplay as a mighty hero, battling a?cross a frosted nation to save the world from annihilation. Sure, the sight of a Frost Troll, Giant Spider, or that first Dragon encounter can be pretty intense, especially early on. I wouldn't ?say they were wholly fear-inducing, though, but that's where one modder would disagree.

Back with another immersive way to play Skyrim, Nexus Mods user JaySerpa brings us "Stress and Fear," a "dynamic sanity system" that actually gives ?your character a feeling ?of dread. As you wander this cold slice of Tamriel, enemy encounters can leave the Dragonborn feeling a little weakened from the stress of fighting and losing health.

Stress meters affect your stats, such as your Magicka, and you can even develop a fear of a particular enemy. Say you barely make ?it out alive after fighting a bandit, the next time you come across one, you will experience a kind of phobia. Defeating bandits will allow you to conquer this new?-found fear, though.

[Pet dog to recover]

Fortunately, you can rectify these stress-inducing debuffs. Eating comfort food, s?uch as sweetrolls, is just one way to make yourself feel better. As does drinking alcohol. In fact, according to th?e mod description, just four bottles of booze is enough to take you from 100 to 0 stress.

You can also take part in a relaxing activity, such as fishing, reading a book, ??????????????????????????or playing some music. And yes, in case you are wondering, pett?ing a dog will also help reduce your fear and stress levels. Just like in real life.

JaySerpa's mod also introduces dynamic story-telling. In this case, as you conquer your phobias, you will become stronger. Of co?urse, you have to actually overcome the Dragonborn's anxieties first. Gee, I wonder if there's a mod that allows me to get over my?? fear of the London Underground.

The post New Skyrim mod introduces stress and fear appeared first on Destructoid.

Speaking at the premiere of Amazon's Fallout show in Los Angeles, Bethesda's Todd Howard admitted he'll likely turn down any pitches for a TV adaptation of The Elder Scrolls. Not only that, but he was initially against the idea of a Fallout TV show.

When asked by IGN if other Bethesda properties will see similar adaptations in the wake of Fallout, Howard revealed there's nothing in the works at the moment, adding, "Everybody asks, like, about Elder Scrolls, and I keep saying no also. And I would approach those—I'll probab?ly say no."

This may seem baffling since video game adaptations are all the rage nowadays, plus Elder Scrolls is a very popular franchise. However, Howard explained how he rejected pitches for a Fallout show, as well as a movie, for about a decade. Amazon's adaptation only became about because he hit things off with?? Jonathan N?olan, who serves as an executive producer on the show.

Howard loved Nolan's work as a writer on movies like The Dark Knight and Interstellar, and after meeting and speaking with him, Howard? "felt like, 'hey, do you wanna do this? I'd like?? to approach it like it's another entry in the games.' Like, let's do a new location, new story, let him and his crazy lunatic people he works with kind of do what they do."

It very much sounds like Howard doesn't want to make an Elder Scrolls show just for the sake of it. He felt the same way about Fallout, adding, "I think this really came ??out of, 'we think things are aligning to do a high-quality job.' It wasn't forced. It was kind of a natural relationship and 'hey, this sounds really cool.'"

This news may be disappointing to some, but at least this means if Howard ever changes his mind (which he doesn't rule out), it'll be because he's found the right creative partner for an Elder Scrolls show. Fallout may have required something of a 'stars aligning' moment for it to come to be, but Howard's insistence on letting it happen naturally seems to have paid off, with the Fallout show getting near rave reviews from critics. You can watch all eight episodes right now if you want as long as you have access to Amazon Prime Vi?deo.

The post Fallout’s TV debut is a hit, but it doesn’t guarantee an Elder Scrolls show appeared first on Destructoid.

Questing across Skyrim's vast and wintry lan?dscape is tiring work for any adventurer. It's a good job the game lets your character take a sleep then. But what if �?horror of horrors �?there aren't ??any beds available, or you can't afford a night in a tavern? You guessed it. Modding comes to the rescue once more.

We return to veteran Nexus Mods user JaySerpa, who, this time, has given us a way for the Dragonborn to catch some much-needed Z's without the need for a bed. "Ta??ke a Nap" allows your character to get a little bit of sleep while sitting down, be it in a chair or on a bench.

The above video shows that it has more than just an extra sleep option. Animation??s show your character putting their head on the table, closing their eyes, and even waking up with back pain (resulting in reduced stamina for a bit).

"Look, pal, you can't stay here!"

Of course, what kind of immersive mod would this be if it didn't have some reactions from nearby NPCs? According to JaySerpa, patrons who notice you taki?ng a nap at a table may have something to say. While some don't seem to mind, others may take exception to you hogging up seating space with your snoring and drool.

Last week, the gaming world acknowledged 30 years of The Elder Scrolls series. Beginning life in 1994, Bethesda's most prized IP has been a huge part of the fantasy RP?G genre.

Skyrim is the latest in a growing list of TES installments. Unfortunately, it's been with us for a long time now (over 12 year?s), with no sign of the next entry. Some of us are beginning to grow a little impatient. Luckily, there's a dedicated modding community to keep us quiet for a bit longer.

The post Catch 40 winks in Skyrim with this mod that lets ?you sleep in a chair appeared first on Destructoid.

The Elder Scrolls has been a pretty big part of my g?aming life for many years, and now the series has officially turned thirty years old. It's not only the biggest IP Bethesda has ever put out, but i?t's considered by many to be one of the best role-playing franchises of all time.

What will Todd Howard and the rest of the team be doing to celebrate this milestone? It's hard to say at this stage. Nothing's been said on social media at the time of writing, but with parts of the world still waking up, the Elder Scrolls developer will no doubt be marking this pretty?? significant occasion.

Three decades is a long time for any series to maintain, but even more difficult in terms of remaining popular and lucrative. Of course, of those 30 years, more than Skyrim accounts for more than 12 of them.

Funnily enough, there is a short update on "the next chapter" of Elder Scrolls, which is the upcoming Elder Scrolls 6 (TES VI). The team notes how "even now, returning to Tamriel and playing early builds has us filled with the same joy, excitement, and promise?? of adventure."

Can you choose a favorite Elder Scrolls game?

To get a little nostalgic here: I have fond memories of playing Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall after seeing my friend play it on his PC and deciding I wanted a piece of that action. While the series began with Arena on March 25, 1994, it was the follow-up two years later that put? Bethesda on the RPG map.

Daggerfall was massive, encompassing an area roughly the size of Great Britain. That may pale in comparison to today's standards, but such a scale was almost unthinkable back then. Remember that PC gaming was still in its infancy (Doom had only come out the year before Arena).

Then Morrowind came along in 2002 and just absolutely blew everything else out of the water. Oh man, that game was a joy to walk around in, with its advanced graphics and near-perfect role-playing elements. Yeah, it's aged terribly over the years, but many still consider it the best Elder Scrolls game of all time.

Fast-forward to now and we're still wondering where the next installment is. If you're like me, you were probably banking on Bethesda saying a few words about TES6 not long after Starfield was released. The latter has only been out a few months, but I feel we're not far ??from some sort of update about the former. The legacy must continue!

The post The Elder Scrolls turns 30 today, and 12? of those years be?long to Skyrim appeared first on Destructoid.

When the end of the world comes (and it will), I like to imagine that in the midst of all the rubble and chaos, people will still be playing Skyrim. There doesn't seem to be any way that people won't tinker with the game and in this instance, we get to see dead technology being revived in order to play TES5.

As spotted by PCGamesN, Reddit user nekomichi recently showed that it's possible to run the game in ??a Steam Deck (so far so normal) usi??ng old iPods as controllers. The clip attached to the post shows it working as you would imagine.

Movement itself requires scrolling the click wheel of the one on the right, while the left i?Pod is being used for turning. While walking forward and fighting seem to work pretty well, turning left and right is a bit of a janky affair.

Not intended for speedruns

This idea is actually based on something nekomichi did in November 2022. A video on YouTube shows them setting up some iPods to control Skyrim via PC. Basically, it inv?olves the installation of RockBox, an open source piece of firmware which allows the iP?ods to be used as devices over a USB.

Once in?stalled, it becomes a case of assigning each ?button and wheel to an action in-game. The method used in the video is almost certainly the same that's used in the Steam Deck version (what is a Steam Deck if not a portable PC, after all).

They've also tested this on Sleeping Dogs, also running on the Deck. However, they say it works much better with Skyrim. There's no reason why you can't try this yourself if you happen to have s?ome old iPods fly??ing around. But don't expect to be speedrunning through the game.

The post Here’s Skyrim on a Steam Deck, controlled by iPods appeared first on Destructoid.

Even though many of us may see Skyrim as one of the greatest RPGs of all time, there'?s no denying that it's a painfully flawed game. We know this, and that's why modders are always working to make sure Bethesda's aging epic maintains some degree of relevancy.

This mod in particular is pretty simple, but quite effective. As spotted by PC Gamer, Nexus Mods user wSkeever recently uploaded "Simplicity of Stalking - Automatically Follow NPCs." As the name suggests, this gives you the ability to follow a character in Skyrim without ha??ving to do that awkward run/walk by their side in order to ?keep up.

We've all been there. We a??ll know how irritating it is that an NPC's amble is faster than our walk, but slower than our run. Well, wSkeever's mod fixes ?that.

Even if they don't want to be followed

As the video above shows, simply targeting a character and activating the "Follow" option will make it so you ?walk a few paces behind them. Instructions say that, to stop following, simply press "any movement or attack controls."

You'll also need to download a few other mods for your game before you can use this one. Outside that,?? you're good to go. In fact, not only can the Dragonborn now follow people at a comfortable pace, it also works through loading screens as well.

Of course, while it's likely you'll use the mod mainly for following quest NPCs when they're escorting you somewhere, it can also be used on anyone, as far as I can tell. I'm not saying you should be stalking Skyrim residents. What I am saying ?is that it literally says the word "stalking" in the mod title.

The post Finally, a Skyrim? mod that lets you match NPC speeds when you follow them appeared first on Destructoid.

If there's one thing many of us know about Skyrim, it's that the NPCs are no?t the brightest around. Enemy AI is usually pretty easy to manipulate, but this one modder decided that better NPC reactions make for a better experience.

Back once again with another of their trademark TES5 improvements, Nexus Mods user JaySerpa has made it so Skyrim enemies are a little bit smarter during fights. If yo?u're the kind of Dragonborn that likes to cheese bandits and the like, you may have ?to rethink your approaches from now on.

Essentially, what "NPCs Take Cover" does is make it so e?nemies react? quicker to being attacked. When you pull your bow out and aim, they will no longer just stand there while you ready your shot. They also run and hide. And properly hide, this time.

Some may call it "cowering"

The video above shows it in action. When you stand on top of somewhere enemies can't r?each, the vanilla AI will have th??em just stand there while you unload arrows into them. With JaySerpa's mod, you're going to have to think of a better tactic. Or just face them head-on.

The mod is specific to ??long-range attacks, so bows and projectile magic will be affected. There are also 200 lines of extra dialogue, in which ?enemies will taunt you if you try to pick them off from a hard-to-reach place.

By seeking cover, shaming you for your cheese tactics, and having quicker reactions to you taking aim at them, you can immerse?? yourself in a world in which, quite frankly, you may no longer be the smart??est one around.

The post Skyrim enemies can now outsmart?? your cheesy long-range attacks with this clever mod appeared first on Destructoid.

Fancy ordering a fake pizza in Oblivion (or even a real one)? Modding allows you to do that. But it's not all about hot slices of 'za delivered by a skeleton. After almost 20 years, people are still looking to tinker with the visuals of the fourth Elder Scrolls gam??e??. Just not always in the way you might expect.

Take Nexus Mods user Wilker as a recent example. If you want TES4 to be more styled after the likes of 2002's The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, look no further. That's exactly what this mod does, by swapping out Oblivion's v??isuals for cel-shaded graphics (also known as "toon shading").

While the title refers to it as "Oblivion 64" �?suggesting the graphics are on par with the Nintendo 64 era �?Wilker says in the description they "prefer the more vibrant style" of cel-shaded games. Hence, the Wind Waker (as well as Pokémon) influence.

I don't think the Hero of Kvatch goes "hyah!" though

As for wh??at the mod specifically ??changes, well you'll find that the pack converts the following:

• The landscape (every external area, like forests, mountains, etc�?
• All the towns
• All dungeons, Ayleid ruins, caves, etc�?/li>

• The Oblivion Plane

So it's pretty much almost everything, except for the NPCs and en??emies. That's fine. It does make the game look a lot brighter, judging by the images.

It's pretty cool to see people still messing about with the original Oblivion format all these years later. While the mere mention of The Elder Scrolls typically conjures up Skyrim for many, th??ere's comfort in knowing that the older entries have not been completely lost in this existent??ial modern gaming era.

The post Here’s Elder Scrolls Oblivion, but with Wind Waker-style cel-shaded visuals appeared first on Destructoid.

If you've played Daggerfall Unity, you'll know it's the best way to experience The Elder Scrolls 2 in the modern ga?ming climate. Now, with the ful?l thing having recently launched, the creator of the project is looking to make their own game.

In a recent interview with DualShockers, developer Gavin Clayton said he's now working on his own idea, which will be styled after Daggerfall. He has this to say about the project:

I do genuinely love that old style of game. The thing I’m building is in the same vein. You’re talking big world, complex systems, mod support, that’s all of the stuff I want to explore, and I want to take that experience of Daggerfall Unity and put it in the new game.

Essentially, Clayton wants to realize his dream of making a game from scratch, something h?e's dreamed of since he was a kid.

With some D&D influence in there, perhaps

While there are no details about what this game will actually be, he's been open to answering a few questions on Twitter/X.

For example, when asked whether he was going to be using Unity, Clayton said he's building his own engine, or, more accurately, he's "?revived an engine I spent some years on."

As for any kind of lore or na?rrative, the project is still in the early stages, but when asked, the ??response was that the "world and main story have their roots in a D&D 2ED campaign I created and ran for friends in the 90s."

Daggerfall Unity has been an enormous task for anyone to complete, especially as it was a full remake using a different engine. It's almost certainly reinvigorated interest in Bethesda's classic RPG, and I would personally recommend anyone interested in retro Elder Scrolls games to check it out.

The post Daggerfall Unity creator is ??making their ??own retro Elder Scrolls-esque game appeared first on Destructoid.

Morrowind is just one of those games I'll always go back to. While Skyrim reigns supreme as the most successful Elder Scrolls game, the third installment in Bethesda's series still draws me in. And that's to say nothing about the mods that?? keep it a?live.

For example, if I wanted to release my inner creativity, I could opt for "Write Books and Scrolls," a seemingly simple download that lets you loose on the blank pages of Morrowind.

Brought to us by Nexus Mods user MomokeCome, it allows players to write their own scrolls and books within the world of TES3. Blank versions can be purchased from sellers,?? at which point you can put quill to paper and "write your own title and text."

Eat your heart out, Salman Rushdie

Okay??, maybe I'm over-romanticizing it a bit. But when it comes to fantasy RPGs, not many people think to allow someone to become an in-game writer. We're all about having immense stories with rich lore, but this mod gives us the chance to craft some of our own.

The download page doesn't say whether the blank scrolls and books come with character or word limits, though. Anyone who's played Morrowind and has checked out the sh??eer breadth of literature available will kn??ow that some novels and history books can go on for a few pages.

I could wax lyrical about how I would use the mod to pen the great Elder Scrolls tale. Truth is, I'd prob??ably just use it to remind my character to pick up more ash yams while in Balmora.

The post Become the Edler ??Scrolls Mor?rowind poet you always dreamed of being with this mod appeared first on Destructoid.

Look, I'm just going to say it. I haven't played Baldur's Gate 3 yet. I know, I know. The fact that it’s won so many awards should clue me into just how much of a gaming phenomenon it is. However, what I am really into is The Elder Scrolls ser??ies, and a recent mod is making my ears prick up.

Over on Nexus Mods, user Ghouls0Rules has made it possible to play Baldur's Gate 3 as a Dunmer, the dark elf race from such hits as Morrowind and Skyrim. While it has a "heavy focus on visuals," i??t goes beyond a simple skin?? and texture swap.

It also comes with additional features. The download page says it has "unique passives and spells," as well as "some level progression for each subrace." So this is more than just about looking like a TES character, as it has function too. You can get the mod from here. It actually came out in December, but I was too busy with Christmas and not playing BG3 to spot it at the time.

Feels like it fits, thematically

Gaming definitely had its ups and downs across the whole of 2023. While the industry experienced a lot of job losses and studio closures, Larian's Baldur's Gate 3 was definitely a high point.

It's currently flying high on the Steam top-sellers list, albeit it's now been pushed down one spot by Counter-Strike 2. Given the RPG's prestige, it's likely to be riding this success wave for some time. The fact that it's the ninth most played game in terms of peak concurrent players �?according to SteamDB �?should tell you everything.

And yet, I still need to get in on it. I don't really have any excuse, and as a long-time fan of The Elder Scrolls games, I hav??e even less of one, thanks?? to this mod.

The post This Baldur’s Gate 3 mod lets you play as a Dunmer from The Elder Scrolls appeared first on Destructoid.

If you've never tried a Skyrim mod before �?either on PC or console �?you are truly missing out. The vanilla release just doesn't seem to cut it these days for a lot of fans, so the modding community has dedicated itself to making TES5 as brilliant, everlasting, and immersive as ??all get out.

With that in mind, Nexus Mods user JaySerpa is back once more with further Skyrim improvements. This time??, they've made it so NPCs react to being atta?cked by one of their friends. The video below shows it in action.

Essentially, when you use a Frenzy spell �?which temporarily turns enemies against each other �?there's no vocal?? reaction to what's happening. This mod, however, uses spliced and vanilla dialogue from the game to make NPCs actually care an ally has turned against them. You can download it here ??(as the creator says, it's a measly 7MB, so you may as well).

"No! We've been betrayed!"

Some of you who are very familiar with the Skyrim modding scene will likely know JaySerpa's work. Fresh off their recent Christmas mod, this lat??est effort is yet another way of injecting that extra b?it of immersion into the aging RPG.

It's also one of the reasons TES5 is ??still go?ing strong after all these years. It's highly unlikely the game would enjoy such longevity without the community tweaking the base release, keeping things fresh for who knows how long.

Whether The Elder Scrolls 6 will get the same modding treatment remains to be seen, but let's not get ahead of ours?elves just yet. Bethesda still hasn't given us an update ??on its whereabouts or development stage.

The post Skyrim mod makes NPCs react realistically ??to friendly fire appeared first on Destructoid.

Long-time players of The Elder Scrolls series will need no introduction to Daggerfall, the second entry in Bethesda's fantasy franchise. However, if you have never played this absolute classic �?albei?t wholly retro-looking �?RPG, now's the perfect time.

You see, the Daggerfall Unity project has finally released version 1.0 of this unofficial remake (thanks, PCGamesN), which you can download from GitHub. Intended as a more stable release of previous builds, thi?s update represents the next stage of a recreation that's been ongoing for a few years.

Yes, some of you may scoff at the fact that this was made in the Unity en?gine. But you may take some comfort in knowing that it was made long before the debacle that saw the company's reputation take a nosedive.

Again, free to download

While The Elder Scrolls 2 is free to play through Steam, many would recommend the Unity version ??instead. It's a complete remake of the origina?l 1996 release, done from the group up, but it doesn't lose its classic aesthetic and gameplay. It's simply been rebuilt in a different engine.

The visuals have been given a spit shine, but it still looks like a 90s DOS game. Add onto that Daggerfall Unity supporting mods, of which there are plenty to choose from, and it should make for a good time.

While Skyrim is the one most people think of when it comes to TES, o??lder gamers such as myself fondly recall some of the more dated ins??tallments.

True, going back to their original iterations can be hard work on modern systems, but the Unity remake of Daggerfall is easily the definitive way to check out this legendary RPG. Especially now the full release is out. If you're at least interested, check out this rundown on changes and improvements in more detail.

The post If you haven’t checked out the remaster of Elder Scrolls 2, now’s the time appeared first on Destructoid.

One tends not to associate the likes of Skyrim with Christmas. Which is surprising, really, given all that snow and burly men with big bear??ds. But with the holiday season upon us, one modder decides to bring yuletide festivities to this cold slice of Tamriel.

Back with another addition to your vanilla Skyrim playthrough, veteran modder JaySerpa has just released "The Gift of Saturalia - A Quest for the Holidays." This mod encapsulates an Elder Scrolls type of winter ?celebratio??n with a new quest to hopefully get you in the Christmas spirit.

Featuring fully voiced acting and expansions to some NPC lore, you'll be given the chance to help others out, as a "bearded old trader" teaches you about the tradition of Saturalia. The quest itself is said to not be too long, but it's supposed to have "lasting effects, scenes and dialogue after its completion, altering?? some locations and the life of several NPCs."

Also, that trailer is pretty current

Here?'s everything that "The Gift ?of Saturalia" boasts:

• Fully voiced, with a mix of new characters (with new VA) and spliced vanilla lines.
• Expands the stories of several vanilla NPCs that don't usually get much love.
• Around 500 lines of dialogue. Quest duration is overall short, but it will take you all over Skyrim. Roughly 1 or 2 hours of playtime.
• Lore friendly and feasible: My goal is to make content that feels like it could've been in the vanilla game from the start.
• Dynamic changes: The attitudes, routines, relationships and basically the life of several NPCs will be altered by the end of the quest. Some of the NPCs involved might live in a new home or even a new city. All with voiced reactions, custom scenes and quest-awareness.
• Persuasion options take into account your "history" with the characters you're talking to as part of the quest. Meaning, if you've helped them in the past (or wronged them), the persuasion attempt is more or less likely to succeed.
• Quest is very speech-centric and suitable for all ages. A literal quest for the holidays.
• If you own the Anniversary Edition Upgrade (including the Saturalia official addon), this mod will improve on the CC Saturalia NPC by giving him a new voice and appropriate lines (He will talk about his reindeer, trying to sell it to you, etc.)
• Interesting rewards that encourage staying in the cold areas of Skyrim.

For those who aren't aware (I must admit, even as a lifelong Elder Scrolls player, I was a bit ignorant), Satu??ralia is a Breton celebration that takes place on the 25th of Evening Star. It's a time for gift giving, get-togethers, and partying. Sound familiar?

Honestly, if this mod does?n't get you into the swing of the holiday season, then I don't know what will. Probably something else, I imagine. Who am I to judge? Not Santa, that's who.

The post Christmas comes to Skyrim (sort of) with this mod appeared first on Destructoid.