Amy, 24, Melbourne, web designer, piano student, Slytherin, nostalgia (and chocolate) addict, and languisher in all things baroque, rococo, and Tolkien.
This post comes months after finishing the game (depending on your definition of “finished”) but I still need to talk about how awesome Skyrim was. Each Elder Scrolls game should be considered as a standalone game, not as a sequel or just an improvement on the previous game. Here are a few thoughts I had while journeying:
- First, it’s gorgeous. It was very easy to lose yourself in the atmosphere and the landscapes, to just stare up at the sky or bask in the surrounding icy vistas. I loved standing on glaciers at night. However, graphics cards and processors can handle a lot more these days so I want TES6 (multiplayer?) to be a game I need to upgrade my computer just to play.
- An absorbing storyline made it so hard to just quit and go to bed. I rarely felt “stuck” because there was always another quest to move to, or location or cave to be explored. Politically, I let my thief side with the Stormcloaks, though I didn’t approve of Ulfric’s methods. It didn’t even feel like a choice between the better of two evils, because the subtle choices I did make eventually cut out the option to side with the Imperials.
- Trying to create even a moderately attractive elf was impossible. I know mods have addressed this but I remain a vanilla girl and won’t use any mods until my next playthrough!
- I initially hated the console-game feel, especially in the UI/menu, but it was still an improvement. I highly recommend replacing the menu system with SkyUI. The levelling system took a little while to get used to, especially with only three main attributes, but other than it being really clunky to navigate I loved the perks, especially with bows. You end up so overpowered!
- Annoying: Carefully arranging all the food/ingredients in your house only to come back and find them sprawled about like someone had trashed the place.
- Even though I seemed to be carrying hundreds of potions, I only really used the healing potions.
- Hearing “Silt Sunrise” for the first time in-game.
- So many draugr, ugh.
And finally, there was no shortage of gore, so I saved a few gruesome images:
I still need to finish my series of Morrowind caps, but I have two Lolita-related posts coming up! Check back for a photo shoot and some snaps of this year’s (wet and dismal) Rococo Picnic.
In anticipation of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, I had originally planned to run through Morrowind and Oblivion for old time’s sake, and perhaps document each journey with musings and screenshots. The release date has crept up quite quickly and I picked up a Skyrim collector’s edition today (while Adam’s cousin got the very limited edition and was promptly offered $600 from a total stranger for it), but until we can officially install the game I’m whiling away the time on both Minecraft (future post will definitely include screenshots of all our ridiculous building projects) and by redesigning a good friend’s website. With only a few minutes to go there is just time to start the Elder Scrolls nostalgia, though so far I’ve only managed to get about halfway through Morrowind!
The mod I am using is the Morrowind Overhaul which includes much higher quality textures, models, skins, lighting, shading, water, and much more. It doesn’t really change the original gameplay so for people like me, who like “vanilla” Morrowind, it’s perfect because it just makes everything so much more vibrant and the NPCs a lot less ugly.
AH! Oh, it's just a dark elf. His name's Jiub and he wakes me to tell me I slept very heavily on the boat journey. I tell him my name and get off the boat.
To get out I need to give my details to an agent named Socucius. I tell him I'm an "Adventurer", though the first thing I do once out of the room is pilfer everything in sight. This handsome man (a new NPC) gives me my release papers.
Sellus Gravius. This beefy man in uniform has officially allowed me to head beyond the docks into Seyda Neen, a town right in the middle of a swamp. He also gives me a package that I'm to deliver to a man called Caius Cosades in the town of Balmora.
Fargoth the stupid Bosmer asks if I've seen his ring. I might as well give it to him, because I'm going to steal it back later anyway.
Arrille's Tradehouse, a good place to get a weapon and learn a few customs from the locals.
Swamp Flora: Coda Flowers, Draggle Tails, and Violet Coprinus
Hmm... there appears to be a body up ahead!
Before I ransacked his corpse, the fellow was dressed quite well and carried a sack of gold. Perhaps I'd better notify the authorities.
"AHHHHHHHHH!"
A man just fell from the sky! Oh dear.
His body is broken, the life smashed out of him upon impact. His nice robes (my new outfit...) and journal have survived the fall.
Tarhiel's journal reads, "We'll see who laughs after I leap to the top of their towers and scream out my success." Hmm.
Seyda Neen and the night sky. A good time to set out to Balmora.
This enormous flea-like arthropod could get me to Balmora quite quickly but I decide to take the slow way and investigate nearby caves!
My first encounter with Khajiit slaves. I may be a thief, but I don't hold with slavery, and quickly free them from their magical bracers.
I head past the Foyada Mamaea, fending off a few hostile rats and Kwama foragers.
Fort Moonmoth
Balmora on a rainy night. Now I just need to get to Caius's house.
This important figure, who prefers to remain shirtless, initiates me into an order called the Blades. The members of this intelligence agency goes around spying and collecting information for the Empire.
On closer inspection, Caius seems to have a bit of a Skooma habit. I become curious and realise the potential of the white grains I stored in my pack from the earlier cave trip. Moon Sugar and Skooma, however, are illegal substances and I need to be careful about being seen with them.
Creeper, a "tame" Scamp who sells alcohol and whose inventory refreshes with 5000 gold every day. I visit him regularly to offload weapons and armour I have no use for.
Nelos, a lovable rogue who wins the heart of a lady after stealing her glove. I help to reunite the two.
The city of Vivec, Foreign Quarter.
Gosh, what sort of place could this be! Suran is an interesting little town.
Oh. I see. I might stop here for a drink.
After a few, I decide to approach one of the dancers...
Poor Rabinna! I escorted this slave safely away to the Argonian Mission.
Ald'Ruhn, a fascinating town but subject to ash storms.
The Manor District in Ald'Ruhn, which is actually the hollowed-out shell of an enormous crab named Skar.
I visit these mansions frequently for quests.
At this point a councilor for House Hlaalu I am sent to see asks me to do something. He will not sponsor me unless I do this.
"Uncle Crassius" gets his wish.
My personal library in the house I am currently squatting in.
Here ends the first part of my reminiscence upon this particular adventure on the isle of Vvardenfell. Later on you’ll see me visit the temple city of Mournhold, traverse the wild and snowy island of Solstheim, and then become a hero and make history!
At last, both a post and a fresh look for this little journal. I think it still needs a bit of work but I’m quite pleased with this layout, though all the graphic elements came from www.scrapbookgraphics.com. I feel vain sticking myself in the middle but it made more sense than to feature someone else. The picture is by Juliette, my lovely friend. Comments here have been totally disabled for a while because I’m getting an onslaught of dozens of spam comments every day!
I haven’t felt like doing anything for a few weeks because I’ve been in so much pain and discomfort, having sores and rashes from head to toe! With lots of open, cracked skin and a low immune system my body decided to get a staph infection too, which was gross. Eczema has really been ruining my life. I haven’t found much relief in any one thing, and the most difficult part has been trying to break the nighttime itch/scratch cycle and habit. We must’ve spent about $700 on the doctors, the useless medication they prescribe, and other products to moisturise/bandage me up in! I am tired of the rigmarole of appointments and getting hopes up for nothing, and know that a real healing is more likely to come from good skincare habits, a detox, and a turnaround of diet and supplements. Things have let up a bit today though, so I fixed up this layout, practised lots of scales, went for a brisk and warming walk, and am going to end the day with a bit of Icewind Dale multiplayer and read Chamber of Secrets to Adam!
Some updates on my recent work:
Circa Nocturna
CN contacted me a few weeks ago to redesign their site again and I eagerly accepted the challenge! I put together a simple template using a graphic and colour scheme that matched this year’s poster. The site is powered with WordPress so that staff can add or change content as they please – some of the content reflects this! I think overall it’s an effective site, but given more time and resources, the site could’ve benefited from an image slideshow on the front page (showcasing stand-out designs from previous years), and from a news feed.
This template option is a great package for individuals or small ventures who need a simple site, a tailor-made design, and a small number of pages (which might include news articles or blogroll, galleries, contact forms, or other info. pages).
Fist To Keyboard
My client wanted a small blog for posting game reviews, news and other gaming “nonsense” to. This blog is powered by WordPress and could support multiple users and much more if needed. The website has a small Google AdSense placement designed to advertise related services or products. If the website generates a lot of traffic the owner may make a good profit from a few advertisements. I don’t recommend plastering your website with ads because, well, it looks disgusting and is often a security risk. The integrity of a website shouldn’t be spoiled by featuring too many ads, or ads that link to anything scam-like — does anyone even click those flashing “Congratulations, you are our 1 millionth visitor!” eyesores?!
Alex Welch Guitars
Here my good friend needed a simple website for his guitar-making and repair business. He is slowly organising and adding his content. The website uses Joomla! as its content management system and can be updated by the client whenever needed. The design places the focus on the guitars and makes information easy to get with no more than two clicks.
NextG LED business cards
My client needed some business cards printed on the fly, along with a website and email address. We agreed on a curved and “glowing” design on glossy cards which were received about 10 days after placing an online order. The website is in progress!
- There is no way I could miss Cecilia Bartoli coming to my own city in a few weeks. There are hardly any tickets left now so BOOK NOW if you want to see her (I only bought one ticket – even the C-reserve seating is very expensive and there are no pensioner discounts). Though Bartoli isn’t to everyone’s taste, especially after concentrating less on the lieder for coloratura (where some of her beautiful sound is often sacrificed with the speed of those passages), this absolute diva and “force of nature” certainly won my heart. She’s never toured in Australia (and who knows if she will again), so for me this will be a night to remember.
- Today was quite busy with the first piano lesson of the year and many other errands, but once home I enjoyed more of Attenborough’s Life, and got on with more picnic planning. Funds will need to be managed carefully for me to arrange it well, and also to get to Hubwarts! Yes, Melbourne’s getting it’s very own Harry Potter convention soon! Only James and Oliver Phelps have been announced as guests so far, so I’m hanging out for more info. and will probably only get a day ticket this time, after being rather unimpressed with what a $450 ticket covered at a previous Hub convention. Staff were pretty good, though, and they manage the privacy issues (and potential for fangirl craziness) rather well.
- I’m enjoying Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies for the DS of late – it’s a role-playing adventure, the latest in the series, and at first looks the same as a lot of other Japanese games, but the story is absorbing and the graphics make good use of the console. I’d been getting my cute on with Cooking Mama 3 but this game quickly distracted me from it.
Good night!
Sister Blog
Juliette at Classical Doll