The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim did a lot for the series of which it belongs. I’d even argue that it actually propelled said franchise into the mainstream, with everything beforehand (although beloved by a large portion of the gaming community) lurking just out of sight.
I think it did this not only because it looked great upon release, but because it was a simpler, more streamlined The Elder Scrolls experience. It was made with modern players in mind — gamers who wanted an easy-to-digest game, which could be picked up and played whenever. However, that simplification process stripped away plenty of interesting features — ones that I would like to see make a return.
Haggling
If you’re like me, then you’re a little loot goblin in open-world RPGs: you spy and snatch up every sparkly treasure you come across. You never plan to use any of it, mind, for one reason or another. No, you intend to sell it and make bank (because even in outlandish fantasy realms, money remains the most important thing)!
Now, wouldn’t it be good if you could talk the land’s many shopkeepers into handing over a little more of their gold for said treasure?. Well, in pre-Skyrim entries, you could. Even the most uncharismatic heroes were able to do so, and it made the world feel that bit more alive. Not to mention, it made dungeon delving a more lucrative endeavour.
Dangerous Camping
In Skyrim, provided the immediate area is enemy-free, one can camp down anywhere without repercussions. However, in past games, you had a chance of being disturbed by various baddies if you tried to Rest outside of towns.
I think this tiny detail should be reinstated as a way to enhance the realism of the world. Remember: you are not the only sparkly-seeking magpie running around Tamriel, and many of its denizens see you as either food or someone to rob.
Manoeuvrability
This is an easy one: bring back the Athletics, Acrobatics, and Climbing skills! For reasons unbeknownst to us all, Skyrim omitted these handy movement abilities, which otherwise allowed players to traverse the environment in alternative ways.
Practical skills like these can really add a lot to the gameplay and roleplay, and I see no reason why they shouldn’t make a grand comeback. I want to once again hop, skip, and jump across the map to near Godlike proportions, Bethesda; is that too much to ask?
Damage Immunities
In some ways, I can see why Skyrim scrapped the ability to negate damage from certain sources. Doing so keeps the gameplay ticking along, and it keeps players from getting trapped between a rock and a hard place when certain enemy types surprise them. Really, it’s the modern hand-holdy approach to videogame design we’ve all come to expect.
However, giving both players and enemies invulnerability to certain things (race/creature dependent) would help to deepen the gameplay. Nords, at one time, were immune to frost damage, and ghosts could only be hurt by silver weapons, to name but a couple of examples. I’d like to see these sorts of things return, which would in turn force a more measured approach by players, moment to moment.
Weapon Degradation
Woah, woah, woah. Hold your horses, now, and listen… I like weapon degradation, okay (although, at this point, I am convinced that I share that sentiment with absolutely no one).
I believe that it only adds to games of this ilk — open-world, exploration-focused affairs that require some level of preparation from the player. I like having to keep my gear in working order before setting foot outside of the safety of a township, and I enjoy having to fix it up out in the field in between scuffles with the land’s beasts and bandits.
Yes, it’s good, and I want it back.
All The Magic
Skyrim’s approach to magic is, shall we say, lacklustre. Mysticism is gone, and what spells were lucky enough to survive the cutting room floor have been juggled around to account for it. It may not be the all-time worst, but it’s really not what I would call good either.
Ultimately, we need to go back to better times, when magic could be cast whilst a weapon was equipped, when the roster of available spells was much larger, and when spells could be crafted.
Conclusion
And there we have it, the six mechanics that absolutely, positively need to make a comeback in The Elder Scrolls VI. Are there any mechanics that you’d like to see make a return? If so, pop ‘em down in the comments.