Hearthfire Discussion

[Imperfect Three]

I'd quite like a house dlc if it was done right, however it makes little sense on PC due to mods.

The difference between this and a mod is that the DLC is official so it will be done professionally. It will be a much more polished and finished project that won't be randomly dropped by it's creator.

Just because a mod (yes, a DLC is a mod) is official doesn't mean it's better in any way. A game developer is under time constraints and is given less opportunity to fine-tune his work, whereas a modder has all the time in the world to do just that. If a modder drops a project, he/she is most likely bored with it and wants to do something else with their free time. On the other hand, the developer might be more experienced than the modder which in turn might lead to a better end result. Also, player homes are one of the easiest kind of mods you can make. So, a "customizable player home-DLC" would be a complete waste, since you can already build your own home with the Construction Set without having to learn too much. That's about as customizable as it gets.

There will probably be new things available to be used for the houses in this DLC as well and proper voice acting for any NPC's involved. If Bethesda has some cool and unique ideas, items, furniture, quests (Like in Morrowind for setting your stronghold up) and capabilities those would be added to the construction set for better modding as well. Plus there's also the fact that a large majority of Skyrim players have it for a console instead of a PC. I'm pretty sure this DLC is meant to cater to the console users or people who are unable to use mods anyways.

[SajuukKhar]

Apparently Hearthfire's XBL marketplace slot pic was leaked
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/615803-t ... m/63796681

Spoiler:

[Hissien]

:/Why should we pay for something the pc crowd gets for free? {I dont mind living without the feature but charging us for it is out of the question. And im going to show support for that by buying the DLC anyway :/.

[OblivionDuruza]

Bethesda did say some of their DLC would be smaller than Dawnguard, but Todd Howard specifically mentioned in a recent interview that they learned their lesson with previous games and realize players don't want "house DLCs". So if there is a house, like I guessed before, it'll likely be part of a larger content package.

I definitely see no reason not to agree with you on that postulation. Bethesda is fairly in-tune to what their fans are saying, they demonstrated that in the development of Oblivion and Skyrim as responses to the games that preceded them.

I've been operating under the assumption that we were gonna get 4 "good-sized" DLCs ever since the game was still in development. I believe that is what Todd said they were going to do.

Even if Bethesda released one or more smaller DLC items, doesn't mean they wont stay true to their promise of more substantial DLC content across the board.

[Hissien]

Well they might just finish out the game jam stuff that they had shown us before.

[Imperfect Three]

I'm just happy this is true. The houses in the main cities are just so bland, and now you basically have the construction kit (for houses) on consoles. I'm pretty sure Bethesda would have released this as a free DLC if they didn't have to deal with Microsoft and their 30-day exclusive stuff. I'm just hoping that it won't cost 1600 and that it is a smaller DLC. I have $40 ready for it regardless damn Canadian 1400 point cards...

[Dohva.]

Well they might just finish out the game jam stuff that they had shown us before.

This....would be a dream come true.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

Is that second pic meant to be the pic? The ashen mountain range? Looks like Morrowind to me.

[drumgodrob]

There's rumors going round that Hearthfire is a zombie related DLC. I reeeeeeeally hope not. Getting sick of seeing zombies in so many games recently. Why don't they make something fairly unique instead of jumping on the bandwagon? Vampires and werewolves, and now zombies - lack of originality. Granted, it may not be based on this as they're just rumors. But, assuming it is true, i'm fast losing faith in Bethesda.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

There's rumors going round that Hearthfire is a zombie related DLC. I reeeeeeeally hope not. Getting sick of seeing zombies in so many games recently. Why don't they make something fairly unique instead of jumping on the bandwagon? Vampires and werewolves, and now zombies - lack of originality. Granted, it may not be based on this as they're just rumors. But, assuming it is true, i'm fast losing faith in Bethesda.

^Except Dawnguard wasn't just a generic vampires vs. werewolves DLC. The plot turned out to be about Elder Scrolls and Snow Elves, which is something uniquely TES. Why do we have to insult Bethesda with reductionist arguments? Their DLC is usually top notch. Both Morrowind expansions were, as well as two of the DLC for Oblivion and pretty much all of the Fallout 3 ones. It's usually quality content.

[p-sto]

Actually a zombie dlc would give Skyrim a pretty consistent theme. First dragons raised from the dead. Then vampires and next zombies. I wonder how far they could push the undead theme if that is their intention.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

Actually a zombie dlc would give Skyrim a pretty consistent theme. First dragons raised from the dead. Then vampires and next zombies. I wonder how far they could push the undead theme if that is their intention.

I think it's more like a "threat of the apocalypse" theme. Both Alduin and Harkon were a threat to Tamriel as we know it, just in different ways. A zombie outbreak would be much the same. I don't think the "back from the dead" thing really applies to Dawnguard overall. The Volkihar vampires were never dead, just in hiding. Durnehviir would be a good example, I suppose, and the uncorrupted Snow Elves.

[p-sto]

I disagree you were saving the world from Dagoth Ur in Morrowind and while there were tombs and undead and the theme of reincarnation, the theme of death and the afterlife in my opinion is much stronger Skyrim which takes you to two different versions of the afterlife as major plot points.

[Stormborn]

If the next DLC revolves around Zombies I will send Todd Howard my copy of Skyrim and tell him where he can stick it.

[p-sto]

Well if they did it right at least it would give new life to the zounds of dead npcs killed in vampire raids.

[SpikeSpeigel]

They should not think of touching zombies! Enough already with the appealling to the mainstream audiences Bethy!

Anyways, for zombie games to work well there has to be a mechanic of surprise and fear within the game mechanic. ES games dont really possess this. NOTHING really jumps out at you and attacks. You see your enemy 50 ft away at least 80% of the time.

The raised zombies currently in Skyrim arent noteworthy at all except for the cool groanining sound they make.

To Bethy: Let's keep it strictly Elder Scrolls!

[Alnevar Odai]

They should not think of touching zombies! Enough already with the appealling to the mainstream audiences Bethy!

Anyways, for zombie games to work well there has to be a mechanic of surprise and fear within the game mechanic. ES games dont really possess this. NOTHING really jumps out at you and attacks. You see your enemy 50 ft away at least 80% of the time.

The raised zombies currently in Skyrim arent noteworthy at all except for the cool groanining sound they make.

To Bethy: Let's keep it strictly Elder Scrolls!

Dawnguard was zombies...

From bonemen, mistmen, reaper, ..etc to...

Spoiler:

a green zombie dragon with rotting flesh and flies jumping out of him

[Hissien]

They should not think of touching zombies! Enough already with the appealling to the mainstream audiences Bethy!

Anyways, for zombie games to work well there has to be a mechanic of surprise and fear within the game mechanic. ES games dont really possess this. NOTHING really jumps out at you and attacks. You see your enemy 50 ft away at least 80% of the time.

The raised zombies currently in Skyrim arent noteworthy at all except for the cool groanining sound they make.

To Bethy: Let's keep it strictly Elder Scrolls!

Dawnguard was zombies...

From bonemen, mistmen, reaper, ..etc to...

Spoiler:

a green zombie dragon with rotting flesh and flies jumping out of him

Wait...... Bonemen..... It didnt mean... oh well that explains where i got astral vapors from....... e.o

[Imperfect Three]

I'm just going to ignore all the new rumors and stick with the original idea, it's a house-building DLC as far as I'm concerned. Bethesda's add-ons almost never have anything to do with each-other. Vampire and zombie themes are way too close together for them to do both separately. i hope that leaked marketplace picture means it's close to being released. Although that'll make me have to decide between Sleeping Dogs and Hearthfire.

[Talthios]

Isn't there something mentioned about a hearthfire in the candlehearth inn in windhelm,you know about the candle that's been burning for over 150 years or something?

[Pilaf The Defiler]

I'm just going to ignore all the new rumors and stick with the original idea, it's a house-building DLC as far as I'm concerned. Bethesda's add-ons almost never have anything to do with each-other. Vampire and zombie themes are way too close together for them to do both separately. i hope that leaked marketplace picture means it's close to being released. Although that'll make me have to decide between Sleeping Dogs and Hearthfire.

I beg to differ.

The common theme among Morrowind's major DLC was defeating immortal beings and denying their power over mortals. This was true in both Bloodmoon and Tribunal, and even that minor expansion that involved defeating a Lich king on an island.

Oblivion's major expansions both involved Daedra, and defeating ancient cults. (Umaril and his daedric servants, and Jyggalag and his Knights and Priests.)

There definitely seems to be a pattern or theme involved there.

[SajuukKhar]

There definitely seems to be a pattern or theme involved there.

Skyrim's seems to be defeating SUPER ANCIENT evils.

Both Alduin and Harkon are over 4,000 years old. They are pretty much the oldest badguys ever in the series.

Dagoth was up there also.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

There definitely seems to be a pattern or theme involved there.

Skyrim's seems to be defeating SUPER ANCIENT evils.

Both Alduin and Harkon are over 4,000 years old.

They are pretty much the oldest badguys ever in the series.

We don't know for a fact Harkon is actually that old. The evidence for that is Serana's questioning about an Empire in Cyrodill, isn't it? There have been multiple lengthy periods of time that the Empire has not existed over the last 4000 years. The most recent one was less than 1000 years before Skyrim.

Also, I'm pretty sure Umaril was at least 4000 years old, considering his father was from a previous Kalpa.

[merry]

But even if you're from a period where there's no empire in Cyrodiil, you'd know that there at least was one and it is trying to recover or whatever. Even in the time before Reman came, people knew that there was an empire in Cyrodiil. Serana is absolutely dumbfounded at the sheer thought, when she hears about it.
And the way she talks about Windhelm, when she's there... 'Ysgramor's city'. I thought that spoke for itself too.

[Hissien]

There definitely seems to be a pattern or theme involved there.

Skyrim's seems to be defeating SUPER ANCIENT evils.

Both Alduin and Harkon are over 4,000 years old.

They are pretty much the oldest badguys ever in the series.

We don't know for a fact Harkon is actually that old. The evidence for that is Serana's questioning about an Empire in Cyrodill, isn't it? There have been multiple lengthy periods of time that the Empire has not existed over the last 4000 years. The most recent one was less than 1000 years before Skyrim.

Also, I'm pretty sure Umaril was at least 4000 years old, considering his father was from a previous Kalpa.

Actually she also questions why the dwemer would let their cities fall into disrepair. "Is.... Is that a Dwemer city? Why would they let it fall into disrepair?"