Game Inspiration: Skyrim
How many times have you patiently waited for the interminably long introduction to Skyrim to end and finally hand over the reigns so you can create your character and get your adventure underway? I’ve lost count, but not because I’ve beaten the game so many times; I’m only on my third playthrough. So why then? It is because I sometimes find that after about ten hours my character has stalled and I feel a strong impulse to start over. So why does this happen and what can be done to avoid it? Having gone through this trial and error so many times in Skyrim (and Fallout, Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, etc.), I have some advice for everyone who has ever found themselves in the same situation.
One of the joys of these games is that they are so freeing, and my first two playthroughs always go smoothly. In my first playthrough, I play as Mr. Fix-It, taking care of everyone’s problems, no matter how big or small, in the most honorable way possible. My second playthrough, I make every opposite choice, causing as much pain in the game world as possible. These mirrored opposite playthroughs don’t require much thought into how my character is motivated to interact with the game world. They are fables, one wholly good, the other evil. It usually isn’t until my third playthrough, when I already know not only the game mechanics, but most of the consequences of the choices I can make, that I start to create interesting, three-dimensional characters.
Skyrim’s greatest asset is the incredible amount of freedom it offers the player in both it’s gameplay and your interaction with the game world (for more on these two concepts please read my previous post on freedom in gameplay vs. freedom in a game world). However, this freedom can also be one of the greatest stumbling blocks to character creation. Let me preface by saying that in my third and subsequent playthroughs, I not longer enjoy playing simple character tropes. If I did, I probably wouldn’t run into any of the problems I will mention. I feel compelled to create a fleshed out character, one with a backstory, motivations, skill set, etc.
So why does this level of freedom sometimes cause me to stall and eventually restart a playthrough? I sometimes forget to consider how a playthrough I am crafting will work regarding not only the gameplay but the game world as well. Though you could spend all your time in Skyrim mining ore and hunting animals, smithing items with these ingredients so you can earn enough money to build and decorate a house, my guess is that most if not all players want to explore a Draugr barrow, solve a Dwemer puzzle, or kill a few dragons. All games have expectations of the player and I tend to enjoy games the most when I understand and work within those expectations rather than fight against them. In the case of Skyrim, it wants you to explore the environment and interact with characters and tasks. So the main question I have to ask is, “How will who I am planning to be affect what the game is expecting me to do?”
When I don’t take enough time to consider this, I run into problems. Usually I create a character who is too niche. My most recent flop was playing as a Thalmor secret agent mage in Skyrim. These Elven supremacists desire to end the empire, outlaw the worship of Talos, and see all other races as beneath them. Being a mage was no problem of course, but being a Thalmor quickly became impossible. I refused to help anyone, the game didn’t give me the dialogue options I needed to show my disdain for people, and my obsession with secretly killing anyone who worshipped Talos or disrespected me/elven kind quickly became laborious. Also, the game does not allow you to join the Thalmor as a faction (an odd choice considering you can be a werewolf, vampire, Imperial, Stormcloak, Forsworn, etc.) and so the Thalmor will always treat you with disdain. I abandoned the character after about 10 hours.
The answer I have found is to paint with broad strokes first that work within the game’s expectations and then supply interesting additional details later. These are the questions I ask myself when creating a new character (in this order)
1. What kind of gameplay will I choose (weapon type, use of stealth, use of diplomacy, etc.)?
2. What is my reason to explore the game world (joy of battle, make money, collect things, etc.)?
3. What kinds of “quests” will I take or ignore (require a show of physical prowess, or help/hurt a particular gender/race/faction/class, or could involve stealing/stealth, etc.)?
4. How does my character feel towards violence (abhors it, find its necessary sometimes, cold-blooded murderer)?
5. How does my character’s race, gender, personality affect how they interact with other races/genders/personalities (racist, sexist, problem with authority, etc.)?
6. What other specific details/backstory could affect how my character interacts with the game world (fear of insects, hatred of “abominations,” aversion to water, etc.)?
This system has helped me feel like each playthrough of these great games is unique and memorable. It certainly isn’t prescriptive and for every area where I’ve encountered frustration I’m sure others have made it work. That discrepancy is it’s own testament to just how much freedom these games offer and that is what makes them great. What works for you when you create a new character? Let me know in the comments if you have any good ideas.
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