Skyrim Is Getting Kinect Support, Dragon Shouts Included

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Skyrim Is Getting Kinect Support, Dragon Shouts Included

Posted by Soulskill on Friday April 13, 2012 @07:32AM from the now-when-you-swear-at-lydia-she-can-hear-you dept.

jjp9999 writes "Bethesda announced they're bringing Kinect support to Skyrim. It doesn't sound like this will include motion detection. Rather, it will be around voice commands — tons of voice commands. It supports dragon shouts, trading, navigation, switching weapons, and a whole lot of other features that usually require you to assign hotkeys or to sort through menus. They also gave a brief hint at new content, stating they've 'been hard at work on creating the first set of game add-ons that will be exclusive to the Xbox 360. This additional content will add new quests, locations, features, and much more to the world of Skyrim.'"

95 comments

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Fix bugs first by kwark · 2012-04-13 07:34 · Score: 3, Insightful

Instead of adding new stuff, please fix the bugs first.
1. Re:Fix bugs first by Forty+Two+Tenfold · 2012-04-13 07:45 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  They were gonna, but then they took an arrow to the knee...
  
  --
  Upward mobility is a slippery slope - the higher you climb the more you show your ass.
2. Re:Fix bugs first by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 07:49 · Score: 1
  
  It isn't that buggy for me. At least in the PC platform. And, definitely no game breaking bugs.
3. Re:Fix bugs first by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 08:04 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Christ don't be such a fucking wet blanket. The capacity of some people to bitch when a cool game company adds really cool new features post launch FOR FREE is fucking astounding.
  Elder scrolls games are going to have bugs. Lots of them. The size and the scope of the project makes this inevitable. The trick is to kill the real nasty showstoppers and IMO they did a great job with Skyrim. No, more importantly the goal is to make sure the game is FUN.
  Ex - Giants launching you in to the sky. Is it a bug? Yes! Is it fun? Oh fuck yes it is! It's a fucking riot! It went viral before the game's official launch and probably did more to sell the game than most features they spent a lot of time and money actually developing! It's not worth fixing, and it really doesn't do much to the gameplay. Why? Because its a bug in the execution animation. You'd never see a launch if you weren't going to end up dead anyway.
  Another example would be the buckets over the head of shop keepers. Hilarious and unintended, but an amazing advertisement of the game's capabilities. It showed the game had extremely fine grained collision detection and a physics model that respected it. It also showed how the NPCs had real vision based what they could actually "see".
  So take your bug fixes and stuff it. Furthermore, if you purchased the game on the "right" platform (PC) you'd know that elder scrolls games have a life years beyond their launch date due to excelent community created content.
4. Re:Fix bugs first by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 08:13 · Score: 0
  
  more like to the 'give a s#!7er'
5. Re:Fix bugs first by danbuter · 2012-04-13 08:23 · Score: 1
  
  You aren't kidding. Luckily, there already a mod that is aimed squarely at fixing bugs (The Unofficial Skyrim Patch). Of course, it's only good for PC players. XBox and PS3 are kind of stuck. http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=19 for the Patch.
6. Re:Fix bugs first by vic.tz · 2012-04-13 08:31 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I've heard this line before, and it makes a lot of sense as a player. But as a developer, I know that I have a LOT more fun working on new content and features than hunting down and fixing bugs. When I'm working on new content, it's more fun, my progress feels more traceable, I feel more productive, and the result is a new shiny feature. Conversely, when I'm hunting down bugs, it can be tedious, aggravating work, and even when I fix the bug, all of my headaches can be attributed to some stupid error or design flaw made many, many months ago. Essentially, it's easier and more rewarding for me to add features vs fix bugs.
  I know this sounds superficial and/or unprofessional, but it no doubt affects how I work. Granted, the projects I work on are much smaller than Skyrim, so it's hard to compare to the mindset of a multimillion dollar project.
7. Re:Fix bugs first by medv4380 · 2012-04-13 08:40 · Score: 0
  
  They haven't fixed the game breaking bugs yet? From a programming perspective some of them were funny. Really how do you miss "7 active dragons half a world a way"
8. Re:Fix bugs first by beelsebob · 2012-04-13 08:41 · Score: 1
  
  I 100% agree with your sentiments about people and bitching about games companies. It's unbelievable how commonly games companies get slagged off for putting significant effort into additional functionality, fixes, and everything else surrounding improving a game, as you say, often, for free.
  I do however have to point out one minor point re Skyrim; They certainly did not do a good job of removing the show stoppers. At least on the PS3, the game was simply impossible to play to completion for a good 3-4 months after launch, due to increasing RAM usage as you progressed through the game, leading to the game crashing about every 5 minutes due to out of memory once you were about 60% through.
  But again – you're right, it's abhorent how much the internet whines about games companies doing genuinely good things.
  p.s. I never realised giants launching you into the sky was a bug... I genuinely thought that was a feature until right now.
9. Re:Fix bugs first by kwark · 2012-04-13 08:48 · Score: 2
  
  I'm more concerned about being stuck with stuff I can't drop (at last there was a bugfix to make these weigh 0), stuff that doesn't trigger the necessary quest triggers to continue, unobtainable trophies due to missing triggers. But as you can read I didn't buy the blessed version of the game.
  -Arena, didn't enjoy it, wasn't into the genre back then.
  -Daggerfall was even more buggy than Skyrim, lost interest.
  -Morrowind (xbox) was playable. Only troubles I experience were near Vicec and during flied.
  -Oblivion (ps3), can't remember problems, not special in anyway.
  -Fallout 3 (ps3) was enjoyable, minor bugs but only because I waited till the end of the release cycle (buying the game of the year edition).
  -Fallout N.V. (ps3) lots of fun, waited 1 year after release before buying but still some reproducable bugs in main quest lines (reset/reload and pray the quest will not crash next time).
  -Skyrim (ps3), couldn't resist buying it a couple of weeks after release, less buggy then I feared. Looks incredible and overal gameplay is great. It's frustrating having to resort to wikis like http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/ to circumvent bugs.
10. Re:Fix bugs first by SuricouRaven · 2012-04-13 08:52 · Score: 1
  
  I've only found one. In the temple of Meridia. Before you do the end-of-dungeon fight, tell your companion to wait outside the doors to the arena. Otherwise they get sealed inside, forever.
11. Re:Fix bugs first by SuricouRaven · 2012-04-13 08:54 · Score: 1
  
  Oh, and reforging the gorothingie amulet. There's a gap in the invisible wall in front of the ghost-observers, and a well-placed shout from Boss Number Two can launch you over it and into an area from which there is no escape. Both of those were solved by just using a slightly old save, though. Not gamebreakers.
12. Re:Fix bugs first by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 08:57 · Score: 0
  
  Also, this doesn't really seem like Kinect support. This seems like microphone support. Pretty platform independent last I checked.
13. Re:Fix bugs first by bodangly · 2012-04-13 08:59 · Score: 0
  
  Instead of adding new stuff, please fix the bugs first.
  So true. I may be in the minority but I found Skyrim to be near unplayable from all the bugs. It really gets old having to reload the game every time my NPC randomly disappears.
14. Re:Fix bugs first by ewanm89 · 2012-04-13 09:15 · Score: 1
  
  This is Bethesda, the bugs are part of the Bethesda experience.
15. Re:Fix bugs first by lymond01 · 2012-04-13 09:21 · Score: 2
  
  I played all the way through Skyrim on the PC -- dragon quest, companions quest, dark brotherhood, civil war, etc etc. Not one bug. Never crashed, never ran into anything strange.
  You, my friend, seem to hunt for problems. Instead of telling everyone AFTER the game is released, you'd probably make a great beta tester. And yes, even though this is the internet, I'm serious.
16. Re:Fix bugs first by HybridST · 2012-04-13 09:24 · Score: 0
  
  I have run my personal audio studio for a while now. I compose, perform, track, stem & mix. Sometimes the steps vary but this is generally it. I outsource the mastering, pressing and marketing to maintain a fresh perspective as well as the ear of a specialist in the field. Perhaps outsourcing really is the key.
  
  --
  Ever notice that Cobra Commander sounds an awful lot like Star scream?
17. Re:Fix bugs first by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 10:40 · Score: 0
  
  Correct. And from a project management perspective, it doesn't necessarily give you any wins to tell your entire development team, "OK, time to focus on bugs guys!" and send them off until your bug count is zero. It's likely more productive and efficient to have some subset of your development team focused on bug bashing (or even, potentially, a vendor team) while others focus on doing feature work. It's how the business operates.
18. Re:Fix bugs first by Alex+Belits · 2012-04-13 10:48 · Score: 1
  
  Outsourcing bug fixing from the developers who wrote the code? Do you realize how stupid is that, considering that "debugging is twice as hard as writing a program in the first place" (B. Kernighan), and the only reason why it sometimes succeeds, is that developer recognizes his thought process that produced the bug?
  Please, kill all your friends, then yourself.
  
  --
  Contrary to the popular belief, there indeed is no God.
19. Re:Fix bugs first by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 13:12 · Score: 0
  
  I used to be a programmer like you...
20. Re:Fix bugs first by bertok · 2012-04-13 13:16 · Score: 1
  
  Sure, programmers are only human, and I know exactly what you're talking about.
  I do the same thing when I work on toy projects at home for fun. Who cares if it leaks a bit of memory or doesn't sanitize inputs, I want to have fun!
  On the other hand, at work, I usually self-impose a "two bug maximum". If I exceed two open issues, I stop adding features until the bugs are fixed. It's the only way to stop bugs accumulating or even becoming "features" that can't be easily found or removed. Pretty soon you are forced to become a "defensive coder" because it's the only way to make forward progress. It's much like being a good defensive driver is not just about reacting to accidents better, it's about avoiding risky situations in the first place. You learn the value of safe patterns like "auto_ptr" and its brethren just like you learn to keep a safe following distance on the road.
  It's obvious that the Skyrim developers -- or their managers -- don't have this kind of discipline, because the game was chock full of blindingly obvious and visible bugs right from the start. Really ugly issues like Z-fighting (causes flickering), animation problems, horrible problems with shadows, etc... All of this stuff is clearly visible, happens all the time, and can be fixed without too much difficulty. I assumed they'd fix the issues in a patch or something, but from what I've heard, these are all consistent problems that have stayed in the engine for several entire games now, including their support cycles! That's just atrocious...
21. Re:Fix bugs first by Kalriath · 2012-04-13 14:41 · Score: 1
  
  Did you buy all the houses? I was unable to buy the house in Windhelm for months after release because a prerequisite was another quest that simply refused to trigger. It's been fixed since though. Other than that, I've been thankful to have experienced none of the showstoppers.
  
  --
  For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
22. Re:Fix bugs first by Kalriath · 2012-04-13 14:43 · Score: 1
  
  On the 360, voice commands only work with Kinect. Also, it lets you put the purple Kinect bar on the box, and it gets even more marketing money from Microsoft.
  Unfortunately, most Kinect implementations are mere gimmicks (Star Wars anyone?)
  
  --
  For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
Oooh voice commands by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 07:35 · Score: 5, Funny

Depending on what gets voice commands, you can have a lot of fun by walking up to someone playing this with a Kinect.
"Hi Bob, looks like that giant is geting a bit close... EQUIP FEEBLE DAGGER."
1. Re:Oooh voice commands by ObsessiveMathsFreak · 2012-04-13 07:58 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Well, it can't get much worse than the existing UI in any case.
  
  --
  May the Maths Be with you!
2. Re:Oooh voice commands by StikyPad · 2012-04-13 08:29 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  From my experience of Kinect's voice recognition, it would go something like this:
  You: XBOX EQUIP FEEBLE DAGGER! XBOX EQUIP FEEBLE DAGGER! EQUIP...
  Friend: [Punch to the face.]
  You: OW!!!
  XBox: Are you sure you want to save?
  
  --
  https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
3. Re:Oooh voice commands by Kalriath · 2012-04-13 14:45 · Score: 1
  
  Slight amendment to that:
  You: XBOX EQUIP FEEBLE DAGGER! XBOX EQUIP FEEBLE DAGGER! EQUIP...
  You God-dammit CANCEL. NO, CANCEL. FUCKING CANCEL!
  Friend: [Punch to the face.]
  You: OW!!!
  XBox:
  
  --
  For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
What happens when... by getSalled · 2012-04-13 07:40 · Score: 5, Funny

... I yell "LeRoy Jenkins!" ??
1. Re:What happens when... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 07:45 · Score: -1
  
  I yelled "Leeeeroooooooy Jeeeeeeeeeeenkiiiiiins!" once, then I took an arrow in the knee
2. Re:What happens when... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 07:49 · Score: 1
  
  This is why no one likes RPG fans.
3. Re:What happens when... by jjp9999 · 2012-04-13 07:52 · Score: 2
  
  Oh, I wish I had mod points left for this. They should program it as a command that makes you swing your sword wildly while running in whatever direction you're facing.
4. Re:What happens when... by jmDev · 2012-04-13 07:53 · Score: 0
  
  This is why no one likes RPG fans.
  Actually, This is why no one likes trolls.
5. Re:What happens when... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 12:53 · Score: 0
  
  ...at least you'll have chicken?
Why not PC? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 07:44 · Score: 0

Why don't they add something similar to the PC version? If it's just for voice commands, then what is so special about Kinect? It sounds as if it's just acting as a mic input.
1. Re:Why not PC? by dmacleod808 · 2012-04-13 07:50 · Score: 1
  
  I am not sure what the big deal with this would be? You can easily get a voice input program (dragon, open source solutions etc) and bind a vocal command to a key press and roll your own. It wouldn't be expensive or difficult at all. Add a cheap USB headset, and you are done.
  
  --
  There Can Be Only One...
2. Re:Why not PC? by Lunix+Nutcase · 2012-04-13 07:51 · Score: 2
  
  Except that the kinect is what is doing the voice recognition. It's not just being used as mic input.
3. Re:Why not PC? by jmDev · 2012-04-13 07:51 · Score: 1
  
  Maybe it is on their plate. After all, there is kinect support coming to PC as well. but as far as PC goes, it's extremely easier to go through menus than it is on the console.
4. Re:Why not PC? by schitso · 2012-04-13 07:51 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  You mean like this?
  http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=5626
  
  These kinds of mods are exactly why I prefer PC gaming.
5. Re:Why not PC? by schitso · 2012-04-13 07:53 · Score: 1
  
  The problem would be using shouts. You would have to switch shouts manually, whereas this (I imagine) would allow you to just speak them.
6. Re:Why not PC? by Lunix+Nutcase · 2012-04-13 07:53 · Score: 1
  
  Because using the kinect to do all the voice recognition means they don't have to do it themselves?
7. Re:Why not PC? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 07:53 · Score: 0
  
  Wow cool idea. How do you bind "Follower Attack" to a keypress in the xbox360? Oh wait, you can't.
8. Re:Why not PC? by jjp9999 · 2012-04-13 07:54 · Score: 2
  
  There's a mod for PC that does this. One of the guys mentioned this in the comments on TechZwn - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofC3TW30fGQ&feature=player_embedded#!
9. Re:Why not PC? by Denogh · 2012-04-13 08:02 · Score: 1
  
  Damned lucky they didn't add voice commands. My flatmate would have hated me if I had spent a month sitting around the living room shouting "Fuuuus Ro DAAAAH!!!" every few minutes.
10. Re:Why not PC? by dmacleod808 · 2012-04-13 08:06 · Score: 1
  
  Blocked at work, can you post a description?
  
  --
  There Can Be Only One...
11. Re:Why not PC? by hldn · 2012-04-13 08:10 · Score: 1
  
  it's called thuumic, it has some similar features for PC.
  
  --
  http://www.accountkiller.com/removal-requested
12. Re:Why not PC? by sunking2 · 2012-04-13 08:33 · Score: 1
  
  One reason is they don't have to deal with 5 billion calls a day as to why some obscure $1 microphone doesn't behave the way they intend. The kinect does do a better than average job trying to compensate for things and is a good baseline. Just letting anyone try and hook up their crappy 10 year old mic and hoping it works would be a potential support nightmare.
13. Re:Why not PC? by afidel · 2012-04-13 08:47 · Score: 1
  
  You are aware that there is a Kinect for PC, right? They could just state that they will only support that and use the exact same libraries they are using on the XBOX.
  
  --
  There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
14. Re:Why not PC? by Githaron · 2012-04-13 09:01 · Score: 1
  
  Except that the kinect is what is doing the voice recognition. It's not just being used as mic input.
  So? They created a PC version of the Kinect. I don't see any reason for them to make content exclusive to a specific system. Besides, I am sure they could just process the mic input themselves instead of having the Kinect do it.
15. Re:Why not PC? by Your.Master · 2012-04-13 09:10 · Score: 1
  
  That's a fair point. I imagine it's mostly a matter of Kinect for Windows not having nearly the install base as Kinect of XBox, so they don't want to spend even the marginal extra effort to support it.
16. Re:Why not PC? by HarrySquatter · 2012-04-13 09:30 · Score: 1
  
  They were paid to do so. Just like anyone does platform exclusive things.
17. Re:Why not PC? by Kalriath · 2012-04-13 14:47 · Score: 1
  
  Kinect for Windows isn't intended for games, which is part of the reason it's twice the price. It's actually meant for practical applications (natural UI, etc).
  
  --
  For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
18. Re:Why not PC? by Githaron · 2012-04-13 14:51 · Score: 1
  
  Why can't it be used in games as well as practical applications.?
19. Re:Why not PC? by Kalriath · 2012-04-13 14:54 · Score: 1
  
  Actually no. The Xbox 360's Kinect drivers will not work on Windows, and the code is very likely not cross-compilable. Also, Kinect for Windows is not meant for gaming, it's for actual practical applications. It even says it in the product description. It also says "this is not a consumer product" and "this is a Kinect development product for Windows, intended for commercial clients and developers". There is no way Microsoft would permit Kinect to be integrated into a game as an advertised feature.
  
  --
  For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
20. Re:Why not PC? by Kalriath · 2012-04-15 00:21 · Score: 1
  
  Because Microsoft explicitly forbids it. Says it pretty plainly in the product description everywhere that sells it. So you can be sure there's no way Microsoft will tolerate a Triple-A studio like Bethesda including support in a Windows game.
  
  --
  For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
21. Re:Why not PC? by Yunzil · 2012-04-16 04:58 · Score: 1
  
  Or they could just fix the horrible existing UI.
I'm sure this'll all be great... by art! · 2012-04-13 07:45 · Score: -1

...until someone takes an arrow to the knee.

--
_________________________ Sigs Kill Bandwidth Dead!
Why is a Kinect needed for this? (On PC) by dryriver · 2012-04-13 07:52 · Score: 1

Since the speech-recognition algorithm probably runs on the CPU, and doesn't care much what kind of microphone recorded the speech, couldn't you do this with a normal (headset) microphone on PC?

--
Why did the chicken cross the road? Because Elon Musk put an AI chip in its head.
1. Re:Why is a Kinect needed for this? (On PC) by Verunks · 2012-04-13 08:03 · Score: 2
  
  because they are using the kinect api to do voice recognition they didn't write their own
2. Re:Why is a Kinect needed for this? (On PC) by SuiteSisterMary · 2012-04-13 08:19 · Score: 1
  
  The kinect has a multi-array microphone, and does noise cancellation and voice isolation. It also provides a standard API for doing voice recognition.
  
  --
  Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
Why X360 and Kinect exclusive? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 07:59 · Score: 0

Especially considering the lack of actual motion controls, why should this be limited to the Xbox360 and Kinect? I know there is a reality distortion field of sorts around console gaming, but developers do realize that PC gamers have many ways to implement voice commands, right? Those Mumble, Teamspeak, Ventrilo, and other gaming-voice communication systems aren't all powered exclusively by Xbox360 headsets or Kinects and people seem to communicate just fine. Decades ago Dragon Naturally Speaking and many other open and/or proprietary voice recognition software allowed PC users to transcribe and certainly create voice-activated macros. Why not integrate one of those engines instead, especially those that can be used open and cross platform? Even more so "Quests, locations, features and much more" have no reason again to be exclusive to the X360. PC gamers with headsets would enjoy being able to FUS-RO-DAH their way to victory, plus all these resources and content could be expanded and utilized by the modders in the Steam Workshop, NexusMods, ModDB and elsewhere that have already shown to add so much to Bethesda developed and published games.
Did Microsoft just throw suitcases full of bills at Bethesda to make this happen? It surely doesn't seem like the best thing for the game and there is no technical reason to go with such a limited solution. Again it just seems like console manufacturers will not stop their campaign to make gaming into a proprietary, expensive, ill-conceived, platform-controlled solution that they can just endlessly turn the screws and watch money flow out.
1. Re:Why X360 and Kinect exclusive? by Mike+Mentalist · 2012-04-13 08:11 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  PC gamers already can FUS-RO-DAH in Skyrim with this mod - http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=5626
  Enough with the conspiracy theories. Your paranoid sense of persecution is unwarranted.
  
  --
  I put my books on Amazon, Smashwords, Demonoid, ISOHunt and Pirate Bay. Search for 'Michael Cargill'
2. Re:Why X360 and Kinect exclusive? by KitFox · 2012-04-13 09:06 · Score: 2
  
  PC gamers aren't upset about the lack of voice control. We've had that forever by comparison.
  What we ARE upset about is:
  "...been hard at work on creating the first set of game add-ons that will be exclusive to the Xbox 360. This additional content will add new quests, locations, features, and much more to the world of Skyrim."
  
  --
  @Whee
3. Re:Why X360 and Kinect exclusive? by Mike+Mentalist · 2012-04-13 09:21 · Score: 1
  
  I still don't understand what there is to be upset about.
  The PC version has it's own advantages with the controls, performance, graphics, mods and whatever else.
  The console versions have their advantages too which includes exclusive content that has been commissioned by the console manufacturer.
  You win some and you lose some.
  
  --
  I put my books on Amazon, Smashwords, Demonoid, ISOHunt and Pirate Bay. Search for 'Michael Cargill'
4. Re:Why X360 and Kinect exclusive? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 09:25 · Score: 0
  
  It's okay, if they wanna bone us like that, us PC gamers can rip the content off an X-Box and find some way to make it a mod :)
5. Re:Why X360 and Kinect exclusive? by KitFox · 2012-04-13 09:51 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  I'll hit both sides in this case.
  The first consideration is that PC Gamers, who already spend a ton of money on the gaming rigs and have a lot more capability than any console's half-decade-old tech, feel now like the game manufacturer is treating them like second-class citizens. PC games that have Console-optimized content, focus on the console development over PC development, generally a perceived lack of respect for the PC gaming population. Literally to the point where, in this case, development of mods for the PC is not only effectively almost Open Source, but Bethesda isn't even making any official mods except HD packs that don't look as good as the third party ones.
  It's to the point where the people who spend the most money on their hardware have the least support. Then the fact that the game is throttled to work best on what is effectively nearly ancient technology these days, their super-hardware does them little good. Try using a 1x3 surround-screen setup and you'll quickly discover that the menus and UI are sized based on the width of the screen without accounting for the height. Unusable. Skyrim could have been a beautiful experience for the high-powered gamer, but it isn't unless the gamers themselves fix it. Fixing it is often a battle against the official developers also, as official patches that fix a handful of things also break dozens of third-party fixes.
  Now that it's to the point where PC gamers are feeling like they're being told "Sorry, your gaming experience can be far too much better than those peoples'. We need to give you a handicap.", we're getting less and less pleased. Here's a comparison: What would you do if Amazon.com said "We're giving out cool stuff to people who buy things from us! But... We decided not to give it to anybody who lists a book on our system. Sorry, Michael, you've got all the benefits of publishing a book, so you can't have this stuff." I would expect you to potentially feel slighted. All in all, it's human nature to not want to be considered an afterthought, unsupported, inferior market segment, etc. People buy high end PCs to have a better gaming experience than the people who spend a quarter as much on a console. They don't expect to be tossed the scraps and told to fend for themselves by the game developers just because they have better hardware.
  On the other side of the coin, there are many times more users buying it for the consoles. It's just a "business decision" to make the important stuff for the bigger market. One can also consider that the "additional content" probably has a strong propensity for carrying a cost, so the highest revenue will come from the larger market segment. Money speaks, after all.
  
  --
  @Whee
6. Re:Why X360 and Kinect exclusive? by Mike+Mentalist · 2012-04-13 10:01 · Score: 1
  
  Your Amazon analogy doesn't work though; none of that money spent on PC hardware goes to Bethesda.
  I spend money myself on upgrading my PC and I also have an Xbox 360 and a PS3.
  At no point have I ever felt slighted one way or another when I didn't own all three systems.
  
  --
  I put my books on Amazon, Smashwords, Demonoid, ISOHunt and Pirate Bay. Search for 'Michael Cargill'
7. Re:Why X360 and Kinect exclusive? by KitFox · 2012-04-13 12:46 · Score: 1
  
  Then I shall say "Good for You". :) It's all subjective and your comprehension or lack thereof has no impact for good or bad, so your lack of upsetness simply indicates a good duck back or apathy, and either way you're avoiding being upset.
  
  --
  @Whee
too bad the game is utter crap by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 08:00 · Score: -1

too bad the game itself sucks and is unplayable.
Motion detection would be a waste by Rude+Turnip · 2012-04-13 08:01 · Score: 1

Motion-based commands would be incredibly awkward for a game as complex as Skyrim. The game was not designed with a gesture metaphor in mind. It would just be incredibly tedious and flaky given current technology. Voice command is really where it's at for this game.

--
Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
Exclusive to xbox? feh! by Nacumbah · 2012-04-13 08:06 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Why exclusive to the Xbox? Does MS have them under some unholy pact to release content to Xbox first? or perhaps, even worse, is this content the we playing on PCs will never see? Exclusive. bah!
1. Re:Exclusive to xbox? feh! by The+Dancing+Panda · 2012-04-13 08:18 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Did you bother to read any other comments? They're using the Kinect API to do voice commands, they didn't roll their own voice recognition (as that is much more difficult). Furthermore, there is apparently a mod that allows you to do this on the PC. Not everything is some terrible thing Microsoft did to fuck you over.
2. Re:Exclusive to xbox? feh! by Nacumbah · 2012-04-13 08:37 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  Actually, I should have been more specific in my elitist whining. I'm annoyed about the Xbox specific DLC - "They also gave a brief hint at new content, stating they've 'been hard at work on creating the first set of game add-ons that will be exclusive to the Xbox 360." I don't have any interest in the Kinect angle.
3. Re:Exclusive to xbox? feh! by Githaron · 2012-04-13 09:07 · Score: 1
  
  While I don't understand why they can't use the PC version of the Kinect for the PC version of the game, I am also more concerned with the new content they are making exclusive to the Xbox 360. What about the rest of us?
4. Re:Exclusive to xbox? feh! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 10:45 · Score: 0
  
  They don't have an unholy pact.
  Just a simple commercial agreement. 30 days, I believe it is.
5. Re:Exclusive to xbox? feh! by Ardyvee · 2012-04-13 12:46 · Score: 1
  
  I am also more worried about xbox exclusive content than kinect support. Why xbox only? Why not for ps3 too? What about PC gamers? It makes no sense to me for it to be exclusive for xbox UNLESS it's related directly to kinect, in which case.. uh... yeah, you probably can keep it for yourself. Let's just hope bethesda doesn't shoot itself in the foot with this exclusivity move.
  
  --
  I don't care if I'm wrong. I only care about everyone obtaining something from the discussion.
6. Re:Exclusive to xbox? feh! by Kalriath · 2012-04-13 14:58 · Score: 1
  
  The simple answer is that they cannot use Kinect for Windows because you aren't allowed to make games with it. It's for actual practical applications as it says in the product description: "this is not a consumer product" and "this is a Kinect development product for Windows, intended for commercial clients and developers". Even more blunt: "Not for Gaming Use". There is no way Microsoft would permit Kinect to be integrated into a PC game as an advertised feature.
  
  --
  For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
7. Re:Exclusive to xbox? feh! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 22:40 · Score: 0
  
  Not everything is some terrible thing Microsoft did to fuck you over.
  Don't stress it, just give 'em some time and you'll see...
Voice Activated Shouts by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 08:11 · Score: 0

Foos You!
-HasHie
Pile of money. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 08:12 · Score: 0

Because Microsoft likely paid them a pile of money to add this feature.
Fus Ro MOD +1 Funny by Dast · 2012-04-13 08:23 · Score: 1

Sheesh, where are my mod points when I need them.
Must have been either the arrow to the knee. Or maybe someone stole their sweet role!

--
This sig is false.
Dual weapon hot key by Krneki · 2012-04-13 08:44 · Score: 1

Still no support eh? If I yell "Equip sword and axe" what happens? BSOD?

--
Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
shouts by kwoff · 2012-04-13 08:46 · Score: 1

Looks pretty cool, though I think they shouldn't have the game character repeat the shout if you already shouted it.
To be honest, I wouldn't be able to remember the shout names. (I always relied on my bow. Yes, I play the archer-thief, don't like hack/slash. :P) I'm sure my 10-year old nephew, who's read the strategy guide and knows the name of all the characters and creatures and quests and artifacts and holds and..... would be able to though, heh.
1. Re:shouts by SuricouRaven · 2012-04-13 08:58 · Score: 1
  
  The shouts aren't actually that useful to me. Can only get one or two off in a fight, while I can throw my dual-cast firebolts for quite some time with the number of enchantments I keep for the purpose.
2. Re:shouts by shutdown+-p+now · 2012-04-13 09:01 · Score: 1
  
  In Skyrim, same as all TES games since at least Morrowind, it's kinda hard not to become the master of all trades by mid-game or so - even if you start as a pure mage or pure stealth character, you'll eventually max those skills out and are forced to diversify.
  (/me fondly remembers my all-stats-and-skills-at-100 character from Morrowind, who started as a Breton mage, and ended up mostly swinging the heaviest mace in the game by mid-Bloodmoon).
I've got a few ideas by theurge14 · 2012-04-13 08:58 · Score: 1

"LYDIA"
"Yes, my thane."
"OFF WITH YOUR CLOTHES"
"I am sworn to carry your burdens."
1. Re:I've got a few ideas by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 11:24 · Score: 0
  
  Dammit, I read that in her voice!
2. Re:I've got a few ideas by Psychotria · 2012-04-13 11:34 · Score: 1
  
  I was playing the other night and had a courier come up to me naked O_o. Shortly after that some old woman in Morthal was sweeping her deck naked. Fortunately 'naked' means they both still had their underwear on. I took screenshots though because it was damn funny. Anyway, I married Jordis the Sword-Maiden... Lydia was annoying me too much by standing in doorways, jumping in front of me when I was doing a power attack and therefore dying because I decapitated her, jumping in front of my shouting so she was blasted off mountain tops. She also has a bad habit of just going off wandering and getting lost leaving me anxious for her safety. I was fighting a giant once and turned around and she was standing on top of a mammoth... WTF, Lydia?! Anyway Jordis is just annoying but at least she can fight, looks vaguely like a Lydia with blonde hair, and can sneak in a building without knowing entire cabinets of kettles and pots over.
3. Re:I've got a few ideas by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 13:38 · Score: 0
  
  somehow my installation fucked up so that they no longer have underwear >.> i didn't install a mod they just no longer have underwear =/ guess the model for it got corrupted
4. Re:I've got a few ideas by ReverendDG · 2012-04-14 03:56 · Score: -1
  
  lol i'll let folks making the sex mods know that people want kinetics commands in the next version :)
All voice commands do by Valcrus · 2012-04-13 09:04 · Score: 0

is make you seem crazy to anyone that sees you play. I got in trouble with my wife for using voice commander back when UO was the big MMO to play. Yelling "Heal Pot" or "Bandage" really got on her nerves even when not in the room.
Even more quests? by HeckRuler · 2012-04-13 09:19 · Score: 1

This additional content will add new quest
I'm sorry, I just started the game earlier this week, and I'm having trouble wading through the sheer number of side-quests between me and the big plot quest. I like the compact nature of the world. There's just enough annoying travel between points of interest. Which is not much. It makes for some silly bandit camps literally outside the king's window, but it works. But with this compact nature means that every three steps you get yet another slob with a problem and they want YOU to fix their shit. And it honestly sounds fun, so I'm up for it. Sure, I'll clean out those zombies, no problem. Happens all the time.

So I'm investigating an interesting hut on the side of the road while on a side-quest I got in the city that I got transported to as part of an ambushed-HAHA-YOU'RE-ON-A-QUEST-NOW sort of mission while on my way to the big plot. When I apparently hit a stack overflow on the number of tangents I was diverging onto, because that's when the thing bluescreened.
(It was actually when swapping some amulets, but I was certainly feeling the quest stack buildup)

tl;dr I'm feeling there's plenty of quests. At least around lvl 10.
1. Re:Even more quests? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 10:14 · Score: 0
  
  Haha! It gets worse. It drove me insane. I couldn't even knock a quest off the list without picking up 2 more on the way. You can ignore them for the most part, but a lot of them give you... um, various neat things (didn't want to spoil anything).
2. Re:Even more quests? by Psychotria · 2012-04-13 11:27 · Score: 1
  
  Don't worry. My character is level 53 (or maybe 54 now) and I think I've only done about 6 main quests, but lots (and lots!) of side quests. Perhaps I am too easily distracted by catching blue butterflies and collecting blisterwort for my potions.
Hotkeys.. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-13 09:28 · Score: 0

Instead of getting features that are like hotkeys, can we just GET hotkeys? Awesome game, but wouldn't guess it because the UI is terrible.
Yo dawg by EnsilZah · 2012-04-14 06:37 · Score: 1

We put Kinect in your Skyrim so you can Fus Ro Dah while you Fus Ro Dah.