Ask Todd Howard About Skyrim

[UPDATE]

Thanks for all the questions! Check out the podcast here.

[ORIGINAL STORY]

You've seen our coverage of the game. Now it's your chance to ask the game's director your most pressing questions.

Next week, we'll be recording a special edition of our weekly Game Informer Show podcast focused on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Why so special? Bethesda's Todd Howard will be joining us on the show to answer your questions about the game.

How might queries pass from your mind to Todd Howard's ears? Just type your questions into the Comments section below. During the podcast, we'll try to ask as many of your questions as we can, and see what he has to say.

We've had a blast rolling out Skyrim information throughout the month of January, and our conversation with Todd Howard will be a fun way to finish. Needless to say, even after our intensive month of coverage wraps up, we'll be following Bethesda's big project throughout its development, right up until release on November 11th.

We hope you've enjoyed the articles, videos, and other features. To explore all our Skyrim-related coverage in one place, click into our game hub from the image below.

And bring on the questions!

Comments

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by entheo Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:13 PM

Can the player be a werewolf in Skyrim?

Any chance we'll see Skyrim on Sony's Next Generation Portable (PSP2?)
by Furious Buddha Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:15 PM

Will there be any references to Morrowind and Oblivion in Skyrim? Will there be any way to alter your character (change hair, add tattoos, etc) in Skyrim?
by Unkown Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:16 PM

I made an attempt to play Marrowind and Oblivion but quickly lost interest. But Fallout 3 almost instantly become one of my all time favorite games. What aspects of Skyrim would you say could appeal to a gamer like me who associates more with a theme closer to modern day? Are there any gameplay formulas or aspects used in Fallout that we'll see in Skyrim?
by Him Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:17 PM

How will the conversation system work?
by CountChocula Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:18 PM

Will there be any sort of hardcore/survival mode? In other words, will Skyrim incorporate hunger, thirst and sleep deprivation?
by LuckyArcade Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:18 PM

Will there be multiple endings? If so, how different from each other will they be?
by gelos7008 Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:19 PM

Will there be random giants in Skyrim? (such as giant slaughterfish and ninroot in oblivion)
by Cody Bauman Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:19 PM

Hello GI staff, and Mr. Todd Howard, hope everything's going fine. I have several questions I would like to ask you about Skyrim and I would much appreciate it if you could answer as many of these questions as possible:

1. I have never played a Elder Scrolls game before and I was wondering if a newcomer like me would be able to jump into the game from this point the the game universes evolution and understand everything that is going on? Will Skyrim rely heavily on past lore and the players knowledge thereof or will it be a standalone experience, that would only be further enhanced by playing the previous iterations in the series and knowing all the lore?

2. Will there be new weapon types in the game or will the weapon types remain approximately the same archetypes of spear, mace, sword, bow, etc. etc.?

3. Is there any new element regarding the classes(warrior, rogue, mage) that really excites you in either the way players will use said element, or just the way in which it impacts the way the game is played?

4. Have you been influenced from Fallout 3 in a way which made you approach a problem in Skyrim differently, and if so, what would you say is the most influential lesson you took away from Fallout 3 which later was incorporated into Skyrim?

Just like always, thank you very much GI for giving me the opportunity to ask these questions. I always enjoy the reader mailbags you guys have not only for yourselves, but also for big players in the industry like Mr. Todd Howard. If any of my questions were answered, it is highly appreciated and I would like to thank the GI crew very much for choosing them. Keep up the good work guys.
by JasonSage Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:20 PM

In Oblivion, you could pick up physical objects by pressing "Z" on the keyboard, effectively allowing you to toss random plates about while the innkeeper eyed you to make sure you weren't stealing. However, when you wanted to do something like position a cup neatly on the table in your house or shelve a book on your bookshelf, the system was decidedly clunky and took the realism down several notches, not to mention forcing me to put my books scattered across the floor or in a chest. Will there be any improved player-item interactions with the new physics system? Will the idea be scrapped completely?
by g0ld3sun Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:20 PM

AFter reading about your plans on making the different types of menus from oblivion more streamlined and intuitive, I am having major deja-vu from when Fable 3's "intuitive" menus were announced. Those menus were a major reason I detested that game, and now I'm worried about Skyrim. What can you tell me to calm me down? :P. Things like how quickly can I switch between weapons, how fast I can access information on spells and quests would be great. I'm glad these menus are being spruced up, but are all of these design improvements at the expense of quickly doing anything?
by Ricdaaan Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:21 PM

What kind of improvements have you made in character creation so the player can really make that character his or her own?
by CountChocula Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:21 PM

Will it be possible for PC players to enable high resolution HD textures (without having to mod them in)?
by mdouglas10 Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:21 PM

1.Will you be able to Adjust your character's height/build? 2.Will the "console" features "tilde key" of Oblivion still be active with the new engine? 3.Directx 11?
by bioshocker Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:22 PM

How expansive will Skyrim be? The world in Oblivion was pretty big, will Skyrim be just as big or will it be even bigger?
by gelos7008 Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:22 PM

Will there be a HUD, and if not, how will the health system work?
by The Destroyer of Controllers, Cody Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:23 PM

What was the biggest concern when developing the game?

Was there ever any temptation to add a multiplayer component?

How long has this game been in development?

Will there be morality like in Fallout?

What guilds will be present and if there are new ones what will they be?

Are you worried about any of the competition releasing during the same time frame?

Can you be a werewolf or vampire in this game?

Will we be able to buy and customized houses for storing our items?

Will there be any companions that can accompany you?
by Velimir Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:23 PM

Is dialog system changed?
by Hellmoose Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:23 PM

are you going to be able use magic while riding on a horse or any other new form of traveling added to the game
by Forest Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:24 PM

Can we get some Khajiit screenshots soon? The Khajiit is my favorite race to play as for their stealth and speed.
by BLT Friday, January 28, 2011 at 06:25 PM

will there be multiplayer or co-op available?

GameInformer

Ask Todd Howard About Skyrim