Skyrim Update Adds New Kill Cams

Update 3: Bethesda said it fixed an issue with the new update that caused the game to freeze when going underwater. A representative sent Game Informer the following statement:

We were made aware of the underwater/freezing issue yesterday, and with the help of our community, we’ve found a solution.

From the PlayStation 3 XMB menu, players should delete all Game Data for Skyrim(not to be confused with the user’s game saves). After deleting the two Game Data files – one from the game’s mandatory HDD install and one for the game’s title update -- players will need to wait for the title update and mandatory hdd install to reinstall.

Upon returning to the game, the issue should no longer exist. We’ve pinned this information in the forums and included a mention on Bethesda Blog.

Regarding the archery issue, the damage being done in-game is fine, but the damage being displayed may be incorrect. Our team is looking into this further.

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Update 2: Bethesda now says the patch is available on Xbox Live and PlayStation 3. "We want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support of the game," the company said.

"This week Todd informed me that the average Skyrim play time (across all three platforms) is 85 hours, and 30% of you have played more than 100 hours of the game. These are truly astounding numbers!

"In the comings weeks and months, we’ll have some exciting news to share on the game. Stay tuned."

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Update: Bethesda notes this update is now available to all users on Steam. Console versions are being submitted this week.

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Bethesda today announced a new patch for Skyrim that adds new kill cams and melee moves in addition to a number of fixes.

The update, v1.5, is now available in Beta on Steam and will arrive soon on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The additional kill cams were one of the possible additions found in the Bethesda Game Jam video. "We plan on adding even more features with upcoming free updates and game add-on content," Bethesda said.

Check out the video below as well as the patch notes.

UPDATE 1.5 (all platforms unless noted)

NEW FEATURES

- New cinematic kill cameras for projectile weapons and spells
- New kill moves and animations for melee weapons
- Shadows on grass available (PC)
- Smithing skill increases now factor in the created item’s value
- Improved visual transition when going underwater
- Improved distance LOD transition for snowy landscapes

BUG FIXES

- General crash fixes and memory optimizations
- Fixed issue with Deflect Arrows perk not calculating properly
- In "A Cornered Rat," the death of certain NPCs no longer blocks progression
- Fixed issue where Farkas would not give Companion's quests properly
- Fixed crash when loading saves that rely on data that is no longer being loaded
- Followers sneak properly when player is sneaking
- Fixed issue with weapon racks not working properly in Proudspire Manor
- Arrows and other projectiles that were stuck in objects in the world now clean up properly
- Fixed issue where "Rescue Mission" was preventing "Taking Care of Business" from starting properly
- Fixed issue where certain NPCs would fail to become Thieves Guild fences
- Fixed issue in "Diplomatic Immunity" where killing all the guards in the Thalmor Embassy before starting the quest would break progress
- In "Hard Answers," picking up the dwarven museum key after completing the quest, no longer restarts the quest
- Killing Viola before or after "Blood on the Ice" no longer blocks progression
- Fixed issue where Calixto would fail to die properly in "Blood on the Ice"
- In "Waking Nightmare" fixed occasional issue where Erandur would stop pathing properly
- Fixed issue where letters and notes with random encounters would appear blank
- Fixed rare issue where dialogue and shouts would improperly play
- Lydia will now offer marriage option after player purchases Breezehome in Whiterun
- Fixed issue where if player manually mined ore in Cidhna Mine, jail time would not be served
- Fixed rare issue with skills not increasing properly
- Fixed issue where the Headsman's Axe did not gain proper buff from Barbarian perk
- In "A Night to Remember" it is no longer possible to kill Ysolda, Ennis or Senna before starting the quest
- Fixed issue with the ebony dagger having a weapon speed that was too slow
- Fixed issue with "The Wolf Queen Awakened" where backing out of a conversation with Styrr too soon would block progress
- The third level of the Limbsplitter perk now properly improves all battle axes
- Fixed a rare issue where Sanguine Rose would not work properly
- In "Tending the Flames" King Olaf's Verse will no longer disappear from explosions

Download the 1.5 Beta Update on Steam

If you’d like to download the 1.5 Beta Update on Steam, you’ll need to follow these steps:

1. Log into Steam
2. Click on Steam in the upper menu
3. Select Settings
4. Under the Account tab, go to the Beta Participation section and select Change.
5. A drop down menu will appear. Select Skyrim Beta.
6. Select OK.
7. Steam will now restart. After Steam restarts, Skyrim will be updated to the Beta version currently available.

If you opt into the Beta, be sure to back up your saved games or simply be careful not to overwrite your existing saves. If you decide to opt out of the beta program, your old saves will still work with the current release of Skyrim on Steam (v 1.4.27).

If you decide you don’t want to run the Beta anymore, redo steps 1 – 4. At the drop down, select NONE – Opt out of all beta programs. Let Steam restart, and Skyrim will automatically update itself back to the latest released version.