5 Reasons to play Skyrim... Again.

We've all played Skyrim, we all know what it's all about; if you haven't, just get to it already. But this is not a game you simply play through it once and throw it on the shelf with all the rest of the collection, never to be played again. There are several reasons why one should play the game, from the start, again.

1. You Can Be Anything
Contrary to most other RPGs out there, Skyrim is not restrictive in what gear and abilities one can use depending on which class they choose at the start of the game. Maybe the player thinks two-handed weapons are awesome but then realises archery is amazing (oh, it is; trust me). One can change what they do mid-game, it only depends on player preference, the character can wield anything, as long as they have the necessary skill. That said, if you want to use a weapon you've never used before, just equip a low tier weapon of that type and train the character in using it. Also, you can create hybrid classes; a Battle Mage for instance, a magic user wearing heavy armour. Go wild...

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2. Exploration

Most RPGs do not offer much in if the player does not follow the quest lines; the developers focus on them to provide the player with interesting gameplay. However, in Skyrim, the player can just wander off and explore the huge province of Skyrim. Exploring the area leads to different side quests which are found in different caves, abandoned fortresses and bandit camps. Also, the game features lots of different unique encounters that are not tied to any specific quest. For instance, one can find a spectre of a Headless Horseman, riding towards Hamvir's Rest, where the player can fight some skeletons and a high level Draugr warriors and loot a Master Chest. Although the loot might not particularly interest you, the awesome part is in seeing and following the Horseman himself. It is not a quest, and nobody really tells you to do it, it's something you can decide to do on your own. So it's perfectly OK to create your own side quests... Do it!

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3. Combat System

The combat system itself is different than traditional RPGs; typically, one has a set of abilities which are mapped to a set of keys, expending mana (called Magicka in the Elder Scrolls series) to use them, and then waiting for a cooldown before using the same ability again. Skyrim combines this with a Hack and Slash system. Now, although some would argue that a hack and slash game is 'lame', how is auto locking an enemy any better? Here you can feel like you are the one who is slicing the enemy with you huge two handed sword, or landing a headshot with your ebony arrows. Having your character do all the job can diminish that feeling of immersion that many players look for in games and developers try to create.

Furthermore, use the third person view for exploration, but play in first person while in combat. Third person for exploration allows you to see more of the beautiful scenery, but first person during combat makes you feel like you are looking through the character's eyes, through your eyes, instead of hovering on top of him. I mean, come on, this looks awesome.

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4. Mods

Players have commented on forums that the game has no replayability value since one can combine multiple playthroughs into one characters, thus not needing to replay the game as a different class. However, one can also check out some mods and try them out, recreating one's experience of the game. Change textures of weapons, play as a totally different race or play in a new zone, you can do it all with the help of mods. Want to play as a Draugr? Or maybe dress up as Sauron... your choice.

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5. Books

Yes, Books. Maybe you're not into reading that much, but that does not mean you shouldn't at least check out some of the books scattered across across the province. In castles, hidden in camps or caves, books can be found anywhere. Some of these give you some insight into the history of different creatures, races and places.

Others are pure entertainment, even if full of hidden meanings. This last one was priceless, I couldn't believe my eyes. You just have to read through.

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Hero Forge

Recently I found an extremely interesting site for anyone who wants to create their own custom mini without the knowledge of 3D modelling or using any 3D modelling software. Hero Forge is a site which offers its users the ability to choose from a vast number of options to create unique models and print them in 3D. The user starts with a base model and then starts going through the options, changing its race and gender, pose, measurements, clothing, items in each hand as well as the character's base. 

Base Model

Half-Demon Fire Mage

Samurai

Dwarven Warrior

Of course, these are just a sample of what you can do, there are quite a vast number of options one can select, with new ones added periodically, the latest announcement was that of the addition of a Half-Dragon race. Once the user is happy with the chosen parts and pose, the character can be ordered, which will be 3D printed and shipped to the user. When ordering the product, the user is presented with the following screen, with different materials and scales. Don't worry, you can read more about what materials are used by clicking on "About our materials".

What do you guys think? And if anyone ever purchased a product from Hero Forge, let me know what you think about it in the comments below.

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7 Dice sets to impress your DnD mates

Following on the last post, let's t alk about dice designs. There are tonnes of different designs out there, other than the regular types that everyone has. I've looked for some interesting styles that one might find, available out there; tell me what you think in the comments below.

Steampunk Gear by Avandius

Available here

Steampunk by Mechanical Oddities

Available here

Thorn Dice by Ceramic Wombat

Available here

Companion Cube by Nique Geek

Unfortunately no longer available
Their shop can be found here

Deadlands set by Baron

This was a concept for a dice set for Deadlands game
Info can be found here

Dwarven dice by Q-Workshop

Available here

Critical Hit LED dice by Think Geek

A d20 which lights up when u get 20.
Available here

Tell me what you think about these dice and other stylish sets in the comments below; would you buy them or do you prefer the traditional ones better?

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Should you use dice other than the d20?

Note: This is not a list of the official rules of any version of Dungeons and Dragons, it's just some ideas which can be used for any version of the game or any simplified version anyone might use.

The most common die used in table top games is the six sided die, known as d6. However, this is not the only type, as most Dungeons and Dragons players know well enough. In a dice set, one can generally find seven dice, as shown below.

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Since the twenty sided die, known as the d20, is the one that is used most in Dungeons and Dragons, and people who play a simplified version of the game which only uses the d20, many players simply buy a d20 and that's it. So much so, that it's called the d20 system. Even so,  the other dice can easily be introduced and used throughout the game. For instance, the d12, d10, d8 and d6 can be used to determine the amount of damage done depending on which weapon the player is using. For example, a two handed weapon can use a d12, a one handed axe or sword can use a d10, while daggers can use a d8. Recently, while we were playing a DnD campaign, the Dungeon Master decided to use the d6 for a new mechanic; when more enemies where on their way, he asked the players who can see farthest, for example elves, or illusion mages who might be able to see through an invisibility spell, to throw a d6, the resultant number being the number of enemies the player can see. Although some might not like this sort of mechanic, it's an idea one can use. After all, the point of a table top game is to be able to imagine and improvise. The d90 can be used in conjunction with the d10 to achieve any number between 1 and 100. This can be used for instances where the player is required to roll above a certain percentage; for example, to check whether a player can see through an illusion spell or not.

Also, the d20 can be used for things like initiative to see who gets to attack first, if such a mechanic is to be used, whether the player hits an enemy or not as well as to see if the player lands a critical hit or a critical miss. A critical hit (usually a two 20s in a row) deals extra damage while a critical miss (two 1s in a row) usually means you either drop your weapon or hit allies who happen to be nearby if you use a melee weapon, or allies in front of you if you're using ranged attacks (arrows, throwing knives, spells, etc.)

A note I would like to make before I close off is this; if you do not wish to purchase a whole dice set, perhaps when starting off the hobby in the first place, you can try out an app on your smartphone or tablet that simulates the use of dice, any number of sides, as shown below.

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Dice through the ages

Recently, I read an article on CNET about an ancient d20 die which was found in Egypt and is now kept in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The die is slightly larger than the regular dice we use for board games and table top RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons. It is made of serpentine, a green mineral and is believed to have originated between 200 BC and 400 AD in Greece due to the Greek symbols shown on its faces.

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Driven by curiosity, I researched when dice started being used and why. Apparently, ancient cultures used dice to determine one's fate, who was right or wrong, or even who was favoured by the gods or not. Games of chance were then designed and evidence of these games have been found dating back 2100 BC.

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I looked for some other ancient dice to see the different styles of dice our ancestors used for games, political and religious debates alike. Here are just a few dice which caught my eye.


Roman Dice

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Egyptian Die
Names of Gods instead of numbers

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Unknown Origin 
(Greek and Roman Antiquities Department at the British Museum)

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