Skyrim and "Social" Gaming
Skyrim is an incredible RPG. I would go so far as to say that it’s the realization of the past decade or two of western RPG development. Everything that defines the formula, all of its techniques and clichés, are no better demonstrated than in this game. If a complete stranger to RPGs asked me what they are, I would only have to present Skyrim as the example. I would love to be proven wrong, and see and even better RPG created at some point, but honestly I don’t think that can happen. There may certainly be better games in general, but a better modern western role playing game? Unless we want to dwell on superficial aspects such as glitches, graphics, and the interface then I don’t think it’s possible.
What I do think is possible is for the genre to evolve. Given that we’ve now reached its epitome, I think that it must evolve. Skyrim may have mastered the modern formula, but there are plenty of things which the formula doesn’t do very well, or even do at all. If we want to talk about all of the possible directions that the genre (or any genre) could go, then the list would be unmanageably massive. I have my own ideas and opinions though, which I will illustrate with some background of my own Skyrim experience.

There might be a few minor spoilers regarding side quests.
In Skyrim, I am a worldly and wealthy lizard man. Shortly following my acceptance into Riften’s infamous Thieves Guild, I convinced the Jarl of Riften to appoint me the title of Thane, declaring me one of the city’s most outstanding members. I purchased a house with money stolen from the Jarl’s own citizens, and filled it with treasures stolen from local burial grounds. This home is mostly kept up by my loyal housecarl, who doesn’t mind guarding my collection and turning a blind eye to my misdeeds. Occasionally I’ll drop in to deposit new loot from a heist, spend the night, and leave. I’ve never spoken to my housecarl or even learned her name. She doesn’t seem to know mine either, and just calls me “her thane.”
I have another housecarl in Whiterun, Lydia. We used to be partners together. Neither of us particularly cared for each other, but I kept her around because I needed a strong fighter to back me up in battle. When I finally got the chance, I dismissed her back to my house in Whiterun. Every once in a while when I have business there we bump into each other, but conversation is kept short.
One day, against my better judgment, I wandered into an isolated tower marked with blood and bones. There I met Illia, my current follower. Having lived in an evil magic cult her whole life, she suddenly had a change of heart and recently decided to kill all of her former comrades. Since I’m in the business of killing people myself, I gladly offered my assistance. After the climatic execution of Illia’s own mother, we realized how powerful we are when we work together. Destruction magic complements my own combat style, so we became an adventuring duo.
When Lydia was around I never wanted to talk to her, so I never tried. Now that Illia, an actually interesting character, is following me everywhere, I occasionally turn and press the “talk” key. I never have anything in particular I want to tell her, or to hear her say to me, it just seems like the friendly thing to do. After all, we did just get ambushed by a dragon, slay it, turn around and see another dragon, run away to a giant’s camp, and use the giant as a distraction while we tore the dragon apart from behind. Wasn’t that kind of awesome, even a little bit? The kind of thing that would cause you to turn to your partner in crime and say something? So I turn to Illia, and all she says is “yes?” And I’m presented with a utilitarian list of commands to give her.
At first I feel like I did something wrong. Surely I pushed the wrong button, or made some kind of mistake, because no conversation is happening. But no, this is all the dialog we’re allowed, or even capable, of having together. I’ve made the mistake of assuming that this NPC is an actual person. An NPC in Skyrim is no different than a particular sword or helmet—any sentimental value or personality I attach to it is purely in my head. The idea that there is any actual friendship between us is imaginary. When I expect the characters to share my emotional attachment to them, I only look stupid.

Of course, they’re NPCs, video game characters. It’s impossible for any character in any video game to share an emotional connection with the player. Everything is false to begin with. But whether or not a friendship is “real” is not the issue, the issue is how a game responds to the player. If I go to Animal Crossing expecting to wreak some destruction, the game will never respond to my intentions, and nothing will happen. However, if I go to Animal Crossing and decide to make some friends and have a happy life, the game will give me a response that acknowledges that. Certainly, Jitters may not be a “real” friend, but when I go to his house he greets me and we have a fun conversation together. He never acts completely like a real person, but that doesn’t matter. Responds to me in a way that encourages my fantasy of friendship, and doesn’t feel contrived or scripted.
Skyrim is not a friendship simulator, it’s an action-adventure simulator. NPCs exist to aid your dragon-slaying and loot-getting. When I first played Skyrim I was in awe of nearly every aspect of it (save the interface). However, the more I play the more conscious I become of holes in the overall design. Not simple glitches or imbalances, but holes in the overall system. The world design, the quests, the skill balance, and the sheer amount of content is amazing. One thing completely absent though, is any kind of adequate social interaction system.
Not that Skyrim necessarily needs such a system, any more than any other game needs any particular dimension. I’m merely using Skyrim as my example. The modern western RPG doesn’t account for a players social personality. But when games go to such great lengths to create worlds alive with characters and stories, I believe that friendship and social relationships are the next step. If there’s one wish I have for Elder Scrolls VI, it would be the ability to make friends and have conversations with characters, maybe even pay them visits or write them letters. I would be fine with this even if it was at the expense of other core mechanics to the base system, like looting and dungeon exploring. Not that I don’t like those traits, but sometimes I want to forget about all my quests and just hang out with my friends in a tavern.
Any claims that this level of immergence is far too complex or otherwise unobtainable, I simply do not believe. My evidence: Animal Crossing exists. I’ve written in the past about how much I adore this game, and I wish I could use another example, but it so perfectly captures a whole dimension of gaming that has been ignored by every other game. Humans are social creatures, and I doubt that I’m the only one who on occasion will instinctively turn to my follower just to talk and then experience immediate disappointment.

Anyway, happy 2012! I've been keeping this blog up for 3 years now.






