Nvidia drivers boost Skyrim, add FXAA shaders, adaptive Vsync and other fancy bits
If you have a GeForce card you might want to grab the latest batch of beta drivers from the Nvidia site. Nvidia say they’ll deliver a performance boost in Skyrim of up to 20%, which is nice, but the Nvidia FXAA functionality is perhaps a more interesting addition. That’ll allow us to force a faster form of anti-aliasing across hundreds of games from the Nvidia control panel. The new shader-based antialiasing function should help to smooth out edges at speeds “60% faster than 4xMSAA.”
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim patch 1.5 is out now, adds finishing moves and killcams
The Skyrim patch that went into beta last week is now live and free to download through Steam. The update adds new melee finishing moves and more slow mo kill cams to show them off. The patch also adds kill cams for ranged weapons and spells, so you can see the effects of your fireballs and frost bolts right up close.
Skyrim should get a bit prettier, too. The update allows shadows to fall on grass and improves the level of detail shift across snowy landscapes. There patch also squashes a few bugs and fixes a few quests. Check out the announcement post on the Bethesda blog for more. Steam’s legions of Falmer are at the ready, and will update your copy of Steam automatically when you sign in.
Valve launches Steam Collections: hand-picked mod packs for Skyrim and Team Fortress 2
Valve have just announced Steam Collections: a new feature which will let anyone create lists of Steam Workshop mods that let players subscribe to the lot in one click. You can make Collections of anything in the Steam Workshop, but right now only Team Fortress 2 and Skyrim have Workshop content live. Skyrim is where it works best: all the mods in the Workshop are available to play, and Collections make it even easier to get them into the game.
Case in point, we’ve created two to get you started and show how they work: The PC Gamer Skyrim Mod Collection: Improvements, for the community’s best tweaks and touches, and another for our favourite New Content – much more substantial additions that change the game, but still for the better. You can subscribe to either in one click, add both, or even pick and choose from within our selections.
Elder Scrolls Online could be announced in May
An Elder Scrolls MMO could be announced as early as May according to a report on Tom’s Guide. An unnamed source has told them that Elder Scrolls Online is in the works, and will be set in the Second Era, hundreds of years prior to any of the Elder Scrolls games.
The source mentioned that the game will include three playable factions represented by a lion, a dragon and a bird of prey. Beyond that, details are scarce, but Zenimax Online Studios have been building an MMO for years. The Elder Scrolls certainly has the depth of lore to support a massively multiplayer world. This could be pretty special. If it’s real. Bethesda have issued a “no comment.” Would you play an Elder Scrolls MMO?
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim patch 1.5 beta adds spectacular stabbing and suplexes
Ever suplexed a lizard? Me neither, which is a shame, as “suplex a lizard” is 26th on my grand list of things to do in games before I die. After installing Skyrim beta patch 1.5, I’m going to walk from house to house in Tamriel starting fistfights with Argonians until I have. Then I can finally cross that off my list and move onto number 27: “tickle a giant.” Might not survive that one.
The patch adds a collection of new melee kill animations that’ll let you finish off Skyrim’s denizens with extra flair. The patch also adds kill cams for projectile weapons and spells, which look a lot like Fallout 3′s dramatic long-shot cam. Shooting men off precarious perches is much more satisfying when you get to watch them topple to their doom in super slow motion.
To install the patch, select “Skyrim beta” from the beta participation section in your Steam settings menu. It’s in beta, so it might be a good idea to backup your saves before making the switch, just in case. Here’s the full changelog.
Notch, Bethesda, Freddie Wong, Robin Walker (oh, and us) to fight in Team Fortress 2 for charity
Sometime soon, I’m going to be called to defend the honor of PC Gamer against Notch, Robin Walker, Yogscast, Freddie Wong, friends of PCG Brian Brushwood and Veronica Belmont, and other people that are more important than me. The men behind TF2 Mix-up have organized another showmatch, a 9-on-9 battle royale between web celebs that benefits Child’s Play.
Want to play with us? Donators are eligible to fill a vacant player slot. On April 1, the event’s organizers will randomly pick three donors who will each be offered a place in the match along with some signed merchandise. Donate more, and you’ll increase your chances. Donate here. The match’s date is secret, but it should be held sometime in April. We’ll post the match video once it’s available, assuming I don’t dishonor you all.
Mojang win the right to use Scrolls name
“We have settled the lawsuit over Scrolls and Mojang are Bethesda are friends again,” said Mojang in a blog post on Saturday. Managing director Carl Manneh made the announcement, which confirmed that “yes, Scrolls is still going to be called Scrolls.” It’s the end of an argument that’s been rolling on since summer last year when Bethesda first claimed that Mojang’s card collecting/battling game infringed on the Skyrim trademark.
In fact, Mojang still don’t have the “Scrolls” trademark, but they have the right to use the word as the name of their game. “For us this was never about a trade mark but being able to use Scrolls as the name of our game which we can” says Carl Manneh. “Yaaaay!” added Notch on Twitter.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim patch 1.4.27 fixes companion sneaking
Ever managed to sneak right up to an enemy’s exposed back, only to have your companion stand up and start stomping around the place screaming battle cries and alerting the entire dungeon to your presence? The latest Skyrim patch insists that companions will “now sneak properly when player is sneaking.” FINALLY. Hopefully that means lone rogues can roll with some company from here on in.
The Bethblog mentions that the patch has moved out of beta and will now apply automatically through Steam. The update also comes with fixes for a few mod issues, and will let you continue to download mods even when you’re subscribed to 50 already, hopefully bypassing the pesky limit that some players were running into.
Nvidia drivers boosts Skyrim performance by up to 45%, makes Modern Warfare 3 prettier
If you’re playing Skyrim and have an Nvidia card, you’ll definitely want to grab the latest driver update. The Nvidia site boasts of significant improvements to Skyrim framerates. Indoor scenes should run 45% faster and Skyrim’s grand outdoor vistas will see a 16% boost. The drivers also come with an improved version of the ambient occlusion effect added by the last set of drivers. This adds a subtle layer of extra shadowing and darken the deep cracks in Skyrim’s rocky landscapes, boosting their cragginess factor by about 14%.
Modern Warfare 3 gets the same ambient occlusion treatment, boosting war torn grittiness by 32%. Additional AO for the Diablo 3 beta applies a chunky 35.2% hike to lingering sense of dread levels and PhysX fixes improve Batman: Arkham City’s bat-punchiness with 10% extra Pow! 4% extra Zam! and a minor increase to overall levels of Biff! You can download it now from the Nvidia site, where they also have some fancy interactive screenshots that show off these Ambient Occlusion updates quite nicely.
Skyrim beta patch removes 50 mod limit, free official iphone map app released
The latest Skyrim patch has gone into Steam beta testing with a fix for the “issue with downloading mods when you are subscribed to more than 50 mods,” which seems to suggest it’ll fix the current 50 mod limit. That’s great news for those of us who just can’t stop whimsically adding user made updates, slowly turning our copies of Skyrim into a fairground of monocled mudcrabs and gianter giants. You can apply the beta patch by opting in via your Steam settings menu, though Bethesda warn that it is currently in beta, so you’re applying it “at your own risk.”
Also, if you’re unsatisfied with Skyrim’s map, or have the urge to perch an ipad next to your monitor so you can plan your route and scout ahead with a few gentle strokes, the Bethesda blog has word of a new official app that you can download to your Apple device right now. The free version will give you the map of Skyrim and the nine major cities. Interior maps and more locations can be bought as extras. You can grab that from the App store now. Meanwhile, here are those patch notes from Bethblog.
Skyrim Creation Kit video tutorial – part 7
Making a mod for Skyrim actually isn’t that hard, and Bethesda are making it even easier with a series of 15 minute video tutorials. This is part 7 – if you’re just joining us, see part 1 of the Skyrim Creation Kit video tutorial first.
Skyrim Creation Kit video tutorial – part 6
Making a mod for Skyrim actually isn’t that hard, and Bethesda are making it even easier with a series of 15 minute video tutorials. This is part 6 – if you’re just joining us, see part 1 of the Skyrim Creation Kit video tutorial first.
Skyrim Creation Kit video tutorial – part 5
Making a mod for Skyrim actually isn’t that hard, and Bethesda are making it even easier with a series of 15 minute video tutorials. This is part 5 – if you’re just joining us, see part 1 of the Skyrim Creation Kit video tutorial first.
Skyrim mods are quite popular: two million downloads in three days
The Skyrim Creation Kit was released last Wednesday. Within hours, the Steam Workshop was stuffed with mods, including good ones, bad ones and downright scary ones. In case it wasn’t obvious already, Skyrim mods have proved extremely popular with players. Bethesda say that two million mods were downloaded within three days of the release of the Creation Kit.
Players have had plenty to choose from. According to Bethesda “more than 2,500 mods have been published by the gaming community.” It’s an almost overwhelming selection that ranges from new armour and upgraded textures to new combat moves and devastating magic. Thankfully, the Steam Workshop now has a much needed search bar, making it easier to find mods your friends have recommended. Speaking of which, here’s our round up of some of the best Steam Workshop mods so far.
Skyrim Creation Kit video tutorial – part 4
Making a mod for Skyrim actually isn’t that hard, and Bethesda are making it even easier with a series of 15 minute video tutorials. This is part 4 – if you’re just joining us, see part 1 of the Skyrim Creation Kit video tutorial first.
