A SKYRIM DOCUMENTARY | You're Finally Awake: Nine Developers Recount the Making of Skyrim
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- čas přidán 4. 06. 2024
- Welcome to a never-before-seen Developer Reunion and Retrospective. In celebration of Skyrim’s 10th Anniversary, I’ve joined with nine of my former colleagues to reminisce about what what we worked on, how we worked on it, and what it was like to collaborate with each other on The Elder Scrolls V. It was so good to see them and catch up - I def got The Feels more than once putting this video together for you - and I hope you like it.
0:00 Intro
1:59 A Special Thank You
2:17 When I discovered the Elder Scrolls
7:00 What is a Programmer?
9:10 What makes Bethesda games so special?
11:09 What is a World Artist?
12:20 From the Lights of Blackreach…
13:17 …to the Icy Cobbles of Windhelm
14:52 What is a Character Artist?
16:00 What made Skyrim so Special?
17:32 How was the Werewolf Made?
19:28 Why is a Healthy Competition good for Developers?
21:56 What is an Animator?
23:40 The Development of Skyrim's Quadrupeds
29:20 The Movement of Skyrim
30:51 An Animation too Gruesome for Skyrim!
31:19 What is an FX Artist?
32:25 The Ants of Riverwood 🐜
33:53 The Critter System!
35:32 How a Bee almost ruined Skyrim
36:38 Hidden Developers secrets of Skyrim
36:49 The Skyrim Giants are modeled after my Father!
37:44 Making the Skillmap
39:00 What is a Level Artist?
40:09 How was Mehrunes' Razor made?
41:40 How were the Dragon Priests' Masks made?
43:04 What is a Video Editor?
45:54 Why was Skyrim a Success?
46:10 The importance of Sticking to the Vision
49:15 Outro
A huge shout-out to ALL of my former colleagues, but most especially the ones I interviewed for this video. Our titles, way back then, were:
Joel Burgess - Level Designer
Lianne Cruz - Animator
Salinee Goldenberg - Video Editor
Dennis Mejillones - Character Artist
Nate Purkeypile - World Artist
Rashad Redic - World Artist
Jean Simonet - Programmer
Mark Teare - FX Artist
The two resources on Adam Adamowicz that I mention in the video can be found here:
Adam’s Skyrim Collection on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/4785768...
The Life & Creativity of a Great Bethesda Artist: kotaku.com/the-life-and-creat...
If you enjoyed this content, please don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and LEAVE A COMMENT! Your support means more than you know. If you’d like to support or follow me in other ways, you can:
See my art on Instagram: / iamjonahlobe
Twit with me Twitter: / jonahlobe
Keep my lights on with Patreon: / jonahlobe
And lastly, a HUGE thank you to the following content creators for their contributions to this video:
Ambiance Magic
Camelworks
Chief Longsocks
Dean Morris
Dennilfloss
ESO
Everness
Fudgemuppet
Jinnkid
Majorslackattack
Mitten Squad
Mrrhexx
Occupied Dread
oOFrostbyteOo
Sleep Scenery HD
Theepicnate315
The Edge of Insanity
Viewtiful ASMR
Waifu Simulator
ZenimaxOnlineStudios
If you're still reading this far down, feel free to comment with a question or anything and I'll do my best to respond!
#Skyrim #GamingDocumentary #RPG
When i was the tender age of 13, my little brother yelled "maya! Come and look at this!" From the livingroom. He pointed to the ants on the stump in riverwood. And we both looked at them amazed and mystified that in this whole giant land of tameriel, there are details like such that make the world feel alive.
A beautiful story, Maya, thanks for sharing it! Appreciate you and your brother - please send him my regards and tell him to come say hi here or on Instagram!
I remember having that exact feeling the first time I played with headphones and realized I could hear the sound of running sewer water when I stood over one of the grates in Solitude.
I always loved the Giants design. You made them look like a misunderstood race and society, not mindless monsters. Loved learning more about the development!
I'm glad that was able to come through in the model!
I feel so bad every time I cut off their toes to level up my alchemy lol
Yeah I actively try and avoid killing them because they're not immideitly aggressive unless you bother them.
Along with the fact they have great beards and I have no motivation to take that from the world
The videos of Skyrim giants sending measly humans skywards with the giant bone slam never get old
Bro I just lost a follower to a Giant. We were battling one, when he must've hit her, and sent her flying. I couldn't find her body anywhere 😅!! Oh well
I cannot believe youtube hasn't recommended this video to me sooner. This has been the most enjoyable hour of content I have watched in a long time. Thank you Jonah
Hey much love Sid Vicious! If you enjoyed this video, please don't forget to subscribe for more, and check out my current offerings!
@@JonahLobeDrawsthis was so enjoyable, I agree
OMG RIGHT!!!
I’m not crying your crying
I’m also crying Nate.
*you're
Hey all,
I do not know if you will see it, but I wanna tell my story with Skyrim.
I was 11 when Skyrim released. Growing up in a middle of economic and political turmoil back in my country, I felt lost. Every day news broadcast seemed like something out of Fallout universe, to the point when parents forbid their children to simply watch the news. Unfortunately, I was not able to play Skyrim at release, could not afford the game or the PC to play Skyrim. I still remember how my friends and I would run to computer clubs and watch random strangers play Skyrim. Some would get mad at us for staring and being a little annoying, some would even let us play for a couple of minutes. This was our past time after school for the entire year. We were simply fascinated, but still could not reach our passion.
Fast-forward two years to my 13th birthday. I have been great at school and my parents were proud of me. So I get a PC for that birthday as a reward. My first ever. It was old and outdated, but I couldn’t even dream about having one. Most importantly, my older cousin has brought me an additional gift. A USB drive with pirated version of Skyrim (I am sorry, it was the only way). I could finally play the game. It ran at 20 fps and will some technical issues, however, it was way more than I thought you be possible. I played for thousands of hours. It was my only escape as the situation in my country has only gotten worse.
The game was my own universe. It closely mirrored my real life situation. Skyrim is a harsh land with proud, strong people. It is in political crisis and on a verge of economic collapse. The parallel was clear to me. Skyrim pretty much was my country to me, but with one key difference. I could change things. In the game, I could help people and improve the wellbeing of those around me. I could resolve political struggles and I could bring peace to people of Skyrim. Something I terribly desired in real life.
So I will get to the main point. Dwemer. They changed my life. Literally. I was always fascinated by their culture and technological prowess. I wanted to be like them. How badly did I want that? How exactly did they change my life? I am set to graduate from university here in United States. Upon graduation, I will officially become an aerospace engineer. I am going to be part of Dwemer.
Siting now, replaying Skyrim on my new PC, brings tears to my eyes. I remember all those times previously and how much has changed since that fateful day ten years ago, I can only say “Thank you”. I hope that Skyrim has been as fulfilling for the developers, as it was for the players.
P.S. I am deeply saddened that Adam has not witnessed what Skyrim has become. It is not just a commercial success, but a classic, a benchmark for all gaming and a eternal favorite. We are forever True Sons and Daughters of Skyrim.
Thank you Danylo for sharing your story here with us. I cannot imagine growing up at such a young age in the middle of such horrible times and places. I am so glad that Skyrim could be a place for you to escape to, and to draw inspiration from. That is all I want to do in this world… Create fantasy worlds that will inspire and serve as a refuge for people. I am incredibly impressed at your life journey! You’ve come so far, to be an engineer of your level, that is incredible and something that I am simply not capable of. But we all have our strengths, and it seems that you have found yours. Thank you for commenting and telling me your story, it is a pleasure to hear from you. I wish you the best on your journey!
Really lovely comment. Hope your future career goes well.
Whoa, this was incredibly touching. God bless you friend.
Wow, this has seriously inspired me, thanks for sharing
Dude, I am in tears. The best of luck to you in your aerospace engineering!
My wife and I had a Skyrim themed wedding. Honey nut treats, sweet rolls, our topper was Alduin and The Last Unicorn. It was super dope.
oh my goodness, can you message me on Instagram and show me your Alduin topper??? @iamjonahlobe
Awesome!
My man living the madness beyond the dream and i can't even find a fair maiden...
I spent nearly 5 years in jail and prison, and Skyrim was the first game I played when I got out. My first open world game, my first RPG. I played lots of Half Life and Doom and Quake back in the day, but I got too deep into addiction and stopped playing games. Getting out and immersing myself in Skyrim was a small part of how I got back used to living a normal drug free life.
good on you for pulling it together! I never got to jail, thankfully, but Skyrim was a huge help for me getting sober. Instead of eating pills until I passed out, I came home and played hours of Skyrim every night. It played a huge part in turning my life around, too.
@@robertstimmel1100 same. My main vice became (and still somewhat is) staying up entirely too late playing Skyrim. Now I have an awesome PC my little brothers built for me, so gaming is my main hobby.
Love this story, and so glad you guys are both able to maintain sobriety - and that Skyrim has helped you both! Sometimes hobbies and disciplines really, really help with the darkness. I appreciate you both, hope things continue to go well for you, and maybe we can shake hands at a Comic Con sometime! In the meanwhile, I hope you've both subscribed - I'm working on an original comic book, QUIET: Level One, which I think you'll both really enjoy.
@@JonahLobeDraws thank you!
@@JonahLobeDraws It's crazy to think about how much of an impact someone can have on another person's life without ever realizing. I've been sober for over ten years now. My life is so much better now. Thanks for being a part of that!
Skyrim was groundbreaking in 2011, and most of us will NEVER forget the amazingly positive impact the game has had on our lives. The game came out when I was 23. I’m 34 now, and decided to pick it back up to play the anniversary edition.
That's awesome man! I am planning to play it again soon myself, haven't played since it was released.
Hell yeah it was awesome. I remember waiting in my garage the morning of 11/11 waiting for Gamestop to open so I could go and pick it up.
It wasn't. Literally did nothing new
@@maesterchris2120🤡
@@maesterchris2120 oh ok
Awesome video, love seeing some behind the scenes stuff like this!
You know that's an honor coming from you! Thanks, as ever, for your commitment to this series, you are literally a pillar of the ES community.
👏👏👏 thank you both and all of u reading this and all of us n'wah waiting for the next work!!!
In this episode he will be curating the curious curiosities that are the masterminds of the Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim.
It's camel! Welcome back
i recently got into Camelworks. I just binge the vids. It was so dope seeing this comment gave that predator 1 handshake vibes
I had no idea the development team was so small for skyrim. This was such a fun opportunity for us to meet some of the people that shaped a game that so significantly impacted so many people.
So glad you enjoyed it Dakota! And yes, the team is much smaller than people realize. Thanks for watching, and I hope you subscribed!
I played Skyrim the day it came out when I was 16.
I've played a lot of oblivion (and even some morrowind before that, one of my very first rpgs). Before Skyrim came out, I was thinking that there is no way this game would exceed Oblivion, it's a game that I cherished a lot at that time. But then I played that intro sequence for the first time with my brother, I don't know how, but I immediately knew that I was proven wrong.
I felt overwhelmed by everything, the tone, the setting, the music… I remember thinking: "My god, they might've done it!"
- Youcef from Algeria
I love this story - thank for sharing. Hope you get a chance to watch my fallout video!
Wait, Jonah made Alduin and the Whalebone Bridge but never actually experienced those? How crazy is that? You're awesome, all of you. This is a work of art, just like Skyrim is.
Heyyy thanks for watching dude. Super appreciate it!
With probably 500+ hrs in game, I now have learned there's some kind of whalebone bridge in Skyrim.
i have been playing this game for thousands of hours and I have also never seen this bridge.
@@toslinkedwell most people beat the game after a few hundred
I really appreciate the design of not filling the map with icons etc. Really added to the sense of discovery and replayability
Indeed, keeps the focus on the beautiful landscape and sense of wonder!
Facts Ubisoft should take notes, not hating on them, because I do enjoy assassins creed games. But nothing has captured the feel Skyrim brings.
Im an old school gamer so i still like to rack my brain a little and use my 2 neurons to figure things out on my own, so i appreciate a game that doesn't do objective and minimap overload. And yes sometimes you had a ton of quests in Skyrim and it became a little chaotic, but you always had that freedom to do things in your own way. Very early on i got a little addon called Immersive UI, which made all UI elements fade out when they were not prompting anything, but my fav thing about that simple mod was that you could turn on/off the compass with a button. I just loved playing this game in 1st person mode with no UI and just looked at the map from time to time to get oriented. No offense to the designers that made the UI, it is still one of the best UI's in an RPG, but not having the UI on the screen all the time just does wonders for the immersion. However, Skyrim had all the modern UI markers that most games have nowadays including a custom marker that you could place yourself, which was pretty advanced for the time.
I thank all the wonderful people that worked on this game, but i also thank all the thousands of modders that made subtle immersive improvements to the game as well. :)
The passion the development team for Skyrim shown in this video is unbelievably strong. I've never seen people from a game studio so proud and enthusiastic over what they've accomplished. It's clear that something special was meant to come from that passion, and I'm elated to see that it turned into my all-time favorite game. Thank you all sincerely for the amazing work of art that you've made.
Thank YOU Nile! Love this comment, thanks for watching and for being such a fan of the game!
Hearing Adam passed away after the game released broke my heart. Thank you for your love and passion, RIP
You guys made the best video game in history. Ocarina of Time, Pokemon, which also score a lot of nostalgia points, don't reach this level of letting yourself fall into this game, forgetting everything that stresses you out. I can play it every day, because you never get tired. Modding Community also is incredible. A masterpiece, truly. You created so many great memories
Aww. thank you Pascal. I hope you've subscribed to my channel??
Incredible to hear all these stories, thanks for putting this together Jonah❤️🔥
Skyrim is endless and a big reason is the love you guys clearly put into the game.
Thank you for watching!
@@ilicdjo Well, thanks for half the kind words you said, anyway.
@@ilicdjo this baffled me. such a bad place to put a piece of your review of the game man. be mindful. you're shitting on a celebration of years of these people's work from well over a decade ago, for a company they left years ago. the documentary is a retrospective of their time throughout those years and insight into the impression it left on them and on eachother.
Todd Howard likes to talk about “step out” moments when you see the beauty of the game world unleashed for the first time. For me, that moment was the Riverwood ants. I remember seeing it in a promo and being so amazed that as soon as I left Riverwood, I went to look at the ants. I studied them for a good few minutes. I was just stunned that there was such a level of detail to the game - that’s when I fell in love with Skyrim. Mark Teare, your work has not gone unnoticed!
I had actually put a lot of hours into the game before I ever noticed that, and when I finally did I have to question if I was seeing things or not, or if maybe some mod was adding them. Tbf I had already seen a lot of the game online and kinda just rushed around fighting stuff when I was a kid, I never got into the exploration/roleplaying angle until much later when I started noticing these kinds of details.
That's part of what's great about the game... there are multiple levels of engagement that are possible, and you notice different things depending on the mood.
I missed those ants in Riverwood for my first several hundred hours. I remember hearing that there were ants “somewhere” and looked for them all over. When I found them it really did have the effect of “I wonder how many other subtle details are all over that I’ve missed”. Really does make you imagine worms in the ground and other creepy crawlies especially after seeing all the bugs flying in the sky as well. So ants + alchemy bugs really work in synergy to create the alive world around us.
@@GetUpTheMountains what a beautiful feeling! It’s the little details huh…
@@GetUpTheMountains So cool. Sometimes it's the little details that really create a sense of depth right?
First time i walked into black reach I was in awe. First time I walked out (6 hours later) I was exhausted and even MORE in awe. Also stumbling into it during a side quest 100% gave it that "my secret discovery" feeling on a masive scale.
You can thank Joel and Nate for that experience!!
Because of your hard work on Skyrim inspired me i was a, special needs kid who hated school used to come home every single day to play Skyrim to escape from it all, the world you created inspired me to become a programmer when everyone was telling me im Forest Gump and too dumb or not capable of anything, 14 years later im a full-stack employed web developer, with a first-class honours in computer science, with a little bit of game dev experience. The Game you built inspired me to do better Thank you Everyone at Bethesda
Thanks for leaving this comment, Webdev. The older I get, the more I realize the broad and startling range of human intelligence and creativity. I'm sorry that school was so hard for you, kids can be so cruel and sometimes the faculty don't understand the myriad ways that powerful brains can function. I'm so glad that you found your calling, something formidable that you can excel at. Here's to always growing and following our passions!
Just before the release I had never played an Elder Scrolls game, a friend of mine really wanted me to play Skyrim and I thought "eh I'll give it a look in when it's cheap" my buddy bought me the game full price brand new to get me to play. Never looked back, incredible series and incredible game
Now THAT James is a true friend!
Man, I can only say THANK YOU! Skyrim is the game of my life... seriously! I started my CZcams channel to make cosplays for the game (I made the Ancient Nord Armor, the Dragonbone Armor, the Yngol helmet and the Iron Armor for my wife); I did architectural projects in college based on the Skyrim setting. I have 8 tattoos with the wonderful symbolism of Tamriel. There were nights when I would come home from class or work and simply open the game to read the books. Skyrim was one of the turning points of my life, and I thank you deeply for that. A big hug from Brazil!
Yooo amazing!! Can you please hit me up on Instagram and send me pics of the Ancient Nord Armor, Dragonbone Armor, and Yngol's helmet??? I made all three of those things and I'd love to see your rendition of them. Much love brotha! Also, hope you subscribed :)
Dude, that's awesome! I have some Thuum scripture inked on my chest too!!
I remember back in 2012, I was up late playing Skyrim in my bedroom with a bunch of friends. We all eventually went to sleep and at some point in the night I woke up as the Dragon Priest, I then got out of bed and started levitating around my room. I felt so powerful. I floated over to my mirror and gazed in awe at my own reflection, in disbelief at the awesome form I'd taken on. It turns out this was just an incredibly vivid dream, but it felt real. Almost like a lucid dream. That dream will stick with me for the rest of my life.
Duddddeeee that's awesome man! Thanks for sharing Juan.
When I first started playing Skyrim I played the game whole day for atleast 7-10 days.. Reaching about level 30 and deciding to restart the game and "Play as Pure Mage this time" and restarting again to play as Mage + One handed Swordsman (my favorite style now). I also had several nightmares when I suddenly found myself in one of the dungeons.
Simply the most beautiful world I've ever gotten to experience. Every single one of you who worked on this game are legends. It's a shame you couldn't get Jeremy soule on here, his work is, in my opinion, the greatest videogame musical artistry of all time. It's simply unparalleled. All of this came together at the perfect time, really the last time it could, to create a total masterclass of art that will be enjoyed for generations. Hats off to you folks. I hope one day you can be reunited to work on an even bigger and better world.
Much love Sulferix! I also regret not being able to have sound designers in this, but the one I know best still works at Bethesda, and Jeremy Soule - as amazing as he is - actually turned out to be kind of a creep... so yeah, didn't want to include him in the doc...
@@JonahLobeDraws well, like i said. it was the last time a game like this could be made. baseless claims that were made against him were never proven in a court because of course they werent. another victim of stupid cancel culture. thus insuring you all can never work together again. its sad how such degenerate modern politics had to destroy so much of the artistic world. im not sure if this generation can ever recover....... maybe some day we will learn to grow a spine again, and then maybe great art can be produced again
I mean, I hear what you're saying, but I know people who worked with him directly on this project, and they let me know that he acted really creepily at times. And I trust these people. So yeah, I'm not sure "degenerate modern politics" can really be blamed... @@sulferix7265
@@JonahLobeDraws "Creepy" is subjective, and everybody's definition of creepy is different. Unless some serious proof and or charges come against someone I made it a point to not write anybody off just based on allegations or other peoples opinions. Especially since there's been so many allegations in the past that have turned out to be completely untrue.
At the end of the day though, you all actually knew the guy personally, I didn't. It was your call to include him in the video or not and I enjoyed it regardless.
@@JonahLobeDraws wow, did not know that about jeremy soule... thank you for being upfront on why he wasnt featured on the doc! i appreciate your transparency on the topic especially considering youre a direct source... overall amazing video, you all did such an incredible job on skyrim! truly a masterpiece :)
Thank you all so very much. Watching this it makes it so apparent why the game hit so many of us the way it did. You all loved it just as much as we one day would.
The game is truly timeless. People still find their way back to the Wagon ride years later.
The vast comfort of the game is palpable. Aesthetic channels still make scenic videos based on the sounds, sights and nature of the world.
Thank you so very much for all each of you did.
Thank you so much Morgane for this lovely message. It truly was a special time in our lives, and we could have only dreamed it would leave the impact that it did!!
@JonahLobeDraws ❤️❤️❤️ it really did. Its affected a whole generation in the best way! And alot of us are just waiting for the day we can watch our kid play it ❤️
“None of these people still work at Bethesda”
Me: *Actively sweating while looking at the ES6 trailer*
I've been out picking flowers and catching butterflies so many times I can't even count. I love all the interactive things like catching fish or putting a bucket on people's heads or reading lore in fake libraries. That's why I play through again and again. Many of us love this game more than any other. Thanks all involved.
So glad you enjoyed yourself in our little garden, Justin.
I agree, loved reading the journals left behind and short stories in the books u come across it really gave more depth and made this world come to life like how Tolkien would add so much detail about the life in the shire, even the mailing system lol but it all adds with creating the atmosphere and environment more real
Same, I recently became obsessed with book collecting. The library in my Lakeview Manor is almost completely. 0 repeats and filed away in alphabetical order, journals stored in their own little chest, letters in a lock box.
@@DeeEditor1 haha i've done this before as well. reading books in-game is great. i've always enjoyed it over the years, in the other elder scrolls games too.
The fire atronach is one of my favorite designs and animations in anything. And it's cool to have her following you around in game
Amazing video Jonah. You might not remember but shortly after Skyrim's release my brother and I visited your studio when we were kids. We brought with us our copy of Skyrim to get it autographed by everyone we met there and your signature stuck out to me because your handwriting was so tidy. We were only there for an hour or two but I could feel that synergy you talked about. Even as an outside observer it felt like the stars had aligned to bring the right team to the right project at the right time. I vividly remember the concept art room-the magic was palpable. That visit changed my life and opened my eyes to the fact that games are made by real people and not just summoned from oblivion. I'm now on my own path as an indie developer and have grown a greater appreciation for the work you guys did. I still play Skyrim to this day, using the same character from when I was 13 and I still discover new things every time. Thank you for making such wonderful art.
Amazing Raymond! I'm sure I remember you dropping by, if not your exact face or name... I think I even remember standing outside my cubicle when I signed that copy! Am wishing you the best of luck as you move forward in your indie developer journey. Remember to keep chasing your passion, elevate the people around you and enjoy the journey!
For years I've always tossed around games in my mind pondering what is my ultimate favorite. This game comes up with Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time. I always said if I had to live inside a video game, Skyrim would be it. I'll never forget how I first experienced it...living in this college dorm place at KSU, my buddy would always come over and we'd smoke and hang out then I bought Skyrim not knowing much about it, I had 2 crt tv's in my room and two Xbox 360's and got another copy of the game he and I would both play exploring similar areas in our games to see what we would find. Then using the official guide we hunted for Daedric artifacts finding the information in the guide then both setting out to find them. This game is VERY special to me. Thank you to ALL of the Developers who put in their hearts and creativity to bring us something so special 🙌
Hell yeah, thanks for this Patriot. Glad you had so many good memories of this game. And I hope you subscribed to my channel for more like this!
Well, knowing the giants were modeled off a dad now certainly makes it make sense why the little hot spring area with a giant mourning a dead mammoth is so incredibly heartbreaking now. Because it's a real man's face and it was crafted with love. That giant needs a hug bigger than any of my character's model can give. I guess I've just been a knee height little gremlin desperately trying to throw flowers at Jonah Dad as some sort of stand-in for comfort for years, haha!
Haha awww Destiny that’s so sweet!
Honestly the story about the ants was really great for me. When I saw them in game back in 2011 it was really special for me and it was really great seeing the guy who made them
Mark is a genius!
Me too! I remember seeing them and being astounded by the detail
Skyrim is such a uniquely soul soothing experience for me. It's one of the only games where my detailed obsessed brain can still get lost, in a lot of other games you try to push the level of detail in the world and you're stuck with well only certain books can be read and touched or only certain people can be stolen from or you did that mission wrong reload or we won't explain why npc steve is upset. In Skyrim you read every book, you steal anything, you don't fail quests for arbitrary reasons and you can find npc steve's journal explaining why he's angry about turnips. That quality is what truly sets Skyrim apart, it feels like the game will almost always account for you pushing what is possible and show you something fun as a result. Skyrim is the game where you kill someone and their body gets moved to a cemetery where you can rob their grave. That level of thought does not exist in any other game that I know of and it's all set to a stunning atmosphere and beautiful landscape.
Thank you.
Much love Johnny, thanks so much for the great comment and personal story. I really appreciate you loving Skyrim and taking the time to watch this and leave a comment. I'm releasing my own comic later this year - I hope you have followed me here on youTube, so you don't miss it! I guarantee that if you liked Skyrim, you'll dig this.
I keep rewatching this documentary on a regular basis. There's something magical about it. It's such a joy listening to all of you! As time goes on, I appreciate Skyrim even more, its characters worldbuilding and stories. This comes from a 40 year old fan who started with Morrowind in early 2000s.
My favorite comment! Thanks Borean, I'm so glad you enjoy this video. I'm super happy with how it turned out - I wanted to create a worthwhile testament to those times, and I'm pleased with it. Hope you followed and have enjoyed my other videos!
As I grew into an adult, I find myself admiring more sunsets, cloud formations, inclement weather and landscapes. I believe this to be thanks to this game. I would spend so much of my playtime just staring at the vistas in awe of the sun piercing through the clouds or the massive arouras in the night sky while Soule’s chill-inducing music sung over the scenery, and since then I've found myself admiring our own real-world beauty. Skyrim is my favorite gaming world to this day. I remember sitting in high school classes daydreaming about what I'm going to find when I get home and explore the northern land of Tamriel. Would I find a cave with treasure, a new enemy I haven't seen yet or another priest mask to add to my collection? No matter what I did, climb to the top of a mountain and slay a dragon or stay in breezehome and do some interior decorating, I had the same amount of fun and immersion.
Thank you so much for making this video! It brought so much joy to hear from the talented people who created one of the most special experiences of my life.
Lovely comment, thank you so much Todd for telling me this story. Have a great day my friend.
We don't know each other, but you guys are an important part of my life. It feels good to finally see the faces behind all this. Thank you for this great world! Thank you Adam, your work made you immortal.
Aww thank you Prienen. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance! Thanks for playing and watching.
Its hard to articulate why something like Skyrim feels like a world that's been lived in and is being lived in, where ESO feels like a film set, but documentaries like this help.
I know what you mean EB. I think level designs help a lot with making things feel lived-in.
I still go back to Skyrim to feel that peace of nature and music.
So Sal is responsible for that trailer that still gives chills 10 years later haha! I hope she occasionally reads the comments on that video to remind herself what an impact that video still has. Obviously Max's voice is awesome as well.
Zane, Sal and another video editor put that together. She's talented right??
This was great Jonah. It is so nice to see everyone and to re-visit all of these old pictures and accounts of us doing what we love. Something really special happened on that journey that I haven't felt again, before or since. These were some of my favorite times... Miss you all!
Jeremy! So glad that you got to watch this! Indeed, those were very special times. Everyone was just on the same page in a really big way, the company did not have any major problems, we all worked well together, and the end product turned out so well. We are very lucky to have experienced that! Miss you buddy, hope you are well.
I don't have words to describe how thrilled & grateful I am that you put out this documentary. It's so heartwarming to watch behind-the-scenes vids of Skyrim, because it reminds me that Elder Scrolls isn't just a game series-- it's a vessel for good memories, for both the devs and the players. You all put an insane amount of love and passion into crafting this world, and playing the game feels more special because we know every little detail is heartfelt. Thank you guys, for 10 years of one of the best games of all time.
Mudkip thank you for your kind words! It was a pleasure and an honor to work on such a great game with such a great cast of characters. Appreciate your support so much!
I just wanted to say thanks to all of the people working at Bethesda at that time and now, you guys made my life and especially my childhood slightly or even much better.
Thanks❤
Skyrim is one of the best games I have played in my life. I played the game at release in November 2011 and it blew me away. Still pick it up, thanks to all the devs for all of their hard work and passion.
I stayed up to say, "FIRST". Alas, I was not first. Looking forward to giving this a watch, hope you're well!
Aww thank you Payton! Nice to hear from you man, I'm well and very glad to be done with this video heheh
I beat you as first mwhaahahah
HEY YOU. YOU'RE FINALLY AWAKE
I mean I assume you are... seeing as though you said you stayed up for this 11 hours ago
@@JonahLobeDraws it's all very exciting! I've been *incredibly* busy this year. I will message you soon, we can catch up!
@@tsivils1987 eyes open at the crack of 4pm my friend
Seeing the Skyrim trailer still brings a tear to my eye, I was in my 20's starting a familly, striking out on my own, and every time I see it I remind myself of helping my late Mom, a kindergarten teacher in Eastern Europe put together a children's play that was, basically skyrim. It was a fond thread and a project that connected me with my folks.
My dad will work the garden listening to the Skyrim soundtrack to this day :D
Wow I absolutely love this story. Thank you so much for sharing it V! My condolences about your mom - she sounds absolutely incredible. The world needs more educators like her!!
The background of the skill menu is so good, im glad he took the time to make it beautiful
As I’m currently going through probably my 13th playthrough of Skyrim. The algorithm blesses me with this video. It’s inspiring and beautiful to have heard this. You all have made what I believe to be the greatest video game of all time 💜 Liked and Subscribed 🔥🔥
fantastic, thanks so much Sync! Glad to have you subscribed too.
Everybody likes to focus on the "flaws" and "bugs", that were unavoidably built-in to the game just because of the engine limits (coughs* Havok system) you had at the time. Hence the endless years of youtube videos showcasing the quirks and glitches, and I love them for what they are. Nonetheless, in order to find and see those incidents, someone had to be playing the game, and that is where ES V Skyrim shines. Ten years later, there are still discoveries in the game space being discussed, discovered, places unknown, hidden gems, hidden treasures. For example, the treasure chest on the second floor of Traitors Post, I for one never looked up to notice it before, and two, never knew there were goodies in it. Simply by chance I discovered it when a visual glitch revealed it , when I was running around killing the bandits. I then spent an easy twenty minutes, trying to figure out how to get on the second floor to loot it, and then another 2 minutes trying to jump and time the E just right to lock pick it. Just last week I found a couple treasure chests, that I hadn't discovered before. For all the bugs, glitches, inconsistencies and quirks, your Team did a great enough job of making a game world that still thrives, and for that THANK YOU!!
Love this, and you're so right - there are so many secrets to discover in Skyrim! Thank you for this story.
The thing I've found with a lot of people is they truly get invested in their characters and make up stories about them and get wrapped up in the game and they pretend. When you ask them why they play they make jokes. It's the same with liking Star Trek. Jokes and "ohh the sets wobble... It's soo cheesy" Uh huh.... Admit it. You're invested. You're roleplaying and enjoy the game. A friend of mine, a bit of a Jock" back in school played Oblivion all the time. He joked "oh yeah I like to mess about and stuff" he had about 4 characters all named and eventually when my other mates talked about the game he chimed in about characters and lore. He "came out the closet" as it were as a Tolkein fan too. The game taps that inner fantasist in all of us. It's that attention to detail and the combination of many different elements that fulfil the mission statement in the manuals "live another life in another world"
@@joegrimes9232 i still remember my Khajiit from Oblivion! He was awesomeeee
This is generally the problem with Bethesda - they make some parts of the game incredible, superb, beyond imagination even, while having others awful, terrible, lazy and undone..
Unfortunately there are more and more of the later lately.
Holy cow, man. You literally listed off the most iconic character and armor designs in the game. You are a legend. Thank you so much for your contributions to this incredible experience.
Kind of you to say! Loved working on this game, the art felt made for me.
holy smokes that list of what you made was incredible. seriously, how have I not been recommended this in the entire year I've been re-obsessed with this game? thanks so much for this.
Thank you so much Bias! Hope you get a chance to watch the Fallout video I just released (oh, and that you subscribed ;)
@@JonahLobeDraws Not a Fallout player, but you just might make me one. Love 3D and game design, so I'll definitely check it out. Very much appreciate the response!
Skyrim was and is still everything to me. You guys have no idea how much of an impact this game left on me. Skyrim is the world that has always waited for me and met me at different seasons of my life. In every season, every playthrough gave me something different to experience and think about.
When I was a teenager, I spent most of my high school days as a lone wolf. I was that stereotypical loner kid that never really fit in with anyone, and I didn't mind that. Outside of high school assignments and the usual stresses of a teen, Skyrim was the world where I could be someone else. Whiterun is the Dragonborn's capital city and the centre of their power. The characters felt so alive and the story was so compelling that I felt like I mattered, like I had the power to bring something good into the world. The journey, the quests, the road to power -- it was a sensation that I've never quite experienced outside of Skyrim. Skyrim made me feel like a person.
And now fast forward several years later, I'm now graduating university and embarking on the job hunt for my first full-time job. I started getting back into Skyrim a week ago, at the time I'm writing this. The nostalgia, the comfort, the security, and the sense of familiarity and safety -- it's like coming back home. The same broken down cobblestone roads. The same old bandits and factions to contend with. Dragons roaming everywhere, and more bounties to collect. The chance to pretend that you are some kind of Dwemer archaeologist and scholar, and the excitement to explore Blackreach all over again. It doesn't get better than this. Sometimes, I just let my character sit outside on a bench in Whiterun and gaze at the stars, while its iconic theme soundtrack plays in the background. It's one of the only spaces in my life right now where I can decompress, sit back, and just be.
What I'm trying to say is simply this; thank you so much for the work that every single one of you contributed into making Skyrim. Skyrim is more than just a game to me. It's also more than just a friend. Skyrim is going to be a life-long companion that I will always go adventuring with, never tiring of it, never going to be bored with it. When all else fails, Skyrim is a world that will wait for players like me. All of you should be proud of the legacy you left with Skyrim. Thanks to you, so many wonderful modders who are just as emotionally touched by your legacy have created a modding community that is more alive than ever today. If it wasn't for Skyrim, we wouldn't have the mods we have today that further enriches the impact of this beloved world.
Skyrim is a testament to how pure passion can have a ripple effect on the world, which inspires other people to pursue the highest expression of their talents. There is a player that mentioned on one of the many Skyrim videos on CZcams stating that the presence of Dwemer technology and lore was the reason that they pursued aerospace engineering. The attention to detail and complexity that went into the design and writing of Dwemer lore, the interest factor of these Dwemer ruins, it was enough to act as a spark of inspiration for this person.
Your impact is real and lasting, guys. I really don't have enough words to express how much Skyrim means to me. It literally saved me so many times in the darkest periods of my life. If it wasn't for Skyrim, I'm not sure if I would have picked up video game development as a hobby. I guess this is the magic of art. When we create something, we feel so powerful and validated, as if the act of creation itself satisfies some inner primal need that we don't have a word for. I guess this is a human's will to power, just like the Dragonborns we play as. I only hope someday I can create something like Skyrim was for me.
Thank you.
Wow thank you for this wonderful message. I'm so glad and grateful that Skyrim was there when you needed it most. I'm touched!
Also, because I can tell that you're a thoughtful, inspired, passionate person, I'd love to invite you to my behind-the-scenes newsletter, all about art, fantasy, world-building, and the creation of my new graphic novel, Quiet: Level One. Signup is totally free - I hope you'll join!
jonahlobe.substack.com/
We need more videos like this kn youtube to increase the appreciation people have for how much goes into making a game and the negative reaction to game delays.
It's not as easy as "Go into door, black screen and ur there" behind the scenes that had to be programmed, not easy.
Thank you for sharing this and to all the people who poured their souls into this game and made fantastic memories dating back 10years for all of us.
Skyrim is timeless❤
Thanks RH For the lovely comment! It was a pleasure to put this together, and I’m glad that it was informative for you.
What a great documentary about the making of one of the best video games of all time.
Thank you so much Oasis!
I always appreciate behind-the-scenes glimpses into projects like this, it demystifies the scale of it all into much more tangible, personal contributions... It makes me feel like I can help make something just as good.
Absolutely Wizards! That's why my whole channel is geared toward helping and informing and de-mystifying the process of creative art and projects. Thanks for watching, and for commenting.
Incredible. Skyrim brought back my love of gaming. All of you made an absolute masterpiece. Skyrim is more than a video game to me, it's an experience. Thank you all so much. I'll rebuy Skyrim on any platform it releases on because it's that much of a comfort game for me. P.s. I care about Fireborne! I would love to see what you guys could do with something else.
Aww thank you for loving the game, and for the kind words re: Fireborne. I'm not currently working on a game, but I AM working on a graphic novel, which launches on Kickstarter in just 1 month!! Stay tuned!!
I just started playing Skyrim as a 50 year old, and it’s given me such joy (and frustration lol). Thanks for the inside look. Now go down to the barracks for some food and rest. You’ve earned it.
lol thanks Arc!
This is great Jonah. Big fan of the werewolf section and the healthy competition
I love that section too, Jord, thanks. The competition powered some great work!
Thank you for this video Jonah 🖤 . Thank you ALL for being part of certainly the greatest gaming experience in my life. I've been gaming for over 35 years, no game has had such an impact on me. Skyrim has always been my go to - in good times, the bad, COVID lockdowns, late night bottle feeds with my children while playing on the switch 😅 and has really helped me escape when in some low points in my life.
The work you all did was amazing - you can really sense you all captured lightening in a bottle, you should all be so proud. A true great work of gaming, accomplishment and art, so much so I even got the Dragonborn tattooed on my arm.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful comment Ace! Really appreciate you my friend. Hope you subscribed, so that you don't miss my upcoming comic book!!
It's shocking to learn that the Skyrim we received was largely due to the heroic efforts of just a few creators working secretly in the trenches. This makes us realize that the BGS game we often idolize doesn't always stem from leadership. If Microsoft intends to bottle the process that gave us Skyrim, they simply cannot. Those people are gone and the process that gave us Skyrim came from those individuals straining against the limits of their role.
Well, I don't want to give the impression that it was just a few creators working in the trenches. Honestly everyone tried really hard - we were just the SUPER-motivated "new blood" members who had something to prove to themselves and to each other!
Thank you for making Skyrim a reality. I don't exactly get opportunities to reach out directly people who were/are involved in the making of the Elder Scrolls series, which is a franchise that stirs my soul and genuinely means the world to me. As a kid playing Morrowind, I always dreamed about growing up and working for Bethesda, as these games felt so intimately close to me. I didn't even wind up in the industry (I work with produce for a living), but even after all of these years I feel deeply moved when I play these games - especially Skyrim and Morrowind.
I see the current patterns that Bethesda has found themselves repeating with their newer releases, and with so many key people missing from the development team, I may as well feel sick that the peak of the Elder Scrolls franchise has come and gone. I remain hopeful that the current folks at Bethesda put as much heart into TES6 as you guys have, treat it with care, and honor the very soul of the series. But if not, Morrowind and Skyrim will always be there for me return to. All the best.
Appreciate you Adam! Thanks for the wonderful comments and thoughts - I'm totally with you, but I'm hopeful.
I'd also love to include you in my upcoming world-building ventures, specifically my comic "Quiet: Level One." Please hit me up on Instagram or something and I would love to get you a copy of my behind-the-scenes newsletter!
Fantastic work on the documentary Jonah! =D
Means a lot coming from you guys! Would love to Zoom chat with you sometime in the new year if possible. I am going to be expanding this channel in a big way and I would love your sage wisdom and advice.
I was about 8 or 9 when I first started playing Skyrim. I remember the summer morning and nights where I would lose myself in the world, and snowy winters where I would spend hours and hours creating my character. At the time I was playing on my brother’s old ps3, and I didn’t even really understand the game due to my age. But something just reeled me in permanently, and it manifested into a larger piece of me as time moved on. I remember the first time I played Skyrim Special Addition, and if you were a young console player you will remember how groundbreaking this was for us. That new button that says “mods” and the two huge new DLC’s that added hundreds of hours of content. It was a new world, my Skyrim could be even more tuned to my liking and updated to look like it came out recently. A new bright and realistic world, with dozens of very deep and personal player-characters to the point I would just dream of the game. And now It is 2022. A decade after the release of the game and the fire and passion of the game still lights inside of all of us. And yes the nostalgia and fond memories are great, but I am still making new memories and worlds to explore till this very day to the point where I have a 40+ page document of my characters lore and life in the game. And I want to finally say thank you. This game is truly the shining diamond of a entire generation of people. It is a piece of our personality, our creativity and passion, and memories. It has given me such a positive creative impact and joy that I don’t believe is possible to recreate in another video game, this is bluntly the best game ever made.
Wow thank you for this Daniel. I really loved reading this memory and tribute.
Its amazibg to see people accomplish when they have a shared vision, unwavering drive, and good management. Thanks for all you and your friends have done. The world is a brighter place beacuse of it
Much love Doomgel!
I rewatch this about once a year and I’m utterly captivated every time. This game is a work of art, thank you and the team for pouring your hearts and souls into making it.
I really appreciate that, fawsome! I'm pleased with how this turned out, and it definitely helped to document some important years in our lives!
I can't believe how long it's actually been, I feel like Bethesda is just so big and iconic, I always just figured the people who worked at it during Skyrim, were still just there, but again it's hard to believe how long it's been. I remember first hearing about the elder scrolls games from a friend who was like, "dude, dragons, epic quests, the elder scrolls games are awesome!" about 6 months before Skyrim released, and me, who had never played an ES game at that point was like, " Cool I'll go get this" Went out and found Oblivion, which I assumed was the epic dragon game my friend told me about, a few hours in and no dragons, but I wasn't disappointed at all and beat the whole game and the DLC's, then saw the trailer for Skyrim and was instantly hyped. I got it Christmas eve, stayed up literally all night playing it, didn't bother with any Christmas day stuff and just played for nearly 36 hours straight until I physically couldn't stay awake anymore. Thank all of you for your contribution to the game. I hope most of you still have your passion for game design and still are active, whether just making your own games or with another company.
Thanks for this great story Fett! Love hearing your personal experiences. I’m doing lots of other new stuff - come find me on Instagram if you’d like to join me in my journey!
YEEEEEEEEEEEES! I have waited this video from "the man who created the skyrim giants" AKA Jonah Lobe for so long!
Yessss! Finally it's here. Feels REALLY good to finally get it out there, it's been quite the labor of love.
@@JonahLobeDraws It really shows! I just finished the documentary and you can truly see how much love all of you put in the game and in this documentary.
It’s so clear that this game was made with love. I was in high school when Skyrim came out and I really thought then that I could play it forever and never run out of things to see. I’ve since played and beaten every other elder scrolls game (even arena!) but Skyrim still brings a special feeling of coming home. I’ve seen the intro so many times I could probably quote it word for word from Helgen to the Greybeards. Thank you for your part in my formative memories!
Thank you so much for playing and for watching! I do hope you've subscribed, so you don't miss what I'm working on next...!
So awesome to hear how passionate the devs are, really shows that this game really had the right people behind it, a very rare thing
I'm only 32min in, but I am having the time of my life watching this. I've always been fascinated by how things are pieced together and how they work, and this documentary is very much making me even more excited about that than I already was. Thank you and everyone you interviewed (and everyone who made the game!) for this wonderful video on a game I thoroughly love exploring!
EDIT: Okay yeah that was amazing. I can't wait to see what you have planned for the future of this channel!
Yaaaay thanks Jank for watching! Am very proud of the finished project. :)
It's sad how few in the world understand just how much we all lost with Adam, thank you for mentioning him; means a lot that his friends haven't forgotten him
Thank you Victor. He really was special, I learned a lot from him. I will carry what I learned through life… Did you know him?
What a great watch! For me, the music was a great deal on why it was epic, Jeremy soule is a true artist
He He’s very talented, but apparently kind of a creep…
I take my hat off to every person. That worked on skyrim. You all have managed to make a game that can pull me back in time and time again.
I have been playing the game since its release and I have only completed the main quest 4 times because of all of the beauty in the landscap. And all of the attention that you all have paid to making brilliant Content
I'm a huge Skyrim fan and and I would like to thank you so much for bringing that amazing content to all of us! As a 3D artist I feel very inspired by your journey and all of your coworkers experience working in such an amazing game like TES V Skyrim. We have to always remember that games are made by people! All the best, Jonah, and thank you again!
You’re so welcome Henrique! I wish you luck on your own 3d/art discipline. If you have any questions or want any advice or anything, hit me up on Instagram!
Very emotional, thanks a lot for this. That part about team culture and speaking the same language is very dear to me.
Rashad started a sweet new company and he and his partners are hiring with that principle in mind! Thanks so much for watching Florent.
Your work and your game saved my life and rejuvenated my faith and has brought me endless comfort and got me through COVID in one piece. I could go on forever, but you helped save my life, thank you.
Aww much love Vagabond, thank you. I'm thrilled that Skyrim was there for you when times were tough!
I also hope you subscribed, I've got some stuff in the works I don't want you to miss...
Ive played this game om and off for about 500 hours and have never completed the main story 😅 im now doing that at 30 years old cuz i love this game so much and appreciate every second i play of it 😁
I thank every single one of you for every contribution you made. You ALL made this game and i can't thank you enough for it 🙏
Much love Will, thank you. I hope you also subscribed to this channel - I have a Fallout video coming you don't want to miss!
Found this fascinating. I’ve always tried (and failed) to put my finger on why after all this time I still come back to this game. It’s my comfort game. I’m still finding new stuff! The fact that’s how it felt at the time for the people making it - and still is when you think of that time in your careers, is both mind blowing and the most logical thing ever. You can’t fake a good team culture and the magic it produces. And I bet that chasing the bottom line instead of allowing that creative, collaborative, competitive environment to develop and thrive, is why there’s still no other game quite like it.
It really was a special time for us! Glad you could feel that.
Skyrim is a game still without an equal in it's genre. There were many great titles that were made since, but none could capture that unique atmosphere. That's what drew the modders in, that's what keeps drawing all the players back in. Now I finally know why Todd haven't made TES5 yet - he simply don't have that team anymore. You made something amazing guys, you have all the reasons to be proud of it.
I knew when we made it that it was special. I felt, when I left, like this was probably the best work we were likely to see for a while.
Alongside Morrowind and Oblivion, this is one of my favorite games of ALL time. I remember getting this game when it dropped and staying up all night playing it on my 360 back in college. I’ve played it on every console since and it’s still just as fun as when I first played it. Y’all killed it.
Ahhh I appreciate that West!! It was a blast to put together, and I'm so glad it's found a home with you
I'm watching this once again, and I noticed that I forgot to write how entertaining you are every time I happen to see you!
Heyyy thank you so much Andrea! I super appreciate the kind words, and I appreciate you watching this twice.
Skyrim caused me to go to school and get a degree in Game Design. I remember thinking that I needed to hurry up cause they would undoubtedly be working on TES6 by the time I graduated. I finished in 2015, safe to say I wasn't too late. These are the types of teams that one can only dream to be apart of. Thank you for changing my life!!
I felt the same way in high school about Doom. It killed me to think that they might make that game again without me…
How long did it take for you? I passed my first term but, dropped out due to the vaccine mandate.
I’m looking for a different school now. Currently, I am doing compTIA A+
@@olafharoldsonnii4713 wishing you luck Olaf! My brother had to drop out of school to because of Covid… Crazy times we are living in…
@@olafharoldsonnii4713 I used my GI and 911 and only had 3 years to get the BS. Had to work HARD to stay ahead. Honestly though schools will only expose you to the mediums and the learning pace usually makes people drop at 6th and 9th quarters. Most of the things you will need to learn by yourself from digging in and watching tutorials on line. Learning the basic art principals are key and school was good for that part. As far as all the 3D stuff, now is better than ever. On line programs are all over the place and even mentorships from AAA pro's in the industry. I would recommend Gnomon and Gnomon on-line if your serious about learning Game Art. Or even getting Marc Brunet's Art School on-line. In the end a degree will not get you a job. Portfolio is King!
First, thank you for this. There has been scant behind-the-scenes material available over the past decade, so many of us have been pining for something like this.
With some video games, I never forget that I'm sitting on my couch and staring at my tv with a controller in my hand. Skyrim is completely transportive. The physical world disappears, as though the television frame expands beyond my field of view, and I'm simply there. How many times have beautiful moments occurred that felt unique to me, thanks to the alchemy of ingredients you lovingly poured into the game? How many music cues have hit at just the right time, as I've rounded a bend to see a beautiful vista after emerging from a dank dungeon, greeted by the sunset - until the "dun-dun!" approaching enemy kicks in, and my heart races not knowing what's behind me.
I hope you keep it going! I'd love to see spotlights on more of the team.
And to each of you, what was it like hearing Jeremy Soule's score for the first time? It had to be like Lucas, having labored on Star Wars, hearing how Williams's score enhanced and elevated everything he'd worked so hard on.
And did you expect to snag such A-list talent like Christopher Plummer?! I'd be like, "I am going to design the **** out of this next flower!"
Christopher Plummer was such a great and unexpected pleasure. And to have his voice alongside my dragons... couldn't ask for a better feeling!
Thanks Chad for this lovely comment, I really appreciate it. Am releasing new content in 1 month, I look forward to showing you! Thanks for your support.
Hey Jonah, thank you for this very well structured video, it was awesome to watch all the members of this amazing team expalain their functions and see the passion brought to life with this game.
Thanks for watching Chicken - I hope you subscribed!
This was so well done. Skyrim was a huge part of my childhood, time to replay it again for the 10th time
What a lovely set of conversations. This was wonderful, Jonah. I remember sitting down and playing Oblivion for the first time when I was 10 years old, at a friend's house. In just a few moments I started realizing the scope of the game and the sheer amount of options I could make. I thought to myself "Oh wow, I can do almost anything in this game!" It was my first time playing an open world RPG and it absolutely blew my pre-adolescent mind. Fast forward to 2011 and I had played Oblivion, Morrowind, Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas to death, plus any other similar games I could find. When I came home from school on November 11th, I had Skyrim waiting for me and I sat up playing it until 1 AM, knowing I had to get up at 6. During that first play session I felt such extraordinary emotions. It was different from the first time I played Oblivion, but it was in the same vein and more intense. Once again my mind was blown, only this time I was a teenager. Today, I'm 24 years old and I have probably played Skyrim for at least a thousand hours. Modding became a huge drive for me, because once again it gave me that feeling of "Oh wow, I can do almost anything in this game!" But with the extension of "I just have to find the right combination of mods and I can experience the game once again, as if it was new!" Bethesda games have been a huge part of my life, and has had a massive impact on who I am as a person today. Skyrim is my favorite game of all time, and it has inspired me to start writing my own fantasy stories and creating my own fantasy world! In the future, I hope to publish these stories and perhaps one day my creations will come to inspire others, just like The Elder Scrolls has inspired me. Thank you for this video and thanks to everyone at Bethesda and the people in this video for a decade of entertainment!
Thank you for leaving such a lovely note! I’m so glad that you felt so inspired by those games, and that they were part of the impetus for you to start creating your own worlds! Our concept Artist Adam loved that part of concept art the most, I think… Making some thing that would inspire others to new ideas. I hope you always continue with creating, because creating cool things, I believe, its one of the true rare pleasures in this world. I am wishing you the best in your creative endeavors! Thank you for the comment and for the follow, I think you will like the stuff that I have coming out next…
Just finished! Like I said on ArtStation, this game was a huge part of my teenage years, and a big reason why I got into game development to begin with. I put so much time into the quests, the storyline, listening to the music, all of it. Even now I'm eagerly awaiting ES6 hahaha.
I thought it was cool to hear you talk about creating Alduin and never having gotten to see him yourself ingame, yet that character is so well known by millions of people now.
It's got to be really cool for you and everyone else who worked on this title to see the kind of longevity it's had and how it's affected so many people. Thank you for allowing us some insight into the production of this and allowing us to hear everyone else's stories. :)
Thank you Jordan! It is quite a great feeling, we are all eternally grateful for having gotten the chance to work together on such a great project!
I was an oblivion fanboy through and through, and I was scared Skyrim wouldn’t be good. But man, was it such an incredible experience. I was 17 and went to the midnight release and made such fond memories with the people there. It was my last midnight release and with how incredible the game turned out, I’m grateful that it was Skyrim.
They even let us play while we waited and everyone lost their minds whenever a giants first killed someone. I’ll never forget the roar in that GameStop lol
That is a fantastic memory Path, thank you for telling me about it! I remember the energy that night too, but it had a lot of nerves for us. We so hoped that the game would be liked by people, but we couldn't be sure!
I have spent so much time since late 2011 engrossing myself into the world of Skyrim that it's easy to forget that all of it was made by regular folks like you guys. It's amazing to get this kind of insight from AAA game developers. The topic in the video I agree most on is keeping the secrets a secret throughout the world and letting us players find it on our own. To this day I find fun little unique things that really boggle my mind how I missed them in so many playthroughs. Camelworks has these "curating curiosity" videos that really delves deep into it. The passion put behind Skyrim is kind of insane.
One future video I'd love to know about is how hard it was to get Skyrim running on it's original consoles and what all had to be cut and scrapped to accommodate the 360 and especially the PS3. I started with the PS3 version and it was quite the experience to put it lightly.
Loved the video. New subscriber here.
Fantastic! Thanks for this Fire.
I don't know much about the difficulties you're talking about, as that's mostly a programming issue, but I do know that the Dragon textures were cut WAY smaller than they originally said they'd be. It sort of killed me honestly.
7:30 Missed opportunity to have said : into the void of Sithis
more seriously, really interesting, thanks for all
Damnit you're totally right!! I blew it. ;)
Man, watching this is just HUGELY inspirational. I feel like this vid was recommended to me at just the right time. I've been in a bit of a slump with trying to juggle YT stuff and wanting to work back in industry. Been feeling a lot of stagnation over the last two years, and I know I need to take steps towards getting out of it.
I was just starting to pursue my artistic career path when Skyrim was released. I was a broke ass student 17 year old, but managed to get a copy on 360 after xmas 2011. I'd come back from my days at my 1 year art foundation course ('cus I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career, I just knew I wanted to be a creative), and snuggle up on the brick of a mattress in my room at the student halls, with a monitor on the desk at the end of my bed, boot up the game... and just get lost in the world.
I remember thinking to myself, 'Wow. Real people made this. I wonder if I could do that?'... Experiencing Skyrim definitely played a role in driving me to get my animation degree, and work in industry.
It's just so wonderful to hear your personal experiences and stories in putting together the game. I totally relate to the friendly rivalry/competitiveness, haha! Put me in a room of crazy talented and driven folks, and YOU BET I'll be working my ass off to impress! It suddenly becomes a fun (and sometimes adrenaline induced) challenge to push yourself to solve problems, rather than getting bogged down by self doubt... Plus you get to see how others work, and improve skills crazy amounts in such a short space of time.
Don't get me wrong, it's not a glamourous industry. Crunch is fucked up... but after being out of studios for so long because of the pandemic (and also because of where I'm currently living), I really miss the comradery that can come with working around creatives.
I revisit Skryrim pretty much every Winter (thematically, it just feels right, hahah!) since getting the remastered version on PS4. Still haven't done ANY of the DLC yet! :') .
Bonus fact: I don't think a single month has gone by since Skryrim originally came out where I didn't have the soundtrack/atmospheres on in the background.
Anyway, thanks for putting together this video. It's amazing to hear stories directly from people like yourselves. It's given me a bit more drive to work on/fill out my portfolio again for a potential return to industry work. Cheers!
Meow-
I'm so glad this provided you a nice jolt of positive energy and motivation. These last two year have indeed been very difficult for creatives (and EVERYONE) so I'm glad you're feeling roused again.
And yeah, I miss working at a studio too. The comradery, the friendship, the learning, the sense of being on a team together (instead of alone)... I miss it! Don't think I'll ever do that again though... I enjoy what I'm doing now too much.
Thanks for the kind words and memory. I assume you've subscribed - hope you enjoy what I have coming out next month!
Love your channel btw, just discovered it. And congrats on the name change!
Really cool to see some of the faces and personalities behind one of my favorite games! The world of Skyrim captivated me like no other before or since. It was such an experience to be in this living, breathing world that the player had the power to change to their vision. Subbed! Would love to see more behind the scenes stuff any of the games you worked on. Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
My pleasure! I'll make a Skyrim creature design video soon...
@@JonahLobeDraws Oh hell yeah!! Can’t wait! 😁
You gays are my heroes.
In my eyes you have developed the Pc-game of the Century.
I worked in a computer games store back in 2011 and will never forget Skyrim‘s release day. Hard to believe i'm still playing this game thanks to VR and the fantastic mod community even today. Thank you very much for this Masterpiece.❤
Thank YOU for being such a fan and supporting us! Love this comment.
Thank you to you, Jonah, and everyone else who participated in this very insightful and nostalgic trip with arguably one of the most influential video games of all time.
This is just what I needed in my life right now.
Yay thanks Jacob! Appreciate your support brother.
What a fantastic documentary! How great it is to see behind the scenes, finding out about all the easter eggs, the creative process, all the insights about being a creator, how to work as a team, all the good memories that were made... This was great to watch both as a Skyrim fan and as a creator myself!
I want to say thanks to the entire team behind this amazing game, but I need to personally thank...
... Salinee, because that trailer convinced me, a non-gamer, to play Skyrim. It was just fantastic.
... Mark, because I remember spending soooo much time looking at the skillmap, it is just so beautiful.
... Dennis, because running around as a werewolf was just incredibly fun, lmao.
And you, Jonah, of course, for putting all of this together and for being a friendly, approachable, inspiring artist, who's always ready to educate others and make us fell curious about our artistic process and keep pushing ourselves into going further with our creative journey.
Thank you so much! I'll be keeping an eye out to see what more you have up your sleeve!
Awwww Mitu thank you for this delightful message, and for always being a delight. I enjoy following you over on Insta! :)
Here! Here!
This was a really enjoyable time and do hope you're able to get your book published if it isn't already. 🎉
Thank you so much Kas! I would love for you to be a part of my world. Please google my Substack and join up, it's totally free and I'd love to have you. It's called "The Tree of Worlds" and it details the development of my upcoming comic (which I'll also make videos of here on CZcams).
As a hobbyist game dev, this is one of the coolest videos I've ever seen.
Hell yeah, thanks for watching Fred. I think you'd enjoy my Fallout video as well, and a few others.
@@JonahLobeDraws I'll definitely check it out. I've always just assumed that most design decisions in a game were just made by some executive producer committee or something, but it's so cool too see an environment where y'all were free to throw out ideas and actually have your ideas heard and implemented.
Skyrim is my obsession still ten years on. The greatest game ever made. Period. 🐉🐉♥️♥️💎💎
Skyrim got me through a lot as a kid/teen. It became my virtual home, if you will, which was far better than my real one. I genuinely wish I could repay everyone who helped create it as much as I feel they truly deserve. So, if any of you see this, thank you for the amazing world you created, down to even the smallest of details. Thank you for being my escape, and filling my mind with wonder.
So glad to hear that Tamriel was a place you could retreat when the real world was far worse. If you enjoyed this and want to see more stuff to pique your interest, Kiinara, I hope you follow! Got some stuff you might like coming soon...
The part about the ants at about 30:20, I remember one moment, on the way from Whiterun, I stopped to enjoy the scenery in front of the bridge to Riverwood. I looked around in third person, looked at the trees, the sky, and the camera stopped just over the stump. And then I saw the little moving path running up and over the stump... Such a natural thing to spot in nature. A path of ants going about their business, completely oblivious to you or the big world around them... I just couldn't believe that was there. The world was a living breathing ecosystem and this was all it took to make me feel that way about the game. Amazing.
Much love English, thanks for taking the time to share this story with me. Appreciate you! FYI, I'm releasing my own comic later this year - I hope you have followed me here on youTube, so you don't miss it! I guarantee that if you liked Skyrim, you'll dig this.
This video really puts Skyrim and game development into perspective for me, I always had my own ideas on what went on behind the scenes but now I really know, thanks for educating us and putting your time into this game to make it the amazing piece of art that it is today. God bless you all