PS3 Skyrim lag issues to be fixed next week...?

Gamers who have invested a significant amount of game time into the PS3 version of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim have likely experienced problems with frame rate and lag as the size of their save files increase. For some (myself among them), the issues are minimal, such as small stutters when exploring new areas that subside almost as quick as they come. For others, the game becomes unplayable, dropping to horrendous frame rates in the area of ~1-5 FPS at all times, and causing NPCs and quests to glitch out.

Bethesda has yet to release an official statement on what the actual cause of the problem might be, causing many in the gaming community to cry out against the developer. Many gamers claim that the PS3 version is a "poor port" of the X-Box 360 version and was not play tested as extensively as it should have been. Many have attempted to return the game, and some have even discussed the possibility of a class-action lawsuit against Bethesda for releasing an unusable product.

Many causes for the lag and glitches have been speculated on; save file size, PS3 HDD issues, glitched quests, an inability to dump old information, etc. It should be noted that Bethesda officially announced that a patch is estimated to be released for the PS3 and X-Box versions of Skyrim the week after Thanksgiving, though the announcement was not accompanied by the assurance that the patch would fix the problems with the PS3 version.

Ever try fighting a dragon at 5 frames per second?

Personally, I've put over 50 hours into one of my saves, and as stated earlier, have yet to experience any game-breaking lag issues. The current community estimate is that the issues begin to occur once a save file reaches somewhere between 5 - 8mb, though I myself have a save file at the 7mb mark. However, I've yet to complete much of the main storyline (I haven't even climbed up to High Hrothgar yet), leading me to believe that the issues might be caused by a glitch in one of the main quests.

Another prominent theory, and one that I support, is that Skyrim is frequently writing new information into the save file as the player progresses throughout the game, but is not effectively dumping unused or unneeded information. This results in an overabundance of data to be sorted through every time the game attempts to read or write new information, thus possibly causing the lag. Since information in the open world is constantly resetting, it's believed that the overload of information stems from individual interior areas (cities, buildings, and dungeons) being saved and not dumped as needed.

One community member on the Bethesda forums claimed that reducing the number of indoor areas he visited helped keep his game stable, and intends to stay in Whiterun and its countryside, exploring the outdoor areas and building skills such as alchemy, enchanting, and smithing while he waits for the patch. Skyrim delivers innumerable activities and quests that can be undertaken, even in such a limited area, which offer a great way to pass time while still building up your character while waiting for the patch. But that begets the question: what if the patch doesn't fix the issues?

For Bethesda's sake, I hope it does.

TES: Skyrim Countdown

For those of you who remain unaware, the next installment in Bethesda's phenomenal open-world action RPG series The Elder Scrolls is set to be released simultaneously for the PC, PS3, and XBox 360 this Friday, November 11th. Before you ask, I do indeed have my PS3 copy pre-ordered and intend to pick it up at the midnight launch! I'll spend as much of my weekend as possible cranking through the game and will be back next week with a review.

Here's what we know so far: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim takes place approximately two hundred years after the events of the 2006 installment, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The player takes on the role of a hero of prophecy known as the Dragonborn ("Doväkiin" in the draconic tongue) who is destined to defeat the Dragon God of Destruction Alduin before he can bring about the end of the world. There are, of course, a number of features that have already been announced, as well as numerous gameplay videos and developer diaries. But I won't spoil them for you here, as I know that much of the excitement in a new game comes from discovering the awesome features for myself as I play.

Have any comments on the game, pre- or post-release? Feel free to drop them below! Until next week, enjoy your adventures in Skyrim!

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Beta Test Weekend

Anyone who knows me knows that I've been SALIVATING over Star Wars: The Old Republic for... golly, must be going on three years or so now. And now the countdown has begun! BioWare has announced that the game will be released in North America on December 20th, 2011 (December 22nd, 2011 for those across the waters) and has begun selecting members of the SWTOR community to participate in their beta test weekends.

Guess who gets to beta test this weekend? Oh yes, you said it; me! And you can be sure that I'll be letting everyone know how it goes! For now, I'm jumping back into the game, but I'll be back soon with a recap on my experiences with the SWTOR beta!

I Am Geek, An Introduction to

Welcome to I Am Geek! I'm Chris, and I'll be your host as you peruse this little section of cyberspace.

I Am Geek was created for two purposes. First, it is my outlet for creative expression. You might see anything ranging from video game reviews to YouTube links, news rants to adorable corgi pictures from 4chan, or anything in between. It's a no-holds-barred, makes-no-sense free for all here!

Second, and most important to me, I Am Geek is also a call to embrace individuality, whether that individuality involves the geek subculture or not. Every day, we are pressured by the world's media culture to be "popular", to go to parties, to smoke, to drink, to be beautiful, to play a sport, to act a certain way, to dress in a certain style; the list goes on and on and on. Every day, we're pushed to reject our own individuality, our own personalities, styles, wants, desires, and even our own circle of friends in favor of what someone else tells us is "in".

I Am Geek is about pushing back. It's about saying no when others are too afraid of the social consequences. It's about rejecting the mainstream social norm and instead embracing individuality. It's about standing up to peer pressure, and lending a word of encouragement or a helping hand to those who have difficulty doing the same. And lastly, it's about self pride, and loving yourself whether or not the world sees you as popular, skinny, cool, or beautiful.

It's my hope that I Am Geek can also act as a resource for those who are hurting, who suffer from bullying or peer pressure, who are unhappy with their lives because they're living it for someone else instead of themselves. It's for those people that I Am Geek was truly conceived. As I come across them, I will share various internet resources on the topic. In the meantime, all I can truly do is lend my own words of encouragement and helping hands. If you or someone you know suffers from bullying, peer pressure, lack of self-confidence, depression, or maybe just needs someone to talk to, please feel free to email me at chris@iamgeek.org and I promise to get back to you as soon as I can.

That is what this is all about. Welcome to I Am Geek.

Much love,
Chris