Does Skyrim have the fun level-scaled right out of it?
Less than oblivious.
Most enemies have level range, and location's level supposedly gets set on first entry. Even in vanilla there won't be full replacement of enemy types, and rare items will remain somewhat rare.
Still, you won't find high level stuff until you're high level (but then it will still take more than just popping a bandit).
Alas, you also won't really run into a dungeon you'll have to get the FFFFUUU- out of.
Now:
+ Atmosphere is pretty strong point. Gone is blandland of oblivious.
+ Lore is not as strong as Morroind's but is acknowledged and built upon
+ Gameworld has structure, for example diverse racial groups exists, usually with reasons for being there
+ There is conflict in gameworld and it isn't just good VS evil we had displeasure to see in oblivious
+ Landscape is pretty diverse and dotted with landmarks
+ Minor overland locations include all sorts of (usually) hostile encampments and ruins
+ Terrain is made in a way that restricts straight line travel and sight, creating illusion of size (Morrowind style)
+ Dungeons and other locations tend to have at least some unique touches
+ There is hidden loot to be found
+ Races have diverse physiognomy and no longer look like malformed tubers (imagine Morrowind style looks, but with modern quality)
+ There are some token C&C, you can choose your side in the civil war, decide outcome of some quests, or take out the DB instead of joining them
+ NPC dialogue is no longer painfully inane
+ Unified and pretty logical spell/item wielding system exists in game
+ Continuous spells and runes (traps) make a welcome addition to caster's arsenal
+ Necromantic spells no longer conjure undead from thin air, but raise corpses instead
+ enchant skill is back
+ Thu'um makes a welcome addition to spells and weapons
+ All skill ups contribute to leveling up
+ Perk system forces some specialization, you get one perk point per level up and need to choose where to put it
+ Similarly you have to choose between boosting magicka, stamina and health pool at each level up
+ lycanthropy is in
+ there is some reactivity in gameworld that doesn't rely on unique scripts, for example you may have thugs sent after you if you steal from someone or kill their relative (or thanks sent your way if you kill someone's enemy) and so on
+ there are random events to make the world more lively - successfully, I might add
+ there is follower system in place allowing you to have an NPC accompanying you and assisting you in combat
+ AI is improved (and can be improved even further to quite admirable levels with mods)
+ stuff like alchemy, crafting or enchanting requires a workshop and can't be just done on your lap
+ some daedric quests are pretty sinister and often offer explicit choice
+ as of current version riding around on horseback and killing things can be done concurrently
+/- Dialogue system has been completely altered to weak dialogue trees and only for somewhat significant characters - it allows for more dialogue and less bland when it comes to important characters, as compared to oblivious, but you can't approach an NPC and ask about anything you want
+/- Daggerfall's procedural quests are seeing a comeback as filler
+/- Fast travel is present, but in reduced form. Even cities need to be traveled to conventionally at first. Paid travel services exist without such restriction.
+/- Combat system is effectively improved version of oblivious'. It's not nearly as bad, but no such things as to hit-rolls. On the positive side it feels better
+/- Dwemer ruins have different architecture than in Morrowind, but the game acknowledges the differences, and even in Tribunal you had different dwemer architecture than in base Morrowind
+/- Derpy cinematic finishers are in, but they are not player exclusive - you can get cinematically offed by an NPC or creature just as well
- no initial builds exist, you just choose race (with skill bonuses) and start as (weak) jack of all trades
- There is quest compass system (although some quests include some directions and more can be modded in)
- Dungeons are horribly linear (thankfully overland locations offer considerable freedom of approach, although they often have strong semblance of linearity)
- Pretty much no unique or non-leveled loot exists (apart from quest rewards), although some types loot are rare enough to make searching for hidden stashes worthwhile
- Some skills are gone
- attributes have got axed, some functions of attribute system have been taken over by three resource pools (magicka, stamina and health)
- journal is utter garbage
- menus are pretty much the worst atrocity since Holocaust (thankfully mods exist for that)
- questlines are paced for ADDtards and pretty much go from n00b to chosen one right away (and get to kill your firs dragon - albeit with considerable help - on lulzy level)
- dragons are frequent and effectively become cliffracers 2.0 (not as frequent, but mostly just disruptive to travel)
- dragon AI is poor and their capabilities pretty limited, so they get boring fast (thankfully this can be modded)
- overall logic of questlines is... questionable at best
- enchantment system is very constrained and doesn't allow for interesting, non-scripted stuff
- magic system has been butchered
- no spellmaking
- quest hooks effectively drop on your lap
- no durability or repair mechanics
- attacks have no visible impact (combat and character system can be modded to hardcore levels, though)
- no guild entry requirements exists (mechanically, there is often some simple test, though, that can be made entry barrier by just a re-balancing mod)
of 2013 newfags.
