The latest game details from OXM shed some light on the magic and combat of Skyrim, and now the game’s director Todd Howard has sat down for an interview with the magazine to give an idea of how the developers themselves view their past work. Howard shared his own ups and downs with the company, and the mindset that the team is carrying into the next Elder Scrolls release.

The looks we’ve had behind the scenes at Bethesda show that the team is just as committed and dedicated as they have ever been, with Howard pointing out that the franchise’s mythology has become so expansive that the developer has appointed some employees ’lore masters.'

The fact that the team feels the overall story of the series is important enough to follow to the letter is a good indication of the quality of Skyrim’s narrative, and the story details we’ve learned so far seem promising.

Howard had revealed that it didn’t take long for the developers to decide that Skyrim required a brand new game engine, and the possibilities for quests and creatures that the new system makes possible is impressive. In the interview, Howard explains that it’s that dedication to starting over that keeps The Elder Scrolls successful, and holds so much promise for Skyrim:

While Oblivion and Morrowind met with great success due to Bethesda’s constant reinvention, the team doesnn’t always hit the bullseye. When Howard was asked if the development of the games was as stress-free as the high caliber result might imply, he revealed that nothing could be farther from the truth:

“We start over each time, we change it up each time. We’re not afraid to try new things. Some of those are successful, some not, but overall we’ve avoided pumping out sequels that don’t feel unique and special. I have always been a fan of the Ultima games, and I’m still inspired by how they evolved from Ultima 3 to Ultima 7.”

It’s not hard to see just how the development team might get in over their head, considering the massive changes that Skyrim will be bringing to combat, menu systems, weapon perks, and art design.

The theme for the newest game is change, but Howard is determined to keep the developers focusing only on what’s possible, not making dreams come true. Even the presence of mounts isn’t being taken as a given, so we can trust that the content which does make it into Skyrim will be finely honed prior to release.

The screens of Skyrim in action are impressive to say the least, and the footage of gameplay shows that it won’t be lacking any visual punch. With a development team so in touch with the roots and heart of the series, we have to wonder if Skyrim flopping is even a possibility.

So we’ll continue to hope for the best, with all signs pointing to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim being a major player when it’s released on November 11 for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

Source: OXM