Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Menu System Explained

The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Menu System has recently been explained.  Menu systems are one of the most important factors in an RPG, and if anyone knows this it’s Bethesda.  Oblivion had an encompassing and very functional system in place to manage your character, and this was further extended into Fallout 3.  In a recent interview the developers of Skyrim explained how they are overhauling this system instead of refining old ones to provide a new, unique, and ultimately more functional menu set in The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim.

In a recent interview with Game Informer, Bethesda revealed that their source for the new design was Apple.  “You know in iTunes when you look at all your music you get to flip through it and look at the covers and it becomes tangible?” “One of our goals was ‘what if Apple made a fantasy game?  How would this look?”  And judging from the menu screenshot from the game above, it certainly does look Apple inspired.

Bethesda isn’t just focusing on making a pretty menu though, functionality is important as well.  Getting to the content you desire quickly is a big roadblock when you have tons of data in your menu. And because of that, Bethesda is taking a more simplified approach to the menu system in Skyrim.  Integrating a compass, and a “clean cascading menu system”, players will be able to browse through inventories of weapons, armor, magic, and items easily.  And as mentioned in the last update from Bethesda, these items will be able to be viewed in three dimensions.  Zooming in, Rotating, and Examining the articles you have collected in your time in Skyrim will bring a great deal of authenticity to the items you find along your journey.

Source: Game Informer