Skyrim 5.1 The Throat of the World

          I found this quest very interesting and intense because the lesson you are supposed to get from this quest is so important. I was sent to "The Throat of the World" which happens to be the highest mountain in Tamriel and is home to the Greybeards. Many people fear the Greybeards because of their exclusivity. The fear of the unknown. My goal was to learn more about the powers I was given from the dragon and how to use them to my benefit. I was able to talk to citizens on the way to the mountain but I was basically told everything I already know. The Greybeards are very powerful and educated on Dragonborns powers. They were extremely intimidating but I learned the Dragonrend power which was apparently terrifying and very powerful. Enough to end Alduin's region of terror.

          The language of Skyrim is very complex and important to the Main story. I noticed an inconsistency in the language because none of the languages seem similar. I thought maybe this was to show a class division on who is the most in power. For instance, the dragons have an extremely terrifying and unique language meaning they are the most powerful specie in Skyrim. Each leader of the towns has if not a different language then a different accent then the others. This signifies a level of importance. I have the power of shout which means I have a power to a certain extent. The voice in particular that I found interesting was that of the Greybeards. It gave me a formal and wise vibe because they are looked at so intimidatingly.

Skyrim 4.2 Windhelm vs. Solitude

          Since the war has come so far already, it is only appropriate to choose a side. Because I already have an idea of which side I am going to choose, I decided to go to the town that I didn't know much about: Solitude. As I entered the town, I felt very flustered by the amount of worried people. They were afraid that Ulfric was going attack although I don't see that happening any time soon. As I listened to the "Age of Aggression", I was completely taken off guard. It was such a beautiful melody with a very intriguing instrumental aspect although the lyrics were demeaning. So violent and almost vulnerable. The reason for war shouldn't be about violence. It should be about the passion to stand up for your country. Although because I was in the town of imperials, I kind of expected this exact attitude towards war. They are terrified for change.
          The Stormcloaks on the other hand had a very different approach with their song. The song, "Age of Oppression" was inspiring. The lyrics show so much courage to fight for what they believe in and I admire that very much. If Skyrim isn't functioning correctly at its current state, then I see no other option than to change. For this reason, I furthered my journey to find Ulfric and hopefully be recruited to the Stormcloaks. As I spoke to him, I noticed an utmost amount of confidence which I enjoyed. Joining the Stormcloaks was not as hard as I thought considering my character hasn't gotten into much trouble and has a good reputation.
           The audience targeted would be the new members of the game for they have not chosen a side yet. Their goal is to persuade neutral people to one side or the other in order t recruit them to their army. The Stormcloaks and Imperials each have a complex claim which would be there reason for fighting. The counterclaim would be the other side. The stakes are the courage to fight and the reason for fighting. If the goal is to protect the people of Skyrim and ensure a better life for everyone, then that would be the stakes of their complex claim. The roadmap is the preparation to fight the war. How do they prepare? Is one side better than the other? Overall, I have made my choice. Change seems to be the best option. GO STORMCLOAKS!

Conclusion: Learning Outcomes of Skyrim

           Skyrim has been an amazing experience. I reflected more on the game than I actually played the game. I have never played a video game and thought about the messages and how playing could help me in the future. Video games arguably have a lot of power in conveying important messages which is why I understand why we were asked to play the game in the first place. I was able to enter the game with no expectations and a very open mind. There are many lessons you can take away from Skyrim.
           I was forced to make quick decisions when pressured instead of relying on data and experimenting to reach my decision. This will be very useful in the business world also, because when problems come up and your only given a short amount of time to fix it, you need to think efficiently. I was also able to draw comparisons between each quest and how it related to the real world. There was a huge political draw in the game based off of racism. Stormcloaks were looked at as a minority and were treated awfully. Many races were given stereotypes and many of them were badly represented.
           I am also a spanish minor which opened my eyes while playing Skyrim. Although others speak another language than you, eventually you can communicate with people in your own way. Skyrim expressed the challenges I will face when trying to speak spanish in a spanish-speaking environment. People aren't going to accept you as a spanish speaker until you prove to them that you cherish their language and are interested in furthering your education in it. Some of the townspeople spoke another language and I wasn't greeted friendly until I showed them my respect.
           Skyrim gives people the chance to engage with the medieval culture through the landscape and imagery of the game. I was able to share my thoughts, opinions and knowledge with other players online and engage in meaningful discussions concerning the past. Although I still have many quests to achieve, I know there will be many challenges I will come to face. These challenges will reflect on my personality and build on many of my abilities.

Introduction: Video Game or Life Experience?

          Some may think that playing a video game is a recreational activity with no academic interest; however, I have gained a lot of knowledge throughout my journey in Skyrim so far. My first thoughts entering the world of Skyrim were that it was during the middle ages and there was some kind of war going on. The two groups that battle each other are the Stormcloaks and the Imperials. Stormcloaks want to secede from the Empire, while Imperials want to keep everything the same. Sound familiar? It's like every other civil war in the world which is when I immediately noticed the political comparison between the game and the real world.
          I am not going to lie, I hated the idea of playing a medieval video game and then having to write about it afterwards. No one would really know what to expect coming into this class. My goal was to get some kind of a learning advantage out of Skyrim. I trusted my professor to make that goal happen. I found that this game was aiming mainly at psychology, political and history majors but as I moved further in the game, I began to see aspects of my own major involved. Between engineering and business, I was challenged in so many ways that I questioned everything and that is not something an engineer does. I was able to reach out of the box and try new activities. I gained many assets while playing Skyrim. Something as simple as choosing your name and race gave you the opportunity to develop your reputation. I loved the name Criatura de Fuego. This name made me feel powerful and respected. The game keeps getting better and better each checkpoint. Skyrim is a very interesting way to develop your mind and learn new lessons.

Skyrim 4.1 Dragon Rising

          Wow what a rush. This part of the game was an amazing adventure mainly because I became a hero out of it! The dragon was spotted at the Western Watchtower and the town was immediately notified. As I gathered my team of mercenaries and headed towards the site, I felt a great sense of euphoria just to see the dragon. The tower was heavily damaged with flames sprouting out from the fallen debris. All of a sudden the dragon swooped in and everyone immediately started firing. Although the point of the game is to slay the dragon, I did not want to. We don't know what this creature desires and if it even wants to attack us or is just playing self defense.
           Considering I didn't really have a choice whether to slay the dragon or not, I followed the protocol and killed the dragon. It was awful. His spirit was ripped from him in front of my eyes and entered my characters body. I was so confused. It's like I had the power of whether a dragon could live or die and I didn't know how I felt about that. Later to find out, I really did gain a power. I was Dragonborn which means that I was born with dragon blood. I was praised for my dirty deed and given the title of "The Thane of Whiterun". I was told to work with a group called the Greybreads who were a group specializing in the training of Shout Powers.
           With the defeat of the dragon, I noticed my reputation rise rapidly. I was seen as a hero. People interpret the definition of a hero differently. Personally, I wouldn't call myself a hero. The experience was incredible but I wish the outcome could have been different. Maybe I could have trained the dragon to get along with humans and then we could ride of into the sunset together, a very happy ending. The main genre I noticed throughout this quest was subtitles. Not only subtitles but also in another language. The dragon was speaking in another language as well. I have so many questions and can only answer them by further entering Skyrim.

Skyrim 3.2 Bleak Falls Barrow

          Bleak Falls Barrow was one of the scariest quests I have ever experienced. From dark caves and creepy creatures to giant spiders and gross webs, I had to take many breaks to regain myself while achieving this checkpoint. There were not many clues involved throughout this part of the game but I did notice a change in the music when something scary was about to happen which made everything even more scary than it already was.  The music was a huge audio clue throughout this level. Visual clues included the spider webs to inform you that there is a huge freaking spider ahead of you so prepare yourself. The only textual clue I could think of was the dialogue before entering the barrow.
          The puzzles that you had to beat in order to get to the next checkpoint were extremely hard. I had my entire sorority trying different strategies and tactics to figure out these puzzles. It was so intimidating that if you got an answer wrong, you were killed in all sorts of ways. Not to mention the combat included on the way. This quest was fun but boy was I not ready for it. I don't know if you can tell already but I have a huge fear of spiders. The minute I saw that giant thing, I gave the computer to my friend and said, "HELP". After a few hours of regaining myself from that frightening sight, I was able to move on through the quest. The puzzles were actually the most interesting event that happened so far in my opinion. It seems like the game is only going to get more tough and intense from here. Good luck everybody.

Skyrim 3.1 Whiterun

          Like I said in my last post, the town Whiterun is very different and intense. There are almost no creatures other than human races which surprised me considering the turn out in Riverwood. There were a huge amount of nords. I noticed immediately a social class division as well. Kahjits were not looked at in a good light in this village mainly because of their reputation for stealing. Because of this, I was treated a lot different than if I was a human race. Despite the racial comments left and right, I was more than kind to each village member, doing favors, quests and trades. I noticed a significant amount of quest requests throughout my time in Whiterun. I was a little confused as to why it was so different here than the other villages.
          As I walked through the village I also noticed a priest who was ranting about a certain god he believed in. I haven't seen much religion throughout the game which really sparked my attention. I listened closer and heard him shouting about talos, a famous nord known for healing stormcloaks. To further learn about this I asked around and found that the two main beliefs and clans were of the Battle-Borns and Gary-Mane. I found in very weird that two clans with much hate of each other could live in the same town and feel safe. Something must be keeping them from reacting to each other although this does explain the intense feeling I felt while arriving to Whiterun.
          Then I tried to listen for accents but was only able to sense a few. The more unique or important a person was, the more likely they were to have an accent which I found very interesting. The last type of social issue that caught my attention was the emphases of male dominance. I noticed woman not present as much in the village as men. They seemed to be treated differently or hidden by their significant other. This reflects off of the time period this game takes place in.

Skyrim 2.2 Before The Storm

          Whiterun is a very populated and intimidating town. Not only are you confronted with a giant gate and two guards, but also you are questioned about your purpose for being there. Of course I told them the truth because honesty and neutrality seem to be the qualities to stay alive in Skyrim. I was there to warn the Jarl of the potential attack of the dragon. Once my purpose was stated, the guards were very understanding and let me in. The first thing I noticed was the giant building which apparently is the location of the Jarl. Many people crowded the town.

          As I listened to the different conversations, I noticed a weird sense of tension between one another. Everyone seemed to be facing some kind of problem. I decided to approach each situation neutrally in order to avoid any kind of conflict. The citizens were very welcoming. I was quite surprised considering the amount of tension I felt. The options you are given to speak range from being incredibly rude to offering everything you have. I want my character to be looked at as admirable so I decided to respond to each conversation somewhere in between.

          Many of the villagers were very helpful in giving me information about the village and the problem in general. I gained a lot of knowledge by talking to each person. As I walked through the halls of the giant building, I was approached by a creature that I can't think of the name of, some elf, very aggressively. It took me off guard because no one else treated me that way so far during my adventures in Whiterun. I realized that she was just extremely protective of the Jarl. I would be to if I was as powerful as he was. The Jarl was very accepting of the information I gave him. He wanted to hear more which really interested me. I am excited to see what else this game has in store for me.

Skyrim 2.1 Riverwood

          The character I followed to escape Helgen with was Hadvar. He was very helpful in getting me to Riverwood because without him I would have been incredibly lost. I was mesmerized to see the different types of standing stones because each show a different personality. Based off of the one you choose, you can kind of guess what characters are truly like. The stone that I chose was the ritual stone because not only did it sound pretty cool to have an army of dead guys fighting for you, but also because I believe that you need support in order to accomplish majority of fights. I support my friends everyday in real life by helping them fight their daily struggles and I believe that this stone reflects on who I am and who my character is.

          As I communicated with the characters of Riverwood, I was able to learn about what each individual does for a living and their life style. This helped me learn about the village and become familiar with the area which could give me an advantage later in the game possibly. It was really easy to communicate with the characters just by doing their requests and trading goods with them. The village is very small but very welcoming, at least to my character. I was truly excited to meet some of the characters and interact with their lifestyles. Honestly I could see my characters identity being shaped by talking to each character. I felt a sense of protection toward these citizens which helped encourage me to fight for them.

         On the other hand, it was a bummer to be so limited in the way you can talk to each character. Although these characters are fiction, it would be nice to know how these characters truly are and what their values are. When I spoke to some of the characters, I felt like the dialogue was repeated quite often and you are limited on how long you can talk to a character. This sort of reflects on how small talk goes these days because the same subjects are brought up when you aren't given much time to talk in person with someone.

         

Skyrim 1.2 Unbound

          The character I chose to be throughout the game is a Khajiit. I think this creature represents the name I chose very well because the creature comes off fierce yet beautiful at the same time. I wanted to choose a non-human creature because I would rather be an animal than a human considering I get to be a human everyday. Although a Khajiit takes on the persona of a somewhat innocent cat, I see my character as an admirable fighter willing to fight for what we believe in. I see my character and I as a team working together, not just me playing him as a character.

          As for the civil war itself, I believe that there are many pros and cons to each side. Imperials, in my opinion, are reaching for a long term goal for the kingdom by keeping Skyrim in the Empire and enforcing the rules of the White Gold Concordat within the province. Stormcloaks, on the other hand, are admirable for their rebalance against Imperials because as of now, things aren't working and need to be changed and Stormcloaks are at least taking a step to change it. Although I have gotten a racist vibe from the Stormcloaks which is an extreme con, I choose to follow them because I believe in change.
       
         This game so far has been extremely intense and I am very afraid of the dragon. It's power and urgency to destroy the world is frightening and the unique things the dragon says are extremely intense. It's almost a beautiful language because the dragon has such a passion for something that he would do anything and be anything to achieve it. You can sense the passion in his language. Bring it on dragon.

1.1 Player Name

          I have had and still have a huge interest in the Spanish language. My goal at the University of Washington is to not only minor in Spanish, but also travel abroad to experience the culture in a whole new way. Traveling abroad is similar to playing Skyrim. I have the opportunity to experience an entirely new lifestyle. Although I don't get to experience it hands-on, I do get to visually interpret the culture of the creatures. Because of my passion for the Spanish language, I haven chosen a name in Spanish, "Criatura de Fuego". This name translates to the "Creature of Fire". My goal as a character in this game is to bring passion and hope to the others fighting for what they believe in. Being a member of a sorority comes great responsibility and sense of leadership. Having this background, I hope to bring my strengths to this game to help others in need.

          Because of my experience with the game so far, I am considering taking a mythology class to better understand the world of Skyrim. Each character has it's own unique personality and characteristics that I admire. Although it is just a video game with fictional characters, I am able to learn from these characters and reflect on their achievements and mistakes. I am a huge fan of video games although I have never played a game quite like this one. It gives me a chance to experience a new world and be able to discuss it with my peers. I am excited to give you all feedback as well as accept feedback from each and every one of you. Let the games begin.