Extensive Changes, Fixes Detailed for Skyrim 1.4 Patch

Several months out, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is not without its issues, some more severe than others.

The latest patch, version 1.4, will attempt to address significant performance issues on PlayStation 3, as well as clean up some of the glitched quests that have been plaguing players.

A beta version of this patch has been available for the PC version via Steam--it’s now final. The patches have been submitted for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but there’s no timetable on a release.

It’s too bad some of these fixes are happening in February, but alas.

I say this as a person who’s experienced a great number of mild-to-god damnit problems and still, as of last night, crossed the 100 hour mark with the game, and only have two achievements to clean up before putting it to bed.

The full change list, as provided by Bethesda:

New Features:

• Skyrim launcher support for Skyrim Workshop (PC)

Bug Fixes:

• General optimizations for memory and performance
• Fixed occasional issue with armor and clothing not displaying properly when placed on mannequins in player’s house (PS3)
• Long term play optimizations for memory and performance (PS3)
• Improved compiler optimization settings (PC)
• Memory optimizations related to scripting
• Fixed issue with dangling scripts not properly clearing from memory
• Fixed crashes related to pathing and AI
• Fixed crash in “Haemar’s Shame” if player had already completed “A Daedra’s Best Friend”
• Fixed rare crash with loading saved games
• Fixed issue with accented characters not displaying properly at the end of a line
• Fixed issue where dragon priest masks would not render correctly
• Fixed issue where quests would incorrectly progress after reloading a save
• Fixed issues with placing and removing books from bookshelves in the player’s home
• Optimized bookshelf script in player-owned houses that would occasionally block other scripts from properly firing off
• Fixed issue where weapon racks and plaques would not work correctly in player’s house if player immediately visits their house before purchasing any upgrades
• Fixed issue where the player house in Windhelm would not clean up properly
• Fixed crash related to giant attacks and absorb spells
• Fixed issue with ash piles not cleaning up properly
• Fixed occasional issue where overwriting an existing save would fail
• Fixed memory crash with container menu
• Fixed infinite loop with bookshelves
• Fixed issue where transforming back to human from werewolf would occasionally fail
• Bows and daggers will display properly when placed on weapon racks
• Fixed occasional audio issue that would play sound effects louder than intended
• Fixed bug related to hitching between cell boundaries
• Master Criminal achievement/trophy unlocks properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian
• Fixed issue where traps in Shalidor’s Maze would not work properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian versions

Quest Fixes:

• The Unusual Gem that was inside the Thalmor Embassy is now accessible after finishing “Diplomatic Immunity”
• In “Breaching Security”, the quest token is no longer required to receive a fortune reading from Olava the Feeble
• Fixed issue where Galmar would not complete Joining the Stormcloaks properly if “Season Unending” was an active quest
• Fixed issue where starting “Season Unending” after finishing “Joining the Stormcloaks” would prevent “The Jagged Crown” from starting properly
• Fixed issue where progressing through “Message to Whiterun” while “Season Unending” was still open would block progression for both quests
• In “Arniel’s Endeavor”, fixed issue where a quest journal would trigger multiple times
• In “Forbidden Legend”, the amulet fragment can no longer disappear after player leaves a dungeon without taking it
• Fixed rare issue in “Forbidden Legend” where killing Mikrul Gauldurson while sneaking would make his corpse unaccessible
• In “The White Phial”, the phial can no longer disappear if player leaves dungeon without taking it
• “The White Phial” will now start properly if player already has a briar heart in their inventory
• Player can no longer get stuck in Misty Grove after completing “A Night to Remember”
• Fixed issue where leaving Riften during “A Chance Arrangement” would prevent quest from progressing
• In “Darkness Returns”, a door in Twilight Sepulcher will properly open if the player leaves the dungeon for an extended period of time before completing the quest
• In “Revealing the Unseen”, if the player leaves the Oculory for an extended period of time after placing the focusing crystal and returns, the quest will proceed correctly
• “Onmund’s Request” will now start properly if player has already found Enthir’s staff before receiving this quest
• Fixed instance where Tonilia would stop buying stolen items and also would not give Guild Leader Armor
• “Repairing the Phial” will start properly if player already has unmelting snow or mammoth tusk in their inventory
• Finding Pantea’s Flute before speaking with Pantea no longer prevents her quest from updating
• In “The Break of Dawn”, fixed rare instance where a quest object would spawn incorrectly on the Katariah during Hail Sithis
• Fixed rare issue in “The Mind of Madness” where player is unable to equip the Wabbajack
• Fixed issue in “Pieces of the Past” where Mehrunes Dagon’s Razor will not trigger properly if player leaves the cell for extended period of time before activating it
• “Blood’s Honor” will start properly if you visited and completed Driftshade and an extended period of time passes before starting the quest.
• Fixed rare issue where “Dampened Spirits” would not start properly
• Fixed issue where player would be unable to become Thane of Riften if they purchased a home first
• Fixed issue where killing guards in Cidhna Mine would block progression for “No One Escapes Cidhna Mine”
• Fixed numerous issues with “Blood on the Ice” not triggering properly
• In “Blood on the Ice”, Calixto can now be killed if player owns a house in Windhelm
• In “The Cure for Madness”, killing Cicero then resurrecting him no longer impedes quest progress
• Fixed rare issue in “To Kill an Empire” where an NPC would fail to die properly
• Clearing Knifepoint Ridge before starting “Boethiah’s Champion” no longer prevents quest from starting.

Oh yeah

Good for the PS3 crowd, hope everyone can finally enjoy this game for themselves without problems.

A lot of fixes, see why it took so long

Woo! Says here they fixed Dampened Spirits! I've been unable to progress in the Thieves Guild for months.

So Pantea will finally get her flute back? Woo! haha

Fixed crash related to giant attacks...

I hope that doesn't mean Bethesda is getting rid of flying giant attacks. Either way, it's nice to see these fixes coming despite how long it took them.

I wonder if this has fixed the random crashing issue I've had on the PC. I might try and get back into the game if it works now.

What about all these quest items in my inventory that I can't remove after completing the quest? :( I got like 50lbs of dead weight here

@MechaKirby: Console if on PC?

EDIT: Just realised how weird that sentence looks.

Still going to wait for the GOTY edition.

I'll believe it when I see it.

I hope it helps. I wouldn't mind diving back in, but with the performance issues I was having...

@McGhee said:

I'll believe it when I see it.

Yup.

Man, I liked that failed render bug for the Dragon Priest masks. If you're wearing the Archmage's Robes, you look proper ominous. Wander around going "Shire.... Baggins..."

Bethesda called, they wanted to remind you that they're your GOTY, and as such, you shouldn't be re-publishing articles reminding everyone that the game is really the biggest broken mess of the year.

I just hope I can continue with the Companions quests now, and dump all these fucking witch heads!

@MooseyMcMan: Preformance has been optimized. People are gaining tons of frames in even the worst spots. I've been beta testing the 1.4 patch and its much improved over 1.3

I'll believe that it's fixed on the ps3 when I see it.

because right now I believe that it won't be really fixed until the next generation of hardware comes along with massive amounts of RAM to solve the problem.

@Demoskinos said:

@MooseyMcMan: Preformance has been optimized. People are gaining tons of frames in even the worst spots. I've been beta testing the 1.4 patch and its much improved over 1.3

I specifically meant for the PS3 version. If you've been beta testing that, then great! But the article makes it sound like that was PC only (aside from, I assume, people at Bethesda testing these things).

Still going to wait for the GOTY edition.

@N7 said:

@msavo said:

Still going to wait for the GOTY edition.

No. No! NO! You do not wait for the GOTY version. Not a Bethesda game. Look at Oblivion. All of the fucked up bits came from the Shivering Isles. So by having the GOTY Edition, you had to deal with a fucked up version no matter what you did. I remembered how excited I was when I borrowed Oblivion from my uncle and then went out and bout the GOTY Edition. Worst mistake I have ever made in my entire life. And without a doubt, the worst mistake I will ever make.

Shivering Isles was way more interesting to play than Oblivion was, though. At least, that was my experience. bugs aside.

Hope it fixes how the game always hard locks for me when going into Whiterun

What about your companions shrinking inventory space when you switch to different companions and back??

any word on when the patch to fix this patch is coming?

Fixed instance where Tonilia would stop buying stolen items and also would not give Guild Leader Armor

This cannot be patched fast enough! It's the last thing I need to do to S-rank this game!

Can't wait to start playing again. Haven't touched it since I heard about the PS3 bugs, and sadly thats the platform I'm playing it on.

<Bitches about the myriad of problems I've had with the game while still putting in over 100 hours playing it>

by the time their done patching everyone will be done with this game and moved on to somthing better " KoA "

Glad they're fixing it, but I' probably gonna be playing Kingdoms of Amalur and Mass Effect 3 for the next few months or so.

@maxx3075 said:

by the time their done patching everyone will be done with this game and moved on to somthing better " KoA "

nah

a bunch of people, yeah, probably even the majority, but these games have always had absurdly long staying power and they're doing right by continuing to fix things.

@CilliaBlack: yea it will last a long time on the pc for sure..

@Faltru said:

Can't wait to start playing again. Haven't touched it since I heard about the PS3 bugs, and sadly thats the platform I'm playing it on.

Same here

I don't see Fort Dunstad anywhere in there. Because that quest is bugged as hell for me.

When this game goes on sale and I buy it, I'll be glad these terrible bugs are fixed.

Yeah, well, I'll believe it when I see it. Over a year from now, when DLC is out. For now, it's too little and far too late.

So the one game-breaking quest bug I encountered isn't fixed in the patch. Great!

"Fixed crashes related to pathing and AI"

I hope this means no more annoying and sometimes gamebreaking issues with followers, especially Barbos. STFU just for one second, dog! Sheesh!

@huntad: @the_great_skenardo: @sofacitysweetheart: @TEHMAXXORZ: @Demoskinos: @damnable_fiend: @MooseyMcMan: @N7: @RecallBerserk: @SpiralEye: @PoopsOnLawn: @HandsomeMuffin: @Faltru: @Grimluck343: @maxx3075: @FoxMulder: @CilliaBlack: @maxx3075: @EoinMason: http://www.giantbomb.com/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/61-33394/the-creation-kit-thread/35-534359/#1

Skyrim is getting boring for me now. But i just reached like the 300+ mark

@msavo: Same here. In the time I played Oblivion and Fallout 3 GOTY editions, I did not have any problems with them while playing. I will do what I always do and wait since I have other games to play, like Dragon Age: Origins.

I gotta another patch after 1.3 on 360, what was that? 1.35?

maybe now I can finally finish Blood on Ice and buy the house

"Fixed infinite loop with bookshelves"
 
What. What is this. It sounds incredible and also magic.

With so many changes.... I am anticipating seeing some crazy ass stuff happening with the dragons.

@Dark_Lord_Spam said:

"Fixed infinite loop with bookshelves" What. What is this. It sounds incredible and also magic.

It was the key to an exploit with the Ohgma Infinium that allowed you to boost your character to 100 in all skills, and thus level 81, in a relatively short time.

Getting all of the achievements does not mean this game is over.

I have all 50 and I still have a ton of things to explore and collect.

I gotta another patch after 1.3 on 360, what was that? 1.35?

@MooseyMcMan said:

@Demoskinos said:

@MooseyMcMan: Preformance has been optimized. People are gaining tons of frames in even the worst spots. I've been beta testing the 1.4 patch and its much improved over 1.3

I specifically meant for the PS3 version. If you've been beta testing that, then great! But the article makes it sound like that was PC only (aside from, I assume, people at Bethesda testing these things).

Ah, well my mistake. When you cited preformance I automatically assumed PC.