So, I've begun Skyrim again, and I'm going for 100% completion. I've begun the main quests, and I've done some of the misc. missions. But, just a question, should I use the strategy guide to locate missions, side missions, misc. missions, collectables, dungeons etc. or should I just explore the world and play the game normally until I encounter these missions.

Thanks guys.

@behardy:

Alright, thanks for the recommendation.

100% in Skyrim pretty much requires a guide. I'm pretty sure it's possible to mess shit up such that 100% (whatever that means exactly since some gameplay decisions will eliminate other possibilities) is impossible. Aren't some of the Daedric quests missable or something? Save often. I don't think going for 100% is the best way to enjoy Skyrim...

@sinusoidal:

I've already played Skyrim before as other characters and I've enjoyed what it has to offer. Now I'm just going for 100% completion.

I would never use a guide to play an Elder Scrolls game. 100 percenting it with a guide seems like it goes against the exploration and discovery spirit of the game.

But, hey, however you want to play it.

@believer258:

I think I'm going to do it without the guide.

But, is it possible to encounter all the missions without the help of a guide?

@miko1222: No. You miss a lot of stuff. Even faqs don't help that much.

@mikey87144:

So a guide would help?

100% completion... good luck.

You'll definitely need the guide for hard parts. Also, some things you'll just walk right by, and they'll be important, so a guide will help with that.

@miko1222: Yes. I have one and was surprised by all the stuff I missed when I played the game on PS3. Some missions have some hidden things that can start off new missions. Yea, you can stumble onto to them but with the guide you obviously know were to look. If you're playing the GOTY version of Skyrim it's especially helpful. The DLC for both expansions added a couple of new missions and changed somethings up enough that the already insane variety is increased.

I played Skyrim without a guide for hundreds of hours (it was literally the ONLY game I played for 4 months from launch). Even with the "challenging" nature of the PS3 version I had a blast.

It was only after I had attained 97% of the trophies that I had a quick look at a guide and realised that I had indeed lost the chance to collect 15 Daedric Artifacts on that run-through and get the one remaining trophy to Platinum.

I toyed with the idea of starting again from scratch to get that 100% but the decision was made for me when my PS3 died shortly after, taking my save game with it (an event that prompted me to finally get PS+)

I'm still not sure whether I'm of a mind to go back to it to try again. Who knows, maybe I will one day.

@mikey87144:

Yeah. I'm on PC and I've got Dawngaurd and Dragonborn.

On second thought, might go 50/50 with the guide.

@miko1222: It depends. Getting all the achievements and 100% the game are two different things. You can get all of them without seeing even 1/4 of the content. It's one of the few games were the achievements really are just a helpful hint to find the next big missions.

Possible? Yes. Probable? No.

One of the things that I really, really like about this game is the sheer amount of stuff to do, and the fact that you can stumble upon something if you're just willing to look a little bit. Using a guide would make it come across as more of a checklist.

"OK, let's go down this list of quests in Falkreath... done. Now let's go do all of the ones in Whiterun... done." etc. It just sounds like using a guide would go against what makes Elder Scrolls games special. Especially since none of these quests are actually difficult.

As for getting a hundred percent, that also sounds like a tedious chore that's going to take hundreds of hours or so. Why don't you just walk to whichever town you want to walk to, talk to everybody, find out what you can do, and then go do some stuff. Or go dungeon-diving. Or potion-making. Or sword-crafting. Or armor-smithing. Or admire the environment. Just don't use a guide to do that stuff, and don't go for a hundred percent. There's not even a percentage counter for you to feel satisfied about. Just enjoy the game.

@miko1222: anytime dude.