Bethesda's Todd Howard: "Oblivion sacrificed what made Morrowind special"

Creative director on The Elder Srolls V, Todd Howard, wants to bring Morrowind's "wonder of discovery" to Skyrim. He admits that Oblivion lacked some of the imagination of its predecessor, but wants to ensure that the world of Skyrim "has its own unique culture."

Speaking to OXM about the world of Skyrim, Howard said "it should feel alien, kind of 'stranger in a strange land' - with familiar looking elements only rooting you early in the game." Howard likens the tone of Morrowind to that of being "an outsider."

"With Oblivion, we're dealing with the capital province, and we wanted to get back to the more classic Arena and Daggerfall feel of a fantasy world that felt more refined and welcoming, a place that you instantly understood. But in that, we sacrificed some of what made Morrowind special: the wonder of discovery.

"With Skyrim, we're trying to bring some of that back and walk the line between Morrowind and Oblivion. Where it's at first familiar looking, but has its own unique culture and spin on it."

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is due out on November 11 this year. If you haven't seen it already, it's well worth checking out the first Skyrim trailer .