Skyrim’s Co-Lead Designer Discusses Abandoned Real-Time Horse Travel and Dynamic Civil War Features

In the expansive realm of Bethesda’s RPGs, the size and complexity of development often result in ambitious features being left behind, only to be later unearthed by modders. One such concept that was ultimately discarded was a fully realized civil war in Skyrim, as revealed by co-lead designer and former Elder Scrolls lore master Kurt Kuhlmann.

Kuhlmann shared that the dynamic civil war was significantly developed before it was cut from the final release. He explained that the game was meant to track player interactions, such as eliminating Imperial soldiers, which would influence the balance of power in various holds. If players’ actions tilted the scales far enough, it could incite the Stormcloaks to assault the capital city.

In addition to the shifting allegiances, the hold would also reflect these changes visually, with encampments appearing throughout the territory. The remnants of this idea can be seen in the Battle for Whiterun quest, where players assist the Stormcloaks in taking control of the city. “However, we had envisioned a more structured approach involving assaults on all major cities,” Kuhlmann noted, expressing regret over what could have been.

Despite the initial excitement, the team encountered significant challenges while developing the Whiterun battle. The numerous NPCs fighting both inside and on the walls of the city made the task particularly demanding. Ultimately, the burden on performance proved too high. Kuhlmann reflected on the production decision: “We cannot ensure quality and good frame rates across all cities; it’s too much.”

Given the technical limitations of the Xbox 360, he remarked on the surprising achievement of getting both Oblivion and Skyrim to run on the platform. The original state of Skyrim was fraught with performance issues, which would have been exacerbated by the additional complexities of a dynamic civil war.

Nevertheless, Kuhlmann remains optimistic that the team had the potential to overcome these obstacles. Bethesda managed to resolve the challenges presented in Whiterun, which is why the Battle of Whiterun made it into the final game. “I believe we could have applied what we learned there,” he said, lamenting that the full vision didn’t come to fruition.

“We were quite disappointed that it didn’t ship,” Kuhlmann admitted. He speculated that remnants of the system might still exist within the game files, suggesting that modders could potentially revive elements of it. Indeed, many players have turned to mods, such as Skyrim at War, to fulfill the dream of a more engaging civil war experience.

OperatorYoRHa, a modder, described how every road, town, and village in Skyrim could transform into a battlefield, with skirmishes that can escalate into large-scale conflicts. While not identical to Kuhlmann’s original vision, these mods introduce new gameplay features like commanding troops and unique battle formations.

Aside from the civil war mechanics, Kuhlmann had another feature in mind that would appeal to players who prefer traditional travel methods: real-time horse and cart journeys. In the game, players can choose to travel instantly to another city via a horse and cart, but the idea of a real-time travel system was captivating.

Kuhlmann revealed that he had begun developing this real-time system, utilizing the technology from the game’s introduction. “The horse would navigate through the world, pulling the cart while you rode in it,” he explained. “If it worked in the intro, it should work elsewhere.”

While the system was not entirely artificial and could adapt to changes, it did pose some challenges. Kuhlmann noted that if something went awry, the horse could take an unexpected route. They implemented certain restrictions to mitigate these issues, but the concept was generally functional.

Players would even have the option to exit the cart and intervene in combat if they encountered bandits. However, there were moments when the mechanics became erratic, such as when the cart would flip over due to physics glitches. “We couldn’t possibly ship that,” Kuhlmann recalled.

Despite these setbacks, Kuhlmann believes players would have been forgiving of the occasional glitch, given Bethesda’s reputation for quirky mechanics. The allure of traversing Skyrim in a horse-drawn cart remained a tantalizing prospect, one that modders eventually brought to life. Numerous mods now allow players to take control of their journeys more effectively, further enhancing their experience in the game.