Skyrim: Apocalypse spell pack

Skyrim is probably my favorite game of all time. That being said, I have done my fair share of playthroughs and I used to think that I had scene all there was to see in Skyrim, then I discovered mods. Modding Skyrim was probably one of the coolest gaming experiences I have ever tried. It was so awesome to be able to choose a mod pack that you thought looked like it would make the game better and simply download it and next thing you know it had become a part of the game. One of the most popular mods if not the most popular mod in Skyrim is called the Apocalypse spell pack.

This spell pack completely overhauled the spellcasting in Skyrim and added a ton of variety to the mage class by adding over 140 new spells with a main focus on the lesser developed schools of magic, alteration and illusion. The mod uses the game’s “sophisticated” engine and its expertly crafted 3D models and sound effects in order to create an entirely new and fresh experience for players all while using the tools already present in the game (Schleiner 36). I think that this kind of relationship is precisely the kind of thing that Schleiner is referring to when she discusses the parasitic tendencies of modders and she is spot on. Although I must say that while it may be accurate, the term parasite paints modders in a negative light that does not seem fair to me. In my opinion, their modding is not done with malicious intentions rather it is done in an effort to add more fresh experiences to the game that they love so much to keep it feeling alive and new, can we really blame them for that?

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkqIS2kQrDE

MLA Citation

The Player’s Power to Change the Game: Ludic Mutation, by Anne-Marie Schleiner, Amsterdam University Press, 2018, pp. 36.