Via a fan interview conducted on the official Bethesda forums, we’ve got a number of new details for the upcoming The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Armor Changes

Though similar to how armor worked in Oblivion, upper and lower armor pieces in Skyrim have now been combined into one piece in order to help with the crafting of armor styles.

Branching Storylines

While Skyrim will feature “decision points” that can have an effect on what the player experiences, overall the game will only feature one main storyline. Side quests, however, may have major branches.

NPC Relationships

The ability to form relationships with NPCs will be even stronger in Skyrim. You’ll be able to make friends, who will then treat you differently and may even agree to help you on your adventures. Also, you’ll have the option to get married, and can then move in with your spouse if you own a home.

New Loot

One piece of loot specifically mentioned by the developers is an armor set made from dragons, which they say is “one of the most prized and rarest sets of armor”.

Races

Your choice of character race will play a number of factors in how the game then unfolds for you. Each race will have its own passive abilities and powers, biases toward certain types of characters, and more. Of course, the game will also allow players to go against those pre-set biases should they choose to.

Non-Lethal Combat

Skyrim will now include a number of new options for non-lethal combat, such as tavern bralws – something one of the developers said that he loves.