Skyrim update 1.4 now live on Steam

By Fred Dutton Published 1 February, 2012

Console versions being submitted this week.

PC update 1.4 for The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is now available to download from Steam, Bethesda has announced.

A beta version of the patch has been available for the last week or so, but this is the real deal. See below for the full changelog.

Console owners will have to wait a while longer - the patch is being submitted to platform holders for approval this week.

New features:

  • Skyrim launcher support for Skyrim Workshop (PC)

Bug fixes

  • General optimizations for memory and performance
  • Fixed occasional issue with armor and clothing not displaying properly when placed on mannequins in player's house (PS3)
  • Long term play optimizations for memory and performance (PS3)
  • Improved compiler optimization settings (PC)
  • Memory optimizations related to scripting
  • Fixed issue with dangling scripts not properly clearing from memory
  • Fixed crashes related to pathing and AI
  • Fixed crash in "Haemar's Shame" if player had already completed "A Daedra's Best Friend"
  • Fixed rare crash with loading saved games
  • Fixed issue with accented characters not displaying properly at the end of a line
  • Fixed issue where dragon priest masks would not render correctly
  • Fixed issue where quests would incorrectly progress after reloading a save
  • Fixed issues with placing and removing books from bookshelves in the player's home
  • Optimized bookshelf script in player-owned houses that would occasionally block other scripts from properly firing off
  • Fixed issue where weapon racks and plaques would not work correctly in player's house if player immediately visits their house before purchasing any upgrades
  • Fixed issue where the player house in Windhelm would not clean up properly
  • Fixed crash related to giant attacks and absorb spells
  • Fixed issue with ash piles not cleaning up properly
  • Fixed occasional issue where overwriting an existing save would fail
  • Fixed memory crash with container menu
  • Fixed infinite loop with bookshelves
  • Fixed issue where transforming back to human from werewolf would occasionally fail
  • Bows and daggers will display properly when placed on weapon racks
  • Fixed occasional audio issue that would play sound effects louder than intended
  • Fixed bug related to hitching between cell boundaries
  • Master Criminal achievement/trophy unlocks properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian
  • Fixed issue where traps in Shalidor's Maze would not work properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian versions

Quest fixes:

  • The Unusual Gem that was inside the Thalmor Embassy is now accessible after finishing "Diplomatic Immunity"
  • In "Breaching Security", the quest token is no longer required to receive a fortune reading from Olava the Feeble
  • Fixed issue where Galmar would not complete Joining the Stormcloaks properly if "Season Unending" was an active quest
  • Fixed issue where starting "Season Unending" after finishing "Joining the Stormcloaks" would prevent "The Jagged Crown" from starting properly
  • Fixed issue where progressing through "Message to Whiterun" while "Season Unending" was still open would block progression for both quests
  • In "Arniel's Endeavor", fixed issue where a quest journal would trigger multiple times
  • In "Forbidden Legend", the amulet fragment can no longer disappear after player leaves a dungeon without taking it
  • Fixed rare issue in "Forbidden Legend" where killing Mikrul Gauldurson while sneaking would make his corpse unaccessible
  • In "The White Phial", the phial can no longer disappear if player leaves dungeon without taking it
  • "The White Phial" will now start properly if player already has a briar heart in their inventory
  • Player can no longer get stuck in Misty Grove after completing "A Night to Remember"
  • Fixed issue where leaving Riften during "A Chance Arrangement" would prevent quest from progressing
  • In "Darkness Returns", a door in Twilight Sepulcher will properly open if the player leaves the dungeon for an extended period of time before completing the quest
  • In "Revealing the Unseen", if the player leaves the Oculory for an extended period of time after placing the focusing crystal and returns, the quest will proceed correctly
  • "Onmund's Request" will now start properly if player has already found Enthir's staff before receiving this quest
  • Fixed instance where Tonilia would stop buying stolen items and also would not give Guild Leader Armor
  • "Repairing the Phial" will start properly if player already has unmelting snow or mammoth tusk in their inventory
  • Finding Pantea's Flute before speaking with Pantea no longer prevents her quest from updating
  • In "The Break of Dawn", fixed rare instance where a quest object would spawn incorrectly on the Katariah during Hail Sithis
  • Fixed rare issue in "The Mind of Madness" where player is unable to equip the Wabbajack
  • Fixed issue in "Pieces of the Past" where Mehrunes Dagon's Razor will not trigger properly if player leaves the cell for extended period of time before activating it
  • "Blood's Honor" will start properly if you visited and completed Driftshade and an extended period of time passes before starting the quest.
  • Fixed rare issue where "Dampened Spirits" would not start properly
  • Fixed issue where player would be unable to become Thane of Riften if they purchased a home first
  • Fixed issue where killing guards in Cidhna Mine would block progression for "No One Escapes Cidhna Mine"
  • Fixed numerous issues with "Blood on the Ice" not triggering properly
  • In "Blood on the Ice", Calixto can now be killed if player owns a house in Windhelm
  • In "The Cure for Madness", killing Cicero then resurrecting him no longer impedes quest progress
  • Fixed rare issue in "To Kill an Empire" where an NPC would fail to die properly
  • Clearing Knifepoint Ridge before starting "Boethiah's Champion" no longer prevents quest from starting.
Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (44) Latest comment 2 weeks ago

  • Hellion83 #1 3 weeks ago

    Post deleted at 20:12:17 01-02-2012

  • mccappind #2 3 weeks ago

    I shall log on now and take a look

  • bikmate #3 3 weeks ago

    Great stuff. Keep the patches coming guys.

  • darkmorgado #4 3 weeks ago

    They've still not fixed the quest bug that fucked my progress the same week as launch.

    Probably the buggiest game I've ever bought.

  • dravin369 #5 3 weeks ago

    really hoping this patch can sort out the big issues with the ps3 because i love the game but after an hour of play my heart sinks along with the framerate.

  • DDevil #6 3 weeks ago

    Fixed infinite loop with bookshelves
    What?

  • xYOSSARIANx #7 3 weeks ago

    @DDevil When taking books from a bookshelf, they enter the players inventory and stay on the bookshelf. It gets stuck in a loop and would give you infinite copies of the book, yet not allow you to actually remove the book from the shelf.

    Nothing in that fix list about companions refusing to use decent bows if arrows more powerful than iron are equipped.
    Edited by 2 at 01/02/12 @ 21:05

  • 32768Colours #8 3 weeks ago

    Still sitting this one out until the patch has been thoroughly put through its paces by the braver souls out there.

    Y'know, its crazy really. I look at that the size of that list, knowing there's more to come, and I can't believe I paid Ł40 a game only to wait for it to be borderline playable nearly three months later. Even now there's no guarantees.

    Unless there's a major attitude change with Bethesda, I certainly won't bother jumping in straight away next time.

    Its a bloody shame because their games are a hell of a lot of fun.

  • Whitster #9 3 weeks ago

    @32768Colours That's bollox though isnt it. I clocked my 105th hour last night and aside from a couple of lock ups and a few broken radiant quests I haven't found anything that makes it only "borderline playable"
    Edited by 1 at 01/02/12 @ 21:28

  • Dubya #10 3 weeks ago

    Can anyone tell me what the version number is exactly?
    I've had BETA updates so I have no way of knowing if mine has updated with the final 1.4 patch...

  • TexMurphy01 #11 3 weeks ago

    I don't know if my memory is either really good or really bad, but a lot of these 'fixes' seem to be exactly the same as the last ones.

  • MrWonderstuff #12 3 weeks ago

    @32768Colours If you are a PC user then I have beta-tested it for you. It works and is well worth getting.

  • mccappind #13 3 weeks ago

    I’ve noticed a performance increase straight away. It doesn’t seem to fall from 60fps, were previously it was averaging around 30 – 45 fps

    1680 1050
    High / Ultra
    2xAA
    8xAF

    Q9450@3.6Ghz
    2x GTX280
    4GB 1333Mhz Ram


    Is that down to a CPU / MEM optimisation?

  • Farzlepot #14 3 weeks ago

    Unfortunately I'm now in full Mass Effect mode in anticipation of the third's release, so I've barely touched Skyrim as I replay those. But I certainly haven't finished with it yet so I'm glad it'll continue to be patched while I'm away from the amazing world of Skyrim, even if I didn't have any real problems before (aside from the bookcase issue, but that was pretty minor).

  • agent55 #15 3 weeks ago

    I'll be (im)patiently awaiting the PS3 patch. Just started pushing thru Skyrim again, and sure enough, it started to chugga-chug-chug after about 2-3 hours of playing. Sounds like it'll never actually be "fixed" however.

  • asho #16 3 weeks ago

    Iv said this before what about peeps that have not got internet. They buy a game that so far has been fixed and patched up with about 100 issues, so they have a fucking mess of a game eh. Make sure you test the game before release bethesda for fucks sake.

  • CaptainQuint #17 3 weeks ago

    Did they ever get around to fixing the Favorites "bug"? You know - when one-handed weapons and spells annoyingly reset and a d-pad press no longer brings up the thing you assigned to it.

    It was the main reason I binned off the shields altogether and just went with two-handed weapons.

  • 32768Colours #18 3 weeks ago

    @Whitster

    Well I don't think it is bollocks.

    You have after all, still experienced lock ups and broken quests (even if its just radiant ones).

    And you're one of the lucky ones. Imagine being 80 hours in only to find the game unplayable like so many PS3 owners.

    Its not as though I'm trolling here; Skyrim has been very publicly called out for being riddled with bugs, some of which have made the game unplayable. I don't hate Skyrim, in fact I bloody love it. I'm just saying that even after this patch I'm a little wary about sinking tens of hours of my life into it until I'm confident it won't be a wasted effort.

    Its easy to say I'm talking bollocks but its only by sheer luck - not Bethesda's quality control - that you've put in 105 hours relatively unscathed.
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/12 @ 22:49

  • orpheus #19 3 weeks ago

    @mccappind

    yep me too, decent fps increase across the board. Was fine before 99.9% of the time but this solved the odd dungeon/bits of solitude that still juddered a tiny bit. Rock solid smooth 60fps on ultra now and its glorious. Excellent patch so far.

  • GaryStew1980 #20 3 weeks ago

    Love how vague the "Blood Honor" fix is, it will now start if you visited Driftshade an extended period before starting the quest.

    I have no idea how long I was there before I finished the mission that should start Blood Honor. Currently the Companions are still standing outside for about 100 days guarding the same 3 dead bodies. now that I cant start that mission I also cant get access into the last dungeon to get the last word for my last shout.

    I left all the Dark Brotherhood missions so I have something to play when the patch finally comes out. Was willing to accept the silly little glitches they didnt bother me or impact on game play but ones where you cant finish entire side stories and block you from actually getting all the achievements are just silly.

  • CaptainKid #21 3 weeks ago

    Good.
    Three months to go before I will start playing.

  • Lucodeath #22 3 weeks ago

    The only fault I have is the musical instruments still in the inventory. Rjorn drum an stuff. I might still have issues with it but its so vast I just don't know.

  • sfp_noodle #23 3 weeks ago

    Currently on around 90+ hours on the 360 and apart from a handful of occasions where the game froze and I had to restart, it's been fine. I suspect this patch is far more important to PS3 players. If Bethesda don't deliver they'll lose a lot of customers for their next game.

    My best mate received this game on PS3 over Xmas and it started to chug badly after the 40 hour mark. He hasn't touched it in near 2 months now. To make your fans wait 2 fucking months to fix a game because your too ignorant to release it in a working state in the first place is bloody pathetic. Worst part is that Bethesda never even issued a formal apology and tried to brush the issue under the carpet.

    Websites like EG are also to blame. Whilst there was general grumbling during the first couple of weeks of release, there wasn't article after article about it to put pressure on Bethesda. By letting the issue drift away from the public eye, it allowed Bethesda to quietly work behind the scenes without penalty and expect all to be forgiven if the next patch actually fixes the game. That shouldn't be allowed to happen. EG, IGN, Gamespot, plus every other "big" gaming site should have been more aggresive about these issues. Since they haven't, you can pretty much guarantee Bethesda will do the same again with their next game/DLC.

  • alx149 #24 3 weeks ago

    Mind boggling that you can't install patch at your leisure. Steam's blind to MO of the PC.

  • Daikon #25 3 weeks ago

    Still stuck with tons of finished quest stuff that I can't remove from my inventory...

    Also I don't get why all those unusual gems have to weigh 0.5 each. I have quite a few of them and they're weighing me down...

  • goondocks74 #26 3 weeks ago

    @darkmorgado Didn't you play Fallout Vegas? Nightmare! but that was different developer...oh no, it wasn't.
    It's a joke that these games are broken on launch.
    I'm just glad I only paid Ł25 for mine.
    Loving it despite the bugs though.

  • ATNR1 #27 3 weeks ago

    I'm playing the 360 version and it still runs great, but with a bit of slow down every now and then. I am plus 80 hours now. But I have noticed some miscellaneous completed quests not being removed from the quest list. And I also have the Pantea's quest not completing bug. Some quest markers also didn't appear, and I had to use some Wiki's to find the person I had to deliver their goods too, as I sometimes take weeks to complete these quests and by the time I get too them I forgot who they are and where they are located.

    Other than those small annoyances probably one of my favourite games this generation.

  • Timotei #28 3 weeks ago

    @Daikon Quest items don't weigh anything despite having a value next to them.

    Edit: Why the negs? they don't. Try removing everything from your inventory and your weight will say zero despite still carrying all your quest items.
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/12 @ 09:08

  • MadCaddy13 #29 3 weeks ago

    What about the incredible cloning man outside whiterun?

  • SeesThroughAll #30 3 weeks ago

    @DDevil The Oghma Infinium exploit, they must have fixed it now. :(

  • Mr.Gordons #31 3 weeks ago

    I go on steam and don't get the patch, fire up skyrim and see version 1.4.21 or something.... sneaky steam. I like how I disable autoupdates and steam doesn't care.

  • Sodding_Gamer #32 3 weeks ago

    @MadCaddy13

    Is this that traveller dude who walks around with an identical twin with the same name? This boggled me a few days back and thought I had slipped a magic mushroom in me gob.

  • KrazyFace #33 3 weeks ago

    Well, I've clocked up about 360 hours on the PS3 so far but after becoming a vampire (and therefor not being able to fast-travel without fear of landing in a settlement as a full-blown monster) and having to actually walk/ride everywhere, made the game's frame rate drop so low (after 2 hours play) it was impossible to play without getting a headache.

    Hope they fix some other radient quests too as my inventory has a 100 weight penalty due to junk I just can't drop, sell or give away. Had to waste one of my perk points on "extra pockets" just to reduce the time I spent having to manage my weight ratios.

    Think next time I'll try harder to resist the next game till it's patched properly...

  • Timotei #34 3 weeks ago

    @KrazyFace Hope they fix some other radient quests too as my inventory has a 100 weight penalty due to junk I just can't drop, sell or give away. Had to waste one of my perk points on "extra pockets" just to reduce the time I spent having to manage my weight ratios.

    Nnngh. They don't weigh anything, see my post above.

  • Negotiator1 #35 3 weeks ago

    The performance increase is pretty big, I have almost locked 60fps with drop's of about 5 to 8fps being very rare. When I first had it it could drop as low as 30fps, this is a great patch.

  • TechnicPuppet #36 3 weeks ago

    I have 3 I think in Miscellaneous that wont work, but they are no big deal.

  • Madder-Max #37 3 weeks ago

    What about the 'destroy the skoma source' bug where there is no quest marker in the dungeon if you have visitied the dungeon previously. It prevents you from becoming thane in riften?

    Anyone help? Please?

  • metallicorphan #38 3 weeks ago

    @goondocks74 "Didn't you play Fallout Vegas? Nightmare! but that was different developer...oh no, it wasn't."

    Fallout New Vegas was Obsidian who developed the game,while it was Skyrims dev Bethesda who published it

  • cloudskipa #39 3 weeks ago

    @sfp_noodle I thought the way EG brought attention to the problem of "Rimlag" was very good of them. I'm not so sure we should of all endured months of whining about the lame PS3 version when this is a multiformat games site. It's not EG job to do this so it's not their fault.

    It's the PS3 dedicated games sites and PS3 gamers that should of contacted Bethesda, signed up to their official forums, set up petitions etc to put pressure on Bethesda, if they wanted resolve to the problem it was up to THEM not Eurogamer.

  • Trigg3rHippie #40 3 weeks ago

    "Fixed rare issue in "To Kill an Empire" where an NPC would fail to die properly"

    Not dying properly? So... what? Not dying at all? You mean arrow in the knee and all that?

  • DrStrangelove #41 3 weeks ago

    No mention of the horrible underwater detection (PC)? Or am I the only one who has that?

    edit: seems to be fixed now, was probably only in the 1.4 beta version.
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/12 @ 14:03

  • PlugMonkey #42 3 weeks ago

    God, just hurry the hell up with it, will you?

  • goondocks74 #43 3 weeks ago

    @metallicorphan
    That's right, but NV and F3 suffer from the same problems, they're essentially the same game, and many of the problems are evident in all three games. I'll bet the same programmers worked on them too.
    It's still a joke though.

  • KrazyFace #44 2 weeks ago

    @Timotei

    Then maybe you can explain why the Elder Scroll (an unremovable quest item) that has a 20pt weight, had an effect on my weight when I managed to eventually sell it to the Orc at the college? Or when I picked up each diary for the Ragged Flagon's bar-man's side quest, it had an effect on my weight?

    I'm aware there are particular quest items that carry no weight (like the dwarven puzzle cubes) but I think you'll find most radiant quest items do carry weight. If not, then something is very wrong with my game because removing all items (aside the ones I can't) still leaves me with over 100pts of weight.