A new mod for Skyrim has adjusted the game's food economy, making it more realistic and sustainable by overhauling the farms in this slice of Tamriel. Known for being a game with a lot of replay value, The Elder Scrolls 5's immersive world and lore have kept players engaged for well over a decade now. However, over the years it has been noted that there are plenty of illusion-shattering moments in the epic RPG, be it the slew of bugs, the fact that it has aged, or just general elements that can pull the player out of the experience.
Of course, games don't necessarily have to be 100% true to life, but there are some Skyrim mods that make the Bethesda title more realistic by improving the ragdoll physics, overhauling the climate and weather conditions, or tweaking the graphics to make the game look a bit more authentic. Whatever it takes to make for a more immersive experience, the community will endeavor to do, and that's exactly what these modders have done.
As spotted by PCGamesN, Nexus Mods users Teabag86 and Kryptopyr have brought their project "CACO Farm Overhaul" to the world of Skyrim. Essentially, this mod makes improvements to the in-game farms, making them "feel alive," with the end goal being to give the economy a sense that it's "capable of sustaining a local populace." There are new crops and livestock, and farms now have specializations and backstories for the farmers. There's also a work-in-progress to overhaul the "Harvest Wheat" quest, which, when finished, will allow players to do chores on local farms in exchange for a bed or food.
Although it doesn't say, this mod could well be a response to the fact that fans have noted how poor the economy of Skyrim actually is. Cities like Whiterun appear to have a higher rate of unemployment than some actual countries, such as the US and UK, so the creators of "CACO Farm Overhaul" may well be trying to rectify this by making things more sustainable across this frozen region.
Bit by bit, modders are coming up with new ways to make TES5 that extra bit immersive by switching things up and improving on the vanilla format. Whether Bethesda will learn from Skyrim for The Elder Scrolls 6 and perhaps be able to make the anticipated follow-up more realistic cannot be said at this stage. At this point, it's just a waiting game for the next entry in the series, but at least there are plenty of mods to keep fans busy in the 2011 RPG.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is out now on PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: PCGamesN, Nexus Mods