Not really a gamer second round of skyrim basic questions

I was much like that on my first playthrough. My main suggestion would be to hold back on the quests. For instance, now when I play I try to finish a quest before picking up and starting on another, else I end up with 50 quests, don't know where to start, and end up getting nothing done. Also try to pace yourself with the story missions. Most people join up with a faction and complete that storyline first for gear and a place to sleep / store your junk.

I also recommend roleplaying--i.e., trying to develop your character in terms of story, and really immersing yourself in the game. Sleep at night, eat food every now and then, try to take it slow as you progress through Skyrim. Maybe start a collection, collecting certain gems or flowers or books. Make decisions based upon what your character would do, influenced by things such as their upbringing, personality, beliefs, and so on.

Really, though, there is no "right" or wrong way to play Skyrim. Just let the game take you where it will. c:

I’d recommend picking one questline and following it, the companions is pretty good for a first timer, you just need to fight stuff.

The easiest way is to jyst go at your own pace. Ive never successfully beat the game, im always getting side tracked.

That's basically how I play. So much to explore that I completely forget what the hell the story is about. All in all, the story is simple and you actually don't need to worry about it too much. Once you find a main quest again you'll usually have an "oh yeah, now I remember." moment and you'll feel on track again. If all else fails, just go on the internet and read up on what you feel you might have missed.

What should I do differently? I know this is an amazing game but I"m not sure how to "play" it.

Stop treating it like an adventure game and start role-playing. It's an epic RPG, and part of the reason there's so, so much to do is because that way you can play lots of different ways and not every character has to do all the same things. There are lots of ways to be a powerful adventurer, and if you start overlapping those different ways, then you'll be OP very easily.

Rather than approaching the game like you have to do everything, try approaching it that you have a personality and your own quirks and affinities. Just because there's a "better" piece of armor available, doesn't mean your character wants to wear it. They could have personal reasons for not wearing anything off a dead body, as a random example.

Role-playing is often about limiting yourself from certain things the game offers you, and leaning toward others. Hope this helps. I'm sure good times are ahead of you.

There are so many quests in Skyrim and it's easy to get overwhelmed. You're not expected to do them all at once or even do them at all. Focus on the ones you have that sound the most interesting to you. Make your way towards the quest location but explore the world around you on the way. Talk to friendly people you encounter and read (or at least skim read) the books you find.

My advice is to first try and travel to all nine major settlements. Explore them thoroughly and talk to everyone you can. You will begin to discover the political situation, history and culture of the city and its people, and eventually you will be able to draw connections between the places you visit. It took me an awfully long time to understand the basics of the world in which Skyrim takes place, things like the geography of the whole continent, the Civil War, the magic system, the gods, the key differences between the races etc. I'm still a long, long way off from knowing everything but the more you explore, the more you will be able to piece things together. It's best to treat the quests as a means of learning about the world you are in.

Unfortunately you will be killed a lot in the early levels. It takes a while before you settle into your skills, and you need some time to increase your health/magic/stamina. Play it safe and save often.