A Skyrim developer answers a question as old as the role-playing game itself: What is the persistent rumour of the Treasure Foxes all about?
If you’ve played Skyrim at any point in your life, you’ve probably heard the following tip on a forum, at the coffee machine, or in conversation with a friend: if you encounter a wild fox, follow it and it will lead you to treasure. This arcane knowledge has been confirmed by some, denied by others and investigated by many.
Now a developer reveals the 10-year-old secret. Not only does he confirm that treasure foxes do indeed exist, but also why their quest for treasure is nowhere to be found in the game’s code.
No one programmed them that way – yet they do
In fact, it was a mystery to the developers themselves how the treasure foxes came to be. Because although following wild foxes does indeed lead to valuable items in most cases, this behaviour is not programmed anywhere. They seem to act entirely on their own. Just one of the many details that make Skyrim one of the best Open Worlds ever:
On Twitter, Joel Burgess, who previously worked on Skyrim, Oblivion, Fallout and Watch Dogs Legion, tells how the mystery was finally solved by his colleague Jean Simonet:
– Differently complex AIs: Different NPCs also have differently sophisticated AIs that they use to find their way. Traders follow routes, residents have daily routines. Foxes have the most simplistic AI form. Their only motivation is to run away from you.
– Wayfinding through “navmesh “: The so-called navmesh is an invisible 3D tarpaulin that covers the ground of the world. NPCs do not actually move over the ground, but navigate over this invisible plane and know through it where they can and cannot go.
– How many triangles? The 3D tarp is made up of a network of triangles. The wilderness is relatively level and thus has an even, simple and large-meshed network. So-called “points of interest”, on the other hand, for example camps, have much more detail. As a result, their network consists of many small triangles.
– As far away as possible: And here lies the solution. The fox’s only agenda is to run away. However, he doesn’t calculate that in metres, but in triangles. And since he wants to get as many triangles away from you as possible, his path leads him to interesting places with lots of details aka triangles – where in most cases valuable loot is hidden.
You can read the full story in Joel Burgess’ Twitter post:
Alright, so inspired by @NPurkeypile's bee post yesterday, here is one of my favorite bits of Skyrim oral history – the myth of the treasure fox.
I've told this story before in talks/etc, but I don't think I've shared it with twitter. Here goes. pic.twitter.com/7uaUlbpmQ8
— Joel Burgess (@JoelBurgess) August 18, 2021
The developer aptly sums up the mystery:
“Emergent gameplay is often used to describe designed randomness. But in this case, actual gameplay has emerged that NOBODY designed – just through the bubbling cauldron of intersecting systems. And I think that’s beautiful. ”
These details are what keep Skyrim fascinating 10 years after release. And motivate fans to create impressive projects like the giant mod Beyond Skyrim:
So if you’re looking for a cool icebreaker at your next party or coffee machine, this story is a hot candidate. As is the just-revealed story of how bees almost destroyed the famous Skyrim intro.
