As promised, a beta version of patch 1.4 for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is now available through Steam for everyone who fancies trying it. As well as heaps of fixes for bugs and crashes, the patch brings performance and memory optimizations.

Check out the patch notes for full details. Some players are reporting very respectable increases indeed thanks to the beta's performance tweaks.

Covering its back and yours, Bethesda recommends that you only install the patch if you're affected by issues fixed in the patch, and that you backed up your saved games before installing the beta. If you're still ploughing ahead with it, here's what to do:

• Log into Steam

• Click on Steam in the upper menu

• Select Settings

• Under the Account tab, go to the Beta Participation section and select Change.

• A drop down menu will appear. Select Skyrim Beta.

• Select OK.

• Steam will now restart. After Steam restarts, Skyrim will be updated to the Beta version currently available.

The beta patch adds an option for Skyrim's Steam Workshop, a portal which will allow mod makers to upload their creations directly to Steam, but the Workshop won't work it and the mod Creation Kit actually launch later this month.