Windows

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

I'm just speechless. Most of the people have applauded it ("critics", websites like IGN and GameSpot), described it as an enormously big and detailed role-playing game. I must agree that it's sometimes fun and entertaining, but in other aspects it's just dull and there's so many things that are broken or faulty.

One of the things that bugs me is NPCs and their AI. Their stupidity is beyond me. For example I was in the inn and started to thrash tables, cupboards and so on. After a while all the dishes, fruits and mugs were on the floor but the innkeeper just stared at me (reason for my rampage was simple: In my mind my character is a rascist Imperial, whose mother was raped by a half-orc and he is very paranoid, thinking that every non-Imperial wants to kill him...and the innkeeper was half-orc, or smth similar at least).

Then there are enemies. They get stronger as you do, I don't have a big problem with that but isn't it abnormal when you see a bandit who has an expensive armor (if I remember correctly, it was an elf armor)? He is a BANDIT afterall. I for one haven't seen in real life a beggar who is in 200$ suit.

The law of physics don't even apply here. I make a little move near the table and the objects start to move. I took a book from the table and all the other objects "bounced".

Interface is not good, at least for the PC. There are only few shortcuts (ARE THERE EVEN SHORTCUTS?) and you have to mess too much to get your will. Quests are bland as well and the dialogues are too generic.

That's all I guess, there are few good points as well but they're nothing compared to bad points.

Maybe I'm just whining and playing Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines at the same time doesn't help either because Bloodlines is so much better (atmosphere, quests etc, although technically it's not so good, badly optimized I guess). I think I'll quit and make some free time for Bloodlines, game that really deserves it.

Man, what a coincidence... I just checked those individual game forums in order to post a question about Oblivion... and here I've already got one answer to my question.

It helps that you like Bloodlines, because I like it too; so my next question would be: in the way of story line and characters, how does Bloodlines compare to Oblivion?

Another question to all of you guys: how does Morrowind compare to Oblivion?

Morrowind is basically the same game as Oblivion, only more interesting setting. They have managed to create an interesting background for their world, I only wish they could add some human touch also. Patrick Stewart and Sean Bean are not enough (the voices of the two major and perhaps the only characters in Oblivion). Radiant AI, while an interesting idea pales in comparison to idealized Ultima world schedules and interaction.

If one can get past their faults (I almost half-managed it) they are enjoyable in their own way. I especially loved to make screenshots in the game... in the style of "poor native in a sandstorm" or "a flower in the sunset with mountains in the background"... unfortunately someone accidentally deleted my screenshots (the curse of shared computers)... only one screenshot remains. Anyway, the voice acting is dreadful, definitely do not play Oblivion after Soul Reaver or Kotor.

Oblivion has some interesting quests (the Dark Brotherhood comes into mind) and it has horses. Who doesn`t love horses?

Bottom line: While I don`t think of them as the new great RPG revolution, I did love traveling around and enjoyed the weather effects and pretty graphics very much. If they would have added a busty scantily-clad female lead with a voice of Grey DeLisle into them I would really consider adding them into my most favorite list - nothing screams good dialogue more than a busty half-naked elf chick (I`m joking of course... the girl doesn`t have to be an elf).

I haven't played much Oblivion (360 version) yet, only 26 hours so far (compared to 1000+ in Morrowind PC), but so far the good things, like the good (not great) graphics, atmosphere, new stuff not in Morrowind, like horses and forests and sneaking omg (more later), outweigh the bad things. I'm a little disappointed by mostly game mechanics and stuff, like the fact that all towns are walled, there are no levitation spells, and that you can't wear clothes and armor at the same time. Why not being able to wear a thin shirt under bulky armor? Or a skirt over a pair och greaves? Stupid. On the other hand, as I said, the new stuff far outweighs the stuff they've removed. Sneaking is one of them. For the first time since Thief it's worth making a thief character. The last two hours I've done nothing but sneaking, and much to my surprise it actually works something like in Thief 1 and 2, and I love it.

On the role-playing parts, the AI and such, I already knew what to expect. It works better in my mind than in the game. There are not many _role-playing_ games out there, and sadly this didn't change much.

Oblivion is a big jump backward. Because of console origins of this "blockbuster", almost every part of a game got simplified. Game world is still big and spacious, but there's nothing interesting in these meadows and forests. Enemies and monsters are too few. Of course, at long last, you will stumble upon various caves/mines/dungeons, but again what's the point to go inside? If in Morrowind you had an opportunity to find artifacts or just powerful/valuable items, during your dungeon crawls, then in Oblivion you will not find anything interesting there, besides junk(ok, you can find something good, if there's a quest monster, but "coolness" of item is a variable parameter, since foes will grow in levels with you). Same goes for much of buildings in the towns.

Roleplaying system got plainer too. If you remember, in Morrowind you could brew your own magical potions, and if your skill is too low, you had I fat chance, that your alchemical experiment will fail and you will lose ingredients. There's no such limitation in TES IV. You can successfully mix onion with grape(eww) independently of your character's intellect. Fighting system changed as well. It became more arcadish. Now you can really use your shield(in M. it used automatically, depending on you defense skill). You can learn various combos, when you advance with your skill.... <....>

Graphic is good, not as great as you saw on Bethesda's screenshots(they must be rendered on Silicon Graphics workstation), but still very impressive. Drawing distance is probably higher, then in any other 3D game.

Quests is the only prominent element here. Unlike many other rpgs, in O. tasks exceed the bounds of mail delivery work. I would even call some of them original.

I can't compare Bloodlines and Oblivion. Second is all about quantity, but first lays the emphasis on story and character background. I liked Bloodlines more, despite the fact game actually plagued with bugs(unofficial patches still coming) and overall quality production level of O. is MUCH higher.

To me, a person who liked TES 3: Morrowind so much, Oblivion was biggest disappointment of the year.

I should just point out that that's also one of the major complaints from those who played TES2: Daggerfall and found TES3: Morrowind to be too "dumbed down": with a simplified interface, a lack of acrobatics, non-randomly generating world, and less abiltiies overall.

Love oblivion. Even after restarting the game the 10th time. For one reason Bloodlines doesn't have.

Oblivion isn't buggy. Haven't met one freakin bug. For a game this size, I'm impressed. Does get kinda boring though. But for me, if you want a comparison, Bloodlines wins in story, gameplay features. But in comparison, Bloodlines isn't in the same league as Oblivion.

Yikes finished all the Guild quests: Fighter's Guild, Mages Guild, Brotherhood, Arena, Thieves Guild. Tends to get a bit boring after that.

Don't you just love the sunset in Anvil?

Stupid things about the game:

Shortcuts. A joke.

Cannot delete spells.

Irritating alchemy ingredient mechanism.

Horses don't do squat.

30 arrows and the dude doesn't die yet? aw come on!

Stupid monetary value. Get rich, find daedric stuff.

Items respawn. I like the fact that houses I robbed, STAY ROBBED.

Why isn't the girl naked? And why do they all have a 34 A (or B) Cup?

And too much more too mention.

Wait a sec, you say Bloodlines wins in story and gameplay features, but it is still not in the same league with Oblivion (i.e. not as good)? Yet you don't say what exactly is done better in Oblivion. Only the fact it isn't buggy? Is it really so important?

I'm very interested in Oblivion, but the Chinese version keeps destroying the monitor, I guess I'll try an original US version instead...

Buggy is one thing. Games like Bloodlines and Arcanum was so darn buggy to the fact that I couldn't continue the game. To me that's a personal insult. Is it important? I'll give you an analogy. Your "doing" a girl, and right in the middle of everything she doesn't want to "play" anymore. Now would you be pissed?

Bloodlines has a better storyline. Why, simply because its pre-set. Oblivion's storyline is all over the place since it emphazises of freedom of gameplay.

So you want to hear what's good about Oblivion?

Huge world. Not huge boring, but huge let's do some sight-seeing.

Beautiful graphics. Oblivion is the first game where I would say the graphics were better than real-life to some extent.

Hundreds of Quests. All with a storyline, full voice-acting. That's what I mean when I said, Bloodlines isn't in the same league. Bloodlines is just a quest in Oblivion.

Free character creation. No limitations, classes or requirements.

It's not the best RPG i've played, but if Oblivion sets the minimal standards for games. I will look forward to the future.

Indra, one thing is wrong with your reasoning. You immediately start hating a game just because your computer has problems with it. I told you Oblivion creates terrible problems on my computer, but that only makes me want to find a way to achieve a better performance.

If I were in your shoes Oleg, I would probably end up being hating Oblivion. I am quite aware of being subjectively stupid in this matter. I simply no longer have the time nor patience to deal with such issues anymore.

*SPAM*

GEt a COnsOLe!!

No, man, when a game creates problems, you should fight back! You know what? I managed to make this thing run! There is only one resolution it runs in on my computer, and only with small textures. But it runs! Half of the voices are missing in the Chinese version... but it runs! And so far, I found the game utterly addictive. Pity Uriel Septim was mute. Does he actually have a nice voice? :)

Oh, make sure to turn on the "water reflections" to maximum (turn off bloom too). Uriel Septim? I actually thought he sounded like Patrick Stewart. Managed to tweak my breton to look like David Beckam. If I were a girl, I would be in love... :p

Fight back? Nah. I'm thinking of retiring.

How do I turn things like water reflections and bloom on and off? My version of the game doesn't allow me to do it from within the game... there, I can only change basic stuff like resolution and brightness, and also distance for trees and other stuff. How do I change the rest?

BTW, I started playing the game and I couldn't stop... it's beautiful and addictive. And the music is wonderful!

Heh? That's weird. check your version (see from readme file). mine is 1.1.511

2 ways from changing that: 1st when you click on the oblivion program, the first "windowed menu" pops up. I've checked you can change bloom effects there. But the ingame menu should work also. Er, stupid question, but have you tried scrolling down when you clicked options? :p

... ... ...

I'm too ashamed of my own stupidity :/

Happens to the best of us:
AGEING

*A moment of silence for the undeniable enlightment of truth*

We old, senile and have no life.

I can't allow myself turning old and senile! I have a wife! :-()

Bloodlines has witty and excellent dialogue (especially true when your playing as a Malkavian), different choices to overcome situations, overabundance of style and excellent memorable quests. Plus it has excellent voice-acting (and Grey Delisle as a busty slutty schizophrenic vampire chick) and one of the best level designs I`ve ever seen (I`m talking about the Ocean Hotel) and excellent facial expressions.

Oblivion has horrible voice-acting and horrible facial expressions. And dialogue is certainly not what Oblivion shines in. Quests, since being so many, are not really that memorable in Oblivion. The main enjoyment comes from traveling around and breathing in the atmosphere. Just don`t be surprised when someone says hello with an old "I-ate-too-much-Prozac" woman`s voice and answers to a question with a young girlish voice. Oh yeah, both Morrowind and Oblivion have beautiful art designs.

Simply put, I crucified Bloodlines since it started crashing on me. Never did end up finishing the game. Played until the part where you save this arkeologist from Dr. von Vampire hunter-whats-his-name. After getting to the boat, the game crashed on me. Sigh.