Elder Scrolls: Oblivion...

[Moose]

Anybody here play Oblivion? I'm considering getting the game, but I've never been much of a fan of the first person perspective in gaming. I find I'm a lot more comfortable in the 3rd person view, doubly-so if I happen to be playing a stealth character. Does Oblivion have a 3rd person view mode? How complicated is the fighting to figure out?

[Captain Kidd]

I’ve got it and like it. It does have third person.

My recommendation, get the PC version because you’ll want to mod it. I don’t like how they did the NPC strength at all. It’s totally based on your level. So, as you level, so does everything else. Thus, for example, those pesky rats in the dungeons keep staying the same toughness as compared to you. Plus I’ve heard that if you level up using non-combat skills, you could actually get outpaced. (I haven’t verified that.)

So what I’ve done is installed quite a few mods from the Elder Scrolls’ Oblivion Mods section of the forum. The biggest one I’ve gone for is one titled OOO – Obscuro’s (?) Oblivion Overhaul mod. It completely redoes the NPC system and rolls in a ton of other mods (thus ensuring that they’re all compatible). It balances the game much better.

Personally, Morrowind is still my favorite. Oblivion seems to be simplified, less skills, less equipment, etc. almost dumbed down. For example axes, Morrowind had an axe skill, now axes fall under bludgeons. Morrowind had light, medium, and heavy armor, Oblivion only has light and heavy. There’s only one type of armor’s hammer rather than three.

However, it’s still a very engrossing game, especially with mods.

[Moose]

Oh good re the third person mode. Yeah, I'll take your advice and get the PC version. I've just had a look at Planet tES to see what mods were available. Looks pretty good.

What's really catching my attention is the horses and the saddlebag mod. Suits me, 'cause I tend to play light-fighter types who don't want to have to go around hauling sixteen suits of plate armor back to the shop.

:)

[Gerrsun]

/agrees with Captain Kidd.

It's fun but it does have a more simplistic bent. Rumor has it the NPC interaction system was highly involved but the NPC's were too smart forthe programmers and did some really wierd things. Therefore the NPC system got really hacked down.

I can remember one thing from a whole long list of oddities that the devs released. Appearently, if the guards went on break, the entire NPC population took that to mean free loot and began trashing the stores for goodies.

You still can see that stuff in Oblivion occasionly as the NPC's are prone to do some odd odd things.

[Captain Kidd]

Saddlebag and horse call are very nice mods. Especially when you're cleaning out a dungeon. You only have to make it to the horse rather than load up, go to town, sell all, go back, repeat.

One other thing that kinda bothers me too is that if this is suppose to be the central part of a thriving empire, there sure are a lot of ruined fortresses about.

[Ronald Brak]

I played Morrowind (the game before Oblivion) or at least I played a solid chunk of it. However, I became too powerful and became bored. Of course, if a game is too difficult I become frustrated, so perhaps I'm hard to please, but I don't think I'm being too picky in asking my games to be fun.

Personally I found the walking around to be a bit boring. Sure everything looked real pretty, but after a while you just wanna get to where you're going. I'm not sure what the solution is. Perhaps the world should be artificially cramped so that everthing is closer together? Simply being able to run faster without spending time and experience putting up your speed would help. "Magic" armour that didn't slow you down would also be good.

I also think that encounters should be a bit more entertaining and creative. I know I'm asking the programers to do more work, but that's what I pay them for. And if they have any problems on the creative side they are welcome to ring me up and ask for advice.

So, anyone know if Oblivion on the Xbox 2 or 360 or whatever it's called is any good?

[GDwarf]

I played Morrowind (the game before Oblivion) or at least I played a solid chunk of it. However, I became too powerful and became bored.
Not really an issue, the difficulty in Oblivion scales up as you level.

Personally I found the walking around to be a bit boring. Sure everything looked real pretty, but after a while you just wanna get to where you're going. I'm not sure what the solution is. Perhaps the world should be artificially cramped so that everthing is closer together?
You have three choices in Oblivion. You can walk from A to B, you can ride a horse, or you can warp there by using the 'fast travel' option on the map.
Simply being able to run faster without spending time and experience putting up your speed would help. "Magic" armour that didn't slow you down would also be good.
Running no longer drains your fatigue bar, it just makes it recharge slower.

So, anyone know if Oblivion on the Xbox 2 or 360 or whatever it's called is any good?
I dislike the 360 on principle, but the PC version is a lot of fun.

[PhantomWolf]

Hehe, I'm still stuck in Morriwind. ;p I did look at Obvion the other day but it's $99 :/

[Musashi]

$99! That is a bit high. :) Are all games that expensive down there?

[Ronald Brak]

Thanks GDwarf - You're full of Data.

$99! That is a bit high. Are all games that expensive down there?

Oh yeah. A quick Google search says it costs at least $77 in Australia, which is close to $99 dollars New Zealand. How much is that in US dollars? Well, around $56, but we're since we're only two thirds as rich as Americans you could argue (perhaps stupidly) that it's the equivalent of $85 US.

[Musashi]

:) Fair enough. I think I paid under $50 USD for it. I didn't even think to check the exchange rate.

[Moose]

$65 CDN with tax. A bit pricey, but I'm really enjoying it. I actually enjoyed the tutorial dungeon so much I'm going to restart the game tonight and get my char's face just right.

Am I understanding it right that you can join multiple guilds?

[Musashi]

Yeah. I think right now I am a member of the Thieves' Guild, the Dark Brotherhood, The Mages' Guild, The Fighters' Guild and the Blades. Actually, there are a few more, non-quest-giving "guilds" that probably appear on my faction list.

I will second (or third?) the recommendation for OOO. The one downside is the full version slows down the level progression, but I think if you install OOO lite, you can choose to keep the old leveling speed.

[PhantomWolf]

$99! That is a bit high. Are all games that expensive down there?

New ones are yeah. Usually between $90-$110. I generally wait a while, get them on release or discount. I got Morrowind for $9. :)

My Sims2 expansions are about $45-$50 each as soon as they hit the shelves (eariler since I tend to prebook), and I got Warcraft 3 plus Throne of Winter for $50 total the other day, so....

[Musashi]

Yeah, I went on a binge the other day, picked up 4 games for about $80 USD total. Sadly, I think I may have overpaid for Star Wars Battlegrounds 2. What a piece of junk.

[Moose]

Okay, I've been playing with OOO in place, but... is there any sort of list anywhere of what quests and activities (especially sidequests) that are suitable for a newbie?

Without OOO, they all are. Sort of.

But with OOO, I'm finding myself stuck in a locked (and unescapable) mausoleum in an ambush against a guy with an endurance draining weapon and a guy in what looks to be a significant set of plate armor. At level 1. I can kill the graverobber, but the armored guy shrugs off anything I can do to him, and hits HARD enough to kill me in two or three hits while I'm blocking and stumble-locks me on every single hit.

And spamming spells at armor-boy doesn't seem to have any effect on him either.

[Moose]

Good and bad astronomy exists in Oblivion. There's two moons. One really big/close, one smaller (but still appearing twice the size of ours.)

The good astronomy: you can see the moons during the day if they happen to be overhead.

The bad: there doesn't appear to be obvious phases, but I suppose I haven't really looked long enough to be sure.

[V-GER]

It's a great game, I highly recommend it(it's also due to Playstation 3 as a first release). The much maligned leveled enemies system is not perfect but it's difficulty is easily overcome by improving your skills and having the right (enchanted)equipment. In it's predecessor, Morrowind, you basically became a god at some stage which wasn't all that exciting especially when you had like 3/4 left to play...

Also, dungeons, forts etc. that you raid are always filled with a new set of enemies after a while so you can never run out of things to do.

Now if only I could find the time for Neverwinter Nights 2...

[PhantomWolf]

The bad: there doesn't appear to be obvious phases, but I suppose I haven't really looked long enough to be sure.

They have may have missed it in Oblivion (Still playing Morrowind, so....) but the moons definately have phases in Morrowind, I checked while I was playing last night, well when I was in an are were it wasn't raining that was. I swear it's been raining in Balmora for days.

[PhantomWolf]

Actually I wouldn't mind playing on a MMORPG based in the Elder Scrolls world using the Morrowind engine and game stats.

[Moose]

Oh, I should mention. I confirmed the moons definitely have phases (they were full, or nearly so, the last time I posted about it, and it appears to be based on the actual position of the sun. :D

Man, I am soooo loving this game. Level 4 (about to be level 5), an Evoker in the mage's guild, and am riding a black horse. Muahahaha. (I'm such a n00b. Hehehe.) I'm thinking I'd rather buy the house in Chyrredal (I know I'm misspelling that) than Rosethorn Hall in Skinnermerink. Chyrredal is such a pretty town.

[PhantomWolf]

Well I caved and even though I haven't finished Morrowind (hee, is that actually possible considering all the shires, caverns, tombs and mines there are in the game) and I got Oblivion to have a look. OMG!!!! I love it. I thought the graphics in Morrowind were good by Oblivion leaves them for dead. I sort of wish I could play them simulateously, but I guess I'm going to have to finish Morrowind before I really get lost in the world of Oblivion.

[V-GER]

I'm not sure anyone's ever actually finished Morrowind, 2 expansions and all...

[jumbo]

I'm not sure anyone's ever actually finished Morrowind, 2 expansions and all...
Well ive finished the main game and almost finished bloodmooon but not really got into tribunal. So im well on the way...

I swear it's been raining in Balmora for days.
The whole region is a bit on the damp side. Still i have a nice mansion there to shelter in. When the cloud do part you do get a fine view of some simulated heavens though.

[V-GER]

Jumbo wrote:
Well ive finished the main game and almost finished bloodmooon but not really got into tribunal. So im well on the way...

Fighters, mages and thiefs guild quests as well? The House quests? All the miscallaneous ones?
(granted that a lot of those make you feel like a parcel service just in an exotic surrounding)

[PhantomWolf]

My character is Guildmaster of the Mages and Fighter Guilds, and getting a home built to raise to House Father with House Haalu. Haven't joined the legion, Cult, or other houses yet.

eta: And just for fun I'm seeing if I can wipe out the population of Balmora. The answer seems to be yes, though I haven't taken on the guilds yet.

[jumbo]

Not quite.
I have finished the main quest, the fighters guild, mages guild, imperial legion, part of the imperial cult. Ive done the thieves guild up to where it conflicts with other quests too.
Ive also done the blades ones (though that involves the main quest too) house hlaalu, some of the redoran and telvanni (though you cant officially complete all 3 due to inter house conflict but there are ways round it) and quite a few side quests.
In addition to that lot ive done about half of the daedric quests. I think they only ones i havent touched are the vampire ones.


I havent finished every single quest in the game or probably even found them all but i have finished all the main ones i think.

[V-GER]

Impressive guys, most impressive. I never got that far in Morrowind. While I loved the game, at a point I began to get tired to all that running around(you see I'm one of those Imperials who, after raiding a dungeon has to take and sell every last shoe or whatever that'll give you 1 gold, I can find). Now with Oblivion, it's much more convinient because of fast travel. I also find the menu easier to use and unlike in Morrowind(where I was a strict melee character) I'm using much more magic.

[Fazor]

I haven't played Oblivion (or Morrowind, for that matter). But my friends all loved Oblivion. Was close to buying it, but my video-game-attention-span tends to not last for those kind of games. I thought Neverwinter Nights 2 looked pretty cool tho.

Mostly just play Counter-Strike. Not because I'm a FPS junkie, but just because I can sit down and play for 10 minutes at a time, and the load times are minimal.

[PhantomWolf]

I have decided that the Arena in Oblivion is rather unrealistic. To get to the level of Champion you need to fight 18 opponents each who has had the same number of opponents as you to get to where they are. That means that by the time you have gotten to Hero level a total of (218 - 1) or 262,143 fighters have died in the Arena for you to get to Hero level. With 4 hero level warriors, that's 1,048,572 dead Arena fighters to get the four Heros. Talk about pouplation control. Perhaps this is why in Rome the losing gladiators were generally spared to fight again.