I think I'm going to grab a cheap copy of Elder Scrolls:Oblivion.

[Forkboy]

I've been playing Daggerfall again this last month with DOSbox, and despite the primitive graphics the game kicks ass (as did Arena). My local Gamestop has Oblivion for $19.99 and I don't see how I can go wrong...unless it really sucked.

So, any of you played it, and if so, how was it?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Same essential flaws that hurt Daggerfall and Morrowind.

They really tried. They were very ambitious. Had an enormous world to run around and explore. A decent engine. Acceptable storyline. Only just one problem- it's just not that fun.

There's little variety. There's too little structure. There's no incentive to go on quests.

The game looks absolutely gorgeous. Lots of places to explore. There's this big mountain, in the woods, below some cliffs, and there's a stream running down that mountain. And at one point there's a little water fall, with some pretty pools below that waterfall. And if you look close, there's a secret door behind that waterfall with a dungeon.

But the dungeon's just like all the other dungeons around. And you run out of pretty places start looking the same. And the quests get boring. And you end up speed travelling through all the pretty places anyway.

Oh, and the levelling system sucks.

So Betheseda's always had these really ambitious games, just the one major flaw in making a fun experience.

Which, IMO, is a problem they've solved with Fallout 3. Same engine. Same big ambition. And far more fun. They finally got it to work right with Fallout 3. It's the perfect game. And definitely worth the extra dollars.

[Forkboy]

2. My PC is at the low end of Fallout 3's specs.

I could probably run it, but I'd have to take a hit graphic-wise, though with a good enough game I couldn't care less about graphics. I'm still playing Rogue-likes with ascii characters and they're as much fun as most flashy RPG's.

I loved the first two Fallout games for the most part, so maybe I'll grab that instead. Or maybe I'll get both. I didn't play Morrowind, but I did like Arena and Daggerfall, so I'll have to think on it. Fallout 3 looks awesome, I've only shied away from it because of my PC (which until two weeks ago was still a Pentium 2!). I recently got a much, much faster PC so I'm looking into newer games to grab.

Thanks for the comments on Oblivion, and for reminding me of Fallout 3.

[romana]

3. Elder Scrolls

I liked Oblivion, and it certainly is pretty. The main quest is rather boring and repetitive, but some of the guild quests, in particular the Dark Brotherhood storyline, is pretty good.

Overall, I liked Morrowind better--I didn't like that everything was scaled to the player's level in Oblivion, and the main quest in Morrowind was involving and complex.

[Occulus]

4. Aaaahhhh, Oblivion

A few things:

PronSyrup is, in the main, sadly correct. The out-of-the-box Oblivion does indeed have its share of.... hmmm.... issues. The leveling system is/was roundly criticized even by enthusiastic fans, because everything levels up with you. You really don't feel as though you're accomplishing much of anything, especially when those level one crabs and wolves are still a challenge when you're at level 15.

The world is very beautiful, IMO far moreso than in Fallout 3- especially if you have a PC with the graphics specs to really make it run smoothly (I just build a quad core SLI rig, and man but Oblivion looks great now!). However, there are issues even with that- some of the textures they used, especially for the ground, are literally repetitive- you can visibly see the tiling, especially from a long way off.

The out-of-the-box arrow behavior in Oblivion is.... just... not right. You'll have to see it to understand, but fired arrows do not fly through the air like that in real life.

Fortunately, most of the complaints can be addressed by mods. Oblivion has as many mods as I've ever seen in any other game, some of which fix the rather glaring errors I mentioned above. For example, I highly recommend Qarl's Texture Pack (whatever version it's on at this point), a truly massive (but thankfully free) download that revamps most of the textures in the game to include enhanced bump and normal mapping, as well as adding higher-resolution textures than Bethesda offered. This mod makes Oblivion look like it should have done to begin with IF your PC can handle the additional detail.

There are also mods to fix the leveling issues and arrow flight paths, as well as many, many other things. The "Knights of the Nine" and "Shivering Isles" commercial packs produced by Bethesda themselves offer many new additions as well, including an orrery, wizard's tower (which is your own personal magical sanctuary), and other things- Shivering Isles adds a whole new realm to explore.

And finally, if you really want to be adventurous, you can always use the TES Construction Set to create your own dungeons, towns, and above-ground areas, so if you can't find a mod you want, you can- if you're so inclined- make it yourself. While doing so can be quite involved, there's some satisfaction to be had in creating your own personalized dungeons.

Personally, I'd grab it. Even for all its faults, Oblivion is worth the cash, IMO. Hope all this was of some help...

[Forkboy]

6. The store didn't have it.

But I am going to pick it up anyways when I see it. If the problems can be fixed by mods I'm in, and praise be to companies that let people do so. I'm amazed that so many games still come out where the user can't tinker with it. Whether it's level design, custom art, etc, it just seems like it should be a gimme if you want the game to have staying power.

Thanks a lot for your run down, and the advice on what to look for after I get it. :thumbsup:

[Occulus]

7. Go check out Bethesda's Oblivion site, and take a look at the TES Construction Set's official forums

Pay attention to the 'how' of the modding. It is rather involved at times, but the available tools allow you to literally totally convert the entire game into something else if you like, including the sounds and models themselves. I've actually replaced models in Oblivion before just to see if I could do it, and I did learn how, but it was quite.... interesting to learn.

It's all officially supported and allowed, too, and some people have managed to pull off some pretty amazing things. Of course, having these tools available to everyone means that there are going to be good mods and bad mods, so you'll likely need to look around a bit to find that one particular mod that does exactly what you want.

ZOMGWTF All of the above also applies to Fallout 3

[Forkboy]

5. Well, they had no Oblivion, but they did have the Fallout 3 Collector's Edition for $45.99.

And seeing as though I love a spiffy lunchbox I picked it up. ;)

Plus, it comes with a bobblehead, so there's money well spent....

[Occulus]

8. The Collector's Edition is pretty cool

image, everyone:



Apparently, this is also out there somewhere:

[Evoman]

9. I want that...I want that bad. That clock radio is the fucking shiznit.

Awesome.

I agree with everything said in this thread....Oblivion should have been more fun. I got my new cobbled together computer so I could play it. The beginning...starting in jail....awesome. Reminded me of Morrowind....but everything after that was just sort of eh. I finished it, finished most of the side missions (DB, Mage, Fighter, Thieves, and expansions), but it was never quite as fun as I expected it to be.

It was largely ruined by the stupid levelling system. What a mistake.

[Geek_Girl]

10. I really liked Oblivion

I haven't played Morrowind but I played Daggerfall years ago and didn't care for it. But I really liked Oblivion. I think I even liked it better than Fable II.

[Forkboy]

11. I'm still going to pick it up, but the store was out of copies.

Damn misleading flyers!

I haven't played Morrowind either because the guide for it was thicker than the bible. I was intimidated by a guide book. :)

[flying_wahini]

12. I just started playing it again and just love it....

my wrist is gettin' sore...


Great game. may go check out that mod, tho

[HappyCynic]

13. Got my Oblivion for $20 CDN

Is that the regular or Game of the Year edition (with the two expansions)? I just picked up a copy (Game of the Year Edition) for just $20 Canadian. I actually don't have a computer yet to run it but I should by the end of the week. I'm also looking to playing Fallout 3 at some future date (probably when I can find a cheap copy). I've also heard that Fallout 3 is more fun than Oblivion. I think one of the best things about the Bethesda games (even the bug-laden, crash-prone Daggerfall - which I still enjoyed a lot) is messing about with the character creation.