The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion

Post by **Kefka** » Tue May 30, 2006 8:30 am

(Rockville, MD) October 22, 2004 -- Bethesda Softworks LLC, a ZeniMax Media company, today announced that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion™ is currently in development for PC and future generation consoles. In development since 2002, Oblivion is another leap forward in role-playing with its combination of freeform gameplay and cutting-edge graphics. Oblivion is the sequel to the best-selling, award-winning role-playing game, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind®, named 2002 RPG and Game of the Year for both PC and Xbox.

"Since starting this project two years ago, our goal has been to create the quintessential RPG of the next generation," said Todd Howard, executive producer of The Elder Scrolls® series. "We looked back at what we had done with the series, and then looked ahead to what the future of video games could be, and we think this is it."

In keeping with the Elder Scrolls tradition, players will have the option to experience the main quest at their own pace, and there will be plenty of opportunities to explore the vast world and make your own way. Numerous factions can be joined, such as the thieves or mages guilds, and each contains its own complete storyline and the chance to rise to the head of the faction and reap further rewards.

Howard commented, "Our games have always been about great depth and variety in creating any kind of character you want and going out and doing whatever you want." He added, "With Oblivion, we're taking the idea of a virtual fantasy world as far as it will go."

Oblivion features a groundbreaking new AI system, called Radiant AI, which gives non-player characters (NPCs) the ability to make their own choices based on the world around them. They'll decide where to eat or who to talk to and what they'll say. They'll sleep, go to church, and even steal items, all based on their individual characteristics. Full facial animations and lip-synching, combined with full speech for all dialog, allows NPCs to come to life like never before.

Oblivion is a single-player game that takes place in Tamriel's capital province, Cyrodiil. You are given the task of finding the hidden heir to a throne that sits empty, the previous emperor having been killed by an unknown assassin. With no true Emperor, the gates to Oblivion (the equivalent of hell in the world of Tamriel) open, and demons begin to invade Cyrodiil and attack its people and towns. It's up to you to find the lost heir to the throne and unravel the sinister plot that threatens to destroy all of Tamriel.

I'm playing that game and it is addicting! Anyone else got experiences with this game or any other Elder Scrolls game?

Post by **Makubesu** » Tue May 30, 2006 5:55 pm

I really want to play this game, but I have to wait until I get my new pc at the end of the summer ;_;

Post by **Kefka** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:53 pm

the minimal requirement don't lie about it:
- 2.0 ghz processor
- 512 mb ram (1gb recommended)
- and a new videocard. My 9600pro can barely run it!

Post by **Straddon** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:42 pm

Yep. I'm currently playing the following character:

Name: Vargoradaath
Race: Nord (3rd stage Vampire)
Class: Wanderer (custom)
Specialization: Combat
Major Skills: Athletics, Blade, Block, Light Armour, Destruction, Restoration, Sneak
Level: 22

He's a shockingly capable, well-rounded build. I've currently got him tanking in heavy armour and using destruction and conjuration more often. Playing as a vampire is very fun, as it really forces me to RP, which I enjoy doing anyway. I now make periodic nighttime visits (whenever I need to re-enter 'normie' society) to the Mages guild, as the Fighters guild porters might catch me in the act of feeding (nosy little bastards follow me everywhere)...

It's too bad the guards are omniscient... makes random acts of violence less fun.

Still, I've begun to enjoy entering the Oblivion gates again - so nice and evil in there, and the experience just piles up... I've begun to see NPCs wearing Daedric armour lately, so with any luck, I can evil Vargo up a bit. All I need to do is gain some more Illusion levels so that I can begin using charm and frenzy (very fun) spells without using scrolls. 80+ hours in, and my illusion skill is only about 25...

In some ways, (spellcasting) it's more fun than Morrowind, but it tends to hold the player's hand a little too much... kind of like Fable. Still, once a Vampire Embrace mod (like the one for Morrowind) comes out, I might begin to prefer Oblivion. Facegen itself is great (though turning to a vampire ruined my character's look - he looked a LOT like my avatar, minus the dreads - I'll post some pics as soon as we get an uploady-plugin... we are getting one, right? Right?!!?!?

EDIT: Oblivion barely runs on my 1.8 GHz, 1GB, Radeon 9600-equipped machine (constantly crashes, framerate plummets in grassy areas with lots of creatures). It keeps killing my registry hive, so I might upgrade, once I get my tuition out of the way...

Post by **DanFitzGer** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 7:58 am

Bethesda Softworks is actually based in the same city I live in

I've been playing Oblivion for a while now on the 360. Still haven't finished the main storyline though, I've been too busy moving up in different guilds and closing oblivion gates.

Post by **Dr. Sheexy** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:10 am

This game is another reason I'm not active right now, heh...
Too addicting...

My computer only has a 1.73 Gig processor and I've got no problems with the game...

I've been playing for just a little while, I'm a red and black Argonian named Trogdor. I'm a level 12 assassin and I'm in the Dark Brotherhood, Thieves Guild, and I randomly got into the Fighter's Guild without knowing it. Right now I'm just running around randomly killing stuff, I need to start stealing more, but I'm never anywhere near a city, haha, there is too much exploring to do for that...

Post by **Straddon** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 12:30 am

Vargoradaath is a rather ironic character - he's in the Order of the Virtuous Blood (vampire hunters) and yet is (now) a regularly-feeding vampire. I'm currently gathering Vampire Dust - the Order pays VERY well for them. Renown is 68 I believe, with Infamy at 31... I've been prone to random acts of ruthless, sociopathic violence lately, and also tend to kill my 'cattle' after feeding. I plan to own a guard cuirass from every town soon, and thus far, have two from Kvatch (enchanted and regular), one from Anvil and Skingrad, along with a dozen sets of Legion Armour.

Still missing the helm and gauntlets for my Daedric armour suit, so I may need to head back into Memorial Cave and kill some vampires... they put up one crazy fight, I can tell you.

Stealing is great fun - I've had loads of fun robbing the shops all across Cyrodiil. Hunter's Sight, the first-level vampire power (lesser), makes it quick and easy to keep an eye out for guards... combination Night-Eye and Detect Life.

Level 27, nearly 100 hours in, and I've barely scratched the surface of the MQ... what a great game.

Post by **Genko** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 11:19 am

I still need to play Marrowind.

Post by **Straddon** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 8:05 pm

Finally found a Daedric helmet on the body of a Marauder Warlord I butchered... now, all I need are the gauntlets to complete the set.

Morrowind, when properly modded, is excellent. I'd get the Multi-Mark mod, Better Bodies, Better Heads, Sil's Argonian Heads, all of Rhedd's heads, Blood & Gore, Vampire Embrace (v2), Karstux's Ninja/Katana mod, Scripted Spells, and Werewolf Evolution. You can probably find a copy of Morrowind: Game of the Year Edition at your local game store. It's definitely worth it.

Post by **Kefka** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 6:40 pm

I'm on level 16: clicky.
Main skills: clicky.
Skill levels: clicky.
Athletics, Blade, Block, Heavy Armor, Destruction, Restoration and Sneak.

I favour heavey combat and magic combined. I don't use alchemy or any other magic than Destruction and Restoration. I don't use two handed weapons, just blades. My appearal is a combination of Ebony and Orc armor. My previous weapon just before the screenshot was a Glass Longsword. Now an Ebony Longsword.

I've bought two houses, but generally only use my Skingardhouse. My fame ratio was 43 (good) and 6 (evil), but since i've finished the Dark Brotherhood and am almost done with the Thieves Guild its 48 to 41.

Here are some funny pictures btw:

Post by **Straddon** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 1:11 am

A question - have you considered becoming a vampire? I did, and don't regret it. Sure, you can't go outside (and therefore can't fast travel) between 6 am and 7 pm if you've gone more than 24 game hours without feeding on mortal blood (that's right, no feeding on Vicente Valtieri or Janus Hassildor)... of course, vampires that feed often miss out on the ultra-powerful skill and attribute bonuses, as well as some very useful powers (well, Vampire's Seduction is rather useless, as it's only once a day... with 50 restoration you can create a 15 second, +55 disposition Charm spell).

Let's just say that Hunter's Sight is invaluable for cave crawling... it's a powerful Detect Life/Night-eye lesser power (meaning it can be cast for minimal magicka cost as often as you wish) that no self-respecting vampire should be without...

Vampirism is the only way to go... takes the game to an entirely new level, and adds a fun roleplay aspect.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I almost forgot... I've taken the first step toward becoming a Necromancer... found a Necromancer's altar, and made some black soulgems... may the human sacrifices begin! Think I'll start with those miserable Wood Elves....

Post by **Kefka** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:27 am

Ive thought about it and have always rejected it. But perhaps... in the future..... I'm on level 21 right now btw. I haven't thought about deadric quests or becomming an necromancer.... although i collect their outfits and last time i checked i already had over 46 Necromancer's Robes... Mwhaohahahaha! Slaughter the necromancer, baaaaad people! mwhaoahahaha!

Post by **Straddon** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:22 pm

Admittedly, the Necromancers are rather fun and easy to kill. Then again, at level 31, everything is easy to kill, save for a pack of 3 glass longsword-wielding Gloom Wraiths (shudder)...

I was infected with Porphyric Hemophilia and subsquently became a vampire at level 18. I've been stuck at level 31 for a very long time now, having switched to heavy armour, and having maxed blade... only restoration, block, and sneak are advancing with any regularity, and all are between 55 and 75...

Lately I've been thinking of enchanting my Daedric armour (which took an eternity to acquire) with elemental resistance, especially against Fire and Shock. Unfortunately, Oblivion's enchantment system has been severely 'nerfed'... maximum skill/attribute fortification, for example, is 10 points per armour piece... weapons, of course, cannot be enchanted with stat or skill buffs, and the maximum health absorption enchantable is 20 points. So much for my favourite weapon, "Necroblade" from Morrowind, a Daedric Dai-katana with a 56-point (I think... it's been a very long time) health absorption effect...

Bah. Might go get my paint horse killed and get a new black one, as it never fast travels with me anymore, and my old black one was, well, murdered by bandits and ogres.

Post by **Dr. Sheexy** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 10:30 pm

Daedric armor is awesome. I'm light armor though so I can't wear the stuff.
I'm fitted out in some awesome glass armor I found though, all of it had various enchantment junk on it that was pretty awesome. Altogether the armor gives me something like 120 foot life detect, resist normal weapons 11%, resist magic 10%, fortify fatigue 45 points, and then two of the equipments aren't enchanted so I can throw whatever I want onto those.

I've gotta agree with you about the enchanting thing Sethwick, there isn't enough to it. As you level up mysticism can you put more enchantments on one piece of armor, or are you always limited to just adding one thing? My mysticism is really low so I've got no idea if it is because of that or just what the game does. I'm gonna have to look for some mods for enchanting...

I thought about becoming a vampire, but I dunno, I run around during the daytime out in the wilderness way too much for that.

Right now I'm at level 30 or so. I'm the Dark Brotherhood Listener, the Archmage (hilarious considering the only spell I use is a healing spell), the Grey Fox, and a few other things, I forget.
I finally got around to doing the story, I'm at the part where I have to return Martin to light the fire or whatever. I just dumped him off in a random shop and continued doing random adventures.

I have no idea why, but Jauffre kept attacking me, and no one cared. He would always run up to me and attack, and I couldn't make him yield. I had to end up killing him, which didn't make anyone mad or sad or anything... kinda weird.

I'm trying to raise up my Conjuration, summoning is really fun, plus I can use it as a distraction while I escape.

This game is way too fun eh? Hahaha.

Post by **Straddon** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:07 pm

I've raised my light armour skill (major) to 81, but then began to find Daedric armour pieces, and switched over. Naturally, level progression is slow. I've not progressed past the Bruma Oblivion gate stage of the MQ - I have yet to check out the gate.

I don't believe enchantment is governed by a skill like in Morrowind (granted, it was ten times more powerful, and the master trainer for that skill was well-hidden and easy to accidentally kill), though your ability to use enchantment types is governed by your character's ability to use the spells. For example, if you wanted to place a constant effect Luck enhancement on a robe or something, but the only Fortify Skill spell you had required level 75 restoration, and yours was only 25, then you would be unable to apply the enchantment at all.

Frankly, I'm disappointed by how Absorb Health was nerfed. First of all, in Morrowind, I always kept Mysticism in my major skills, as it contained Mark/Recall, Absorb Attribute/Skill, Absorb Health/Magicka, Soul Trap, Detect Life, Reflect, Dispel, and possibly more that I've forgotten. Now Aborption is part of Restoration, and teleportation was removed in favour of the fast travel system. Nevermind that Alteration no longer contains Lock (only Unlock) or Levitate... =

I've not done much with Conjuration - I have a Summon Scamp spell I use to train my hand-to-hand skill, but that's about it.