Interview Gavin Carter talks to GameZone

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Bethesda Softworks; Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Gavin Carter, the man behind the smashing hit called <a href=http://www.elderscrolls.com/home/home.htm>Oblivion</a>, has answered a few <a href=http://pc.gamezone.com/news/03_28_06_03_52PM.htm>questions</a> at <a href=http://www.gamezone.com>GameZone</a>:
<br>
<br>
<blockquote><b>What has been the biggest thing that has been learned during the run of this series?</b>
<br>
<br>
It would be tough to single out one particular “lesson learned” over the course of the series. The Elder Scrolls series is now over 10 years old, and each game builds on the last one in numerous ways. I’d say if there’s one thing we keep getting better at it’s learning new ways to make RPGs be more entertaining than ever, particularly where minute-to-minute gameplay is concerned.
<br>
<br>
<b>Translation:</b> We were supposed to learn lessons? Damn! People should tell me these things. Anyway, the Elder Scrolls series is now over 10 years old, and each game dumbs the previous one in numerous ways. Except for Daggerfall, but that game was procedural garbage, and Bethesda doesn't do garbage anymore. Where was I? I'd say if there's one thing we keep getting better at it's learning new ways to make RPGs to be less RPGs, particularly where minute-to-minute gameplay is concerned.</blockquote>You tell them, Gavin!
<br>
<br>
<br>
Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.rpgdot.com">RPG Dot</A>

 

[Twinfalls]

We try to constrain the player onto a single path as minimally as possible. [unspoken]Except for the entire main quest. And all of the guilds.[/unspoken]

 

[Walkin' Dude]

The biggest challenge we always face extends from our insistence on an open-ended game design. At any point, our players can decide to do pretty much anything they want, even going so far as to attack a major character or simply turn around and leave in the middle of a sequence. That sort of thing can cause headaches from time to time, but by this point we’re pretty good at anticipating what a player will try to do and putting in handling for it.

Handling like making certain NPCs unkillable, or perhaps freezing your controls so you cannot interfere with what's going on. Because we want the player to be able to do anything without conseqequence, except for things we don't want them doing. That's immersion!

 

[Section8]

It would be tough to single out one particular “lesson learned” over the course of the series. The Elder Scrolls series is now over 10 years old, and each game builds on the last one in numerous ways. I’d say if there’s one thing we keep getting better at it’s learning new ways to make RPGs be more entertaining than ever, particularly where minute-to-minute gameplay is concerned.

I'm fucking stunned by this. I mean, I know Bethesda are fucking cunts, but this probably even outstrips Bioware for "vacuous hype in response to an honest question."

What has been the biggest thing that has been learned during the run of this series?

"That we are the fucking best! No doubt about it! We just can't stop coming up with brilliant innovations to the whole CRPG genre! It's like a divine being is placing these ideas in our head!"

A more realistic response would have been - "In terms of game design, we're actually regressing. Our learning is focused mainly upon marketing, and obviously we're doing something right, though you wouldn't pick it from our fairly incomprehensible strategies."

 

[Rat Keeng]

10 years of lesson-learning, and they're still no closer to fixing that shitty broken character system.

After the mysterious and untimely death of the Emperor...

Right, he gets snuffed by assasins at the age of 87, a truly mysterious and untimely death

...by this point we’re pretty good at anticipating what a player will try to do and putting in handling for it.

Eh? If "putting in handling for it" means just excluding it from the game, then hell yeah, they've become damn good at anticipating what players will try to do.