Interview Two Oblivion interviews

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Bethesda Softworks; Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

We have two <a href=http://www.elderscrolls.com/home/home.htm>Oblivion</a> interviews for you today. <b>Gavin Carter</b> had a <a href=http://articles.filefront.com/Elder_Scrolls_IV_Oblivion_Interview/;277;;;/article.html>chat</a> with FileFront, and <b>Todd Howard</b> answered a <a href=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/r/?page=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/news/news_story.php(que)id=113520>few questions</a> for CVG
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<blockquote><b>Gavin</b>: Characters are another area we’re working hard to improve. The lack of character schedules was a big complaint we got for Morrowind, so for Oblivion we tackled the problem head-on. Instead of simply scripting out each individual character, we developed the Radiant AI system that allows characters to dynamically go about their day based on a framework of destinations, values, and conditions. We can make this framework as specific or generic as we want. So a character might go buy some bread if he’s hungry, or maybe he’ll pickpocket it off someone else. We can create a character that runs around trying to gather up all the alchemical ingredients he can get his hands on. Or maybe we’ll make it so he only looks for ingredients worth more than 40 gold, looks for them only on Wednesdays, when it’s raining, after 4PM, and only if the player has completed the Thieves Guild quests.
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<b>Todd</b>: Most of the systems are totally redone for Oblivion, so it's really a new game and experience. So from Morrowind, there is very little that you will see that feels exactly the same. Combat is a good example where the feel of it and how fun and deep it is has really changed. I think you can look at the changes we made from Daggerfall to Morrowind and expect a similar jump from Morrowind to Oblivion.</blockquote>
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Jump? I thought it was more like a fall.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.rpgdot.com">RPG Dot</A>
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[dojoteef]

From Gavin's comments on the Radiant AI system, it seems Bethesda is still ironing out a number of bugs and "special features" of the system. I just hope they can actually fix the it instead of hyping like Fable and then cutting those features. It would be ashame if Oblivion went the way Fable did.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Jump? I thought it was more like a fall.

But it had full 3D eye candy graphics, VD. And we all know that makes up for lack of gameplay these days.

 

[MrSmileyFaceDude]

From Gavin's comments on the Radiant AI system, it seems Bethesda is still ironing out a number of bugs and "special features" of the system. I just hope they can actually fix the it instead of hyping like Fable and then cutting those features. It would be ashame if Oblivion went the way Fable did.

Well, the game's not coming out for quite a while yet. Since we're still in the middle of development, and not even in an alpha phase yet, of course we're still ironing out bugs

That said, a couple things to bear in mind. First, we didn't even announce Oblivion until we were more than 2 years in development. Second, we've kept very quiet about a lot of the game -- for example, we've said next to nothing about the magic system. Point being, we don't tend to even MENTION features unless we're absolutely certain they're staying in the game.

 

[NeutralMilkHotel]

This game sounds very cool.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Well, as long as Oblivion is closer to the fun that is Daggerfall, I'll be happy. Morrowind was a real letdown for me. Sure, it was prettier than Daggerfall, but only in the graphics department. And even that's debatable in areas. I don't expect a gaming world the size of Daggerfall, but I would at least love the wonderful gameplay.

 

[Fresh]

What is it specifically from Daggerfall u guys LIKE? I havent played it myself so I wouldnt know, but Im curious. What kinda stuff would have to be in Oblivion to make it good in the way DF is good?

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

While DF had it's problems, it's still an awesome game. One of the things I really loved about DF was the multitude of random quests as well as the multitude of guilds you could join. Granted, the random quests tended to get repetitive, but they were fun. I think the major appeal of DF for alot of people, myself included, was the thief character. It's probably one of the best CRPGs to date for playing a thief in. Also, there were a multitude of skills that alot of people would say are useless, but having played it as much as I have, I know for certain they aren't. Pretty much ANY type of class you could imagine, you could create and play.

Ugh, I could go on forever. I just love the game. It's fun and has loads of content. The dungeons can be quite daunting at first, but they have excellent atmosphere. Some of the best atmosphere I've seen in a dungeon crawl. And, once you've gotten use to the random layouts and how they work, the dungeons aren't as daunting anymore. There's just so much to do in the game. As in Morrowind, you can ignore the main quest and do whatever you want. Unlike Morrowind though, there's ALOT more that you can do in DF. Alot of places to discover and explore, and, even though alot of the NPCs are generic town fodder, the sheer number of them enhances the immersion factor alot.

Great game. Recommend it to any fan of CRPGs. You might also wanna try Darklands. Another great game for sheer freedom.

 

[xemous]

DF sounds half decent. i might go over my mates house today and grab the discs. if he can find them, and even then there scratched to shit last i remember. ill need to set up a win98 box for it i think, does it run well under xp and does DF feel as empty as morrowind?

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

DF sounds half decent. i might go over my mates house today and grab the discs. if he can find them, and even then there scratched to shit last i remember. ill need to set up a win98 box for it i think, does it run well under xp and does DF feel as empty as morrowind?

Getting it to run under XP isn't really the major problem people are having. Getting it to install is though. But if you go here, they give all sorts of different ways to get it to work. They have all sorts of data there for any problems you might have getting the game to run under XP. And, no, in my opinion, DF is not as empty as Morrowind. But, like I said, most of it is generic NPC townsfolks or castle dwellers.

 

[Stark]

MrSmileyFaceDude,

We can create a character that runs around trying to gather up all the alchemical ingredients he can get his hands on. Or maybe we’ll make it so he only looks for ingredients worth more than 40 gold, looks for them only on Wednesdays, when it’s raining, after 4PM, and only if the player has completed the Thieves Guild quests.

that sounds interesting. I assume the plants/alchemical ingredients are self-regenerating?

dunno if you can divulge a little more on NPC reaction to player. are the NPC disposition towards player based on a linear like/dislike bar again? or are we going to see something a little more complicated? the simple single bar is open to exploit of player repeatedly trying the "praise" attempt over and over again.

 

[Ortchel]

I can't play DF anymore, the graphics seriously hurt my eyes, it's not even an issue of taste to me now, it's just unbearable.

I'll just bide my time till a 3D (or at least bilinear filtered) mod comes out.

 

[MrSmileyFaceDude]

MrSmileyFaceDude,

We can create a character that runs around trying to gather up all the alchemical ingredients he can get his hands on. Or maybe we’ll make it so he only looks for ingredients worth more than 40 gold, looks for them only on Wednesdays, when it’s raining, after 4PM, and only if the player has completed the Thieves Guild quests.

that sounds interesting. I assume the plants/alchemical ingredients are self-regenerating?

I presume so. I'm not working on that part, but I'm pretty sure it'll work similarly to the way it did in Morrowind.

dunno if you can divulge a little more on NPC reaction to player. are the NPC disposition towards player based on a linear like/dislike bar again? or are we going to see something a little more complicated? the simple single bar is open to exploit of player repeatedly trying the "praise" attempt over and over again.

The disposition formula takes into account a lot of things. It's more complex than Morrowind's. Also different from Morrowind is that every character has a disposition towards every OTHER character -- not just to the PC. Finally, the way you attempt to modify an NPC's disposition towards you is VERY different than just pushing a button -- but I'll have to defer the description of how you do that for now.

 

[Ortchel]

Orcs? :D

 

[MrSmileyFaceDude]

Orcs? :D

See the other thread