Interview Oblivion blah blah blah on Gameplay Monthly

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

<A href="http://www.gameplaymonthly.com/">Gameplay Monthly</b> has tormented <b>Ashley Cheng</b> for some answers to important questions in <A href="http://www.gameplaymonthly.com/interviews/oblivion.htm">their interview</a> about the upcoming forth <A href="http://www.elderscrolls.com">Elder Scrolls</a> game. Questions range from <i>Are those really screenshots?</i> to great stuff like this:
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<blockquotE><b>Gameplay Monthly: Tell us a bit about the character you play. Will the player be able to choose classes and/or skills?
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Ashley Chunk:</b> Yes. This is a slam dunk no brainer for Elder Scrolls games. You play whatever character you want. We calculated that there are over 480 billion different characters you can create and play in Morrowind. For Oblivion, expect that number to go up. And when you add in the ability to customize their appearance, it becomes infinite.</blockquote>
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I would have enjoyed the answer more if it started with, <i>Yes. That's the most incredibly stupid question I've been asked since the puddle thing.</i>
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.bluesnews.com">Blue's News</A>

 

[Fez]

Whew, now I can sleep easy tonight. That question was weighing heavily on my mind.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Stupid fucking question.

 

[Fintilgin]

I guess I can understand why they're having the dynamic compass that points to who you need to talk to next. I don't like it, but given the massive size of Elder Scrolls games and the, uh... short attention span of some gamers, I understand their reasoning.

I just hope there's some way to turn it off though, even if its just in an .ini file. Having a little blinking arrow telling you where to go and what to do next is just a little too much hand holding for my taste. It's like you never quite leave the tutorial... "Press 'w' to walk forward, click on Fargoth to get your next quest, follow the glowing arrow to get to the dungeon'." for the entire game.

It just seems to go against the Elder Scrolls theme of exploration and discovery. Part of the fun of Morrowind was heading off to find a specific place and getting lost and finding something else even cooler. Having fun getting lost is, in its own way, part of the formula of what makes the Elder Scrolls enjoyable.

Maybe a nicer, more elegant way would be to have the very first page of your journal always tell you what you need to do next for the main quest. Even down to having a little map or picture of who you need to talk to. Quests to save the world should be filled with danger and uncertainty. Having an on screen compass which always cheerfully points you on to your next waypoint just seems so... so... tame. So... gamey. Especially once you add in a much more robust system of fast travel. It's like Frodo and Sam going to Mordor in a tour bus. No getting lost in the Emyn Muil or anything, just a straight shot to the stairs Cirith Ungol (they skip the Black Gates altogether because its not the next destination on the critical, shortest route path).

Oh well, I'm sure someone will figure out how to drop the compass with the construction set within a few hours of the release. I'm still extremely excited about the game, it's just one of those little things that makes me wince a bit. I don't need anyone to hold MY hand on MY quest to save Tamriel, thank you very much.

 

[jiujitsu]

SLAM DUNK!

 

[Seven]

Half-Life 2 raised the physics bar very high in terms of item manipulation and realistic behavioral physics. Will Oblivion feature the same kind of physics depth? How will physics affect gameplay?



Imagine some of the spells that were in Morrowind like telekinesis and paralysis, huge area effect fireball explosions – imagine what we could do with realistic physics. Well, after we ship Oblivion, you won’t have to imagine anymore.

This was particularly interesting.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

huge area effect fireball explosions – imagine what we could do with realistic physics. Well, after we ship Oblivion, you won’t have to imagine anymore.

The package explodes in a fireball when it's opened? I thought selling explosives required a licence?

 

[Selenti]

What does DrattedTin think of firebombing Bethesda?

huge area effect fireball explosions – imagine what we could do with realistic physics. Well, after we ship Oblivion, you won’t have to imagine anymore.

The package explodes in a fireball when it's opened? I thought selling explosives required a licence?

Oh, but it does...

the Havok Physics license!

 

[FireWolf]

There should be laws against "interviews" which could be answered by reading the FAQ on a game's website. Hell, decent interviews have a little blurb at the start that gives a basic premise for the game in question. I don't know how developers can bring themselves to answer inane questions.

The editer sounds interesting.

The problem I had with morrowind was that I was plonked down with no idea what I was supposed to be doing. I went with what little information I was given, but swiftly got bored with the dull NPC interaction, uninspired combat and irritating travel times. I'm glad to see oblivion is trying to reduce these concerns. Tightening the narrative so that you know what you should be doing to advance the plot is always helpful, and if done correctly, allows you the freedom to explore, find some obscure way of completing something and feeling success at performing the task. If the narrative can involve you in events without you realising, or outwardly looking for them, that makes a good game. I'm a bit worried they might lead the player by the hand. Leading by the horns rather than guiding.

We shall see.

 

[Fez]

Most people don't bother to think up interesting questions for interviews. They just send out an almost standard list with one or two topical ones.

 

[FireWolf]

Which, of course, is the way to build up journalistic integrity and increase your readership! Rehas the site's info!

 

[whitemithrandir]

Morrowind had its charms - the unique history of the land, the immersive environment, the excellent integration of conflicting fantasic cultures...

I hope they weave a tighter knit tale in Oblivion, however.

 

[Claw]

BY immersive environemnt you must mean the rain and sandstorms.