Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

Interview Gavin Carter talks about Oblivion

Vault Dweller

Commissar, Red Star Studio
Developer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Messages
28,024
Tags: Bethesda Softworks; Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion; Gavin Carter

<a href=http://www.consolegold.com>ConsoleGold</a> has posted a very informative <a href=http://www.consolegold.com/Articles/articles.php?artID=67>interview</a> with Gavin Carter about <a href=http://www.theelderscrolls.com/home/home.htm>Oblivion</a>.
<br>
<br>
<blockquote><b>I like to decimate my enemies with fire from my fingertips – make an old wizard happy…tell us a little bit about spell creation and spellcasting.</b>
<br>
<br>
It’s tough to know where to start, there are so many changes. The biggest one is probably the removal of the “magic mode” from Morrowind. No more running around with your hands up in front of you, unable to defend yourself from melee opponents. Now you can cast magic any time you choose, even using a sword and shield.
<br>
<br>
We’ve gone over the spells themselves and taken out some of the more useless ones and added in a number of new ones. So you’ll see quite a few new effects like Reanimate, an effect that allows you to resurrect a dead NPC and gain him as a follower.</blockquote>
<br>
So, is that what "now you can play as teh wizard" fuss was all about? You can cast Diablo-like spells while using a sword and a shield? How very innovative.
<br>
<br>
*waits for MSFD to clear up the confusion
<br>
<br>
<br>
Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.rpgdot.com">RPG Dot</A>
 

MrSmileyFaceDude

Bethesda Game Studios
Developer
Joined
Sep 24, 2004
Messages
716
Why is it that whenever anyone talks about a feature of the game, especially one that's different from the previous game, some people respond with a sarcastic "how innovative?" :D

I mean honestly, Gavin didn't say "For the first time ever, we have invented this brand new concept that nobody has ever even dreamed of before, which allows you to cast spells even though your hands are full -- the innovation knows no bounds!!"

Anyway, yeah, all he's saying is that you don't have to "ready" your hands like you did in Morrowind. Instead of a "ready magic" control that puts your weapon away and brings your hands up to casting position, and then casting spells using the "attack" control , in Oblivion there's a "cast" control in addition to the "attack" control. When you press "cast", your currently selected spell is cast right away, and the animation adjusts depending on what's in your hands.

There's a lot more about the magic system that we haven't talked about yet, some of which does indeed get more into the "now you can play as teh wizard" stuff than this does.
 

Vault Dweller

Commissar, Red Star Studio
Developer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Messages
28,024
MrSmileyFaceDude said:
Why is it that whenever anyone talks about a feature of the game, especially one that's different from the previous game, some people respond with a sarcastic "how innovative?" :D
You, sir, are obviously not a journalist! :lol:

Well, it's been mentioned many, MANY times that the magic system was completely changed and it was hinted that the change was for the better. Naturally, we expect to see something interesting and if the first thing revealed is "now you can fight AND cast spells", it's kinda lame. No?
 

MrSmileyFaceDude

Bethesda Game Studios
Developer
Joined
Sep 24, 2004
Messages
716
Actually I mentioned that a few months ago in a "team diary" article on the main site. Gavin's mention of the Reanimate spell is new, though. As we get closer to release, I'm sure more details will be revealed about the magic system. I'd tell you more if I could :)
 

Vault Dweller

Commissar, Red Star Studio
Developer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Messages
28,024
MrSmileyFaceDude said:
Gavin's mention of the Reanimate spell is new, though.
Hardly exciting though, is it?

As we get closer to release, I'm sure more details will be revealed about the magic system. I'd tell you more if I could :)
Isn't that what anonymous hotmail accounts are for? :wink: Anyway, I'll take your word for it and continue to believe that the new magic system is like totally awesome.
 

Naked_Lunch

Erudite
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
5,360
Location
Norway, 1967
I think we all know what the really important question is here:

Can you set your dog on fire while you have a sword and shield in your hands?
 

Crazy Tuvok

Liturgist
Joined
Dec 17, 2002
Messages
429
I like the sound of many of the changes: I think the fact that an NPC's reaction to seeing you steal something is determined by who they are is nifty as hell, and the stealth and combat mechanics sound vastly improved they do sound mostly iterative as opposed to TEH REVOOLOTION!!

Still, no specifics on dialogue; oh yeah except Patrick Stewart does some. Either interviewers aren't asking about it or nothing new is forthcoming. Either way makes me wonder. That screen from a coupla months ago from that Czech site didn't exactly wow me. In fact I kind of hated it.
 

Vykromond

Scholar
Joined
Mar 9, 2005
Messages
341
MSFD, I think you missed (or, at least, you didn't really seem to respond to) the broader thrust of what VD said. He's completely right that as you release more information about the game, especially about features that up until a certain interview and/or press release were entirely "under wraps," you should start with the major stuff or not start at all until you have a more comprehensive look at it available.

And Gavin did say "The biggest [change] is probably the removal of the “magic mode” from Morrowind"...
 

kathode

Novice
Developer
Joined
Jul 13, 2004
Messages
76
Vault Dweller said:
Hardly exciting though, is it?
The fans are pretty nuts over it on our boards, not that you'd care. Honestly is there anything we could say that would excite you about it other than announcing it will be totally turn-based and feature reams upon reams of delicious dialog trees? ;)
 

Vault Dweller

Commissar, Red Star Studio
Developer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Messages
28,024
Claw said:
Your fans are pretty nuts. Tell us something new. :P
Fuck, that was the first thing I thought when I saw "the fans are pretty nuts over it...". You walked into this one, kathode. :wink:

kathode said:
The fans are pretty nuts over it on our boards, not that you'd care. Honestly is there anything we could say that would excite you about it other than announcing it will be totally turn-based and feature reams upon reams of delicious dialog trees?
Sure. There are many people who liked Daggerfall (I'm a big fan) and Gothic, so there is no need for that TB comment. The spell is hardly original and kinda boring. Basically, it's another way to summon things. I'm sure it will look spectacular, but it doesn't ADD anything new to the already existing gameplay. I hope there are better and more interesting spells, but, sadly, you didn't mention them in the interview.

The cast while you fight thing is simply lame. Once again, I hope that there are more interesting tweaks to the system.
 

Vykromond

Scholar
Joined
Mar 9, 2005
Messages
341
I actually hate the "cast while fighting" a little. It never annoyed me in MW; it made sense. A battle-axe is not a wand.
 

geminito

Liturgist
Joined
Sep 24, 2003
Messages
144
People at RPG Codex don't like any games except Fallout 1. Actually, that's not true... they also like KOTOR because it has dialog trees.

Having to hold your hands out for a manicure in Morrowind sure was annoying! I like the idea that your character animation will handle the "ready your hands" thing automatically.

Hold your sword and shield in one hand and cast with the other? Hold your 2-handed weapon in one hand while casting?

That sounds better than putting your sword in its scabbard and strapping your shield on your back before casting.

Who cares as long as it makes the game more fun?
 

Drakron

Arcane
Joined
May 19, 2005
Messages
6,326
kathode said:
Vault Dweller said:
Hardly exciting though, is it?
The fans are pretty nuts over it on our boards, not that you'd care. Honestly is there anything we could say that would excite you about it other than announcing it will be totally turn-based and feature reams upon reams of delicious dialog trees? ;)

You right ... we DONT.

I mean serious, I been in your forums as well other companies forums and the large majority of their members are nothing a buch of fanboys.

Oblivion looks more and more "dumb down for the masses" ... I used to have respect for Bethsoft but after this ...
 

Atrokkus

Erudite
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
3,089
Location
Borat's Fantasy Land
FFS, what's with those "wand for casting" cliche?
An experienced mage can cast even the most highlevel spells being absolutely naked.


By the way, Kathode, what really interests me and many others about magic is its actual potency. I mean, hell, in Morrowind the only mages that were really effective are Battle mages. The whole enchantment thing is totally imbalanced, allowing even a moronic barbarian cast powerful spells, like he was some fucking archmage! The concept of enchantment may be pretty fun and itneresting, but it toally kills the pure mage class.
Plus, there was a huge issue of mana insufficiency. A pure mage (no combatskills) was a sack of shit without special plugins that fixed the mana pools.

How are you going to reform that?
 

Vykromond

Scholar
Joined
Mar 9, 2005
Messages
341
mEtaLL1x said:
FFS, what's with those "wand for casting" cliche?

You're always complaining on this board about how people take your statements "too literally," and then you say moronic stuff like this. No, you don't need a wand for casting, but you do need to do something. If you're swinging a battleaxe, you shouldn't be able to cast spells: your hands aren't free, and even assuming your spell was solely a spoken incantation, you wouldn't be able to say it properly with the physical exertion of holding a battleaxe and fighting with it.

The whole enchantment thing is totally imbalanced, allowing even a moronic barbarian cast powerful spells, like he was some fucking archmage!

Well, fucken exactly! And in Oblivion, said moronic barbarian won't even have to stop hacking faces if he wants to cast Tier VII Fireball: he can do it with his ebony hand axe and tower shield still equipped!
 

Vault Dweller

Commissar, Red Star Studio
Developer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Messages
28,024
mEtaLL1x said:
An experienced mage can cast even the most highlevel spells being absolutely naked.
I hate to admit it but I'm not an experienced mage myself, so I'd have to take your word for it.
 

MrSmileyFaceDude

Bethesda Game Studios
Developer
Joined
Sep 24, 2004
Messages
716
Vykromond said:
Well, fucken exactly! And in Oblivion, said moronic barbarian won't even have to stop hacking faces if he wants to cast Tier VII Fireball: he can do it with his ebony hand axe and tower shield still equipped!

It's doubtful said barbarian would even have Tier VII Fireball available to him, let alone be able to cast it, weapon in hand or not. There's a lot more to magic than we've talked about so far. Have patience, all will be revealed in time.
 

Whipporowill

Erudite
Joined
May 18, 2003
Messages
2,961
Location
59°19'03"N 018°02'15"E
I understand why they'd remove having your hands free for spellcasting - it's just some fantasy cliché damn it! In pnp it was usually based around balancing - a mage not being able to use metal armor and useful weapons doesn't really matter in a singleplayer game after all.
 

Vykromond

Scholar
Joined
Mar 9, 2005
Messages
341
Whipporowill said:
I understand why they'd remove having your hands free for spellcasting - it's just some fantasy cliché damn it! In pnp it was usually based around balancing - a mage not being able to use metal armor and useful weapons doesn't really matter in a singleplayer game after all.

Um, what? Balance matters in single-player games.
 

Whipporowill

Erudite
Joined
May 18, 2003
Messages
2,961
Location
59°19'03"N 018°02'15"E
True, but it's not as important as in a mp environment (be it online or pnp). In an sp game there's usually a lot more to focus your energy on - and less powergaming. That said, I don't believe Beth'd be stupid enough to have an überpath?
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom