Interview Pete Hines: Oblivion delivered what was promised

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Bethesda Softworks; Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

<a href=http://www.gamesindustry.biz>Games Industry</a> has asked Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, Iraqi Minister of Information, a few <a href=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=23597>questions</a> about Bethesda's award-winning RPG masterpiece that took the world by storm last year.
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<blockquote><b>Some critics described Oblivion as the first next-gen game. How did that affect your outlook?</b>
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We're very harsh critics of ourselves. We have very high standards, so we already felt like we were trying to deliver a huge next-gen experience whether or not any one else said it. If it did anything it really heightened the attention the game was getting.
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A month or so before the game came out I was concerned anticipation had reached too high a level. People were expecting the game to cure blindness and heal the sick. (I wonder why? - VD) <u>It turns out that I feel like we delivered on what people expected. There was no bump, people didn't say, 'It's good but not as good as it should have been.' I think the scores and awards reflect that we delivered on people's expectations.</u></blockquote>
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.rpgwatch.com">RPG Watch</A>

 

[Dementia Praecox]

We should ship all our pirated Oblivion-copies down to Africa.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

They already have AIDS, you Double Penetrator you.

Also:

We have very high standards

Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!

 

[tunguska]

We're very harsh critics of ourselves.

omfg. My eyes! My eyes! The goggles. They do nothing! Die, die, die, you slanderous pig! Seriously, this guy needs to be relieved of duty. He goes too far. He really did miss his calling in politics. The Big Lie.

 

[Kingston]

Whattehell is wrong with our dear Petey? Does he suffer from delusions or is he truly unaware of what he said he would deliver and what he actually delivered.

 

[MacBone]

The flipside is, that thing [the Horse Armor DLC] sold hundreds of thousands of copies and still sells every day.

So who are all these suckers that bought Horse Armor?

Although the interviewer did bring up Rogue Warrior, there's no direct mention of Fallout in that interview.

We recognise that what we're really good at is roleplaying, but at the same time we look to go and work with other partners in sectors where we're not present - like first-person shooters, strategy stuff or action titles.

Oblivion with Guns, coming right up.

 

[Azael]

Whattehell is wrong with our dear Petey? Does he suffer from delusions or is he truly unaware of what he said he would deliver and what he actually delivered.

Doublethink. Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Another interview:
http://www.totally360.com/gameinfo.php? ... ewsid=1439

How would you persuade someone who still hasn't played Oblivion that they should try it?

Well, showing it to them never hurts. How can you not want to try a game that looks this good?

Bethesda's design philosophy, apparently.

But what really grabs people is that Oblivion allows you to play in many different ways. It’s not often you get the chance to play a game however you want and have your experience be whatever you want, and that’s what Oblivion offers. If you like being sneaky, Oblivion does that. If you like showing off your controller skills with sword and shield combat, Oblivion does that. If you like to out think your enemies, Oblivion does that too. It’s a big role-playing sandbox where you get to decide how you want your story to play out.

 

[serch]

People were expecting the game to cure blindness and heal the sick. It turns out that I feel like we delivered on what people expected.

Hallelujah, I can see! I can see... that you are full of shit.

With statements like this, like VD, I wonder why teenagers were overhyped.

 

[Admiral Rimjob POOBUM]

The flipside is, that thing [the Horse Armor DLC] sold hundreds of thousands of copies and still sells every day.

 

[kingcomrade]

We're very harsh critics of ourselves.

 

[Vault Dweller]

We're very harsh critics of ourselves....

...but we are so totally awesome at what we do that we have nothing to criticize.

 

[Walkin' Dude]

people didn't say, 'It's good but not as good as it should have been.'

Ummm . . . people post about just that all the time, even over at the ESF. There is no way he is unaware that people were disappointed with Oblivion. Look at all the ESF refugees who have fled to the Codex because of their disappointment.

 

[cutterjohn]

Why do they lie?

...and now I can HARDLY wait for FO3...

 

[Volourn]

Why should theyc are about what 1% of the fanbase thinks? R00fles! They still have the other 99% of them that ar ehappy. R00fles!

Face it, WD. You and your handful of buddies simply aren't important. Deal with it, SUCKA!

 

[Dire Roach]

people didn't say, 'It's good but not as good as it should have been.'

Ummm . . . people post about just that all the time, even over at the ESF. There is no way he is unaware that people were disappointed with Oblivion. Look at all the ESF refugees who have fled to the Codex because of their disappointment.

Hey, if so many people bought the game and it got such high-scoring reviews, then it MUST mean it was right on the mark!

Pete's answer to the horse armor criticism confirms this logic:

"You took some criticism for the first downloadable content for Oblivion - particularly the horse armour pack, which some felt was overpriced. Do you think it was unfair? Was it a result of working with a system that was still being established?

Yes and no. We didn't have any choice. We were the first ones to do downloadable content like that - some people had done similar things, but no one had really done additions where you add new stuff to your existing game. So we knew we were going to take some flak whatever. We could have put that out for 25 cents and people would have still been up in arms.

But we had some other things we were working on and were able to come out with new things that were better conceived and at a better price point, things like the wizard's tower. We found that the price isn't really the issue. People just want to feel like they're getting a good deal. I'll pay $3 for downloadable content, but it better be cool - and horse armour just isn't cool. So if we had to do it over again, I'd say either we should wait until later for the horse armour or do it for less.

The flipside is, that thing sold hundreds of thousands of copies and still sells every day. It's not like people don't want it, because it still sells. I think on the whole people think what we've done is of interest and good value."

 

[Texas Red]

Why should theyc are about what 1% of the fanbase thinks? R00fles! They still have the other 99% of them that ar ehappy. R00fles!

Face it, WD. You and your handful of buddies simply aren't important. Deal with it, SUCKA!

Yes, Volourn, the only thing that matters are the scores by the "professional reviewers". We should all ignore the forums and the real people. That is how Pete handles it.

This blatant lying(or as it is now universally accepted in democracy and capitalism as "public relations") just creates a poor image of the company. I wish everyone would understand this instead of accepting it without any questions.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Why should theyc are about what 1% of the fanbase thinks? R00fles! They still have the other 99% of them that ar ehappy. R00fles!

Face it, WD. You and your handful of buddies simply aren't important. Deal with it, SUCKA!

It's not 1%, Volly. A LOT of TES fans were very, very disappointed with Oblivion. That's a fact, not my wishful thinking.

 

[Volourn]

Who's TWD?

VD: Whose denying 'a lot' of TES fans were dissapointed. Define a lot. Is it 5? 50? 100/ 1000? 100,00? 1 million? Define please.

Even at 1%, that's quite a few people who were dissapointed. Bottom line is that to any non bias clear ehaded person, the vast majority of Oblivion purchasers were happy with the game. THAT is a FACT!

*unignores TWD for fun*

Who mentioned anything about reviews? Certainly not me, you delusional, side stepping moron. R00fles!

 

[tunguska]

Oblivion does that too.

So, IOW, Oblivion is everything to everybody? Yes..master...<bows>. If you like shooting games, well, we have arrows. If you like strategy games...Yup. Got that too. "Hello" he lied. Embrace and extend. I wish he would just be honest and in answer to all interviews just say "Embrace and extend!, Embrace AND EXTEND!".

Based on how the industry works we shouldn't be surprised to see in the end who is left standing and who is not. We all thought Looking Glass were a bunch of hacks when what was supposed to have been a (sort of) Ultima Underworld 3 became Thief:The Dark Project as a cynical move to embrace and extend. But the folks at Bethesda were really not kidding around, and that's why they are still here, while Looking Glass and Black Isle are dead and buried.

 

[taxacaria]

There was no bump, people didn't say, 'It's good but not as good as it should have been.' I think the scores and awards reflect that we delivered on people's expectations.

Because we know that people are expectating shit every time, when hearing about new Bethesda games, there was no reason to disappoint them.

 

[Elhoim]

 

[Fez]

It looks like he was in a wind tunnel or one of those machines for testing your tolerance to g-force and his face just got stuck there afterwards.

 

[don_tomaso]

Even at 1%, that's quite a few people who were dissapointed. Bottom line is that to any non bias clear ehaded person, the vast majority of Oblivion purchasers were happy with the game.THAT is a FACT!

How do you know that´s a fact? source, plz..

 

[Dementia Praecox]

How do you know that´s a fact? source, plz..

You need to change your sig.