Sunday morning brunch - OB-info/hype

[Fresh]

New Oblivion video on main page..

http://www.elderscrolls.com/downloads/media_movies.htm

Holy crap, that looks friggin awesome.

 

[Data4]

I don't suppose anyone has an alternate link to that video, hm?

-D4

 

[The Internets]

No Hyperboy, I'm not dissing for the fun of it, but did anyone else notice that in the first of the new pics, the hanging torch light is missing half of it's support chain?

Seems like a graphical glitch of some sort, hope that type of stuff has been fixed.

 

[HotSnack]

I don't suppose anyone has an alternate link to that video, hm?

-D4

Don't worry, unless hills get you hot, you're not missing out on much.

Edit: you can go make a search for it at fileshack and worthplaying as well.

 

[Data4]

I don't suppose anyone has an alternate link to that video, hm?

-D4

Don't worry, unless hills get you hot, you're not missing out on much.

Eh, it was okay. A bit dark. If anyone else wants to see it, but are having problems connecting to TES.com, here's an alternate source: http://www.waiting4oblivion.com/video/c ... -1week.wmv

-D4

 

[merry andrew]

I couldn't see the compass! I hope they didn't take it out at the last minute!!1

 

[Fresh]

http://www.monstersofmedia.se/software/ ... -1week.wmv

mirror

VLC worked best for me btw.

 

[Zeb]

Isn't the point of technology, to showcase it? These games that were focused on immersing the player in the world by virtue of its own atmosphere - you dont think theyd have hopped on the "purdy graphics" bandwagon if they had access?

Maybe, but not at the expense of gameplay. Not all of us are 'Wowed' by, and need the latest graphics, and not all of us are to lazy to do a little bit of thinking. Some of us actually like having to think for ourselves. We are already brainwashed enough by the media, governments, and anyone else with an agenda. I think games (at least cRPGs), should be a place where we are not told what to do or how to do it, and let our imaginations roam free.

As for holding the players hand - some games are simply meant to be FUN. Ill use X3 again as an example - no doubt its fun (to me at least), but to others. . .easily it can be seen as a chore simply because of the level of involvement that is DEMANDED to get the most out of this game. TES I think stradles that line. Its not a DIFFICULT game (I really dont remember any puzzles in MW honestly). . .but its simply one that says - heres our world - discover it.

Sorry never played X3, so i can't commment. The main problem (as i see it), is that a large percentage of people want instant gratification, they just don't (or won't), want to think for thenselves. I think it is a shame that this is the case. TES stradeled that line with earlier games, but are now moving towards having everything on a plate, so to speak. Too much handholding is a BAD thing which ever way you look at it, it is just instilling more laziness and stupidity, in people. I want to discover the world of Oblivion, but at my own pace, not having a Magic Compass, (immersion breaker), telling me where to go or what to do.

And yes, that video does look good

 

[Data4]

I'm a gameplay over graphics kinda guy, but seriously, this "good graphics means you don't have to think" bit is approaching non sequitor status.

-D4

 

[Zeb]

Just to clarify, I did not mean to say that, I don't have a problem with nice graphics, but not at the expense of real RPG gameplay.

Not all of us are 'Wowed' by, and need the latest graphics, and not all of us are to lazy to do a little bit of thinking.

That should have been two seperate sentences. The thinking comments are in regard to the compass, and other handholding features. Sorry for the confusion. My fingers sometimes get ahead of my brain.

 

[Zomg]

I hate graphics. I'm going to highjack a 747 and fly it into an xbox2, or maybe a Killzone E3 video.

 

[pantheon]

That is an excellent video - does it for me! If I can travel that fast in that environment I'm sold! even if the game plays like a shooter!

 

[galsiah]

The graphics do look really good, but that's a non-issue until I get a PC which will do better than 640*480 at 3fps.

A couple of points on the video:
(1) The grass does seem to spring up rather close to the player [puts me in mind of (P)Teppic]. It seems odd that there's no intermediate level of detail between no grass and grass. I guess it'll seem normal after a while, but I'd have thought that it could have been done better.

(2) The trees do look a little strange in motion (it's the first video I've seen), but only when I focus on them. I don't particularly care, but there's not too much gameplay on display, and I had to find something for (2).

 

[Voltare]

very interesting.basically.. a more graphically-enhanced hiking simulator......

 

[dongle]

The grass does seem to spring up rather close to the player [puts me in mind of (P)Teppic]. It seems odd that there's no intermediate level of detail between no grass and grass. I guess it'll seem normal after a while, but I'd have thought that it could have been done better.

After watching that video I went back and played around a bit with the SpeedTree Trees of Pangaea demo. On the medium detail setting it looked just about the same, the grass drew in the same distance from the player. All the settings are in a flat text file, took a look and found two called "grass_far_lod" and "grass_fade_lod" the "lod" part is "level of detail" ie; how stuff fades from view as it gets farther from the player. I edited these to 999 from the stock 200 and 225 values for the Prairie Meadow level. That made the grass extend far enough away that I couldn't see the line where it faded out. Looked much, much, better. I turned on the statistics and at 1600 x 1200 I did not get a noticeable drop in FPS. It's hard to be sure, as every time you start the level it is completely randomized, so you can't stand in the exact same spot and compare different settings. Note that my system is -not- capable of running the high detail level smoothly, so I'm not maxing out.

Whether Oblivion will feature the same settings in its .ini is an open question. Also whether it's possible on -any- box to run that much grass with critters hopping about and being all radiant and whatnot remains to be seen. It's possible some Xbox limitation forced the stock lod setting on the PC version, and a PC will run a higher than stock grass setting. Or, I suppose, they never bothered to test other values than the stock ones, but that seems hard to believe.

 

[ANDS!]

Maybe, but not at the expense of gameplay.

What, so far, makes you think graphics outstripped gameplay or crippled it?

Not all of us are 'Wowed' by, and need the latest graphics, and not all of us are to lazy to do a little bit of thinking.

If the goal is to create a world that feels ALIVE (or a living novella), then yes a game developer is going to need to see how far graphically they can push themselves.

I think games (at least cRPGs), should be a place where we are not told what to do or how to do it, and let our imaginations roam free.

No game has that. Not a single one. Every game has a system where the player is told what they can and can not do.

The main problem (as i see it), is that a large percentage of people want instant gratification, they just don't (or won't), want to think for thenselves.

Cmon - thats a weak statement. The game community is more than varied and can appreciate a FF type console RPG (where the adventure and character development are more important than being able to run around doing anything), or a MW type rpg. To say that gamers dont like to think, completely ignores the success of the one of the premiere thinking non-action games - MYST.

Im not saying OB has anywhere NEAR that level of puzzle-difficulty (if it has any puzzles at all), but to say that youre basically following a rail because you have a compass. . .

I want to discover the world of Oblivion, but at my own pace, not having a Magic Compass, (immersion breaker), telling me where to go or what to do.

Im sure the compass will be toggleable. If not someone will mod it out. Also - the compass doesnt point to a SPECEFIC person or objective. . .depending on your distance from said person, it will light up and eventually be a solid color pointing you to an important object. So if youre out in the middle of nowhere, I cant imagine its going to be of any use to you.

 

[Fresh]

http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/ob_xbox360/obx33B.jpg
http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/ob_xbox360/obx32B.jpg
http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/ob_xbox360/obx31B.jpg

Countdown video nummer 2:

http://www.elderscrolls.com/downloads/media_movies.htm

mirror: http://files.filefront.com/TES4+Oblivio ... einfo.html

 

[spacemoose]

Before oblivion comes out, the hype will reach such a towering crescendo that it will collapse under its own mass into a singularity of ejaculation and fawning.

 

[ANDS!]

That picture of the Dark Elf armor is hot.

The dungeons and catacombs look so much more detailed than the basement look they had in MW.

 

[Drain]

http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/ob_xbox360/obx33B.jpg
http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/ob_xbox360/obx32B.jpg
http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/ob_xbox360/obx31B.jpg

Countdown video nummer 2:

http://www.elderscrolls.com/downloads/media_movies.htm

mirror: http://files.filefront.com/TES4+Oblivio ... einfo.html

Maybe Bethesda does not know how to make great RPGs, but they certainly know how to sell their games.

 

[Fresh]

http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/ob_xbox360/obx33B.jpg
http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/ob_xbox360/obx32B.jpg
http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/ob_xbox360/obx31B.jpg

Countdown video nummer 2:

http://www.elderscrolls.com/downloads/media_movies.htm

mirror: http://files.filefront.com/TES4+Oblivio ... einfo.html

Maybe Bethesda does not know how to make great RPGs, but they certainly know how to sell their games.

No argument there. Pete is a genius after all. :D

Little weird he missed the invisible reigns though.

 

[WouldBeCreator]

http://www.jivemagazine.com/review.php?rid=1594

Awesome. As best I can tell, this review is unashamedly written entirely from publicity material. It reads like they didn't even take part in the supervised demo.

 

[Jung]

http://www.jivemagazine.com/review.php?rid=1594

Awesome. As best I can tell, this review is unashamedly written entirely from publicity material. It reads like they didn't even take part in the supervised demo.

Holy cow, 5 out 5 and they only had a peek at the box!

 

[dongle]

Little weird he missed the invisible reigns though.

For god's sake that looks stupid. I thought for sure when I saw the ag.ru screens I was looking at an unfinished model. Guess not.

 

[Perishiko]

Thats what confuses me. I am not denying the compass can't be useful sometimes. But I don't understand the flat out refusal to make it a toggle - are they afreaid people won't find the button to turn it on again? After all the heated discussion, you'd think they would do that, but no! That doesn't even have anything to do with dumbing down, thats flat-out stubborness.

There is a dev quote from MSFD saying you can mod the compass out (at least the indiccations but not the N/W/S/E directions)

These two quotes really go hand in hand together. That's one point I'd like to make... If it's so easy to mod the damn thing out, why wouldn't they make it so with an in game option?

I really don't see why they couldn't have someone write a few lines of coding for something so usefull and simple.

I don't like how their only response is: Well, you fix it. -- Or another one: Well, switch your quest to one you don't want to finish and it won't point you in the right direction.

With that complaint out of the way, I'd like to say that I'm definately getting this game. From the previews/reviews of it so far i really think it would be worth the money. Especially with the lack of good games I've been seeing. (Although, I'd get it if there were other good games coming too.)

Anyhow, on that note... i can't wait to read VD's review of it.