This is how Todd responds to the complaints of the fans

[Lumpy]

Someone's gotta show this to those fellas over at TES forums. It would be awesomesauce to see their reactions.

They've known about him for a long time, since Morrowind, actually. Only he's not a liar now.

 

[Twinfalls]

Yeah they should also have 'You want actual npc dialogue of any decent length and interest? Play Daggerfall and bits of Morrowind, for that is the past'.

 

[Nog Robbin]

It's just Beth's attempt at humour over aspects that people have been asking for that they haven't put in the game. Maiq the Liar in MW had much the same - only it seemed funnier (originality maybe). Of course, fan boys will love it and will see those as jibes against all the "whiners". In reality they just seem to be highlighting faults and ommissions in their own game.

 

[User was nabbed fit]

In reality they just seem to be highlighting faults and ommissions in their own game.

In reality, I think that they're just spitting in the faces of all their old fans, from the comfort of their own game... telling them that they don't give a shit about what they think, because they have their new, kiddy Xbox 360 crowd, which will bring in the revenue for a long, long time to come.

 

[Kendar]

That's the main thing wich makes me loose my faith in Bethesda (not that their was much to loose, though) : it's not really the fact that they remove stuff and screw other, it's mainly because judging from the reasons it has been removed/screwed, there is no way they will reintroduce or correct it.
There is no reason for the first ES V interview not to feature "let's face it, when you are talking about medieval combat, you are talking about swords".

 

[Section8]

My biggest regret about Fallout Tactics 2 getting canned was the fact that we didn't we didn't get to unleash the Dialogue Tree secret encounter upon the world. "You see the dialogue tree. It's brown, shrivelled form obviously hasn't gotten the attention it deserves, but with love and care it would certainly live to bear sweet fruit once more."

That, my friends and colleagues, is a nod to a recognised shortcoming, and a wish that we'd done more. Those Oblivion M'aiq responses come across as pompous at best, and bitter at worst. Instead of coming across as "Sorry we couldn't include all the cool stuff you, the loyal fans, asked for", it comes across as "Fuck your suggestions, we don't regret a thing, because our game is perfect!"

 

[OverrideB1]

Somebody sure was pissed off at somebody else when they wrote those, weren't they?

But yes, I agree with ViolentOpposition -- this is spitting in the faces of their long-term fans out of sheer spite.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

My biggest regret about Fallout Tactics 2 getting canned was the fact that we didn't we didn't get to unleash the Dialogue Tree secret encounter upon the world. "You see the dialogue tree. It's brown, shrivelled form obviously hasn't gotten the attention it deserves, but with love and care it would certainly live to bear sweet fruit once more."

I still don't think the story line to FOT2 was that bad. Better than robots.

 

[Dogar]

Yeah they should also have 'You want actual npc dialogue of any decent length and interest? Play Daggerfall and bits of Morrowind, for that is the past'.

Just what the fuck are you talking about? Daggerfall was bereft of anything remotely resembling interesting dialogue. In fact there WAS no real dialogue! Asking for directions to the local inn doesn't count.

 

[dongle]

Nice list, haven't seen most of those before. Though it doesn't have the one about fast travel that I have seen.

Yes a couple were missing there. I've gone into the TES:CS just now and extracted all of his dialogue lines:

"M'aiq believes the children are our future. But he doesn't want them ruining all of our fun."
"M'aiq thinks his people are beautiful. The Argonian people are beautiful as well. They look better than ever before."
"I like to travel fast, and now I can travel faster than ever. But if you don't want to go fast, you don't have to."
"Some people wish to throw their weapons. That seems foolish to M'aiq. If you hold your weapon, you only need one."
"M'aiq prefers to adventure alone. Others just get in the way. And they talk, talk, talk."
"Codex? M'aiq has heard tell of this evil place, M'aiq cannot go there however."
"Some people want special bows that take too long to load and need special arrows called bolts. M'aiq thinks they are idiots."
"M'aiq is glad he has a compass. Makes it easy to find things. Much better than wandering around like a fool."
"Why would one want to swing a staff? A mace hurts more. Or a sword. Can't shoot a fireball from a sword, though."
"I do not wish to fight on horseback. It is a good way to ruin a perfectly good horse... which is, to say, a perfectly good dinner."
"Levitation is for fools. Why would we want to levitate? Once you are up high, there is nowhere to go but down."
"It is good the people wear clothing. M'aiq wears clothing. Who would want to see M'aiq naked? Sick, sick people. Very sad."
"I don't know why one would want to destroy a building. It takes time to make it. Much time."
"Werewolves? Where? Wolves? Men that are wolves? Many wolves. Everywhere. Many men. That is enough for M'aiq."

 

[Sovy Kurosei]

What was the storyline to FOT2?

 

[Section8]

"Codex? M'aiq has heard tell of this evil place, M'aiq cannot go there however."

Hah, serious?

What was the storyline to FOT2?

The basic premise was that a GECK had been radiated, and so the "Garden of Eden" it created was full of mutant plants and fungii. Day of the Triffids, Doctor Who and the Seeds of Doom (probably my favourite episode) and the good ol' sci-fi standard of radiation = giant monsters were the big influences.

My favourite aspect of the theme was the idea that you essentially have nature doing its thing and rapidly rejuvenating the desert wastes, but those wacky humans feel the need to oppose it because they don't like the idea of becoming fertilizer. There was a lot of moral ambiguity to explore, so all in all, I think it was a pretty strong setting/narrative behind the game, especially compared to the first with its robots.

 

[Twinfalls]

Yeah they should also have 'You want actual npc dialogue of any decent length and interest? Play Daggerfall and bits of Morrowind, for that is the past'.

Just what the fuck are you talking about? Daggerfall was bereft of anything remotely resembling interesting dialogue. In fact there WAS no real dialogue! Asking for directions to the local inn doesn't count.

'Dialogue' is probably the wrong term. I was referring to the length of the speech made by quest NPCs in particular. There was a shitload more prose in that game generally than what seems to be present in Oblivion, even if it was not interactive.

You could not re-make Daggerfall with the Oblivion engine, due to the NPC word-count limit.

You played Daggerfall? Ever talk to a witch?

 

[dongle]

Hah, serious?

No, silly.

 

[Atrokkus]

"Codex? M'aiq has heard tell of this evil place, M'aiq cannot go there however."

Did he really say taht?

 

[Balor]

No, he didn't. There is nothing about codex in his reply... it does not make them any less smug, however.

 

[Atrokkus]

So... he lied to us... in a most loathsome way...

 

[Solik]

Eh. I find it kinda funny.

It's the sort of thing I'd put in my game.

 

[Balor]

Hmm... come to think of it, he's not the Mai'q the Truthful!
So, if you will reverse the meaning, it comes out allright. Talking about pointing out flaws in the game...
So, it may even be self-critique. And I'm serious... not sure if devs really meant it this way, though.

 

[User was nabbed fit]

Hmm... come to think of it, he's not the Mai'q the Truthful!
So, if you will reverse the meaning, it comes out allright. Talking about pointing out flaws in the game...
So, it may even be self-critique. And I'm serious... not sure if devs really meant it this way, though.

I would imagine that that is their spineless fallback. "LOL, guyz, we were just keeding! -- look at his name!".

I'm sure that every word that is coded into that NPC's speech is sincere.

 

[obediah]

Eh. I find it kinda funny.

Me too. They're still dickfuck asshats, but that doesn't mean they can't get a few chuckles out of bending their long term fans over a chair.

 

[Evilhyde]

Found a few more:

FAST TRAVEL
So much easier to get around these days. Not like the old days. Too much walking. Of course, nothing stops M'aiq from walking when he wants.

THE DAMN FISH STICKS
M'aiq wishes he had a stick made out of fishies to give to you. Sadly, he does not.

A DIG AT THE GAME FABLE?
People always enjoy a good fable. M'aiq has yet to find one, though. Perhaps one day.

NO IDEA
M'aiq longs for a Colovian Fur Helm. Practical, yet stylish. M'aiq is very sad he does not have one.

 

[Cimmerian Nights]

NO IDEA
M'aiq longs for a Colovian Fur Helm. Practical, yet stylish. M'aiq is very sad he does not have one.

Muff joke?

 

[Drakron]

If I remenber he had a Colovian Fur Hat in Morrowind, it was a helm in Morrowind.

Consider you can be in Colovian in Oblivion ...

 

[VenomByte]

NO IDEA
M'aiq longs for a Colovian Fur Helm. Practical, yet stylish. M'aiq is very sad he does not have one.

Muff joke?

From Beth? No chance.

Actually, it's because he was wearing a Colovian Fur Helm in Morrowind

Edit: Damn, beaten to it