Elder Scrolls IV - Oblivion

[Red 5]

F I N A L L Y ! ! !

I haven't been this excited for a game in years.

 

 

Read below or click here:

http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.p...howtopic=249750

 

Here you go, what you've all been waiting to hear and have suspected for a while now. Expect the game in stores in the US as early as the 21st. The date in Europe may be a few days after, but it should be that week pretty much everywhere. As always, please check with your local retail store as the retailers themselves decide how fast to ship it to their outlets. I can't tell you when it will be in your specific city/country, so please don't ask.

 

 

Bethesda Softworks and 2K Games Announce The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion to Ship March 20

 

Quintessential RPG for the Next Generation Coming to Xbox 360 and PC

 

Rockville, MD – March 2, 2006 – Bethesda Softworks® and 2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), today announced that the highly-anticipated role-playing game, The Elder Scrolls® IV: Oblivion™, has gone to gold master and will be available in stores in North America and Europe during the week of March 20. Oblivion will be available for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PC in both regular and collector’s editions.

 

“Our most ambitious project ever is finally done,” said Todd Howard, executive producer of Oblivion. “We’re excited to get the game into everyone’s hands and let them experience it for themselves. We hope they enjoy it. I think it’s our best game yet.”

 

Oblivion is an epic, open-ended single-player RPG for the next generation providing gamers with one of the most life-like gaming experiences to date. The powerful combination of unprecedented graphics and freeform gameplay allows gamers to unravel the main quest or explore the vast world at their own pace. Oblivion is the fourth chapter in the award-winning Elder Scrolls series that includes Morrowind® (2002 RPG of the year – Computer Gaming World), Daggerfall™ (1996 RPG of the year -- PC Gamer), and Arena (1994 RPG of the year – Computer Player).

 

“Oblivion will set the new standard for next generation gaming and change the way role-playing games are viewed forever,” said Vlatko Andonov, president of Bethesda Softworks. “We set very high goals and ensure they are reached because that is what our fans deserve and have come to expect from Bethesda Softworks. We are very proud of our team’s accomplishments with respect to Oblivion.”

 

Oblivion has already garnered numerous awards and an impressive collection of accolades, including being voted “RPG of Show” in 2005 by the Best of E3 Game Critics Awards. Oblivion ranks as one of the “Most Anticipated Games of 2006” according to PC Gamer, GameSpy, IGN, and Yahoo Games among many others, and has been featured on nearly thirty magazine covers worldwide.

 

“Oblivion is one of the most anticipated video games of 2006 and its release will be a milestone for the Xbox 360 and PC,” said Christoph Hartmann, Managing Director, 2K Games. “A shining example of next-generation role-playing, Oblivion breaks new ground in the genre with unparalleled graphics, revolutionary gameplay and an expansive RPG world.”

 

Oblivion for Xbox 360 and PC, co-published by 2K Games and Bethesda Softworks, has been rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB. For more information on the title visit the official web site at www.elderscrolls.com.

Edited March 24, 2006 by therealred5

[moycon]

Great now all I need to do is find a Premium Xbox 360 on the shelves and I'll be set.

Edited March 2, 2006 by moycon

[Phineasfool]

Great now all I need to do is find a Premium Xbox 360 on the shelves and I'll be set.

1027182[/snapback]

 

Just get the PC version.

[Atarifever]

I read a previw of it the other day from some blogger who is apparently causing a stir by saying the graphics have some issues. Appparently that is driving some fanboys insane with anger towards him. Anyway, I read the preview and ended up wanting the game really bad. He mentions that in the game you can only carry a limited amount of stuff before you can't even move and, I believe if it took this right, your character actually slows down the more items you try to carry. Also, apparently things just stay where you leave tem forever unless you go back to get them? Oh, and traveling a few mils on foot apparently takes a long time. That's the good kind of realism I've wanted as an option (though not as my main gaming choice mind you) for some time now.

[moycon]

I broke down and ordered core unit. Hmmm Now I have to pre-order this game!

[Phineasfool]

I broke down and ordered core unit. Hmmm Now I have to pre-order this game!

1027375[/snapback]

 

Bad move. ESIV will be better with the hard drive and they are a bitch to find right now.

[dalton4life]

I can't believe there's going to be a collector's edition for $70.

 

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/259303.asp

[Phineasfool]

I can't believe there's going to be a collector's edition for $70.

 

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/259303.asp

1027394[/snapback]

 

That's why I'm going for the PC version instead. Only $60 for the collector's edition. And a good chance for some mods.

[+remowilliams]

I can't believe there's going to be a collector's edition for $70.

 

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/259303.asp

1027394[/snapback]

 

That's why I'm going for the PC version instead. Only $60 for the collector's edition. And a good chance for some mods.

1027401[/snapback]

Well, if the past games (i.e. Morrowind) are any indication, you'll probably need a PC that costs twice as much as the the 360 to look and move as good.

 

I'm a (mostly) PC gamer, but I'm going 360 on this one.

[Phineasfool]

I can't believe there's going to be a collector's edition for $70.

 

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/259303.asp

1027394[/snapback]

 

That's why I'm going for the PC version instead. Only $60 for the collector's edition. And a good chance for some mods.

1027401[/snapback]

Well, if the past games (i.e. Morrowind) are any indication, you'll probably need a PC that costs twice as much as the the 360 to look and move as good.

 

I'm a (mostly) PC gamer, but I'm going 360 on this one.

1027407[/snapback]

 

Mine should be able to handle it. I already have and Athlon 64 3200+ and a Radeon X800 pro vid card. I don't have the money right now to buy a 360. Had one at launch but had to sell it to catch up on some bills.

[moycon]

I'm going to get a HD today (hopefully) and pre-order the Collectors Edition of Morrowind.

[Red 5]

I can't believe there's going to be a collector's edition for $70.

 

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/259303.asp

1027394[/snapback]

 

I can't believe I didn't even blink at the price and bought the collector's edition.

 

I had so much fun with Morrowind, I can't begin to imagine how fun Oblivion will be.

 

To answer a previous post, if you have to many items you become 'encumbered' (just like in Morrowind) and you have to get rid of items to be able to move. As you grow stronger, you will be able to carry more and more items.

 

As for traveling, like in Morrowind, it takes a long time to get from place to place.

The game is over 16 square miles (if it were real) and that does not include the over 500 dungeons to explore or the Oblivion Gates (that we don't know too much about yet, but probably mini-dungeons).

 

Oblivion will have horses that you can buy (or obtain in other ways ) to help with faster travel.

 

Oblivion also have 'fast travel' which allows you to jump to places you have already been by using the map.

 

The radiant AI sounds simply amazing. All NPC's have their own AI where they try to live out the lives programmed for them. It sounds like an amazing technology that I can't wait to play with.

[+Random Terrain]

I thought I would be in a new house by now, but we're still caught up in B.S., so even if I have the money to get this game and an Xbox 360, I probably should wait a while until I know what is going on.

 

Morrowind was waaaaaaay better on the Xbox than it was on the PC, so there's no way I'd waste money buying a super computer to run Oblivion since it will probably suck just as bad (fancy, tiny, hard-to-read text, poor joystick support, smaller monitor instead of big TV).

Edited March 4, 2006 by Random Terrain

[Flojomojo]

Morrowind was waaaaaaay better on the Xbox than it was on the PC

1027937[/snapback]

Wow, that's a minority opinion -- never heard anyone else say it like that. Maybe you meant your PC?

 

Everyone else who got into Morrowind trumpeted how much better it was on PC: better resolution, user-community mods, fast loading, patches for crashes.

 

I have the XBOX version of the Gold pack, but the massive loading times really killed my enthusiasm. I really really want a massive RPG to get into, even though I don't have time for it ... but my lack of play on Morrowind has made me think twice about getting Oblivion.

 

By now everyone's seen this, right?

http://wiredblogs.tripod.com/games/index.b...ntry_id=1422030

[Atarifever]

Morrowind was waaaaaaay better on the Xbox than it was on the PC

1027937[/snapback]

Wow, that's a minority opinion -- never heard anyone else say it like that. Maybe you meant your PC?

 

Everyone else who got into Morrowind trumpeted how much better it was on PC: better resolution, user-community mods, fast loading, patches for crashes.

 

I have the XBOX version of the Gold pack, but the massive loading times really killed my enthusiasm. I really really want a massive RPG to get into, even though I don't have time for it ... but my lack of play on Morrowind has made me think twice about getting Oblivion.

 

By now everyone's seen this, right?

http://wiredblogs.tripod.com/games/index.b...ntry_id=1422030

1028055[/snapback]

That's the one I was talking about that made me want the game. I can't understand why everyone thinks his preview is so bad.

[+Random Terrain]

Wow, that's a minority opinion -- never heard anyone else say it like that. Maybe you meant your PC?

 

Everyone else who got into Morrowind trumpeted how much better it was on PC: better resolution, user-community mods, fast loading, patches for crashes.

1028055[/snapback]

I bought The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Game of the Year Edition) for the Xbox and PC and I liked the Xbox version better because the game was made to work great with an Xbox controller, the text was larger and easier to read (the PC font was tiny and fancy which made it even harder to read), and I could also play it on a large TV which makes you get into the game more.

 

The slow load time is the main problem with the Xbox version, but I can live with it since everything else is so much better.

 

Even after many adjustments, the game just didn't work with my PC controller as nicely as it did with the Xbox controller. I hate playing games with the keyboard and mouse unless it's a quick online game because I feel like I'm on the verge of getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from using the mouse so much, so there's no way I'm spending even more hours using the mouse to play a game. Give me a nice pain-free Xbox controller and I'm happy.

 

And if you want to use cheats, Xbox cheats are easier to enter. No looking up and typing in some stupid crap, just press a few buttons in a certain order and you're done.

 

 

 

By now everyone's seen this, right?

http://wiredblogs.tripod.com/games/index.b...ntry_id=1422030

1028055[/snapback]

Thanks for the link. If this is true from that article, maybe I won't bother getting an Xbox 360:

This is the HD Era? Watching bushes and trees pop up out of thin air as I walk around? At one point I was heading towards what I thought was an empty forest clearing, when big-ass chunks of building started magically appearing. Come on. (Or maybe I was doing so well in the game that its denizens had started building shrines to my glory.)

 

Things get even worse when I jump on a horse. Now, I'm actually trotting at a steady clip, and Oblivion starts not just to have draw-in issues but framerate problems as well. It's chugging. It can't keep up with my speed, and quite frankly the horse isn't even going that fast. At some points, I keep seeing the "Loading Area..." message pop up every couple of seconds, which brings with it another framerate stutter. It's herky-jerky-all-over-the-place as I climb up the hill to the gate of Oblivion. My reaction to the graphics has, over this sequence, gone from "unimpressed" to "nonplussed" to "annoyed."

 

But this ain't the next-gen experience I was promised. Weren't these kind of massive game-worlds supposed to be running in high-def grandeur, with smooth framerates and seamless transitions, by now?

[Phineasfool]

Wow, that's a minority opinion -- never heard anyone else say it like that. Maybe you meant your PC?

 

Everyone else who got into Morrowind trumpeted how much better it was on PC: better resolution, user-community mods, fast loading, patches for crashes.

1028055[/snapback]

I bought The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Game of the Year Edition) for the Xbox and PC and I liked the Xbox version better because the game was made to work great with an Xbox controller, the text was larger and easier to read (the PC font was tiny and fancy which made it even harder to read), and I could also play it on a large TV which makes you get into the game more.

 

The slow load time is the main problem with the Xbox version, but I can live with it since everything else is so much better.

 

Even after many adjustments, the game just didn't work with my PC controller as nicely as it did with the Xbox controller. I hate playing games with the keyboard and mouse unless it's a quick online game because I feel like I'm on the verge of getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from using the mouse so much, so there's no way I'm spending even more hours using the mouse to play a game. Give me a nice pain-free Xbox controller and I'm happy.

 

And if you want to use cheats, Xbox cheats are easier to enter. No looking up and typing in some stupid crap, just press a few buttons in a certain order and you're done.

 

 

 

By now everyone's seen this, right?

http://wiredblogs.tripod.com/games/index.b...ntry_id=1422030

1028055[/snapback]

Thanks for the link. If this is true from that article, maybe I won't bother getting an Xbox 360:

This is the HD Era? Watching bushes and trees pop up out of thin air as I walk around? At one point I was heading towards what I thought was an empty forest clearing, when big-ass chunks of building started magically appearing. Come on. (Or maybe I was doing so well in the game that its denizens had started building shrines to my glory.)

 

Things get even worse when I jump on a horse. Now, I'm actually trotting at a steady clip, and Oblivion starts not just to have draw-in issues but framerate problems as well. It's chugging. It can't keep up with my speed, and quite frankly the horse isn't even going that fast. At some points, I keep seeing the "Loading Area..." message pop up every couple of seconds, which brings with it another framerate stutter. It's herky-jerky-all-over-the-place as I climb up the hill to the gate of Oblivion. My reaction to the graphics has, over this sequence, gone from "unimpressed" to "nonplussed" to "annoyed."

 

But this ain't the next-gen experience I was promised. Weren't these kind of massive game-worlds supposed to be running in high-def grandeur, with smooth framerates and seamless transitions, by now?

1028071[/snapback]

 

Well you can always hook your PC up to the TV and then just use a wired 360 controller on the PC and it's alomost the same thing.

[+Random Terrain]

Well you can always hook your PC up to the TV and then just use a wired 360 controller on the PC and it's almost the same thing.

1028074[/snapback]

As I said above, even after many adjustments, the game just didn't work with my PC controller as nicely as it did with the Xbox controller. It's not the type of controller, it's the programmers not giving a f*ck about the controller on the PC version. It seems controller support wasn't as important to them. Putting it on the Xbox forced them to think about the controller, so that's why the Xbox version is so much better.

 

If the programmers weren't such keyboard/mouse whores and the PC game worked great with a controller, I'd still have a problem since my computer is not in the same room with the big TV and on top of that, I'd have to buy something that would allow my PC to work on a TV.

[Phineasfool]

Well you can always hook your PC up to the TV and then just use a wired 360 controller on the PC and it's almost the same thing.

1028074[/snapback]

As I said above, even after many adjustments, the game just didn't work with my PC controller as nicely as it did with the Xbox controller. It's not the type of controller, it's the programmers not giving a f*ck about the controller on the PC version. It seems controller support wasn't as important to them. Putting it on the Xbox forced them to think about the controller, so that's why the Xbox version is so much better.

 

If the programmers weren't such keyboard/mouse whores and the PC game worked great with a controller, I'd still have a problem since my computer is not in the same room with the big TV and on top of that, I'd have to buy something that would allow my PC to work on a TV.

1028075[/snapback]

 

Well the series was always PC first to begin with. Maybe with Oblivion they will support gamepads better since the 360 wired controller works on a PC so easily. More PC games lately have been supporting gamepads fairly well. My copy of Psychonauts works well with one.

[Red 5]

Who cares what one guy who obviously has no clue.

ie: Sadly it's a first-person game. So you very rarely actually see yourself.

(It can be played in first person or third person mode at the touch of a button.)

 

The reviews I have read on every other normal review site has raved about everything with the exception of distant objects not looking that great.

 

That's why people aren't going to buy this game?

Because objects miles away don't look great?

 

People who have played the final build so far have had no pop ups

and minor frame rate issuses.

 

I can definitely live with that.

I mean... hell... I still love Adventure on the 2600 and I am a square carrying an arrow killing dragons that look more like ducks.

 

I played Elder Scrolls Daggerfall and Arena on my computer and loved it.

I played Morrowind on my Xbox and loved it.

I may be able to squeeze Oblivion on to my computer, but I know the 360 will run it better and I don't have the $1000 laying around to update the computer.

I am sure they will both be very similair. I don't mess around with mods, so there is no benefit there for me.

 

Just let me play ! !

Edited March 6, 2006 by therealred5

[Atarifever]

Who cares what one guy who obviously has no clue.

ie: Sadly it's a first-person game. So you very rarely actually see yourself.

(It can be played in first person or third person mode at the touch of a button.)

 

 

1028964[/snapback]

Actually, hasn't he already said that he means it's like RE4 (not the Example he used, but the quickest one that came to my mind) or those other games where you never look at your character's face (even when out of FPS mode). He contrasts it with platformers where, say, your character can walk at the screen.

Also, I fail to see why everyone keeps saying he knows nothing when he has played it and they haven't. Also, if reviewers are dong their job it is quite possible for one to report a bad pop up issue and someone else not to. I've played tons of game that supposedly had poor framerates or a lot of popup, but haven't noticed. I'm sure some people use stricter or laxer criteria than others. If you feel a game has a poor framerate that detracts from your enjoyment, then you better report it. If everyone else doesn't think it does then they'd better say that. Conensus should be nearly impossible in a subjective thing like reviewing.

Edited March 6, 2006 by Atarifever

[Shaggy the Atarian]

I have already made my pre-order for this game (the Collector's Edition nonetheless). I loved Morrowind and I'm quite excited for Oblivion. I just wonder how my PC will handle it. I imagine it should do OK...too bad I don't have the cash to get an extra 6800GS at the moment.

[Red 5]

I guess the reason I don't believe him really, is because all the other previews and the one real review have been absolute raves.

 

Just got my OXM magazine.

 

Full review of Oblivion with a 9.5 rating.

One of their highest ratings ever.

Hours played: 44+

Number of Game Saves: 400+

Number of days in game: 80+

Number of quests completed: 56

Number of items stolen: 1529

Number of locks picked:117

 

"Stunning presentation with luscious visuals and a memorable music score"

 

The only negatives mentioned are this quote:

 

"Though never unforgivingly long, the sheer amount of them (load times) you'll look at during a 40 hour adventure adds up.

 

"A couple of other minor - primarily technical - issues keep Oblivion from being truly legendary, but they don't strip it of must buy status."

 

They also mention noticeable framerate chopiness in large or busy areas.

 

The good stuff is two pages long.

 

IGN and Gamespot are also giving it rave "previews."

 

Like I said before, I can't wait !

 

(OXM also has exclusive screenshots. There is a unicorn roaming around the woods. Looks like it would make a nice horse for me to ride, if I can catch it...)

[Atarifever]

 

They also mention noticeable framerate chopiness in large or busy areas.

 

 

1029204[/snapback]

 

So, I think that's kind of confirmation of what the guy said. There are some framerate issues. Will that make the game unplayable: nope, not to most people. I think he just pointed out something that bugged him (the way trying to sexualize polygons bothers me and would hurt any game review wise for me). As I said, his preview was the first thing I'd bothered to read about the game, and it made me want the game, so it can't be all bad.

[yougamer]

I still play The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind and this one should be alot better, its going to have horses isnt it?