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Elder Scrolls : The dumbing down

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  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,456
    Yeah, that's one I'm definitely going to use. So far I think I'll use that and the Character Creation Overhaul just to make it so the characters don't look awful. I played as a Bard in Morrowind using the Bard's Life 2 mod but it doesn't look like there is an equivalent for Oblivion so I'll probably play a Khajiit Cleric build. I'll research the gods and try to RP a cleric of a specific deity.
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    Vallmyr said:

    I still haven't done my oblivion playthrough >_>

    I need to do that soon-ish. I might do another thread asking which mods to use so I can actually start lol

    Oblivion is the start of the infamous Zenimax/dumbed down era, but at least It still does have classes and attributes, unlike Skyrim. Also Shivering Isles was pretty good.
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    I didn't like Shivering Isles. The concept was interesting and the scenery was nice, but the developers' conception of madness came off less as a genuine mental issue and more as a one-dimensional land of "wacky goofballs" thing.

    The Vaermina questline was much more interesting in that respect. Arkved's Tower was a disturbing window into a comatose man's nightmares.
    JoenSoBelleSorciere
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    "Obtuse" and "Smart" are not the same. Likewise neither are "Dumbed down" and "Accessable". Morrowwind wasn't really well designed.
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    ThacoBell said:

    "Obtuse" and "Smart" are not the same. Likewise neither are "Dumbed down" and "Accessable". Morrowwind wasn't really well designed.

    That doesn't justify the removal of RPG mechanics and the inclusion of bad writing and silly moments that ruin the immersion.
    Vallmyr
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,456
    I just wish Skyrim had useful speechcraft.

    Charisma/Speech/Diplomacy characters are always my favorite but in Skyrim Speechcraft is basically just buying and selling where in Morrowind you could use speechcraft on anyone and helped solve quite a few quests, both in the main story and in side quests.

    How is speech in Oblivion? I imagine like everything else, it's somewhere between that.
    semiticgoddess
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    Vallmyr said:

    I just wish Skyrim had useful speechcraft.

    Charisma/Speech/Diplomacy characters are always my favorite but in Skyrim Speechcraft is basically just buying and selling where in Morrowind you could use speechcraft on anyone and helped solve quite a few quests, both in the main story and in side quests.

    How is speech in Oblivion? I imagine like everything else, it's somewhere between that.

    Basically speechcraft in Oblivion is a mini-game with a wheel.
    semiticgoddess
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,456
    That's
    unique?
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235

    ThacoBell said:

    "Obtuse" and "Smart" are not the same. Likewise neither are "Dumbed down" and "Accessable". Morrowwind wasn't really well designed.

    That doesn't justify the removal of RPG mechanics and the inclusion of bad writing and silly moments that ruin the immersion.
    Utterly subjective.
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    Subjective or no, @ShapiroKeatsDarkMage isn't alone in thinking that Oblivion had some writing issues. The random NPC dialogues could get pretty goofy at times, partly because they included lines that were better suited for the player and partly because of disposition differences. To paraphrase a possible random NPC conversation:

    Wood Elf: "Hi! How are you today?"
    Orc: "Shut up."
    Wood Elf: "They say that if you murder someone, the Dark Brotherhood comes to you in your sleep."
    Orc: "Oh, that's spooky!"

    The disposition system also made NPCs with high dispositions smile at you whenever they saw you, which could get jarring depending on the context. Like when Martin announced that we were all going to go wage war against the Daedra at the Oblivion Gate in Bruma, and then flashed me a big warm smile. Or when a beggar thanks you for giving them a coin, then snarls at you because you're still an ugly orc.
    scriver
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Personally, I think Oblivion holds up FAR better than Morrowwind.
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428

    Subjective or no, @ShapiroKeatsDarkMage isn't alone in thinking that Oblivion had some writing issues. The random NPC dialogues could get pretty goofy at times, partly because they included lines that were better suited for the player and partly because of disposition differences. To paraphrase a possible random NPC conversation:

    Wood Elf: "Hi! How are you today?"
    Orc: "Shut up."
    Wood Elf: "They say that if you murder someone, the Dark Brotherhood comes to you in your sleep."
    Orc: "Oh, that's spooky!"

    The disposition system also made NPCs with high dispositions smile at you whenever they saw you, which could get jarring depending on the context. Like when Martin announced that we were all going to go wage war against the Daedra at the Oblivion Gate in Bruma, and then flashed me a big warm smile. Or when a beggar thanks you for giving them a coin, then snarls at you because you're still an ugly orc.

    To say nothing of being able to become leader of every faction after few missions without much requirement, heck you can even go to Ulfric while dressed like a legionaire and none of the Stormcloak NPCs will react to It.
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,456
    ThacoBell said:

    Personally, I think Oblivion holds up FAR better than Morrowwind.

    I'm glad to hear this because I absolutely adored Morrowind. Granted I used A Bard's Life II mod which made the RP great but even without that I liked the systems and story and such.
  • WarChiefZekeWarChiefZeke Member Posts: 2,651
    I think Oblivion holds up better than Morrowind (unmodded) but Morrowind is the high point of the series in terms of writing, diversity of viable playstyles and builds, player choice, just about everything.

    And whoever says Morrowind monks are underpowered are liars and probably n'wahs as well :DD

    Im currently using an argonian monk who focuses on speed and agility (both nearly 100 by level 10) and ive never had it so easy.
    ShapiroKeatsDarkMagesemiticgoddess
  • scriverscriver Member Posts: 2,072
    Vallmyr said:

    ThacoBell said:

    Personally, I think Oblivion holds up FAR better than Morrowwind.

    I'm glad to hear this because I absolutely adored Morrowind. Granted I used A Bard's Life II mod which made the RP great but even without that I liked the systems and story and such.
    Well, he's wrong. So there's that.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    scriver said:

    Vallmyr said:

    ThacoBell said:

    Personally, I think Oblivion holds up FAR better than Morrowwind.

    I'm glad to hear this because I absolutely adored Morrowind. Granted I used A Bard's Life II mod which made the RP great but even without that I liked the systems and story and such.
    Well, he's wrong. So there's that.
    No, I'm pretty sure that I like Oblivion more than Morrowwind.
    JoenSo
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    edited February 2018
    Morrowind is the last time Bethesda set out to make an actual, complex, old-school RPG. On top of that, they finally had moved past the ambitious, but basically tedious nature of the procedural generation of Arena and (especially) Daggerfall. When you factor in the enchanting system and spell-creator, there really isn't anything you CAN'T do in Morrowind (especially once you patch it to fix the things that are broken). Beyond that, it's a totally alien-world. Vvardenfell is a place you have to actually learn about, or you aren't really going to have a clue what is going on. Oblivion is fine. It plays good, it's guild quests are probably the best in the series, the expansion is extremely high-quality. But the base game is also pretty paint-by-the-numbers generic fantasy 101. They are both better than Skyrim, though Skyrim is still a perfectly good game for what it is.
    semiticgoddessShapiroKeatsDarkMage
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428

    Morrowind is the last time Bethesda set out to make an actual, complex, old-school RPG. On top of that, they finally had moved past the ambitious, but basically tedious nature of the procedural generation of Arena and (especially) Daggerfall. When you factor in the enchanting system and spell-creator, there really isn't anything you CAN'T do in Morrowind (especially once you patch it to fix the things that are broken). Beyond that, it's a totally alien-world. Vvardenfell is a place you have to actually learn about, or you aren't really going to have a clue what is going on. Oblivion is fine. It plays good, it's guild quests are probably the best in the series, the expansion is extremely high-quality. But the base game is also pretty paint-by-the-numbers generic fantasy 101. They are both better than Skyrim, though Skyrim is still a perfectly good game for what it is.

    Like i said before, Oblivion suffers from being the start of the Zenimax era, the dumbing down era, and the moment when Todd Howard became the King of Lies (not to be confused with the Demon of Lies from Divine Divinity). Sure they may have saved Fallout from obscurity, but the lore inconsistencies and neutered roleplaying mechanics and all around silly writing (Little Lamplight and stuff) earned them the hatred of oldschool Fallout fans and Western RPG fans.
  • O_BruceO_Bruce Member Posts: 2,790
    Saving Fallout from obscurity... that's a good one. If you consider raising someone as deformed zombie a "saving", that is.
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    edited February 2018
    O_Bruce said:

    Saving Fallout from obscurity... that's a good one. If you consider raising someone as deformed zombie a "saving", that is.

    Instead of keep complaining, Can you give us your thoughts on the Elder Scrolls series?
    Post edited by ShapiroKeatsDarkMage on
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850

    Morrowind is the last time Bethesda set out to make an actual, complex, old-school RPG. On top of that, they finally had moved past the ambitious, but basically tedious nature of the procedural generation of Arena and (especially) Daggerfall. When you factor in the enchanting system and spell-creator, there really isn't anything you CAN'T do in Morrowind (especially once you patch it to fix the things that are broken). Beyond that, it's a totally alien-world. Vvardenfell is a place you have to actually learn about, or you aren't really going to have a clue what is going on. Oblivion is fine. It plays good, it's guild quests are probably the best in the series, the expansion is extremely high-quality. But the base game is also pretty paint-by-the-numbers generic fantasy 101. They are both better than Skyrim, though Skyrim is still a perfectly good game for what it is.

    Like i said before, Oblivion suffers from being the start of the Zenimax era, the dumbing down era, and the moment when Todd Howard became the King of Lies (not to be confused with the Demon of Lies from Divine Divinity). Sure they may have saved Fallout from obscurity, but the lore inconsistencies and neutered roleplaying mechanics and all around silly writing (Little Lamplight and stuff) earned them the hatred of oldschool Fallout fans and Western RPG fans.
    I would argue New Vegas is better than Fallout 1 for sure, though most of that praise should go to Obsidian.

    As for the FUTURE of The Elder Scrolls?? There doesn't seem to BE a future at the moment. It doesn't even appear VI is in development, which can only possibly be because they are trying to protect the MMO. When it comes (likely in 2022 at this point, I think a return to a more alien environment like Argonia or Elsweyr would be the best track to ride on.
    ShapiroKeatsDarkMage
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428

    Morrowind is the last time Bethesda set out to make an actual, complex, old-school RPG. On top of that, they finally had moved past the ambitious, but basically tedious nature of the procedural generation of Arena and (especially) Daggerfall. When you factor in the enchanting system and spell-creator, there really isn't anything you CAN'T do in Morrowind (especially once you patch it to fix the things that are broken). Beyond that, it's a totally alien-world. Vvardenfell is a place you have to actually learn about, or you aren't really going to have a clue what is going on. Oblivion is fine. It plays good, it's guild quests are probably the best in the series, the expansion is extremely high-quality. But the base game is also pretty paint-by-the-numbers generic fantasy 101. They are both better than Skyrim, though Skyrim is still a perfectly good game for what it is.

    Like i said before, Oblivion suffers from being the start of the Zenimax era, the dumbing down era, and the moment when Todd Howard became the King of Lies (not to be confused with the Demon of Lies from Divine Divinity). Sure they may have saved Fallout from obscurity, but the lore inconsistencies and neutered roleplaying mechanics and all around silly writing (Little Lamplight and stuff) earned them the hatred of oldschool Fallout fans and Western RPG fans.
    I would argue New Vegas is better than Fallout 1 for sure, though most of that praise should go to Obsidian.

    As for the FUTURE of The Elder Scrolls?? There doesn't seem to BE a future at the moment. It doesn't even appear VI is in development, which can only possibly be because they are trying to protect the MMO. When it comes (likely in 2022 at this point, I think a return to a more alien environment like Argonia or Elsweyr would be the best track to ride on.
    Even if TES 6 is going to bè in a more original setting, it won't be a very enjoyable game (from a RPG point of view) if Bethesda continues the trend of butchered mechanics, hand holding and dumb writing.

    Speaking of the MMO, i heard good things about the last expansion set in Vvanderfel.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    The setting of Morrowwind is much more interesting than Oblivion. That's about all it has going for it. That game is obtuse out the wazoo.
    semiticgoddess
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    ThacoBell said:

    The setting of Morrowwind is much more interesting than Oblivion. That's about all it has going for it. That game is obtuse out the wazoo.

    Whatever you Say pal.
  • O_BruceO_Bruce Member Posts: 2,790


    Instead of keep complaining, Can you give us your thoughts on the Elder Scrolls series?

    I can, but I won't stop complaining.

    Regarding Elder Scrolls, it is made by humanoids employed by the same company, with very similar design philosophy (hint: it is in the title of this topic, but to be fair there are creative differences between Fallouts and TES). Now, I don't like Elder Scrolls because it's not the type of cRPG I like. It's more for people who are very fond of exploring the game's world for the sake of it, but not for me. I like either semi-linear or linear types of cRPGs. So TES fails to impress me on the very core.

    Now, I heard that earlier games of the series were better as the cRPGs, but I'm not going to try them. I won't buy Bethesdas games in a similar way I won't buy games produced by EA. Or won't support any company that I hate.
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    O_Bruce said:


    Instead of keep complaining, Can you give us your thoughts on the Elder Scrolls series?

    I can, but I won't stop complaining.

    Regarding Elder Scrolls, it is made by humanoids employed by the same company, with very similar design philosophy (hint: it is in the title of this topic, but to be fair there are creative differences between Fallouts and TES). Now, I don't like Elder Scrolls because it's not the type of cRPG I like. It's more for people who are very fond of exploring the game's world for the sake of it, but not for me. I like either semi-linear or linear types of cRPGs.
    Morrowind has a pretty linear Main Quest.

    ThacoBell
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    And good luck finding it.
    "Hey random townsperson, where is town A?"

    "Oh its southwest of town B."

    "THanks! Uh hey, where is town B?"

    "Why, it is northeast of town A!"

    "Uhhh, thanks..."
    semiticgoddess
  • WarChiefZekeWarChiefZeke Member Posts: 2,651
    edited February 2018
    ThacoBell said:

    And good luck finding it.
    "Hey random townsperson, where is town A?"

    "Oh its southwest of town B."

    "THanks! Uh hey, where is town B?"

    "Why, it is northeast of town A!"

    "Uhhh, thanks..."

    Fast Travel is painfully needed in Morrowind and considering it's been a staple of every Elder Scrolls, including Arena which I actually enjoy, it's pretty unforgivable.
    ThacoBellsemiticgoddess
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,456
    Hm, I found the game fine without fast travel as long as you learn the stilt strider routes and mage teleportation routes, which basically serve as in-universe fast travel.
    ShapiroKeatsDarkMage
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428

    ThacoBell said:

    And good luck finding it.
    "Hey random townsperson, where is town A?"

    "Oh its southwest of town B."

    "THanks! Uh hey, where is town B?"

    "Why, it is northeast of town A!"

    "Uhhh, thanks..."

    Fast Travel is painfully needed in Morrowind and considering it's been a staple of every Elder Scrolls, including Arena which I actually enjoy, it's pretty unforgivable.
    The fast travel in Morrowind is pretty different from other TES games. You have to go on Silt Striders and on boat
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