There's a tiny part of me that sees the gameplay videos from E3, etc, and I find that there are a few things that just don't seem TES enough. Perhaps the creators still have thier heads in Fallout mode?

For example:

-The choice of font.
-The compass format.
-The mana and health bar format.
-Blood appearing on the vision of the Dragonborn.

There are only a few things to question in this case, however, they're things that can't be hidden or changed. Perhaps you'll be able to hide the blood from your vision, at least I hope so. I'm not exactly sure if that was able to be turned off in an of the Fallout games, as I couldn't play them for more than 15 minutes before I got sick of the dull graphics and idiotic fighting methods that I had to put the controller down and walk away.

In my opinion, the blood spatter on the vision is bothering me the most at this point in time. It honestly doesn't make any sense as to how fighting something could bloody or blur your vision and seems more like a hinderance to the gameplay than anything. I like the movement that comes with battling things and the fact that it feels more real, more dynamic, but the bloodvision seems bothersome and unrealistic. Correct me if I'm wrong; clearly I've never fought anything to the death.

As far as the font and compass, I just feel as though Bethesda didn't want to pull too far away from Fallout, but this might take away from the game just a tiny bit. A big part of Oblivion for me was the fact that the font of the books, the interface, and everything else that had writing on it was a huge part of the experience. The font that is displayed in screenshots and videos, as well as the compass, brings Skryim (the game, of course, not the province) closer to a modern game rather than other Elder Scrolls game, which I like to refer to as "ye olden time-y." I want to feel like I'm somewhere in the past when I play these games, or in a fairytale kind of world. Not some kind of modern simulator. Does that even make sense?

Discuss: Is it ye olden time-y enough for an Elder Scrolls game despite the obvious Fallout stuff, or is that a bit of a let down that it doesn't follow up with the engaging font and believable compass? Is the blood vision annoying, or a minor setback not annoying enough to ruin combat?

The only thing that would potentially bother me--even though it doesn't--is the bloody screen when you get hit. How else would you do it, though? Blurred vision makes sense to me because it would simulate being dazed. Again, how else would do it?

ive hit/been hit in the head a few times in my life. and i can say that when it happens i get a very brief (im talking like half second) veil of red around my periphery. but thats it.

Well, I suppose the blur isn't that bad, but the blood is what REALLY bothers me and will bother me in the long run. If my Dragonborn were, for whatever reason, wearing goggles, then it would make more sense. But imagine fighting a Dragon and several enemies in the field at the same time, which are hitting you and in turn you are hitting back, as well as having an angry circling dragon. What do you do while your vision is constantly blurred and bloodied, making it so you can't truly focus on what you're fighting.

I think the game would be fine with the apparent battle staggering, the natural fighting movement they added, that wasn't really there in Oblivion. Otherwise, the vision hinderances aren't really necessary.

The text that comes up below the compass when you do stuff like discover a location or absorb a dragon's soul bothers me the most. It looks so arcade-like.

I'd also much prefer a traditional parchment map to the 3D map, but i'm not getting into one of those arguments again...

but consider that when youre fighting something in game and blood is splattering everywhere and pouring down your face you will inevitably get blood in your eyes. which would burn for one. also it would obscure your vision and affect overall performance.
im not saying this is what theyre doing but in the situation it would make more sense.
however getting hit and having bloody vision doesnt make sense i agree.
doesnt really bother me though.

I agree, particularly because... well, the people who want to play a modern/futuristic sci-fi-esque game got two Fallouts between Oblivion and Skyrim, and now it's Elder Scrolls kids' turn now, the least they could do is give us a game that is purely our own. I'm sure I'm not the only one who loves TES but can't stand Fallouts.

As far as the map goes, I agree there as well. It would be fun to toggle back and forth between a 3D map and a parchment map, making different reasons or uses for one or the other. :3

The enemies health bar reduces from eachside, not your own

i think the whole entire UI is disappointing. it looks pretty, it's just not for Skyrim.

Well that's great to know! Thanks for clearing that up for me. Excuse the misunderstanding. ^^;;

Indeed, and I have considered those things. Best case scenarios for picky people like me is that we'll be able to turn the blood off. xD

Agreed. It just reminds me so much of Fallout... I keep saying that, but it bothers me so much because I seriously can not stand playing Fallout, and the font is exactly the same as in Fallout III and New Vegas. And you're certainly correct; it really doesn't fit Skyrim. Not as part of the series it is.

They had robots and crap in Redguard and Morrowind, what is this "old time" you speak of.

My Elder Scrolls experience started with Oblivion, sadly, and I haven't played either of those.

Therefore, I wouldn't have a clue about what are in those particular installments of the series.

And if you get hit directly in the eye, a ring of white that flashes for a brief moment centered around the area that was hit. It's actually pretty cool. Of course, I would rather just not get stabbed in the eye.

I'll admit, I like pretty much everything. I do somewhat dislike the GIANT FONTS like when you discover a town or level up. I know that will probably change like a lot of things. Its not really that big of a deal, but im not a fan of it

I don't really mind any of it. It all fits because it's part of the style that Bethesda is aiming for with Skyrim.

I think TES has been playing around with the "any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology" thing long before they got involved in Fallout, so things that might look a bit out of place in most fantasy games don't seem that way in TES to me. More in the books than the games, where they'll occasionally use somewhat modern-sounding phrases like "secret testing warehouse", "security protocols granted", or "operating system".

robots in morrowind ? i dunt think so.

This next question isn't supposed to be mocking or anything, so please don't read it as such. ^^;;

That being said, you really think that the use of basically, if not the same, engine they used for the Fallout games is part of what they want Skyrim to be? Deliberately putting integral parts of any game from a sci-fi game into a fantasy game. I think some people would find that it makes a huge difference in the feel of the game. When I look at the interface I get separated from the world, and that's just watching a video. When the words appear saying, "RIVERWOOD DISCOVERED," I get distracted, and I remember in at least one, if not all, of Todd Howard's interviews he says that they wanted to make the game fluid, like you're there and to avoid removing the player from the game like the Oblivion interface did.

Well, in all honesty, I feel like it removes the player just as much if not more. It's distraction. I just can't imagine Bethesda wanting that to be part of what Skyrim is, because that's directly conflicting with everything Todd has said about the overhauled interface.

You do realize that Fallout uses nearly exactly the same engine as Oblivion, right?

If they had a laser gun, I would be upset. The font? I'm not gonna get upset over the font. I'm just thinking, "Oh, okay, a nice, neat font, to go with a cleaner interface." I have a slight issue with the size, but that's it.

None of it really bothers me. Only thing that comes close is just the "both sides" thing.

Yes, of course. However, there is an obvious and major difference in the fluidity and appearance of both of the games regardless of the engine's resemblance, as well as the overall experience that you have playing it. I don't really know about everyone else, but I like feeling like I'm there rather than like I'm just advancing. Oblivion made me feel like I was there, Fallout made me feel like I was advancing and that was that. As far as comparison is concerned, Fallout and Oblivion had no similarities when it came to visuals, and realistically, Skyrim should be the same merely because of the fact that they're two different series that happen to be by the same creator.

Because in reality, not everyone who likes to play TES likes to play the Fallouts, and probably don't really want it to be so blatantly similar, either.

Only thing that seems out of place is the modern font. (And that's not really a "Fallout" thing. Just a bad UI design choice.)

I think the discussion here centers on whether the onscreen esthetics of the UI fit the ambience created by graphic world portrayed behind it. Personally I like the thinking behind what Bethesda is trying to achieve, the menu access dynamic is certainly an improvement over the archaic one found in Oblivion. However the text itself is PC database style, and the pop up windows clash noticebly once they superimpose over the world behind. I think they need to experiment with the translucency a bit, so the info is easily readable but not in conflict/contrast. The typeset really should be more like that of Oblivions. I'd prefer to think of the world that is Skyrim existing within a filmlike fantasy rather than a present day internet page.

I kinda like the compass design, but it's placement and size, as seen in the E3 demo really takes up too much of the screen. Same for the status bars. I'd prefer they were compacted together and all displayed in a lower corner of the screen. Other status inhancements prompts or text box options need to be all the way to a side as well. As for the bloodspatter, think its ok as a option for those who are from Fallout land, but I'll be really dismayed if it can't be shut off. Again for me its about enjoying the graphic world with as little interference from the UI as possible.