ok, seems like a couple people got confused
what i am suggesting is ONLY a directional and timing based combat system, not a direct copy of mount and blade's combat. understand that mount and blade is the only game that i have found with swordplay that is fun (and i play a LOT of games).

Has anyone here ever played mount and blade? the combat is much more intense than any game of this genre i have ever played. All this excitement from direction based attacks and blocking.
I know it would be a small ammount of scripting, just force the use of a button combo within a certain ammount of time (mouse left, and mouse x in whatever direction) to attack in a certain direction.

this would increase the replay value of this game tenfold, and assure that people would still want to buy dlc years to come, especially if executed correctly (or even as close to correct as mount and blade)

Now, i am a GRAPHICS person. if the game's graphics svck, i most likely wont play it. For mount and blade (and very few others) though, i make an exception to this rule. the gameplay is so much fun, and there is so much to do. you can practice in the arena with groups of people that spawn and attack you, you can fight in tournaments, you can raid villages, you can lead your warband across the land and siege castles and whatnot ( i dont expect sieging castles or warbands in this game, but warbands would be badass.)
the AI really svcks, and just swarms like the tyranid, making combat difficult, but do-able. with the bethesda guys doing the AI, it should come out pretty awesome, especially if everything isn't on a mission to kill only you, and/or you first

so, like i said the graphics svck, but the gameplay is so amazing i keep coming back to this game, because the combat in most other games is uninteresting and dull. click, click, click, click. you dont even feel like you are swinging the sword or doing much of anything but button mashing. mount and blade makes you feel like you are swinging the sword, and i hope to the nine divine that bethesda implements a directional combat system.

directional attacks + directional blocks = massively fun/intense gameplay and 100x replay value, because every battle is different.

the mount and blade combat is way too stiff for TES, i dont think it would feel right, i love the game, don't get me wrong, but i like what they are doing with the combat already.

I dislike horses in TES altogether, personally.

Meh, I don't think it would increase the replay value of the game, in fact, it would hurt it for me. Mount and Blade combat works for M&B but it definitely doesn't work in TES, it just isn't fluid enough.

i am speaking about the swordplay, the swordplay / shield is AMAZING in mount and blade, would be better with more directions to attack from, but you get what the devs give you until you make your own game haha

dude, im not saying to copy straight from mount and blade, i am suggesting a directional combat system

doesnt just clicking and your character doing the same attack every time get boring to you? it bores the hell out of me, thats why i dont play mmos, or even oblivion anymore because of that fact. at least a little variety in your attacks makes the game a ton better

EDIT:
sorry for dp

You might like Arx Fatalis.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/1700/?snr=1_4_4__13

http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/arx_fatalis