I can be silent about many things, but not this. Morrowind's Imperials were wimps. Wes Johnson, Wes Johnson, Wes Johnson, Wes Johnson, Wes Johnson, and Pelinal Whitestrake are all I must say on the matter.

Pelinal Whitestrake: a genocidal maniac. On meth. And angel dust.

Hey, Wes Johnson was in Morrowind! He voiced the Orcs and Bretons.

They should at least look different. I mean its been 200 years and we dont dress like people from 1811 anymore even if the Elder Scrolls are the hypothetical dark ages of its world.

I hope this is not a sign that Cliffracers are back...............I REALLY HOPE IT DOESNT!

Agreed. I just look at the characters' names to get that feeling

They want to assimilate everyone just like the real one tried to do.

I liked the Imperials sense of Unity through that Roman identity. Which is why I found Cyrodiil to be so disappointing. I was expecting a taste of what many people consider the Ancient Roman Empire. And while that was true for the Imperial city, it didn't extend passed that. The Aylied Ruins seemed more "Imperial" than the cities of the game, which sort of makes sense, since the IC was built around former Aylied White Gold Tower, but still. There was never that sense of cohesion you'd expect from being in "The heart of the Empire".


In the screenshot though, do we even know that's an Imperial and/or Imperial Legionnaire? Certainly looks the part, but I'm not totally convinced.

Now that you've started me on 'spot the similarity' - I was surprised comparing the pics in how similar the ground path is - same sort of colour scheme - still great big cobble stones - maybe there are more Morrowind influences in Skyrim than I had previously thought

I'd hazard a guess that they were simply svcking up to their Arena/Daggerfall-favoring part of the audience who felt disillusioned by Morrowind, art direction-wise.

It'd certainly be an improvement. I liked the atmosphere of Morrowind's legion forts, Roman-style armour and all.

Or Bethesda has a long track record of using the same source photographs for textures since Morrowind.

Imperial Guards were at their most Roman in Morrowind, I think. Oblivion portrayed them as heavier troops akin to Western knights of the medieval era, but they still had that Roman-esque flavor (most notably in their helms).

I still say their names were the most Roman thing about them in Oblivion.

Their armor? Really? There was nothing Roman about their armor.

Yes their architecture was roman, and im pretty sure tiber septim was named after the river tiber. Its no doubt Imperials were based off of Romans, but they were hardly roman in Oblivion. Neither their armor nor weapons were anywhere similar to Roman.

I like the return. I don't understand why they changed it in Oblivion...

I dont get your point. They've always been roman-esque. Their accent and architecture is very roman inspired, so i dont think I get your "roman again" comment. If you meant it for the legion armor...you know, culture is not equal to armor design. (besides, legion soldiers in Cyrodiil have armor that looks kind of dragony, which is consonant with the Septim Empire. Those in Morrowind are supposed to look like roman colonizers.)

They were roman esque in Morrowind without being Romanesque (of course). I don't think their accent was Italian or Latin inspired, and I especially don't feel their buildings were very Roman inspired. Sure, every here and there, but in no general sense. Certainly not that Imperial City they have.

This, but i think the imperial helms in oblivion had more of a Greek "300" feel to them then the roman look they had in morrowind

Imperials look more so Romans in oblivion in my opinion. They lacked the roman red color in there Armour, but they had the feathered helmets like the praetorian and there armored skirts look pretty accurate. This armour looks very accurate to Romans as well though. I hope that we will be able to get our own Roman Armour. If not this poor guard will be dying and looted.

Byzantines. the empire has fallen remember

Only the Emperor never did seem that way to me

I think in MW their armor was different because they had to always carry that legion symbol with them

Their architecture was never Roman either. Anvil looked slightly meditteranean, and the Imperial City had Roman touches, but then again they didn't even BUILD the Imperial City. Vast majority was European style.

Totally going to make a Titus Pullo character

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=903&pictureid=7284

but he's still a roman, and there are gladiators in oblivion.

Rome is in the meditteranean mate, and where do you think "european" style comes from? Rome is and was actually an incredibly colourful city filled with people from almost all ethnicities,very different to the modern perception of it being completely white. Also the blades' armour is like roman mixed with japanese in my opinion, and the names are all very roman.