Hey, just bought Oblivion for the first time.
I have finished playing Skyrim and really enjoyed it. I was wondering what Oblivion is like compared to Skyrim (obviously i know the graphics are not the same), i was wondering whether you guys prefered the story line and is it more enjoyable to play than Skyrim?
Thanks

In my opinion, Skyrim Main Story was better then Oblivion (skyrim is still not good) but Oblivion Dark Bortherhood, Thieves Guild, and Mage Guild are much better. I love Oblivion more then Skyrim it feels more RPGy

This page does a very good comparison of the gameplay:

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Differences_Between_Morrowind,_Oblivion,_and_Skyrim

From a storyline perspective, it's very subjective. In my opinion the main quest in Oblivion is better, though it can get repetitive at times. But Dragons are repetitive too. The Guild questlines tend to be longer and more involved. Though I think there are some very good questlines in Skyrim too, but maybe a bit short.

In any case, I recommend you defer the main quest in Oblivion because (1) delaying gives you a chance to experience Cyrodiil before the Oblivion Crisis, (2) you get better rewards at higher levels, (3) it's more realistic for an experienced Player Character to help save the world vs a level 1 from the sewers.

As far as graphics, I use some retexturing mods (like Quarls) and it looks great. In some ways as good or better than Skyrim. Not always but Cyrodiil is more colorful than Skyrim.

If you're interested in my personal opinion than keep reading...

Do not play the main story line in Oblivion unless you want to have a bad time... it is very boring and pointless, and personally, takes away from what the game could be. Instead, focus on exploring, doing side quests (which are 10x as detailed and fun as Skyrim's), and most importantly, guild quest lines, as these are some of the most fun quest lines you will play in gaming.

As for Oblivion compared to Skyrim... read http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Differences_Between_Morrowind,_Oblivion,_and_Skyrim. Having said all that in the article... I think that Oblivion > every TES game. Now like I said that's a personal opinion and im not looking for a flame war on this thread...

Oblivion to me is more immersive, unique, and entertaining, but honestly, give it a go and tell me (us) what you think of it... because I have friends who can't stand Oblivion and I don't quite understand why... So it's all up to you really...

Anyways, please, enjoy the game. It's so nice to see more and more people purchasing Oblivion even when it's so old

Edit: going back and reading the posts in this thread, I think that Savlian summed up some other points of why not to do the main quest line:

I agree with you 100% I think the only thing that lets Oblivion Down is the Main Story but the Quest and Gameplay are so much more fun, and I prefer the graphics nice a color, better then the dark a glommy of Skyrim where I want to cut my rist just to add some colour to the game.

Totally agree with Savlian's advice on delaying the main quest til much later or not at all in Oblivion.Cyrodiil is much more pleasing to the eye than skyrim in my opinion,but the main quest triggers Oblivion Gates to start popping up all over the place and kind of ruins the beauty.Oblivion's side quests,guild quests and all the exploring is just so much fun that the main quest kind of fades into the background and becomes a non-issue.I would also suggest to not use the fast-travel feature unless it is absolutely necessary as you miss out on finding all kinds of interesting stuff to explore.Hope you enjoy your time in Cryodiil....

I agree. But really, do what you feel like. If you want to save the world then do so. If you want to roam the land and explore, then do so. You can always start another character later if the one you have didn′t turn out so good, stat-wise or gameplay-wise.

The two best tips I can give is keep a save right before you exit the sewers and after that, save regularly and don′t always overwrite old ones. Fresh, hard saves are always the best if something should go wrong.

All of the Elder Scrolls games have strengths and weaknesses. I heartily dislike ranking them. To me ranking games smacks of betting on Secretariat to win over Stop The Music in the Laurel Futurity. I don't have time for that, life is too short. I just play the games and try to enjoy each one for what it is.

I like Oblivion for the calm, verdant, bucolic atmosphere of Cyrodiil's landscapes. The deciduous forests and rolling, grassy hills, the sunsets over Topal Bay, the pine-laden snowy peaks of the Jerrol Mountains, it can be a wonderfully relaxing landscape to escape to after the small brutalities of real life.

I also like Oblivion's character generation. It is possible in Oblivion to create characters who are different from each other at the start of a game. This arguably adds a bit of depth to roleplaying.

I adore Oblivion's music too. It is my opinion that this game offers some of the most atmospheric, relaxing, soothing music I have ever heard in a video game. The music, I believe, is a perfect match for Cyrodiil's landscapes. Oblivion's sounds and sights combine to create a charming, enchanting, thoroughly captivating game world.

I'm afraid of dragons, so I have yet to initiate any dragon questlines in Skyrim. Hence, I haven't tackled (or even started) the so-called Main Quest.

Like Savilian, I also delayed the OB Main Quest. Matter of fact, I got my game in October 2008, yet it was only last summer that I finally had a chracter who finished the MQ in this game. I wanted to save some of the most epic for last, I guess.

Thanks guys for all this input. I cant wait for the game to be delivered and I can start playing. I like the fact that the quests dont end as quick as they do in Skyrim.
I'll let you all know how I get on and my own opinions.
Also i will take the advice you have all given.
Many Thanks

I actually fired up Oblivion today, after playing Skyrim since it's release. The graphics have aged quite a bit, more than I thought. Mostly, it's the character that look weird.

But other than that, Oblivion features a much similar experience to that of Skyrims, but lacking some things and having others. There's no smithing involved, and the enchantment is much more limited than Skyrim's. But in Oblivion you can make your own spells and there are actually more of them.

There's "more content" in Oblivion in that there are more, but less balanced, things to do. If you go further back in the game series, there's even more of that. An example being there are plenty more alchemical ingredients in Oblivion than in Skyrim. There are more spell effects. More conjurations available.

But, one thing that "vanilla" Oblivion is lacking in is the level scaling. Bandits are easy pickings with armor when you start out, but by the time you're level 30, they are all wearing Daedric armor. If you're on the PC, I urge you to download and install any balancing mod available. Personally, I always go with Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul 1.3.

Very cool. Sometimes I wish I could start all over again.

Right on, brother...

The NPCs seem to be the most difficult to get right. I love Oblivion. And as I say above, with retexture mods it can look as good or better than Skyrim. But NPCs are still cartoonish. The proportions are wrong.

That say, if you look at NPCs in Oblivion vs unmodded (or even modded) Morrowind, you can see the major progress between TES III and TES IV. And again between TES IV and TES V (Skyrim).



Please let us know. Whether the experience is good or bad -- either way.

Many of us have been playing Oblivion for a very long time. It would be interesting to hear perspectives from someone coming from Skyrim as the first TES game.

One of my favorite things about Oblivion is the environment. Its just so calming and beautiful and it makes me want to just get lost in it. Lol I usually play it on Fridays after a long week because it can be so soothing.

You and me both, bro

I just picked up a copy today for the 360, GOTY edition, brand new, suprised they had it new at gamestop. I have beeen debating whether to get it or not, but for $20 you can't go wrong. I really enjoyed Skyrim myself and it was my first TES game. I'm installing it now, cant wait to dig in, LOL...

Which version of OOO should noobs install? I saw versions 1.32 & 1.33 from that link and noticed that 1.35 has been done elsewhere?

Also does the lite version allow you to choose which parts to use? I am interested in freezing the mob levels and items, thats all.

Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul does not freeze enemy levels and items, if by freezing you mean removing scaling and leveling. You will encounter just as much enemy and item scaling and leveling in OOO as you do in vanilla Oblivion. What OOO does differently is apply scaling and leveling with more subtlety and taste than the sledgehammer, iron-fisted, uber-control approach taken by vanilla Oblivion. In OOO the scaling of most enemies is restricted to 10 to 15 levels (i.e. a Goblin Warlord might appear at, say, level 5 and scale with the player as in vanilla Oblivion to about level 15 or 20, after which it will stop scaling).

OOO 1.33 is the version to get if you want OOO lite. The later releases, 1.34 beta 5 as well as, I believe, 1.35 public beat are full only. OOO Lite does allow you to install some of its features as optional plugins.

But if you want totally unleveled enemies and loot (which is how I interpret your word "freezing") you want http://oblivion.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=6085 for enemies and http://oblivion.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=3321 for loot. I have heard that http://oblivion.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=35265 also unlevels enemies. I don't know if it does the same for loot, as I have never used it.

Thanks that makes it much clearer I like the sound of mobs that will still scale, but a bit more controlled.

Im glad im not the only one starting out on Oblivion, hope you like it too.

It′s really fun to see new gamers entering Cyrodiil! I hope your time will be as rewarding as many here′s has been, and with hopes of countless enjoyable hours I have only this to say.

I will start playing when it arrives, hence the reason im on the forums and not in the land of Cyrodiil!
Also my gf wont be happy about this new purchase, she lost me 4 about 4months whilst in Skyrim fighting Stormcloaks and Dragons

I could never do that and get immersed at the same time. I can′t even get immersed if it′s bright outside and I′m dungeon diving. I like the idea though