Hello, I am new here, but not new to Elder Scrolls. I have played Morrowind and Oblivion (but have not finished either I'm embarassed to admit). Often I will get tired of a game before it is done and move on. But right now I am playing Morrowind again, started with a new character now that I know more of what I want: I'm a Breton/Spellsword and that seems to fit me well.

So here's why I am writing:
In Morrowind, you start out with low skills, of course, so it makes even a rat a bit of a challenge to kill. Run into a powerful wizard or a skilled fighter... you don't stand a chance! In Oblivion, your opponents level with you. As you become more skilled, so do the opponents you have to deal with.

Personally, I really don't like that feature. A friend thought I was crazy to not like it, but here's why:

When you are starting out, small enemies should be a challenge. you don't know yet how to fight very well, and spell casting is still in its infancy too. If you run into a powerful enemy, they should be able to squash you like a gnat! My first time thru Morrowind I encountered a strong villain while still only level 6 or something. I reloaded and went back in again and again trying new strategies until I finally defeated him. That was great! Or the option is to go play for a while and level up, then come back later to exact revenge and/or reap any rewards. Done that too. It's satisfying! You can see how much your skill has improved and feel proud of yourself. By this time you know you are great with, say, a longsword, but can't hit a tree with a bow and arrow.. In Oblivion, no matter how good you get, your enemies increase in difficulty. I find it frustrating that it's no easier to kill the same enemy at Level 23 than it was at Level 8. It's just wrong and totally doesn't make sense. With advanced skills and so much practice and experience, I want to be able to kill a rat just by looking at him and laughing. I still run into plenty of skilled warriors and mages to keep it plenty interesting. If I want more challenge I pull out an ax or blunt weapon that I'm not all that good with and work on improving those skills. I think the leveling up in Oblivion takes away from a lot of the satisfaction of achievement found in Morrowind. I found it frustrating to the point that I chose to replay an older game instead of Oblivion this time around and am not sure I ever want to continue with Oblivion. What's the point if my character can't get significantly better no matter how much I practice?

So I do have a question: Skyrim. Do your enemies level up as you do like in Oblivion, or is it like Morrowind? I have a feeling I'm not going to like the answer since it was supposed to be an "improvement". But I'd like to know if I should spend the money or not.

Another issue with Morrowind versus Oblivion. I like to arrange my stuff in my house and organize my spoils of war. I keep all my herbs on shelves near the table with my alchemy equipment, etc. And I like to collect candles and lamps-- especially one's that flicker!-- and put them in my house! It's a great effect! Not only is it "pretty" (I'm female and I like pretty things.), but it really adds that feel that you're walking into the home of a mage! If I am battle weary I can go home, kick off my shoes, put on a robe and make potions or decorate, and prep for my next quest. On the other hand, it was a ##$#%% in Oblivion to arrange things or place things on shelves. This feature is also important enough to me, combined with the battle issue, that I probably won't ever finish Oblivion. Does anyone else decorate? ... and can you tell me if it's doable in Skyrim?

Thanks for listening!
Karlirah