What the wise coffee said.

However, there are instances where I wouldn't mind it, such as a lockpick minigame which works with skill checks.

But anything like the [censored] speech mini game is a no no. I'm sure Beth won't make that mistake again (serious).

I am all for the lockpicking one as long as it is more stat based. It really does not bother me if it is not though. I just enjoy the lockpicking minigame in all of their games. I don't like mini games where you play to get money like in New Vegas but as long as it is not a must then I have no issue with it.

If they had to do a persuasion mini game then maybe have it like the hacking mini game in Bioshock 2. That was pretty simple and seems like it could work for that.......the one they had for Oblivion was horrible and pointless. If they did implement something like that don't have it in every single conversation. Only have it in some where it would actually serve a purpose and also tie it in to your stats.

I suppose if it is done well and fits nicely into the lore, and is optional; then I suppose I don't mind.

Otherwise.... No.

No, all the minigames in oblivion were terrible!

This is the problem. I don't understand all you naysayers. Minigames make the world believable and are a nice distraction from what can become the monotonous patterns of a game. The problem in Oblivion is that they were implemented in the wrong places and absolutely poorly.

I vote yes. Of course I want minigames. Why would I not want more sandbox things to do? But I also want them to be half decent, and I want a better balance between stats and player skill than in Oblivion. I should be able to attempt to pick any lock no matter my lockpicking skill, and I'm happy for this to be done in minigame format, but boy should the minigame be ****ing difficult if I have 5 lockpick skill.

Edit: To expand on that, attributes should affect everything. Do some arm wrestling in the tavern? You won't have much chance without any strength. Playing blackjack (or ye olde equivalent)? Hope you've been levelling your luck.

I don't really see how the minigames make the world more believable - an example of Fallout 3/NV where you open an electronic door with a bobbypin and a screwdriver... hardly believable - as the goal of the minigame can be achieved without them too. Minigames also make a nuisance out of themselves in the long run, they're just busywork for the player. And the problem with minigams and difficulty (even if more statbased) is that they're never fair to the players, while simple skillchecks are always fair. There are always those who think the minigame scheme is too hard, those who think it's too easy and just tedious busywork and those who don't care. A good example was in a videointerview/presentation of New Vegas where Tess had hard time opening a very hard lock braking pin after pin, she then gave the controller to Josh, who barely looked at what he was doing and opened it in few seconds. If the minigame is too easy, why is there to bother the player - if it's too hard despite the characterskill being maxed out, it just feels wrong. Skillchecks don't have this problem, they're always as succesful as the player makes them to be.

I do agree about attributes having an effect on everything, though.

Maybe the game should ask the player's gender first so that female players can be given an easier time.

:turned:

Here's waiting for the feminists to invade this thread.

I don't mind a few well-implemented mini-games, especially where they reflect actual "games", like cards or betting on guar races, etc.

The lockpick mini-game was a decent idea, but poorly implemented in OB, because the difficulty was barely affected by the skill of the character, aside from the number of tumblers falling if you screwed up. Problem is, a player with good manual dexterity and reflexes almost NEVER screwed up, while anyone with slow reflexes or unsteady hands couldn't do it at any skill level. If the speed and "sweet spot" of the individual tumblers were affected by the DIFFERENCE between the lock's difficulty and your lockpicking skill (and NOT in 25 point increments), then it might have been good and entertaining, without making the skill irrelevant. An easy lock would be exactly that for any character (and player) with even a shred of skill, and a diffiult lock would gradually go from impossible to easy as your skills grew. Player dexterity would give you an "edge", not a blank check to steal everything behind lock and key in the game at level 1 (not that there was anything worth stealing at L1). With a little work, I would have no objections to such a mini-game in TES.

The Speechcraft mini-game was absolutely awful, ill conceived, badly designed, and totally unrelated to what it was supposed to represent. If I expressed my opinion of it truthfully and accurately here, I'd get a warning from the moderators. Such an abomination should be removed from the existing game by a special patch and replaced with an apology for having put it there in the first place. The FIRST mod I added to Oblivion was Speechcraft Overhaul, to replace the Speechcraft mini-game with Persuasion skillchecks.

There are minigames in oblivion Lockpick minigame etc.

Mini games are a great addition but only if they're optional! Like some card games or maybe racing or even archery competitions and things like that as long as they dont really have a huge affect on the outcome of the game. It'd be fun to win a competition and get a little extra money on the side and for a little while if you talk to the npc you beat have recognize you as that amazing archer or unfairly lucky guy. Nothing game changing just a fun break from what is sure to be an intense rpg. Also seems like this would make it more realistic as people do actualy compete and gamble.

A betting mini-game in bars would be nice. Considering speechcraft and lockpicking, I loved how they did it in fallout 3.

Do I want minigames? Maybe, depends on how they will be implemented. If they're going to add minigames, I hope it will be a good balance between player and character skills.

Bring on the Knucklebones!

What is that??

I'm not vehemently opposed to mini-games, either as asides like arena or tavern gambling or as a part of skills, but I'd caution against their use because they generally don't live up to the hype or cost of developing them. Such was the case with Oblivion... The arena betting system was fine, but pointless; the lockpicking was passable, but I always skipped it; and the speechcraft implementation was laughable. None of them added to my enjoyment of the game in the slightest sense.

You had a choice in oblivion between character skill and player skill. I always took the dice roll because I was horrible at the mini game. I don't care what mini games they add as long as you can opt for the character skill check.

I don't see why not...

Yah the lockpicking game was fun.. Id rather not see an auto % otherwise it would be easily exploited by reloading game until it works.

I like that idea......you can do the mini game or hit a button if you skill is high enough.

Everyone knows Nords are gonna want to gamble. You should be able to join in and make a little money on the side, but it is really unimportant i think.

It was once an RPG, you mean...back when lockpicking was a skill check.

I agree with most of this post. Lockpicking is enough.

Make lockpicking take real time unpaused. If their is a orc smacking you with a hammer you should automatically get knocked down and exit the mini game.

If your lock pick skill is lower than the level requred you can attempt but it is nigh impossible to pick but still a chance. When your at corresponding level you can do all right. If its over it its practically simple and no sweat.

And I remember in oblivion you could just press a button to auto lockpick, if they improve on the outcomes and skill requirements on this everyone wins.
A new system for persuasion definately. Rather have skill checks. But instead of just one option have as many speech options possible.

List of choices include:

lie/deception
seduce
bribe
insult
joke
mercantile like speech/mercantile speech checks
boast
threaten
etc....

Some ancient form of playing dice

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knucklebones

This