About a year ago, the only TES game I played was Morrowind. I used to roleplay and had a few good friends who did the same.
I never played Oblivion because I thought it would be too difficult to roleplay, how wrong I was. I'm dreaming up far more complex characters than I've ever done before.
Not only that, there's a fairly active group of rp'ers here who, like me, love to hear about other people's characters.

In short, I love TES, I love the community and I'm really bored sat on a curb marshalling a running race. Hoorah for 3G phones.

It is good, isn't it? I'm delighted with the progress Helena is making and that she seems to be working with you. :foodndrink:

Yes isn′t this game a treat? If you want some RP ideas, maybe you can find some http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1082413-roleplaying/page__view__findpost__p__15769275__fromsearch__1

I found that starting http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion496.jpg over again after writing about her for so long has been simply fantastic. I was a little worried about keeping the game Teresa separate from the fiction Teresa, but that has not happened at all. Instead thanks to all the world-building and character background I did in the fiction, I am seeing a completely different world than I did before. One of Teresa's first stops was Lipsand Tarn. Rather than it just being another Ayleid ruin, now Teresa walked in the same halls and Queen Tenyeminwe and her handmaiden Alessia. It has brought a whole new level of depth and wonder to the game.

Subrosa, I'm noticing this. For Helena, the Waterfront is a scary place. She see's it as a centre of crime in the city. Therefore it's very rare she goes there, and NEVER at night.

Thanks Acadian

Mirocu, I do believe I was lurking in that thread for a fair while, but I'll be sure to go check it out again.

If you are good at setting rules for yourself, Oblivion - with its very open nature - is actually really good for RPing. It is sometimes said that the game allows you to do too much - be in all 4 guilds for example - but this actually allows you the flexibility to do what you want.

One of my favourite RPs was done through a combination of gameplay and personal choices. I had a Wood Elf archer character, with a custom 'Woodsman' class. I wasn't allowed to fast travel, or own a horse, and had to sleep in camps and towns - only buying a house in Chorrol when he 'retired'. I played the game on easy which, with the game's levelling issues, makes a lot of sense. At level one, an iron arrow in the face will kill most enemies. At level 30, an iron arrow in their heavilly armoured face won't; and it takes half a dozen or more to bring down a minotaur. So it sort of balances itself out. I kept Endurance increases to a minimum so I wasn't racking up loads of health increases and was therefore vulnerable to attacks.

As you can probably tell from the above, I restricted the character to iron bows and arrows. Even the steel one felt a bit plush! I wore minimal armour; leather boots, greaves and a bracer; spawning myself in a woodsman's shirt. I also restricted myself to alchemy and illusion; not touching destruction or other such skills.

There were other things I did, but I always felt this was a good example of how the game is flexible enough for you to play however you want, while letting your imagination be the boss.

Mr Moose, that's exactly what I found. I also restrict my characters now in Oblivion since I saw people talking about it on here.

I find Oblivion simply requires more imagination to roleplay. Sometimes you'll need to create your own questlines, friendships, allegiances, anything. Personally, I'm not a fan of the vanilla Guild questlines in Oblivion, whereas (and I apologise for this next bit) I adored most of them in Morrowind. The Great House Telvanni quests in particular made my life.

But this isn't about Morrowind vs Oblivion.

I just wanted to get it out there that yes, it is possible to roleplay very interesting characters in Oblivion, and there are quite a few people here that partake in this.

I'm glad I got over my prejudice and gave Oblivion a try. Many of the Morrowind faithful would be wise to give it a go. I mean, Morrowind is my all time favourite game, and I love playing Oblivion. Yet, just over a year ago, I was a Morrowind elitist, bashing Oblivion all over the place. Don't knock it til you've tried it, is all I'm saying.

Right. Fortunately or Unfortunately, I find roleplaying in Oblivion to take imagination and restrictions. Personally I think that's unfortunate, but some might think otherwise.

So there are some common restrictions. For example, if you have a good character, only do good quests. Not the Dark Brotherhood, or some of the Daedric quests for example. Maybe visit the nine wayshrines on a regular basis. For an evil character, maybe live in the Vile Lair and do evil things.

Maybe restrict weapons or armor. Like only use Destruction, or never use Destruction.

Maybe have a personal quest, like being a Goblin fighter. Perhaps with a back story (eg Goblins killed your family).

On the PC there are mods that require eating, sleeping, and have realistic fatigue (you get winded if running up a steep hill or swinging a heavy warhammer). Also other nice roleplaying mods. Like the Linchal Home for necromancer characters.

Also maybe restrictions on stats. Like if you have a mage, never get strength up to a high level. And never go beyond a certain Chameleon or Reflect Damage percentage.

The game is an open sand box. Perhaps too open. But you can provide the boundaries.

That is to me great fun indeed. I′d rather limit myself than having others doing it for me

Exactly what Fallout New Vegas is doing with its invisble walls.