Oblivion played better, but Morrowind "Felt" better. : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Wed Aug 25, 2010 1:53 am

By the way, I would argue about the sense of urgency too at the beginning. You're given a package, to give to somebody and you've been told how this is Emperor's orders and very important. After that things get more relaxed, I agree.

With this you're making a lot of sense. But it still wasn't as emotionally urgent to deliver the package because it was obviously just a package. The Amulet of Kings was personally handed to you by the Emperor just before you watched as he was assassinated.

It's just that everybody goes how everything is more open at the very beginning but really, Oblivion is just as open if you ignore the main quest.

"If you ignore the main quest" is the part that makes your position completely ridiculous. Oblivion's introduction is designed to thrust you into the main quest and only the most rare of character types could reasonably justify ignoring the Emperor's last wish that you go find his heir.

Personally, I don't care if we get another emotionally charged introduction, I actually enjoyed that part of the Oblivion story. But we really need a role-playing way to take a pause and explore the world before being shoved all the way to the end of a linear main quest.

The pace of the story in Morrowind was too slow for many people, but the pace in Oblivion was too rushed. Hopefully Skyrim will find the happy middle spot. But if there aren't any points in the story of the main quest where you have a reasonable role-playing reason to do some side quests, then I will consider it a very flawed "open world" game.

» Wed Aug 25, 2010 5:38 am

With this you're making a lot of sense. But it still wasn't as emotionally urgent to deliver the package because it was obviously just a package. The Amulet of Kings was personally handed to you by the Emperor just before you watched as he was assassinated.

"If you ignore the main quest" is the part that makes your position completely ridiculous. Oblivion's introduction is designed to thrust you into the main quest and only the most rare of character types could reasonably justify ignoring the Emperor's last wish that you go find his heir.

Personally, I don't care if we get another emotionally charged introduction, I actually enjoyed that part of the Oblivion story. But we really need a role-playing way to take a pause and explore the world before being shoved all the way to the end of a linear main quest.

The pace of the story in Morrowind was too slow for many people, but the pace in Oblivion was too rushed. Hopefully Skyrim will find the happy middle spot. But if there aren't any points in the story of the main quest where you have a reasonable role-playing reason to do some side quests, then I will consider it a very flawed "open world" game.

Would be nice to be in the middle.

» Tue Aug 24, 2010 1:50 pm

no one is claiming Morrowind had no flaws what so ever, the point is Morrowinds -feel- was much more apparent, it was -there- akin to Oblivion's....blandness, I still think to this day had Beth kept to lore, Oblivion would be BRIMMING with its own distinct and true to TES feel, undoubtedly.

that said I also feel, if one puts away preconceptions and accepts Oblivion as is, one will find it has its glimmer too

Oblivion sure have a large amount of all required playfullness, that in the end equals an exelent game.

I don't think Oblivion having lore simply be "there" would have helpt it much. Morrowind is drenched in it. It's a horrible place full of narrow minded idiots. You couldn't walk two meters without getting a rasist remark about yourself or another. They stuff their values down your neck at all times. Guess what, it works. It doesn't take you (as a player) long to be absorbed by Morrowind completely. Oblivion was far away from achieving that.

I can say that I think the art style in Morrowind are superior to Oblivion. With a straight face, mind you.

» Tue Aug 24, 2010 11:45 pm

I can say that I think the art style in Morrowind are superior to Oblivion. With a straight face, mind you.

As do I. Everything in Morrowind felt solid and compact. NPCs were built with very angular features, like Greek god statues. Interiors felt very cold, perhaps in part due to the reduced amount of ambient lighting usage compared to in Oblivion. I really liked this subdued, dreamy feeling. In Oblivion, buildings and NPCs seem so smushy and "inflated" compared to their rigid Morrowind counterparts. The bricks in fortress and city walls look like they're made of plastic or cake icing, whilst Morrowind's looked worn and smoothed after years of exposure to the elements. Whilst wearing armor, both the male and female characters in Oblivion have formless, almost tube-shaped bodies. The field of view must've been smaller in Oblivion or something, because everything felt bigger and closer to the screen. I'm hoping they do away with this in TES V and strive to make things look "edgier" again.

Oh, and Morrowind seemed to have more tapestries and other exotic decor. I grew tired of staring at those Photoshop-filtered screenshots that they called "paintings" in Oblivion.

» Wed Aug 25, 2010 5:45 am

As do I. Everything in Morrowind felt solid and compact. NPCs were built with very angular features, like Greek god statues. Interiors felt very cold, perhaps in part due to the reduced amount of ambient lighting usage compared to in Oblivion. I really liked this subdued, dreamy feeling. In Oblivion, buildings and NPCs seem so smushy and "inflated" compared to their rigid Morrowind counterparts. The bricks in fortress and city walls look like they're made of plastic or cake icing, whilst Morrowind's looked worn and smoothed after years of exposure to the elements. Whilst wearing armor, both the male and female characters in Oblivion have formless, almost tube-shaped bodies. The field of view must've been smaller in Oblivion or something, because everything felt bigger and closer to the screen. I'm hoping they do away with this in TES V and strive to make things look "edgier" again.

Oh, and Morrowind seemed to have more tapestries and other exotic decor. I grew tired of staring at those Photoshop-filtered screenshots that they called "paintings" in Oblivion.

Lol would you rather them get an actual painter to paint then.
JK

But yea. I agree here.