I like the pausing menu for the inventory. Mostly because after a while you tend to get a huge amount of items to go trough so pausing the game is most welcome then.

As for the lock-picking mini-games in Oblivion and Fallout 3, the novelty wore of fast.

We need the game to pause when your doing all those things. Other games have tried this sorta method and they have failed when doing so. Keep the pause

That's just the thing that makes combat a bit lame imo.

Open inventory, drink a bunch of potions, switch depleted magic weapon with a 'fresh' one, browse through the scrolls... all in one split second.
I think most players automatically go for the easiest solution when they're in trouble, but surviving a though battle like that doesn't feel as much of an accomplishment imo.

I have no problems with the game pausing in the inventory and opening crates. Lock Picking should be real time though.

I voted 'game pauses' for all 3 options. I'm old and my reactions are slow, I don't need any additional challenge! I don't see any reason why these sorts of things couldn't be optional in the game settings though, I'd be fine with that of course.

Journal should pause, but picking an item and using it would make you equip the item instead of a weapon and then you'll have to "attack" with it to use it, making combat less potion junking.

Containers should pause too, as you might want to read what the things in it do before picking them up. However, opening it could have an animation that takes 1-2 seconds, maybe.

Lockpicking however should not pause the game, although this is completely controversial to what I've said before. But I'm completely happy if it does pause it too.

I hope not. There should be an ability to unpause while reading etc (y'know, just press the pause button or something) if you're just wanting to kill time, but I don't like the idea of a full no-pause inventory.

I liked when the game froze in the background.

Wouldn't suppose it's hard to make it a difficulty option and the poll kinda shows it's the best solution.

I like that the game pauses when I go into my inventory. I've played games where it doesn't and I just find it extremely annoying.

As for when looting and lockpicking I think the game should keep on rolling. it would add extra tension to being a thief.

Pause for the Inventory, and containers.
Hopefully Bethesda will realize the lock picking minigame was one of the worst ideas ever and it goes back to the vastly superior system, which would have no need to pause time.

Hah!

I think it would be much more fun if the game did not pause at all when checking inventory, spell lists, opening containers, or anything of the like. An enemy should be able to ambush me while I'm rummaging through my pack. IN STALKER, the game was only improved by the potential for a giant mutant boar to maul you while you were glancing at your P.D.A in the middle of an un-secured location.

Pausing for whenever an inventory displays (be it pause menu or a container's/corpse's/NPC's inventory), but keeping things rolling during lock picking is a great idea.

I loved how picking locks in Thief added an element of tension as you tried to get the lock to spring before a guard came back.

Also make the act of picking a lock make noise, at least until your skill level is higher. There should be some risk of you getting discovered unless you're an expert.

I just want to be able to use spells to unlock doors. First character will be a Dunmer Mage. Next character will be Wood Elf and I'll pick locks. I think it should just slow down with lock picking and menu but pause for containers and taking things off of corpses. I want to be able to read as was previously stated and have time go by, but slowly. With containers I'm just going to yank that amulet off you and run. No need to not pause.

I also have to admit that it's kinda funny that it's more difficult to pick locks that are made from medieval technology with a proper set of lock picks than it is in Fallout... where you can pick post-modern locks using improvised materials in a far shorter time and with less difficulty. I think there's a sweet spot for the lock picking mini-game somewhere between the two, but if time is going to continue during the minigame, it's imperative that we get a picture-in-picture kind of display so we're somewhat aware of our surroundings while we lockpick.

I wanna add to the list "When I read a book...".

Sometimes using the wait timer option isn't the best method such as waiting for Thoronir to close down his shop to stalk him.

Demon's Souls nicely implemented the start menu thing you mention. There is no pause in the game, ever. You must always prepare yourself ahead of time for whatever may lie before you. It makes you really consider, coupled with your relative lack of health, every option more thoroughly.

It could work in TES.

However, once boxes are open and we are going through the contents, that's a time I'd want it to pause fully. I know I kept every thing I owned in the same box behind Cloud Temple in OB for the longest time, and it took a good while to find what I was looking for. While that area was safe, I'd hate to think of what it could've been like if I were vulnerable somewhere else.

I like it when the game pauses for me when I go into a menu, just as it does when I talk to an NPC. It suits my casual play style better, as I'm far removed from twitch-gaming. However, that being said, I could probably cope with no pauses too if there's decent hotkey/shortcut support, particularly since my characters tend to be the slow, shadowy types who prefer to get the jump on enemies rather than vice versa.

I think it should pause while checking the inventory and lists. If you want to cast fireball 3 your character would just cast it, he doesn't have to go down a list to find it he just knows how to cast it. Similarly he probably knows where the item is in his inventory. One thing I would want though is using the item brings you out of pause and has an animation time. No going to inventory, drinking 5 potions, then coming out of inventory to unpause.

Well the menu is the things and the weapons that you carry on, so yea the time should slow down but not freeze, it would add more realism in the game, i mean like situtations that you should have to hide to change to a certain disguise or whatever

While I do understand the desire to avoid the advantage of being able to drink a bunch of potions and swap your weapon in a split second, I don't think I'd like this way of doing it. Although I could live with it as long as the spell menu stays paused.

I'd prefer it instead of they kept the menus paused, but put a delay on performing the action after you leave the menu. Like, if you drink a potion your character has to play an animation of pulling it out and drinking it before it takes effect, or changing a weapon will have you putting the first one away and drawing the new one. That way you'd at least be able to dodge while you're drinking, or maybe make it so you press the attack button while you're doing an inventory action it'll cancel and drop the item instead of letting enemies have free hits because your vision and movement are completely blocked by a menu.

For lockpicking: if its unpaused it would be nice to have a button to turn your head to the side and see if someone's coming so you can cancel and go hide for awhile.

But in reality you cant fight and drink potions at the same time, it just cant happen

As long as there is a pause button. U could disable it when in menus I guess.. But I like pausing in single player games

No it could happen and fairly easily. I suspect I could jump back a few feat and swig down a couple ounces in a fight without a problem. But the entire point of the animation time is so that yeah, you still would be attacking me during the drinking of the potion, just not 10 free attacks while I try to find something in there crappy inventory system. How long does it take you to grab something off your belt and bring it to your mouth, do you think you couldn't do that in a fight, do you think you couldn't keep your sword up while doing that? I suspect I could do it in a second or so and do it while defending myself to some degree. These things aren't massive I mean jeeze with bottle they can be .1 pound so what 2 ounces, it like like a thimble of liquid.

On containers and inventory, I'd like the game to Pause so I can pick things without being hounded, but instead afterwards I'd like to see my character take it's time to actualy take the stuff out of the inventory or container.

In the lock-picking-case: If we actually pick the lock like in TES4 the time should of course roll on! :wink_smile: