I think it's the fact that a natural "bowl" design is a good place to build a capitol city. It's got natural protection on all borders, plus a lot of flat land in the middle for farming.

It's not even all that unearthly to have a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gobi_desert_map.png surrounded by high mountains and sea.

Hamsmaago, I'm not saying that it's a bad design choice in terms of realism and conventionalism (is that a word? ), I'm saying that it would have been nice to have mountains in the way to block my view sometimes. I mean, by all means, keep the basic bowl shape, but have a few mountains dotted around to block my absolute view of everything constantly. It really removes the awe of such awesome views.

Using cliffs as obstacles is an excellent way to make the world feel bigger. It worked really well in Morrowind.

However, if they use that same strategy in each game, to make the world seem bigger, then all of Tamriel will be a series of cliff ranges. Kind of boring, imo.

There could have been better ways achieve the same effect without ret-coning the geography of Cyrodil. If the forests were way thicker and taller. If lots of vines were hanging everywhere. If the plains around Anvil were dotted with thornbushes. If the Jerall region was more of a maze of cliffs, like you suggest, rather than one big clump in the corner. If there were way more bridges and islands in the Imperial City section. If the bridges were bright white, like in the lore, reflecting the sun and blinding your view. If there was more farmland with taller and more abundant crops.

All of these things would have created obstacles to traverse around and made the world seem bigger without having to compromise the fact that Cyrodil is a big valley.

I agree with you there, but Oblivion couldn't have handled enough trees to seem like a dense forest, imo. Not without reducing the quality of them. Which is, apparently, a bad thing now.

"they" is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAOBRXPVs7M.

And yes I understand cuts were made, but, Pseron Wyrd, you seem out to get me :shakehead: . Sure I have said some bad things, but I take it all back. I don't want to be known as this forums biggest A-hole.

Ok, now watch the whole thing again. Then tell me that that video is definate proof about anything. Todd Howards also said that Dunmer had unique voices. I guess they did. We must have missed 'em. Todd Howard said that there was actually good advanced AI. I guess we must have missed that. Todd Howard said that Sutch was in Oblivion. I guess we must have missed that too.

Seriously, do not take anything you hear in that video as solid evidence in an argument.


Oh, don't worry, that title is currently being tossed around by me, Seti, Jiub, and Sir-stabs ^_^

(Take a joke, you guys)

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that there was even a competition for the role. Nobody is a bigger a-hole than me. :chaos:

I, sir, challenge you to an a-hole duel!

Well I did say that I knew cuts were made since that video. He didn't say anything about Sutch. It was just on the map.

Obviously, what the devs say is better evidence than what anyone here says(this includes me).

Don't get me wrong, I love both landmasses in both games.