I got a new Xbox this week and read that Oblivion is the best open world RPG for the xbox. I played Oblivion a little tiny bit on the PC and found it just ok because I was not really looking for an RPG at the time, but now I am - to fully enjoy with a beer and some snacks on the couch of a Friday night (all night). I love open world games that let me do whatever I want, and I love skill based systems - this seems a good title for that. I am not sure how to go about getting into the game, do I buy absolutely everything for it - all DLC, xpacs etc or no? Do I make a char and do the story line - not a big fan of story line - I like to make my own story of the game. Usually I like to wander exploring and growing in power and in the end I like to complete the story when I have reached max power. I also like to item collect and find rare and hard to acquire items.

Any tips on getting the most out of what I anticipate to be an epic experience are requested and highly welcome.

Cheers.

hi Xukiza,


I think XBox can NOT download mods (maybe theres a way, but I only own a PC that can barely play Oblviion).

first off: there IS a main story, but the good thing is u can just toss it aside and won't affect ur gameplay.

second, u can build ur chap anyway u want (magic, combat, stealth, a mix of some or of all, etc...), join every guild, collect artifacts - it is very open indeed.

third - and most important - read this site:

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Oblivion

specially in what concerns skills, races, birthsigns and leveling.

My advice to u do NOT be tempted to tie ur gameplay to 'the best possible' or 'most efficient way', etc... experiment the various facets of the game. it will take some time till u find what approach is more fun to u. If later on u wanna build the super-uber-extra-efficient kick-a$$ dude, u will know better how to.

Godd luck

Just do whatever, I'm not an expert, but starting off, I think its better to start off with some l33t, uber guy, that does everything, just to get a feel of whats on offer and what to do.
If I were you, I'd make two characters (maybe thats just cause I have chronic restart-itis), one Ub3r guy, and one char that is just for you to RP with. If you're strapped for ideas, people here aren't, so ask them, or there is http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Roleplaying_Ideas.

Welcome home!!!

Get the GOTY version. You will have two extra expansions, Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles. KOTN is more of an extended quest. SI is a whole nother world. Also, the GOTY fixes many bugs. I do not have Live, but have heard that horse armor is crap, and spell tomes, battlehorn and frostcrag whatever are very good.

Many npcs will want you to rush into the Main Quest, like, yesterday. Do not listen to them. You can pick up at any time, or do as I do these days, only get it going to a point, so I can get high end loot from Oblivion Gates.... or never ever start it. The game will not end after the Main Quest. Most of my characters live in this land (think role-play) my longest character played was two years. Sounds like you will love it.

This game is meant to be replayed. At least that is what I've done, now with 12 full game characters. :blush: My first character failed horribly and I kept dying. I remade it after several levels and it was a little better. After a while, you will understand the mechanics of the system, I love it, but I do not power game, my skills level as I use them. My first full character did everything. All other characters do not, as it is not plausible to me anymore to be head of the fighters, mages, thieves, etc, all at the same time. My characters these days do no remarkable things, as they don't want to be recognized on the street.

Sky is the limit. Have a good time, and try to avoid spoiling yourself.... the first time is best left unspoiled. :foodndrink: Damn, I miss my first time playing.

First character, in my eyes, should be something that you are able to have fun with. And better to go into Cyrodiil, not knowing anything but this hint. If the game feels a bit too hard, there is a difficulty slider, which, there is no shame adjusting it, until you feel it is perfect. And besides, you can always adjust it anytime, even in mid fight.
Thats what I did and loved it. What I wouldn't give to be able to have that feeling one more time.

Welcome!

As stated above, getting all the game mechanics/skills and such down wont be immediate. Your first character will by no far be "perfect", but that is the whole point of learning how to play. My first character was a pure warrior who did all the quests and guilds, to get a feeling of the game. My first characters skills were all out of wack, because at the time, I had no clue what I was doing. But after some time on the bad characters, I have learned and become better at making charcters.

If you roleplay in this game, it will make the experiance much much better, and you can play that same character almost endlessly (I know of people with 500+ hours on the same character, and they still show no signs of stopping).

You by no means have to complete the main quest in the beggining, heck, with my newer characters I dont touch those quests until atleast lvl 15+. You can have fun if you dont do the main quest at all, thats what makes free roam games enjoyable, you arent stuck to a certain quest line.

There are literally thousands of character builds you can come up with, another thing that makes this game amazing.

And yes, the oblivion wiki is AMAZING, even the most advanced players still use it.

GL and HF :foodndrink:

Well it depends on if you like going through Oblivion gates or not. I personally did not so I rushed through the plot to get them to get off the map. If you like them you can explore the land for them and close them. Most of the other things just depend on how you would like to play.

Wandering is fine. Growing in power, well, that can be a problem. Oblvion's levelling system is idiosyncratic so levelling unwisely can lead to a loss in power. Levelling itself does nothing for you - you'll be facing tougher enemies. At level up you get a 10% health increase (magicka increases are NOT automatic - you must increase your Intelligence to get more magicka) and you'll be allowed to increase three of your attributes. How much you can increase an attribute depends on how many skill increases you've gotten in its governed skills (either major or minor) during that level. 2 skill increases = +2 points attribute increase, 5 skill increases = +3 attribute increae, 8 skill increases = +4 attribute increase and 10 or more skill increases = +5 attribute increases. So to get "good" attribute bonuses you have to increase minor skills quite a lot since 10 major skill increases levels you. I recommend you don't worry about attribute raises that much for your first character or two, but it's good to understand how the system works.

Health is based on your Endurance and health is your character's most important stat. The second most important is your magicka (unless you're a dedicated non-caster) which depends 1) on your race - altmer get the most, bretons the 2nd most - your birthsign, and your Intelligence. You get 2 points magicka per point of INT.

Oh, yeah, speaking of power, magic (casting, enchantments and alchemy) is the road to power in this game.

Mara

Edit: Wanted to add that while you can do quests at any time, including the Main Quest, the longer you wait the tougher (and usually but not always more rewarding) quests get.

Please consult the guide I wrote in my signature, it is linked and directed at newcomers. It will help you understand everything and create a nice character.

Of pretty much everything in the whole game, I enjoyed playing Shivering Isles the most. You'll probably want to get the expasion pack, because it really really REALLY is worth playing over and over and over again. Oblivion itself is nice, but I can hardly remember what it was like vanilla... I've modded so much. Get your character leveled up a bit in Cyrodiil and try out Shivering Isles. Pure awesomeness! The Dark Brotherhood-questline is also really nice, especially if you're not in to that "saving the world"-crapstuff.

( :whistling: )

oh no - Troyatz used the "c"-word in front of a newbie!

Awesome - thanks for all the good posts - really helpful. I bought the Game of the Year Edition for my XBox and will be getting into it today. I will probably download a few of the extras from xbox live also - the ones already suggested. In terms of "saving the world crap" - yea - not for me unless it becomes so easy I do it by accident. I enjoy games that understand that it is nice to offer a main quest to those who enjoy that, but that there are many others who want to experience a world in their own way, using quests as a tool, rather than as a path. Maybe today I feel like rescuing the princess in distress, and maybe tomorrow I decide to burn the tower to the ground with her in it. Either way it should be my choice.

I don't want for a game to tell me a story, it is not necessary, I want it to give me the tools to create an experience that I enjoy over and over again - this is the mark of genius in gaming. It's sad so many companies no longer understand or never understood how to do that. I already have great movies for when I want to watch a story or I can read many wonderful books. When I game I want the experience to utilize the full extent of the interactive nature of the medium and the immersive nature of the medium to create for me a world to call my own and make my own story in.

/rant

I am looking forward to getting into Oblivion today and appreciate all the help.

Well, maybe crap was the wrong word choice there. Hihi... I personally don't have a hero complex or a dire need to save everyone etcetc, but the Oblivion main quest is really well done in terms of enjoyment. You don't have to enjoy being the hero in order to love running around in Oblivion gates and stuff, because they're just cool like that. And the loot in there is cool and the creatures you get to kill in there are cool and the Sigil Stones are cool (and useful) and the surroundings in the Oblivion gates are just _COOL_.

So... even if you don't usually do the saving the world-bit, Oblivion's MQ is really worth a shot. Just 'cuz it's cool in every way, even without the added bonus of becoming a super epic hero or whatnot.

Well, you have come to the right place. Not only can you Save the World or Not as you choose, you can save it (or not) at your own pace. And once you've finished Saving it, you can continue about your business. Or pleasure.

Mara