I play with the music turned off when I am inside anything. Outside I need that music for my beautiful vistas.
So the other day, I was in this conjurer dungeon, Battling two conjurers, who refused for some reason to advance on me across this big room. I took out my bow and started whittling them down. I use the same technique for spells as I do arrows. A simple step to the side, and you will never get hit. I can do this with two enemies for sure, with three archers or spell casters though, I DO start taking a hit every once in a while. I wait in the same spot for about half a second after they nock an arrow, then move. Kinda like a stutter step. With lightning spells, I feint one way, and then step in the opposite direction. Never fails.

So I'm sidestepping all the spells, but have you ever listened to the spells as they shoot by? Fire, frost and shock all have different sounds as they go hurtling by you (shock has two sounds: the initial sound we are all familiar with, and the secondary as it goes by you.

I just thought this was so cool, and surprised I never noticed it in full detail before. Yay Oblivion! :foodndrink:

That is neat. I guess I've never really thought about it. I like the idea of turning music off when you're inside. It's kind of a giveaway sometimes when the "fight" music comes on. Too much of a warning if you don't see the enemy already. I'd rather be surprised. I'm going to give that a try.

Playing with music on/off is one of those eternal Oblivion forum topics. I have never played without music but I′ve tried. I just need it too much, can′t go on without it
I have noticed what you described but never really thought about it. I played it out in my head now though

It certainly is those small things that raises the game even more

I love all the different sounds - however minor - in the game. Have you also noticed that it makes a different sound aghain when you're out of magicka?

I also like to play with the music on, it tells me when an enemy I can't see is chasing me.

honestly, i found spell sounds nothing great - and turning music off works horribly for me.

i am a guy who started having any interest at all in video games because of Heroes of Might and Magic I splendid music (I've always valued music highly). Though O's songs are nothing great - and quite frankly, only Morrowind's perfect main track stands as a great song by Bethesda - playing without them again is unthinkable to me.

I play with the music turned down pretty low, but still quite hearable. Then I turn up all the ambient sounds. I get the 'mood' from the music but still pick up every footstep and bird chrip.

I haven't payed much attention to the individual sounds the elemental spells make, but I notice the stereo sound when they fly by (as I dodge oncoming spells) and hit a rock or wall behind me.


Is there a separate ambient sound slider in Oblivion or are you referring to the Sound Effects slider? I know you can separately adjust the volume for footsteps, but I've never found one for background noise like birds and such. I've always wanted to turn down the ambient volume due to the cricket and grasshopper noises at night (hurts my ears) without turning down the main sound effects volume (I still like to hear weapons clash, etc).

I'm on PC. I hit escape, then options and open the audo menu in game. My options for volume setting sliders there are: Master, Voice, Effect, Footstep, Music. I have the music bumped down some and the Effect & Footstep sliders bumped up some. I imagine that the 'Effect' slider controls all the noises not covered by the more self-explanatory sliders. So I don't think you can seperate crickets from spells and sword clashes.

I've always just gone with the standard settings but now..



.. I'm gonna give that a try
Thanks

I started playing with the music off inside, because I started hating that battle music. I don't want to know what's out there. And these days, instead of walking in and knowing, and owning, I'm jumping out of my chair a lot these days... it's pretty fun.