In Oblivion, a big problem was combat was that few monsters/creatures had forward attack animations. By forward attack animations, I mean ones that can be executed while chasing after the player, like the Mountain Lion, Clannfear, and bear. Most monsters didn't have these, most glaringly in the wolf, which is contradictory to its nature. Some monsters had such slow standing attack animations that the player could take down entire groups of them while walking backwards and using a reasonably long weapon (like a longsword), taking little or no damage. In addition, attacking enemies slows or pushes them back, making it more difficult for the monster to hit the player. The real problem is not the speed at which the player can back-pedal, but the complete absence of the forward attack animation in many monsters.

My fear is that Bethesda takes the approach that slowing back-peddling will solve this, in lue of adding the animations. Whats really needed is the ability for monsters to effectively maintain an offensive and force the player.

Well the backpedaling issue has been fixed imo with it regardless of frontal attacks and all the other information in Skyrim ishttp://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1158506-skyrim-information-compilation/ if you haven't read it. As for forward attacks, I'm sure there will be plenty of creatures in the game with forward strikes.

They have confirmed that the running backpedal has been removed in the GI interview. I'm pretty glad. Dark Messiah didn't have the running backpedal or running strafing, and I thought it worked pretty well.

Its not the running, its the lack of the attack animations. After you play for a while and get used to the monsters and the attack signs, you can back up just in time to avoid the attacks even while walking. Playing Nehrim, I can kill large groups of monsters just walking, not running. The only ones I have trouble beating in this fashion are the three mentioned in the OP.

oh yes, good times.

i remember killing a rediculous amount of rad-scorpions this one time in new vegas with a machete . i just circled them spamming, my skill was bad so i ended up breaking two weapons doing this.



didnt save me from the giant radscorpion after the fight though :sadvaultboy:

Today in Oblivion I ran away from a minotaur, faster than me of course, for no reason other than that even it caught me, it had to stop, attack, and then start running again.

Definitely needs a forward attack, I agree OP.

Yes, I would like more varied animations for the enemies.

Wolves should pounce on you and knock you to the ground, instead of just stopping and swiping you with their paw (?).