There were improvements beyond the dice-roll vs scaled-damage changes. Combat was more fluid due to NPCs actually moving around, guards and other friendly NPCs would actually help (or try to) if you're being attacked, you could get special abilities (dodges, disarm attacks, paralyze attacks) by leveling up your skills...


You no longer have to switch between "melee" and "casting" stances. Spells didn't risk failing at crucial moments.


The arrows work on physics, which allows for much better aiming. Arrows will also properly react to the environment (bounce off stone, stick in grass or wood) and can be retrieved. Zoom perk.


I think you need to pay more attenition to Oblivion's NPCs. Each and every one has a 24 hour schedule. They have some place to sleep, some place to eat, and some place to wonder durring daylight hours. They open and close their shops, will talk amongst themselves (which is also a way to learn about new topics and quests), and know when it's appropriate to offer services (eg, you won't be able to buy spells from a mage that's sitting down to eat dinner). Some NPCs will even physically travel between cities as part of their normal routine.


They can talk amongst themselves and know who their friends are. They're more snappy at people they don't like, while more chatty with people they do like. And if you attack someone, your friends will help you, while their friends will attack you and your friends.

I disagree. I think it helps in a couple of different ways, for different types of players.

First off, for all those who cringe at the notion of level scaling in the game world, and want to reach a point where they feel all-powerful, I think once a certain level is achieved for those players and the right combination of perks are unlocked and used in unison, then they might actually be able to achieve that which they so desperately desire.

Secondly. Customization and advancement through perks is good. The deeper, the better. It represents growth in your character and is especially good if that growth translates into something tangible that you can see or feel on screen in your characters actions.

Good explanation.

Good for you posting this topic- pessimism helps nobody, at least optimism cheers people up

and there was only ONE Dungeon designer for oblivion?!?! hmy:

But yes- we'll have lots more choice. Although in effect that saying is useless- because you always have a choice no mattter what.

Where did you read about 20 small towns? I know there are only 5 cities...

Agreed entirely, OP! The gameplay sounds like it'll be a lot more natural and in depth than Oblivion. Also, I cite Fallout: New Vegas having less skills than FO3, yet being the obviously more immersive game, as proof that less skills does not have to mean less fun.

It was in one of the mags that came out recently, check the french and Italian threads.

There is definitely more than this, even. The list is too long to write, but I agree (with OP)

The skills, perks and two-handed combat is really great actually. That stuff sounds good to me and not dumbed-down at all, and I say that as an old PC gamer and fan since Daggerfall.

The streamlined, dumbed-down stuff I am more worried about is in the areas of travel, choice and consequence and quest design.

Yes, in my opinion their goal is clearly to give us more character differentiation/specialization, world variety, and detail than Oblivion gave us. And I loved Oblivion, so if they can achieve all of that (which was basically all I felt it lacked,) then I believe Skyrim could be a high point in the TES series.

This is not entirely accurate as OB perks your given at set skill level FO perks you choose at set skill level, the perks are leveled to one or more skills so you would for example, to choose a theoretical 'paladin' perk, you'd need to be skill level 25 in restoration and 25 in two handed weapons. so really youve still earned them, its just like if they had given you the choice which order you learned your power attacks in. Its the same as OB, yet better, just as long as there are enough perks that are leveled well and fit the game world it will be great

I think that everything Bethesda has learned from their past games will come to fruition in Skyrim. I have a feeling that it will be the best game I have ever played to date. Goodbye social life. :wavey:

My problem tends to be a worry that they might be too ambitious and end up cutting some of the wrong things. It also worries me because ive seen in general that more options leads to more chance of problems, which are always over a wider area when consolidation happens. I have the kneejerk reaction to 'limited' skills, but generally see this as a good thing...

I just wish they had taken my idea, to combine Mercantile and Speechcraft into a single skill, since they basically are the same thing and neither is really worth taking as a major skill at this point.

I also dont mind all too much the perks and stuff. Ive heard a lot of people say this'll make it too much like Fallout 3. TO them Id reply "Play Fallout 2 and Morrowind. The games have an *astounding* amount in common as far as mechanics go." So no reason I should be botherd by it happening again

I fully expect to set aside 2 months for this game, just as I did for OB.

This new info about 75% of quest changing depending on what you do is very interesting, I often don't reply much of the quests but this could really make me want to, sounds really cool.

I think it would be like in FO3, so perks require some perquisites like having at least an amount of their corresponding skill, or another perk, but if those perquisites are met, you can either select a new perk for the skill, or if available select an upgraded for of one of the perks that you currently have, just like in FO3, or FONV.

So I think that there are more perks available for each skill than 8-10 perks that we had thought before, maybe even up to 10-20 perks for each skill, and some of then are upgraded versions of another perk.

Then how would a new star light up? they said a new star lights up when you pick a perk. Either way I will assume I am right, but if I am wrong, great!

I would say indeed, but I did not have a social life to begin with. I got a cat, that's good enough.