I noticed that Oblivion stores my username and some weird encoded data about my computer in a hidden file called 'levelupdata_1.txt' in the game directory.

Why your game does it and how to turn it off?
Why I was not informed that my personal data are collected and presumable uploaded to your servers without my consent?

Relax. Wait for one of the PC players to show up, I'm sure one of them could explain why.

Oblivion is not loaded up thru Steam the way Skyrim is (right?) so it doesn't seem likely this info contains spyware. :shrug: I could be wrong, but i've been reading up on subjects like this. :spotted owl:

First, the file does not store weird encoded data about your computer. It stores data about your characters (skill levels, spells learned, ect, ect).
Second, you cannot turn it off, nor should you want to. All games store data about your characters. You have never played a computer game that didn't store information about your character in a text file.
Third, I can't imagine why you would think your character's stats are being sent to one of Bethesda's servers (I play Oblivion on a computer that is not connected to the internet and my file is the same as yours).

Here is what is listed for one of my characters (I'm not sure this will retain its format once it's converted to UBB code, but here goes):

Pseron 2 Sona Adventurer The Shadow 2 Armorer Athletics Blade Block Destruction Heavy Armor Restoration 30 0.0000 30 0.0000 30 0.0000 30 0.0000 10 0.0000 10 0.0000 30 0.0000 5 0.0000 5 0.0000 5 0.0000 25 0.0000 5 0.0000 5 0.0000 25 0.0000 5 0.0000 5 0.0000 5 0.0000 5 0.0000 5 0.0000 5 0.0000 5 0.0000 40 40 50 50 50 50 25 25 25 25 40 40 45 45 55 55 84 84 155 155 100 100 92.00 200.00 692 100 0.00 "Moonshadow (00022A66),Summon Bear (001779E1),Absorb Health (000A9367),Cold Touch (000A97EF),Flare (000A97DF),Heal Minor Wounds (00000136),Shocking Touch (000A97FA),Sona Disease Resistance (03000ED4)," 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

This is all that is in your file, nothing more.

That particular file can be handy for determining the ID codes for custom made spells if you want to use the command console to delete them. That is the only thing I have ever used that file for.

(Of course, there are much better ways to delete spells than the command console. )

Indeed :yes:

http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=OblivionMods.Detail&id=1880

It contains my user name, for no apparent reason.

I don't remember allowing gamesas to gather any data about my computer or gameplay, nor I was let to opt out from participating in gathering my gameplay statistics or other data.

There is no any reason why release version of the game is collecting any data on my computer.

If it does collect it, it should be able to upload it to some server too. The game executable contains network code for no clear reason. I don't remember opting out of Oblivion to send or receive any data from Internet either.

I think Pseron Wyrd already explained what the data is, and that it isn't being uploaded anywhere. But let me re-quote in case you missed it:



The data isn't being sent anywhere. It's just recording stats about your character. Now I don't know much about technical computer things, but this seems pretty harmless to me. Pseron said his computer doesn't connect to the internet, and his file is the same. So rest assured that your data isn't going anywhere.

Sorry if I sound a little snappy, but you should read what people have put before you get on the defensive. :shrug:

...and this comment was directed at the OP, correct? The way it's placed, it looks as if it's being directed at Wyrd kinda. :whistling: that's the way it looked to me at first

Anyways OP, you seem not to listen to the PC crowd here, who know what they are talking about. Chillax, as the kids say.

I have a retail build of the game. If it does log anything, it does it intentionally, for a certain purpose.

Also, I find it hard to believe the game is not uploading anything, as Oblivion.exe, a single-player game, is linked with winsock library in obfuscated way, via ordinals. I see no any reason for a single-playing game being able to use internet connection. Therefore I conclude the game gather statistics beyound my back and use network also beypound my back.

I want to know why does it gather statistics, why does it have network access and why i was not notified about it during installation or before the first launch.

I have 1.2.0.416 SI Russian version.

*throws hands* I give up! :rolleyes: Seems like you're the expert, not sure why you're asking us, then.

Dang yeah, I just looked again. It was directed at the OP yes. And so is this:

I really don't know why they'd bother collecting your data anyway, if that is what is happening at all. I can't see how it would be useful to them. If it makes you happy, I guess you can carry on believing there's a massive conspiracy here. It's clear nothing we say will change your mind. :shrug:

It′s kinda funny, the OP states he′s afraid of the game sending information via the internet. Windows and its applications does it continuosly, at least Windows Media Player if you don′t disable it in some obscure location. Doesn′t that bother you?

[img]http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/photos/images/original/000/131/351/eb6.jpg?1307463786[/img]

:lmao: Probably just overly concerned, paranoid, etc. :wacko:

Anyone else seeing this hidden file? I've got my computer set to show hidden files, and there's nothing like this for Oblivion. Not that I'm worried, since if they really meant to steal private info, they'd encrypt it before sending it anywhere instead of leaving it as a textfile.

It is not hidden. It is just a plain text file in your base Oblivion directory. Back before I started using the Spell Delete mod, I referred to it plenty of times get the IDs of custom spells I wanted to delete through the console. I might start going back to doing that too, since Spell Delete has a penchant for deleting my Heal Minor Wounds spell every time I use it.

That has never happened to me :blink:

I learned of this file while studying the UESP section on console commands to delete custom spells. I quote UESP:

'First, go into My Computer and to the directory C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion and find the file LevelUpData_1 - open this in Wordpad (not Notepad).'

Dunno if that is of interest or help. :shrug:

Edit: Oops. Ninja'd by SubRosa.

Ok Mr.Conspiracy, this should put a damper on your worries: Bethesda has been done with Oblivion for about 5 years now. There's no "gathering" of information, or anything silly like that. ALL PC games record data like that. It is there for your review for whatever reason.

No such file on my machine. I'm pretty familiar with my Oblivion directories, nothing's hidden, and I've just done a thorough search. Perhaps it has to do with the copy of the game that's installed. The character info might be under a different filename. Honestly? It doesn't matter.

Of course, it's always possible various governments are monitoring our characters to make sure they get up to no nefarious activities in Cyrodil. You never know. :whistling:

You want a game to not store any information at all? Then have fun making a new character every time you load the game.

That text file contains all the information about your current character when you level up. What's it used for? Debugging more than anything. It lists all the local form IDs (so FFxxxxx IDs created from within the save) so that the developers could see any spells, items etc that have been added since the last level up. It can have your username in it too. Why? Because that's where your saves are saved, in your documents folder.

To call Oblivion spyware, to say that it's uploading this information is absurd. Even if it did upload it, there's nothing identifiable in there AT ALL. Unless Bethesda have a strange desire to know exactly what spells and items you've gained since the last level up :rolleyes:

I've seen you reply to others who've said the same, and you seem to just blatantly ignore them. If you're trolling, then whatever. If you're serious however, then quit being paranoid. There are people here (I'd like to say myself included) who know a HELL of a lot about the engine of this game and how it works. If you ask for help or an explanation and then dismiss it, there's no point even asking us.

This is the answer to the OP's concern (assuming it was a real concern.) Since there can be multiple users on any individual system, the game needs to have a local file that directs it to the correct user's document folder.

If there was a slap emote, I'd sure use it right now. I think you can trust them. And I also think you need to take a heavy dose of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haldol -_-

Actually, I just found the file! It does seem suspicious. The contents read: "Is going fine. Kill all Oblivion players. Also, kill Moose and Squirrel." :stare:

This is a good point too. If I open it in Notepad, it call comes out in Japanese. While it is in English in Wordpad or Firefox. I guess because of worldwide conspiracy of ninja software developers.