As some of you might know vanilla Oblivion had a compass that could:
1) find locations ridiculously far away from you
2) determine the type of location it was
3) create a map marker for any quest, even if the quest itself is to follow clues to find a certain something

What are your thoughts on this?

I say the distance at which it can find a location and determine its type should be drastically reduced, or at least based on your line of sight and distance from the location. The same goes for determining the type of location. As for the quest marker I really think it should be possible to remove it from at least the compass so that it doesn't act as a huge spoiler/giveaway until you open up your map. Giving the option to turn it off everywhere would be nice too though.

I want to burn it with my flamethrower spell :flamethrower:

I turned the 'points of interest' marker off on the very day I got Fallout 3 (Thanks Darn) and it make the game a lot more interesting to explore. You never know if there's something around that corner...

:flamethrower: [compass]

Any questions?

I say have it be an option, pleases both parties and reduces the angry fan [censored] in Bethesda's mail box.

It was fine, if bethesda removed it then they would have to add in the dialogue and additional voice acting required to actually do quests. This solution is easier and allows them to focus on making funner quests.

Although a toggle would be fine, worked in fable.

Optional. Why the heck would you want to torch it? It'd just scare away the newbs from bying the next Elder Scrolls, meaning BSW' budget will shrink. Optional is just better...

1) find locations ridiculously far away from you

I like this, I see it as something you character has seen and the compass shows you where it is. If that makes any sense.

2) determine the type of location it was

This is unnecessary and should be removed.

3) create a map marker for any quest, even if the quest itself is to follow clues to find a certain something.

PURGE IT WITH HOLY FIRE!

Optional.
I certainly don't want to use it.
I ended up putting black tape over that part of the screen, until a mod came out to disable the arrow and markers.

The quest marker wasn't created by the "Magic Compass". It wasn't actually a magic compass in the game, people just call it that because you could follow it to the map marker. Quest markers should remain in the game but not be placed inside a dungeon to point out a specific NPC or item. It should just be placed at a location to show where the general area of the objective is. If your looking for a wandering NPC, then it shouldn't have a marker and instead it should give you the schedule of the person your looking for. Magic compass doesn't need to return but Quest markers do so that we can find out where the location is without having to flip in and out of the journal to make sure where we are on the map and what the exact directions said again, that was really annoying...

Seeing as how Skyrim is HUDless, you don't have to worry about following a magic compass. There will be however and normal compass in your menu to show you which way is north and what not.

Thy will be done! :bowdown:

Torch it.
Only the Fallout 3/NV enemycompass comes close to being as annoying a feature.
Simple map markers to the general area should be enough - leave some resposibility to the player too (other than running and swinging a weapon).

Making it optiional just gives the devs a reason not to give us decent directions, like in Oblivion where we had little to none.

Torch it. Give us a simple compass, much like in Morrowind, and that's it.

If it goes, there needs to be a way of giving decent directions. There's no way it can be optional really, either you have it, or you dont.

Personally I would prefer it gone, but I dont expect it to go, and I understand why it stays.

Yeah, it was very annoying to open up the map again and again. But doesn't the compass already show where you are supposed to be headed? Say, you open the map and turn in the direction your objective is at and memorize the compass's needle's position and go forward correcting it at times. Could work...

I didn't mind the compass itself, or the ability to place my own markers which appear on the compass. I hated the quest marker because it wasn't optional. It's no fun to have to set that to some other quest to make sure it doesn't ruin the one you're on and then have to think about it whenever you see the red mark.

I voted to make it optional.

I was going to make a new thread, but this kind of fits in here.

Detect Life spell. In addition to making a pink cloud (I sure hope they've revamped that effect) surround any creatures, I think it would be useful for the spell to put "tick" marks on the compass. In OB I constantly cast the spell but then end up running in circles when I know there is a creature around because I can't tell where it is or where it went.

What do you all think about having tick marks on the compass as part of the Detect Life spell? (Assuming this spell will be in Skyrim).

It was sometimes nice, but you shouldn't have it tell you where to go in an exploration quest, even if that's just through a cave. Ever.

As long as they appear at the same distance you can see pink clouds I'm all for it!

Have it tied to the new perk system.If you want it to detect locations take the scout perk.If you want it to detect enemies take the danger sense perk.etc.

everybody happy now?

You can disable HUD in Skyrim...so that means you guys can stop complaining kthxbai!

And along with the compass lose all other valuable info like HP, stamina, magicka and the reticle to tell you where you aim? And even if disregarding those, it's a null move if the quests are going to be designed with the compass in mind anyway.

It does no good without decent directions. kthxbai!

magic compass NEEDS TO GO AWAY

melt it

I want an actual compass as in 3D like the books