Where TES Fails

Post » Wed Aug 08, 2012 7:08 am

I have to hand it to Bethesda. Bethesda has some of the best role-playing games. The idea simply works. The ability to be anything you want to be; the ability for your character to adapt and grow to your playstyle over the course of the game; the amount of depth and backstory of the series is just spectacular; the setting also seems very thought out.

But there's something the Bethesda games are missing. It's hard to say it, hard to write it, hard to explain it... so I'll try to explain it to the best of my ability.

The only thing I know to call it by is 'gameplay'. Bethesda's ideas, concepts, and knowledge of creating a game and its universe surpasses other games by a vast distance - literally. But for some reason, I never really thought Bethesda could pull their games off correctly. The actual interaction between the player character and the world doesn't look right to me. I'm not talking about 'interaction' like looting dead bodies, using smithys and stuff. I'm talking about the way combat looks and feels, the way movement looks, and the way characters walk around. It just doesn't look that great in my opinion. It doesn't look solid.... or connected... or put together right.

Now I know Skyrim is indeed Skyrim, and that it is not Red Dead Redemption, nor Gears of War or Assassin's Creed. And please keep in mind I am NOT comparing these games, nor am I saying one is better than the other. I am simply showing the way the player character moves and interacts with the world around him and the people around him. It just looks like it flows, like it goes together, it's solid and connected. It's put in right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gBctl1h_2o (This is a trailer, but it is put together using gameplay)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugjgEisc-Cs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZrklEy9ohQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6EV1aPdfbw

In TES games, I've never seen a cutscene, and I think part of the thing I am trying to describe is why they don't have any cutscenes. All I'm saying is that if Bethesda and Rockstar co-created the next TES games, it would a human marvel.

Don't get me wrong - after playing Skyrim, I have come to love the games and have the passion to play them all as much as possible. I am NOT, by any means, bashing the game and never will. But does anyone else think the same way I do? Or at least maybe it doesn't bother you, but you can understand why I feel the way I do? Nevertheless, I will always play their games, regardless of the way they look.
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Evaa
 
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Post » Wed Aug 08, 2012 9:15 pm

TL;DR
Everywhere.
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Russell Davies
 
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Post » Wed Aug 08, 2012 1:46 pm

TL;DR
Everywhere.

Then what is the point of even posting on the thread?
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Monika Fiolek
 
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Post » Wed Aug 08, 2012 12:52 pm

Your ideas aren't wrong but vague. 'They aren't right' in what way? What could make the interaction 'right'? Those should be answered by your opening post, or at least better explored.

See, I don't know if agree with you, because I have very little idea of what you're getting at.
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Andrea P
 
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Post » Wed Aug 08, 2012 7:42 pm

I think I might understand what you mean. In regards to combat do you mean that, instead of the action-y parrying and stuff in a real swordfight, you just randomly hack at each other in TES? In regards to movement, do you mean that running, walking, and interaction with terrain (such as mountain climbing) isn't as realistic as it could be? I think these could be improved upon. However, I would never want cutscenes in TES (that would ruin the "you are the hero" aspect to TES).
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Laura Shipley
 
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Post » Wed Aug 08, 2012 10:37 am

Your ideas aren't wrong but vague. 'They aren't right' in what way? What could make the interaction 'right'? Those should be answered by your opening post, or at least better explored.

See, I don't know if agree with you, because I have very little idea of what you're getting at.

I understand. I mentioned I could not piece together what I am trying to say.

Watch the way TES characters walk. Look at their directions, their steps, their movement... it doesn't look solid or put together. And even the die-hard fans of TES can tell me riding horses feels the same way in Oblivion and Skyrim.

In RDR, John Marston has animations for walking, jogging, and running, as well as crouching and it all looks so smooth, put together and solid. He has near-perfect animations for almost everything he does, from skinning animals, riding horses, walking up and down steps,looting dead bodies, picking up items, etc. The characters in TES don't look like this.
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roxxii lenaghan
 
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Post » Wed Aug 08, 2012 3:59 pm

I think I might understand what you mean. In regards to combat do you mean that, instead of the action-y parrying and stuff in a real swordfight, you just randomly hack at each other in TES? In regards to movement, do you mean that running, walking, and interaction with terrain (such as mountain climbing) isn't as realistic as it could be?

That is EXACTLY what I mean. But you can understand it is hard to explain it right?
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Laura Elizabeth
 
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Post » Wed Aug 08, 2012 10:54 pm

What Engine does Bethesda use for TES and Fallout? Maybe that has something to do with it.

EDIT: Triple-Posting is never good.
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Rachel Eloise Getoutofmyface
 
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Post » Wed Aug 08, 2012 12:37 pm

TES games aren't supposed to look like seamless videos. There's no way that you could have custom-created characters, of different races and different sizes, all perfectly animated and intricately interacting with the environment. In TES, freedom overrules appearance. And cutscenes absolutely wreck immersion; the player is suddenly "locked out" and forced to watch a canned presentation.
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Nick Tyler
 
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Post » Wed Aug 08, 2012 5:19 pm

Cutscenes. you haven't seen cutscenes. Have you tried Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion? Perhaps you should. If you do I'm sure you'll find a few cutscenes at the beginning, the end and at times thoughout the gamea. Don't know what you expect but you certainly don't need many if any cutscenes in a 1st person RPG . The TES games have been primarily a 1st persongames where you live and tell the game story as you progress through the game world. Cutscenes only add value to a game such as the your listed adventure games when they are heavily scripted with preset chapter points. In 3rd person adventure games you gave as examples cutscenes are used and are needed to force the story along. Too many cutscenes in a primarily 1st person RPG game tend to become a distraction and lend nothing to the game. As an RPG the TES games try to create true to life atmosphere to heighten tension during the game without resorting to immersion breaking cutscenes. Live the adventure is the goal not watching someone else do it.
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James Potter
 
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