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Kalia
Eager Tradesman
Joined: 07 Jan 2005
Posts: 30
Location: Arizona |
| ES4: Oblivion Reviews @ Game Zone & Byte Press |
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Two rather belated reviews of Oblivion have shown up today. The first is from <a href="http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r24843.htm" target="_blank">Game Zone</a> and it scores Oblivion a 9.5/10.
<br>
<br>The second is from <a href="http://www.bytepress.com/" target="_blank">Byte Press</a>. The site is down this morning so we were unable to find out any more information for you. Hopefully you will have better luck. |
Fri Jun 09, 2006 6:33 pm |
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aries100
Village Dweller
Joined: 18 Nov 2003
Posts: 2
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HI 
I mus say that I do not agree with the review from BytePress (done obviously by a Gothic fan..)
Let me first discuss/adress the dialoque in Oblivion. The review states this:
"Every NPC includes full voice acting, however the vast majority of NPC’s share a common pool of voice overs. The amount of dialogue text was drastically decreased to allow this, and makes the game seem less diverse."
IMHO, this is simply not true. Compared to Morrowind, I agree that it looks or feels like there isn't so much dialoque text in Oblivion (as in Morrwind). However, people tend to forget that all NPC's in MW (Morrowind) basically says the same thing - and I, personally, get a bit tired the 10th time (or the 20th time) an NPC have said the same rumors over and and over again.
In Oblivion, dialoque text are dynamic and it actually means something what you say (or don't say) to the NPCs. And it also means that NPCs will or will not tell you something (or anything at all) - if they either like or - or don't like (that much). My feeling is that the dialoue text in both Morrowind and Oblivion are pretty much the same - it just feels as if it have been could - because all NPCs in MW basically say the same thing.
As for the RAI (radiant AI) i think, it works pretty good - i really enjoy overhearing NPCs conversation, seeing them convene in inns at a certain time to eat, open shops etc. at a certain time etc. And I do enjoy that my Player Character (PC) is beeing recognized by NPCs I've talked to before.
Personally, I don't care much about whether levitation is in our or not do I care what engine the game was created in/with - used to make the scripting of the game. Personally, I also don't care much for the fact that many people
obviously like to be able to ride and fight on horsebacks...
Personally, I'm rather indifferent to fast travel options, and the other things that annoy most people.
However, I agree with BytePress's review that the main quest do press the PC for (some) urgency - and the fact that you can do whatever you like - (which also means not doing the main quest at all - or starting it and never finishing it) is indeed one of Oblivion's weak spots.
However, I disagree with the review about the misc./sidequests. IMHO, the sidequests are both innovative and creative and takes known quests in rpgs - twisting and turning them - thus presenting in a totally new way never done before.
However, my main critique of Oblivion is that the main quest and the sidequests are not intervowen/integrated in any way. [It feels like a team has worked in the main quest, and (some) different team(s) (has) have worked on
the side quests.
aries100 |
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Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:00 pm |
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aries100
Village Dweller
Joined: 18 Nov 2003
Posts: 2
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Hi again
Just to comment on the review's comment on the RAI (radiant ai).
Here are just two (2) examples quoted from the review regarding the developers' work with the rai:
"One character was given a rake and the goal "rake leaves"; another was given a broom and the goal "sweep paths," and this worked smoothly. Then they swapped the items, so that the raker was given a broom and the sweeper was given the rake. In the end, one of them killed the other so he could get the proper item."
Now, what I don't understand is why the devs. would give the wrong item to the right person. (rake to person scripted to be using broom and vive versa).
I also do not understand why the devs. just made it so that NPCs could not kill each other. Or that the NPC who got the rake instead of the broom could persuade the other person who had the rake (and was supposed to have the broom) to give it to him. [This is how a conversation normally plays out in real life --- and if people don't do what you want them - you try to make them understand - or you make them an offer; in this case it would be: I give you my rake - I'll get your broom. It shouldn't be hard to use (scripted) RAI to do this - probably just the moral barometer that needs to go up a little. However, if the devs. do the NPCs RAI based on male americans moral actions, I certainly can see why this would get out of hand, since most american males tend to be possesive avout their belonings... ].
And then there is this:
"In one test, after a guard became hungry and left his post in search of food, the other guards followed to arrest him. The town people looted the town shops, due to lack of guards."
I don't understand how this could come about..I mean, in real life - guards are trained to not leave their station (post) - and wait to feeding time i.e. around noon or so - to get their food. [Or guards take a supply of food with them...purchased frtom local merchants - before they go on duty].
Again, I think - this could be fairly easy to fix using RAI --- Just make it so guards don't leave their station (posts) when they are on duty - and if they do - just make sure that only the Captain of the Guard follows this guard (to arrest him) - leaving the other guards behind. And you know what: Contrary to popular belief, people do not tend to loot stores - if there aren't any guards around (at least not here in Europe) - or there is chaos and havoc in the streets. Again, this could easily be dealt with, IMHO, be appointing a NPC Mayor of each major city - (one Mayor pr. city/town) - and then this NPC could step in and say 'there will be no looting today'. Or the priests could do the same - if all the guards suddenly went away. (for some reason).
On a final note, let my remind you that NPCs do no do something unless they are scripted to do so - radiant AI or not...
aries100 |
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Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:22 pm |
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