upcoming sequel to morrowind, oblivion

[Togakure]

Sounds like the potion spam is a game wrecker--glad I never was much into alchemy.

How the hell did you legitimately enchant an item with 100 Health Absorb for ten seconds in ten feet?? An Ebony staff only allows 90 enchant points--more than any other weapon. Did this change in the expansions? I read on the 'net somewhere that the expansions added an Ebony scimitar that had 100 enchant points or so, but still, it seems to me that the parameters above would take a lot more than 100 points to enchant. I wanted to make a "Stormbringer"-like sword using Health Absord (big time Elric of Melnibone fan here), but the enchant point limits just wouldn't allow it. Am I missing something?

Stamina was never a problem--I just included a Constant Effect Restore Fatigue +2 enchantment on something I was wearing. It only takes 10 enchant points or so, and enables you to run, swim or fight forever without getting tired.

I never had much fun with pure mages (combat spellcasters). They're pretty wimpy compared to a strength-enhanced Fighter/Thief with basic enchanted gear, imo (Nighteye, Levitation, Restore Health, Restore Fatigue).

[Big_John]

there were several ways to break morrowind, the intel potion stacking being one of the more well known ways. there's a vocal minority of morrowind players that want bethesda to make oblivion game play incapable of being exploited in such ways. from the interviews i've read, however, it sounds like bethesda may not care. i'm paraphrasing, but one of the devs said something like, "if a player is so dedicated, we want them to be able to become a god".

problem is you hardly had to be dedicated at alchemy to exploit intel potions. maybe such things will actually require long hours of play to achieve in oblivion. regardless, i never had a problem not exploiting them. try it once just to see and then go back to the normal game.

[Somebody Else]

Well - it wasn't exactly those stats on the staff, but it was close enough - I had it ranged, - I was able to take any standard hardest creatures - ancestors, golden saints etc. down in one or two shots. Of course, being able to cleave them in half with one swipe of my sword was incidental.

[Productivity]

there were several ways to break morrowind, the intel potion stacking being one of the more well known ways. there's a vocal minority of morrowind players that want bethesda to make oblivion game play incapable of being exploited in such ways. from the interviews i've read, however, it sounds like bethesda may not care. i'm paraphrasing, but one of the devs said something like, "if a player is so dedicated, we want them to be able to become a god".

problem is you hardly had to be dedicated at alchemy to exploit intel potions. maybe such things will actually require long hours of play to achieve in oblivion. regardless, i never had a problem not exploiting them. try it once just to see and then go back to the normal game.

It's a ridiculous minority, because it's only peoples own fault if they use it. I would understand it if it was multiplayer, but it's not. If you don't like it don't use it.

For the record I never used it any of my serious games, I was just referring to it as one of the ways magic beats might. Aside from that, I didn't enchant with that, it was a custom spell I made.

[Magraev]

Potion spamming is silly. At strength 1000 any weapon breaks after a single hit...

Still it's peoples own buisness how they want to play. If the game is meant for mp it's another story though.

In an honest game melee beats magic hands down in morrowind imho. That nasty spell mentioned seems uncastable by a regular mage, and besides many monsters have reflect, meaning that the mage get's his own medicine...

[screwtype]

Wow. That third pic looks amazing.

The second one reminds me of one the things I hated about Morrowind though. Too dark! I had to use the gamma slider to brighten things up so I could see in the dungeons, and that unfortunately spoils the pretty graphics above ground.

There are lots of other reasons I disliked Morrowind though. The interface was incredibly clumsy, especially when it came to stuff like alchemy. The combat wasn't that flash. And the voices and repetitive spiels of many minor characters really got on my nerves after a while.

But finally it was too much work looking for the characters you are supposed to find to continue with the quests, especially in the big cities. It's a big problem in games of this type. If they could figure out a faster way for you to find folks, it would take away a lot of the tedium.

[Togakure]

Personally I thought the light spectrum in the game was pretty cool. Yes indeed, it was often quite dark, particularly underground or out in the wild at night. But that's what I used Night Eye for--what I found to be an extremely useful ability. To keep from having to cast it all the time I eventually just created Constant Effect Night Eye. Because it required a low amount of enchantment points, I'd often throw in a few points on items that did something else, but had some enchant points leftover. By the time I was in my prime, the world was constantly super bright and I never worried about darkness.

Yes, I agree about the reptitive dialogue and combat being kind of hoaky. But I think trying to find people was just part of the game, and like the lack of natural light, simulated challenges that a character would have experienced if it had been "real."

[Al Khalifah]

I never found things like that to be a problem. I played the game through (on someone else's advice) without any constant effect enchantments and I never dabbled in alchemy - only health restore and levitation potions for me. Well ok I used one to boost my strength to carry more swag, but I payed for it and it cost a fortune because of my crap enchant skill - thank goodness for Creeper.

I just depended on my ability to charm, lie and steal from my oponents to take me to victory and when the mess hit the mincer I'd resort to archery (thank god they improved it in the patch) and short swords. It made the game much more difficult than usual (I also put the slider to +25 first time round), but it played the way I think it should. Tough enemies were always tough to beat and I didn't resort to combat unless absolutely necessary against large armed groups. Plus it meant I had to spend far more time doing side missions before I could follow the main quest, which meant I experienced far more of the game world.

In short, if people want to power game I guess you've got to listen. It just gets kind of boring when you hear them on the forums complaining that their level 90 everything with all stats to 100 finds the game too easy even when they put the difficulty slider to 100.

[screwtype]

@Togakure

There was once a time when I would have thought Morrowind the God of games. But I've played games like this soooo many times, LOL. They have to be really special to grab me now.

In fact these days I'm often more of a game sampler than player. I'll play a game for a week or two, just to get the flavour and check out the mechanics. Every game has its flaws and once I find them I tend to lose interest. There are very few games that keep me interested for longer. STW did. I also played right through Age of Wonders II and most of Panzer General 3D, but that would be a rarity for me nowadays.

When it comes to RPG's like Morrowind though, I actually enjoyed Might and Magic um, 8 I think it was, more. I only quit playing it when I found a bug that prevented me from finishing the quest. Oh, and when I found the solution to a puzzle that was so damn obscure it discouraged me from continuing. But I do miss smacking down those vampire-types with a barrage of missile fire, LOL.

Also had some fun with Dungeon Siege, especially in the first part where it's all new and you only have primitive weapons and elementary magic to help you along. The game just got too repetitive and silly though. I got about halfway through, maybe I'll fire it up one day and try to get a bit further. But you know how it is with computer games, you really need 48 hours in the day to play them and still have time for a life *sigh*...

[Togakure]

Yeah, I come from the generation where most computer games seem like an incredible feat of entertainment and pseudo-adventure. I was a D&D fanatic back in high school, and a DM (I actually got paid to do it from time to time :D). Things have come a long way since graph paper and dice and vivid, relatively unassisted imaginations, so I'm easily ensorcelled by a decent RPG. I played only the original Morrowind, and on an x-box, so I've only experienced the tip of the Elder Scrolls iceberg. Oblivion looks amazing, and I'm sure I'll be an easy win-over.

[octavian]

oh joy, oh bliss... oh eternal happiness :D
yay!!! im so getting this

[econ21]

I'll get it, but has anyone heard anything that suggests it will be better than Morrowind, which I found rather soulless? All I've heard mentioned from the reviews are the better graphics and some talk of NPCs having night/day routines. The former I can take or leave - Morrowind is already beautiful enough for me, I want some "brains". The latter sounds rather anal - what does it actually mean? that the shops are shut at night so the player has to wander around for 8 hours before they can do what they have to do, yeah that sounds fun ... not. Oh, also there'll be more stealth - again, this can just mean more frustration - oops, you're spotted, time to reload.

[Steppe Merc]

I never actually played Morrowind, but this does look good. I'm a big fan of fantasy, in particular the books of RA Salvatore that take place in the Forgotten Realms... Is that the sort of style this is? I noticed the 20 dollar price of the Morrowind with the two expansions for Xbox... what sort of style is it? I like hack and slash, but I prefer RPG...

[econ21]

Morrowind is a strange game, IMO. It's kind of hack and slash to me, in that it is hard to stay motivated - the plot does not grab you and there are no characters or dialogue worth speaking off. However, there is also not that much fighting - certainly not a stream of monsters you have to slay. Someone said it's a world simulator, in that you have enormous freedom and a vast world to explore. Character creation, levelling and progression via sidequests up numerous competing guilds/organisations are also strengths IMO. I would say it's a must buy for anyone with an interest in CRPGs just to experience the still amazing graphics and the vastness of the world. Whether there is actually a game in it, I'm still not sure. But as you can see from the posts here, some folk find it utterly engrossing.

[Productivity]

It comes down to are you introverted or extroverted. If you are introverted, you tend not too worry about the dialogue (or lack thereof) where as extroverts find osmething missing.

(Just my observations from a sample space of ~20).

[Steppe Merc]

Well I love dialogue and sub plots, and I never skip through unless I've already played the game to the point I've memorized it (KOTOR).
So do you think I should wait for this, or pick up the current one? I just had my birthday, so I have a good amount of money...

[Byzantine Prince]

If you don't have the current one then you should get it because 1)It's cheap now 2)Oblivion is not coming out for years. Plus there are so many expansions for Morrowind it really opens up the game. I found it a little depressing though. That's just me though most people don't.

[econ21]

Someone said that Morrowind was a MMORG (massively multi-player online roleplaying game?) without other players. It may be a good description, although that also makes it sound like Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark.

[Steppe Merc]

Well I've never played a MMPRG, so I won't know what I'm missing.
Today, I'll pick it up for Xbox. Just one more question: how customizable is your character? Do you have to be a human warrior, or can you choose other stuff? Thanks for your feedback, guys.

[Byzantine Prince]

There are something like 10+ races. You can be imperial(human), khajit(leopard creature), breton(human magician), 3 more kinds of elves, orcs, and some other ones. They all have their own strengths and wekanesses, and you also have other attributes like profession(ex. thief) and the star they are born under.

[sharrukin]

Have you ever played Neverwinter Nights? I think it is somewhat similar. I just bought the game but have yet to play it.

Stats Menu; health, magicka?, fatigue, level, race, class, attributes, skills, reputation, factions, birthsign, bounty?

Races;
Argonian; reptilian
Breton; human magic inclined
Dark Elf; like Drow?
High Elf;
Imperial; Human
Khajiit; Cat People?
Nord; Nordic
Orc;
Redguard; human southern
Wood Elf;

Attributes; Strenth-willpower-agility-speed-endurance-personality-luck

Classes;
Warriors-barabarians-crusaders-knights-scouts-archers-rogues-
mages-sorcerers-healers-battlemage-witchhunter-spellsword-nightblade
thieves-agents-assassin-acrobat-monk-pilgrim-bard

That's what the manual has in it.

[Big_John]

steppe, you can't grab it for PC? with all the mods, it'd be a better investment.

[Steppe Merc]

How much do you think it would be? I know the Xbox is less than 20 bucks (with the Bloodmoon thing and that other one... Tribunal or something). And I prefer playing things on Xbox anyway, other than RTS (I know, I'm weird, but there you go).
Or is PC really that much better?

Have you ever played Neverwinter Nights? I think it is somewhat similar. I just bought the game but have yet to play it.

Not really. I've never really played any RPGs at all other than KOTR, but I loved it, and I love fantasy. I figured this would be the best place to start.

[sharrukin]

It costs 40$ in Canada so that might be 28$ American?

Nverwinter Nights is a very good game with a huge number of player designed modules so it doesn't get too repetitive.

Big_John

steppe, you can't grab it for PC? with all the mods, it'd be a better investment.

What mods do you mean?

[Steppe Merc]

Probably can pick it up for less somewhere... Thanks. Is PC really that better? I can understand mods and stuff, and I guess the graphics would be better, but I prefer Xbox for my gaming. I suppose it will depend on which I can find and which is cheaper, and I'd only get the game of the year edition. Sharrukin, I'll check out Never winter nights, as well.

[Byzantine Prince]

PC is modifyable. You can make new buildings and place weapons and people anywhere you want. It's just more creative.

[Big_John]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...tware&n=507846

it'd cost a bit more than the xbox version. as far as mods go, check these sites to see the breadth/depth of the morrowind modding community. if you like xbox that much more though, maybe you should stick with it. personally, i couldn't go back to vanilla morrowind after playing with thte mods, but that's just me.

http://www.rpgplanet.com/morrowind/
http://morrowind.rpgdot.com (slow link?)
http://www.thelys.org/modlist.php
http://home.wnm.net/~bgriff/MW_Home.html
http://www.morrowind-mod.com/

[Steppe Merc]

Well I looked today, saw the Xbox for 17 somewhere, and the pc 30. As I'm a cheap SOB, I'm going with Xbox.

[lars573]

Well I've never played a MMPRG, so I won't know what I'm missing.
Today, I'll pick it up for Xbox. Just one more question: how customizable is your character? Do you have to be a human warrior, or can you choose other stuff? Thanks for your feedback, guys.

Your character is very customizable. You can choose gender (Women are more agile and men are stronger) your face your race and you caneven make your own class and name it.
Races;
Argonian (lizard men) - This can make good magic using characters. There race power is that they can breathe under water. Also can't wear any kind of boots or shoes and can only wear open faced helms.

Khajit (cat people) -Have a 100% night eye race power. They are very biased towards theif characters. Like Argonians they can't wear any kind of shoes/boots or any kind of helmets.

Altmer (high elves) -Very good for straight mage characters but have severe weakness to any kind of elemental magic. I don't remember their race power.

Dunmer (dark elves) -Good for warrior classes. Their race power is to summon and ancetoral spirit to fight with them, a ghost basically.

Bosmer (wood elves) -Best for thief classes. I've never used one so I remember not their race power.

Orc (the 3rd beast men class) -Makes an uber warrior. Race power is berserker rage, that buffs up your melee attacks and defense.

Imperial (human) -Essentially neutral as far as a class bias goes. Their race power is voice of the emperor, which makes shop keepers give you better deals.

Redguard (human) -Good for theif characters. Don't know their race power.

Breton (human) -These guys are the mage men race. Not sure about their race power either.

Nords (human) -Good for warrior classes. I don't remember their race power but I do know that they are immune to shock and frost magic.

I've gotta go find out the race powers of all the races know. It's gonna bug me all week if I don't.

[Productivity]

Probably can pick it up for less somewhere... Thanks. Is PC really that better? I can understand mods and stuff, and I guess the graphics would be better, but I prefer Xbox for my gaming. I suppose it will depend on which I can find and which is cheaper, and I'd only get the game of the year edition. Sharrukin, I'll check out Never winter nights, as well.

YES. My current Morrowind game is about 20% original game, 80% mods. They add a huge amount to it.