What Game Are You Currently Playing?

[thaddeus6th]

Oblivion is something I liked a lot... except for the levelling system. That was bloody atrocious. Any system whereby gaining levels can make you relatively weaker is terrible.

Just abandoned a Stellaris Admiral game because it was getting too easy (to be fair I had a really nice start, with good neighbours). Started a new one, Grand Admiral, with a new science-based empire. Encountered my first neighbours, and our interaction to date is them attempting to destroy my science ship, which does not bode well... I'm using the Aquatic Paradise or whatever it's called new origin in the Aquatics pack, but got lucky with two nearby systems (one a relic world). The origin removes the guaranteed nearby habitable planets so that's very handy.

 

[Raincloud Man]

I'm mostly very casually playing Guild Wars 2, trying to unlock the skyscale. They put one of the necessary achievements behind killing your doppelganger though, and I have no luck at all with that fight.

 

[Toby Frost]

I finished Bioshock, the game equivalent of eating a huge amount of chocolate cake. It's great but slightly overlong, and the final third is rather flat after the big twist. How many times can the splicers pretend to be dead and then attack? Still, the design is excellent and exploring the setting is grimly entertaining. The mix of Ayn Rand meets The Shining makes it weirdly unique. It's dated somewhat, but it's still a classic.

 

[Rodders]

Remakes of older games seem tip-off be in vogue at the moment, Toby. Would you like to see this one remade?

 

[Toby Frost]

I'd have no problem with a remake of Bioshock (there's already a remastered version out there) but I wouldn't play it as my laptop probably couldn't run it! In general, I'd like to see more "spiritual successor" games than outright remakes: Bioshock itself owes a lot to System Shock, and the Dishonoured games owe a great deal to Thief 1 and 2, although they're sufficiently detailed to feel more than a graphical upgrade. I grew up with ropey circa-2000 graphics, so just enhancing the visuals won't win me over, although other people may well disagree.

 

[Vladd67]

I'd have no problem with a remake of Bioshock (there's already a remastered version out there) but I wouldn't play it as my laptop probably couldn't run it! In general, I'd like to see more "spiritual successor" games than outright remakes: Bioshock itself owes a lot to System Shock, and the Dishonoured games owe a great deal to Thief 1 and 2, although they're sufficiently detailed to feel more than a graphical upgrade. I grew up with ropey circa-2000 graphics, so just enhancing the visuals won't win me over, although other people may well disagree.

Some of us remember monster maze on the ZX81 so graphics have come a long way for me.

 

[Foxbat]

After reading some of the comments here, I've just bought Oblivion in the GOG weekly sale. Hopefully, after my obsession/addiction to Rule The Waves 2 and Shadow Empire subsides, I'll a spend some time with this RPG.

 

[Foxbat]

I’ve been playing a bit of Oblivion and I’m quite enjoying it after a very rocky start. I went straight in to the first quest (seige of Kvatch).

It took me ages to realise that I couldn’t just walk through the oblivion gate but had to activate it myself. After that, things got worse and after numerous deaths and reloading save positions, I discovered the game difficulty slider (which I slid all the way to the left). After some more death/reloading, I finally completed that part of the quest. Once completed, I thought ‘sod this. I need to get stronger before any more progress is made’. I am, therefore, currently on the side quest of the nine. I figured finding all the magical bits of armour would help me survive. I’ve just got my hands on the helmet and my journey into the unknown continues, forsooth!

 

[Raincloud Man]

I’ve been playing a bit of Oblivion and I’m quite enjoying it after a very rocky start. I went straight in to the first quest (seige of Kvatch).

It took me ages to realise that I couldn’t just walk through the oblivion gate but had to activate it myself. After that, things got worse and after numerous deaths and reloading save positions, I discovered the game difficulty slider (which I slid all the way to the left). After some more death/reloading, I finally completed that part of the quest. Once completed, I thought ‘sod this. I need to get stronger before any more progress is made’. I am, therefore, currently on the side quest of the nine. I figured finding all the magical bits of armour would help me survive. I’ve just got my hands on the helmet and my journey into the unknown continues, forsooth!

I might actually start a new playthrough, I've never gone through Oblivion with my conjuration stealth archer build, and it works great in both Morrowind and Skyrim.

Is the bound bow spell even in Oblivion?

 

[Foxbat]

Is the bound bow spell even in Oblivion?

I have no idea. I've got a really big sword and that's all the magic I need

 

[Toby Frost]

I've found that pushing speed and stealth up as far as I can get them is the way to go, mainly because I find combat rather dull and creeping up on (or just past) things is just as enjoyable. Oblivion is scaled a bit oddly: I think the mages guild quests were reasonably easy, for starters. Getting the armour might be a good idea. The Oblivion sections are difficult and a bit samey, in my opinion.

It might be one of those games best played with one eye on the how-to wiki. I've been pleasantly surprised by how entertaining it is, though.

 

[thaddeus6th]

There are a ton more summons and spell customization in Oblivion. In those areas, it's miles better than Skyrim. Also, check out the Dark Brotherhood questline. It's fantastic.

 

[Foxbat]

The Oblivion sections are difficult and a bit samey, in my opinion.

Do you mean through the Oblivion gates? If yes, then, although I've only been through the one, I did wonder if it would be more of the same each time.

I think I'm enjoying the side quests more. I've managed to get the helmet, gauntlets, boots and mace in the quest of the nine. I tried to get the mace first but gave up and went for the boots instead. It turned out I needed the boots before I got the mace so, after getting them, acquiring the mace was a doddle.

The Dark Brotherhood I've heard mentioned by NPCs but I'm not sure if I've come across them yet (unless they are the red robed assassins which I've encountered a few times).

My spellcraft is fairly limited but, being Nordic, I do have the cold touch or whatever it's called. It seems pretty pointless to me because if I'm close enough to touch the enemy, I might as well just hack their heads off and have done with it.

Question: in some RPGs, reading a book ups your skill a little in that particular subject. This doesn't seem to be the case here so is there any point in book reading?

 

[Foxbat]

I've just found the bit about books in the manual. It seems that reading can increase your skill. It appears I just haven't found the right books yet (I strive to become a warrior alchemist)

 

[Toby Frost]

Yes, those sort of books do exist, but they're quite rare. I was thinking of the Hell-type places through the Oblivion gates, which always involve a lot of fighting - which for me is basically hammering the "attack" button and occasionally healing. Some of the additional DLC content, which I expect would be included with the game if you bought it now, is pretty helpful in terms of acquiring new stuff (although I'd avoid the Shiverring Isles until I was quite high-level, as it's tough).

That's the one with the best NPC dialogue in history.

Is that the lizard woman who only ever says "Ninininini"?

 

[Foxbat]

Is that the lizard woman who only ever says "Ninininini"?

Did Monty Python help out with the dialogue?

Come to think of it, a Skyrim/Oblivion style Life Of Brian or Holy Grail RPG would be fun

 

[thaddeus6th]

Foxbat,

 

[Venusian Broon]

Did Monty Python help out with the dialogue?

Come to think of it, a Skyrim/Oblivion style Life Of Brian or Holy Grail RPG would be fun

Apparently, Oblivion was (one of?) Terry Pratchets favourite computer games. But, because he was starting to get Alzheimers, he would get lost in the larger dungeons - so someone modded a companion (that you can still get somewhere in the modding universe) who, if you ask her, guides you out.

At least that's the story I heard from the YouTuber SorcererDave

 

[Foxbat]

But, because he was starting to get Alzheimers, he would get lost in the larger dungeons

I do find the map a bit limited by its window size. I find myself moving the map around trying to figure out where things are. It might have been better if the map window was something that could be resized (and by that I mean to a full size window in order to get a good view of where I am and where everything else is on the map). It might have even helped poor Terry from getting lost.

 

[Toby Frost]

And on this day, I first learned of the musical career of Tiny Tim.

Yes, that whole map/inventory/statistics bit isn't very well worked out. It needs a lot of clicking to see what's going on.

Did Monty Python help out with the dialogue?

The idea is that she lives on the island of madness, where everything is very weird. Someone has made a song using her voice, in the style of an old computer game. I have no idea why, but it's surprisingly good.