X-Play Fallout 3 special feature

[Brother None]

There is a game, but it isn't fun at all. The ES2-4 leveling system is proof that realism shouldn't be used as a guiding principle in RPG design.

Realism?

I didn't know axes being blunt weapons was very realistic

 

[Aero]

When did they give Bethesda a scolding? They gave Oblivion a perfect review and best game of the year when it came out.

Ok maybe scolded was too strong. Morgan did make fun of the way you could jump on the guard table and kick there dinner around and that the guards wouldn't respond during the Oblivion interview. At PAX Todd even brought it up when Morgan asked him about human reaction and in most games you can walk into anyones house, pick anything up.... So Todd responded by stating that because of the oblivion review they added reactions to the NPC's for when you "knock the sh!t around" or if your trying to open a locked door NPC's can say "it's locked for a reason"

FYI I liked Oblivion. I liked the combat and the environment. At the time I thought it was the best game around for the way I liked to play.

 

[Daimyo]

I hated the levelling system in Morrowind (though I liked the game as a whole) - it was very easy that the game became some sort of olympics game where you're just running and jumping around. that's the only thing they actually improved with Oblivion - you could no longer jump up and down from a hill for a few hours to max your level and strength.

Really?

I enabled the sneak skill behind a city guard, faced a corner of the city walls and hit autorun.

6 hours later I came back from a friend's house and Voila! - Sneak skill at 100.

 

[aenemic]

I hated the levelling system in Morrowind (though I liked the game as a whole) - it was very easy that the game became some sort of olympics game where you're just running and jumping around. that's the only thing they actually improved with Oblivion - you could no longer jump up and down from a hill for a few hours to max your level and strength.

Really?

I enabled the sneak skill behind a city guard, faced a corner of the city walls and hit autorun.

6 hours later I came back from a friend's house and Voila! - Sneak skill at 100.

hehe, ok so they didn't fix all the exploits then. only proves that the system just doesn't work well.

 

[Dionysus]

also, I like the idea of having your stats improved only if you actually train and use them.

It's a seductive trap because it sounds good, but it is fundamentally flawed. In real life, practice isn't fun. Winning is fun and performing can be fun, but the preparation for winning and performing isn't really fun. The truth is, you probably would get better at jumping if you jumped up and down a lot. That is realistic, but it's a lousy game mechanic.

 

[aenemic]

also, I like the idea of having your stats improved only if you actually train and use them.

It's a seductive trap because it sounds good, but it is fundamentally flawed. In real life, practice isn't fun. Winning is fun and performing can be fun, but the preparation for winning and performing isn't really fun. The truth is, you probably would get better at jumping if you jumped up and down a lot. That is realistic, but it's a lousy game mechanic.

the way Bethesda implemented it, yes. I can't come up with a better system right now from the top of my head, but surely there could be a way to somehow implement it.

 

[moyogo]

Not much new here, so I'm just gonna bust Pete's balls

1:34 RPG Elements - "Hacking a compu-TORE"

 

[PaladinHeart]

Quest for Glory solved these "improve stats with use" issues a long time ago. Basically you get a few points just for going a job, but the time passes quickly and your stamina suffers for it. In most cases while improving your skills you were most likely either in a dangerous situation (trying to pick locks in town repeatedly) and/or it severely taxes your character.

The reason this wouldn't work in Oblivion is because your stamina recovers very quickly. In Quest for Glory you had to actually rest to recover your strength. It worked much better than the TES system. The only problem I had with the games is the arcade elements. Not particularly a problem until the 4th game though. Jumping in combat.. oh joy.

Oblivion's system would have worked better if all the stats had a +3 per level, rather than depending on what you used to get said level. The way they do it, you could level quickly and have a terrible character while fighting goblin warlords. Or you could be a level 10 powerhouse with either maxed out (or close to it) stats in a few areas already!