ES4: Oblivion - CRPG of the Year @ GameSpy

Here we go again, all of the Oblivion bashers are out in force. I understand if you don't like the game - that's fine. But just because you don't agree with all of the design choices Bethesda made, doesn't mean the game is horrible. Calling it a 'shooter,' please. It may share the same point of view and general control scheme, but that's about all. All of the shooters I've played have a pretty rigid, linear level progression with little player choice. That doesn't sound like Oblivion to me. And yes, it may be more action oriented than turn-based RPGs, but again, the game isn't supposed to be turn-based. The entire Elder Scrolls series has always had more 'action' than most RPGs.

If NWN2 was released with the DM client and tools in a finished state, I'd say it should have won. Since it was rushed though, Oblivion is the clear winner. Gothic 3 is just too buggy to win, though some here think it has an interesting storyline. I've never gotten into the (nameless, human only, who must be good in melee) aspect of the G-series, but many love it. Oblivion's hugest flaw was leveled combat. Whoever thought that was cool should be canned. Of course, this was modded in less than 2 weeks after release because Bethesda released a fairly decent toolset that was in working order from day one. Without a couple of mods, Oblivion is a lesser game. Kudos to Bethesda for allowing their masterpiece to be changed with minimal effort. If I could mod out Gothic's bugs in a week and lower the combat difficulty of beasts in general, then G3 might be in the running. Though for me personally, magic needs to be buffed severely

I think that NWN2 could have been a superb game with about 2 months more in the oven. Gothic 3, on the other hand, has such major problems at its core that it would take a year. I still enjoyed it though.

Originally Posted by doctor_kaz
I think that NWN2 could have been a superb game with about 2 months more in the oven.

I think that as of 1.03 the single player is in excellent shape … so it just needed ~1 more month in the overn

Originally Posted by doctor_kaz
Gothic 3, on the other hand, has such major problems at its core that it would take a year. I still enjoyed it though.

Very much agree - which is why it is on my 'top 10 faves' of the year while also being my #1 disappointment.

I think that with version 1.03, NWN2 still needs improvements. The interface and party controls still aren't quite as easy to use as they were for the Bioware Infinity Engine, in my opinion.

I whole heartedly agree with Oblivion being CRPG of the year.
Being a role player, means more of a desire to be transported to a magical land as a more than capable adventurer and forging your own destiny. Oblvion clearly provides that world in aces. I believe some of it's detractors simply can't handle 'white space' in a game and need that ring in the nose constantly leading them with new dancing ponies to entertain them at every new turn in the road, and I frankly have to say, if you're that type of player, you're not a role player, you're just a computer gamer.
I also don't think it's main detractors even finished 20% of the game. Just the Dark Brotherhood series of quests alone was a mini-masterpiece.
No, it wasn't perfect, but there is no perfect in gaming, only enjoyable or not enjoyable, and my computer role playing world is definitely enhanced by being able to enjoy Oblivion.
I haven't purchased NWN2 or Gothic 3 , although I loved their predecessors greatly, due to their unfinished and nearly unplayable state in the case of Gothic 3, that is just not acceptable. I also see them both as more of a 'lead you around by the nose and show you dancing ponies at each turn' type of games and not true role playing worlds.. which is my personal preference.
Just my opinion, you are welcome to yours.

Originally Posted by space captain
hmm youd think a 35-40 year old man would know how to spell "nauseating" maybe video games ARE bad for you!

Too much of anything is usually a bad thing…

Thanks for being the board's spelling police. I'm sure everyone loved reading your on-topic reply. /golfclap

Originally Posted by Greymane
I also don't think it's main detractors even finished 20% of the game. Just the Dark Brotherhood series of quests alone was a mini-masterpiece.

Of course, those are inherently evil, and as a good aligned character who tries to actually 'role play' (in other words, take and stick with a set of moral and behavioural norms) I *cannot* take those …

Originally Posted by txa1265
Of course, those are inherently evil, and as a good aligned character who tries to actually 'role play' (in other words, take and stick with a set of moral and behavioural norms) I *cannot* take those …

Unless, of course, it is to infiltrate within this evil organization to take them out from the inside.

behavioural

*gasp* An American with English spelling.

Originally Posted by txa1265
Of course, those are inherently evil, and as a good aligned character who tries to actually 'role play' (in other words, take and stick with a set of moral and behavioural norms) I *cannot* take those …

nothing to stop you creating an evil character just to try them out though

Originally Posted by the_oracles_cave
nothing to stop you creating an evil character just to try them out though

Of course, there is nothing to stop a good character from taking them, or anything else looking like consequences of actions … but *that* is a different story …

Exactly, there is no real roleplaying in Oblivion, even though I enjoyed the time I spent with my modded version!! As a 'good' character, I couldn't do those quests either, and I almost never play evil, I just find I don't enjoy the experience!!

Right on the spot Corwin!!

Modded oblivion is a fun game. Unmodded oblivion is rubbish!

I understand why people like oblivion and to be fair I like it too, but at the end of the day it doesn't offer much roleplaying value for me. Sure the magic system is very complex, sure there is a lot do and combat is quite cool The world is huuuge and physics blow your brains away. Still I have to ask where are the choises to make impact on the world? where is the gripping story that forces me to play just one hour more? I can't be immersed if MArtin doesn't mind when i'm killing innocent civilians. Or if i can lead thieves guild and dark brotherhood at the same time. Or if I can enter mages guild without any magic skills and progress through it's ranks.

Also what really annoys me is that how this game holds my hand all the time. It doesn't let me get lost unless i use mods to disable the compass. And fast travel ruins any immersion that i'm there. Don't use it someone said. Well its quite tempting when you know that walking is stupid if you can just teleport from place a to place b instantly.

Luckily mods saved the day for me.

Lastly I wonder why people don't mind that benthesa hasn't still released new bug fix .

People often mistake my broad criticisms of Oblivion and my classifying it as more of an action game as meaning I didn't like it - I *did* like it, moreso after I stopped thinking about it as an RPG.

Well, even though I did not like Oblivion that much, I would probably vote for it as well. I can't think of any other title I could choose instead.

While I'm basically enjoying NWN2, I have several major issues with it, that REALLY annoy me; G3 is a flawed gem, and Oblivion is an action game with rpg elements as roqua would say!! I'd like to vote for Grimoire, but it hasn't been released yet!!

These guys are so gonna screw up Fallout 3.

Originally Posted by Ionstormsucks
These guys are so gonna screw up Fallout 3.

I hope not! :-[]

Originally Posted by Greymane
I believe some of it's detractors simply can't handle 'white space' in a game and need that ring in the nose constantly leading them with new dancing ponies to entertain them at every new turn in the road, and I frankly have to say, if you're that type of player, you're not a role player, you're just a computer gamer.

Ah the proverbial ring in the nose. You mean like a quest compass and pop-ups telling you what to do at everey f* step of the way?

Originally Posted by hiciacit
Ah the proverbial ring in the nose. You mean like a quest compass and pop-ups telling you what to do at everey f* step of the way?

You mean that wasn't just part of the 100 hour tutorial for Medal of Honor: Cyrodiil Assault