Oblivion’s start was so much more memorable than Skyrim’s. Getting taught the basics by escaping prison and then immediately being served the full open world after that was magnificent.
That’s one of the best things about Morrowind vs. the later games (and I’m not even joking this time). It makes you explore the world, not just warp to quest objectives. It has fast travel, but it makes you earn it and think about how to use it effectively.
Okay, now I’ve watched the second video. That’s a good one, too!
My main takeaway is that I’m a big fan of “diegetic navigation” and have now learned the name for that concept, which is cool.
I also not only agree with the author that (non-diegetic) UI elements like minimaps and quest objective markers should be off by default, I would maybe even go further and say they should be considered “player assists” in the same way as things like auto-aim, and enabling them should count as turning down the difficulty. Hopefully, that would solve the problem of the game developer using them as a crutch/substitute for immersive quest navigation instructions.
I think a (UI, not diegetic) compass that just points north (i.e. without having quest markers on it) is a special case, though, because it could be given an in-game justification and turned into a gameplay element. For example, maybe if you choose to play as a bird-person you get a compass as a racial perk to represent your ability to sense magnetic fields. Or maybe the game’s magic system has a spell to augment the character’s sense of direction temporarily, or something like that.
Or you could just have an actual compass. Either as an item in the game or as something the game sorta just assumed you have (like how it typically assumes you have underwear). People have been using compasses IRL for thousands of years. No reason a mediaeval fantasy game couldn’t do the same.
Or you could just have an actual compass… as an item in the game
That’s the “diegetic” option. I’m cool with having any sort of navigation (up to and including a GPS with objective markers and turn-by-turn navigation, for a game like Grand Theft Auto) if it’s diegetic.
I’ve watched that first video (haven’t had time for the second yet), and I agree, it’s great!
I do kinda wish it had mentioned how you can
spoiler
earn access to the propylon network
though, although I suppose
spoiler
the propylon network isn’t as useful as the other forms of transit because it doesn’t connect to any of them. If only Abelle Chriditte could’ve been convinced to be a Mages Guild Guide (only after you reached her by other means, so as not to be too easy)…
As opposed to Skyrim where you learn the basics by escaping a fucking dragon, guards(because you’re a prisoner), and a creature as well(I think it’s a bear?). And then immediately served the full open world.
Buddy, like what you like and all but Skyrim’s tutorial sequence is at least the same and arguably better.
I definitely see your point, and I had to think about why I found the Skyrim tutorial so much less memorable. And I think, to me, it’s that it’s the tutorial, so you just know that the dragon isn’t going to kill you. Similarly, you know that the prison guards and assassins in Oblivion won’t kill you, but you don’t know that about the emperor. And unlike the dudes that ride with you on the carriage during the opening scene of Skyrim, I’ve got at least the faintest connection to Oblivion’s emperor dude. Like, I really couldn’t have cared less when it was said that Ulfrik, the rebel leader, was on the carriage, too. I don’t know anything about the rebellion, so if the guy would’ve been executed right then and there, I just couldn’t have cared.
You put to words how I felt about it. I couldn’t have given less a shit about these people, I don’t know them nor their troubles and dilemmas about their country.
“Choose who you’re gonna side with!” brother I know nothing about either of your organizations, me going with you isn’t me siding with your whole organization, I just want to get the fuck out of here.
I remember my first playthrough similarly - I joined the Stormcloaks thinking the rebels are usually the good guy underdogs… that was before they started spouting their racist ayrean views, lost all sympathy for the cause at that point and made that storyline less enjoyable.
it’s the tutorial, so you just know that the dragon isn’t going to kill you
The first time I played it, I definitely didn’t know this. I mean, I knew it wouldn’t kill me, but I didn’t know it couldn’t. I assumed that if I didn’t actually hurry, it would get me.
But I agree re Ulfric. The game sets you up to make this important-seeming early decision about Imperial vs Stormcloak, but it doesn’t give you any of the tools needed to engage with that story that early. Heck, I’m sure I can’t be the only one who, because I was hurrying away from the dragon, didn’t even realise you can enter the building with a Stormcloak escapee or with an Imperial, and just went with whichever I happened to notice first.
Skyrim makes an attempt to keep you on the main quest, sending you to that little town/tavern in the valley, trying to push you to Whiterun and some intro sidequests.
Oblivion just dumps you out of the sewer pipe with Kvatch being a faint background thought, smack dab in the center of the open map.
I played Oblivion for 10+ hours. Game was fantastic, I was hooked. I complained to my friend who had recommended me the game about how much walking there was. He explained fast travel.
To this day it’s still a running joke: “You can fast travel?!?”
Maybe the Oblivion intro feels more memorable because the rest of the games was such a step down from Morrowind in a lot of ways. Skyrim, for all its continued dumbing down of Elder Scrolls, was a well made fun game. And you got to be the main character again!
I actually love Oblivion for the reason you are NOT the main chosen one character. Oblivion’s people love you regardless, while they treat you like a fetchdog in Skyrim.
Oblivion’s curse is the broken leveling system.
Idk, Skyrim seemed like a fun house opening. With big things coming at us we know won’t kill us. In Oblivion, we are greeted by the fucken emperor, and he wants to talk to US, a prisoner, and then he hero’s journeyed us into importance. It just seemed a lot more impactful than Skyrim’s.
Skyrim doesn’t have the hype opening cinematic with both monologue and orchestral music. The monologue makes us familiar with the emperor before we the player get a connection with him.
Oblivion’s start was so much more memorable than Skyrim’s. Getting taught the basics by escaping prison and then immediately being served the full open world after that was magnificent.
The best start is in Morrowind, where you’re released from prison and fill out paperwork!
Followed by “Go to Balmora and visit someone. Balmora is north of us.”
That’s one of the best things about Morrowind vs. the later games (and I’m not even joking this time). It makes you explore the world, not just warp to quest objectives. It has fast travel, but it makes you earn it and think about how to use it effectively.
This video about Morrowind fast travel and this one about mini-maps are both so good and I wish all open-world game designers would take heed.
Okay, now I’ve watched the second video. That’s a good one, too!
My main takeaway is that I’m a big fan of “diegetic navigation” and have now learned the name for that concept, which is cool.
I also not only agree with the author that (non-diegetic) UI elements like minimaps and quest objective markers should be off by default, I would maybe even go further and say they should be considered “player assists” in the same way as things like auto-aim, and enabling them should count as turning down the difficulty. Hopefully, that would solve the problem of the game developer using them as a crutch/substitute for immersive quest navigation instructions.
I think a (UI, not diegetic) compass that just points north (i.e. without having quest markers on it) is a special case, though, because it could be given an in-game justification and turned into a gameplay element. For example, maybe if you choose to play as a bird-person you get a compass as a racial perk to represent your ability to sense magnetic fields. Or maybe the game’s magic system has a spell to augment the character’s sense of direction temporarily, or something like that.
Or you could just have an actual compass. Either as an item in the game or as something the game sorta just assumed you have (like how it typically assumes you have underwear). People have been using compasses IRL for thousands of years. No reason a mediaeval fantasy game couldn’t do the same.
That’s the “diegetic” option. I’m cool with having any sort of navigation (up to and including a GPS with objective markers and turn-by-turn navigation, for a game like Grand Theft Auto) if it’s diegetic.
I’ve watched that first video (haven’t had time for the second yet), and I agree, it’s great!
I do kinda wish it had mentioned how you can
spoiler
earn access to the propylon network
though, although I suppose
spoiler
the propylon network isn’t as useful as the other forms of transit because it doesn’t connect to any of them. If only Abelle Chriditte could’ve been convinced to be a Mages Guild Guide (only after you reached her by other means, so as not to be too easy)…
The lack of quest markers create the most memorable adventures and the most frustrating adventures.
Stumbling upon ruins and caves while you stumbling around trying to find where you are suppose to go.
Frustrating as sometimes those directions were so vague…also you always find yourself in an area of cliff racers.
Speaking of which, having the honor of meeting Jiub (pre-sainthood) is the real reason Morrowind’s start is the best. 😍
That’s amazing
As opposed to Skyrim where you learn the basics by escaping a fucking dragon, guards(because you’re a prisoner), and a creature as well(I think it’s a bear?). And then immediately served the full open world.
Buddy, like what you like and all but Skyrim’s tutorial sequence is at least the same and arguably better.
I definitely see your point, and I had to think about why I found the Skyrim tutorial so much less memorable. And I think, to me, it’s that it’s the tutorial, so you just know that the dragon isn’t going to kill you. Similarly, you know that the prison guards and assassins in Oblivion won’t kill you, but you don’t know that about the emperor. And unlike the dudes that ride with you on the carriage during the opening scene of Skyrim, I’ve got at least the faintest connection to Oblivion’s emperor dude. Like, I really couldn’t have cared less when it was said that Ulfrik, the rebel leader, was on the carriage, too. I don’t know anything about the rebellion, so if the guy would’ve been executed right then and there, I just couldn’t have cared.
You put to words how I felt about it. I couldn’t have given less a shit about these people, I don’t know them nor their troubles and dilemmas about their country.
“Choose who you’re gonna side with!” brother I know nothing about either of your organizations, me going with you isn’t me siding with your whole organization, I just want to get the fuck out of here.
I remember my first playthrough similarly - I joined the Stormcloaks thinking the rebels are usually the good guy underdogs… that was before they started spouting their racist ayrean views, lost all sympathy for the cause at that point and made that storyline less enjoyable.
Congratulations, you experienced what it’s like to be a member of MAGA.
The first time I played it, I definitely didn’t know this. I mean, I knew it wouldn’t kill me, but I didn’t know it couldn’t. I assumed that if I didn’t actually hurry, it would get me.
But I agree re Ulfric. The game sets you up to make this important-seeming early decision about Imperial vs Stormcloak, but it doesn’t give you any of the tools needed to engage with that story that early. Heck, I’m sure I can’t be the only one who, because I was hurrying away from the dragon, didn’t even realise you can enter the building with a Stormcloak escapee or with an Imperial, and just went with whichever I happened to notice first.
Skyrim makes an attempt to keep you on the main quest, sending you to that little town/tavern in the valley, trying to push you to Whiterun and some intro sidequests.
Oblivion just dumps you out of the sewer pipe with Kvatch being a faint background thought, smack dab in the center of the open map.
And then Morrowind actually tells you to stop doing the mainquest and sandbox for a while.
Followed by linking up with that wet noodle Martin.
Who you know for a fact will die because he is voiced by Sean Bean.
“Let’s continue on to Weynon Priory”
Instantly ruined by the ability to teleport to the main city
To ANY city.
Fortunately, I discovered that an hour or two in, so I still got some free roam in!
I played Oblivion for 10+ hours. Game was fantastic, I was hooked. I complained to my friend who had recommended me the game about how much walking there was. He explained fast travel.
To this day it’s still a running joke: “You can fast travel?!?”
You mean more memorable than nearly getting executed and having to escape a dragon attack?
Yeah, not really. And I’ve played both.
Even this should tell you enough:
I think people just give Skyrim a lot more hate because it’s been the last in the series for so, so long.
Oblivion was probably the #2 most memorable intro/tutorial of its’ rough time period to me. #1 is stealing a bike in an alleyway.
Ah shit, here we go again.
All we had to do, was follow the damn train, CJ!
Maybe the Oblivion intro feels more memorable because the rest of the games was such a step down from Morrowind in a lot of ways. Skyrim, for all its continued dumbing down of Elder Scrolls, was a well made fun game. And you got to be the main character again!
I actually love Oblivion for the reason you are NOT the main chosen one character. Oblivion’s people love you regardless, while they treat you like a fetchdog in Skyrim.
Oblivion’s curse is the broken leveling system.
Oh god, that leveling system is abysmal isn’t it?
I found that to be successful I had to primarily focus my main skills in silly shit I could easily level.
All hail the master of jumping and unarmed combat, defeater of dremora lords!
Idk, Skyrim seemed like a fun house opening. With big things coming at us we know won’t kill us. In Oblivion, we are greeted by the fucken emperor, and he wants to talk to US, a prisoner, and then he hero’s journeyed us into importance. It just seemed a lot more impactful than Skyrim’s.
That didn’t load for me so I’m going to pretend it was the macho man Randy Savage dragon mod.
But you basically just described skyrims beggining as well lmao
Not knocking oblivion I love them both.
Skyrim doesn’t have the hype opening cinematic with both monologue and orchestral music. The monologue makes us familiar with the emperor before we the player get a connection with him.