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PS3 Oblivion content will hit 360 too
Some of you may have heard that the PS3 is getting its very own version of Oblivion, the 360's premiere RPG. Having heard this, you may also have heard that the PS3 would be seeing some content that isn't available for the 360 version. Upon hearing this, you may have been somewhat, shall we say, bummed. Fear not, bummed out Oblivionites, for Bethesda has spoken and the news is good. When IGN asked if the PS3 content -- titled Knights of the Nine -- would be available for PC and 360, Bethesda's Todd Howard replied, "We always aim to have all our content available across all platforms, so that is our goal." So there you have it, folks. Expect to see Knights of the Nine available sometime in the not too distant future.And since we can't resist kicking a little fanboy sand every once in a while, we'd like to point out that Bethesda is still in the dark concerning downloadable content on the PS3. Gotta love that Xbox Live.[Via Xboxic]
PS3 Oblivion's exclusive quest explained
News that Oblivion was going to be PlayStation 3's "surprise" launch title was disappointing in the sense that we'd been anticipating the port since April, but the official confirmation did instantly boost the prospects of the PS3 launch lineup for those of us who haven't had a chance to tromp around Cyrodiil. But what about Oblivion vets? Is there a reason for us to invest in another version of Bethesda's masterpiece?As previously revealed, the PS3 edition will include an additional faction, the Knights of the Nine. A new -- and allegedly, exclusive -- questline with focus on restoring the Knights' order, adding a reported 10–20 hours of gameplay. The incentive: you'll gain access to "super-powerful" relics. The catch: if you raise your infamy level you'll be suspended from the faction and those relics will be removed from your possession.Will this new content motivate you to play well behaved? Will it motivate you to revisit Cyrodiil if you already came, saw, and conquered?
Role-playing titles that made a "quantum leap"
Gamasutra recently polled its readers on which role-playing game made the biggest "quantum leap" at the time it was released. Any RPG throughout the history of the genre was fair pickings, but the top entry was the game that received the most votes from readers identified as industry professionals (because grunts like you and me only dilute the quality of the selection process).Classic heavyweights such as Final Fantasy IV, Neverwinter Nights, EverQuest, Baldur's Gate II, and the Ultima series are celebrated as honorable mentions, which illustrates the impressive depth of the genre. I won't reveal the top five vote-getters, but a certain spike-haired dude with a huge sword is absent from the list -- just one omission of many that should fuel some interesting debates among the RPG faithful. What are your thoughts about the list?See also: "Epic" RPGs: too time-consuming for casual gamers? "RPG" missing from today's MMORPGs
How modders saved Oblivion [update 1]
[Update: We covered this exact article yesterday. Consider this a different angle and color me foolish.]Pixel Rage has compiled a list of user-made modifications for Oblivion that should never have been necessary (i.e. features that should have been in the game out of the box). Oblivion, for all its praise, is strewn with bugs and other maladies that degrade the overall experience. You might find that harsh and overcritical, but we think its warranted to hold a title that spent over three years in development (on an engine the developer had been using for almost eight years) to higher standards. The modifications listed include: More realistic weather patterns, vegetation, and habitat, including the addition of birds and insects. Murkier, more transparent / realistic water effects. Light that shines through windows at night. Adding side effects to drinking too much wine (it's about time we get double vision for dipping to much into Skingrad's finest ... ). Inventory list customization. Interjections of silence within the constant soundtrack (a clever way to add to the atmosphere). Unique icons for spells. Various quest-specific fixes. It's wonderful to see the community perfect the game, but what are Xbox 360 owners to do? When the "vampire cure" quest was found to be broken, PC users could fix the problem themselves, while console gamers were forced to reload an earlier save (or, in worst situations, restart the game). Bethesda is currently working on Fallout 3 using a variation of the same engine used in Morrowind / Oblivion; let's hope they get the kinks out this time.[via Penny Arcade]
Oblivion PSP: less tromp, more romp
OPM's got the scoop on PSP's Oblivion. Sounds like Bethesda will strip out the open world, focusing on dungeon romps. Did you really believe they'd do otherwise?We'll still get create-a-character and have access to 18 of the 21 skills featured in the original Oblivion, but no word on cross-link features between the PSP version and the PS3 edition. And no word on load times either ... ... ... But the developers do cite Metroid Prime as a source of inspiration. Well then, how about throwin' in a morph ball ability?
Oblivion: first magazine scan found
The November issue of OPM has exclusive details of the upcoming PSP version of Oblivion. The scans of the game look not too shabby... it looks a heck of a lot better than the N-Gage Elder Scroll's game. According to the article, the PSP version of Oblivion will be "a very different game with a different story line... it has the experience of the dungeon romp. It doesn't have wide-open, wander-the-landscape kind of stuff."Even though the game's functionality seems a little stripped down, Obivion for PSP will still feature a character creation system, and 18 of the original game's 21 skills. The controls are going to be simplified, of course, and the designers cite Metroid Prime as a source of inspiration, which is only a good thing.Check out the full magazine scan, if you like, or buy the issue when it hits newsstands.[Via E-mpire Forum]
Updated roundup of essential Oblivion mods
PixelRage has assembled a collection of 13 Oblivion mods that they feel Bethesda Softworks should have included as in-game features to begin with. Some of them may seem trivial, but they add to the game's realism and overall usability. In addition to map, inventory, and environmental enhancements, your inebriated hero will now have blurry vision after boozing it up at the local tavern. And if you need a moment of silence from Jeremy Soule's brilliant score, there's a mod for inserting pauses in the soundtrack. My favorite on the list is the extended death camera, which suppresses the load screen and gives you the pleasure (or pain) of watching your character get beaten to a bloody pulp.What are your favorite Oblivion mods?See also: Oblivion: let the modding begin!
Bethesda confirms Oblivion to PSP in Spring 2007
Yesterday, we broke news that 1UP broke news of the Official Playstation Magazine breaking news of Oblivion heading to the PSP and PS3. Did ya get all that?Well, now we get confirmation right from the source. Yeah, that's right, Bethesda has issued a press release confirming Oblivion is headed to the PSP in spring 2007. In America, the game will be published by Bethesda, while Ubisoft will publish it in Europe.As if you didn't already know, this is a huge win for the PSP and PS3. I don't think there's anyone in their right mind who would argue that the PSP is the only major handheld system on the market that has enough horsepower to properly handle a game like Oblivion.It's times like this that help me forget about things like hardware sales charts and focus on the massive amount of great games on the PSP's horizon. It truly is a great time to be a gamer.[Via Bethesda]
Rumor becomes reality: Oblivion travels to PSP
Back in April, PSP Fanboy unearthed a huge rumor: Oblivion was coming to the PSP. When the game started to appear on EB Games' website, we knew that something was going to be made, although some of you thought we were "deluded." Well, looks like we were right: 1UP has confirmed the existence of a new PSP game entitled Elder's Scrolls Travels: Oblivion. The game will have similar gameplay to the Xbox 360 (and now PS3) version of the game, but will take place in a new setting.This sounds like great news. Considering how powerful the PSP hardware is, I'm sure it'll be better than the previous Elder's Scrolls Travels game, which appeared exclusively on the N-Gage (pictured above).[Via Joystiq; Thanks, Silver R. Wolfe!]
Mysterious PS3 launch title is Oblivion
Remember when the folks at the Official Playstation Magazine declared than an upcoming issue would reveal a surprise PS3 launch title? A game so magnificently obscure and unexpected, a launch game "that you have not heard of?" The answer has finally come in the editorial team's latest podcast -- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Don't worry, we've never heard of it either. Sounds rather pretentious.The podcast does provide some clarification with regards to how Bethesda's in-your-face epic could possibly have been labeled as a game you've been completely oblivious (har har) to. Correction: it's a launch game you've never heard of, in the sense that you've never heard of it being a PS3 launch game. Obviously, Halo 3, Space Channel 5 and Pikmin would all have been fair guesses. Ah, we jest.According to OPM, the PS3 version of Oblivion will include new content and enhancements, likely referring to a bevy of equine protection items and the vicious eradication of problematic insects seen in the Xbox 360 and PC versions. 1UP specifically mentions a new faction, the Knights of the Nine, entering the world of Cyrodiil and providing the player with new quests. In addition, they also confirm a PSP game, Elder Scrolls Travels: Oblivion. More information on both titles will surely arrive in the next few weeks.Listen -- about three quarters of the way inRead -- a new faction and a PSP OblivionBehold -- the first batch of PS3 screenshots[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
"Epic" RPGs: too time-consuming for casual gamers?
A recent editorial at GamersInfo suggests that RPGs featuring vast, open-ended worlds are produced with only hardcore gamers in mind. The author argues that with RPGs such as Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, there are no mechanics in place to attract more casual gamers, and keep them interested for short periods of time. These types of RPGs are intended to provide dozens (if not hundreds) of hours of gameplay, but because they fail to offer "accessible distractions" within the first few hours of exposure, gamers with less time on their hands may quickly abandon the adventure -- and never return.What this person is looking for are more minigames that still allow you to progress through the main game, but can be digested in periods of a half-hour or less. To illustrate, the author points out the limited utility of horses in Oblivion and wonders why developer Bethesda couldn't have mixed in gameplay elements from other genres: "Why couldn't I collect and corral other horses (Pokemon)? Why couldn't I breed different horses together in order to cultivate desirable traits (Jade Cocoon)? Why couldn't I use my horse to plow a field outside of my house so I could grow my own Alchemical resources (Harvest Moon)? Why couldn't I cross breed my horse with another creature in the game (Monster Rancher)?"The author's self-admitted rant might be just that, but it raises an interesting point. Should the value of a role-playing game be measured in number of quests, map square miles, and other "super size" features? Or, should open-ended environments present immediately accessible minigames each time you load up your last save point?See also: Single player RPGs are alive and well "RPG" missing from today's MMORPGs
No official Oblivion expansions planned
Here's an interesting nugget from the Elder Scrolls forums, posted last week. Bethesda employee mburg responded to the most recent thread discussing Oblivion expansion packs: "We have no plans to make an expansion for Oblivion. Should that change, we'll make an announcement on Elder Scrolls.com." The steady stream of downloadable content Bethesda has been providing only adds incremental enhancements to the best selling RPG. However, you can still get lost in Tamriel for months. So do we even need an official expansion, or are mod communities such as The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary enough to extend the Oblivion experience for years?See also: Oblivion PS3 and PSP rumors resurface Modder makes multiplayer Oblivion
Japanese jones for Oblivion
Are millions of people being deprived of the opportunity to pay 230 Yen for Samurai horse armour? Slashdot Japan has an article about a web petition calling for a Japanese language edition of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Translating the 360's best game for RPG-obsessed Japan seems like a no-brainer, especially considering Microsoft's continuing struggle to impress in that market. Listen up Bethesda.
Two Worlds, several screenshots
Reality Pump -- best studio name ever -- released a few shots of its upcoming RPG Two Worlds. For those unfamiliar with the game, Two Worlds is an open ended RPG seemingly in the same vein as, say, Oblivion. Reality Pump is promising unprecedented storytelling and interactivity, "giving gamers a real chance to shape the world around them." The official Two Worlds website promises plenty of other buzz words features as well, including:
