I bought it because I wanted to be able to witness time-specific events for quests. For example, for one quest, I had to wait for this chick to show up and do something. Before, I would've been like "wait one hour... damn. Wait one hour... damn. Wait one hour... damn," over and over again. With the guide, I just looked it up, did some math, and got it over with quickly and easily. =\

Actually, I wanted to buy it to ensure 100% in quests. But the use I mentioned before is actually what I use it for most often. *shrug*

You'll find that some people have different definitions of fun. Apparently, for some, fun is just going from point A to point B without having to make any decisions along the way that might deter from getting the optimal outcome. These are the same people who immediately look up the solution to puzzles so that they can watch a few lights turn on and then get back to killing monsters.

Hi, I haven't played any of the Elder Scrolls games before. When you branch off from the main storyline does this game still act like you're in control or are sub-quests obviously set apart from the "main objectives?" I'd really like to demo Oblivion, but if it's as addictive as I've heard I'm afraid I might not be able to graduate from College.

You won't graduate from college. Although I have the ability to put Oblivion on hold even though its all I think about doing. I really don't know how.

And good explanation Magic. I just find that retarded.

And when you are in the world of Elder Scrolls, you can do whatever you want at any time. There is never any limitations and you are always in control. Just be aware that there are many noobs who cannot handle such a game because there is too much freedom for them and they can't comprehend this. This happened with Morrowind, but is less likely to occur in Oblivion considering it's the best game of all time and they give you somewhat of a training in the beginning of the game. However, after that it is up to you to decide what to do. I think you played old Bioware games and the like so you should be be fine. Just either have the best PC out there now, or get the 360 version.

So, Oblivion is obviously the best game.

But it could be better: click here for speed and graphics optimisations, and some awesome mods. I really recommend the slow level one if you want to get more out of your game. Also the "remove annoying text" one is a must.

EDIT: Personally, I find the quality-speed tradeoff for the "soup" one to be not worth it. The loading times almost double, and one of the things I love about this game is the fact that loading times are so minimal. Besides, on long distance the "detailed" textures make this grid pattern that I personally find more annoying than soup.

I'll take a little longer loading times and increased performance over quick loading times any day.

The main quest was a little shorter than I expected. It's a good thing the only factions I bothered with before beating it was the Arena so at least I know I still have a lot to do.

Doing quests with NPCs is fun:

1 - I went down a slope, and didn't see the rope that triggered a trap. I walked through it, and a big spiky ball came down and hit the NPC from behind. He flew over me.
2 - I walked over some planks, but gravity caused them to fall down. I made the other end, but the NPC fell down.

Which is why being Champion of the Arena rocks. Getting Adoring Fan into all sorts of situations is bloody funny.

Anyways, I have a question. I know it would be better if I found out myself, but I can't figure it out... And I'm lazy.
Okay, I've not done so much of the main quest. I've collected the four volumes of the Mythic Dawn Commentaries, and I've uncovered the 'hidden' message. I got:

So, I figured I had to walk around on the Green road. Here I found something called something like "Feathors Tower". (Note: It's not called that, but I can't remember what it's called...) I hung around that place till midday, but nothing happened. Could someone please point me in the right direction?

While I haven't played the main quest that much, all the other things in the game rocks my socks. It's like an earthquake. The guilds, the random quests, exploring. God, I think I could play this game for weeks and still find new things...

Well, the soup fix is only a slight performance hit (and is easily counteracted by the precache fix below it), so I definitely recommend it for those who were annoyed with it. It's just that to me it actually doesn't really look much better since you get that ugly gridding instead (plus longer load times makes it really not worth it to me).

But I'm kind of hoping they'll come out with a mod that randomises the textures over distance to fix this! I think that might work really well.

Best game ever??? I don't know about that. I am fully enjoying Oblivion but there are plenty of things that could be improved.

One thing that bugs me is the time scale of the game. If you go off of the main quest and start doing other stuff, and only do other stuff then there should be consequences, but instead it doesn't really matter as you can always go back to it months (possibly years) down the track and all will be the same as you left it.

LOL that's true! There are definitely flaws which is probably why I said it could be even better. :tpg: I can't really think of any game that's better though. I really love Shadow of the Colossus but it's more art than game.

Now that you said this, I want to look at the time passing mod. I wonder if that fixes this issue... EDIT: It's not, it just slows the passing of time, which does kind of make stuff more real since you wouldn't be gone for years and years at least. It works well with the slow levelling patch, too.

Oh man I love how much freedom you have in this game. I had to rescue someone from some vampire in a certain quest. I was kinda afraid to try and get through her so I turned around and stole something. This made a NPC chase after me and attack me. I quickly snuck back to the vampire with the NPC behind me in tow.

When I got to her I ducked out of her range of sight and the NPC ran forward, getting her attention. She attacked him and he ran away. Ofcourse she chased after him. Which allowed me to rescue the prisoner with ease. lawl.

God the fact that you guys have a time issues with this game makes you retarded. You realize what that would do to this game especially and any other RPG on earth. God that is so idiotic, to even think of such a thing being implemented.

And to count that as a flaw, all I say is lol.

hmm it a little flaw but just check the first oblivion gate... they are attacking a village but even if you go right a way or in 2 years they still at the same place... (I would have figure that in 2 years the "demon" would have finaly destroy the village but no >.>)

It would have taken Bethesda another twelve years to write all the possible scenarios if they had based everything on how much time it takes someone to do something. It's your own fault if it doesn't seem realistic. Take breaks from the main quest at times where it seems appropriate (aka; nothing that needs serious attention) and stop complaining. You are seriously asking for too much to expect them to hand write scenarios for every single quest to accommodate your sense of "realism". Plus, all you would do is complain if it winded up screwing you out of a quest or a great reward so, really, they would lose either way.

People just love to complain.

I'm not complaining because I don't car at all about this time thingy, I was just responding to BZ that I think react a little too much when calling everyone that thing that is completly stupid >.>

I know that it's impossible to make a game like oblivion and really do like a story that respect all timeline >.> it's that there so much to do that you tend to forget the main quest. In a way it's a good thing because it's fun to do all those sidequest but in another way the main quest becaume more like another sidequest in this world then really be focusing on it.

My post wasn't directed entirely at you. It was directed at everyone who said that time was unrealistic in the game. No shit it is; It's a game. Some people really act like this game should be the second coming of Jesus or something based on their unrealistically high expectations for everything related to it.

I happen to agree with you anyway, which is why I suggested taking breaks at points where the game seems to slow down. When Martin needs you to collect items for him, for example, seems a decent time to break into some sidequests.

Personally, I waited to do most of the sidequests after I beat the main quest. That way the sense of urgency is gone and based on the way the main quest ended it would be perfectly viable that you could lose your mind and go evil (if you wanted to join the dark brotherhood) or continue to do good, etc, blah, avoiding main plot spoilers, blah, blah... :)

Heh, you people are pretty oversensitive. Maybe a flaw is a bit too big a word, but it's definitely not a positive thing. Anyway, the time slowdown mod really improves the gameplay, especially on 10:1 (10 minutes gametime takes 1 minute). I find 1:1 to be a bit too much of a good thing, although if it would use the CPU clock I might start making use of that too, since I'm already used to it from Animal Crossing. The original setting (30:1) is just too fast for me, it feels rushed.

Of course, it depends on your gaming style--I tend to play the game for an hour or two, and this way there aren't months (or even years) passed all of a sudden just from exploring various sections on the map.

But yeah, the time slowdown mod combined with the slower levelling mod makes the game a lot more enjoyable for me. Gotta love 'em. =D

That's what I did, although with new characters I most likely won't do the main quest again for obvious reasons. Although I do enjoy being called the hero of Kvatch when the whole city is in ruins. =D

why does it mattter if years has passed? it's just a silly number in the journal.

My only complaint about the time is that I'd like to have the time pass in real-time, meaning that 24 hours happs cocurrently to the time it is in real life... but having waiting (T) eliminating the possible problem of waiting forever for a quest or some NPC to appear.

I read that a couple of times, still don't know where. Could anyone help me? It's driving me nuts I can't find the damn thing:(

Edit: Disregard this, I suck cocks...
I had no idea that I were to search inside the Imperial City. The hours I've used roaming around in Cyrodill looking for a tower... *Shakes head* Never mind, I found something on Gamefaqs I'm goin to try.

There's a mod available that does just that. Check out Planet Elder Scrolls - they should have it for download.

Precisely my point. If there wern't issues with the game then people wouldn't go out of their ways to make mods for it to make it play better, which is one of the great things about this game and the PC version. Sure the game isn't perfect (and nothing is) but the way some of you people are going on about it, it's the best game ever or something.

It's leaps and bounds ahead of Morrowind but for me, something to be a best game must have something really outstanding, and Oblivion to me is just an improvement but by a lot. I haven't seen anything that really has wowed me like when I first loaded Morrowind up.

And what urgency is that? I've been stuffing around for months now in the game world and I have yet to see the gates of Oblivion spill open.

Yeah, it's called roleplaying. From a "realistic" point of view the main quest should be beaten quickly so I did just that. I didn't sit here and whine about how unrealistic the whole thing is, cause, you know, it's a fucking game. :)