Changing the Control Scheme Entirely?

[SurvivorX]

I love Oblivion, but one thing that's always bugged me about it is the standard FPS control scheme; WASD to move, space to jump, click to swing your weapon etc. It seems to me that the whole scheme is rather awkward and difficult to play with, and no matter what mods I use, the awkward-feeling control scheme kills whatever immersion factor might be added by those mods.

 

What I would like is to modify Oblivion's control scheme to be more like the third-person "puppeteering" controls that are used in Assassin's Creed for PC; WASD still walk but it's relative to which direction the camera is facing rather than "WS = back and forth and AD = strafe" - W goes forward away from you, S goes towards the camera, A and D move to the side of it. Armed-hand button (left click by default) swings your weapon or casts your spell, Unarmed-hand button (right click) uses whatever is in your other hand (shield, block, whatever), and number buttons would, as always, be your hotkey weapons/items/spells. Space would be the Feet (mostly jump and sneak), and E is the Head (first person view, possibly things like spellcasting as well). Moving the mouse doesn't change where you're aimed, but rather changes where the camera is aimed (so you can look in one direction and move in another.)

 

Possibly, even add the distinction between High and Low Profile actions - high profile is action-oriented moves (attack, jump, sprint, etc) and low profile is more subtle, discreet things (sneak, pick pocket, etc), or add things like "locking" a target to focus your actions in that person/creature's direction (so you're not just swinging your sword stupidly at the air when the troll or whatever is right in front of you).

 

In my opinion, Assassin's Creed has one of the most elegant, well-refined control schemes in all of videogamedom, and I always marvel at how easy it is to perform these cinematic combat/chase sequences with so little effort. To be able to do such things with Oblivion would be amazing.

 

What I would like to know is how possible would it be to change Oblivion's control scheme like this. I hold no illusions that it would be easy, I recognize that it would be a very difficult task, what I want to know is how difficult, or even if it's possible at all.

Edited December 31, 2010 by SurvivorX