Trying Not To Just Toss The Game

[TroySpiral]

I just bought Oblivion + all the addons at once a few days ago and started playing it. I'm really having trouble not just giving up:

 

Problems:

 

1. Spellcasting forces me to switch between spells, then press the cast button, then switch back, then press cast again? Whaaa? This is very cumbersome, at least when I have to fight in essentially "realtime". Is there a way to

 

I'd like to see "cast bar" or "ability card" not , press the hot key, then press cast, then press another hot key then cast.. you know, like most every game.

 

 

2. I feel clueless as to what to do / where to go. This I know (somewhat) is intentional, but a quest will say something like "search around for X" and there is no way I can find whatever it is, so I'm forced to read the internet AGAIN (the little red "go here thing notwithstanding since it doesnt always activate).

 

 

Any suggestions?

[cancausecancer]

 

Any suggestions?

 

Ya, just relax a bit and try not to have any expectations about the game. The casting doesn't require hotkeying each time. When you've selected a spell you can just keep hitting your cast button over and over. This is how you can build up experience with a spell. You can refer to the manual for more info.

 

For where to go, just walk around enjoy and look at your compass/map to see if there is a way point. Look at your quests screen to see where you should go next. You can read the manual to find out more info on it but it shouldn't be necessary.

[bben46]

Did you place your most used spells in the 8 slot 'wheel' where you can change spells with ONE click, then cast that spell as many times as you want with just ONE click (the C key) ? (as long as you don't change spells)

 

How about a mod that adds a second 8 slot wheel just for spells, You decide what spells are in the wheel and what number it is - and each spell in the wheel can be instantly cast by pressing it's key combo ( v+the spell number)

 

Then add another wheel for changing instantly to any one of 8 separate outfits by pressing b+the outfit number. Allows going from a fully combat equipped character with rings and amulet selected for combat to a casual outfit orientated to trade with separate rings and amulet plus clothing that enhances you trade ability. Plus 6 more outfits for various purposes.

 

Then adds a 'purse of holding' with several independently programmable sections, allowing you to carry far more 'stuff' that is not instantly accessable - put those heavy warhammers and claymores in it to carry back to town to sell. Quick Clothes and spells http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=14794

 

As for not knowing what to do, yes that is intentional. It differentiates games like Oblivion from the kiddie games that require you to do things in a step by step way with no bypassing any stages and then tells you what you must do for each step to advance to the next. Don't worry so much about what has to be done. get out and explore some. Clean out an interesting looking bandit fort instead of running straight to the next step in the main quest. Join the mages guild and go through some - or all of it's quests before tackling the next stage of the main quest. There is no rule that you cannot be working on mages guild, fighters guild, dark brotherhood and thieves guild all at the same time.

 

I do recommend disabling all of the DLCs at first, as some of them do get in the way - especially Knights of the Nine which can interfere with some aspects of the main game. The original intent of the DLCs was that you would complete the main game before getting any of them. Most will work fine, but KOTN does force you to immediately deal with a desecrated temple that is no longer useable in the main game.

[TroySpiral]

Thanks for taking the time to reply guys.

 

 

Any suggestions?

 

Ya, just relax a bit and try not to have any expectations about the game. The casting doesn't require hotkeying each time. When you've selected a spell you can just keep hitting your cast button over and over. This is how you can build up experience with a spell. You can refer to the manual for more info.

 

For where to go, just walk around enjoy and look at your compass/map to see if there is a way point. Look at your quests screen to see where you should go next. You can read the manual to find out more info on it but it shouldn't be necessary.

 

In terms of the spellcasting, it just seems that durring the fights they happen so fast that the time it takes to switch from (going to use the icorrect terms i know) "ranged spell 1 " to then "touch range spell" then "heal" so i have to hit the hotkey for ranged spell, then cast, then the hotkey to change to touch-range spell, then cast , then hit the next "change spell" hotkey, rather than, just hitting the hotkey that casts the spell , done, which , I thought was standard in RPGs since.. well at least a decade, so if you have 10 different spells to cast you can see them all for one, and secondly you just have to hit one key not three (switch, cast, then switch back).

 

The "wander around and just do random things" aspect is really putting me to sleep for some reason, which , I don't quite understand since I've been playing this sort of stuff since before games had graphics (text based muds) and just 'going around' didn't seem so .... not sure how to phrase it, other than sleep inducing. Maybe its the slow movement speed or what seems like huge swaths of nothinging but scenery / generic npcs.

 

Did you place your most used spells in the 8 slot 'wheel' where you can change spells with ONE click, then cast that spell as many times as you want with just ONE click (the C key) ? (as long as you don't change spells)

 

How about a mod that adds a second 8 slot wheel just for spells, You decide what spells are in the wheel and what number it is - and each spell in the wheel can be instantly cast by pressing it's key combo ( v+the spell number)

 

Then add another wheel for changing instantly to any one of 8 separate outfits by pressing b+the outfit number. Allows going from a fully combat equipped character with rings and amulet selected for combat to a casual outfit orientated to trade with separate rings and amulet plus clothing that enhances you trade ability. Plus 6 more outfits for various purposes.

 

Then adds a 'purse of holding' with several independently programmable sections, allowing you to carry far more 'stuff' that is not instantly accessable - put those heavy warhammers and claymores in it to carry back to town to sell. Quick Clothes and spells http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=14794

 

As for not knowing what to do, yes that is intentional. It differentiates games like Oblivion from the kiddie games that require you to do things in a step by step way with no bypassing any stages and then tells you what you must do for each step to advance to the next. Don't worry so much about what has to be done. get out and explore some. Clean out an interesting looking bandit fort instead of running straight to the next step in the main quest. Join the mages guild and go through some - or all of it's quests before tackling the next stage of the main quest. There is no rule that you cannot be working on mages guild, fighters guild, dark brotherhood and thieves guild all at the same time.

 

I do recommend disabling all of the DLCs at first, as some of them do get in the way - especially Knights of the Nine which can interfere with some aspects of the main game. The original intent of the DLCs was that you would complete the main game before getting any of them. Most will work fine, but KOTN does force you to immediately deal with a desecrated temple that is no longer useable in the main game.

 

I am using the hotkey-wheel thing.

 

In terms of the spell casting, it just seems that during the fights they happen so fast that the time it takes to switch from (going to use the incorrect terms i know) "ranged spell 1 " to then "touch range spell" then "heal" so i have to hit the hotkey for ranged spell, then cast, then the hotkey to change to touch-range spell, then cast , then hit the next "change spell" hotkey, rather than, just hitting the hotkey that casts the spell , done, which , I thought was standard in RPGs since.. well at least a decade, so if you have 10 different spells to cast you can see them all for one, and secondly you just have to hit one key not three (switch, cast, then switch back).

 

 

A mod that just lets me cast a spell upon keypress , rather than having to switch to a spell THEN cast it is what I'd prefer. Most all modern rpgs that I can think of have a "cast bar" showing at least a large selection of abiltiies/spells to choose from that are used/cast when pressed. The lack of this just seems to really make the game not all that fun for me for some reason.

 

DLCs i assume are "non mainline quests" ?

Edited September 11, 2011 by TroySpiral

[bben46]

DLC = DownLoadable Content - which is the term for the official add ons like Horse armor, Knights of the Nine, and The Vile Lair. They work just like mods and can be installed and uninstalled just like mods. One exception is Shivering Isles which is an upgrade and once installed cannot be undone. However, it can be unselected from the data list with no problems. Many mods require that Shivering Isles be installed (but not that it be selected) as well as the latest update patch that is installed with Shivering Isles if you have the Game of the Year version.

[eric31415]

Enhanced Hotkeys sounds like what you are looking for. Up to 40 hotkeys, with the option of one-button autocasting.

[RatcatcherOfKvatch]

The way the hotkeys work has a certain logic to it. It also has a weirdness to it: some hotkeys trigger instantly and some merely ready something.

Immediate triggers include miscellaneous items such as soul gems as well as potions and ingredients.

"Select Only" assignment types include weapons and spells.

You get used to the way the spells work pretty quickly. If you have a 3- or 4-button mouse you can put casting on your right hand and with hotkeys on your left hand selecting and casting is as fast as if spells were automatically cast. By separating the functions you gain some flexibility when it comes to selecting spells close to the one you've hotkeyed. You can use that to your advantage.

When you start researching your own spells, and especially when you hit "Master" level there are extremely good reasons to do this, there is a trick I use which I think you'll appreciate: alphabetical indexing.

You only get 8 hotkeys, but if you have a buff set alphabetized you can quickly switch buffs as you cast them by hitting F3 and reassigning your buff hotkey every time you cast a buff. Constantly fussing with the spellbook breaks immersion at first, but you get used to it eventually to the point you hardly even notice you're doing it.

For combat spells you'll quickly find combination-damage "Omnibolts" (as I call them) are much more efficient than single-damage types, but you'll also want to exclude any element your opponent is immune to.

By alphabetizing the names of your Omnibolt spells you can select an Omnibolt with your hotkey then hit F3 and conveniently select a different bolt appropriate to your target. When I'm in the Plane of Oblivion I normally run "Omnibolt -fire" because many Oblivion creatures are fire resistant. However, when I'm up against a Storm Atronach, I can hit my Omnibolt hotkey (1), hit F3, and conveniently select "Omnibolt -shock" with no scrolling or searching. (In practice my Oblivion kit includes no-shock on key 8 unless I have allies. My healing kit itself also takes advantage of alphabetical indexing, as I have a super-powerful ally buff spell alphabetically adjacent to the hotkeyed ally heal spell.)

 

My play style may sound pretty anal, but you actually get used to it pretty quickly. I've never gotten into the really hardcore "Weakness-stacking" play style, but I'm sure that if I did I would be alphabetizing the relevant spells like crazy ... or I'd be going crazy! :P

 

Here are some example names:

 

Omnibolt 122

Omnibolt 122 -fire

Omnibolt 122 -frost

Omnibolt 122 -shock

 

The "122 series" gets its name from the base damage of "Omnibolt 122". The others will be boosted just a bit so they're roughly the same cost as their series primary. They still won't do 122, though -- they're not as efficient. They'll do like ~110 or so.

 

Stealth 21 Agi

Stealth 21 Int

Stealth 21 Str

Stealth 21 Wil

 

Buff series have pretty obvious naming conventions thanks to "Fortify Attribute" being limited to once per spell. The "Stealth" series will also have some Chameleon, Reflect Damage, and Fortify Magicka. Chameleon 15% 4 times gives you a respectable 60% -- at 15% prices.

 

(edit: put examples in alphabetical order. Seriously, leaving it like was would be FAIL.)

Edited September 12, 2011 by RatcatcherOfKvatch

[RatcatcherOfKvatch]

Checking out "Enhanced Hotkeys" tonight. It looks like it might do automatically what I've been doing manually.