New Member - Saying Hello

[xInfaRedx]

That awesome man ! Great story and visuals. lol I see it all now. Striker doing all the work. Striker hunting the flag down, but who's guarding the base ? Oh Striker gotta run back and do that too ? haha Meanwhile the era of bunnyhopping in games came about (sadly, that IS a mandatory strategy in FortNite even - keeps snipers from being about to easily hit head shots) - BUT my god its so annoying.

 

I agree Oblivion is a super sweet spot. The most perfect a game will get. But me personally I do lump Skyrim in on that too. (as playing through them both, seriously, you end up not noticing a difference). I know no game or nothing for that matter is perfect. But those 2 are for sure the closest.

 

I remember times/areas in Oblivion that I miss for sure. My last few play-throughs on that game, I just would never trigger the main quest storyline to open them annoying Oblivion gates that gave me headaches. To me, that's the best for sure. The open mountainous regions just fighting dragons, talking to town folks cracking up at the stuff I could do. I love reverse pickpocketing things on NPC and watching them inadvertently (or purposely) using them. To me that's so funny. The FIRST game to do that for sure. With AI involved anyway with unpredictable outcomes.

 

Cool you know of Unreal 3D engine. I always played on it without knowing what it was till I investigated it due to Fortnite. Then I was like HOLY SH&T this is that engine.. ok.. haha. So I might be wrong, but from the looks of it, I think its going to be a leader by next year. Bethesda better pull their pants up and get to some buttkicking if they wanna stay on top. There might be a new bad ass in town soon.

 

What did you think of that sample they presented ? The tech is amazing.

[Striker879]

As I said, pretty graphics. If they ported Oblivion to it I could be tempted, but graphics alone have little sway over me.

 

At the end of my time in TFC the Striker team flag was seldom in jeopardy ... the other team was too busy being all snipery and demo-man-y to worry about anything as stoopid as actually playing the game map. There would one single player on the entire map doing that, and I always knew exactly where that guy was (just needed to look at my screen).

 

I watched my grandson playing Fortnite for a while ... notice you don't see me quipping in on any of my experiences playing Fortnite. If I were designing a game like that I'd have a simple solution to gameplay balance (and you would be able to turn off your bunny hopping cheats) ... each team gets exactly one sniper. Sniper deployment and protection becomes an integral part of gameplay ... finding 'em and protecting them.

 

But then again, not suitable for that lowest common denominator that the accountants in the game companies (who are the chief game designers these days) target ... you would need to actually engage that gray lump sitting on your shoulders periodically.

 

On the upside, I know where they'd be able to sell ONE copy of the game.

[xInfaRedx]

Oh wow, you have a grandson ? Cool !

 

I also think physics is extremely important though. More important than graphics, but goes hand in hand. Physics can be almost as important as the storyline and game play because they help your brain feel/believe that storyline/gameplay being presented. Graphics do a little true, but your imagination should help overcome bad graphics if a game is good. For instance how it does with books, which have no graphics. But with books, there is no physics needed at all. New 3D Games need physics. And unlike bad graphics, bad physics can actually strip your imagination of creating them missing attributes needed. So, I really think physics are important in this 3D gaming world. They are not just lumped into graphics imo.

 

The pass old games got was, they were almost like books. They just had no physics. 2D all day. Kinda like cooking (in competition), they say if it didn't turn out right don't put it on the plate. Thats genius without knowing it. Its like, it can harm you worse if its bad, than just missing a required part of the dish. Same thing with any creation imo. Music included. quoting several of the greatest musicians (mainly black guys) when asked how they get that bounce to their music that other musicians can't (for instance old school funk music), you know what they said ? Its genius, they say well "its more about where you DON'T put a note than where you put a note". Or put this way sometimes "if in question, the best note is no note".

= Sometimes less is more.

 

Anyway, lol what I am getting at is, I was impressed with the physics of the Unreal5 engine too. And I respect how games back in the day knew their limitations and simply left things out that they couldn't properly accomplish. (for the most part). Again, Sometimes, less is more.

[xInfaRedx]

On the upside, I know where they'd be able to sell ONE copy of the game.

Haha !

Edited July 21, 2020 by xInfaRedx

[Striker879]

I agree on the physics aspect ... the two must have, core mods for me are Realistc Fatigue and Basic Physical Activities. Completely change how you play Oblivion. No more do you suddenly get frozen in place when you picked that one more Flax seed (that weighed all of 0.1). But you may be saying to yourself "Maybe I should have sold that extra set of iron armor to Varnado" as you are slowing to a crawl while trying to run up the hill past Fort Nikel on the Black Road towards Chorrol.

 

Took modders to fix an Bethesda decision that has absolutely no "suspension of disbelief" pathway around it.

[xInfaRedx]

Yea that sounds cool ! I think they have something like the "Realistic Fatigue" you mentioned for Skyrim. I was planning on getting it. The "Basic Physical Activities" though I am unsure what that is.

 

Remember, a few things changed from Oblivion to Skyrim as far as those things. Some for the better, some for the worse. And forgive me if I say this wrong, cause I forget exactly how Oblivion did it... But in Skyrim, you no longer freeze in place when you pick up that last 0.1lb herb that puts you over your current carrying capacity. But what you then do is move unbearably too slow. The moment you drop 0.1lb's you magically are running at full speed. lol. But not ever frozen in place.

 

There is also (though barely noticeable) something happening to movement as you gain weight to carry. You get slightly slower. You can tell a difference between carrying nothing and 300lbs for sure. Much more snappy movement. But IMO, it all still could use some improvement.

 

My complaint is movement in general is just clunky to say the least. And always has been in all 3 games. I hope for improvement there. I'm curious as to why we can't jump while we are running. I went outside to test if that's possible in real life, and guess what ? Totally possible ! So.... wtf happened here in TES series ? Jumping, starting and stopping strafing from side to side, starting and stopping running to jump, etc.. all this is clunky imo. Needs massive work.

 

Also, IDK about you, but in real life I can run pretty far without fatiguing. I also could do it with 100+lbs strapped to me if strapped on properly and evenly distributed. So its a little annoying when in game I use all my stamina running only about halfway through a small town equal to no longer than 1/2 a mile max. I understand some people like overly realistic when playing a game and others like the fantasy god mode, and other like me like a balance (after all I play games to escape real life) But this request I have to fix is not going to break either. I think we could run much further without losing stamina. I know I can run about 5 miles without stopping once, as I do twice a week. Could even run further with some "my life is in danger" incentive I am sure.

 

Ok knowing that, take a look at some of these characters bodies. They are in way better shape than me ! lol They look like they could run about 10 miles easy without stopping once. In any case I do plan to get some of those more immersive mods. But I do like to keep some "game" aspect here, as that's just me. For instance I seen a mod that takes away regenerating health and something about not being able to save and load anywhere to keep it more like, you die, you die, start over. Like real life. For me, that's not fun. I like to have fun when I play video games. Meaning, I have a tough enough life in real life, I come to games to be that hero bad ass. Not myself ! lol I have more fun being alive and tripping on the storyline/NPC's, etc.. I don't want a overly ridiculous real game (except visually, I will always take that !)

 

I like real as possible storyline and gameplay - real graphics, real gravity physics, semi-real other physics is ok, not so real character physical abilities is ok with me. After all, I am the hero right ? I mean how real is it to be able to cast a spell on yourself to heal or drink potions to magically be at 100% health after taking 15 arrows to the neck ? lol So if that's not real and everyone is ok with it, then why should slowly regenerating health concern anyone ? After all, that aspect is almost the realest cause health does slowly regenerate in real life. Time just moves quicker in games and should ! (Yet another mod I will not be getting is that one that makes game time move at same pace as real life time.) Ridiculous. Not why I play.

Edited July 21, 2020 by xInfaRedx

[Striker879]

The third leg of my "core" mods is Basic Primary Needs which affects health, fatigue and magicka. What I like about the three of them is you can tweak on their INIs until you like the result. That may be close to what the mod author liked (i.e. INI defaults) or may be not even close to their sweet spot. Health and fatigue go down as you progress through the day. You get some/most back when you eat and drink ... sleeping tops the tanks back to full (providing you don't go on a fast and wake up hungry and/or parched).

 

For me it's more than simple realism ... there's a strategic aspect to the game. You reconsider entering that dungeon late in the day, or take a supper break before carting the loot out (and by out, I'm personally only carrying it as far as my packdonkeys, who will be chillin' outside the entrance). Need to get someplace and you don't want to dawdle? Best to start off earlier in the day while you're well rested and fed, and you have enough gas in the tank to run at close to full speed (fast travel doesn't exist in my universe). Bottom line is you think about what you're contemplating and deciding go/no go, later/let's get on with it.

 

Beats running around mindlessly in my book.

 

Funny thing in relation to your point about realism vs fun is I always play the same. Here I am playing an RPG and doesn't matter what I do, I play me.

 

Either it's fun for me to be me or I have no imagination.

[xInfaRedx]

I can see and respect those points. Really I think its a "to each their own" thing. Which makes these types of games so powerful if allowed to tweak every aspect of them. Cater to all play types/opinions.

[Striker879]

Looking through the other end of the telescope ... I do find good value in other's views and opinions. Doesn't matter which way I crane my head or twist around, the only view I can get is from the inside looking out. Somebody else's inside out view offers a different perspective, and though I may be an old stick in the mud curmudgeon of sorts I like to think of myself as an enlightened old stick in the mud curmudgeon.

 

Those three mods (RF, BPN and BPA) all came to my attention through somebody else's views. Be it whether they were expressing gratitude or looking for help, their eyes landed on them before mine ever did. Heck, using my inside out view I'd maybe still be just running around chasing the bouncing boobies (as opposed to figuring out how to run around fast enough to chase the bouncing boobies ... and then chasing after the bouncing boobies).

 

Striker's mini-games ... I should write a book.

[xInfaRedx]

Ha, yes I agree you obviously are enlightened somehow cause you're playing games ! Thats rare for older people. And at that playing Oblivion with the mods ! Thats a whole other level of enlightened.

 

I'm going to look into those or similar mods once I start modding. At least to experience them before I judge. And most of all, to know them. Cause I'm the type that likes to play differently each play through. And I make a rule or two to myself for a character and stick to it. In other words the real definition of "role play". I role play.

 

One time I will be a total law abiding citizen. This character can not even steal anything, so I must skip certain quests and especially stay away from certain factions. Another character I will be a straight up menace to society. I literally kill anything and everything I see. Including guards. Wipe out entire cities. Etc.. a real bad guy. This character also misses some quests too due to that. But is guaranteed to join the dark dirty sleazy factions, not the good ones, then once finished with them I wipe them all out too !. I also of course I will play anywhere in-between those contrasts, but I call it out ahead of time and stick to it. The most popular of course is the balanced character that does bad only for good reasons and mainly is good therefore doing all factions, all quests, etc..

 

What I am getting at is now with mods, I can take this further. Calling out ahead of time, "ok this time, no fast travel and activate them RF, BPA and BPN mods" (for example) is also a possible "role play" idea for a character. Hence the concept of also having mod profiles within your mod organizer that each coexist only with a certain character in your play throughs.

 

This is also a side point to maybe you could pretend Morrowind and Skyrim are just giant mods to your Oblivion. Sure you might not like them *as much*, but role play it. Thats just your character this time. The rules of the "role play" has changed a bit. Play it out. Might find some fun in there!

 

IE: I know I won't find not being able to fast travel as much fun... but I will role play it to get a new experience. Then again I already had that experience playing Morrowind, so I do/did it. BUT doing it as a role play for a character in Skyrim and Oblivion is a great idea !