Oblivion - GOLD - Ships 3/20!!

[CeeKay]

Yikes Hetz!  those last 2 looks like they're from a min spec machine at 800x600...

[LucidSmoke]

Hmmm.... looks like NVIDIA just released the WHQL 84.21 drivers.  I wonder what kind of effect this will have on the game, if any?

[Hetz]

Yikes Hetz!  those last 2 looks like they're from a min spec machine at 800x600...

Yeah, the machine they were playing on barely met the min requirements....but they give an idea of how the game will look on low end machines. I'm downloading the videos now...the server is getting hammered, so it will be awhile though.

[Destructor]

Yikes Hetz!  those last 2 looks like they're from a min spec machine at 800x600...

Those might be min spec graphics, but man do they look good.

If a 9800 can play the game decently though, us with the more 'uber' machines have nothing to worry about.

And to the person who asked the difference between the CE and normal versions, is just the stuff inside. I believe it's DVD only as well.

[Hetz]

Just downloaded the walkthrough video and yikes, it may be 'playable' on that machine...but it's not pretty. Frequent stutters, pauses and slowdown.

[Hetz]

http://rapidshare.de/files/15838515/The_Elder_Scrolls_Oblivion_Waltkrough_HQ.zip.html

There is a good link to the walkthrough on the min-spec machine.

[CeeKay]

http://rapidshare.de/files/15838515/The_Elder_Scrolls_Oblivion_Waltkrough_HQ.zip.html

There is a good link to the walkthrough on the min-spec machine.

ouch.  any ideas what settings they were running?

[Hetz]

http://rapidshare.de/files/15838515/The_Elder_Scrolls_Oblivion_Waltkrough_HQ.zip.html

There is a good link to the walkthrough on the min-spec machine.

ouch.  any ideas what settings they were running?

I believe they were trying to run it on the highest setting they could on their machine (which is not the highest settings for the game, cause of their video card).

Anyway, here is a shot of the box contents, from someone that got the game already:

[Beer Goggles]

Is there a difference in the media between the CE and the regular?  Are they both one DVD or is the PC like 6-8 CD's?

Both PC editions come on DVD.

From Gogamer...

"Special Collector's DVD Edition
The Collector's Edition will contain a DVD featuring a Septim coin, 112-page "History of Tamriel", exclusive artwork, screenshots and a "Making Of" documentary created by ThinkFilm, chronicling the lengths to which Bethesda went when it came to capturing the movement of a horse and the various voice-recording sessions."

[docvego]

that's a pretty nice big map.

Arrgh.. I will find this game tomorrow...

[CeeKay]

that's a pretty nice big map.

Arrgh.. I will find this game tomorrow...

I'm goint to have to swing by Best Buy at lunchtime tomorrow.  My normally on the ball crew at Gamestop isn't quite sure if they're going to have it on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.  If I can get it before they call me I've got other pre-orders I can move my Oblivion credit to.

[docvego]

that's a pretty nice big map.

Arrgh.. I will find this game tomorrow...

I'm goint to have to swing by Best Buy at lunchtime tomorrow.  My normally on the ball crew at Gamestop isn't quite sure if they're going to have it on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.  If I can get it before they call me I've got other pre-orders I can move my Oblivion credit to.

I'm plotting a large Tour of Duty tomorrow at lunch (after of course spending the morning doing a PhoneCall Tour of Duty).  If the game shows up on someone's shelf on Monday.  I'll be there ninja style!  

[Macman777]

Ok, I plan on getting this but here is my rig specs

Intel 4 2.6
ATI Radeon 9800 128
2 gigs of ram

What do you guys think? Will it run good?

Thanks for any imput.

[MaxSteele]

Ok, I plan on getting this but here is my rig specs

Intel 4 2.6
ATI Radeon 9800 128
2 gigs of ram

What do you guys think? Will it run good?

Thanks for any imput.

Your video card is almost 3 years old.  From everything I've seen posted on how it's running on people's systems, you will most likely be running the game at 1024x768 with medium settings, tops.

[Macman777]

Ok, I plan on getting this but here is my rig specs

Intel 4 2.6
ATI Radeon 9800 128
2 gigs of ram

What do you guys think? Will it run good?

Thanks for any imput.

Your video card is almost 3 years old.  From everything I've seen posted on how it's running on people's systems, you will most likely be running the game at 1024x768 with medium settings, tops.

Thanks for the reply. Guess I will be updating my video card.  

[Atragon]

GeForce 7900 GT only $400 CDN (of course, you'd need to upgrade your MB too...)

[gilgamex]

I just called the EBGames in my area to ask about Oblivion. The guy told me that the PC version was pushed back to the 28th. I told him that he must be mistaken as I know of some people that already have it. He disagreed and hung up on me! I proceeded to call around to the Gamestops and Best Buys, and they tell me that it will be in tomorrow (21st), Gamestop also told me that they don't think I will be able to get a copy since I didnt preorder it.

I am not happy that this is going to be a pain in the butt to get. I am completely willing (and eager) to buy it, but if it is hard to find... well... I may have to get it another way.

[Graham]

I am not happy that this is going to be a pain in the butt to get. I am completely willing (and eager) to buy it, but if it is hard to find... well... I may have to get it another way.

What exactly are you implying here?

[whiteboyskim]

I am not happy that this is going to be a pain in the butt to get. I am completely willing (and eager) to buy it, but if it is hard to find... well... I may have to get it another way.

What exactly are you implying here?

That he will happily click the GoGamer link on our home page thereby supporting our site and obtaining Oblivion in the process. Duh.

[gilgamex]

I am not happy that this is going to be a pain in the butt to get. I am completely willing (and eager) to buy it, but if it is hard to find... well... I may have to get it another way.

What exactly are you implying here?

Nothing...

Oh! you think that I am implying indulging in illegal activities concerning copyright infringement? I was merely suggesting that I am in impatient soul born from a lost and restless generation... and that I want Oblivion!

Don't worry... I am going to buy it.  :roll:

[Macman777]

Ok, picked up the game. Here are my rig specs:

P4 2.6
2 gigs ram
9800 pro 128

The game runs great. Medium detail and res set at 1280x1024. This game is awesome.

[drifter]

Me too.  Running it on medium and 1024x768.

AMD athlon 2500 Barton 1.83 Ghz
1 GB Ram
radeon 9550 256 meg AGP video card
WinXp Pro

[gilgamex]

Despite all my whining about availability of the game, I was easily able to get a copy at Gamestop. I was able to get it installed, but then had to go back to work.

3 hours... so far away.... must... play... oblivion...

[Hapfloyde]

Just got it today.  It has bent my comp over its knee and made it cry.  Running 800x600 on medium detail.

P4 3.00 Ghz
512 RAM
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro

It's probably the memory.  I had 1 GB but had to lend a 512 stick to my brother because his fried.  May have to steal it back while he's at class...

[Harpua3]

So when I get my machine reformatted and fix this issue...I should get this sucker. Glad to hear it runs good.

[warning]

I'm up and running.  I've sunk about 3 1/2 hours into it so far and I do like it.

My system:
AMD XP 3200
1 gig RAM
6600GT 128mb

It defaulted to Medium Detail and I pretty much left it there.  I could play it at 1280x1024 which is my LCD's native resolution but I found the framerate was smoother when I brought it down to 1024x768.  It seems like the game wants to lock itself at 30fps (according to Fraps) as the maximum framerate in-game.  I thought that was weird but I can live with that.

The game does look great.  I had to tweak some settings otherwise it looked like blades of grass were magically growing 10 feet in front of me.

The game reminds me very much of Morrowind.  And I liked Morrowind so that's okay by me but if it wasn't your cuppa tea then Oblivion probably won't ring your bell.  The biggest disappointment for me was the NPC's.  I'm sure their AI is Radiant and all but it really bothered me that conversation was still choosing from a list of subjects, listening to them prattle on and then choosing another subject.  Why aren't conversations more interactive?  Ugh.

And the main city is boring.  Shop after shop after generic NPC.  One lady had a creaky high pitched voice as I walked up to her but when I started talking to her her voice changed to a British accent!  Yikes!

But really I don't play Elder Scrolls games for deep conversation I play them for fun action-RPG'ing and so far it seems to fit the bill.  I wandered into an abandoned fort and found a dungeon access.  I knocked off a few goblins and rats and noticed a door in the dungeon that leads even deeper.  I chickened out and left it unexplored.  Maybe later?

Anyway so far so good.  I'm giving it a B to a B+ based on my initial impressions.

[Autistic Angel]

My system specs:

Pentium D 3.2 ghz
2-gigs dual channel RAM
Two 250-gig SATA hard drives w/16-megs cache -> RAID 0
nVidia 7800GTX PCI-Express card
5.1 sound

The game defaulted to "Ultra High" graphic settings at 1024x768.  I moved that up to 1280x960 which is my preferred resolution.  Also, I unchecked the VSync option since I can always turn that back on if the frame tearing is too noticeable -- so far, at 85hz, it hasn't bothered me at all, and the game has been running flawlessly.

I decided to stick with my original plan to play as a sneaky thief-like character with some Illusion powers.  In Morrowind and Daggerfall I typically specialized in short blades, but the bow combat in Oblivion seems like a lot of fun so far, so I took a major skill in Marksmanship, too.

Let me give a spoiler-free example of something that happened to me:

After leaving the tutorial dungeon, I decided to walk all the way to my first destination so I could check out the countryside.  Night had already fallen, so the campfire ahead caught my eye long before I was close enough for anyone near it to have seen me.  Time to sneak!

Khajiit have a special racial ability which allow them to see in the dark without a torch, casting the entire world in an ethereal blue glow.  It was because of this nightvision that, part way to the campfire, I noticed a large rock outcropping which extended partially over the camp.  What better vantage point to scope things out?

Creeping up onto the ridge, I could clearly see down into the camp.  A lone guard was walking the perimeter, peering out into the darkness beyond the flicker of the campfire.  Easy pickings.  I knocked an arrow into my bow, adjusted my aim a little bit for the trajectory, and planted a shot right between the lip of his helmet and the collar of his breast plate.  He went down, quick and silent.

Now, I'd like to say that I was "role-playing" an inexperienced, foolish new adventurer, but the truth is that I was just being "actually" inexperienced and foolish when I leapt down from my perch without scoping out the full situation first.  By the time I realized my victim had a friend, he was already howling vengeance and clubbing me with his massive warhammer.  :oops:

I very, very nearly died in that enounter, but his berzerker rage ultimately proved no match for the combination of my superior feline speed and readiness to run away like a mewling coward.  Hooray for me!  

It's much too early to offer a real opinion, but I have to say that I've been having a great time with this game so far!

-Autistic Angel

[gilgamex]

I have been playing it all night. I love this game. It's Morrowind on steroids. Performance is surprisingly good. I was getting around 30-70FPS@1920x1200, but it would dip down to the 20's in foliage heavy areas. Although it was certainly playable at that res, I decided to bring it down to 1680x1050, and it is running very nicely now.

Specs:
AMD 64 X2 4200+ ((OC'd to 2.6 Ghz (4800+))
2 Ghz PC3200 RAM
ATI X1900XT (OC'd 675 Core 1.550 Mem)
Audigy 2 Zs
Dell 2405FPW

I really love the way combat feels in this one compared to Morrowind. I feels more "kinetic". The weapons feel like they have weight. It's similar to Morrowind, just more fun. Love the physics!

[Destructor]

I really love the way combat feels in this one compared to Morrowind. I feels more "kinetic". The weapons feel like they have weight. It's similar to Morrowind, just more fun. Love the physics!

Agreed, 100%.

Case in point: Railing Kills.

I was sneaking down into this dungeon somewhere (the very first one you spot as you leave the sewers), and I saw this Dark Elf standing near a ledge. Fired a bow shot from stealth and insta-killed her. She flew into the air and tumbled over the railing, crashing onto the ground below.

[warning]

Heh.  My physics fun started when I killed a rat on a hill.  It proceeded to slowly... sloowwwllyy roll down the hill.  I watched it for a minute or two thinking it would stop from friction but it just kept going.

I suspect it hit a tree and stopped eventually but I didn't stick around to watch.

[gilgamex]

Heh.  My physics fun started when I killed a rat on a hill.  It proceeded to slowly... sloowwwllyy roll down the hill.  I watched it for a minute or two thinking it would stop from friction but it just kept going.

I suspect it hit a tree and stopped eventually but I didn't stick around to watch.

lol!

Same thing happened to me when I killed a winged gargoyle creature. He rolled about 150 feet down a steep hill.

Freaking hilarious.

[MaxSteele]

Ok, picked up the game. Here are my rig specs:

P4 2.6
2 gigs ram
9800 pro 128

The game runs great. Medium detail and res set at 1280x1024. This game is awesome.

Ah, excellent.  You were able to get 1280x1024 resolution at medium with the 9800 pro.  Good to know for others with older systems.