Just got my xbox magazine. Bethesda is releasing a HUGE expansion for Oblivion. It is massive. They are reporting at least 40 hours of game play, possibly more. There are all new items, all new creatures, new spells, new ingredients, and another huge city, dungeouns, and entire realm to explore. They said the expansion was around 1/4 the size of the entire Oblivion game. They added over 9,500 lines of dialogue to the game. There are all kinds of new things that can be done in this new realm, including after you defeat a guardian you have to rebuild it by using parts you find laying around. You can basically use any mix of parts, and once it is done, the creature will become alive and move and interact with the parts you selected, sounds like a cool use of the physics engine. They also mentioned a new sword that levels up with you and keeps track of creatures you kill with it, and at night, the sword's name changes. Tons of neat new things, I'm very pumped as I loved this game!!!!!!

They said available at stores and via Xbox live marketplace as a download. Should be availble very soon!!!!

I'm worried about how much this will cost. I hope it isn't more than 15.

Even if its $15, what would be the deal if it is 25% the size of the original game?

$60 * .25 = $15

Sounds like awesome news.

Any new achievements added?

awesome. I wish I didn't get rid of this game but I had to (lack of life, production at job). Great stuff indeed

LOL, you can almost guarantee the store version to be at least 49.99.

I do hope I'm wrong. :)

Dreamaster

Maybe it's just me, but isn't anyone else sort of tired of this game? I played the original title (with no additional content) and earned all the achievements, and my character was just sort of a total badass, to the point that nothing was really a challenge. I never played with the difficulty slider at all, and yet things were just not that difficult.

It just seems that these expansions are more of the same. The game system itself really needs an overhaul, e.g. a change to the way leveling works, before it's worthwhile to spend further time playing.

Maybe it's just me, but isn't anyone else sort of tired of this game? I played the original title (with no additional content) and earned all the achievements, and my character was just sort of a total badass, to the point that nothing was really a challenge.

Well, this was really a problem with the game from day one. The fact that the world scaled with your characters level really ruined this game for me (otherwise I'd still be playing it). I have zero interest in any expansion as a result of this.

Well, this was really a problem with the game from day one. The fact that the world scaled with your characters level really ruined this game for me (otherwise I'd still be playing it). I have zero interest in any expansion as a result of this.
I'm confused. The world scaling with your character's level should keep the game more difficult, no? I just started on the game this past week (am at Level 7) but the point I lost interest in Morrowind was when I had completed the main quest and completed the mage guild quests, tried the thieves' guild quests and did them in all in basically a day because things weren't scaled. So my guess was that by scaling things, they maintained some level of difficulty and hence interest.

In any case, I figure once I finish it all as a mage-dominant character I'll go back and try again as a marksman which I kind of meant to blend this time but read that it was better to concentrate on one means of offense, be it destruction, marksman, blade, or whatever.

Any new achievements added?

According to the article, no, since this is an expansion, they already used their 1,000 achievement points on the original, developers are only allowed 1,000 per game.

I'm confused. The world scaling with your character's level should keep the game more difficult, no? (...)
Since gaining levels is based on improving certain statistics (which one picks near the beginning of the game by choosing a class), leveling and increasing in power / capabilities are not necessarily related. Hence, by having the entire game scale with the player's level, one can either wind up with a character that's too powerful, or a character that's "gimped".

Other games define areas which have foes with fixed attributes and corresponding treasure. This means that one can weigh risk vs. reward, i.e. attempt tougher fights in exchange for higher-level treasure. Oblivion completely discards this mechanic and uses the character's level to try and match everything. Hence, the perceived difficulty at any given character level is very uniform across the entire game world. Why should it be equally difficult to fight a brigand just outside of a town as a vampire lord deep within some crypt? The core game mechanics are broken here, and the expansions can't fix this.

The core game mechanics are broken here, and the expansions can't fix this.


I'm sure the other 9 people who didn't like the game would agree with you. As for the other several hundred thousand of us who love the game.... stay on topic

Since gaining levels is based on improving certain statistics (which one picks near the beginning of the game by choosing a class), leveling and increasing in power / capabilities are not necessarily related. Hence, by having the entire game scale with the player's level, one can either wind up with a character that's too powerful, or a character that's "gimped".
Sure. But that just makes you more careful with how you manage your character (at least that's what I'm doing as I go along).

Other games define areas which have foes with fixed attributes and corresponding treasure. This means that one can weigh risk vs. reward, i.e. attempt tougher fights in exchange for higher-level treasure. Oblivion completely discards this mechanic and uses the character's level to try and match everything.
I thought I read that some monsters tracked your level and others did not? Is that incorrect?

As far as the rationale, I imagine it's because the Elder Scrolls series is so open-ended. For the guild quests, for example, you would have to do some sort of scaling. Otherwise someone wants to play a thief, they do all the thief quests, and then when they try the fighter ones, and there's no interest. And I dunno... I'd rather have a real skirmish with a brigand than just run into another one and think, "Oh great. Another nuisance." Bap. Dead. But that's just me. It's a tricky balance to be sure.

I'm sure the other 9 people who didn't like the game would agree with you. As for the other several hundred thousand of us who love the game....

I'm one of the several hundred thousand who love this game. I'm also one of those who did not like the leveling system. I found no challenge from this game whatsoever. That didn't stop me from enjoying the story, gameplay and everything else about it though. I just remember thinking "I wish there was a dungeon inhabited by some uber monster that I can't beat right now, I'll have to come back later when I've found some better weapons or spells. Or maybe I'll try different strategies with what I have now and see if I can do something epic." I didn't die once through out the game and most of the time, the spells I created would kill in one or two touches from the lowliest goblin to the mightiest demon. The incentive for me to find new weapons or items was to search for them for the sake of the search, not because i needed anything or wanted anything new.

To stay on topic though, with or without achievements, I will play this new expansion despite the leveling system because everything else about this game has earned my attention and my affection.

According to the article, no, since this is an expansion, they already used their 1,000 achievement points on the original, developers are only allowed 1,000 per game.

Damn. :(

Very cool, I love this game. Even though I've had it for what seems an eternity, I still haven't completed all of the guild quests.

Although my character is powerful, there are still times if I'm attacked by 4-5 creatures at once I can get my ass kicked.

Regardless, I enjoy the story aspect of the expansions, and just the fun of finding new things and exploring new dungeons, regardless if a single punch can kill a creature. :)

I'm looking forward to the expansion!

-JR

Video about the expansion pack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFI9IoXyGxc

Okay, looks great, looks amazing in fact. Any clue when it's coming out? Please don't tell me its not already out. I still have yet to recieve my box from MS for replacing my Xbox and suddenly all this great stuff is hitting the marketplace, and i have some money to burn on MS points, and points to burn on a varietty of things. Shivering Isles is easily at the top of that list.

It looked like a world you can also live in, not just a place you enter to do the quests, leave when your done for the day, and return back the next day. Anyone know if there are like shops of inns of anything? kinda looked like there were. Also, are the dungeons and things only quest related, or will there be like forts and caves thrown around simply for the pleasure of looting them? I'm not sure if anyone would know at this point but I'm an avid oblivion gamer like everyone else, and I simply must know.

I dont think that there is a release date yet, but I too eagerly await this expansion.

Okay, looks great, looks amazing in fact. Any clue when it's coming out? Please don't tell me its not already out. I still have yet to recieve my box from MS for replacing my Xbox and suddenly all this great stuff is hitting the marketplace, and i have some money to burn on MS points, and points to burn on a varietty of things. Shivering Isles is easily at the top of that list.

It looked like a world you can also live in, not just a place you enter to do the quests, leave when your done for the day, and return back the next day. Anyone know if there are like shops of inns of anything? kinda looked like there were. Also, are the dungeons and things only quest related, or will there be like forts and caves thrown around simply for the pleasure of looting them? I'm not sure if anyone would know at this point but I'm an avid oblivion gamer like everyone else, and I simply must know.

I think the video mentioned there were new dungeons and such. He also said the world size is about 25% as big as the original world.

other developers should look at these guys on how to properly do a game, and extra content. The game is already seriously long and well worth ever cent paid for it. Then they add another 40 hours????? when games like GOW are getting GOTY with less then 10 hours of gameplay, and this game doesn't get it, something is wrong.

other developers should look at these guys on how to properly do a game, and extra content. The game is already seriously long and well worth ever cent paid for it. Then they add another 40 hours????? when games like GOW are getting GOTY with less then 10 hours of gameplay, and this game doesn't get it, something is wrong.


Show me a 40 hour FPS. 2 different types of games :rolleyes:

It looked like a world you can also live in, not just a place you enter to do the quests, leave when your done for the day, and return back the next day. Anyone know if there are like shops of inns of anything? kinda looked like there were. Also, are the dungeons and things only quest related, or will there be like forts and caves thrown around simply for the pleasure of looting them? I'm not sure if anyone would know at this point but I'm an avid oblivion gamer like everyone else, and I simply must know.

LOL!
The answer to all of the above is: most likely, yes.
Gotta remember: the full name of the game is Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
There have been previous Elder Scrolls games and Bethesda has done full expansion packs before. So we know pretty much how it works.
The only difference, this time out, is that in addition to the in-store release, they will do a downloadable release.
Depth? Yes, there will be communities, caves, and ruins and other incidental challenges.
Pricing? Probably $20-30 (previous expansion packs have been $19.99 for PC).
They will likely drop the price of the base Oblivion to $30 and release a combo "Game of the Year", GOTY edition at the old list price at some point, too.
Date? They said Q207 which means april, or about the anniversary of the original release. Which is in line with what they did with Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, which got two PC expansion packs and one XBOX GOTY combining both the Tribunal and Bloodmoon expansions.

Anyway, given past Bethesda practices, we can expect at least one *more* Oblivion expansion *after* Shivering Isles. :-)

We're going to be playing with this puppy well into 09, most likely.

What I most want to see at this point is either backwards compatibility for Morrowind or an official Morrowind Goty release for 360.

Anybody at Bethesday listening?
Come on, guys! Just a recompile!
I don't want to have to dust off the old XBOX to get an HD taste of the land of the Dunmer!

Of course, a "Return to Morrowind" expansion would be welcome. Maybe following up on the hints from Merunes' razor?
One can only dream...

Makes you wonder what the next edition will be like, Morrowind was huge, Oblivion seems like it has even more, will the next game provide 500 hours? I hope Mass Effect provides as much as Oblivion.

I kinda wish I had hung onto the game at this point although if they make a GOTY edition for the PS3 I might get it on that system if it has all the expansions.

Makes you wonder what the next edition will be like, Morrowind was huge, Oblivion seems like it has even more, will the next game provide 500 hours? I hope Mass Effect provides as much as Oblivion.

The Mass Effect Heritage is the KOTORs, which run 40-80 hours, and Jade Empire, ditto. Given that its planned as a Trilogy, I'd assume they're not planning to provide massive expansion packs for the original release, but rather three disk-based releases at yearly intervals.

I believe the expansion is suppose to be out this spring.

As far as leveling goes I am on 24 and get my A** kicked when I am trying to close a gate. There is always 4 creatures attacking me at once. I have a paralysis mage stick but it still doesn't get the job done. I am more of a blunt weapon fighter. How do you guys defeat 4 creatures at a time?

The Mass Effect Heritage is the KOTORs, which run 40-80 hours, and Jade Empire, ditto.

KOTOR was 31-33 hours for me both times through (light and dark) doing every available side quest. That's a perfectly fine length - I just wanted to note that saying 40-80 hours as an estimate is a little on the long side.

As far as leveling goes I am on 24 and get my A** kicked when I am trying to close a gate. There is always 4 creatures attacking me at once. I have a paralysis mage stick but it still doesn't get the job done. I am more of a blunt weapon fighter. How do you guys defeat 4 creatures at a time?

Although I'm 56 hours in, I haven't actually started the Main Quest yet - I'm trying to take in as much of the game as I can before I start along the main line. In any case, I think I'm at level 18, so we're fairly close in character. Although I haven't attempted to close an Oblivion gate yet, I have faced multple enemies at a time many times (2-4 enemies at a time). I noticed that simply pulling out my Mage's Staff of Shock (which I got by joining the Mage's Guild) generally dispatches the enemies in just a few shots. It really is a ridiculously lethal weapon.

Peaking at some of the guides online, I don't understand why others don't recommend using such a powerful item. (Although I understand that not every player will have access to a Mage's Staff of Shock because they either didn't join the Guild or chose another type of staff when joining the Guild.) In any case, when I use my sword (glass longsword at 14 attack power) I've noticed that taking on multiple enemies at a time can be a little rough - so I see where you are coming from when you are talking about 4 enemies at a time at an Oblivion gate. But as soon as I pull out my Mage's Staff, I almost feel sorry for the other guys.

And the Oblivion gates are loaded with Daedra - who have a weakness to shock! I'm very interested to see how my trusty staff performs once the time comes to close the gate.

Anyway that's what I'd recommend - either a powerful Mage's Staff with a destruction charm (shock ideally) or a spell with shock damage (and plenty of magicka replenishing potions). Or a blunt weapon with a charm that delivers shock damage per each blow.

Good luck!

Edit: Also be aware that you can buy a very powerful staff called "Apotheosis" at Rindir's Staffs in the Imperial City market district. I think it is like 5000 gold or so, but it does 33 frost, 33 fire, 33 shock damage per shot. That's nearly 100 damage every shot, which is lethal. The only catch is that it only has 12 charges, so you'll run out of shots pretty quickly. Just pack a bunch of soul gems and trap the souls of your enemies at the Oblivion gate before you kill them with Apotheosis and use their souls to recharge your staff and kill their buddies. Rinse and repeat. And stocking up on soul gems shouldn't really be too difficult.

I believe the expansion is suppose to be out this spring.

As far as leveling goes I am on 24 and get my A** kicked when I am trying to close a gate. There is always 4 creatures attacking me at once. I have a paralysis mage stick but it still doesn't get the job done. I am more of a blunt weapon fighter. How do you guys defeat 4 creatures at a time?

This is oblivion, so there are well-nigh infinite ways.

You could try a little something known as 100% Chameleon; it'll take 7 Common soul gems or 5 grand gems worth of persistent effect but it is a tremendous power magnifier. Just keep in mind the automated fire turret can still detect you.

You could try potioneering or other magicka-boosting techniques to build up your power and cast some seriously deadly spells. The game lets you create some humungously expensive spells (Biggest I've tried called for 4000 magicka) so if you can figure out how to build your store that high (it (is* possible) you can take out entire armies. Problem is, you can end up killing your allies. (Killing Martin at Bruma is a no-no. ;-) )

You could try making some nasty poisons for your mace.

You could try Apotheosis or the Akaviri War blades or Thornblade.

You could create your own enchanted weapons. 35 points of elemental damage plus 15-20 points of poison damage plus another 30 points of physical damage times a sneak multiplier...

You could try boosting your strength (see magicka boost above) for single-blow kills or speed.

You could try area effect arrows from a distance. Adding a poison to enchanted arrows can clear out a gate with one blow.

Or, you could just run to the gate and avoid combat altogether. :-D

Better yet, try all of the above. :-)

I love this game.

Thanks for the input guys. I need to start using more spells and try something new. Up to this point I could dominate, but not anymore. I am going to try and boost my alchemy and magicka and start tearing shite up.

Another option is to turn down the difficulty slider, but some might consider that cheating ;)

I'm only 25 hours or so in and at level 9. I've joined the Fighter's and Mage's guilds and closed the first Oblivion gate, but that's about it. Looking forward to reaching Level 10 so I can begin the Daedric quests....I'm really craving the Skeleton Key :)

Another option is to turn down the difficulty slider, but some might consider that cheating ;)

I'm only 25 hours or so in and at level 9. I've joined the Fighter's and Mage's guilds and closed the first Oblivion gate, but that's about it. Looking forward to reaching Level 10 so I can begin the Daedric quests....I'm really craving the Skeleton Key :)
I did at first but it's not cheating to change the difficulty in any game. The Oblivion slider just has more variance than say easy, medium, and hard.
If you want more of an adventure you turn it down.
I didn't like the idea at first but now I think it's coolio. All games should have it.

Re: leveling enemies......

In a way I do kinda miss the way you could get pwned in Morrowind, if you wandered into a dungeon that you weren't prepared to handle.

At the same time, the current set up doesn't really bother me. I'm at level 19 and not the all-powerful creature yet. It really depends on what traits you've chosen and what you focus on developing. My character has the birthsign of Atronach, which is great against magic users...I just absorb whatever they throw at me! but against skeletons and such its a problem when you run out of magika.

So many ways to play Oblivion that the shared leveling quirk never really needs to be an annoyance.

There are a few Daedric shrine quests you can do now at level 9. Each one has it's own level requirements. There are some you can't even do at level 24.

I'm thinking of picking up and playing Oblivion again (I just had to take a break after over 140 hrs.). I heard that Bethesda was going to offer the new expansion as a download and as a disc. If this is true I may opt for the disc (especially if the other dl content was included), I want to save space on the hard drive. Anyone have info on this and how biig of a file is the expansion?

Another tip for the guy at the Oblivion gate is to get a set of glass or ebony armor (depending on whether he is adept at light or heavy armor - and at level 24 he shouldn't have a problem finding a set) and then enchanting all the pieces with plus shield or plus strength.

Enchanting your armor with shield is ridiculous. It's an amazing defensive boost, especially when you enchant multiple items of your armor with shield - remember you can wear rings and an amulet, too.

... remember you can wear rings and an amulet, too.

The Manacles you start the game with can be encanted; they fit the slot of gauntles, but don't degrade spell-casting...

I'm thinking of picking up and playing Oblivion again (I just had to take a break after over 140 hrs.). I heard that Bethesda was going to offer the new expansion as a download and as a disc. If this is true I may opt for the disc (especially if the other dl content was included), I want to save space on the hard drive. Anyone have info on this and how biig of a file is the expansion?

Shivering Isles is an expansion, not an expanded version of the full game; whether by disk or d/l, it'll go straight to the HD, anyway. Sorry, no space saving that way.

It will be a disc for the PC version and a download for the 360, exactly like Knights of the Nine.

Shivering Isles is an expansion, not an expanded version of the full game; whether by disk or d/l, it'll go straight to the HD, anyway. Sorry, no space saving that way.

Thanks for the info, I guess I'll have to keep my video downloads to a minimum.

Must you still have the Oblivion disc to play the expansion? I sold mine. Thanks,

Must you still have the Oblivion disc to play the expansion? I sold mine. Thanks,
Yes, you must.

Is there any clue about the actual story line you follow? Clearly your in wonder land and have to help Sheogorath (sp?). From the screen shots i saw what appeared to a be a knight of some kind (possibly just a new creature) and is it just me or does this look like a golden saint from Morrowind:

http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/si/si_02B.jpg

it's been a while so I'm not sure, but her skin looks too shiny.

"Throughout your adventure, you will discover all new items, ingredients, spells, and more, and have the talented craftsmen of Crucible and Bliss forge new armor and weapons just for you."

That's just a little of the website's description. I understand new weapons and armor appear. That ^, confirms it. However, anyone know if we find the new weapons and armor on enemies for example, or do we have to get them forged.

http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/si/si_01B.jpg

The sword you have looks awsome. it and the enemies' sword are clearly new. Maybe it's a little of both, like i can take his sword, but would have to get the sword shown forged. i can't wait for this much longer.

Is there any clue about the actual story line you follow? Clearly your in wonder land and have to help Sheogorath (sp?). From the screen shots i saw what appeared to a be a knight of some kind (possibly just a new creature) and is it just me or does this look like a golden saint from Morrowind:

http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/si/si_02B.jpg

it's been a while so I'm not sure, but her skin looks too shiny.

"Throughout your adventure, you will discover all new items, ingredients, spells, and more, and have the talented craftsmen of Crucible and Bliss forge new armor and weapons just for you."

That's just a little of the website's description. I understand new weapons and armor appear. That ^, confirms it. However, anyone know if we find the new weapons and armor on enemies for example, or do we have to get them forged.

http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/si/si_01B.jpg

The sword you have looks awsome. it and the enemies' sword are clearly new. Maybe it's a little of both, like i can take his sword, but would have to get the sword shown forged. i can't wait for this much longer.

According to Game Informer magazine, you do indeed get to forge your own weapons, thus they said you can customize it to look like what you want. That will be awesome!!!

OXM has a detailed multipage preview in the Feb issue.

There are two separate regions; one manic, the other depressive. ;-)
If you ever played Tribunal or Bloodmoon for Morrowind you'd get the idea; there is a main quest plus added quest-lines and incidentals. Plenty of settlements, businesses, dungeons, etc to explore. 30 new ingredients, a bunch of new spells and weapons, new creatures to kill.
Apparently there will be a bit more of a puzzle focus on the challenges. Which is to say it'll be more like Knights of the Nine and less like Mehrune's Razor.

I recall from the OXM article that one sword you get 'levels up' as you kill enemies, but it only lasts until dusk and then next day it starts all over again.

I recall from the OXM article that one sword you get 'levels up' as you kill enemies, but it only lasts until dusk and then next day it starts all over again.

It starts over with the number of kills you get, but nothing else (at least that is what I read). Also, if you look in your inventory during the day it has a name. If you look in there at night, it changes its name. Minor, yeah, but still a nice little touch.

is it just me or does this look like a golden saint from Morrowind:

http://www.elderscrolls.com/images/art/si/si_02B.jpg




im pretty sure i was right about what i said. i got bored since my xbox is still being sent to me, so i was looking at oblivion stuff at wikipedia.org (and i know it can't all be reliable since normal people write the entries) and found this about golden saints:

"Some Daedra prefer a humanoid shape and appearance. The Daedric Princes and the highly intelligent Dremora are usually among them, as are Golden Saints. Dremora are servants of Mehrunes Dagon, while Golden Saints, usually appearing as golden-skinned women in golden armor, serve Sheogorath (because they are more or less evil, the term 'saint' is contradicted; this is due to Sheogorath's love of madness)."

I don't know where this information would have come from, but they found it somewhere. So we know one more thing about shivering isles now!

I don't know where this information would have come from, but they found it somewhere. So we know one more thing about shivering isles now!

Sounds great.
In Morrowind, Golden Saints were sources of premium shields.
Hopefully they'll have equally good toys this time around...

let me just say something for what I paid for COD3 and other games Oblivion is a deal at $69.99 for the collectors edition there is so much game there I got it when it came out and still havent played all of it

if you were to pay based on how much game there is either Oblivion would be $150-200 or other games would have to be $5-10 since you can finish it in 1 day or so

Oblivion is great other than the glitches once in a while