Oblivion

[Newprimus]

Unfortunately I need to get myself a better video card. Otherwise, I'd try to fight my way into the local EB or Best Buy.

Anyone else gunning for this game?

Also, maybe someone like kj could enlighten us on my next question. How is it in Japan? I assume most of them play Japanese-produced RPGs and other such games, but is there a percentage of people over there worth mentioning that play Western RPGs like Morrowind (or are looking forward to Oblivion)? How is it over there?

[Muir Woods]

I suppose this is the Oblivion thread of Animesuki. I just bought the game this afternoon. I got the collector's edition, in addition to the game DVD, there's a bonus DVD containing a lot of extras like documentary of making of game, a small tome of game background lore, and an Imperial Septim Coin. Anyways, this game has pretty much fulfilled its hype; its amazing world and graphics are sure to impress, but along with it, the high burden to run the game (and a bug or two, which I have encountered). I pretty much spent most of the evening tinkering with the game settings, trying to figure out an optimal level of detail for my computer and laptop. That job was easy enough for my computer, as unfortunately, it could barely manage to run Oblivion (my computer and laptop's specifications can be found in my profile). I mean, even on the lowest settings of all graphic details, my computer could not run the introduction movie smoothly. Luckily, my laptop fared slightly better. At least it ran the intro without a hitch, and could handle the game at playable fps at 1024x768 resolution in low settings. As a gamer, when your computer cannot handle a new game, it's a sign that it's time to upgrade. My generations old computer is dying, as I've already made many incremental upgrades to it since I got it 2-3 years ago. You can only improve obsolete technology so much before the benefits become negligible. I think it's about time I started from a new foundation: a current generation mobo+CPU chipset. *Sigh*, I've got to start to save up for that...

[lemondude]

well my comp is only slightly better than yours, that means I'll have to buy a xbox 360 now. Cheaper than a computer.

[Ending]

^ PS3. Or even Rev, if you are into kiddy games. Never M$.

Mine is brand new and only recently upgraded with GF7800 GT, so it kicks ass even with games like FEAR and Quake 4.

[Benoit]

Or even Rev, if you are into kiddy games.

Don't listen to this loon. He doesn't know what he's talking about.

[Muir Woods]

I retract my statements of the above post, and I apolgize if anyone was misled by it, as I just discovered a peculiarity that was plaguing the performance of my computer and laptop. I don't know whether it's a game bug, or my systems' fault, but after playing Oblivion for a while, I alt-tabbed out and discovered that there was an unreasonable amount of ffdshow instances running in the background. With that many ffdshow instances running in the BG sucking up processing power, this is obviously detrimental to the performance. I found that as soon as I run Oblivion, the longer the game runs, the more instances of ffdshow appears in the background. So the game got choppier and laggier the longer I play, and it eventually got to a point that even in the smallest rooms and in the least of details that the fps were below playable levels. When I first got the game, I was spending so much time adjusting the features of the game and my character's appearence that by the time I started the game, an insane amount of ffdshow instances was probably running in the BG. So when I actually began to play, it started jerky, and stayed that way. This ffdshow peculiarity also happens to my laptop, but since my laptop has a better and faster processor than my computer, its effects had less impact on its performance. This lead me to believe that my laptop was running the game better than my computer (in some aspects that may be true, but certainly it was not true that my computer could not handle the game. It was due to this "bug".)

Knowing that within the first few minutes my computer should be using its full effort, I ran the game and immediately loaded a level. I realized my computer could also run the game at playable FPS in 1024x768 resolution at low detail with ~1/4 of viewing distance of all objects, in dungeon-like levels. Outside locations, there's a lot of flora and fauna, so it started to choke. But the performance was decreasing as time progresses.

With its symptoms exposed, I need to find a way to fix this problem. If anyone has any ideas I'm open to suggestions. In the meanwhile, *goes and lurks the Oblivion forums*...

EDIT: Hurray, I found my solution here. Now time to get back to being a delivery boy for the King...

[hcl4]

You can disable grass and fauna with this console command(~ to bring up console in game): tg

Also tdt for in game framerate.

[Pellissier]

I've bought the game too on friday. I think it was its official release day, at least in Italy. I've stopped spending money for games (even more properly, playing games) because I've kind of lost passion among last years BUT, I just couldn't ignore my great love, the rpgs, and above all, I couldn't forget how Morrowind has been my only serious game I've been playing with, on the last years.
So a Morrowind sequel had just to be mine

I went with the Collector's edition too. The plain boring package of the regular edition was a reason, although I'm always interested in extra material, and that made the real difference.

Well, I started the game yesterday evening, a bit for creating the character (I tried to recreate the same character I have been playing with in Morrowind for ages) and then I got in the game. There seem to be consistent improvements in comparison with Morrowind, first being how the inventary is managed. I think it will take a bit to get the habit to the new style's one, but in terms of practicity, I think this one definitely wins. As for other aspects, I've seen other good improvements as well (one that hit me: the possibility to gather an arrow (or more specifically: an object) used before), although I'm not seeing the "remove corpse" function around. That was useful, especially when you get to kill a dozen rats, and you have to gather some items around.
But well, still I have not even touched the manual, I'm just going with my Morrowind experience (quite huge, per se, but the last time I finished the game was last summer, so memory comes and goes )

The bad point, already touched by Muir Woods, are the high hardware requirements. My pc specs are on my profile, anyway my processor and ram (I plain to change them, but not now..) do suffer with this game, while the graphic device is still ok, imho.
I've tried the game at 1280x1024 with all maximum details, and I had choppiness just when scenes/fighting with multiple persons happened (see the emperor's quotes when he was escaping with the guards).
I'll have to manage to decrease something, withouth spoling the quality too much. If there was a thing I loved in Morrowind, it was to freely run through forests and mountains with the impression to actually being in forests and mountains.
Another thing I've to learn, how to memorize the keys for the joypad (I'm using the Sidewinder), since 'till now everytime I've started the game I had to set them all over again.
I also had that annoying ffdshow issue, solved.

As for the game per se I...

Spoiler for game development:

I've just got out of the prison. What do you think I could do more than that in 3 actual hours of gaming ?

[Muir Woods]

Strange, Pellissier, your computer specs is slightly lesser than mine and yet you are able to run the game at a higher detail than me. Oh well. Yeah, there really should be a "move corpse/body" function in the game, where you can pick up a body and drop it elsewhere, a la Splinter Cell style. It would be greatly beneficial for thief type characters (not that I am one, I'm actually a custom class mage type character with heavy focus on destruction spells), those that sneak from behind and kill. Anyways, as for my game progress:

Spoiler for Where I'm at. Warning, heavy game spoilers:

I did a lot of side quests, but if we're measuring the game progress by its main plot, then I'm at Kvatch trying to find Martin, where I just discovered an the whole town was decimated when a gate of Oblivion opened suddenly right in front of the town. I need to go inside the portal and close that gate and save Martin. But I'm afraid my measly level 12 character is not robust or well equipped enough to survive the venture into the hells of Oblivion yet. So I'm doing some more side quests in other towns to gain more experience and, um, loot. Hurray, I got my horsey! The "Five Riders Stables" have the cheapest horses, for only 500 gold a horse. Other stables are more expensive. I don't know if the price of the horse or which stable you bought it from has any effect or relation to its speed or endurance. But no more running around like a fool. Bah! Who needs athletics. I shoot fireballs from my fingertips damn it!

I played a good 7 hours today. I really should watch some anime so I can get back into participating some anime discussions here at Animesuki...but Oblivion beckons. I certainly feel that addicting grasp that a great game is suppose to have for this game. Must. Play. Oblivion. One thing's for sure, Oblivion will be a contender for game of the year. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a vampire to slay.

[Ending]

@ Muir Woods

What was the solution then? Mine gives a BSOD after being in the game for a few minutes (haven't even managed to get out of the cell without crashing). Sounds go like 'bleeeeep' seconds before crashing + reboot. I have already updated my drivers, have the latest DirectX, have no mpeg2dmx.ax file under System32, and I even renamed FFDShow's codec to .OLD (referring to the topic Muir gave a few posts ago).

So any tips or should I just wait for the first patch? Pretty unreliable stuff, if you ask me...

[Muir Woods]

Originally Posted by Wordplay

@ Muir Woods

What was the solution then? Mine gives a BSOD after being in the game for a few minutes (haven't even managed to get out of the cell without crashing). Sounds go like 'bleeeeep' seconds before crashing + reboot. I have already updated my drivers, have the latest DirectX, have no mpeg2dmx.ax file under System32, and I even renamed FFDShow's codec to .OLD (referring to the topic Muir gave a few posts ago).

So any tips or should I just wait for the first patch? Pretty unreliable stuff, if you ask me...

The solution to the ffdshow problem was to prevent ffdshow from decoding Oblivion sounds (following those instructions in that FAQ, it worked for me), so I'm not sure what you meant by "renamed FFDshow's codec to .OLD". Hmm, it sounds like your problem is much more severe and different from mine. I've searched its forums and found a few most relevant threads with symptoms similar to yours. One issue may be due to Nero (read post #5, sounds a lot like your problem). Another is perhaps issues with your hardware such as memory? Of course, it could be other things. If those threads doesn't help, I think your best bet is to lurk the Oblivion forums a bit and see if some other people share and post solutions to your problem, or maybe post your problem yourself. But yes, you're right, Oblivion is buggy. Crashes are abound, and I myself experience that once in a while and it's very annoying. And the fact that its Hardware & Software Issues forum is moving at an extremely fast pace and people are demanding for a patch does not speak good of Oblivion. Well, good luck in solving your problem.

[Taylor--]

This game is one of the reasons I bought a 360. I'm having a blast with the game. I've gotten really addicted to it, I've managed about 18 1/2 hours since I picked it up on Thursday. Luckily, spring break's just starting for me, so I'll have a bunch of time to play it =D .

I'm a Level 7 Nord, and my Class is Spellsword. (or spellwarrior, forgot what it was)
I've been doing a lot of tasks for the Dark Brotherhood, so stealth contracts basically. So I haven't leveled much since stealthing isn't from my main skills.

[Ending]

Incidentally, I do have a Nero decoder on my rig, so it might be just that or another one of the filters. If not, guess I'd better hope that the patch comes out soon. This might had actually sucked pretty bad if I had paid to play; at least the game should WORK without crashing, patching being about tweaking out the minor flaws.

[Corn]

I have the PC version and am enjoying it, but I have to say that it looks absolutely amazing on 360. TBH it was also build for 360. You can see that in the way the interface and HUD. It's made to be used with a controller and not multi tasked with a mouse.

[npal]

Finally my collector's edition arrived yesterday. Plays ok in 1600x1200 (in prison) although I haven't maximized the viewing distance and such, but then I didn't play much, just explored the prison a bit. Although my specs are not bad, a year ago my rig was almost high-end

[hiten ken zen]

ah, i want to play this game, it looks amazing. i watched my friend play it and it lookd awsome, i'd go out and buy a 360 just for this game, but that requires cash i don't have...

[Shadowlord]

Originally Posted by Muir Woods

I suppose this is the Oblivion thread of Animesuki. I just bought the game this afternoon. I got the collector's edition, in addition to the game DVD, there's a bonus DVD containing a lot of extras like documentary of making of game, a small tome of game background lore, and an Imperial Septim Coin. Anyways, this game has pretty much fulfilled its hype; its amazing world and graphics are sure to impress, but along with it, the high burden to run the game (and a bug or two, which I have encountered). I pretty much spent most of the evening tinkering with the game settings, trying to figure out an optimal level of detail for my computer and laptop. That job was easy enough for my computer, as unfortunately, it could barely manage to run Oblivion (my computer and laptop's specifications can be found in my profile). I mean, even on the lowest settings of all graphic details, my computer could not run the introduction movie smoothly. Luckily, my laptop fared slightly better. At least it ran the intro without a hitch, and could handle the game at playable fps at 1024x768 resolution in low settings. As a gamer, when your computer cannot handle a new game, it's a sign that it's time to upgrade. My generations old computer is dying, as I've already made many incremental upgrades to it since I got it 2-3 years ago. You can only improve obsolete technology so much before the benefits become negligible. I think it's about time I started from a new foundation: a current generation mobo+CPU chipset. *Sigh*, I've got to start to save up for that...

That is fairly strange that your desktop cannot handle the game as your specs are much better than your laptop. I am going to have to say something is wrong with the computer as I know someone with the same video card that is having no problems. While your Athlon XP is certainly outdated by todays standards, it should still be able to handle the game fine. I would seriously check your desktop out because you should be getting decent FPS with it at at least SOME resolution.

[DwArD]

I'm thinking of getting Oblivion a few weeks ago but ever since I visited game forums and such, I realise my computer is just not powerful enough to run the game. Sigh......guess I don't have much choice but to borrow the game from my cousin once I bought a new computer next year

[EdenB]

I'll be getting this for the XBox 360 eventually. For anyone in the UK, Play.com is selling it at £40, rather than the normal £50.

It sounds really good so far, though I never got around to playing any of the games before it. I should proberly wait until i'm done with KH2 (and till it arrives in the mail) to get it though, since it seems like Oblivion will take up a lot of the time.

[Cloudnine]

I have settings around mid-high settings and the game looks absolutely stunning!!! My jaw literally dropped to the ground once I got outside to the field. Now i'm not a graphics junkie or anything (all my favorite games are doujin/ero soft), but this is incredible. I pretty much spend half my game time just exploring and gawking at the eye candy @_@

Maybe later I'll be able to get into the gameplay once the initial impression wears out... but WOW... this is incredible.