Oblivion on XBOX360. . . . why?

[cav_again]

I had something longer typed up, covering my bases so I don't get flamed by any console fAnBoIz, but considering IW has entire forums dedicated to games consolers only wish they knew about, I get the feeling they're a minority here. I'll get to the point.

I haven't researched the game a lot (it's ES4. I'm buying it. Period.), but I do know it's being released on Xbox360 also. Should I be worried?

Is the entire game design going to be dumbed down so it can be played on console (i don't mean just graphically of course, I mean the engine and other aspects of the game)? Or, will only the unfortunate souls getting it on Xbox be the only ones missing out?

Seems fairly obvious that with what they're trying to do with this game, the devs wouldn't limit themselves to what the Xbox can do, but I just want to be sure.


thanks

[SpiritWarrior]

Didn't they have Morrowind on Xbox too though? And at the time they were trying to do alot also. I wouldn't worry so much as be wary. Maybe wait when it releases and then look for Xbox reviews.

[cav_again]

Yeah, Morrowind was on Xbox, but I'm pretty sure MW was a fairly old game by the time Xbox was even concieved (I could be wrong; I wasn't introduced to MW until a couple years ago, but had that impression it was and old, but great, game at that time). Porting a game that was years old onto a next gen console isn't much of a problem (I would bet Xbox is probably as powerful, if not more powerful than a lot of the PCs that were around when Morrowind was a new game).

It's just that I haven't seen or heard anything (including the small amount or research I've recently done myself) suggesting what the devs are going either way, I was just hoping someone else has. I'd hate to see what could be the arguably the greatest game of all time fall short of what it could be, because it has to be console compatible.

[Lucern]

In some cases I'd be worried, but from what I've read, it seems like the efforts the devs made to compromise* will make the game more fun. For example, the combat will be based on your character statistics, but the timing of your swings and shield block counts, as does the type of attack per damage (as usual). If you swing when the skeleton has its shield up, you're wasting a swing and opening yourself up.

As for Xbox morrowind, it was released about the same time I think (the PC dev cycle started way before Xbox came out, but they started the XBox project before the pc version was released for sure). It was identical to the PC version, only it ran better unless you had a much better than average PC at the time. What it didn't have were mods - and that's why I want Oblivion for the PC, even if it's a new PC. The Xbox version was also re-released with one or both expansions. In any case, it was kinda fun navigating the world and fighting with the throttle sticks.

I had (access to) Morrowind for both at various times, with the Xbox first.

*Edit: and by compromise, I mean just taking care of things that were alien to the console gamers, like swinging and having it totally rely on numbers instead of your coordination. I really don't foresee any dumbing down. The changes look awesome from what I've seen. I'm really looking foward to the new stealth and backstab style of play that rogues will have available - more like Thief than morrowind.

[ 11-03-2005, 05:03 PM: Message edited by: Lucern ]

[SpiritWarrior]

Yeah it was around the same age as Xbox IIRC. I gathered you meant UI and controls when you talked about being dumbed down rather than graphics or anything (it wasn't on both counts, either way).

I'd also go for the PC version for patches and mods myself. I rarely play RPG's on a console.

[cav_again]

Originally posted by SpiritWarrior: I gathered you meant UI and controls when you talked about being dumbed down rather than graphics or anything (it wasn't on both counts, either way).

yeah, that's what I meant. Perhaps they didn't backtrack on anything they'd done so it would work on console, but I'd imagine they at least considered console a 'limitation' on what they could do?

I'm getting it for PC regardless, there's no doubt about that (better graphics, prefer mouse/keyboard over controller, and of course, mods).


Lucern, I've heard that's how the combat works, but didn't know it was a result of the console limitations?

[ 11-03-2005, 05:28 PM: Message edited by: cav_again ]

[Stratos]

I don't think it's console limitations per se, but rather what console gamers are used to when it comes to combat.

[cav_again]

Originally posted by Stratos: I don't think it's console limitations per se, but rather what console gamers are used to when it comes to combat.

That could be true, but still, limiting what could be done with the game, for the sake of being able to sell it on console to just doesn't sit well with me. =/

I mean, I know Money > all, but with some of the revolutionary things they're trying to do with the game (i.e. the Radiant A.I. and whatnot), you'd think the devs themselves would want to focus on the PC version of the game, and maybe tone down the console port if need be.

[ 11-03-2005, 07:52 PM: Message edited by: cav_again ]

[Lucern]

The real dumbing down in the conversion from PC to console is the aspect we used to expect from the Elder Scrolls: pixelated nude people

ES 1: Check.
ES 2: Check and double check. The temple of Dibella is creepy.
ES 3: Nope. Though there was one truly disturbing bar with dancing mannequins hehe.
ES 4: Doubt it.

No big loss hehe. In ES 2 that was the creepiest thing because they were 2D and so were always looking at you.

And yeah, one of the devs was saying that they noticed a lot of console players being confused that they couldn't operate the shield in MW. It's all about expectations rather than limitations.

[Stratos]

Originally posted by cav_again: quote: Originally posted by Stratos: I don't think it's console limitations per se, but rather what console gamers are used to when it comes to combat.

That could be true, but still, limiting what could be done with the game, for the sake of being able to sell it on console to just doesn't sit well with me. =/

I mean, I know Money > all, but with some of the revolutionary things they're trying to do with the game (i.e. the Radiant A.I. and whatnot), you'd think the devs themselves would want to focus on the PC version of the game, and maybe tone down the console port if need be. [/QUOTE]The console market is a pretty big market.

[ 11-04-2005, 06:53 AM: Message edited by: Stratos ]