Elite Bastards interview October 22nd, 2005

[Razorwing]

>> 'Elite Bastards' interview
The new interview had many juicy tidbits for us fans, and here's my impression of them. What do you guys think?

(There was also an interivew in MyGamer but it didn't reveal anything... you almost get the sense Bethesda didn't like them.)

? The last NPC count from Bethesda was about a thousand, but in this interview they reveal that there there are "well over 1500 characters". Yaay!

? Regarding graphical differences between the Xbox 360 version and the PC version: "As far as differences, if you?ve got a fast PC with a graphics card with full shader model 3.0 support, the differences should be miniscule in nature."

? Reading between the lines we can surmise that some of the features cut out from Oblivion will make it into an expansion pack. Personally I'm hoping that will include crossbows, thrown weapons and spears - I think a good selection of weapon categories adds to the replayability, as you can pick a new speciality when you start a new player character. More than that I hope the expansion packs will really make a difference this time instead of just being basically highly competent mods.

? Regarding improvements in the economy over TES III, where as we all know gold became useless rather quickly:
"One major step we?ve taken is providing the player with higher level economic goals ? things like houses and horses and high level weapons and armor in shops. These are meant to be goals to save your money towards over the course of the game." Yes!! A real incentive to amass wealth.

Bethesda goes on to reveal that the player can 'invest in shops', which sounds really intriguing. Apparantly we'll be able to beef up the gold a merchant has to barter with, so that the player can make a merchant he likes to do business with very wealthy and be able to sell most of the stuff he gets possession of to him. Sounds very handy. I for one am looking forward to not having to tour the towns again with the only purpose of selling stuff to various merchants.

? Bethesda says they spend an average of 40 hours making each dungeon. "An average dungeon will probably take up about a week of man hours from a level designer before it is put in the game and played through by testers." So, modding a location like that will be much more work for us this time around, but undoubtedly more entertaining too, both for modders and players. Oh, and while we kindof knew it already - "Both NPCs and creatures can pursue you wherever you go." So the player won't be able to cop out by running for the exit, resting up, and going back in again - a stupid trick I used myself on a number of occasions.

? "You?ll get to interact with the various Daedra in a variety of ways." Does this provide more hints that a mysterious eleventh race will be revealed? If Bethesda is letting the player interact with Daedra in "a variety of ways", I would think that would be easier for them to pull off by making a race. Other circumstancial evidence is that some may remember that one of the screenshots of the new Construction Set showed eleven race entries in a reaction table, as well as the precedent from Morrowind when Orcs were revealed at the last minute as the tenth race.

? A bit of more good news (though we knew most of it): "Players have the ability to construct their own worlds completely separate in every way from the main world of Oblivion. Though there are theoretical and practical limits to the size of the world you can create, the ability for modders to create worlds several times the size of Cyrodiil is there."

[Quentin Fortune]

? The last NPC count from Bethesda was about a thousand, but in this interview they reveal that there there are "well over 1500 characters". Yaay!

Nice, together with our 1.000+ this will be a bunch of people to ki ... erm, to talk to.

? Regarding graphical differences between the Xbox 360 version and the PC version: "As far as differences, if you?ve got a fast PC with a graphics card with full shader model 3.0 support, the differences should be miniscule in nature."

So finally something about necessary or suggested requirements. Seems like I get away with a new processor and a new graphics card.

[...]

? Regarding improvements in the economy over TES III, where as we all know gold became useless rather quickly:
"One major step we?ve taken is providing the player with higher level economic goals ? things like houses and horses and high level weapons and armor in shops. These are meant to be goals to save your money towards over the course of the game." Yes!! A real incentive to amass wealth.

Bethesda goes on to reveal that the player can 'invest in shops', which sounds really intriguing. Apparantly we'll be able to beef up the gold a merchant has to barter with, so that the player can make a merchant he likes to do business with very wealthy and be able to sell most of the stuff he gets possession of to him. Sounds very handy. I for one am looking forward to not having to tour the towns again with the only purpose of selling stuff to various merchants.

Excellent news, I got so tired of the 'old creeper game' that I decided to use the console to add the money just to save me the time (ever tried to sell half a dozen Daedric weapons and a few sets of armour? :eek: )

? Bethesda says they spend an average of 40 hours making each dungeon. "An average dungeon will probably take up about a week of man hours from a level designer before it is put in the game and played through by testers." So, modding a location like that will be much more work for us this time around, but undoubtedly more entertaining too, both for modders and players. Oh, and while we kindof knew it already - "Both NPCs and creatures can pursue you wherever you go." So the player won't be able to cop out by running for the exit, resting up, and going back in again - a stupid trick I used myself on a number of occasions.

Aah ... sounds like the days of Daggerfall are back again. :bananarock: Great news, even though some of the more intricate dungeons still give me nightmares, just thinking about them. (BTW has there been one smaller dungeon in DF? I know that I lost track in each and every one I visited even though I'm quite experienced in exploring mazes ...)

? "You?ll get to interact with the various Daedra in a variety of ways." Does this provide more hints that a mysterious eleventh race will be revealed? If Bethesda is letting the player interact with Daedra in "a variety of ways", I would think that would be easier for them to pull off by making a race. Other circumstancial evidence is that some may remember that one of the screenshots of the new Construction Set showed eleven race entries in a reaction table, as well as the precedent from Morrowind when Orcs were revealed at the last minute as the tenth race.

I really hope your guess is what is behind this ... if not, the assets plus the CS will make it much easier to make it so.

? A bit of more good news (though we knew most of it): "Players have the ability to construct their own worlds completely separate in every way from the main world of Oblivion. Though there are theoretical and practical limits to the size of the world you can create, the ability for modders to create worlds several times the size of Cyrodiil is there."

Is the new CS out yet? :lmao:

Greetings

Quentin

[KuKulzA]

yeah... hopefully any new weapon or animation expansion will be fully compatible with all mods made before...

1,500+ characters! can't wait to be a vampire... by the time I'm done, I will have feasted on.... erm..... with 1500+ people
[hehe]


40 Hours making a dungeon... hmm.... okay... so Vvardenfell will take about 4 years :bananarock: !!!

"fast PC with a graphics card with full shader model 3.0 support"

yeah, so that's why I'v been saving money since August! (month 8)


hmm... no more "run-out-the-door-and-sleep-thengo-back-in-to-fight", yeah, it was funny, the good old days... :lmao:

"You?ll get to interact with the various Daedra in a variety of ways." Does this provide more hints that a mysterious eleventh race will be revealed? If Bethesda is letting the player interact with Daedra in "a variety of ways", I would think that would be easier for them to pull off by making a race. Other circumstancial evidence is that some may remember that one of the screenshots of the new Construction Set showed eleven race entries in a reaction table, as well as the precedent from Morrowind when Orcs were revealed at the last minute as the tenth race.

ooooOOO!!! ....interesting...

[Razorwing]

Originally posted by KuKulzA
40 Hours making a dungeon... hmm.... okay... so Vvardenfell will take about 4 years :bananarock: !!!

Nah, promotion on ESF and featuring the works of others can go a long way. If you spot a good dungeon on the Summit you could contact the author and ask if he'd be willing to let it be used in the Vvardenfell mod, for instance. Chances are he will, and as a bonus might become intrigued by the project and start modding for it. If one modder produces a dungeon every two weeks, and you gather 50 modders (who only work on dungeons), there'd be 400 dungeons produced in four months (16 weeks).

[KuKulzA]

ok... 2 years :banana: !!!!


:lmao: whatever the time (as long as its not over 6 years) I am willing to mod Vvardenfell

[dwemer lizard]

good :yes:

thats a new one for me

an i like this new one