23 votes

Bethesda’s Oblivion Unreal Engine 5 remake could be releasing sooner than you think

24 comments

  1. [2]
    hungariantoast
    Link
    One of the things I'm a bit worried about, with a lot of big game developers moving to Unreal Engine, is mod support. CD Projekt Red are developing the next Witcher and Cyberpunk games on UE5, for...

    One of the things I'm a bit worried about, with a lot of big game developers moving to Unreal Engine, is mod support. CD Projekt Red are developing the next Witcher and Cyberpunk games on UE5, for example.

    Witcher 3's mod support was okay for a long time (it apparently got a lot better when CDPR recently released their modding SDK for the game). Cyberpunk 2077's mod support is phenomenal though.

    I've been doing an off-and-on playthrough of Cyberpunk with the CyberpunkTHING mod collection (Nexus link), and it has been a lot of fun. The collection is incredibly stable, and you can even switch between its two different presets, or turn the entire collection off and back on, mid-playthrough, without wrecking anything.

    Like, lmao, could you imagine ever being able to do that with a mod collection for Fallout 4 or Skyrim? Me neither.

    CDPR fucking nailed the modding experience of Cyberpunk 2077, at least for players (might be a different story for mod developers). The way I see it, the only way things can go with them adopting UE5 is downhill.

    So, I'm really curious to see what happens with this remake, and what kind of mod support it will have. I hope it's great, because I can't see myself being interested in a Bethesda game that doesn't have an extensive modding community (even a Bethesda game remade by not-Bethesda), and I want that tradition to stay alive, because there's nothing else like. I just can't help but be skeptical though.

    28 votes
    1. pete_the_paper_boat
      Link Parent
      If it's not the creation kit, it's not going to have that level of mod support. I doubt there's any mod support whatsoever, but then, I'm skeptical it'll be any good to begin with. I'll skip and...

      If it's not the creation kit, it's not going to have that level of mod support.

      I doubt there's any mod support whatsoever, but then, I'm skeptical it'll be any good to begin with.

      I'll skip and wait for Skyblivion.

      2 votes
  2. [8]
    Wafik
    Link
    Morrowind is the better game and in more need of a remake. But I'm also sure less people have played it compared to Oblivion and the game is old enough that a remake at least makes sense. I know...

    Morrowind is the better game and in more need of a remake. But I'm also sure less people have played it compared to Oblivion and the game is old enough that a remake at least makes sense.

    I know the old leveling system gets a lot of shit but I always loved it. I hope the remake just gives us a little more information around it like numbers.

    11 votes
    1. [4]
      Hobofarmer
      Link Parent
      I'm of the opinion they'd change morrowind to be more sensible for modern audiences and completely ruin it in the process.

      I'm of the opinion they'd change morrowind to be more sensible for modern audiences and completely ruin it in the process.

      12 votes
      1. [3]
        Wafik
        Link Parent
        Probably. I would take that trade off for better graphics and a game that ran better. Especially since someone would probably fix it with mods.

        Probably. I would take that trade off for better graphics and a game that ran better. Especially since someone would probably fix it with mods.

        3 votes
        1. [2]
          Sodliddesu
          Link Parent
          Wait, better graphics and running better are already implemented with OpenMW. You can run Morrowind RTX these days. You don't need to compromise the gameplay and wait for modders to fix it.

          Wait, better graphics and running better are already implemented with OpenMW. You can run Morrowind RTX these days. You don't need to compromise the gameplay and wait for modders to fix it.

          6 votes
          1. Wafik
            Link Parent
            Sure, I suppose I meant the official version but I'm not sure that matters.

            Sure, I suppose I meant the official version but I'm not sure that matters.

            1 vote
    2. [3]
      streblo
      Link Parent
      Yea for me it's: Morrowind > Skyrim >> Oblivion I played through them all again in 2020 and reaffirmed my opinion; Oblivion is just not very great. And I say that as someone who followed it's...

      Yea for me it's:

      Morrowind > Skyrim >> Oblivion

      I played through them all again in 2020 and reaffirmed my opinion; Oblivion is just not very great. And I say that as someone who followed it's development fanatically. It looks like the old forums never got archived but this sure brings back memories.

      6 votes
      1. Hobofarmer
        Link Parent
        Oblivion has quite a few really memorable quests I enjoyed though, more than skyrim for sure.

        Oblivion has quite a few really memorable quests I enjoyed though, more than skyrim for sure.

        4 votes
      2. Wafik
        Link Parent
        I would technically agree with your ranking but those are three of my favourite games of all time. I still loved Oblivion. Morrowind is just a masterpiece held back by the tech available at the time.

        I would technically agree with your ranking but those are three of my favourite games of all time. I still loved Oblivion. Morrowind is just a masterpiece held back by the tech available at the time.

  3. [5]
    PraiseTheSoup
    Link
    Oblivion is my favorite TES game, hands down. But let's be real, the leveling system is pretty terrible. I'm curious to see if they will change it, though I wouldn't want it to be like Skyrim's...

    Oblivion is my favorite TES game, hands down. But let's be real, the leveling system is pretty terrible. I'm curious to see if they will change it, though I wouldn't want it to be like Skyrim's either.

    4 votes
    1. [4]
      teaearlgraycold
      Link Parent
      TBH as someone that played Skyrim first I would be happy if they mostly copied Skyrim’s systems into Oblivion.

      TBH as someone that played Skyrim first I would be happy if they mostly copied Skyrim’s systems into Oblivion.

      4 votes
      1. [3]
        knocklessmonster
        Link Parent
        Just wait for Skyblivion, due sometime this year.

        Just wait for Skyblivion, due sometime this year.

        4 votes
        1. [2]
          wowbagger
          Link Parent
          By the way, both Skyblivion dependencies are heavily discounted for the Steam Spring Sale right now. I just bought both Oblivion+DLC and Skyrim Special Edition for $15 USD total.

          By the way, both Skyblivion dependencies are heavily discounted for the Steam Spring Sale right now. I just bought both Oblivion+DLC and Skyrim Special Edition for $15 USD total.

          2 votes
          1. knocklessmonster
            Link Parent
            I have both on Steam and GoG already, but always like people sharing the word on these sales

            I have both on Steam and GoG already, but always like people sharing the word on these sales

            1 vote
  4. [6]
    phoenixrises
    Link
    Eurogamer: The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remaster is real https://www.eurogamer.net/the-elder-scrolls-4-oblivion-remaster-is-real

    Eurogamer: The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remaster is real
    https://www.eurogamer.net/the-elder-scrolls-4-oblivion-remaster-is-real

    4 votes
    1. [3]
      cutmetal
      Link Parent
      They really buried the lede on this one (emphasis mine): 🤯 Seriously considering buying a PS5 for this, even though I've put thousands of hours in Oblivion over the years. I'm unreasonably excited lol

      They really buried the lede on this one (emphasis mine):

      Eurogamer understands Bethesda's current plan is to shadow drop the game next week on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, including via Xbox Game Pass.

      🤯

      Seriously considering buying a PS5 for this, even though I've put thousands of hours in Oblivion over the years. I'm unreasonably excited lol

      2 votes
      1. [2]
        balooga
        Link Parent
        Depending on reviews I may check this out. I was a latecomer to TES games but I’m a Skyrim super-fan. I picked up Oblivion after the fact but couldn’t get into it for a lot of reasons that this...

        Depending on reviews I may check this out. I was a latecomer to TES games but I’m a Skyrim super-fan. I picked up Oblivion after the fact but couldn’t get into it for a lot of reasons that this may resolve. My frustrations:

        • Bland art direction
        • Hideous fantasy-script-on-parchment UI
        • Poor voice performances from a teeny cast
        • Tedious, un-fun Oblivion gates opening up too often
        • Awkward combat
        • That lockpicking minigame

        If this manages to fix all or most of those things I could definitely be won over. I love the lore and the quality of the quest writing was great. I guess they probably need to keep Patrick Stewart’s audio but I wouldn’t shed any tears if they re-recorded all the other dialogue.

        1 vote
        1. cutmetal
          Link Parent
          I agree about the unfunness of the oblivion gates, in all my time spent with this game I've never actually completed the main quest because those gates are brutal and same-y. Lockpicking can be...

          I agree about the unfunness of the oblivion gates, in all my time spent with this game I've never actually completed the main quest because those gates are brutal and same-y. Lockpicking can be annoying at first, but once you level it up enough you just keep hundreds of lockpicks on you at all times and auto-pick everything. Or go do the quest that gives the unbreakable lockpick. And all three voice actors did an excellent job, thank you very much 😂

          As to the rest, I can see how you might feel that way when starting from Skyrim and moving backwards. I'd probably feel much the same way if I went back and tried to play Morrowind. It can go both ways though - unpopular opinion, but I really disliked Skyrim's skill progression system, controller-centric controls, mining system I always got bogged down in, and dragon fights.

          1 vote
    2. [2]
      BeardyHat
      Link Parent
      This might sound like I'm slagging it, but I'm not. I don't have any real opinion here and will probably pick this up when it's dirt cheap. That said, looking at the screenshots, it looks better,...

      This might sound like I'm slagging it, but I'm not. I don't have any real opinion here and will probably pick this up when it's dirt cheap.

      That said, looking at the screenshots, it looks better, but 2006 still holds up for me. I know we have the moon-faced people, but the rest of the game still looks pretty good, I think; the new engine is definitely better looking, but doesn't seem super transformative to me.

      Think I'm just getting old though. I've heard people describe games that are only 10 years old as "dated looking" and I just don't see it. I still think a lot of games 10-15-20+ years old look pretty damn good.

      Anyway, those are my ramblings.

      2 votes
      1. cutmetal
        Link Parent
        I'm with you - I put ~100 hours into a fresh, vanilla Oblivion run this past winter, and the only real annoyance was inventory management. Doing alchemy you'll have a stockpile with thousands of...

        I'm with you - I put ~100 hours into a fresh, vanilla Oblivion run this past winter, and the only real annoyance was inventory management. Doing alchemy you'll have a stockpile with thousands of ingredients, and the game doesn't give you controls to properly manage this. To me, complaining about graphics, combat, HUD etc would be like making those same complaints about NES Super Mario Brothers - it's just a different aesthetic and feel, not worse.

        That said I'm excited to see what a new take on Oblivion looks like! My hope is that this fresh take for less-gray gamers is interesting in its own right.

  5. EsteeBestee
    Link
    Oblivion is one of my favorite games and I still play it every few months. I’m so incredibly excited for this remake/remaster! Between this, Doom Dark Ages, and the Switch 2, mama is eatin’ good...

    Oblivion is one of my favorite games and I still play it every few months. I’m so incredibly excited for this remake/remaster! Between this, Doom Dark Ages, and the Switch 2, mama is eatin’ good this spring!

    1 vote
  6. [2]
    th0mcat
    Link
    Unrelated to the content of the piece: did anyone else’s screen become a full-screen ad multiple times while in the middle of reading the article?

    Unrelated to the content of the piece: did anyone else’s screen become a full-screen ad multiple times while in the middle of reading the article?

    1 vote
    1. phoenixrises
      Link Parent
      not a full screen ad, but they definitely have the "go ad free" nag for me (100% recommend switching to firefox and using ublock origin there)

      not a full screen ad, but they definitely have the "go ad free" nag for me (100% recommend switching to firefox and using ublock origin there)

      9 votes