A few months after Oblivion was released I was bored and awaiting the release of a couple of games and a friend presuaded me to play Oblivion. I purchased the game and tried it but although I was able to run the game my computer could not properly handle the graphics and they made me physically ill. Another friend suggested I try Morrowind. I was able to purchase it quite cheaply and did so. I fell in love with the game. I played it over and over and even made a few house mods for it. A whole new gaming world had opened up for me.
My major complaint was the pathing. Trying to rescue slaves was very difficult because of the poor pathing. I also didn't like the fetch and delivery quests. A few in the early stages are alright but there seemed to me to be a bit too many. Some of the quests were funny which I really enjoyed.
I was able to purchase a new computer and tried Oblivion again. At first I didn't care for it but the graphics were improved immensely I continued the game. The pathing had been improved, the NPCs were not as static as the ones in Morrowind and the graphics were very good. My first game I concentrated on the main quest doing other quests as the came up. I spent a good deal of time on this first game struggling through the various guilds with a Redguard, female Spellsword. I disliked the murky water and did find a mod to fix that but did not mod the game otherwise. Di spite the things .I disliked about the game I found myself getting addicted to the game. I simply could not stop playing. The ability to explore, to do what I wanted was wonderfully. It gave me a sense of freedom I had never had in any other game.
The things I disliked in Oblivion were mainly the lack of integration. I did not feel that the main quest was well integrated into the overall game. It was simply another quest line albeit a major one. I enjoyed it and loved Martin. The Blades were also a disappointment as I had grown accustomed to a different slant in Morrowind. IIn my opinion the idea of a candlestein 'eyes and ears of the Emperor' theme had been lost. True they no longer had an Emperor but I felt that aspect was lost. I enjoyed the Mage Guild, the Thievies Guild and the Dark Brother, did not care for the Fighters Guild and hated the Area quest line. I always felt let down though when I finished a quest line because I had the feeling of 'what? that's it? No one cares that I have become the ArchMage? Hey, you give me a little respect there. Move aside this is the ArchMage of the Mages Guild. I'll turn you into a slug if you aren't carefull.' At least the guards got upset if the Gray Fox was around and the Imperial soldiers did go around hailing my character as the Champion of Cyrodiil. Nothing else seemed to matter and that bothered me.
I found Oblivion to have a depth and ambiguity to it that I really liked. Evil is not so cut and dried as many games make it. My point of view may be right for me but it may be wrong for someone else. Thre was some racial tension it and even the handling of vampires was interesting. I fell in love with Janus Hasseldorf, the Count of Skingrad. I wish he had more of a part.
I played a few games and then began to add mods. This I found enhanced the game gratefully.
My hopes for Skyrim is that Bethesda will have learned from Morrowind and Oblivion and that they have really paid attention to the popular mods. I am hoping for a more integrated game line, a game were what you do really matters. Better and more realistic combat. I understand magic has been improved but I hope it is more balanced. With my new computer with its Radeon Video Card I think the graphics will be extremely fantastic. Just what I have seen published is wonderful. The horses appear to have reins also. 
Skingard Guard Towers from a Mod by Dragon Captions Team
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