The Compass Options

[TheImperialDragon]

Meh, that is how Oblivion works. I think there should be an option to turn it off in Vanilla OB.

[Pisces]

Morrowind has lots of things everywhere, but oblivion doesn't have as much interiors so I think it is quite useful to find where the selected few are so I don't get bored.

[mirocu]

I couldn´t vote. I like the compass as it is but I really think they should have made it toggle-able. Then again I can always use Lady Saga´s Delete Compass mod!

[Lady Saga]

Ha ha , ya, I'll have to post a screenie.

What cracks me up is that a lot of people have adopted my pretend mod in some manner. (for those who don't know it, I put electrical tape over my compass in Oblivion). And not everybody who uses this 'mod' is on console. I've read about a couple of PC players who have adopted it in some manner!

[mirocu]

I put electrical tape over my compass in Oblivion). And not everybody who uses this 'mod' is on console. I've read about a couple of PC players who have adopted it in some manner!

It´s a platform versatile mod!

[Grits]

I voted for sliders. That way my preference doesn't interfere with someone else's. Maybe in TES 6, lol.

[Lady Saga]

I voted for sliders. That way my preference doesn't interfere with someone else's. Maybe in TES 6, lol.

I forgot to vote on this thread, so now here's my big (rockstar) announcement on how I voted!

I would also go with sliders. This is how Skyrim does it, but even in Skyrim I'm not 100% satisfied. I would like to delete the compass entirely, while leaving stats visible. This way I always know where my character's health, stamina, and magicka happen to be.

Maybe TES VI will finally get it right! Lol.

[King Coin]

I personally like it, but I voted for sliders. Everyone should get what they want.

[Lady Saga]

I personally like it, but I voted for sliders. Everyone should get what they want.

Exactly.

It's interesting not a single person voted for "get rid of it". Even I, who prefers to cover the compass up, would not want to see Bethesda get rid of them in future edtions of ES. Plenty of people find the compass useful, after all.

[ghastley]

Although I haven't really played with the numbers, Map Marker Overhaul (MMO) has a number of adjustments to a lot of things related to that display. As well as toggling what things appear on your map, you can also set the distances at which things become visible, including when you'll see a marker on your compass. Bringing the range down to approximate the visual means that the compass just reflects what would be on-screen if you turned your head.

At one extreme of the settings, your compass can be clear of markers, and just show direction.

I installed it just for its capability to add player-defined markers (a little flag, and you can add some text). There are a few unmarked shrines, camps etc. and I like to mark things like that on my map. Ayleid wells, doomstones and a few other items also get marked if you want them. Some categories, like buildings, get more refinement, so docks, stables, castles all get unique markers, which show on the compass automatically. That makes it a more useful display in a city, for example, where knowing where the castle is helps you orient yourself.

Hopefully Bethsoft learn from what the modders produce.

[Lady Saga]

Hopefully Bethsoft learn from what the modders produce.

Yeah, hopefully.

I think it comes down to compromise. As much as I love my Xbox and PS3, I realize that they are also the reason why such features (which seem easily implemented by the modders, I am guessing) are not extant in TES IV, and only partially so in TES: V. Adding lots and lots of features means adding more and more time to program all this stuff, and without glitches. So Bethesda compromises. They try to add what the majority of us want, but don't go all the way to satisfy every single player out there.

The PS4 is out, and soon the next Xbox will be too. I am hoping for LOTS more options with these newer consoles, and hopefully the ability for us to use mods (or at least some sort of Construction Kit and console commands). I keep saying I'm gonna get a gaming PC, but chances are I'll remain a console gal over the long run. Here's to hoping all of us are satisfied in the future.



This post has been edited by Lady Saga: Mar 4 2013, 06:07 PM

[mirocu]

Hopefully Bethsoft learn from what the modders produce.

I think they use the modders as unpaid employees

I voted sliders too. Having a feature with a few adjustments is the way to go. Otherwise we may eventually have games with graphic settings like in this video.

This post has been edited by mirocu: Mar 4 2013, 07:30 PM

[PhonAntiPhon]

I have no problem with the compass in Oblivion actually, as is, but that said I also use Darnified so I can ef about with it anyway if I want.
On a comparative note, and in this instance I feel it's justified; I hated the compass in The Game of the Northern Province. I just did not get along with the whole enemy radar thing.
Fortunately the compass tuner mod really helped in that respect...

[Pseron Wyrd]

I just did not get along with the whole enemy radar thing.

That was a Fallout 3 feature. I'm guessing it must have been popular enough for Bethesda to import it into Skyrim.

Anyway, I not only don't play with a compass in Oblivion and Skyrim, I've also stopped looking at the in-game map. I have not opened a map in either game since sometime last year. It makes the game world feel 4 or 5 times larger to me. It's just an incredibly astounding difference.

This post has been edited by Pseron Wyrd: Mar 12 2013, 02:22 AM

[Elisabeth Hollow]

I'm opting for the customizable option. Sometimes I just feel like exploring and not knowing what's around.

[King Coin]

Anyway, I not only don't play with a compass in Oblivion and Skyrim, I've also stopped looking at the in-game map. I have not opened a map in either game since sometime last year. It makes the game world feel 4 or 5 times larger to me. It's just an incredibly astounding difference.

Playing without a map and quest objectives has its appeal, but I just don't have the time to play with out them.

[Acadian]

I use DarN's dark user interface and customize the compass to be quite unobtrusive.

Buffy's an explorer and prides herself on having one of the most detailed maps in Cyrodiil. She has contributed a great deal of knowledge and precise accuracy to the University's cartography department. The doeskin map and wonderful compass she uses are important tools to her.

We do either ignore or customize out the feature on the compass that shows nearby map markers. Her map is for markers; her compass is for direction finding.

[Colonel Mustard]

As somebody with the sense of direction of a drunken pigeon with a magnet taped to its head, I voted slider; I need that compass or I'm going to get lost all the goddamn time, but I can appreciate that some people might not want it.

Also, I like the way that the compass points out interesting places along the way (at least in Skyrim); I've found some fun dungeons and ruins that way.

[Pseron Wyrd]

Playing without a map and quest objectives has its appeal, but I just don't have the time to play with out them.

You're right, it's not for everybody. It definitely does take much longer to find many places without looking at the in-game map. Which is actually part of its charm for me. I love exploring and I love getting lost.

This started back in Morrowind, when I'd begin many of my games in a shipwreck off Azura's Coast. I had a rule: no looking at the map until we reached civilization. Azura's Coast is pretty featureless, so it was easy to get lost and stay lost in that area of the gameworld. I loved wandering with no idea where I was. I guess I'm just strange that way. Doing quests bores me to tears most of the time but wandering around lost keeps me on the edge of my seat with excitement. Go figure.

I'm self-employed so I have the time for all this. I can carve out blocks of time out of my schedule in which to play at my leisure. But I'm sure that someone with less time to play is going to find playing without a map (or playing without fast travel) not much fun, and I don't blame them.

This post has been edited by Pseron Wyrd: Mar 12 2013, 01:51 PM

[Lady Saga]

I love exploring and I love getting lost.

Yeah, me too. And in the vanilla game the compass (and the GPS-styled pointer on the map) really defeats the purpose of trying to figure things out ourselves, hence my famous compass delete pretend mod



I honestly do not remember whether I used the compass before creating this 'mod', I think in the earliest days I probably did use the green pointer to follow quests. And then I probably read some things about Morrowind, about how much more immersive this game is because it doesn't hold one's hand much, and this inspired me to try to delete the compass.

I'm pretty sure that's how it all happened.

This post has been edited by Lady Saga: Mar 12 2013, 04:01 PM