Waiting4Oblivion Proudly Presents: The E3 Thread Options

[Rane]

-----Waiting4Oblivion Proudly Presents: The E3 Thread-----


Ok people. It's time to buckle up. We're living in some pretty interesting times right now and by the looks of it, the end is nowhere near.

As most of you already know, Bethesda is showing Oblivion at E3 this year. With all the info pouring out from there and other sources we've decided to gather a bunch of the info right here, on your very own Waiting4Oblivion forums.

We will have two places where the info will show up. This thread is one of them. The other one is the Special Features page. Look below for direct link.

Waiting4Oblivion Special Features

---Update---

E3 Demo Summary

2nd day at E3 diary

3rd day at E3 diary

The goal of this thread is as follows:
Anything from previews to reports, Developer statements to possible trailers will be posted here, with links and source locations.

Remember to check back for updates. Who knows what tomorrow will bring to us.


We'll be starting off with links to some of the first previews of the game, some screenshots that were published recently and of course, an early version of the very anticipated trailer.

Bethesda E3 Team Diary

Gamespot preview

Gamespot screen shots

Gamespot Q&A with Todd Howard

Gamespot early E3 report


Update 19.5.05, 11:42 PM GMT
Actiontrip's preview

Update 20.5.05, 10:45 AM GMT
Interview with Gavin Carter

The Interview in text, by Steerpike lsn

Direct download link

Update 20.5.05, 00:21 PM GMT
IGN Preview on Oblivion

Update 20.5.05, 9:47 PM GMT
CNN preview on a few games, including Oblivion

Update 21.5 1:12 AM GMT
Alexander's and Stargelman's E3 report and update post on the offical forums

Update 21.5.05, 3:01 PM GMT
Gamespy report on Oblivion demo

Another Gamespy report

Update 21.5.05, 10:13 PM GMT
Happypuppy.com demo report

Another Happypuppy.com report

Update 21.5.05, 9:25 PM GMT
A really good E3 demo report by Boomtown.net

Update 23.5.05, 8:51 PM GMT
GamesMainFrame preview

-----Oblivion trailers-----
http://xboxmovies.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/19...3-2005-Trailer/
http://www.gamespot.com/x360/rpg/theelders...vion/media.html


Direct download link

Microsoft briefing, Oblivion footage at 5:40 in the file

---THE OFFICIAL TRAILER---

84.3MB - High Definition DivX AVI Movie
http://www.bethsoft.com/downloads/video/Ob...ailerDIVXHD.avi

77.4MB - Hi-res Quicktime Movie
http://www.bethsoft.com/downloads/video/Ob...railerLarge.mov

15.3MB - Low-res Windows Media Movie
http://www.bethsoft.com/downloads/video/Ob...railerSmall.wmv

Update 20.5.05, 2:27 PM GMT

More E3 footage of Oblivion, by IGN

[Rane]

Quotes about Bethesda at E3 and the trailer.

http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.p...6&#entry1658146

I wish that our own website was the first to drop the trailer. Big thanks goes out to Steve Green who spent countless hours making this a double, super, high quality trailer. There are also many many others who worked on the content shown in the trailer, but Steve did mucho last minute work on making it polished and clean.

It's rather unfortunate that the website that has our trailer doesn't show it in it's absolute highest quality that Steve made it (though their intentions are completely in the right place). Stay tuned. I'm sure that when we post it on elderscrolls.com that you will weep at its full majesty.

http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.p...9&#entry1658529

I know that the clips were really short. Our game isn't just a fighter, a magic RPG, or a stealth game and we try to show as much as possible in a short amount of time. It's like giving all 500 of you a sampler platter where no one gets full of what they want, lol.

Concerning the trailer representing either the 360 or the PC. What was shown represents both sets of hardware.

Um....rats, that's all I have for this post I guess.

EDIT: AH! another good one to answer. Future trailers/media: I have no idea. But when I speak about us hopefully having a better quality one at our site, I am speaking of the exact same trailer that you see on the teamxbox site, but in higher quality. And while I'm mentioning the folks over at teamxbox, I want to be clear that I'm not saying that they're doing us wrong by not posting what I see on our network, but rather a lower rez version. That may be the version that they received from Pete and the PR folks. Or it may be that that's all the bandwidth they can afford during this week of weeks, E3. Thanks for posting our info teamxbox!

http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.p...4&#entry1658284

Yes. The demo is being shown in a comfy 15 set theatre. Cool, quiet, comfy, AND BY INVITATION ONLY!

The internet eventually has everything on it....but, no, no video or pics are allowed to be captured. I would hope that we would be able to keep such things from happening with such small, select audiances.

http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.p...9&#entry1655359

The trailer is 90 seconds. And all but three shots (not counting logos) are pulled from the game engine directly. I believe the last time I counted there were 39 shots in the trailer, but I don't have my notes in front of me.

I'd bet the whole press conference will be available for download from someone online in a matter of hours, if that. They usually are, though this one was particularly hammered.

http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.p...8&#entry1650378

The demo isn't a video, it's actually segments of the game itself played live for people who make appointments to see it at E3.

The trailer is like a movie trailer, and doesn't really have anything specifically to do with the demo.

http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.p...6&#entry1659986

The scenes with the emperor on the tower, the sword flying through the air, and the Emperor's heir catching the sword and then plunging into the ground and kneeling are pre-rendered and animated by the folks who made the trailer. The rest, aside from the text, is all in-game.

http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.p...7&#entry1655477

That is Patrick Stewart as the Emperor. And the dude clutching the sword and plunging it into the ground is NOT the player. Note that the last thing the Emperor says is "Find HIM, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion"

[Rane]

New interview and report

E3 Developer Interview: Beyond Morrowind, on Xbox.com

Some interesting quotes from that interview:

[quote]
Xbox.com: Cyrodiil, the main setting of Oblivion, is a place new to gamers. If it were a place in the real world, how much real estate would we be talking about?

Howard: It's about 40 square miles—it's big.[/quote]

[quote]Xbox.com: Though the game is single-player only, do you have plans to include Xbox Live™ functionality of any sort in the game? Will there be content downloads or Xbox Live Aware, that sort of thing?

Howard: Yes and yes. Xbox Live Aware, and we're going to go crazy with downloads. We had it working for Morrowind with plug-ins on the Xbox, but it never made it in. We hope to really take that far on Xbox 360.[/quote]


Elder Scrolls IV Stuns All Onlookers, on RPGgamer.com

A few info chunks from the report:

[quote]It's not all just pretty colours and incredibly detailed sound, however. While the game will include over fifty hours of recorded voices, consuming half the space required to install the game, the gameplay has received equally extensive attention.[/quote]

[quote]Traps and surfaces riddled with arrows aren't the only things that react realistically; Bethesda has created a physics system with astounding complexity, and objects swing, crash, roll, and even grow in believable ways. In fact, the outdoor areas aren't even designed; Bethesda's development crew went to the University of Maryland to study such topics as soil erosion, plant growth, and ecosystem interaction, with the ultimate goal of a forest that generates itself based upon complex rules based upon nature.[/quote]

[Rane]

A new report, a really good one

Gamespot Oblivion Report

[quote]We watched an example in which we entered a bookstore and chatted up the storekeeper using the game's diplomacy skill (which has been changed from Morrowind to a circle onscreen that lets you move your cursor between options like joke or threaten; the character you're speaking to will react accordingly with facial animations).[/quote]

[quote]The game will include over 9,000 physically modeled objects that you can manipulate.[/quote]

[quote]We also saw a demonstration of the game's physics as we crept up on a pair of goblins standing near a pile of food and a hidden trap. We picked up a nearby pumpkin and tossed it at a few mooring lines that were actually holding back several spiked weights mounted on ropes from the ceiling. The weights came swinging down and sent the goblins flying.[/quote]

[Rane]

Another E3 report with first impressions

Gamers with jobs, E3 report

The first Oblivion preview can be found near the top, being the third game listed. Another preview by another person can be found about a 1/4 page down from the top.

[quote]The visuals are absolutely breathtaking from the moment you awake in, where else for Elder Scrolls, prison. The environment is painstakingly detailed and takes advantage of every graphical buzz word you can throw at it.[/quote]

[quote]
Additionally they(NPCs) will talk to one another - both in general conversation and scripted events - and what you overhear between NPCs can often open new avenues for quests, so listening to conversations of the city streets is more than simply atmosphere, it's actively productive.[/quote]

[Sinder Velvin]

Great job!

[Rane]

Heh, thanks. So far it's been only me adding stuff here but I hope others will eventually answer the call as well. This place is not only for information but also for general E3 discussion.

Anyway, as new stuff gets posted I will update the first posts.

[Channler]

[quote=Rane]
[quote=MrSmileyFaceDude]
That is Patrick Stewart as the Emperor. And the dude clutching the sword and plunging it into the ground is NOT the player. Note that the last thing the Emperor says is "Find HIM, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion"
[/quote][/quote]

[quote=Rane]
[quote=MrSmileyFaceDude]MrSmileyFaceDude wrote:

The scenes with the emperor on the tower, the sword flying through the air, and the Emperor's heir catching the sword and then plunging into the ground and kneeling are pre-rendered and animated by the folks who made the trailer. The rest, aside from the text, is all in-game.[/quote][/quote]


That sorta makes it sound like the heir has to find the player so that the player can find the heir and shut the gates of oblivion... kinda odd

[Rane]

[quote=Channler]
That sorta makes it sound like the heir has to find the player so that the player can find the heir and shut the gates of oblivion... kinda odd[/quote]

I don't think we should take the trailer and what was shown in it too seriously. After all, it was just a trailer. A lot of the twists there were just to add to the coolness factor of the game.

So I'm pretty sure it's the player who will be running all over Cyrodiil, looking for the Heir who doesn't even know he's the Heir.

[Channler]

Yea I know, but contridicting facts really throw people off..

BTW doesn't the emperor have two sons? Wasn't that the reason there was so many problems in Cyrodil in TES3? Isn't that why (?)Cauis Cosades had to leave? ! If so maybe we will see the Skooma addict again!!

[Rane]

[quote=Channler]
BTW doesn't the emperor have two sons? Wasn't that the reason there was so many problems in Cyrodil in Morrowind?[/quote]

3 actually. Geldall, Enman and Ebel.

Or those are the 3 Heirs at the Throne during Morrowind. Anyway, who's to say they're not fake after all, and that there's another Lost Heir somewhere.

But yeah, they were the reason to the Unrest in Cyrodiil city. People say they are doppelgangers placed there by the Imperial Battlemage Jagar Tharn.

I doubt we'll see Caius though. 26 years is a loooong time.

[jonajosa]

None of those will be the one that needs to be found though... Theres a another people don't know about...

I read the preview where they played the game and i can't wait to fight along side with the guards to the portal in the ruined city.

Can anyone describe those new 5 or 6 screenshots they have there at gamespot? I cant get a pic on them right now.

[Rane]

Yeah, I can't wait to get to fight along a group of other characters as well. Seems like we will be getting those huge (or somewhat huge) battles after all.

Not really sure which new screenshots you mean. At the moment my browser's a bit borked so I only get to see the images with a direct link but based on the numbers in the links the 5 newest screens there seems to be as follows:

http://www.gamespot.com/x360/rpg/theelders...ns.html?page=44

That's basically the wallpaper we got earlier. The one with the Daedric being standing in one of those portals with the "hero" standing infront of the portal with his sword drawn.

http://www.gamespot.com/x360/rpg/theelders...ns.html?page=43

Another shot of the "hero" I assume. He's holding a lonblade and a shield and boy, I do have to say that those details look amazing. Behind him seems to be the burning city of Cyrodiil.

42 and 41 are the concept art pics of Mithril armor

http://www.gamespot.com/x360/rpg/theelders...ns.html?page=40

The Heir from the trailer, with sword and behind him you once again see the burning city.

http://www.gamespot.com/x360/rpg/theelders...ns.html?page=39

New concept art apparently. A sideview of a guard's head, with the title "Town Guard-Chorrol".

http://www.gamespot.com/x360/rpg/theelders...ns.html?page=38

This is the Lich we saw in the trailer. Has a red-brownish robe on, and some kind of amulet or necklace with 3 big crystals. The Lich is also holding a big wooden staff. The place seems to be some kind of semidark dungeon.

Edit: New Actiontrip preview added.

[quote]Another fear that I had from seeing the previously released screenshots was that the bloom effect would just make everything look too shiny and nice and that you'd never really get that dungeon feel from playing the game. Hell no, man, I was so wrong. One of the last scenes that we were shown takes place in a city that was attacked and razed to the ground by the forces of Oblivion - you enter the scene on a cold rainy night surrounded by death and ruins. The weather effects are amazing and the scene is about as grim as they come in computer games. The thing is that the Elder Scrolls IV engine is so powerful that it can create both the dreamy look of buildings and forests drenched in sunshine, as well as scenes of gloomy dungeons with festering corpses and monsters.[/quote]

[jonajosa]

I went to Gamespot last night and saw only 4 screenshots on that day. I came back today and there were 6 or 7. The ones i saw were

The burning town, The guy in armor in the forest, The goblins attacking the character, and a guy with wierd helmet on in a building.

I didn't get views of the other screens.

[Rane]

A video interview with Gavin Carter(kathode) is now up.

See it here:

http://xboxmovies.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/19...ideo-Interview/

Direct Download link

A few things mentioned in the interview:

Buyable horses, will be expensive
Buyable houses
About 30 hours of gameplay if the Mainquest is rushed




Another very positive preview about Oblivion, this time by IGN
http://pc.ign.com/articles/617/617488p1.html

[Khaan]

When he says "find him and close shut the doors of oblivion" my first thought was that is Mehrunes Dagon that you are supposed to somehow stop. Although I dont see how.

[Rane]

[quote=Khaan]When he says "find him and close shut the doors of oblivion" my first thought was that is Mehrunes Dagon that you are supposed to somehow stop. Although I dont see how.[/quote]

Yeah, it wouldn't be that easy to stop a Daedric Prince.

Him does indeed refer to the Heir. No one else.


Edit
New E3 footage of Oblivion.

http://media.pc.ign.com/media/702/702491/v....html?fromint=1

It's the E3 Raw Clips (Silent) there.

[Azura's Star]

Is the second day journal a work in progress, or is the link just broken?

http://www.waiting4oblivion.com/feature_e3...y_20050519.html

[Rane]

[quote=Azura's Star]Is the second day journal a work in progress, or is the link just broken?
http://www.waiting4oblivion.com/feature_e3_2005_diary_20050519.html[/quote]

There's an underscore too many in the link.

This would be the right one:

http://www.waiting4oblivion.com/feature_e3...ry20050519.html

Anyway, it's being fixed as I type this.

Edit: Well, that sure was fast.

[Sinder Velvin]

[quote=Azura's Star]Is the second day journal a work in progress, or is the link just broken?
http://www.waiting4oblivion.com/feature_e3_2005_diary_20050519.html[/quote]

Are you sure you copied and pasted the link here correctly?