Monday, August 29, 2005

I found a reason to spend the trillion on an Xbox 360


Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion! I was convinced after reading this: "One of the most striking things about Oblivion is the way it goes out of its way to simulate the "real" world. The good people of Tamriel roam the streets at will, running errands and chatting with passersby. This magic is made possible by Oblivion's highly sophisticated Radiant AI system, which assigns every single character a 24-hour schedule. If that doesn't amaze you, consider that there are over 1000 unique non-player characters in the game.
Because the game realistically tracks the actions of each character, you won't spot shopkeepers up selling goods at 3 a.m.; they'll be fast asleep. That's bad news if you want to buy a killer new Bastard Sword, but excellent news if you want to suck their blood on the sly (if you're inclined toward vampirism) or steal some of their precious, precious wares. Just like in real life! Minus the vampirism. Even the now-standard environment physics--which are being taken to a new level, thanks to the Xbox 360's prodigious processing power--make the world seem more real, more alive, more substantial. From picking pockets to using telekinesis, Oblivion's physics system is truly grounded in the physical. "
<drool> Yeah. I'm a geek.
You can read more and see screenshots (you need to see those) at gamepro.com.

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