Since people won't leave me alone about making an Oblivion comic, I picked up the game yesterday. After playing it for quite a few hours one thing really stuck out in my mind...
NPCs in Oblivion talk TOO damn much (for me).

I readily admit that this is a weakness of mine and probably isn't really a problem for anyone else. I'm just not a good active participant in game story lines. I want to play a game to play a game. I don't need the involvement. If I want to read, I pick up a book.

Now, there's nothing wrong with folks who do get into the storylines of a game. I commend your level of interest. I'm just content to hack and slash my way through content.

I know, I know, bad Woody. That's the Ted side of my gamer id coming out. But, it holds true through MMOGs too. I rarely read the quest notes unless I absolutely have to. And it's a shame too, because I realize that I likely don't get the same level of enjoyment out of a game as most other folks do. But again, I play a game to play a game.

Now, as far as Oblivion (I'm playing the PC version) goes; The graphics are pretty nice if a tad dark on my monitor. And, not being much of an FPSer, I'm not very good at just walking around. I'm so used to using my mouse for everything, it's hard for my brain to switch over into keyboard control mode. I thought I was gonna go nuts when I couldn't find a keyboard control to skip through the NPC prattle quicker. I didn't immediately consider clicking the mouse because so much of the game relies on the keyboard.

I'd also like to admit that the comic is a bit unfair in this regard. The text is relatively pertainant. I haven't found an NPC (yet) that rambles on and on about nothing. They just seem to ramble on and on about the land, the story, or the quest.

So, for today I give my gamer self a C-.

Great comic. I too find myself scrolling down to the bottom of a new quest just so I can find out what the NPC is really asking me to do.

Love it. I find myself clicking thru the quest story too

Personally, I think you deserve at least a B-, Woody, for remembering to raise your dukes. If it were me having to sit and listen through in-game lore, I'd probably clobber him.

We talking about text or voice coming out of those NPCs?

I personaly love to have NPCs talk to me with their voice, I do sort of get anoyed by being forced to read trough a long npc dialog though. If I was up to reading I would pick up a book.

I'm with you Woody for the most part. I get midly interested in the storylines of most games, but if storyline is just there to give more 'submersion' into a game then I tend to skip it. There's only so much I need to know about the peasants I'm protecting . . . or murdering.

About the rambling, just wait till you find the necrophiliac NPC....interesting to say the least lol

What I like is voices.. but in MMORPG I make the story line.. in RPG, like Oblivian, I try to treat it like an interactive novel, so I don't mind being immersed. Key is don't prattle and let me skip if I want to.

My Girlfriend picked up the game a few days ago and has been living at her desk ever since. She loves the game to pieces but I agree the graphics get pretty dark at times.

The NPC's do talk with their voice and for once in an RPG they are NOT full of the normal over-dramatic, sanctimonius #*&@ that normally gets served up. You know what I mean, the "Oh mighty hero, thank the gods you came. Please save our poverty stricken yet noble village from the EVIL orcs."

Some of them are even abusive to the player, it's cool. And the Orc Assassin who talks about the little girls birthday party... stereotypical but classic.

That monk is just lucky I remembered to unequip my axe.