player behavior Archives

AppWizard

February 26, 2025

Avowed’s inert cities remind me just how good we had it in Skyrim and Oblivion

The author transformed their character in Avowed into a stealth-mage assassin, finding the game captivating due to its distinct biomes, dungeons, and side quests. The first-person perspective and gameplay mechanics reminded them of the Elder Scrolls series, despite Avowed being simpler and smaller in scale. They noted imperfections in the game's portrayal of a vibrant world, such as the lack of consequences for stealing from NPCs and rigid animation loops, which detracted from immersion. An example included an NPC chastising the author for rummaging through her backpack without repercussions. The author suggested that narrative justification for thefts could enhance coherence in the game's world. They acknowledged that Obsidian prioritizes story over emergent gameplay, contrasting it with Bethesda's approach. The author reminisced about the interactivity and NPC reactions in earlier RPGs like Baldur's Gate 2, Planescape: Torment, and The Witcher 3, expressing a yearning for the freedom and consequences present in those games.

AppWizard

February 23, 2025

Skyrim was ‘personally rebalanced’ by producer Jeff Gardiner just 2 weeks before launch: ‘Well, I hope this is good’

Jeff Gardiner, a former Bethesda producer, had conflicts with the design team over the balance of Skyrim as its launch approached. He argued that the designers' reliance on AI simulations did not accurately reflect human player behavior, which could lead to a disconnect in gameplay experience. Gardiner took it upon himself to extensively playtest the game and make adjustments to creatures and weapons in a focused effort just weeks before release. He believed that his background in design allowed him to effectively contribute to the game's balance. Gardiner reflected on the unpredictable nature of RPGs, which he found appealing in his own experience with Skyrim.