The Elder Scrolls series

An overview

PDF generated using the open source mwlib toolkit. See http://code.pediapress.com/ for more information. PDF generated at: Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:57:04 UTC

Contents
Articles
Overview
The Elder Scrolls series Gameplay Organizations Races 1 1 5 14 17 31 31 34 44 55 60 63 63 67 71 88 90 93 107 112 117 130 130 132 133 137 137 141

Development
Bethesda Softworks Development history of The Elder Scrolls series Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion ESRB re-rating of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion TES Construction Set

Games
The Elder Scrolls: Arena The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Spin-offs
An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard The Elder Scrolls Travels

Books
The Infernal City Lord Of Souls

References

Article Sources and Contributors Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

142 146

Article Licenses
License 147

Overview
The Elder Scrolls series
The Elder Scrolls

The Elder Scrolls series logo Genres Developers Publishers Platforms First release Action role-playing, Open world Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Softworks MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 The Elder Scrolls: Arena 1994 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim November 11, 2011

Latest release

Official website http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/

The Elder Scrolls (abbreviated as TES) is an action role-playing open world video game series developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks.

History
The Elder Scrolls: Arena was released in 1994 for DOS PC systems. The game was intended for players to assume the role of an arena combatant, but development shifted the game into a role-playing game (RPG).[1] This game began the tradition based on the principle of "[being] who you want and [doing] what you want"[1] that persisted throughout the series' history. The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall was published in 1996. Fueled by the modest success of The Elder Scrolls: Arena, The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall was even more ambitious than its predecessor. The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall featured one of the first true 3D worlds on a large scale, a game world claimed to be twice the size of Great Britain.[2] Glitches were experienced by players.[3] Joe Blancato described the game as "notoriously buggy".[3] Despite Daggerfall's commercial success, the game critic remarked, "the game still bears the mark of bad code".[3]

The Elder Scrolls series

The Elder Scrolls release timeline

1994 The Elder Scrolls: Arena 1996 The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall 1997 An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire 1998 The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard 2002 The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind 2002 The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal 2003 The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon 2003 The Elder Scrolls Travels: Stormhold 2004 The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey 2004 The Elder Scrolls Travels: Dawnstar 2006 The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 2006 The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine 2007 The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles 2011 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Following the release of The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, Bethesda Softworks ceased development of the numbered title of the series until 2002 to develop in the interim An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire and The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, which were released in 1997 and 1998, respectively. Both games had a smaller focus than the numbered series titles: An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire limited itself to dungeon-romping and The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard was a linear third-person action-adventure game. The release of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind in 2002 saw a return to the old-style expansive and non-linear gameplay, and a shift towards individually-detailed landscapes and items, with a smaller game-world than past titles. It was developed simultaneously for PC and Microsoft's Xbox console. The game achieved commercial success, and sold over four million units by mid-2005.[4] Two expansions were released between late 2002 and early 2003: The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal and The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon. A Game of the Year Edition encompassing the original game plus both expansions packs, as well as the latest patch and modding tools was released later. Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion began in 2002, and focused on artificial intelligence improvements that interact dynamically with the game-world, proprietary radiant AI, implementation of Havok (physics) engine, and improved graphics. The game was released on PC and Xbox 360 in early 2006, and for PlayStation 3 in early 2007. Bethesda Softworks released one content collection and expansion pack in late 2006 and early 2007: The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine and The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles, respectively. A Game of the Year Edition was later released, featuring the original game, plus all expansion packs and updates for all three platforms, with the PC version getting exclusive mod tools and other bonuses. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was announced on December 11, 2010, at the Spike Video Game Awards 2010. [5] The game is not a direct sequel to its predecessor, Oblivion, but instead takes place 200 years later, in the land called Skyrim, in Tamriel. Skyrim also makes use of an updated graphics engine.[6] [7] [8] It was released on November 11, 2011 to critical acclaim. Skyrim received both Spike's and IGN's Game of the Year award for 2011.

The Elder Scrolls series

Game mechanics
The Elder Scrolls games can be safely categorized as role-playing games (RPG), although they do include elements taken from action and adventure games. In Arena, as in many RPGs, players advance by killing monsters (and thereby gaining experience points) until a preset value is met, whereupon they level-up. However, in Daggerfall, Morrowind, and Oblivion the series took a skill-based approach to character advancement. Players develop their characters' skills by applying them, and only level-up when a certain set of skills have been developed. Skyrim took a new approach, where the more a skill is leveled, the more it helps to level the character. This shifted the focus away from character creation and more onto character development. The flexibility of the games' engines has facilitated the release of game extensions (or mods) through The Elder Scrolls Construction Set. The Elder Scrolls main series of games emphasizes different aspects of the gaming experience than most computer role-playing games. A brief article by Joystiq in early November 2006 compared BioWare's creations to Bethesda's by noting a difference in emphasis. Bethesda's creations focused on "aesthetic presentation and open-ended adventuring"; BioWare's on a combat system and modular architecture.[9] This overarching aim has been noted by their designers as well. Bethesda has described their motivations in creating the first series game, Arena, as those of any good pen-and-paper RPG: creating an environment in which the player could be what the player wants and do what the player wants.[10] Daggerfall's manual begins with a sort of design manifesto, declaring the developers' intention to "create a book with blank pages", and "a game designed to encourage exploration and reward curiosity". Choices, in the form of paths taken by the player, to do good, to chase after evil, are left open to the player, "just like in real life".[11] This design trend continued with Morrowind, following the hiatus of similarly epic games in the interim, though Joystiq's previously noted insistence on graphics came again to the fore. During the development of Morrowind, Bethesda tripled its staff, so as to perfectly color its newly hand-made world. In their own words, "We knew we had to exceed the visual polish of the other games on the market, and we made it our goal to put The Elder Scrolls back into the forefront of game innovation."[12]

Setting
The world of The Elder Scrolls is known by fans and critics for its attention to detail, attempted realism, and the vast number of names, dates, and places that constitute its history and the interconnected structure of its various societies, cultures, and religions. There is no one compilation of all information pertaining to the Elder Scrolls world, and, within the games, historical references are often vague or even contradictory, as players are encouraged to draw their own conclusions about situations and events. The Elder Scrolls games take place on the fantasy world of Nirn, on the continent of Tamriel, a large landmass divided into nine provinces. The exceptions are The Elder Scrolls Legends: Battlespire, and parts of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which take place between the realm of Oblivion (one of several alternate dimensions ruled by immortal god-like beings known as Daedric Princes) and the mortal realm of Mundus. There are other continents besides Tamriel on Nirn (such as Akavir or Yokuda)[13] , but there has yet to be an official game that takes place upon one of them. Tamriel itself is an empire divided into nine provinces, each with its own native race. Those provinces are as follows: Cyrodiil, Morrowind, High Rock, the Summerset Isles, Hammerfell, Black Marsh, Skyrim, Valenwood, and Elsweyr. The native races of the provinces are as follows: Imperials in Cyrodiil, Dunmer (also known as Dark Elves) in Morrowind, Bretons and Orsimer (also known as Orcs) in High Rock, Altmer (also known as High Elves) in the Summerset Isles, Redguards in Hammerfell, Argonians in Black Marsh, Nords in Skyrim, Bosmer (also known as Wood Elves) in Valenwood, and Khajiit in Elsweyr.[14] The emperor resides in the capital province of Cyrodiil. The ruling dynasty throughout the Third Era consisted entirely of the descendants of Tiber Septim. His line, frequently called the Septim Bloodline, ended at the conclusion of the Third Era, with the death of Martin Septim, the last living heir of Uriel Septim. Several years later, a Colovian warlord named Titus Mede assumed the throne of the Empire, reigning through at least the first forty years of the Fourth Era.[15]

The Elder Scrolls series

Elder Scrolls
The physical Elder Scrolls play a very limited role in the storyline of the series, serving only as framing plot device (i.e., "[the events in this game] were foretold in the Elder Scrolls..."). The Elder Scrolls themselves are rarely referred to in-game, or even in the in-game literature. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion marked the first actual appearance of the scrolls, as a MacGuffin in the final quest of the Thieves Guild questline.[16] The scroll itself appears as an incomprehensible chart, containing glyphs.[16] In the game series, a sect of monks devote their lives to the reading and interpreting of the Elder Scrolls.[16] Advanced members who read the scrolls wear blindfolds at all times when they are not divining the scrolls' content. Retired Moth Priests are completely blind, and continue to wear blindfolds for ceremonial purposes. However, cosmically-important individuals, or individuals that are the subject of prophecy, have been able to see writing on the Elder Scrolls without the associated rituals. A book entitled "Lost Histories of Tamriel" provides further insight on the Elder Scrolls, stating that when any event has actually occurred, it sets itself unchangeably into the scrolls, and no action, magical or otherwise, can alter this.[17] In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the scrolls are described as "pieces of creation", and play a vital role in the main questline. They are said to be very descriptive works of writing and without vast knowledge of the arts, one may go insane trying to decipher them. The player is tasked with retrieving an Elder Scroll from an expansive Dwemer ruin known as Blackreach, located underground. During gameplay, if the player tries to read the Elder Scroll they will temporarily go blind. It is discovered that the Elder Scroll was used by the ancient Nords to battle Alduin, the ancient Dragon prophesied to destroy the world, inadvertently sending him forward in time. The player character uses the Scroll to travel back in time to gain the knowledge of how the Nords were able to combat Alduin.

Books
In 2009 Gregory Keyes, a noted science-fiction author, released The Infernal City, a novel based on events which take place about 40 years after the Oblivion crisis. Lord of Souls was released in 2011 as Keyes' second novel in his Elder Scrolls book series. There has been no news of Keyes' involvement in any other Elder Scrolls novels. Both The Infernal City and Lord of Souls were released as pre-order bonuses with some retail editions of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

References
[1] "Arena - Behind the Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-arena. htm), Bethesda Softworks (ZeniMax Media), 2004, , retrieved June 8, 2007 [2] "Daggerfall - Behind The Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-daggerfall. htm), Bethesda Softworks (ZeniMax Media), , retrieved July 5, 2010 [3] Blancato, Joe (February 6, 2007), "Bethesda: The Right Direction" (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ articles/ view/ issues/ issue_83/ 471-Bethesda-The-Right-Direction), The Escapist (Themis Group), , retrieved June 1, 2007 [4] Bethesda Softworks (ZeniMax Media). August 17, 2005. http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_081705. htm. Retrieved July 5, 2010. [5] Christopher Grant (11 December 2010). "Skyrim: Elder Scrolls 5 coming 11/11/11" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2010/ 12/ 11/ skyrim-elder-scrolls-5-coming-11-11-11/ ). www.joystiq.com. Joystiq. . Retrieved 11 December 2010. [6] Nick Breckon (12 December 2010). "The Elder Scrolls V engine built internally" (http:/ / twitter. com/ nickbreckon/ status/ 14059634595729408). twitter.com. . Retrieved 12 December 2010. "It's a new graphics/gameplay engine built internally. We'll have more details down the road." [7] Jim Reilley (13 August 2010). "Rage Tech Being Kept Inside Bethesda Family" (http:/ / uk. pc. ign. com/ articles/ 111/ 1112464p1. html). ign.com. IGN. . Retrieved 12 December 2010. [8] Francis, Tom (12 December 2010). "Confirmed: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim uses an updated engine" (http:/ / www. pcgamer. com/ 2010/ 12/ 12/ confirmed-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-will-use-an-entirely-new-engine/ ). www.pcgamer.com. PC Gamer. . Retrieved 12 December 2010. [9] Rose, Alan (Nov. 3, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2, Metareview" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 11/ 03/ metareview-neverwinter-nights-2/ ). Joystiq. . [10] "Arena, Behind the Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-arena. htm). The Elder Scrolls Tenth Anniversary (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2004. .

The Elder Scrolls series

[11] (1996) Bethesda Softworks Daggerfall Instruction Manual Bethesda Softworks, 1-2. [12] "Morrowind, Behind the Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-morrowind. htm). The Elder Scrolls Tenth Anniversary (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2004. . [13] http:/ / uesp. net/ wiki/ Lore:Nirn [14] B. "Races of Tamriel" (http:/ / imperial-library. info/ content/ races-tamriel). The Imperial Library. . Retrieved November 4 2011. [15] "Fourth Era" (http:/ / imperial-library. info/ content/ fourth-era). Imperial Library. . Retrieved December 4 2011. [16] Bethesda Game Studios. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. (Bethesda Softworks, 2K Games). (April 30, 2007) [17] "Lost Histories of Tamriel" (http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Lore:Lost_Histories_of_Tamriel). UESP. . Retrieved 18 January 2011.

Further reading
Barton, Matt (2007-04-11). "The Dawn of the Platinum Age; Bethesda and The Elder Scrolls" (http://www. gamasutra.com/features/20070411/barton_05.shtml). Gamasutra. Retrieved 2007-05-13.

External links
The Elder Scrolls official site (http://www.elderscrolls.com/) Bethesda Softworks official site (http://www.bethsoft.com/) Bethesda Blog (http://www.bethblog.com/) Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (http://www.uesp.net/) - Wiki

The Holds of Skyrim (http://www.tesvskyrim.com/) The Elder Scrolls V blog (http://mudcrabs.blogspot.com/)

Gameplay
The Elder Scrolls are a series of role-playing video games developed by Bethesda Softworks. The following article illustrates the gameplay techniques used in the series of games, from The Elder Scrolls: Arena to the most recent The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

The Elder Scrolls: Arena

Development
Arena began its development as a gladiator-style arena combat game.[1] [2] Had this concept been followed through to the eventual release, it would have consisted predominantly of the player character voyaging about the land of Tamriel with a band of fighters, fighting your way through local competitions on to regional ones, and eventually on through to the grand championship in the Imperial City.[2] As development progressed, this initial vision was lost, as RPG elements were attached in increasing number to the initial arena combat substructure. The player was allowed to meander about the towns he visited, and later still to raid dungeons with team. Eventually the entire conceptual underpinnings of the game were overhauled, and the game became a full-fledged RPG.[1] Arena combat game never ended up being coded, and only fragments of text remain from the initial conceptualizing stages of the game.[2] In the end, Arena was shipped without any arena combat at all.[3]

Gameplay

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall

Character creation
Daggerfall begins with a menu. The player first chooses a race, sex, next a class, next special abilities, next a face, and a name.[4] [5] [6] [7] From this point the player chooses their own biography, either through a series of questions, a randomized fast start, or a series of dice rolls. Each choice, random value, or assigned dice role, could possibly affect the value of the player character's starting skill levels, attributes, inventory, reputation, affiliation, special abilities, or weaknesses.[8] From this point on, the player is dropped unconscious into the game world, to be awoken in the secluded cave of Privateer's Hold.[9]

Interface
Daggerfall uses a "more or less" mouse-based interface and offers fully customizable hotkeys.[6] The game offers the player both a 3D and 2D automap; the 3D offering full rotational freedom of movement, the 2D offering merely a topdown view.[5] [6] In contrast to Morrowind, the game offers the player the chance to annotate the map, though some reviewers found the specific mechanisms by which the system operated made the feature pointless.[6]

Combat
Attacks may be made and controlled in Daggerfall solely through the use of a mouse. A variety of possible attacks are handled through a combination of the device's directional and depressionary movements.[6] There are four possible combinations in all, with the choices offering tradeoffs between hit chance and hit damage.[5]

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Like previous entries in the series, Morrowind is primarily a first-person role-playing video game, playing from a character's eye view in a 3D environment. Third-person perspective is also included, but has been called "next to impossible" to use for any length of time.[10] The player controls one character,[11] though various NPCs may join the character temporarily,[12] and in the expansions the main character can hire mercenaries as followers.

Transportation
The decision was made early on in the development of Morrowind to scrap most of Daggerfall's fast-travel system, where players were capable of instantly traveling great distances, to encourage travel by foot.[13] However, Morrowind retains aspects of Daggerfall's system by way of Silt Striders, great insectlike beasts who provide instantaneous fast-travel between the major towns of Vvardenfell for a fee, depending on where the player wishes to travel,[14] teleportation spells,[15] the propylon chambers[16] and various minor ferrymen.[17] [18]

Character creation
Morrowind begins with the player imprisoned, though in the midst of being set free. A well-received[10] [19] [20] [21] tutorial following the release moves the player through the process of character creation.[22] The player is successively asked questions by a fellow prisoner, an officer, and a bureaucrat as the player is registered as a free citizen; choosing, in the process, the player character's name, sex, race, birthsign, and class.[10] These affect the player's starting attributes, skills, and abilities. In a throwback to the Ultima series, the player has a chance to answer a series of moral questions to determine their class.[10] [19] [23] To accommodate the successive menus and ease the player into the game, the opening sequence uses extensive scripting, and is one of the few parts of the game to do so.[24]

Gameplay

Skill system
The player character's proficiency with a skill is increased either by practice or training. Practice involves performing the specific actions associated with a given trait. Training, a much smaller portion of the game, involves exchanging cash with select NPCs in exchange for skills. To become better with using armor or a type of weapon, the character must be involved in combat using the armor or the weapon. To become better with using magic spells, the character must learn spells and practice casting them. As the player character's skill level increases those actions tied to that skill improve. Weaponry skills (viz. Short Sword, Long Sword, Axe, etc.) are tied to those weapons' chance to hit. Armor skills (viz. Heavy Armor, Light Armor, Unarmored, etc.) are tied to those armor classes defensive strength. Morrowind, unlike its predecessor Daggerfall, makes a distinction between "abilities" and "skills"; skills being those individual proficiencies in particular schools of magic or with particular armor classes, and abilities being broader proficiencies, such as "strength" and "endurance", which are either tied to important features unconnected to any skill, (viz. Health, Magicka, evasion chance, etc.) or improve the efficiency of a wide variety of skills. Strength, for example, improves the damage of any physical blow dealt by the player character. Abilities, however, are improved only when the player levels up. The player levels up their character as a whole by leveling up individual skills from their major and minor skill lists a set determined by their choice of class a total of ten times. Each time the player levels up their character, they select three attributes to augment as well. The player is better able to augment abilities related to their skill set, as each level gained in a particular skill adds to the multiplier by which the ability is augmented.[23] [25] [26] [27] This mildly complex reciprocal system was generally praised, with some few exceptions. IGN, though finding the manual's description of the system unclear, found the classes well balanced and well designed for all play styles,[25] and GameSpot found the system clear and sensible.[23] PC Gamer, by contrast, found the system unbalanced, with combat privileged over other features.[11] Computer Gaming World felt the system's privileging of combinations of single-handed combat weapons and shields over double-handed weapons unnecessarily exploitable, but appreciated the freedom offered by the broad skillset and action-dependent leveling.[20] GameSpy gave strong commendation to the system, stating that "The advancement system makes so much sense that it makes other games, even games set in the D&D world such as Baldur's Gate, look silly by comparison".[14] One critic felt that Morrowinds system showed signs of inspiration from RuneQuest.[28] Imbalances between Morrowind's 21 character classes have been noted as well, with mage and thief classes found to be at a disadvantage to fighter classes.[19]

Interface
Inventory, local maps, usable spells, and player abilities are accessed and manipulated by way of 4 resizeable windows.[17] [25] The player is able to converse with NPCs using similar resizeable menus containing a main body of text and a sidebar to the right with selectable conversation topics. Words in the main body of text are hyperlinked to related topics, a system that has been commended for its intuitiveness.[17] [29] The text-heavy nature of dialogue was a minor complaint for reviewers of the Xbox version of the game, finding the text more suitable for a PC resolution than an NTSC one.[30] Game developer Todd Howard has described the game as "very object oriented"[12] and "object heavy";[31] most of the common objects the player encounters, "books, candles, knives, forks", may be rearranged about the gamespace and added to the inventory by the player,[17] [32] and items, once placed, never move or vanish.[33] Bethesda Softworks, in the interest of furthering game realism, employed what Todd Howard termed "clutter monkeys" for the express purpose of littering the game world with these items.[31] The player has a journal which is automatically updated with information from time to time following conversations with NPCs and important developments in the plot, each new entry following all those previous. Though IGN and GamePro commended the general interface for its relative ease of use,[25] [34] the journal was almost universally reviled. The journal was found to quickly become a "muddled mess",[35] "hundreds of pages long",[36] without any useful method of organization by quest title or completion level.[11] Computer Gaming World simply called the feature an "anal-retentive nightmare of confusion", listing it as one of the game's greatest shortcomings.[20] The

Gameplay system was overhauled in Morrowind's expansion pack Tribunal, allowing the player to sort quests individually and by completion, much to the pleasure of critics.[37] [38]

Combat
In Morrowind, the simplest attack, a chop, is performed with a left click. The somewhat more complex slash and thrust attacks are performed by a combination of that same generic click with different tappings of the keyboard's directional keys.[39] Reviewers found little value in choosing amongst the three melee attacks, since each attack variant always gives the same damage value, and an option is available to always use the best attack, an option reviews and strategy guides tended to recommend.[39] [40] Each weapon possesses a rating determining its strength in each of these areas. A combination of hidden arithmetic modifiers upon each combatant's skills determines whether or not the attack hits. In the original, the player was given no indication of the amount of health left in their enemies, and no indication of the strength of their attacks. Reviewers took the absence badly, wishing for a more developed visible response system.[23] [35] [39] Bethesda eventually added enemy health bars in patch 1.1.0605, released one month after Morrowind's initial publication,[41] and the patch came packaged with Morrowind's expansions and Game of the Year editions. Combat in Morrowind was generally found to be simple,[20] [39] one reviewer describing it as a "purely hack-and-slash affair",[36] with others expressing similar feelings.[20] Questioned for a comparison combat system during the game's development, developer Pete Hines likened Morrowind's system to that of Jedi Knight.[42] The combat system was poorly received in most quarters, with GameSpot characterizing it as one of the game's major weak points,[36] and GameSpy devoting the majority of its minor complaints to it.[35] Electronic Gaming Monthly's Kathleen Sanders saw Morrowind's combat system as one "universally regarded as boring".[43] On a more favourable note, IGN found tactical tricks emerging from within the game's workings, as particular skills, spells and abilities lent themselves to certain strategies. As an example, IGN noted that a levitating character was well suited to kill melee-capable beasties upon the ground from afar, their numbers being too stupid and enraged to flee from the onslaught.[39]

Free-form design
Morrowind, following the tradition established by its predecessors in The Elder Scrolls series,[44] attempts to establish a completely free-form world, with no constricting boundaries on the player's actions. From the beginning of the game, the player is put in a world where they are left to roam, steal, quest and explore, without necessarily following the main quest.[11] Lead Designer Ken Rolston, asked prior to Morrowind's release what he thought were the "core, untouchable design elements" of the Elder Scrolls series which "set them apart from other games", responded immediately: "Free-form experience."[45] In Rolston's view, the game's central plot is a chance to introduce the player to a cross-current of conflicting factions, background themes, and to the characters of the game, rather than the primary focus of the player's experience.[46] "Every TES game has to let you create the kind of character you want, and then do the things you want. We would never have a TES RPG force you to be a certain character or go down a certain path."[45] To allow for this behavior, Morrowind, in addition to creating an extensive main quest, provides detailed discursive quests for a variety of factions, including various guilds, religious organizations and aristocratic houses, in addition to side-quests found by mere exploration.[47] [48] Even the main plot itself may be attacked in a number of directions. There is, in critic Craig Lindey's words, "a very specific set of central plot points within this main plot. But the plot points are partially ordered: seven high level tasks must be completed, but their constituent sub-tasks...can be accomplished in any order, and this is repeated for the sub-tasks involved in those sub-tasks." The choices the player makes in their performance of these tasks thus become methods of character interpretation; a set of dramatic tools establishing the player's newly created self-identity.[49]

Gameplay The dialogue of the NPCs was given many possible outcomes, dependent on the player character's experience of the world. Designer Steve Dalin uses a hypothetical farmer Bob as an example. "if you talk to farmer Bob early in the game, you may have 5 things that you mutually know about, but if you come back later in the game, the number of things might expand as your knowledge has grown and you now have more things in common to discuss hence more dialogue options with farmer Bob" This results in a game "text" that can be arranged not only in a variety of orders, but also in response to the actions of the player. The implementation of these goals was not without its share of suffering. "...Letting the player kill anyone he likes meant we had to handle MANY different possible alive/dead states for characters encountered in quests," notes developer Ken Rolston. "For example, if you have to deliver a cup of spit of Fred, and Fred is dead, we had to write extra dialog to handle that. Given nearly 3000 characters, and given that some quests involved many individuals, that turned out to be a soul-crushing labor."[50] According to Gamasutra's Matt Barton, some have argued that these changes put Morrowind closer in spirit to the original D&D tabletop game, where players take a more creative role in their play, and where players are left to decide for themselves the "right" action.[51] This is a view paralleled by Rolston, who has stated that "The goal of every TES game is to create something that resembles a pen and paper RPG on the computer."[45] Critic Robert L. Turner uses Morrowind as an early example of what he calls a "reader-driven text", such as that of the hypothesized "Primer" of Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age. While not a "text" in a traditional sense, he states, it possesses some of the basic components of a speculative "ideal open text":[52] "it is simultaneously open and narrative driven; that is, there is a goal towards which the player must work, and a progression of the story and difficulty of the game. Yet, at the same time, the means to accomplish the goal, and to a degree, the goal itself are mutable and the player can effectively decide how to reach the proposed goals according to his/her own preferences, rather than following a tightly scripted role." A key element of this design, states Turner, is that it has no ideal players; it accepts all. The result is nothing short of "groundbreaking flexibility". "The world can be visited in a wide variety of orders...and the interactions with the diverse personalities can also play out in a wide variety of ways." Nonetheless, the central plot of Morrowind is still limited to the thematic and structural archetype of "the quest of the hero across a land filled with many dangers to defeat evil forces and conquer a desirable object." The only differences in this instance are but that "the hero can lose, and that the adventure never ends."[52] Ultimately, the game "cannot recreate itself; it can only adjust to the circumstances created by the player." The sheer number of quest possibilities, combined with what developer Ken Rolston identified as a lack of "narrative urgency", left many critics dissatisfied with Morrowind's main plot. Rolston, in an interview conducted after the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, felt some regret for that lack. Oblivion, he noted, had given drama and force to the plot without sacrificing player freedom. "I only wish," he stated, "we'd presented Morrowind's main narrative with the same obtrusive urgency."[53] Turner quotes from one of Rolston's communications to him, explaining the popular disapproval of nonlinear narrative methods. In it, Rolston states that "most people are more comfortable with more linear entertainments perhaps because they are familiar like books and movies, perhaps because humans are most comfortable with experiences with simple, linear structures." Noting the struggle involved in the creation and use of the game, Turner concludes that Morrowind is of a marginal breed. "These types of texts, if they are ever fully realized, will probably exist in roughly the same proportion to mainstream texts as previously revolutionary works have existed....There certainly is space for this type of reader driven narrative, but I suspect we are a long way from it becoming the norm."[50]

Gameplay

10

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Transportation
The fast-travel system returned in Oblivion, to modest praise.[54] [55] In Oblivion, if a player visits a location, it appears as an icon on their map. The icon may then be clicked to visit that location, with time elapsing in the interim.[56] In an interview with RPGamer, producer Gavin Carter stated that the return of the system came in response to the Elder Scrolls fan community's suggestions, as something that "the fan community has requested again and again."[57] Oblivion also introduced ridable horses while removing Morrowind's transportation options, such as Mages' Guild teleporters, silt striders and teleporting spells. The game also removed all levitation spells and items, as the cities in Oblivion are separate cells from the rest of the world and thus must be entered and exited through the town gate to avoid glitches.[58] Unlike those of Morrowind, Oblivion's non-player characters may enter and exit areas at will, and will do so quite often, following the Radiant AI's commands.[59]

Character creation
Oblivion generally follows Morrowind's character creation schema, and was equally praised for its design. The player begins choosing their desired race within the Races of the Elder Scrolls, gender, and facial expressions and appearances, but rather than being left completely free to roam from the moment the character is created, Oblivion gives the player some time to choose their own play style, and recommends certain character classes in accordance with that choice. The recommendations system was called "clever" by GameSpot.[60] The character creation system also allowed greater depth of visual specification than Morrowind, offering the ability to customize skin tone, facial structure, hair styles, eye color, and various other features individually,[61] rather than choosing a set combination of textures and meshes, as was the case in Morrowind. As such, the system was lauded for providing a depth of specification unattainable by other contemporary games.[61] [62]

Classes
Oblivion's skill system is essentially the same as Morrowind's, with skills increasing by use. The only differences are the removal of some skills from Morrowind (Spear, Enchant, Unarmored, Medium Armor), the consolidation of others (Axe and Blunt become Blunt; Short Blade and Long Blade become Blade), and instead of five major and minor skills, there are now seven major. During Oblivion's brief tutorial, the game observes the gamer's playstyle and suggests an appropriate class choice during a conversation with the guard, Baurus. The player may accept Baurus's suggestion, choose a different pre-made class, or create a custom class from scratch by selecting skills and attributes. Each class in Oblivion is represented by an appropriate image that portrays a typical member of that class: a bearded Mage, armored Knight, enraged Barbarian, and so forth.

Interface
Replacing Morrowind's resizeable windows, Oblivion developed a system of nested menus of fixed proportion. The interface was marked out as seemingly influenced to an excess by the needs of the Xbox 360, affording little opportunity for the free exercise of the mouse and keyboard.[63] [64] [65] In contrast to Morrowind's PC-sized font, Oblivion was said to have "enormous 36-point text font", a feature most unappealing to PC reviewers.[63] Oblivion contains a hotkey system, though one that was seen by some reviewers as insufficiently large, and limited in scope. IGN complained about the lack of a simple hotkey-switching system, wherein a player could have a "hotkey set for magic, one for combat, one for fighting undead, one for marksman, etc.". Owing to the proliferation of items, spells, weapons, and armor, which were numbered in the hundreds, Oblivion's limit of 8 hotkey assignments was seen as constraining. The lack of the system meant, to IGN, that the player would have to continuously switch hotkey assignments to match the current circumstances, making the game "more of a hassle than it should be."[66] GameSpy's PC review complained that certain interface menus were not assignable to certain keys. Singling out a

Gameplay particular issue, GameSpy found the journal and inventory not assignable to "J" or "I".[63] Amongst GameSpot's few complaints was one regarding a slight lack of streamlining in the inventory.[64] There was some minor disagreement between reviewers regarding the ease on the PC controls as compared to the controls on the Xbox. GameSpot, in its PC review, felt them to be equally suited to the Xbox and the PC,[64] while GamePro felt the PC controls somewhat better as regards response, menu selection, and ranged combat.[62] Elsewhere, GameSpot was of a different mind. In a feature comparing Oblivion on the Xbox 360 and PC, GameSpot concluded that the game felt more natural on the Xbox 360. Menus were easier to flip through using the shoulder buttons rather than mousing over them, and the rumble pack made controlling the Xbox more tactile. The ability of remapping controls on the PC was also noted by GameSpot as a relevant feature, but, in the last analysis, it was deemed to fall on the player's relative tolerance of PC and Xbox controls.[65]

11

Combat
One major focus during Oblivion's development was correcting Morrowind's imbalance between stealth, combat and magic skill sets.[67] [68] The skills system is similar to Morrowind's, though the number of skills is decreased, with the medium armor and unarmored skill removed altogether, and the short blade and long blade skills condensed into a single blade skill.[69] The game also introduced "mastery levels," which give skill-specific bonuses when the player reaches a certain level in that skill. The combat system was also revamped, with the addition of "power attacks", generally given by mastery levels, and the removal of the separate styles of melee attacks present in Morrowind. Ranged attacks were also changed, so that the determination of a hit is based solely on whether the arrow struck the target in-game, rather than the character's skill level. Spears, throwing weapons, and crossbows were removed as well, while staves no longer counted as weapons, but are only used for casting spells.[70] The choice came from a desire to focus all development efforts in ranged weapons on bows specifically, to "get the feel of those as close to perfect as possible", as perfect as the Havok physics engine allowed the team to do. Morrowind's passive Block skill became an active feature in Oblivion, activated by a button press. When, in the new system, an enemy is successfully blocked, they now recoil, offering an opening for attack.[71] Still, Oblivion's combat system offered few, if any, tactical pretensions ; the fights were repetitive as they mostly consisted in a series of alternative slashes/blocks and as the power attacks, the only specific ones, were strongly limited in quantity and use (available on highest levels only). The low enemy AI didn't help the experience.

Notes
[1] "Arena - Behind the Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-arena. htm). The Elder Scrolls Tenth Anniversary. Bethesda Softworks. 2004. . Retrieved 2007-02-16. [2] "Go Blades!" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ go-blades). The Imperial Library. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [3] "Ted Peterson Interview I" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=29). Morrowind Italia. GameSpy. 2001-03-09. . Retrieved 2007-04-05. [4] Ward, Trent C. (1996-09-26). "The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall for PC Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ daggerfall/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-02-16. [5] laTourette, George (November 1996). "Daggerfall review" (http:/ / www. gamerevolution. com/ oldsite/ games/ pc/ rpg/ daggerfall. htm). Game Revolution. . Retrieved 2007-02-16. [6] Mullins, Clint (November 1996). "Daggerfall review" (http:/ / www. quandaryland. com/ jsp/ dispArticle. jsp?index=94). Quandary. . Retrieved 2007-02-16. [7] (1996) Bethesda Softworks Daggerfall instruction manual Bethesda Softworks, 9-17. [8] (1996) Bethesda Softworks Daggerfall instruction manual Bethesda Softworks, 17-18. [9] "Getting started" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ getting-started). The Story of Daggerfall. The Imperial Library. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [10] Brenesal, Barry (2002-05-15). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 1" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 359/ 359554p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [11] Klett, Steve (July 2002). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind". PC Gamer US, p. 76-7. [12] "Development Team Chat #1" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=27). VoodooExtreme. GameSpy. 2000-07-19. . Retrieved 2006-09-20.

Gameplay
[13] Qwerty. "Interview with Morrowind Developers" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ interviews-MW-team). The Imperial Library. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [14] Abner, William (2002-05-15). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 1" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ reviews/ may02/ morrow/ ). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [15] Desslock (2002-09-13). "Using Mark/Recall and Intervention Spells" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ gameguides/ all/ morrowind/ 13. html). Desslock's Guide to Morrowind. GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [16] http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Morrowind:Transport [17] Dalin (2001-06-19). "One Man's Journey to Rockville" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=7). . Retrieved 2006-09-22. [18] Desslock (2002-09-13). "Fast Travel" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ gameguides/ all/ morrowind/ 22. html). Desslock's Guide to Morrowind. GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [19] Falcon, Jonah. "Morrowind Review" (http:/ / www. ugo. com/ channels/ games/ features/ morrowind/ review_pc. asp). UGO. . Retrieved 2007-09-22. [20] "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (http:/ / www. findarticles. com/ p/ articles/ mi_zdcgw/ is_200208/ ai_ziff103586). Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis Media. Find Articles). August 2002. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [21] Gee, James Paul (2004-03-24). "Learning by Design: Games as Learning Machines" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ gdc2004/ features/ 20040324/ gee_pfv. htm). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [22] "Arriving in Seyda Neen" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ arriving-seyda-neen). The Story of Morrowind. The Imperial Library. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [23] Kasavin, Greg (2002-05-10). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 1" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ review. html?page=1). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [24] "Development Team Chat #3" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=26). GameSpy. 2001-04-04. . Retrieved 2006-09-24. [25] Brenesal, Barry (2002-05-10). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 2" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 359/ 359554p2. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [26] Desslock (2002-09-13). "Attributes and Leveling" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ gameguides/ all/ morrowind/ 6. html). Desslock's Guide to Morrowind (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ gameguides/ all/ morrowind/ index. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [27] Anderson, Chris (2002-06-13). "PC Review: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ article. php?id=67091). PC Zone. ComputerAndVideoGames.com. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [28] Varney, Allen (2005-09-06). "Our Games Are Built On Paper" (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ issue/ 9/ 20). The Escapist (9): 20. . Retrieved 2007-01-02. [29] Walker, Trey (2001-05-23). "E3 2001: Morrowind update" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news_2764670. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-22. [30] Pavlacka, Adam (2002-07-04). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review (Xbox), page 1" (http:/ / xbox. gamespy. com/ xbox/ the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind/ 546782p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-10-02. [31] Paligap; Howard, Todd (2001-09-28). "The Todd Howard Interview" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20051214220707/ http:/ / www. xgr. com/ article. php?article=1933). XGR.com. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. xgr. com/ article. php?article=1933) on 2005-12-14. . Retrieved 2007-04-20. [32] Staff (2001-09-14). "Todd Howard Interview #3" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=31). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-12-23. [33] Desslock (2002-09-13). "Where to Store Items" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ gameguides/ all/ morrowind/ 6. html). Desslock's Guide to Morrowind. GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [34] Dunjinmaster (2002-05-29). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20021017020900/ http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ computer/ pc/ games/ reviews/ 23820. shtml). GamePro. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ computer/ pc/ games/ reviews/ 23820. shtml) on 2002-10-17. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [35] Abner, William (2002-05-15). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 3" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ reviews/ may02/ morrow/ index3. shtm). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [36] Kasavin, Greg (2002-05-10). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 2" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ review. html?page=2). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [37] Abner, William (2002-12-08). "Morrowind: Tribunal Review, page 1" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ reviews/ december02/ tribunalpc/ ). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [38] Brenesal, Barry (2002-12-08). "Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Review, page 1" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 379/ 379780p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [39] Brenesal, Barry (2002-05-15). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 3" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 359/ 359554p3. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-12-29. [40] Desslock (2002-09-13). "Combat Tips" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ gameguides/ all/ morrowind/ 16. html). Desslock's Guide to Morrowind. GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-12-29.

12

Gameplay
[41] Walker, Trey (2002-06-19). "New Morrowind patch available" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news. html?sid=2871497). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-22. [42] "Q&A with Pete Hines" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=33). Morrowind-Guide. GameSpot. 2001-11-16. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [43] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / www. findarticles. com/ p/ articles/ mi_zdegm/ is_200511/ ai_n15349692). Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis Media). November 2005. . Retrieved 2007-04-05. [44] Staff (2000-05-12). "E3 2001 Preshow Report: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ preview_2760332. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-22. [45] IGN Staff (2000-06-08). "Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Interview" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 080/ 080618p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-05-14. [46] Aihoshi, Richard (2003-11-20). "RPG Roundtable #3, Part 1" (http:/ / rpgvault. ign. com/ articles/ 441/ 441165p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-10-02. [47] Chandler, Raphael (2005-10-30). "Soapbox: Active Storytelling in Games" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ features/ 20050707/ chandler_01. shtml). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [48] IGN Staff (2000-10-27). "Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Interview 2" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 086/ 086957p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-05-14. [49] Lindley, Craig A. (2005-10). "The Semiotics of Time Structure in Ludic Space As a Foundation for Analysis and Design" (http:/ / www. gamestudies. org/ 0501/ lindley/ ). Game Studies 5 (1). . [50] Turner, Robert L. (2005). "FRAGMENTED NARRATION AND MULTIPLE PATH READINGS: TOWARDS THE CREATION OF READER DRIVEN TEXTS". Neophilologus 89 (89): 495508. doi:10.1007/s11061-005-5278-y. [51] Barton, Matt (2007-04-11). "The Dawn of the Platinum Age; Bethesda and The Elder Scrolls" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ features/ 20070411/ barton_05. shtml). The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part III: The Platinum and Modern Ages (1994-2004), page 5. Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-05-13. [52] Ryan, Marie-Laure (July 2001). "Beyond Myth and Metaphor*-The Case of Narrative in Digital Media" (http:/ / www. gamestudies. org/ 0101/ ryan/ ). Game Studies 1 (1). . [53] Varney, Allen (2006-05-23). "Oblivion's Ken Rolston Speaks" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20061031104531/ http:/ / consumer. hardocp. com/ article. html?art=MTA2NCwxLCxoY29uc3VtZXI=). HardOCP. Archived from the original (http:/ / consumer. hardocp. com/ article. html?art=MTA2NCwxLCxoY29uc3VtZXI=) on 2006-10-31. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [54] Onyett, Charles (2006-03-24). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review, page 1" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 698/ 698405p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-10-06. [55] Kasavin, Greg (2006-03-25). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review, page 2" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ review. html?page=2). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-10-06. [56] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview" (http:/ / www. gamebanshee. com/ interviews/ oblivion1. php). GameBanshee. UGO. 2004-12-09. . Retrieved 2007-06-01. [57] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview with Gavin Carter" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ elderscrolls/ elder4/ elder4interview. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-12-27. [58] Tsukitaka, Mahamari (2006-04-10). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review" (http:/ / www. gamechronicles. com/ reviews/ pc/ elderscrolls4/ oblivion. htm). Game Chronicles. . Retrieved 2007-03-22. [59] APY (2004-12-08). "Fan interview December 2004" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=23). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-06-03. [60] Kasavin, Greg (2006-03-25). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review, page 1" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ review. html?page=1). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-12-27. [61] Onyett, Charles (2006-03-24). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review, page 2" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 698/ 698405p2. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-12-27. [62] Sid, Vicious (2006-03-07). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review, page 1" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20060410152917/ http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ computer/ pc/ games/ reviews/ 53215. shtml). GamePro. Archived from the original (http:/ / gamepro. com/ computer/ pc/ games/ reviews/ 53215. shtml) on 2006-04-10. . Retrieved 2006-12-27. [63] Rausch, Allen (2006-03-27). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review, page 3" (http:/ / pc. gamespy. com/ pc/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/ 698423p3. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-12-27. [64] Kasavin, Greg (2006-03-25). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review, page 3" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ review. html?page=3). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-12-27. [65] Kasavin, Greg (2006-04-04). "The New Eternal Debate: PC or Xbox 360?, page 3" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ features/ 6147028/ p-3. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-12-27. [66] Onyett, Charles (2006-03-24). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review, page 3" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 698/ 698405p3. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-12-27. [67] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Q&A - Overview, Character Development, Fallout" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?page=1& sid=6111720). GameSpot. 2004-10-28. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [68] Martin, Chris (2005-03-09). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - An Interview with Bethesda Softworks" (http:/ / www. gamesfirst. com/ index. php?id=113). GamesFirst!. . Retrieved 2007-06-02.

13

Gameplay
[69] Meister, Steve. "To the Death, or to the Pain?" (http:/ / elderscrolls. com/ codex/ team_teamprof_stevem. htm). Bethesda Softworks. . Retrieved 2007-03-26. [70] Howard, Todd. "The RPG for the Next Generation" (http:/ / elderscrolls. com/ codex/ team_rpgnextgen. htm). Bethesda Softworks. . Retrieved 2007-03-26. [71] dela Fuente, Derek (2005-07-20). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Q&A" (http:/ / www. totalvideogames. com/ articles/ Elder_Scrolls_IV_Oblivion_-_QA_Feature_8066_4139_0_0_0_0_20. htm). TVG. . Retrieved 2007-06-02.

14

References
LaMosca, Adam (2006-04-05). "Bethesda Comments on Oblivion Gender Bias Concerns" (http://web.archive. org/web/20060409143013/http://www.passthepress.com/?p=251). Gamers With Jobs. Archived from the original (http://www.passthepress.com/?p=251) on 2006-04-09. Retrieved 2007-07-09. Ruberg, Bonnie (2007). "Clint Hocking Speaks Out On The Virtues Of Exploration" (http://www.gamasutra. com/view/feature/1454/clint_hocking_speaks_out_on_the_.php?print=1). Gamasutra. Retrieved 2007-06-26.

Organizations
The organizations in The Elder Scrolls series (also known as "guilds" or "factions") are an element of play that The Elder Scrolls games have had in common since The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. Daggerfall, along with The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion contains a series of fictional factions, many of which are available for the player character to become a member of. These factions have become a key feature in the game, with the main plot of Morrowind revolving around being a member of certain factions. The joining of factions is an optional element of the games, reflecting the open-ended, sandbox nature of The Elder Scrolls series. Joining organizations offer players a number of advantages, primarily being given quests by other members then rising through the ranks of the guild. While some organizations (especially the guilds) appear in numerous games, others (such as the noble houses in Morrowind) are unique to their own game.

Development
The guild system was introduced in Daggerfall, replacing the more rigid class system that had been in place in The Elder Scrolls: Arena.[1] However, Todd Howard said that the only thing that he would change if he was redoing Daggerfall was the system of factions, which he believed did not work as advertised.[2] After finding that joining guilds was so popular in Daggerfall, designers decided to make joining guilds a bigger part of Morrowind.[2] Guilds and organizations in Morrowind took inspiration from real-world historical groups, with the Imperial Empire reminiscent of the Roman or British empires, The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon's East Empire Company taking inspiration from the East India Company and the architecture of House Hlaalu showing Arabic influences.[3] [4] Joinable factions were retained in Oblivion, where each joinable guild was given one head designer. Once they had designed a quest, they presented it to the entire development team of around 50, after which time the team gave feedback, allowing for the quest to be tweaked.[5]

Gameplay
A player is able to join certain organizations (especially guilds and houses) giving them certain benefits. In Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, there were five joinable guilds- the Fighters' Guild, the Mages' Guild, the Thieves' Guild, the Dark Brotherhood and the Arena.[6] There was also one "secret" joinable guild- the Blades.[6] There was also a conscious choice from the designers to not allow the player to join certain guilds, including the Imperial Legion, due to the different roles that the organizations play in Cyrodiil to what they did in Vvardenfell, where Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind was set.[6]

Organizations Once a member of a guild, a player is set quests by NPC guild members. The quest typically has an objective fitting the nature of the guild and the player is left to decide how to complete it themselves. For instance, in Morrowind, there are numerous Thieves' Guilds quests revolving around stealing specific items,[7] and in Oblivion, a Dark Brotherhood quest involves the player being invited to a mock party at which he is tasked to kill every other attendee. Todd Howard said that "there are so many ways to do that quest and it isn't a 'run through a dungeon with armour' kind of quest", saying that it was one of his favorite in the game.[5] In Morrowind, a guild would typically have numerous NPCs with quests per guild, totaling somewhere between twenty and thirty quests per guild.[7] Guild quests are separate from the game's main story, and so though the main plot may feature the factions, a player does not need to work their way through them. As such, the player can choose to ignore the main plot or the factions as they please.[2] Benefits of guild membership includes the ability to rise in ranks through the organization, until the player becomes the head of the faction.[8] In Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, being a high rank changed little apart from the way that other guild members addressed the player, while in Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion certain services are not available to players until they are high up in the guild- for instance, enchanting is not available to players unless they are of a certain rank in the Mages' Guild.[6] Guild relationships in Daggerfall were minimal, and so, despite in-game rumors of organizations being at war, there were no gameplay elements influenced by this in the final version of the game, despite the fact there had been plans to have some.[9] In Morrowind, joining a guild would result in members liking you more, leading to cheaper goods and services.[10] This also worked in reverse, with members of opposed guilds liking you less.[10] Oblivion took this further, introducing a Radiant AI system, allowing NPCs to have their own goals and motivations. Though this did not work on a wider scale to create goals for entire guilds, NPCs were automatically friendly to other NPC guild members.[6]

15

Joinable organizations
Joinable organizations in Daggerfall
In Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, there are a large number of joinable organizations that all have loosely the same format. Each organization offers quests and services, but joining an organization of one type may preclude membership in another organization of the same type. For example, each of the Nine Divines has an affiliated Temple, but the player may only join one such temple. These Temples offer different services based on the Divine worshiped therein; a Temple of Julianos offers spellmaking services to high-ranking members, while others may offer Daedra summoning or other services. Knightly orders are present in some countries, which offer quests, repairs, and at higher levels, houses. The Mages' Guilds offer spellmaking, enchanting, magic item vendors, spell vendors, skill trainers, and free libraries, although rank determines availability. The Fighters' Guilds offer skill trainers, item repair, and free lodging to accompany its steady stream of simple quests. The Thieves' Guilds offers few services, although some offer the services of a spymaster, who is knowledgeable about many dialog topics, and a magic item vendor. The Dark Brotherhood claims the strangest guildhalls, typically homes filled with people who appear to be insane, but also feature services like alchemy and relatively involved quests.

Joinable organizations in Morrowind

Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind contained a large number of joinable factions after the popularity of joining organizations was so high in Daggerfall. The main quest revolves around joining the Blades, the Emperor's bodyguards, and later the Ashlanders, nomadic groups of Morrowind natives. On top of this, there are the three main guilds (the Fighters' Guild, the Mages' Guild and the Thieves' Guild) and the three houses (House Hlaalu, House Telvanni and House Redoran). There are also two joinable groups based around the Imperial settlers on Morrowind; the Imperial Cult and the Imperial Legion. The native equivalent of the Imperial Cult, the Temple, can be joined, as

Organizations can the Morag Tong, a Dunmer assassins' group. Additionally, if the character becomes a vampire, there are vampire groups that can be joined with their own quest paths.[11] The Bloodmoon expansion introduces one new joinable faction, the East Empire Company, a group of settlers on the island of Solstheim. While many factions have a rivalry, and some are openly opposed or even violent towards one another, such as the Dark Brotherhood and the Morag Tong, there is only a minimal amount of direct opposition, in which doing a quest for one guild would damage a player's standing in another.The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal also did not feature as much inter-faction gameplay. [3] Most groups and factions will punish members that attack or steal from other guild members. However, almost all will always offer a way in which they can have their name cleared and re-join with no further punishment. [12]

16

Joinable organizations in Oblivion

In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, there are five major factions that the player is able to join, each with their own unique storyline. The three main guilds return; The Fighters Guild, is shown to be a deteriorating guild of mercenaries which is being cheated out by their shady rival guild, the Blackwood Company, The Mages Guild, which is currently under heavy attack by a vicious cadre of necromancers, and The Thieves Guild, a complex network of thieves, fences, and beggars who are led by the mysterious Gray Fox. The Dark Brotherhood also returns, and The Arena, an organization of gladiators who fight in a grand arena in the Imperial City, is introduced. The Blades, which plays a role in the game's main plot line, rather than being a conventional guild organization, is joinable.[6] The same is true of The Mythic Dawn, a daedric cult may be joined for a short time during the main quest line. Other minor joinable factions are The Order of the Virtuous Blood, a group of vampire "hunters" in the Imperial City, The Order of the White Stallion, created by Count Marius Caro of Leyawiin, on completion of the "Mazoga the Orc" quest and The Knights of the Thorn, a group of knights created by Farwil Indarys, son of Count Andel Indarys in the 3E 431. You can get in the order if you manage to close the oblivion gate near Cheydinhal and also save Farwil who is trapped inside the gate. Expansions to the game introduce two new factions, though neither are joinable in the typical sense. In Knights of the Nine, the player forms and joins The Knights of the Nine. In the second expansion, Shivering Isles, The Court of the Prince of Madness is introduced. It is not a formal faction but comes with its own set of activities and benefits post-game as the player works to replace Sheogorath, the Prince of Madness.

Joinable organizations in Skyrim

In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Director and Executive Producer Todd Howard has confirmed that the game will contain three major factions; The Companions (warrior faction), The College of Winterhold (mage faction) and the Thieves' Guild will all be joinable. During the gaming convention, QuakeCon, in early August 2011, three more factions have been confirmed. A note with a Black Hand imprinted on it, with the subtitle "We Know" encountered during the video demo was confirmed by Todd Howard to mean the return of the Dark Brotherhood, a group of professional assassins. As well as this, a Rebel group, called the Stormcloaks were encountered in Riverwood and the Riverwood Warrior clan was also confirmed during the gameplay demo at the convention, played by representatives from several influential game review bodies, including IGN, AusGamer and Kotaku. To summarize, joinable factions in Skyrim include: The Companions The College of Winterhold The Thieves Guild The Dark Brotherhood The Imperial Legion

Organizations The Stormcloak Rebellion The Blades A single band of Forsworn

17

References
[1] Barton, Matt (2007-04-11). "The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part III: The Platinum and Modern Ages (1994-2004)" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ features/ 20070411/ barton_05. shtml). Gamasutra. p. 5. . Retrieved 2008-07-29. [2] Qwerty. "Interview with Morrowind Developers" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ interviews-MW-team). The Imperial Library. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [3] "The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon review" (http:/ / www. game-over. net/ reviews. php?id=843). GameOver. 2003-06-14. . Retrieved 2008-07-29. [4] "One Man's Journey to Rockville" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=7). Planet Elder Scrolls. Gamespy. 2001-06-19. . Retrieved 2008-07-29. [5] Wallace, Suzy (2006-07-05). "Interview with Todd Howard" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ article. php?id=142458). PCZone. . Retrieved 2008-07-26. [6] "Elder Scrolls' fans interview Bethesda #2" (http:/ / www. oblivionportal. com/ community/ interviews/ 050826faninterview. php). Oblivion Portal. . Retrieved 2008-07-26. [7] Brenesal, Barry. "Morrowind Review" (http:/ / uk. pc. ign. com/ articles/ 359/ 359554p3. html). IGN. pp. 3. . Retrieved 2008-07-28. [8] "Bethesda Softworks Announces The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ games/ oblivion_overview. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2004-10-22. . Retrieved 2008-07-26. [9] "Ted Peterson Interview I" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=12). Planet Elder Scrolls. Gamespy. 2001-04-09. . Retrieved 2008-07-29. [10] Brenesal, Barry. "Morrowind Review" (http:/ / uk. pc. ign. com/ articles/ 359/ 359554p2. html). IGN. pp. 2. . Retrieved 2008-07-28. [11] Brenesal, Barry. "Morrowind Review" (http:/ / uk. pc. ign. com/ articles/ 359/ 359554p5. html). IGN. pp. 5. . Retrieved 2008-07-28. [12] "Oblivion:Mages Guild Suspension" (http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Oblivion:Mages_Guild_Suspension). . Retrieved 9 October 2011.

Races
The Elder Scrolls series of role-playing video games are populated with a number of fantasy races, ten of which are playable. Generally, these races fall into one of three distinct archetypes, namely, humans, elvenkind, and beastfolk. Within the lore of the Elder Scrolls universe, men and elves alike were descended from an ancestral race known as the Ehlnofey, and are capable of interbreeding. It is uncertain if beastfolk share the same lineage, as much of the existing lore presents conflicting information.

Elves (or Mer)

Aldmer
The Aldmer, translated as the First or Elder Folk, are thought to be the first race to appear on the world of Nirn. The Oblivion in game book Before the Ages of Man is the most comprehensive source of their history. It traces their origins first to the mythic continent of Aldmeris, noting the alternate rendering of Old Elhofney for the place.[1] Certain maps are cautious enough to exclude the mythic continent from their mappings of Nirn,[2] while others place it to the south of Tamriel.[3] As is often the case with Elder Scrolls lore, many contradictory accounts concerning Aldmeris exist, with some suggesting it to be entirely mythological.[4] Beyond Aldmeris, their first known settlements were in southwestern Tamriel, from which they eventually moved on to settle the entire continent.[1] By the beginning of recorded history, they had already branched off into a number of distinct population, among them the present-day Altmer. The term "Aldmer" is sometimes used to describe the entire Elven race, as in the "Aldmeri Dominion", or in common Elven usage, as evidenced by the entry for "Aldmer" in the Elder Scrolls Treasury.[5] Although the Aldmer no longer exist as a distinct race, their culture lives on throughout the Empire, forming the basis of Tamrielic language and religion.[6] [7] [8]

Races

18

Altmer
The Altmer, also called High Elves, live in the Summerset Isle.[9] They are taller than the other races and have a golden skin color. They tend to be proud and consider themselves the most civilized race.[10] Their unique abilities have changed throughout the series. In Morrowind and Oblivion they had a weakness to fire, frost, and shock magic, but boasted the greatest magicka bonus of all the races, while their 'pure' bodies give them greater resistance to diseases. However, in Arena and Daggerfall, the first two games in the series, they had none of those strength and weaknesses but instead boasted an immunity to paralyzing magical effects. Altmer is the elven name of their race, meaning High Folk, and most likely a derivation of the name of the first race of elves, the Aldmer, meaning First or Elder Folk. They consider themselves the successors of the Aldmer and the highest of all races. Unlike men, who believe themselves to have been created along with the world by the gods, Elves believe themselves to be descended from these gods, calling them the Aedra, "Ancestors". Imperial propaganda (presented in the leaflet 'A Pocket Guide to the Empire' which shipped with the game Redguard) initially portrayed them as arrogant in their superiority and heartless to the point of inhumanity, suggesting that they euthanize nine out of ten children in their quest for racial 'perfection'. A new edition of the same fictional 'guide' was shipped with Oblivion which contained a much more favourable view of the Altmer, mentioning deep class and social struggles in which the young were rebelling against the notion of their race's superiority in general and the superiority of the Altmeri nobility in particular with many even abandoning worship of the traditional Altmeri pantheon of gods altogether.

Ayleid
The Ayleids, also known as the Wild Elves or Heartland High Elves, were the first race to establish an empire in Tamriel. They lived in a tribal society, with each "tribe" being different from the next. They were the first inhabitants of the Imperial City and apparently spoke a variation of Old Cyrodiilic. Many Ayleid ruins can be found throughout Cyrodiil. These ruins are filled with dangerous traps, monsters, bandits, and undead. Many would-be treasure hunters have died trying to plunder these lost ruins of the Ayleids. The Ayleids controlled the entirety of Cyrodiil, thanks to their mastery of magic and their alliances with the Daedric princes, and enslaved the Cyrodiilic and Nordic populations (which at that point were both part of the same prototypical race of men). During this time, the Ayleids made great strides in the arcane arts. The downfall of the Ayleid civilization was largely the result of their own mistreatment of their human slaves whom they provoked into revolution; under the Ayleids, torture, mutilation and mass-killings of slaves were undertaken for sport and actually became mainstays of the Ayleids' culture and aesthetic traditions as revealed ingame in The Adabal-a. With the blessing of the Aedra, a slave named Alessia led a revolt that resulted in the inexorable destruction of the Ayleid civilization. Remaining Ayleids frequently showed up as civil servants to the nobility in the Alessian empire or as vassal-kings of the Alessians; still others fled to Valenwood and interbred with the Bosmer. The last known King of the Ayleids was the ruler of the city of Nenalata who controlled eastern Cyrodiil. In the expansion to Oblivion, Knights of the Nine, the Ayleids' close relationship with the Daedric Princes is explored in greater detail. It is revealed that they held their human subjects in check with Daedric magic which allowed them to maintain armies of undead and lesser daedra. Their subservience to the Daedric Princes and their immense cruelty towards their human subjects (elaborated upon ingame in the book The Adabal-a [11]) were contributing factors to the Aedra giving their aid to the human races. White Gold Tower, the central spire of the Imperial City in Cyrodiil, was the central temple of the Ayleids. It now serves as the Imperial Palace for the Tamrielic Empire. The rest of their capital city was either razed or buried beneath the Imperial City. By the Second Era, the surviving Ayleids who had not been fully assimilated withdrew to the deep forests where they shunned contact with other races (hence the appellation Wild Elves); little is known of modern Wild Elves and

Races their culture but at least one entered the Arcane University and became the major source for what is known about them. Their tribes apparently possessed wildly disparate cultures, but shared a thread of xenophobia, likely remaining from the Alessian Reformation when Ayleidic culture was destroyed.

19

Bosmer
The Bosmer, also called Wood Elf, inhabit the province of Valenwood.[9] They are among the shortest races, and they are remarkable thieves and archers, due to their superior dexterity and agility, presumably because they spend their time living in trees. They are also religiously carnivorous and cannibalistic as a result of the Green Pact, a central portion of the Bosmer faith.[12] [13] The Green Pact is never explicitly shown, but in its simplest sets these rules down: Bosmer may only consume meat-based products and are forbidden to harm any plant for their own betterment. As a result of these stipulations, Bosmer are dependent on either stone or imported timber for construction purposes. The Green Pact has also heavily impacted Bosmeri cuisine, combat, and weaponry. They have developed methods of fermenting meat and milk to develop powerful alcoholic beverages and weapons such as bows are often made of treated and shaped bones. Most notable about Bosmeri combat is their stipulation that a combatant must consume an enemy's corpse within a short time after killing them. This has led to changes in approaches to combat, such as fasting and planning family feasts following a battle. Bosmer are unique among the races of Tamriel in that they possess the ability to transform their shapes. According to legend, the Bosmer witnessed the death of Yffre, the first of the Ehlnofey to die. In his passing, his spiritual energies formed an Earthbone, a natural law, to limit certain aspects of the world. Yffre's Earthbone placed a limit on the ability of a being to change its form and nature, as previously they could change them at will. However, the Bosmer, having witnessed the formation of the Earthbone, learned how to manipulate it to avoid its restrictions. The most notable of their uses of this ability is the Wild Hunt, a ritual known only to the shaman of Valenwood. Reserved to protect Valenwood from invading forces, the ritual permanently transforms all participants into mindless, blood-thirsty monsters, who will then consume all of their enemies and then themselves. The Bosmer have noted that all monsters in the world were born from previous Wild Hunts.

Chimer
Chimer (changed folk) are an extinct race. They fled from the Aldmeri (elven) home of Summerset after their religious conversion, and settled in the land of the Dwemer, later known as Morrowind. The Chimer were often in conflict with their neighbors, the Dwemer and Nords, due to religious and racial conflicts respectively. Eventually, the Chimer, under the rule of Indoril Nerevar Moon-and-Star, formed a lasting alliance with the Dwemer in order to drive back the Nords. This peace lasted until the Chimer learned of the Dwemeri attempts to create a god, and the Chimer attacked, successfully preventing the awakening of Numidium. But after the Battle of Red Mountain, during which the Dwemer vanished in unexplained circumstances, the Chimer were transformed into Dunmer by the Daedric Goddess Azura as punishment either for when the Tribunal broke their oath to Nerevar and Azura by making themselves gods or for their possible murder of Nerevar. The Chimeri Exodus was led by the prophet Veloth, who later became a prominent saint in the Tribunal Temple, in the Merethic Era and was done so the Chimer could practice Daedra worship. The Dunmer attribute the inspiration for this exodus to the Daedric Prince Boethiah. They say he ate a prominent figure of the Aldmeri religion, Trinimac, and used his voice to show the Chimer the lies of the Aedra, who the Aldmer worshiped. He spoke of various ways in which they should live and demonstrated how to complete the Exodus. Other Daedric Princes, such as Mephala and Azura, initiated other changes and taught other lessons to the early Chimer, as well. A possible hint to the appearance of the Chimer can be seen in Morrowind in the persons of Vivec and Almalexia, who were both of the Chimer race before the formation of the Tribunal. They appear to have been similar in height and build to Dunmer, with a coloring similar to Altmer. As the Chimer were actually a splinter faction of the Altmer,

Races this is not surprising.

20

Dunmer
Dunmer, also called Dark Elves, hail from Morrowind.[14] They are the Elder Scrolls variation of dark elves, a popular fictional race in role-playing games and fantasy literature. Gameplay-wise, they are well-balanced (tending towards a battlemage or spellsword class).The Dunmer are the descendants of the Chimer, who were punished by the Daedric goddess Azura for the betrayal of their General, Indoril Nerevar. Azura's punishment was to turn the color of all the Chimer race's skin to ash-gray and their eyes to ruby red. Native-born Dunmer tend to look down on "outlanders", which are other races or Dunmer born outside of Morrowind, though the intensity of this xenophobia varies from place to place. The land from which the Dunmer hail is to the far east of the Empire and is commonly known as Morrowind (which contains the island of Vvardenfell). Slavery is practiced in Morrowind, and slaves are mostly either of Khajiit or Argonian descent, although some men and elves are also enslaved there, a practice that had been more common in the past. (Because of the past enslavement, some Khajiit and Argonians have a bone-deep hatred for the Dunmer.) The Empire of Tamriel has a ban on slavery but, as part of the terms of Morrowind's entrance into the Empire, Dunmer were allowed to keep their own sacred and traditional laws. However, in the sequel to Morrowind, Oblivion, it is revealed that slavery has been abolished and the slaves freed by the king of Morrowind Province, Hlaalu Helseth, with House Dres and House Hlaalu supporting the move. (Released or past escaped Khajiit slaves are attempting to mass in a Dunmer resistance in Elsweyr.) This can be discovered through dialogue with recurring characters from Morrowind. Though some Dunmer, especially of House Hlaalu, have become assimilated into Imperial and foreign culture, almost all retain many of their traditions and values, and some Dunmer even prefer living a tribal life as Ashlanders in small, tight-knit tribes in the deserts and scorched plains of the Ashlands and on the plains of the Grazelands. In the Ashlands, native tribes rule without laws or care for government, and live strictly by honour codes, rituals and ancient traditions usually dictated by a wise woman or seer. Historically, half of the ancient Dunmer chose this lifestyle, with the others creating or joining the Great Houses and establishing such cities as Balmora or Vivec. The land is so harsh and dangerously infested with creatures such as Alits and cliff racers that westerners and Imperial garrisonmen dare not venture out of the safety of Dunmer settled areas. Dunmer do not ride horses, or own them for that purpose - rather, horses in Morrowind are raised for the slaughter, to be eaten as food.[15] [16] This fact mentioned, with some hesitation, by Morrowind's level designer Gary Noonan, during a development chat as a cautionary note against the possible inclusion of rideable horses in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. A chat in which Morrowind's lead character designer also assured expectant consumers that, in Morrowind, there would be "no horse eating allowed".[17] Horses were definitively excluded from the game by Todd Howard in February 2001.[18] Ken Rolston offered the Dunmer diet as a rationale for why the game ended up without them.[16] The Dunmer themselves, previously known as the Chimer, or 'changed folk' due to their worship of the Daedra, rather than the Aedra (Gods) worshipped by the other Aldmer in Summerset, traditionally gained their dark skin as a result of the Battle of Red Mountain. It was in this battle that the Dwemer vanished. The Dwemer are a major part of Dunmeri history. During the battle, all Dwemer mysteriously disappeared, presumably by their own technology. Though the change in the elves' skin tone was traditionally interpreted as the will of Azura, alternative theories certainly exist. The Dwemer's complex technology could have been the cause instead, as it functioned on a technological level incomprehensible to the "old-world" style, horses-and-swords environment present in the Elder Scrolls world. The official Imperial line of thought, however, is that the Dunmer simply exterminated the Dwemer and that their bluish-grey skin is the result of adaptation to their harsh, rather volcanic environment.

Races

21

Dwemer
Dwemer, meaning "Deep Elves", are a lost race that lived primarily in the region of Vvardenfell and in Hammerfell. They are often referred to as "Dwarves" in western cultures, although they were no shorter than a human and the name seems to have been derived from a supposed encounter with giants who saw the Dwemer as short.[19] They were a reclusive, independent race, dedicated to the principles of science, alchemy, and engineering. They did not die out; instead, the entire race vanished into thin air all at the same time around the world. Yagrum Bagarn is the only known remaining living Dwemer on Nirn. Yagrum Bagarn resides in the Corprusarium deep beneath the island of Vvardenfell, in the Tamriellic province of Morrowind. He has been infected by corprus, granting him eternal life, but constant pain. He is searching for clues to the whereabouts of his race when one finds him in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. In the Tribunal expansion pack of Morrowind, there is also a quest that leads you meet a Dwemer ghost whose name is Radac and can be found in Radac's Forge. This Dwemer is largely not thought of due to the fact that he does not give any clues about the Dwemer race and is not alive. Records of Dwemer activity date back to before the First Era, most notably in the Vvardenfell region (Vvardenfell, in Dwemeris, means "City of the Strong Shield"), which has the highest concentration of Dwemer ruins of any land in Tamriel. Feuding between Chimer and Dwemer continued until the First Council, when the Dwemer and Chimer unite to expel the Nords from Morrowind. One clan of Dwemer, the Rourken, refused to make peace with the Chimer, and their patriarch threw his ceremonial warhammer, Volendrung, across Tamriel, proclaiming that his clan would settle where it landed. Over time, they settled in modern-day Hammerfell (explaining that region's name), home of the Redguards. Eventually, however, tensions developed between the Chimer and Dwemer once again. A great war erupted between them, eventually leading to the mysterious disappearance of the Dwemer during The Battle of Red Mountain. The difficulty was prompted by the discovery of a mythological artifact known as the Heart of Lorkhan by the Dwemer, deep in the mountains' bowels. The Chief Tonal Architect Kagrenac, their de facto religious leader, devised a set of tools (Sunder, Keening, and Wraithguard) to manipulate the Heart to instill divinity to his people. Kagrenac used the tools during the Battle of Red Mountain caused all known Dwemer to vanish, however their fate is unknown. The most commonly accepted explanation is that Kagrenac's plan failed, but it has also been theorized that Kagrenac's plan actually did work and they simply ascended into a higher plane of existence. Whatever the case may be, since 1E 668 no word has been heard from the Dwemer, with the notable exception of Yagrum Bagarn, who resides in the Corprusarium of Tel Fyr. Apparently, he was absent from the Mortal Plane at the time of the disappearance, visiting an Outer Realm, an alternate dimension. His 3000 years of exploration and 500 years of investigation have yielded no leads on the presence of his people on Mundus or any other plane of existence currently known. There are many mysteries among the Dwemer creations left behind. Mages Guild investigators have discovered that if one of the centurion spiders is taken away from Vvardenfell, it gradually becomes more sluggish, eventually going into a state of torpor. Even more curious is that upon return, the spider re-activates back to normal aggressive levels, as if sensing the presence of the Dwemer ruins. Strangely, the Dwemer robots reactivate in the lands of the Redguard also. Dwemer artifacts are highly prized throughout the Empire, although since they are technically the property of the Emperor under the charter of the Imperial Society of Architecture and Design as well as the Imperial Historical Society, the sale of them is illegal. This does not seem to stop artifacts from falling off the backs of wagons or otherwise disappearing into various collections. Dwemer weapons and armour are especially valued, renowned for their excellent craftsmanship and sturdy design. However, acquisition of these artifacts is extremely dangerous, because of the remote location of the ruins, and the multitude of aged and no-longer reliable Dwemeri machinery within, including the Steam Centurion and other automata, as well as sophisticated traps of which the Dwemer were particularly fond.

Races

22

Falmer
It is thought that the Falmer ("Snow Elves") were the original elven inhabitants of Skyrim, the northernmost province of the continent of Tamriel, and were defeated and displaced by the Nords. The Pocket Guide to the Empire in the chapter on Skyrim mentions the Snow Elves as a local superstition, with Nord villagers blaming them for a number of random misfortunes and scant physical evidence of their existence.[20] In Bloodmoon the player may choose to pursue a quest to find out more about the Falmer.[21] There are two mutually exclusive hypotheses about the fate of the Falmer. An Altmer scholar in Raven Rock claims that the Snow Elves have blended with the other elven races through interbreeding. The in game book Fall of the Snow Prince seems to support the latter hypothesis. It chronicles the defeat of the Snow Prince, an elven leader, at the Battle of Moesring. In Skyrim it is shown the Falmer do in fact still exist but following their defeat at the hands of the Nords they moved underground and became near feral in their behaviour. [22] [23]

Left-Handed Elves
Only briefly mentioned in a few in-game books, the Left-Handed Elves supposedly lived in the Redguard homeland of Yokuda. It is implied they were entirely destroyed by the Redguards in a war between the two. They are thought to have created the Orichalc tower of Yokuda.

Maormer
The Maormer or Sea Elves reside on the island of Pyandonea south of the continent of Tamriel. They have pale, almost chameleon like skin and yellow eyes. They originally lived in Summerset Isles, but they were exiled by the High Elves. Their leader is an immortal wizard named Orgnum Thras. The Maormer practice a snake-like magic which they use to tame sea-serpents.[24]

Orsimer
Although beast-like in appearance, the Orsimer (Pariah Folk or simply Orcs) are descended from a group of Altmer (or even Aldmer) that worshipped a god named Trinimac.[25] Trinimac is the strongest of Altmeri ancestor spirits, and is described in-game as having led his Orsimer people to war against the dissident Chimer, who coveted the machines and industry of the heathen Dwemer. The Daedric Prince Boethiah, however, decides to eat Trinimac, ending his war plans, corrupting his essence and remaking him as the Daedric Prince Malacath. Incidentally, his people lost their Elven features, and became the beastly Orcs.[8] [25] [26] Orsimer were the former inhabitants of the province of Hammerfell,[27] but lost their land to the armies of Redguards.[27] [28] [29] [30] [31] The Orcish capital city is located near High Rock, and is called Orsinium.[24] [32] According to in-game Morrowind descriptions, the Orcs are "sophisticated barbarian beast peoples", "noted for their unshakeable courage in war and their unflinching endurance of hardships". "In the past, Orcs have been widely feared and hated by the other nations and races of Tamriel, but they have slowly won acceptance in the Empire, in particular for their distinguished service in the Emperor's Legions. Orcish armorers are prized for their craftsmanship, and Orc warriors in heavy armor are among the finest front-line troops on the battlefield. Most Imperial citizens regard Orc society as rough and cruel, but there is much to admire in their fierce tribal loyalties and generous equality of rank and respect among the sexes."[33]

Human
Human in The Elder Scrolls is a generic term and does not necessarily indicate a shared ancestry among those races it is applied to. The Imperials and Nords are of Nedic ancestry and the Nedes in turn trace their lineage back to the continent of Atmora, the Bretons are of mixed Nedic and Elvish heritage, and the Redguards originated on the continent of Yokuda. Humans, for the most part, descend from the "Wandering Ehlnofey", the half of the mythic race that accepted Nirn and wished to live on it.

Races

23

Breton
The Bretons are half-elves, with more human than elvish blood, and populate the province of High Rock, where the second game of the series, Daggerfall, takes place. They are capable mages with high magic resistance but other than that they have few distinctive features. They are considered an intelligent human race in Tamriel, known for a proficiency in abstract thinking, a possible reason for their adeptness in the magical arts.[34] Bretons originated in the First Era. A series of raids on Nedic holdings by the Aldmer, resulted in the destruction of all human settlements in Skyrim. Many Nedes were enslaved some of whom were used as pleasure slaves and gave birth to mixed offspring. These offspring were termed Manmer by Nords. While the Aldmer maintained control of Tamriel, the Manmer lived as lower-class citizens, supporting their meric brethren. After the Aldmer lost their foothold, the remaining Manmer interbred with the controlling human races. The Bretons of modern-day Tamriel have a much-diluted meric ancestry, seen in their higher magical affinity, paler skin and shorter stature.

Imperial
Natives of the civilized, cosmopolitan province of Cyrodiil,[35] the Imperials are well-educated and well-spoken. Though less physically imposing than the other races, the Imperials are shrewd diplomats and traders. These traits, along with their remarkable skill and training as light infantry, have enabled them to subdue all the other provinces of Tamriel and unite them under the banner of their prosperous empire.[36] Imperials were not a playable race in Daggerfall, and "the Imperial Province" (that is, Cyrodiil), was declared to have "no indigenous race".[37] The Imperial race is playable in Morrowind as well as Oblivion and Skyrim. The Imperial race is further divided into two sub-races: the Colovians; independent rural folk in the west of Cyrodiil, and the cosmopolitan Nibenese occupying the rest of Cyrodiil. The Colovians historically are not as reverent to the established Cyrodiilic religion as the Nibenese. Imperials were originally brought to Cyrodiil as slaves to the Heartland High Elves, or Ayleids. The Imperials have been in control of Cyrodiil, along with the rest of the Empire, since the fall of the Ayleids. Imperials have had many wins and losses in the wars of the past, some through struggle, others through annihilation of the opponents' armies. First and foremost, though, Imperials are diplomats and have shown themselves to be capable of gaining territory through negotiation as much as through war, as evidenced by their extension of Imperial authority into the Dunmer kingdom of Morrowind.

Nede
The now extinct Nedes originally lived on the frozen continent of Atmora, where they banded into small clans who fought in a great civil war. A small group of Nedes then migrated and settled in northern Tamriel. The Nedic hero Ysgramor, leader of a great colonizing fleet to Tamriel, developed a runic transcription of Nordic speech based on Aldmeri principles, and was the first recorded human historian. Ysgramor's fleet landed at Hsaarik Head at the extreme northern tip of Skyrim's Broken Cape. They built the legendary city of Saarthal and lived with the Aldmer in relative peace until the Aldmeri began to notice the comparatively fast growth of the Nedic people's population. The Elves drove the Men away during the Night of Tears, but Ysgramor soon returned with his Five Hundred Companions. These Five Hundred Companions settled and those who stayed in Skyrim became the Nords, with those going west breeding with the Aldmer and becoming the Bretons and those going south becoming the Imperials. The remaining Nedes raided Elvish settlements along the coast from Skyrim and Atmora until 1E68. The last two ships from Atmora pulled into a harbor with more than half their crews dead. Atmora had become a frozen wasteland, and almost all that lived there had died.

Races

24

Nord
The Nords inhabit the northern province of Skyrim, which is the setting for the latest installment of the series: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.[20] They are strong and able warriors who are also highly resistant to frost. They are generally fair haired, pale, and blue eyed. Their origins can be traced all the way to the continent of Atmora.[38] Little is known of the geography and history of Atmora, as at the time of the migration from there, humanity did not possess a written language. What little is runic writing, as well as old Elvish records which are not open to Imperial scholars, but which are known to refer to the continent as 'Aldmora', meaning "Elder Wood". It is likely Atmora is a human corruption of this word. In a historical sense, the humans who live there are called "Nedes", as are those humans living in Tamriel before King Harald, thirteenth of the Ysgramor line, seceded from Atmoran rulership, after which they are historically annotated as Cyro-Nordics, to illustrate that the Cyrodiil people had not yet gone separate from the original trunk of human population. When designing the Nordic people and culture, Bethesda Softworks took inspiration from a combination of real-world historical sources, including most prominently the Scandinavian kingdoms and northern Scotland as seen with the Nord ability of woad, a substance used by Scandinavian and Celtic peoples.

Redguard
For the 1997 game of the same name, please see The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard The Redguards hail from the province of Hammerfell in western Tamriel. They are noted for their great strength, agility, and physical hardiness, and are very adept at surviving in hot, dry conditions. They possess dark skin, ranging from light brown to nearly black in hue, often with a distinct reddish tint.[39] Redguards (in their own language 'Yokudans', taken simply from the name of their homeland) hail from the western continent of Yokuda, which sank into the sea in ancient times. This was probably the result of a tectonic shift in the form of an earthquake or a volcanic eruption, however, the Redguards seem under the impression that it was in some way their fault. Upon the sinking of their homeland, which apparently was predictable to some degree, the Yokudan fleet set sail to the east, where they shored at the continent of Tamriel, in the province of Hammerfell. At the time, Hammerfell was populated largely with Orsimer (Orcs) who were known for their toughness and ferocity in battle. The Yokudans, knowing they must settle to survive as a people, launched a Ra'gada a "warrior wave", at the shores of Hammerfell, conscripting every man and boy capable of wielding a sword into the strong and capable Yokudan military. They attacked the Orc towns and cities in lightning raids, took no prisoners and after only a few brutal months, had established a strong presence along the western shores of Hammerfell. From this foothold they continued to launch assault after assault, eventually succeeding in nearly exterminating the Orcs, and making way for the High King and the Yokudan royalty, known as Na-Totambu, to arrive with safety in Hammerfell, without fear of assassination. It is from this Ra'gada that the Redguards take their name.

Kothringi
A race of men mentioned in only a few in-game books hailing from Black Marsh. They were said to look like men only with metallic skin and were quite common in Black Marsh during the second era. They were eventually wiped out by a plague before the start of the third era. Their origin is unknown. Some say they are the result of Nedes and Argonians interbreeding, others say that they were simply Nedic settlers that adapted to life in Black Marsh.

Races

25

Akaviri
Akaviri refers broadly to races from the continent of Akavir which means "Dragon Land". Often it is used to refer to the Tsaeci in particular as they have had the most influence on Tamriel. They have Asian influences. The Ka Po' Tun are most likely based after the Chinese culture given their strong affiliations with Dragons and that they are implied to be "descendants of the dragon". The Tsaesci is obviously based on the Japanese culture given that they were the ones that brought many Japanese themed weapons such as the katana and wakizashi into Tamriel and that members of the race have Japanese-inspired names; also notable is that the Tsaesci killing off the original, human inhabitants of their land could be compared to the Japanese we know today assimilating and oppressing the Ainu, or indigenous Japanese. The Tang Mo could be based civilization of Vietnam: the Vietnamese of Vietnam who successfully drove out every invader to their lands, or, going by the Chinese-influenced name, as well as the fact they live on islands, they could be the islanders of the South China Sea, such as Hong Kong and Taiwan. They could also be simply a representation of the countless other Chinese ethnic groups besides the Han (Ka Po' Tun), and this would also make sense, due to always repelling barbarians from the frozen north. The Tang Mo are also perhaps a nod to the Monkey King, a character from the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West. Nothing much has been revealed about the Kamal, but due to vague descriptions of the people as war mongers, and their homeland being an icy wasteland, they could be based on the Mongols.

Ka Po' Tun
The Ka Po'Tun are a race of tiger people that live on Akavir. Their name means "Tiger-Dragon's Empire". When the Tsaesci supposedly tried to eat all the dragons in their Empire, the dragons fled to Po' Tun, as the empire of tiger people was called then. A great war raged across the land, leaving all the black dragons and all but a few red dragons dead. The remaining red dragons retreated to Tamriel, where they were supposedly given refuge in Cyrodiil. Ever since, the tiger people that remained have tried to somehow become dragons. Tosh Raka is the first one to succeed. Apparently he is the largest Dragon on Nirn, with orange and black coloring, and has built Ka Po' Tun into the largest empire of Akavir. He desires the destruction of Tsaesci, after which he intends to invade Tamriel. The first born-son of an Emperor is known as a Half-Breed, this is a title and rank.

Kamal
Kamal, meaning "Snow Hell", is one of four nations of Akavir. It is home to armies of snow demons. Every summer these demons thaw out and attempt to invade the neighboring nation of Tang Mo, home to many breeds of monkey-people, but every year they are repelled.

Tsaesci
The Tsaesci, which means Snake Palace, are a race of vampiric serpents. The serpent-folk apparently ate the men that had lived on Akavir, although this could mean that they assimilated with them as a culture. Their appearance has been described differently on many occasions, the only consistency being that they are "tall, beautiful (if frightening), [and] covered in golden scales." They have been described as having human upper bodies and snake lower bodies, to being entirely snake-like. 2920, Morning Star, an in-game book in Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim describes (and in it they are called Akaviri) Prince Juliek, son of Emperor Reman III and heir to the throne of the Cyrodillic Empire, in an arena match with a Tsaesci. It is said the creature had two tails and amazing grace, it also mentions that these creatures had never used shields and when faced with one it was confused, 'if you don't want to get hit then get out of the way,' is their motto. Prince Juliek won by eventually overcoming the nimble beast. The appearance may however be inaccurate, and made up by storytellers to make the Tsaesci more monster-like. They are actually closely related to men, and are loosely classified as humans. This could either be due to shared origins or interbreeding with Akaviri humans or maybe they are indeed half human half serpent.

Races The Tsaesci once invaded Tamriel in 1E 2703, but were driven back by the forces of Emperor Reman I. Surviving Tsaesci in Cyrodiil served as mercenaries and personal guards of nobles. They left many influences on the Imperials, including the Dai-katana and Dragonscale armor, as well as the uniform of the Blades and the Red Dragon symbol of the Empire. Several Tsaesci even served as Potentate, acting in place of the Emperor when the Reman dynasty ended. The first Potentate, Versidue-Shaie, ushered the Tamrielic Empire into the Second Era, an era of chaos and upheaval. He, and his heir, ruled Tamriel for four hundred years, until the Akaviri Potentate was assassinated by the Morag Tong in 2E 430.

26

Tang Mo
Tang Mo, meaning "Thousand Monkey Isles", is one of four nations of Akavir, a continent far east of Tamriel. Tang Mo is home to many breeds of monkey-folk who are described as kind, brave, simple, and often crazy. At some point or another every other Akaviri nation has made an attempt at enslaving the people of Tang Mo, and every summer the snow demons of the neighboring nation of Kamal thaw out and attempt to invade Tang Mo, but the brave monkey-people have always successfully repelled their enemies. The monkey-people have strong hatred toward the snow demons of Kamal and the serpent-folk of Tsaesci, but after a history of strife have come to ally with the tiger-folk of Ka Po' Tun.

Dragons
Killed off by the Tsaesci, they were said to be very intelligent and capable of communication with Nedic visitors to Akavir. The Dragons of Vvardenfell were supposedly wiped out by the cliff racers that were brought south from Akavir during their invasion of Tamriel and found a natural home in the wastes of the island. Dragons were also present in Skyrim, eventually growing extinct or being destroyed by the early Nords. However, they return in the Fourth Era, led by Nordic Dragon-god Alduin, in the midst of a civil war following the assassination of Skyrim's High King by the Jarl of Windhelm, Ulfric Stormcloak.

Beast races
Argonian
The Argonians are a reptilian race that is native to Black Marsh.[24] They can breathe underwater, are immune to all poisons and are highly resistant to disease. For years they were forced to defend their borders and as a result they are experts in guerrilla-warfare. They resemble lizards; they have scaly features, a tail, and are very stealthy and agile, though not as agile as the Khajiit. They also have an extraordinary natural talent for picking locks. The Argonians also have their own royal assassins known as Shadowscales. Shadowscales are Argonians, born under the sign of The Shadow in Black Marsh. They are taken by the Dark Brotherhood as hatchlings and trained in the art of stealth and combat. Shadowscales serve their country as assassins until they are adopted as members of the Dark Brotherhood. Whilst their beginning primary skills in various Elder Scrolls games suggest otherwise, many Argonians are shown to have a large interest in magical arts.[40] [41] Argonians have a rather brutal history. Between the abductions of Hist sap and their wars with neighboring countries, a great many were taken as slaves by the Dunmer and as a result, some Argonians, especially those born and raised in Black Marsh, have a history of violence and hatred towards Dark Elves.

Races

27

Hist
The Hist were originally the trees of Argonia, though the term has mistakenly been used for the Argonians.[24] [41] During the great war between the Ehlnofey, the Hist were bystanders, but most of their realm was destroyed as the war passed over it. A small corner of it survived to become the Black Marsh province in Tamriel, but most of their realm was sunk beneath the sea.[42] According to the Monomyth, the Hist acknowledge Sithis in his role as the original creator.[43] The Hist have been tossed around quite frequently on The Elder Scrolls Official Forums, all due to one dangerously mislaid sentence. In the PGE, Argonians are said to never have left their homeland "except for a relatively intelligent strain called the hist. [sic]"[24] This statement, implying that the Argonians are a type of Hist, left quite a bit of fallout, but was resolved by a clear statement by Mark Nelson that the whole thing resulted from ignorance on the part of the editors of the Guide. Hist are, in fact, great sentient trees worshipping the eternal, immutable, god of chaos, Sithis. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find many canonical statements about the Hist in game lore. The Annotated Anuad gives us some information, telling us that the Hist are one of two races to survive the "twelve worlds of Creation," along with the Ehlnofey, and that the Hist had a great homeland sunk beneath the sea by the wars of the Ehlnofey. It is never certain how much credence one should give to a creation myth. Any statements regarding the Hist's survival of the twelve worlds of a Creation should be treated with due suspicion.[42] Argonians are known to have deep connections with the Hist, calling themselves "people of the root,"[44] and licking the leaking sap of their trunks in religious rites. In Oblivion, if the player chooses to embark on the Fighters' Guild faction quest, they will eventually come to a mission in which they must discover the source of the Blackwood Company's power. The player discovers that the Blackwood Company is using the sap of a Hist tree. They succeeded in smuggling a whole Hist tree from Black Marsh in order to have a constant supply of the illegal sap.[45]

Imga
The Great Apes, or Imga reside in the Imperial province of Valenwood and idealize the High Elves of Summerset Isle, with some going so far as to shave themselves and powder their skin so as to better emulate their appearance.[9] To date, no Imga have appeared in an Elder Scrolls game, and the only Morrowind reference to the Imga appears in the 'Pocket Guide to the Empire' which describes the provinces of the Cyrodilic Empire as of the year 864 of the Second Era. However, their existence has since recently been re-established with the addition of an ingame book in Oblivion, detailing the travels of an adventurer trying to return his stash of booze kidnapped by a group of Imga.

Khajiit
The Khajiit are a feline race hailing from the province of Elsweyr.[46] Khajiit vary considerably in appearance, ranging from almost Elven Ohmes-raht to larger species such as the Senche (large tigers used as mounts) and the Cathay-Raht (warrior "jaguar men").[46] [47] [48] Khajiit are generally excellent thieves and good fighters,[47] and fierce individualists with generally no sense of 'private property.' Most of the Khajiit vary from orange to dusky red, though they can be other colors like black, white and tan. Elsweyr formally is some form of republic ruled by turns citizens and deserted clans but really controlled by hardly covered dictatorship of "Mane". Khajiit speak Ta'agra. Khajiit are chiefly one of the underclasses in the country of Morrowind (along with Argonians), usually working as slaves or living on the street as beggars. They have a large presence in the Thieves' Guild, partly for this reason. In addition, escaped or freed Khajiit slaves from Morrowind who make it back to Elsweyr are attempting to form a sort of Elsweyri Anti-Dunmer Alliance. Highway-men gangs in the province of Cyrodiil seem to be exclusively Khajiit which at first might have been thought of as Thieves' Guild affiliation, but is disproved because of the nonviolent manner in which The Thieves' Guild conducts its work.

Races Khajiit have an affinity to use their claws over some weapons, which makes them excellent fighters in the unarmed skill.

28

Sload
The Sload are a race of sluglike beastmen that live in the Coral Kingdoms of Thras, southwest of Tamriel. They have generally followed an isolationist policy, with only limited contact and trade with Tamriel, therefore their history is not well known. The most important event known is when they released the Thrassian Plague upon Tamriel in 1E2200, killing more than half of the population. In response, Tamriel assembled the All Flags Navy that ravaged Thras, killing all the Sload it could find and finally sinking it with unknown magics. The Sload, however, survived, and Thras has since risen again.[24]

Werewolves
A race of creatures bred from an infecting disease. Like most werewolf lore, players who become infected by the disease will transform at night or on full moons and are weak to silver weapons. They have super attributes such as strength and agility. Bloodlust makes them have to kill or suffer health damage. Werewolves have only appeared in The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. [49] They are the servants to the Daedric Lord Hircine, and will serve him for eternity in his Hunting Ground upon their death.

Divine
The various peoples of Tamriel worship a variety of deities and otherworldly powers. The principal among these are the Aedra and Daedra. The Aedra, including the "Nine Divines" worshipped in Cyrodiil, are generally gods of positive aura, and are beings of creation. They are largely inaccessible to the people of Tamriel, although their altars and shrines give the faithful temporary blessings or healing. The Aedra inhabit the realm of Aetherius, located beyond Oblivion. Aedra literally translates to "Ancestors" meaning that the elves believe themselves to be descendants of the gods, unlike other races who believe they were created by them. There have been sources, mainly Mankar Camoran, who have stated that the gods are actually daedra, however. Which one is true is currently unknown.

References
A. A running joke within the series is that Marobar Sul's Ancient Tales of the Dwemer are almost entirely not about the Dwemer. Each book in the series is provided with an appendix denying Dwemeri heritage to the tale it comes paired with. The appendix for this particular tale runs as follows: "'The Seed' is one of Marobar Sul's tales whose origins are well known. This tale originated from the Argonian slaves of southern Morrowind. "Marobar Sul" merely replaced the Dunmer with Dwemer and claimed he found it in a Dwemer ruin. Furthermore, he later claimed that the Argonian version of the tale was merely a retelling of his 'original!'"[50] An essay by the Morrowind character Hasphat Antabolis, who, incidentally, provides the player with a Dwemer related quest in Morrowind,[51] [52] is included in Oblivion, attempting to construct a possible reason for the public's great love for them. Antabolis concludes that "Marobar Sul's Dwemer are so much more comfortable, so much friendlier, so much more familiar, than the real Dwemer, whose truly mysterious nature we are only beginning to understand." Antabolis is forgiving of Sul's faults. "I have some sympathy for that preference. As the following essays will show, the Dwemer were, to our modern eyes, a remarkably unlikeable people in many ways."[53]
[1] Aicantar of Shimerene. "Timeline Series - Vol 1: Before the Ages of Man" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ oblivion-timeline-series). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [2] ArthmodeusD; Prometheus. "Nirn Map" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ sites/ default/ files/ gallery_files/ minibigmaproadslore31gv. jpg). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [3] Xanathar. "Updated Map of Tamriel" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ sites/ default/ files/ gallery_files/ mapbigtamriel1. 1. jpg). In Sinder Velvin. . Retrieved October 18, 2010.

Races
[4] Nu-Hatta. "Nu-Mantia Intercept: Letter #5" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ nu-mantia-intercept-letter-5). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. A close reading of the text is available from B. "Facts and Opinions from the Nu-Hatta Intercept" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ facts-and-opinions-nu-hatta-intercept). . Retrieved October 18, 1020. [5] Zeph. "The Elder Scrolls Treasury III: TES3 Encyclopaedia" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ zephs-tes-treasury) (PDF). p. 9. . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [6] Raptormeat. "The Elder Scrolls Translation Dictionary" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ translation-dictionary). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [7] Reading Auri-El, Jode, Jone, Sheogorath, Syrabane, Trinimac, and Xarxes as such. [8] Brother Mikhael Karkuxor of the Imperial College. "Varieties of Faith in the Empire" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ morrowind-varieties-faith-empire). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [9] Imperial Geographical Society. "Pocket Guide to The Empire: Aldmeri Dominion" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ pocket-guide-empire-first-edition-aldmeri-dominion). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [10] "Elder Scrolls Codex: High Elf" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ races_highelf. htm). . Retrieved September 4, 2006. [11] http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Lore:The_Adabal-a [12] "Elder Scrolls Codex: Wood Elf" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ races_woodelf. htm). . Retrieved September 4, 2006. [13] "On the Preparation of the Corpse, Volume One: The Acquisition of the Corpse" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ morrowind-preparation-corpse-volume-one-acquisition-corpse). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [14] "Elder Scrolls Codex: Dark Elf" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ races_darkelf. htm). . Retrieved September 4, 2006. [15] Noonan, Gary. "Return of a Fellow Scholar" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ return-fellow-scholar). Obscure Texts (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ obscure-texts). The Imperial Library (http:/ / imperial-library. info/ ). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [16] "General Elder Scrolls Weaseling" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ general-elder-scrolls-weaseling). Dog Ate My Homework (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ dog-ate-my-homework). The Imperial Library (http:/ / imperial-library. info/ ). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [17] "Development Team chat #1" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=27). VoodooExtreme. Planet Elder Scrolls (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ ). GameSpy (http:/ / gamespy. com). 2000-07-19. . Retrieved April 20, 2007. [18] Staff (2001-02-27). "Todd Howard Interview #1" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=27). Morrowind Summit. Planet Elder Scrolls (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ ). GameSpy (http:/ / gamespy. com). . Retrieved April 20, 2007. [19] The Imperial Library [20] Imperial Geographical Society. "Pocket Guide to The Empire: Skyrim" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ pocket-guide-empire-first-edition-skyrim). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [21] "UESPWiki: Bloodmoon - In Search of the Falmer" (http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Bloodmoon:In_Search_of_the_Falmer). . Retrieved December 28, 2010. [22] Lokheim, chronicler to the chieftain Ingjaldr White-Eye. "Fall of the Snow Prince" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ morrowind-fall-snow-prince). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [23] Nazz. "Rieklings = Falmer?" (http:/ / imperial-library. info/ fsg/ nazzarticle3. shtml). . Retrieved September 4, 2006. [24] Imperial Geographical Society. "Pocket Guide to The Empire: The Wild Regions" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ pocket-guide-empire-first-edition-wild-regions). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [25] "The True Nature of Orcs" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ morrowind-true-nature-orcs). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [26] "The Anticipations" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ morrowind-anticipations). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [27] Xanathar. "Tamriel Timeline - First Era" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ first-era). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [28] Tyston Bane. "The Pig Children" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ morrowind-pig-children). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [29] Odiva Gallwood. "History of Daggerfall" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ daggerfall-history-daggerfall). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [30] Imperial Geographical Society. "Pocket Guide to The Empire: Hammerfell" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ pocket-guide-empire-first-edition-hammerfell). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [31] "A Compilation of Redguard History" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ daggerfall-compilation-redguard-history). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [32] Sathyr Longleat. "Wayrest, Jewel of the Bay" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ daggerfall-wayrest-jewel-bay). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [33] "Elder Scrolls Codex: Orc" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ races_orc. htm). . Retrieved September 5, 2006. [34] "Elder Scrolls Codex: Breton" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ races_breton. htm). . Retrieved September 4, 2006. [35] Imperial Geographical Society. "Pocket Guide to The Empire: Cyrodiil" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ pocket-guide-empire-first-edition-cyrodiil). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [36] "Elder Scrolls Codex: Imperial" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ races_imperial. htm). . Retrieved September 4, 2006. [37] (1996) Bethesda Softworks Daggerfall instruction manual Bethesda Softworks, 10-11. [38] "Elder Scrolls Codex: Nord" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ races_nord. htm). . Retrieved September 4, 2006. [39] "Elder Scrolls Codex: Redguard" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ races_redguard. htm). . Retrieved September 4, 2006. [40] "Elder Scrolls Codex: Argonian" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ races_argonian. htm). . Retrieved September 5, 2006.

29

Races
[41] Brendan. "Argonian Compendium" (http:/ / imperial-library. info/ fsg/ brendanarticle1. shtml). . Retrieved September 5, 2006. [42] "The Anuad Paraphrased" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ morrowind-annotated-anuad). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [43] "The Monomyth: Introduction" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ morrowind-monomyth). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [44] Zeph. "The Elder Scrolls Treasury III: TES3 Encyclopaedia: Argonians" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ zephs-tes-treasury) (PDF). p. 15. . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [45] "UESPWiki: Oblivion - Fighter's Guild Quests: The Hist" (http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Oblivion:The_Hist). . Retrieved September 5, 2006. [46] Imperial Geographical Society. "Pocket Guide to The Empire: The Elsweyr Confederacy" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ pocket-guide-empire-first-edition-elsweyr-confederacy). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [47] "Elder Scrolls Codex: Khajiit" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ races_khajiit. htm). . Retrieved September 5, 2006. [48] Raptormeat. "Khajiit Physiology Phases and Forms" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ khajiit-physiology-phases-and-forms). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [49] "Skyrims Werewolf Detailed; Powerful But Not Unstoppable" (http:/ / www. justpushstart. com/ 2011/ 11/ 10/ skyrims-werewolf-detailed-powerful-but-not-unstoppable/ ). Just Push Start. . Retrieved 11/10/11. [50] Sul, Marobar. "The Seed" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ morrowind-ancient-tales-dwemer-part-2-seed). The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Ancient Tales of the Dwemer (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ morrowind-ancient-tales-dwemer). Bethesda Softworks. The Imperial Library (http:/ / imperial-library. info/ ). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [51] Faern Sargtlin. "The Story of Morrowind: Arkngthand, Dwemer Ruins" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ arkngthand-dwemer-ruins). . Retrieved October 18, 2010. [52] "UESPWiki - Morrowind: Antabolis Informant" (http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Morrowind:Antabolis_Informant). . Retrieved August 29, 2006. [53] Hasphat Antabolis. "Collected Essays on Dwemer History and Culture, Chapter 1: Marobar Sul and the Trivialization of the Dwemer in Popular Culture" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ oblivion-essays-dwemer-history-and-culture). . Retrieved October 18, 2010.

30

Jonric (2006-04-18). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Team Q&A #2" (http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/702/ 702075p1.html). IGN. Retrieved 2007-05-27.

31

Development
Bethesda Softworks
Bethesda Softworks, LLC

Type Industry

Limited liability company Interactive entertainment Computer and video games Bethesda, Maryland (1986) [1]

Founded

Headquarters Rockville, Maryland, U.S Key people Vlatko Andonov, President Todd Vaughn, VP Development Pete Hines, VP PR & Marketing Ron Seger, VP Sales Todd Howard, Executive Producer and Game Director Ashley Cheng, Production Director The Elder Scrolls, Fallout ZeniMax Media www.bethsoft.com [2]

Products Parent Website

Bethesda Softworks, LLC, is an American video game company. A subsidiary of ZeniMax Media, the company was originally based in Bethesda, Maryland and eventually moved to their current location in Rockville, Maryland. Consisting of a broad portfolio of games in role-playing, racing, simulation, and sports, Bethesda Softworks' major franchises are distributed worldwide.

History
Bethesda Softworks has been a developer and publisher of interactive entertainment content for over two decades. Founded in 1986 by Christopher Weaver in Bethesda, Maryland and moved to Rockville, Maryland in 1990, the company has a long history of PC and console games. In 1998, Weaver decided to expand the company beyond PC games and into multimedia and invited Robert A. Altman to help manage the budding company. Weaver and Altman co-founded ZeniMax Media Inc. in 1999.[3] Bethesda is credited with the creation of the first physics-based sports simulation (Gridiron!) in 1986 for the Atari ST, Commodore Amiga and Commodore 64/128. Early games scored respectably in the gaming press, earning accolades as "the most accurate and enjoyable simulation of a sport I have ever had the pleasure to play", "the best ice hockey sim yet", for Wayne Gretzky Hockey.[4] [5] The company is best known for creating The Elder Scrolls RPG series, based upon the original programming of Julian Lefay. The first chapter of the series, entitled The Elder Scrolls: Arena, was released in 1994. Since that time, numerous other chapters have been released. The game's direct sequels, Daggerfall, Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim were released in 1996, 2002, 2006, and 2011, respectively.

Bethesda Softworks Additionally, the game has had three spin-offs: Battlespire (1997), Redguard, (1998) and The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey (2004). Bethesda is also known for publishing titles based upon popular movie franchises, including The Terminator, Star Trek, and Pirates of the Caribbean. In 2004, the Fallout franchise was acquired by Bethesda Softworks from Interplay Productions and the development of Fallout 3 was handed over to Bethesda Game Studios. Fallout 3 was released on October 28, 2008. Five Downloadable Content Packs for Fallout 3 were released in the year following its releaseOperation: Anchorage, The Pitt, Broken Steel, Point Lookout, and Mothership Zeta. Bethesda continues to expand their publishing into new franchises. In 2009, Bethesda released WET and Rogue Warrior, in 2010 Obsidian Entertainment's new Fallout title, Fallout: New Vegas was published and Splash Damage's Brink was released in May 2011. Hunted: The Demon's Forge, a fantasy action game developed by inXile Entertainment was released on May 31, 2011. On June 24, 2009, Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, acquired id Software, whose titles, including RAGE, will be published by Bethesda Softworks[6] it was later announced that any games using the new id Tech 5 game engine will be published by them.

32

Bethesda Game Studios

Bethesda Game Studios (BGS) is the in-house development team led by Todd Howard. In the past, not all BGS titles were published by the Softworks division; however, beginning with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion on PlayStation 3, Bethesda Softworks is publishing all Bethesda Game Studios games, including their more recent game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Notable games
Released
Gridiron! (1986) The Terminator (1990) Terminator 2029 (1992) The Elder Scrolls: Arena (1994) The Terminator: Future Shock (1995) SkyNET (1996) The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (1996) An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire (1997) The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard (1998) IHRA Drag Racing (2000) The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002) Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth (2005) Star Trek: Legacy (2006) Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow (2006) The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006) Fallout 3 (2008) Rogue Warrior (2009) WET (2009) Fallout: New Vegas (2010) Brink (2011)

Hunted: The Demon's Forge (2011) RAGE (2011) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)

Bethesda Softworks

33

Upcoming
Doom 4 Prey 2 Dishonored[7] The Crossing (on hold) Fallout 4 (only mentioned) Tattered Hope

References
[1] "Company Profile" (http:/ / www. zenimax. com/ profile. htm). ZeniMax Media. . Retrieved 2010-10-11. [2] http:/ / www. bethsoft. com/ [3] ZeniMax Media Receives $300 Million Investment from [[Providence Equity Partners (http:/ / www. zenimax. com/ news_pressrelease10. 25. 07. htm)]] [4] Walker, Jeff (September 1989). "Wayne Gretzky Hockey" (http:/ / www. amigareviews. leveluphost. com/ waynegr1. htm#waynegretzky1ac). Amiga Computing 2 (4). . Retrieved 2007-06-09. [5] Kennedy, John (December 1989). "It is the Orangeblobs v. the Blackblobs: GRIDIRON!" (http:/ / www. amigareviews. leveluphost. com/ gridiron. htm#gridironac). Amiga Computing. . Retrieved 2007-06-09. [6] "ZeniMax Media Acquires id Software" (http:/ / www. reuters. com/ article/ pressRelease/ idUS160209+ 24-Jun-2009+ PRN20090624). Reuters.com. 2009-06-24. . Retrieved 2009-09-11. [7] Yin-Poole, Wesley (7 July 2011). "Bethesda announces Dishonored" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ 2011-07-07-bethesda-announces-dishonoured). Eurogamer. . Retrieved 2011-07-08.

External links
Bethesda Softworks' official website (http://www.bethsoft.com/) Bethesda Game Studios (http://bgs.bethsoft.com/) ZeniMax Media Inc. (http://www.zenimax.com/) UESP on Bethesda (http://www.uesp.net/wiki/General:Bethesda) The UESPWiki (http://uesp.net/) article on Bethesda The Elder Scrolls official website (http://www.elderscrolls.com/) Bethesda Softworks' (http://www.mobygames.com/company/bethesda-softworks-llc) profile on MobyGames Moby Games (http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,41987/) Contains a brief bio and games credit list for Bethesda founder Christopher Weaver

Development history of The Elder Scrolls series

34

Development history of The Elder Scrolls series

The development history of The Elder Scrolls series began in 1992, when the staff of Bethesda Softworks, which had until then been a predominantly sports game-producing company, decided to shift the focus of their upcoming Arena from arena combat into role-playing. In 1994, the team released the first-person RPG The Elder Scrolls: Arena for DOS PC systems. The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, the next series game, was published in 1996. Fueled by the modest success of Arena, Daggerfall attempted to create a game world larger than Great Britain, rendered in a fully 3D engine, and build a skill-system that revolved around skill building rather than experience gains. Daggerfall suffered from that very ambition: rushed to publication, the game was found tortuously buggy, and prohibitively hardware-intensive. Following Daggerfall's release, Bethesda ceased any development on any numbered series title until 1998, developing in the interim An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire, released in 1997, and The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, released in 1998. Both games had a smaller focus than the numbered series titles: Battlespire limited itself to dungeon-romping; Redguard was a linear third-person action-adventure game. The release of Morrowind in 2002 saw a return to the old-style expansive and non-linear gameplay, and a shift towards individually detailed landscapes and items, with a smaller game-world than past titles. Morrowind was released on both the Xbox and the PC, and saw popular and critical success on both, selling upwards of 4 million units by mid 2005. Work began on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in 2002, immediately after Morrowind's publication. Oblivion focused on providing a tighter storyline, improved AI, physics and graphics. The game was released on the PC and Xbox 360 in early 2006, and the PlayStation 3 in early 2007. Further content was distributed over Xbox Live and the Internet through micropayments. Bethesda released two expansion packs for Oblivion in late 2006 and early 2007: The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine, which included all previously released micro-content releases, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles. On 11 December 2010, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was announced. The game had been in development for four years,[1] and was released on 11 November 2011.[2]

Arena (19921994)
Background
Prior to working on the Elder Scrolls series, Bethesda worked predominantly with sports games. In the six years from their founding to Arena's release, in 1992, Bethesda had released ten games, six of them sports games[3] games with such titles as Hockey League Simulator, NCAA Basketball: Road To The Final Four ('91/'92 Edition), and Wayne Gretzky Hockey[4] and the remaining four adaptations from other media[3] adaptations predominantly from the Terminator series.[4] Bethesda's history as a sport and port game developer did not help it when it began its first action-RPG venture. Designer Ted Peterson recalls the experience: "I remember talking to the guys at SirTech who were doing Wizardry: Crusaders of the Dark Savant at the time, and them literally laughing at us for thinking we could do it."[5] Ted Peterson worked alongside Vijay Lakshman as one of the two designers of what was then simply Arena, a "medieval-style gladiator game."[5] [6]

Development history of The Elder Scrolls series

35

Staff
Peterson, Lakshman and Julian LeFay were those who, in Peterson's opinion, "really spear-headed the initial development of the series."[5] Game journalist Joe Blancato, however, credits company co-founder Chris Weaver with the development: "If Weaver had a baby, Arena was it, and it showed." During the development of Arena, Todd Howard, later Executive Producer of Oblivion, joined Bethesda, testing the CD-ROM version of Arena as his first assignment.[3] Ted Peterson had joined the company in 1992, working assignments on Terminator 2029, Terminator Rampage, and Terminator: Future Shock, as well as other "fairly forgettable titles".[5]

Influences
Peterson, Lakshman and LeFay were longtime aficionados of pencil and paper role-playing games,[5] and it was from these games that the world of Tamriel was created.[6] They were also fans of Looking Glass Studios' Ultima Underworld series, which became their main inspiration for Arena.[5] The influence of Legends of Valour, a game Ted Peterson describes as a "free-form first-person perspective game that took place in a single city", has also been noted.[5] [6] Peterson, asked for his overall comment on the game, replied "It was certainly derivative...". Aside from the fact that Bethesda had made Arena "Much, much bigger" than other titles on the market, Peterson held that the team "[wasn't] doing anything too new" in Arena.[5]

Design goals
Initially, Arena was not to be an RPG at all. The player, and a team of his fighters, would travel about a world fighting other teams in their arenas until the player became "grand champion" in the world's capital, the Imperial City.[6] Along the way, side quests of a more role-playing nature could be completed. As the process of development progressed, however, the tournaments became less important and the side quests more.[5] RPG elements were added to the game, as the game expanded to include the cities outside the arenas, and dungeons beyond the cities.[6] Eventually it was decided to drop the idea of tournaments altogether, and focus on quests and dungeons,[5] on making the game a "full-blown RPG".[6] The original concept of arena combat had never made it to the coding stage, and so few artifacts from that era of development remain: the game's title, and a text file with the names of fighting teams from every large city in Tamriel, and a brief introduction for them.[7] The concept of traveling teams was eventually left aside as well, because the team's decision to produce a first-person RPG had made the system somewhat less fun.[6] Although the team had dropped all arena combat from the end game, because all the material had already been printed up with the title, the game went to market as The Elder Scrolls: Arena. The team retconned the idea that, because the Empire of Tamriel was so violent, it had been nicknamed the Arena. The title remained awkward. It was Lakshman who came up with the idea of "The Elder Scrolls", and though, in the words of Ted Peterson, "I don't think he knew what the hell it meant any more than we did",[5] the words eventually came to mean "Tamriel's mystical tomes of knowledge that told of its past, present, and future."[6] The game's initial voice-over was changed in response, beginning: "It has been foretold in the Elder Scrolls ..."[5]

Release and impact

The game's release was disastrous. Bethesda missed their Christmas 1993 deadline, and was forced to release the game in the "doldrums" of March 1994, "really serious for a small developer/publisher like Bethesda Softworks." The misleading packaging further contributed to distributor distaste for the game, leading to an initial distribution of only 3,000 unitsa smaller number even, recalls Peterson, than the sales for his Terminator: 2029 add-on. "We were sure we had screwed the company and we'd go out of business." Nonetheless, sales continued, month after month, as news of the game was passed on by word-of-mouth.[5]

Development history of The Elder Scrolls series Soon, despite harsh reviews, general bugginess,[5] and the formidable demands the game made on players' machines,[8] the game became a cult hit.[3] Evaluations of the game's success vary from "minor"[5] to "modest"[8] to "wild",[3] but are unvarying in presenting the game as a success. Game historian Matt Barton concludes that, in any case, "the game set a new standard for this type of CRPG, and demonstrated just how much room was left for innovation."[8]

36

Daggerfall (19941996)
Design goals
Work on The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall began immediately after Arena's release in March 1994.[9] Ted Peterson was assigned the role of Lead Game Designer.[5] Originally titled Mournhold and set in Morrowind, the game was eventually relocated to the provinces of High Rock and Hammerfell. Daggerfall's plot was opened up beyond Arena's clichd and linear "find the eight missing pieces of the "Staff of Chaos" and use it to rescue the Emperor from a dimensional prison",[8] and, said Ted Peterson, "that most cliched of all role-playing conventions, slaying the wicked wizard", to a "complex series of adventures leading to multiple resolutions".[5] With Daggerfall, Arena's experience-point based system was replaced with one that rewarded the player for actually role-playing their character.[9] Daggerfall came equipped with an improved character generation engine, one that included not only Arena's basic class choices, but also a GURPS-influenced class creation system, offering players the chance to create their own classes, and assign their own skills.[5] [10] Daggerfall was initially developed with an updated 2.5D raycast engine, like Doom's, but it was eventually dropped in favor of XnGine, one of the first truly 3D engines. Daggerfall realized a gameworld twice the size of Great Britain,[9] filled with 15,000 towns and a population of 750,000.[3]

Influences
Daggerfall, in Peterson's opinion, was little-influenced by contemporary video games, as they simply "weren't very interesting". "I can remember playing the latest King's Quest, Doom, and Sam and Max Hit the Road while working on it, but I can't say they had any profound impact on the story or design." Daggerfall's most profound influences came from whatever analog games and literature Julian LeFay or Ted Peterson happened to be playing or reading at the time, such as Dumas's The Man in the Iron Mask, which influenced "the quest where the player had to find the missing Prince of Sentinel", and Vampire: The Masquerade, which influenced "the idea of vampire tribes throughout the region".[5]

Release
Daggerfall was released on August 31, 1996,[11] within the game's intended release window.[12] Like that of Arena, Daggerfall's release suffered from buggy code. It was patchable code, however, a fact that nonetheless left consumers disgruntled.[8] The yearning to avoid what were, in LeFay's words, "all the stupid patches we had for Daggerfall" led to a more cautious release schedule in the future.[13]

Battlespire and Redguard (19961998)

Battlespire
Following the release of Daggerfall, work began on three separate projects all at once: Battlespire, Redguard, and Morrowind, for it had become clear that the gaming audience hungered for more games, more often. Battlespire, originally titled Dungeon of Daggerfall: Battlespire, was the first of the three to be released,[14] on November 30, 1997.[15]

Development history of The Elder Scrolls series Originally designed as an expansion pack for Daggerfall, Battlespire focused on what Bethesda has since called "the best part of Daggerfall": dungeon romping. Battlespire would be smaller in scope than previous titles and would feature "intense level design". It was also to offer multiplayer gaming,player versus player deathmatch, as it werethe only series title to do so, as of 2011. Later in development, Morrowind was put on hold, and its staff transferred over to Battlespire and Redguard. Battlespire was repackaged as a stand-alone game, and sold as An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire.[14]

37

Redguard
Redguard was the second of the three titles to be released, on October 31, 1998.[16] With the inspiration of Tomb Raider, Prince of Persia, and the Ultima series, Bethesda was to create a new series of pure action-adventure games under the Elder Scrolls Adventures label. Players would talk to NPCs through keywords, use items to solve puzzles, and follow an "epic" storyline, all the while moving through dungeons, swordfights and chasms.[17] With Redguard, the team focused its art time on achieving great detail in one particular area with the XnGine, creating the real-time 3D environments of the island and town of Stros M'kai. Redguard did not offer the player the chance to create their own character. Instead, players would play the prefabricated "Cyrus the Redguard".[17]

Impact
Both games were failures with the gaming public. Players used to the vast open spaces of Daggerfall did not take well to the reduced worlds of Redguard and Battlespire. There was a downturn in sales in The Elder Scrolls franchise and elsewhere, and Bethesda flirted with bankruptcy. Asked if he had ever been worried, Howard replied: "Oh, sure. Over my 13 years here, that's a long time, you're going to have bumps. The years immediately following Daggerfall were probably the worst. We made some bad decisions and some bad games."[3]

Morrowind (19982003)
Early design goals
A third title in the Elder Scrolls series was first conceived during the development of Daggerfall, though it was originally to be set in the Summerset Isles and called Tribunal. Following the release of Daggerfall, it was set up around an SVGA version of XnGine, which Bethesda later used in Battlespire, and set in the province of Morrowind.[18] The concept was "much closer to Daggerfall in scope", than the finished product, encompassing the whole province of Morrowind, rather than the isle of Vvardenfell, and allowing the player to join all five Dunmer Great Houses, rather than the three available in publication. The blight was conceived as a dynamic force, progressively expanding and destroying cities in its wake. It was eventually decided that the scope of the original design was too grand given the technology current at the time.[18] According to designer Ken Rolston, something was said approximating "Were not ready for it, we dont want to jump into this and fail".[19] The project was put on hold in 1997, as Bethesda went on to develop Redguard and Battlespire,[18] though the project remained in the back of the developers minds throughout this period.[19] The completion of Redguard in 1998 led to a return to the Morrowind project, as the developers felt a yearning in their audience to return to the classically epic forms of the earlier titles. Finding that the gaps between their own technical capacities and those of rival companies had grown in the interim, Bethesda sought to revitalize itself and return to the forefront of the industry,[18] an effort spearheaded by project leader Todd Howard.[20]

Development history of The Elder Scrolls series

38

Later design goals

XnGine was eventually scrapped and replaced with Numerical Design Limited's Gamebryo, a Direct3D powered engine, with T&L capacity,[19] 32-bit textures and skeletal animation.[21] During their promotional campaign, Bethesda deliberately paralleled their screenshot releases with the announcement of NVIDIA's GeForce 3, as "being indicative of the outstanding water effects the technology is capable of".[22] The scale of the game was much reduced from the earlier concept, focusing primarily on Dagoth Ur and a smaller area of land. It was decided that the game world would be populated using the methods the team had developed in Redguard; that is, the game objects would be crafted by hand, rather than generated using the random algorithmic methods of Arena and Daggerfall. By 2000, Morrowind was to be unequivocally a single-player game, with no chance of multiplayer extension. In the words of Pete Hines, Bethesda's Director of Marketing and PR: "No. Not on release, not three months after, no no no."[23]

Staff
The project, despite the reduced scale, became a massive investment. According to the team's reasonings, the endeavor took "close to 100 man-years to create". To accomplish this feat, Bethesda tripled their staff and spent their first year of development on The Elder Scrolls Construction Set, allowing the game staff to easily balance the game and to modify it in small increments rather than large.[18] According to project leader Todd Howard, the Construction Set came as the result of a communal yearning to develop a "role-playing operating system", capable of extension and modification, rather than a particular type of game.[24] Despite the increase in staff, Rolston still felt that the game had few designers, in contrast to the multitudes employed in the production of Oblivion.[25] Ted Peterson, who had left following the release of Daggerfall, returned to work as an author of in-game material, and as a general consultant on the lore-based aspects of the work. "Ken Rolston and Todd Howard have a very firm grasp on all the game aspects of the world, but sometimes they like to have someone to bounce ideas off of, usually about real minutiae of the world."[26]

Promotion and release

Morrowind had an impressive showing at E3 2001,[27] demonstrating a beta build to the public. The same beta build was demonstrated to the staff of PC Gamer for another preview, and was kept around the office as late as June 19 as the subject of later previews, while another test build was developed alongside.[28] On May 5, 2001, Bethesda announced the development of an additional Morrowind release for Microsoft's Xbox. The project was, according to the same release, something that Bethesda had been working on with Microsoft since they had first known of the console.[29] In May 2000, Bethesda set the first expected PC release date in late 2001.[30] Later order forms, such as those by Electronics Boutique, set the date in November. On October 10, 2001, GameSpot reported that Morrowind's release date had been set back to March 2002.[31] On October 12, a press release from Bethesda gave the date of "Spring 2002",[32] confirming GameSpot's supposition of delay without agreeing on the more specific date of "March".[33] Though no rationale behind the delay was given at the time, developer Pete Hines later attributed the delay to a need for game testing and balancing.[34] Although the PC version of Morrowind had gone gold by April 23, 2002,[35] and was released on May 1 in North America,[36] the Xbox release was delayed further. On April 15, GameSpot suggested an Xbox release date sometime in May and a scheduled "going gold" date for the Xbox version in the first week of the same month.[37] In contradiction of the GameSpot supposition, a June 4 Bethesda press release set June 7 as the Xbox release date.[38] On January 3, Bethesda announced that game publisher Ubisoft would take control of Morrowind's European distribution, in addition to those of eight other Bethesda games.[39] Under Ubisoft's supervision, Morrowind's European release took place in two stages: releasing a "semilocalized" version of the game, translating only the

Development history of The Elder Scrolls series manual while leaving the game text in English, in May; and a fully localized version of the game in August. Ubi Soft group brand manager Thomas Petersen described the difficulties of translating a "universe featuring more than a million words" as "quite a task".[40]

39

Strategy guide
In a break from standard industry practice, Bethesda decided to publish their strategy guide in-house, rather than contracting it out to a third party publisher like BradyGames or Prima Games. The decision resulted from a belief among Bethesda staff that they believed in and understood Morrowind more than any external agency, and deserved more royalties than were commonly rewarded. Bethesda hired Peter Olafson, a noted games journalist and friend of the company, and he began work on the guide in January 2002, four months before release.[41] The resulting product, Morrowind Prophecies Strategy Guide, sold over 200,000 copies as of September 24, 2003. Although the royalties from most third-party game publishers approach 25% to 30% only infrequently, Bethesda managed a 70% profit margin on their own.[41] Despite this success, Bethesda decided to allow Prima Games to publish the "official" game guide for the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.[42]

Tribunal
The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal, announced on September 2, 2002 and scheduled for a PC-only release,[43] went gold on November 1[44] and was released, with little fanfare,[45] on November 6.[46] Tribunal puts the player in the self-contained, walled city of Mournhold, an enclave within Morrowind's provincial capital of Almalexia; the new city is not connected to Morrowind's land mass, Vvardenfell, and the player must teleport to it. The storyline continues the story of the Tribunal deities.[43] The choice to produce the expansion was primarily inspired by the success of Morrowind's release, as well as a general feeling that Elder Scrolls series games are ongoing experiences, that merit new things for their players to do.[47] Development on the game began immediately after Morrowind shipped, giving the developers a mere five-month development cycle to release the gamea very fast cycle for the industry. The prior existence of the Construction Set, however, meant that the team "already had the tools in place to add content and features very quickly".[48] Interface improvements, and specifically an overhaul of Morrowind's journal system, were among the key goals for Tribunal's release. The new journal allowed the player to sort quests individually and by completion, reducing the confusion caused by the original's jumbling together of every quest into a single chronological stream.[48] [49]

Bloodmoon
Morrowind's second expansion, The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon, announced on February 14, 2003 and scheduled for release in May of the same year,[50] went gold by May 23,[51] and was released on June 6.[52] It had been worked on since the release of Tribunal in November 2002.[53] In the expansion the player travels to the frozen island of Solstheim and is asked to investigate the uneasiness of the soldiers stationed there. Throughout the travels across the island the player is required to complete a number of rituals in order to investigate the growing population of werewolves.

Oblivion (20022007)
Work on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion began in 2002, immediately after Morrowind's publication.[54] Rumors of a sequel to The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind began circulating June 2004, and were confirmed with Oblivion's official announcement on September 10, 2004.[55] [54] [56] Oblivion was developed by Bethesda Softworks, and the initial Xbox 360 and Personal computer (PC) releases were co-published by Bethesda and Take-Two Interactive subsidiary 2K Games.[57] According to interviews with Bethesda staff, the publisher-developer relationshipone of the few independent relations in the industryworked well, and Bethesda was not subject to excessive corporate

Development history of The Elder Scrolls series guidance.[58] [59] Originally scheduled for a November 22, 2005 release, in tandem with the Xbox 360's launch,[60] Oblivion was delayed to a March 21, 2006 release for Windows PCs and the Xbox 360.[61] Developers working on Oblivion focused on providing a tighter storyline, with fewer filler quests and more developed characters.[62] [63] The developers sought to make information in the game world more accessible to players, making the game easier to pick up and play.[64] Oblivion features improved AI (courtesy of Bethesda's proprietary Radiant AI),[65] [66] improved physics (courtesy of the Havok physics engine),[67] [68] and impressive graphics, taking advantage of advanced lighting and shader routines like high dynamic range rendering (HDR) and specular mapping.[67] [69] [70] Bethesda developed and implemented procedural content creation tools in the creation of Oblivion's terrain, leading to landscapes that are more complex and realistic than those of past titles, with less of a drain on Bethesda's staff.[71] [72] A PlayStation 3 version of Oblivion was released on March 20, 2007 in North America,[73] and April 27, 2007 in Europe,[74] following delays similar to those for the Xbox 360 release.[75] [76] [77] The PlayStation 3 release was touted for its improvement over the graphics of the PC and Xbox 360 versions,[78] [79] although some of the improved shader routines optimized for the PlayStation 3 release were set to be ported over to the other releases through patches.[55] A plan to distribute downloadable content through micropayments was initially met with criticism by customers due to its alleged low value,[80] [81] but later releasesat a reduced price, and with more contentproved more popular.[82] [83] [84]

40

Skyrim (2008Present)
In August 2010, Todd Howard revealed Bethesda were currently working on a game that had been in development since the release of Oblivion, and that progress was very far along. While the game was conceptualised after Oblivion's release, main developement was restricted until after Fallout 3 was released.[1] In November, a journalist from Eurogamer Denmark reported overhearing a developer on a plane talking about the project; a new The Elder Scrolls game,[85] [86] although Bethesda did not comment on the report. At the Spike Video Game Awards in December, Todd Howard appeared on stage to unveil a teaser trailer and announce the title of the game.[87] The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was released on November 11, 2011.

References
[1] Tom Branwell (16 August 2010). "Bethesda's Todd Howard (interview)" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ 2010-08-16-bethesdas-todd-howard-interview). www.eurogamer.net. Eurogamer. . [2] Christopher Grant (11 December 2010). "Skyrim: Elder Scrolls 5 coming 11/11/11" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2010/ 12/ 11/ skyrim-elder-scrolls-5-coming-11-11-11/ ). www.joystiq.com. Joystiq. . Retrieved 11 December 2010. [3] Blancato, Joe (2007-02-06). "Bethesda: The Right Direction" (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ issue/ 83/ 11). The Escapist. . Retrieved 2007-06-01. [4] "Game Browser: Bethesda Softworks LLC" (http:/ / www. mobygames. com/ browse/ games/ bethesda-softworks-llc/ ). MobyGames. . Retrieved 2007-06-09. [5] "Ted Peterson Interview I" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=12). Morrowind Italia. 2001-04-09. . Retrieved 2007-06-08. [6] "Arena - Behind the Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-arena. htm). The Elder Scrolls 10th Anniversary. Bethesda Softworks. 2004. . Retrieved 2007-06-08. [7] "Go Blades!" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ go-blades). The Imperial Library. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [8] Barton, Matt (2007-04-11). "The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part III: The Platinum and Modern Ages (19942004)" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ features/ 20070411/ barton_05. shtml). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-06-08. [9] "Daggerfall - Behind the Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-daggerfall. htm). The Elder Scrolls 10th Anniversary. Bethesda Softworks. 2004. . Retrieved 2007-06-09. [10] "Daggerfall". Next Generation Magazine (11): 825. November 1995. [11] "Daggerfall release dates" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ daggerfall/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [12] Ward, Trent C. (1996-05-01). "Daggerfall Preview" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ daggerfall/ news. html?sid=2558603& om_act=convert& om_clk=gsupdates& tag=updates;title;8). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-14.

Development history of The Elder Scrolls series

[13] "Battlespire". Next Generation Magazine (34): 1245. October 1997. [14] "Battlespire - Behind the Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-battlespire. htm). The Elder Scrolls 10th Anniversary. Bethesda Softworks. 2004. . Retrieved 2007-06-13. [15] "Battlespire release dates" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ battlespire/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-14. [16] "Redguard release dates" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ adventure/ elderscrollsar/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-14. [17] "Redguard - Behind the Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-redguard. htm). The Elder Scrolls 10th Anniversary. Bethesda Softworks. 2004. . Retrieved 2007-06-13. [18] "Morrowind, Behind the Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-morrowind. htm). The Elder Scrolls Tenth Anniversary (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2004. . Retrieved 2006-11-22. [19] Qwerty (2001-07). "Interview with Morrowind Developers" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ interviews-MW-team). The Interviews. Game. EXE. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [20] Eidolon (2000-07). "Development Team chat" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=27). Articles (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. List& category_show_all=1& persist_search=ee4b878e4223070b5eb4aaaa853c5c27& Data_page=2). Planet Elder Scrolls (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ ). VoodooExtreme. GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-11-22. [21] IGN Staff (2000-10-27). "Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Interview 2" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 086/ 086957p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-05-14. [22] Sulic, Ivan (2002-02-08). "The Water of Morrowind" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 324/ 324301p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-05-14. [23] "Development Team Chat #1" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=27). VoodooExtreme (http:/ / ve3d. ign. com/ ). 2000-07-19. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [24] Staff (2000-06-09). "Morrowind Construction Set Announced" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ itemrankings/ fullnews. asp?newsid=1570). GamePen. Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [25] Varney, Allen (2006-05-23). "Oblivion's Ken Rolston Speaks" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070407194524/ http:/ / consumer. hardocp. com/ article. html?art=MTA2NCwxLCxoY29uc3VtZXI=). HardOCP. Archived from the original (http:/ / consumer. hardocp. com/ article. html?art=MTA2NCwxLCxoY29uc3VtZXI=) on April 7, 2007. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [26] Ultimate (2001-07-09). "Ted Peterson Interview II" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=8). . Retrieved 2007-06-14. [27] Walker, Trey (2001-05-23). "E3 2001: Morrowind update" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news_2764670. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-06. [28] Dalin (2001-06-19). "One Man's Journey to Rockville" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=7). . Retrieved 2006-09-22. [29] "Bethesda Softworks Announces The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind For Xbox" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_050401. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2001-05-05. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. [30] Staff (2000-05-12). "Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ preview_2567858. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [31] Walker, Trey (2001-10-01). "Morrowind delayed" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news_2815651. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [32] "Bethesda Softworks set to ship The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind in Spring 2002" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_101201. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2001-10-12. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. [33] Walker, Trey (2001-12-01). "Morrowind delay confirmed" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news_2817768. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [34] "Q&A with Pete Hines" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=33). Morrowind-Guide. Planet Elder Scrolls (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ ). 2001-11-16. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [35] "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind for PC goes gold" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_042302. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2002-04-23. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. Walker, Trey (2002-04-23). "Morrowind goes gold" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news_2862333. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. [36] "PC release dates" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-30. [37] Varanini, Giancarlo (2002-04-15). "Morrowind sees slight delay" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news. html?sid=2861448& mode=all). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [38] "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind for Xbox headed to stores" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_060402. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2002-06-04. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. [39] "Ubi Soft signs major publishing contract with Bethesda Softworks to distribute multiple titles in Europe" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_011102. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2002-01-03. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. [40] Strohm, Axel (2002-04-23). "Europe to get Morrowind next month" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news. html?sid=2862430& mode=news). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-09.

41

Development history of The Elder Scrolls series

[41] "Bethesda Reaps Wild Margins on Its Self-Published Morrowind Book" (http:/ / www. findarticles. com/ p/ articles/ mi_m0PJQ/ is_12_1/ ai_110307909). Electronic Gaming Business. Ziff Davis Media, Find Articles (http:/ / www. findarticles. com). 2002-09-24. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [42] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Official Game Guide) (Paperback)" (http:/ / www. amazon. com/ Elder-Scrolls-IV-Oblivion-Official/ dp/ 0761552766). Amazon.com. . Retrieved 2007-05-13. [43] Parker, Sam (2002-09-06). "Tribunal to expand world of Morrowind" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3tribunal/ news. html?sid=2879545). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-22. [44] Parker, Sam (2002-11-01). "Tribunal goes gold" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3tribunal/ news_2896489. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [45] McNewserson, Newsey (2002-11-08). "Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Ships" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 376/ 376755p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [46] "Tribunal release dates" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3tribunal/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [47] Laprad, David (2002-09-20). "The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Interview" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20050501163026/ http:/ / www. adrenalinevault. com/ articles/ getarticle. asp?name=tribunal). The Adrenaline Vault. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. adrenalinevault. com/ articles/ getarticle. asp?name=tribunal) on 2005-05-01. . Retrieved 2007-05-13. [48] Staff (2002-10-11). "The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Q&A" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3tribunal/ preview_2885348. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [49] Abner, William (2002-12-08). "Morrowind: Tribunal Review, page 1" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ reviews/ december02/ tribunalpc/ ). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. Brenesal, Barry (2002-12-09). "Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Review, page 1" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 379/ 379780p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. Desslock (2002-11-21). "Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Review, page 2" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3tribunal/ review. html?page=2). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [50] "Bloodmoon Overview" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ games/ bloodmoon_overview. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2003-02-14. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. Colayco, Bob (2003-02-14). "Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon announced" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3bloodmoon/ news. html?sid=2910947). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [51] Parker, Sam (2003-05-23). "Morrowind expansion goes gold" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3bloodmoon/ news. html?sid=6028892). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [52] "Bloodmoon release dates" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3bloodmoon/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [53] Staff (2003-05-30). "The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon Q&A" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3bloodmoon/ preview_6025949. html?page=1). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [54] Thorsen, Tor (2004-09-10). "Elder Scrolls IV coming to PC, next-gen" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6107156). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [55] "New Job Openings" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ news_0403. htm). News 20042003. Bethesda Softworks. 2004-06-16. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. Thorsen, Tor (2004-06-16). "Development of next-gen Elder Scrolls under way?" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news_6100799. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. "Obviously, we like candidates who understand RPGs and are familiar with the games we've made in the past." [56] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion announced" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ news_0403. htm). News 20042003. Bethesda Softworks. 2004-09-10. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [57] "Bethesda Softworks Signs Co-Publishing Agreement with Take-Two Interactive for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_020305. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2005-02-03. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. Thorsen, Tor (2005-02-03). "Take-Two to copublish Elder Scrolls IV, Cthulhu" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6117825). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [58] "Interview: Oblivion Game Producer Gavin Carter" (http:/ / www. gameproducer. net/ 2006/ 05/ 25/ interview-oblivion-game-producer-gavin-carter/ ). Game Producer.net. 2006-05-25. . Retrieved 2007-05-27. [59] Malygris (2005-03-02). "Q&A With Ashley Cheng of Bethesda" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070714151446/ http:/ / www. warcry. com/ scripts/ columns/ view_sectionalt. phtml?site=15& id=102& colid=6611). WarCry Network. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. warcry. com/ scripts/ columns/ view_sectionalt. phtml?site=15& id=102& colid=6611) on July 14, 2007. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [60] Surette, Tim (2005-10-06). "Nine more games target 360 launch" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?page=1& sid=6135223). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [61] Thorsen, Tor (2005-10-31). "Elder Scrolls IV missing Xbox 360 launch" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6136973). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. Valerias (2005-12-10). "Oblivion: Release Date Dramas" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=35). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-05-27.

42

Development history of The Elder Scrolls series

[62] Howard, Todd. "The RPG for the Next Generation" (http:/ / elderscrolls. com/ codex/ team_rpgnextgen. htm). Bethesda Softworks. . Retrieved 2007-03-26. [63] Stargleman (2005-05-29). "E3 2005 Coverage: Gavin Carter" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=5). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-05-27. [64] Callaham, John (2005-09-26). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20051103190838/ http:/ / www. gamecloud. com/ article. php?article_id=1635). Gamecloud. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. gamecloud. com/ article. php?article_id=1635) on 2005-11-03. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [65] Houghton, Mat. "Developers Corner: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / www. gamechronicles. com/ qa/ elderscrolls4/ oblivion. htm). Game Chronicles. . Retrieved 2007-08-11. [66] Husemann, Charles (2005-06-02). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview" (http:/ / gamingnexus. com/ Default. aspx?Section=Article& ArticleType=3& OldUID=104). Gaming Nexus. . Retrieved 2007-08-11. [67] Hammond, Alex (2005-03-25). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview" (http:/ / www. gameplaymonthly. com/ interviews/ oblivion. htm). Gameplay Monthly. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [68] Shuman, Sid (2006-05-23). "Living in Oblivion" (http:/ / www. games. net/ article/ feature/ 101408/ living-in-oblivion/ ). games.net. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [69] "Oblivion interview - Gavin Carter of Bethesda" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070609150144/ http:/ / www. elitebastards. com/ page. php?pageid=12316). Elite Bastards. 2005-10-20. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. elitebastards. com/ page. php?pageid=12316) on June 9, 2007. . Retrieved 2007-06-01. [70] dela Fuente, Derek (2005-07-20). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Q&A" (http:/ / www. totalvideogames. com/ articles/ Elder_Scrolls_IV_Oblivion_-_QA_Feature_8066_4139_0_0_0_0_20. htm). TVG. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [71] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview with Gavin Carter" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ elderscrolls/ elder4/ elder4interview. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2007-06-17. [72] Berry, Noah. "A Brief History of Cyrodiil" (http:/ / elderscrolls. com/ codex/ team_teamprof_nberry. htm). Bethesda Softworks. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [73] Staff (2007-03-19). "Bethesda Confirms Oblivion PS3 Shipping" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=13091). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [74] Bishop, Stuart (2007-03-19). "Oblivion misses Euro PS3 launch" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ article. php?id=160219). Computer and Video Games. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. Boyes, Emma (2007-03-20). "Top titles to miss Euro PS3 launch" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps3/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6167680). GameSpot UK. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [75] Thorsen, Tor (2006-11-08). "Retail Radar: PS3 F.E.A.R and Oblivion pushed to 2007" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6161356. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [76] Thorsen, Tor (2006-11-09). "Confirmed: PS3 Oblivion now "Q1 2007 title"" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6161417. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [77] Sinclair, Brendan (2007-03-06). "PS3 embraces Oblivion March 20" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps3/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6166890). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [78] Haynes, Jeff (2007-02-06). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Hands-on" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 762/ 762108p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [79] Sanders, Kathleen (2006-08-11). "Oblivion: The PS3 Interview" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 738/ 738319p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [80] Surette, Tim (2006-04-03). "Oblivion horse armor now available" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?page=1& sid=6147013). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [81] Klepek, Patrick (2006-04-04). "Bethesda Responds To Oblivion Issues" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3149299). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [82] Sinclair, Brendan (2006-04-07). "Next Oblivion add-on priced" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6147320). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [83] Ransom-Wiley, James (2006-04-07). "Bethesda patching Oblivion, lowers cost of future content download" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 04/ 07/ bethesda-patching-oblivion-lowers-cost-of-future-content-downlo/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [84] Summa, Robert (2006-07-11). "Next Oblivion download available Thursday" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 07/ 11/ next-oblivion-download-available-thursday/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [85] Wesley Yin-Poole (23 November 2010). "Rumour: Elder Scrolls 5 in the works" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ 2010-11-23-rumour-elder-scrolls-5-in-the-works). www.eurogamer.net. Eurogamer. . [86] Kristian West (22 November 2010). "The Elder Scrolls V p vej" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. dk/ articles/ 2010-11-22-the-elder-scrolls-v-paa-vej) (in Danish). www.eurogamer.dk. Eurogamer. . [87] David Hughes (12 December 2010). "Bethesda unveils Elder Scrolls V, confirms direct sequel to Oblivion" (http:/ / www. huliq. com/ 10177/ bethesda-unveils-elder-scrolls-v-confirms-direct-sequel-oblivion). www.huliq.com. .

43

"The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview with Gavin Carter" (http://www.rpgamer.com/games/elderscrolls/ elder4/elder4interview.html). RPGamer. Retrieved 2007-06-17.

Development history of The Elder Scrolls series Carless, Simon (2006-04-25). "Report: Oblivion To Debut On PS3, PSP" (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/ news_index.php?story=9035). Gamasutra. Retrieved 2007-06-26. Carless, Simon (2007-01-18). "Bethesda Confirms Oblivion Expansion For Xbox Live Distribution" (http:// www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12424). Gamasutra. Retrieved 2007-06-26. Dobson, Jason (2006-09-28). "Oblivion Confirmed For PS3 Launch, PSP in Spring" (http://www.gamasutra. com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=11048). Gamasutra. Retrieved 2007-06-26. Ransom-Wiley, James (2007-01-09). "Bethesda mum about Oblivion expansion" (http://www.joystiq.com/ 2007/01/09/bethesda-mum-about-oblivion-expansion/). Joystiq. Retrieved 2007-07-09. Rose, Alan (2005-11-06). "Oblivion update on Bethesda forums" (http://www.joystiq.com/2005/11/06/ oblivion-update-on-bethesda-forums/). Joystiq. Retrieved 2007-07-09. Rose, Alan (2006-08-09). "No official Oblivion expansions planned" (http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/09/ no-official-oblivion-expansions-planned/). Joystiq. Retrieved 2007-07-09. Staff (2007-03-19). "Bethesda Confirms Oblivion PS3 Shipping" (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/ news_index.php?story=13091). Gamasutra. Retrieved 2007-06-26.

44

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The development of video game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion began in 2002, immediately after its predecessor, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, was published.[1] Rumors of a sequel to Morrowind began circulating in June 2004; the sequel's title was identified on September 10, 2004, the date of its official announcement.[2] [1] [3] Oblivion was developed by Bethesda Softworks, and the initial Xbox 360 and Personal computer (PC) releases were co-published by Bethesda and Take-Two Interactive's subsidiary, 2K Games.[4] According to interviews with Bethesda staff, the publisher-developer relationshipone of the few independent relations in the industryworked well, and Bethesda was not subject to excessive corporate guidance.[5] [6] Originally scheduled for a November 22, 2005 release, in tandem with the Xbox 360's launch,[7] Oblivion was delayed to a March 21, 2006 release for Windows PCs and the Xbox 360.[8] Developers working on Oblivion focused on providing a tighter storyline, with fewer filler quests and more developed characters.[9] [10] The developers sought to make information in the game world more accessible to players, making the game easier to pick up and play.[11] Oblivion features improved AI (courtesy of Bethesda's proprietary Radiant AI),[12] [13] improved physics (courtesy of the Havok physics engine),[14] [15] and impressive graphics, taking advantage of advanced lighting and shader routines like high dynamic range rendering (HDR) and specular mapping.[14] [16] [17] Bethesda developed and implemented procedural content creation tools in the creation of Oblivion's terrain, leading to landscapes that are more complex and realistic than those of past titles, with less of a drain on Bethesda's staff.[18] [19] A PlayStation 3 version of Oblivion was released on March 20, 2007 in North America,[20] and April 27, 2007 in Europe,[21] following delays similar to those for the Xbox 360 release.[22] [23] [24] The PlayStation 3 release was touted for its improvement over the graphics of the PC and Xbox 360 versions,[25] [26] although some of the improved shader routines optimized for the PlayStation 3 release were set to be ported over to the other releases through patches.[2] A plan to distribute content through downloads paid by micropayment was initially met with criticism by customers due to its alleged low value,[27] [28] but later releasesat a reduced price, and with more contentproved more popular.[29] [30] [31]

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

45

Business
Rumors and official announcements
The first rumors of another Elder Scrolls release after The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind began to circulate in June 2004, following Bethesda's posting of an e-mail searching for new staff. The new staff members were to participate on a team that would push "the bleeding-edge of RPG development for the PC and future-generation consoles". For those considering the job, the e-mail suggested that "knowledge of...The Elder Scrolls [is] a plus". At the time, a member of Bethesda's staff played down the importance of the last comment, noting that Bethesda would "obviously" prefer applicants familiar with the company's products.[2] Rumors were confirmed on July 12, 2004, when it was announced that Fallout 3 and the next Elder Scrolls title would be published by Bethesda and produced by Todd Howard.[32] The title of the release was listed on September 10, 2004, when Bethesda officially announced the identity of the game in question: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, followed by a feature in the October 2004 issue of Game Informer.[1] [3] At the time of the announcement, Bethesda had been working on Oblivion for two years (since 2002[1] ), just as Bethesda was completing work on Morrowind.[33] [34]

Release delays
Although preliminary reports from Reuters suggested an Oblivion release in tandem with the launch of the Xbox 360 on November 22, 2005,[7] and the original announcement of the game set a release date of Winter 2005,[35] Take-Two Interactive announced, during a conference call with analysts on October 31, 2005, that Oblivion's release was to be delayed until the second quarter of Take-Two's fiscal year. The new schedule would put the release between February and April 2006. The delay surprised many, especially online retailers, who had begun accepting pre-orders for consoles bundled with Oblivion.[8] News of the delay came at a time following a burst of bad news from the company, including a 60% drop in expected earnings per share, the ongoing Hot Coffee minigame controversy, worse than average sales for the company's flagship Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, sudden drops in share prices, and delays for other company products.[36] Most commentators blamed Take-Two's corporate governance; one analyst stated that the company's troubles were more "company-specific than market-driven",[37] and another declared company CEO Paul Eibeler to be the "worst CEO of 2005", pointing to "setbacks on the rollouts of newer games" as evidence of his failure.[38] Pete Hines, Vice President of PR and Marketing for Bethesda, and Todd Howard, Executive Producer for the game, gave an update about the delay on the weekend of November 6, 2005. They planned to give updates every subsequent weekend until the game's release. A commentator from Joystiq complained of the vagueness of the updates: "they don't get any more specific than to say, 'There is work that still needs to be done'. In fact, they say this three times just to make sure we know how hard they are working....While it's nice to see the development team taking time out to update the fans, if the announcements continue to be as vague as this one, I'd rather just see them spend the extra time on the actual game."[39]

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

46

Product showings
On May 16, 2005, Bethesda announced that they would be releasing Oblivion on Microsoft's Xbox 360, and that the game's public debut would come at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles on May 18, 2005.[35] The version shown at E3 was substantially finished; most content was already in the game, lacking only the polish that the final months of development would bring. The game's world, for example, had already been fully constructed but still needed to undergo a "clutter pass", wherein minor game items"books, weapons, and thousands of forks and plates"are dropped into the game world.[40]
The Los Angeles Convention Center, where the

Howard himself never took to the show. "It's like a beauty pageant," he Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was held. told one reporter. "I have 20 minutes to give you a presentation on our games that by their nature are hard to demo in that time period, and then the person is going to check their watch and walk out and go see someone else's demo."[41] Hines aimed to play against the standard convention at the show, avoiding the "noise and lights and heat and masses" of the show floor by retiring to a mini-theaterwith air-conditioning, comfortable seating, and dim lightingwhere viewers could rest in peace.[42] Howard agreed with the choice: "We've always taken sort of the meeting room approach. We don't have loud crazy booths."[41] During Microsoft's E3 pre-show conference, a ten-second preview of Oblivion was shown amid demo reels for other games. The preview consisted of a series of brief second-long shots of the game.[43] Later on, during E3 proper, Bethesda showed a longer 25-minute demo that showcased further clipped scenes: the opening dungeon, a procedurally rendered forest, one of the game's towns, and other locales.[33] [44] Most viewers were impressed by Oblivion's showing. In the words of one reporter, "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion isn't just one of the brightest gems in the Xbox 360's upcoming launch lineup, but it's also perhaps a perfect example of a next-generation role-playing game."[45] Oblivion won a number of "best of" awards from a variety of game journalists: GameSpy's "RPG Game of Show"[46] GameSpot's "Best RPG",[47] IGN's "Best PC RPG",[48] RPGFan's "Best Overall Game of E3 2005",[49] and, most prestigiously, the "Best Role Playing Game" in the 2005 E3 Game Critics Awards.[50] A near-final build of Oblivion would later be shown at Microsoft's Consumer Electronics Show press tentbut not at its public Xbox 360 booth[51] in January 2006, showcasing the game's exteriors. A Joystiq reporter at the scene was not entirely impressed, finding the demo marred by long load times and slowdowns during combat. An Xbox representative reassured the reporter that all such issues would be worked out before the game's retail release.[52] In the months prior to release, anticipation for the game ran high, with critics describing Oblivion as "the first next-gen game" only heightening attention. "People were expecting the game to cure blindness and heal the sick," said Hines.[53]

Xbox 360 and PC release

After an almost four-month delay, Oblivion went gold on March 2, 2006[54] and was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on March 21, 2006.[55] Early rumors notwithstanding, Oblivion shipped on a single DVD-DL disc.[56] One journalist voiced concern for the game's release date, as it was set in the same week as that of EA's The Godfather. Hines dismissed the suggestion, saying, "We tend to focus on what we can control and not worry about what we can't control. Given the level of interest and the number of pre-orders and so forth, we had a pretty good idea we'd be just fine no matter what else was happening that week."[57] Oblivion was the first RPG title to be released for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console.[54] In addition to the standard release version, a Collector's Edition was released for both Windows and Xbox 360 which includes the 112-page Pocket Guide to the Empire, a bonus DVD containing concept art, renders, and an approximately 45-minute long documentary on the making of Oblivion, and a coin replica of the in-game currency of Tamriel.[58] Its suggested release price of US$69.99 brought back

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion "memories of game prices circa the Nintendo 64" for one Kotaku commentator.[59] Some suggested that the included coin be used to create a "garish piece of jewelry".[60] Oblivion was well-received in the gaming press; there was no critical disappointment, no "bump" in popular expectations, that might have been expected for such a highly anticipated game.[53] Metacritic, an aggregate review site, gave the game a 94% score;[61] IGN, GameSpot and GameSpy each gave the game their own individual "RPG of the Year" award.[62] Oblivion also sold well, selling 1.7 million copies by April 10, 2006.[63] Additionally, 3 million copies were sold by January 18, 2007.[64] Pete Hines was satisfied with the release: "I feel like we delivered on what people expected....I think the scores and awards reflect that we delivered on people's expectations."[53]

47

PlayStation 3 release
The PS3 version of the game was ported/developed by 4J Studios who have worked with Bethesda in other projects. In April 2006, an inadvertently mailed version of Bethesda's supposed forthcoming game release list began a series of unconfirmed rumors of Oblivion releases for the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation Portable (PSP). The list suggested that Oblivion would be a PlayStation 3 launch title, and that the PSP version would be released in November.[65] These rumors were confirmed on September 28, 2006, when Bethesda officially announced the titles, setting the PlayStation 3 version's North American release date for November 2006, European release date for March 2007, and the PSP version for Spring 2007. The two titles were set to be published by Bethesda alone in North America, and with Ubisoft as a co-publisher in Europe.[66] [67] Hines was mum regarding the change in publishers: "Too much backroom stuff."[53] Ubisoft saw their first quarter sales for 2007 rise 90.5%, to 134 million Euros, exceeding previous forecasts by 14 million Euros. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot attributed the rise to "new-generation consoles and the impact of PlayStation 3 game sales, including Rainbow Six Vegas and Oblivion".[68] Despite the title being included in Sony's announced PlayStation 3 launch lineup at its annual Gamers' Day event in San Francisco, online retailers EBgames.com and Gamestop.comtwo sites with a history of revealing the release dates of games before their publisher's announcementswere found on November 8, 2006 to have set Oblivion's release date as January 1, 2007.[22] Some few hours later, the delay was confirmed, as Pete Hines issued the statement that "Oblivion PS3 is now a Q1 2007 title". Hines gave no reason for the delay, but the news stirred suspicions of development difficulties working with the PlayStation 3, and that Bethesda was discouraged by the scarcity of PlayStation 3 consoles at launch.[23] The North American PS3 release was later confirmed to be March 20, 2007, near the end of the first quarter window,[20] with the European PS3 release set at April 27, 2007.[21] Some reporters commented on a perceived parallelism between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 delays and releases.[24] [69] United Kingdom video games retailer GAME encountered distribution problems on release day in Europe. A branch on Oxford Street reported to Computer and Video Games (CVG), a video games magazine, that no units were in stock on the afternoon of April 27, 2007, and that other stores were in the same predicament.[70] Other reports suggested that the game was not available in any of GAME's 400 UK and Ireland stores.[71] GAME staff nonetheless told CVG reporters that copies would be available by next week, "possibly Monday". An Ubisoft representative attributed the shortage to high demand for the product, and stated that copies were available online and at other High Street retailers. Other retailers, such as HMV and Virgin Megastore, reported no shortages.[70]

Production and design

Staff
In 2002, Bethesda's Elder Scrolls team was split in two: half, mostly designers and artists, were sent to work on Morrowind's expansions; and the rest, mostly programmers, were sent to work on technology for Oblivion.[9] Ken Rolston, a former designer for Morrowind, was signed on as the game's Lead Designer.[72] Code for the PC and Xbox 360 were somewhat interchangeable, owing to the similarity in system architecture between the consoles,[53]

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion but the team still had to divide its programming staff between the two.[5] A number of staff with experience in developing for Sony platforms like the PlayStation 2 worked on optimizing the code for the subsequent PlayStation 3 release.[53] The art and design staff were largely unaffected by the need to develop for multiple consoles.[5]

48

Publisher relations
On February 3, 2005, Bethesda entered into an agreement with Take-Two Interactive regarding the publication and release of Oblivion. Under the agreement, Bethesda would retain full control over Oblivion's development and the rights to any possible sequels, and Take-Two would agree to publish the game under its recently-formed 2K Games sub brand.[4] According to Producer Gavin Carter, the team's experience was a rarity in the industry; few independent developer-publisher relationships still exist, and it was a surprise that Bethesda's experience worked out as well as it did. Carter described Take-Two's role as one of minimal interference, and the company mostly left Bethesda's development teams alone, trusting them to produce a "fantastic product" with minimal interference or "red tape". The relationship was a rarity in the industry, according to Carter, where most developers are beholden to their publishers.[5] Ashley Cheng, Oblivion's senior producer, concurred. There was "complete freedom" at Bethesda to decide their own path, whatever market trends might say.[6] Of the legal proceedings affecting Bethesda's parent company ZeniMax during the initial stages of game development, when Bethesda founder Christopher Weaver sued the company for severance pay,[73] [74] Todd Howard said that he, as a producer, wasn't involved with corporate affairs. "I just focus on the games."[73]

Design goals
The team's goal then was, in the words of Todd Howard, to "create the quintessential RPG of the next generation", with a focus on a "combination of freeform gameplay and cutting-edge graphics."[75] Producing for next generation machines, rather than a cheap upgrade, gave Bethesda an additional four years of development.[73] Howard describes this as an aspect of Bethesda's greater goal of "Reinvention", where the team's goal is to make "a new game that stands on its own, that has its own identity".[9] Howard spoke of the need to avoid repetition, to avoid merely adding "some new features and content, and keep doing that", describing that path as "a good way to drive your games into the ground." Bethesda, Howard stated, would focus instead on recapturing what made its past titles exciting "in the first place".[73] Keeping with the spirit of past games, Howard promised to keep with the spirit of "big-world, do-anything"-style games, feeling that a certain size and number of choices were needed to make role-playing feel "meaningful";[75] but now there was to be greater emphasis on keeping the game focused.[9] Pete Hines saw the developments between games as less an issue of design focus and more as a "natural side effect of improving and refining how the game works". If smart decisions were made, ease of play would naturally follow.[76] Oblivion would include fewer NPCs and quests than Morrowind, and mindless filler, which Howard felt the team had been guilty of in the past, would be avoided.[9] In exchange, Producer Gavin Carter later explained, there would be greater focus on length and depth in the quests, adding more "alternate paths", more characters "to connect with, who actually have personalities". Carter cast negative aspersions on aspects of gameplay too far removed from the game's central plot. Carter stated that such material was not needed, preferring instead that the focus be on the plot, on "fighting these demon lords", and that further material is "tertiary" and "takes away".[10] The role of the player character in the main quest was to be changed as well. In contrast to past games, where the player character would play a type of "chosen one", Oblivion would have the player character "find him, protect him, and help him."[11] [77] Aside from that, in the opinion of Hines, "the main quest has similar themes and tones as in past Elder Scrolls games", and should still feel "epic", simply because of the way the gamespace is designed: with openness in mind.[77] Improving that aspect of the experience, said Hines, came mostly in the form of improved information presentation. The system would not intrude on the experience when the player merely wishes to "walk around and explore the world and do whatever he/she wants", but given the scenario where the player asks "'OK, I'm

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion ready to do the next part of the main quest, where do I go?'", the game would provide a ready answer, so as to avoid "confusion" and "downtime".[11]

49

Technology
The Xbox 360 was set as Oblivion's base platform, being the "easiest to develop for", in the words of Pete Hines; the PC, being more like a "random amalgamation of graphics cards and RAM and processors", and poorly "defined".[53] As they had done with previous games in the series, Bethesda threw out their old content and technology and began work anew. A new engine was envisioned, one which would take advantage of advanced lighting and shader routines, like high dynamic range rendering and specular mapping.[33] The final product was shipped with an engine formed of a mixture of in-house tech and Numerical Design Limited's Gamebryo engine,[16] "tricked out" in collaboration with Bethesda's graphics programmers and NDL.[17] Cheng has described the game as "pixel-shader heavy", taking advantage of the feature in rendering "metal, wood, stone, blood, skin," in addition to water, which was the only use Morrowind made of the technology. In particular, Oblivion uses normal maps, diffuse maps, specular maps, and parallax maps,[14] which Howard described as "kind of like displacement mapping".[78] Oblivion makes use of Radiant AI, a new artificial intelligence system that allows non-player characters to dynamically react and interact with the world around them.[12] General goals, such as "Eat at this city at 2pm" are given to NPCs, and NPCs are left to determine how to achieve them.[13] The absence of individual scripting for each character allowed for the construction of a world on a much larger scale than other games had developed, and aided in the creation of what Todd Howard described as an "organic feel" for the game.[12] Features introduced for the new release that had been absent in Morrowind included "full facial animations, lip synching, and full speech for all dialogue".[79] Oblivion uses Havok as its physics engine, following in the footsteps of Half-Life 2. Havok is involved in modeling the game's representations of telekinesis, theft, traps, tumbling,[15] paralysis, area effect fireball explosions,[14] and the contact between arrows and their targets. Arrows, in Oblivion, may lodge themselves in objects and thereby increase their mass.[15] The inclusion of procedural content tools allowed for the creation of realistic environments at much faster rates than was the case with Morrowind.[18] Using Interactive Data Visualization, Inc. (IDV)s SpeedTree technology, for example, Bethesda artists were able to "quickly generate complex and organic tree shapes with relative ease". With its "parent/child hierarchies and iterative branch levels comprised of highly modifiable cylinder primitives", Bethesda's Noah Berry attests that "an entire tree shape can be created in a manner of minutes, just by adjusting numerical values and tweaking spline curve handles".[19] Instead of Morrowind's artificially smoothed-over terrain, erosion algorithms incorporated in the landscape generation tools allowed for the creation of "craggy mountain vistas" quickly and easily.[18]

PlayStation 3
The PS3 release featured a number of technical improvements over the Xbox 360 release; load times were reduced, fewer framerate drops were experienced and several bugs were fixed. Draw distance was increased, and new shaders were included to render the foreground cleanly and sharply, leading to rocky landscapes with "craggy appearances" rather than "smooth, non-distinct surfaces".[25] The new shader sets blended "near detail" and "far detail" onscreen, removing the harsh line that cut between them in previous releases.[26] Bethesda decided against implementing SIXAXIS motion support for the game, considering Oblivion not to be of a type well-suited to such a feature.[80] The Knights of the Nine content pack was included with the game, but other downloadable content releases were not.[25] The latter release spawned a host of rumors across the Internet:[2] a 1UP piece stated that the content was removed due to its negative effect on console performance,[81] and other websites repeated the claim.[2] Limitations of the PS3's system memory were suspected as the potential cause of the performance drop.[81] In an article for IGN, Pete Hines challenged the statements, providing an alternate rationale for the content packages' absence. Firstly, he stated, the expansions were removed to avoid giving a PS3 player an early advantage over other

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion consoles' players. Secondly, he stated, the game designers were unfamiliar with the PlayStation Network Store and Sony's online content distribution systems, and had not yet determined the best method of releasing the packages. The suggestion that the PS3's technical makeup determined the move could not be "farther from the truth". Hines confirmed that the shader improvements for the PS3 would eventually migrate to the PC and Xbox 360 through further patches, but noted that some optimizations would remain exclusive to the PS3.[2] In the end, the Xbox 360 and the PS3 would be "very much on a par" in their graphical performance.[53]

50

Mobile
The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion Mobile is a mobile phone role-playing video game developed and published by Vir2l Studios. It was released May 2, 2006 It is an adaptation of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and as such it is set within Cyrodiil, the main province of Tamriel. It also features several monsters and dungeons from Oblivion. Players are free to choose out of the classes of Monk, Nightblade, Barbarian, Archer, Knight, Spellsword, Sorcerer and Battlemage. Some of the classes are found in earlier installments of the Elder Scrolls series. Unlike Oblivion, however, the player gains experience points to increase their level, instead of using their major skills.

Content for download

Background and Horse Armor
From April 2006 onwards, Bethesda began releasing small, downloadable packages of content from their website and over the Xbox Live Marketplace, for prices equivalent to between one and three US dollars.[82] The first package, a set of horse armour for Oblivion's steeds, was released on April 3, 2006, costing 200 Marketplace points, equivalent to US$2.50[27] or GBP1.50;[83] the corresponding PC release cost was US$1.99.[29] Bethesda offered no rationale for the price discrepancy.[84] These were not the first Oblivion-related Marketplace releases (the first was a series of dashboard themes and picture packs released prior to Oblivion's publication, in February 2006, for a nominal fee[85] ) nor were they entirely unexpected: Bethesda had previously announced their desire to support the Xbox release with downloadable Marketplace content,[86] and other publishers had already began to release similar packages for their games, at similar prices. A November 2005-release of a "Winter Warrior Pack" for Kameo: Elements of Power was also priced at 200 Marketplace points,[87] and similar content additions had been scheduled for Project Gotham Racing 3 and Perfect Dark Zero.[88] Indeed, Marketplace content additions formed a significant part of a March 2006 Microsoft announcement regarding the future of Xbox Live. "Downloadable in-game content is a main focus of Microsoft's strategy heading into the next-gen console war," stated one GameSpot reporter.[27] "With more consoles on their way to retail, 80 games available by June, and new content and experiences coming to Xbox Live all the time, there has never been a better time to own an Xbox 360," announced Peter Moore.[89] Nonetheless, although Xbox Live Arcade games, picture packs, dashboards and profile themes continued to be a Marketplace success for Microsoft, the aforementioned in-game content remained sparse.[27] Pete Hines asserted, "We were the first ones to do downloadable content like thatsome people had done similar things, but no one had really done additions where you add new stuff to your existing game." There was no pressure from Microsoft to make the move.[53]

Later releases
April 4 also saw the announcement of two new downloadable content packs for the coming weeks: an "Orrery" quest that would see gamers setting out to repair a Dwarven Orrery; and a "Wizard's Tower" that would offer a new home for player characters, complete with the capacity to grow herbs, summon atronachs, and make spells.[90] [91] 1UP predicted that, given Bethesda's response to customer criticism, those releases would be somewhat more substantial than the "Horse Armor" release was.[28] On April 7, Bethesda priced the "Orrery". Offering what GameSpot called "more bang for less buck", Bethesda set the PC release price at US$1.89, and the Xbox 360 release price at 150

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Marketplace points, equivalent to US$1.88.[29] Joystiq offered their support"'Big ups'"to the company for the new price. "Although we passed on the $2.50 horse armor this week, we'll definitely be messin' with that Orrery device when it hits the Marketplace."[30] The pack was eventually released on April 17.[92] Also on April 7, EB Games and GameStop began offering a coupon promising one free download of the "Horse Armor" pack with every purchase of the PC edition of Oblivion.[93] The "Wizard's Tower", called the "Frostcrag Spire" in-game, was released on April 24 for the same price as the "Orrery".[94] New releases continued into late 2006. The "Thieves' Den", a 2.27MB download offering the chance to "Uncover a famous pirate's lost ship and claim it for your own", was released on May 22 for the Xbox 360, priced at 150 Marketplace points, "roughly" equivalent to US$1.89.[95] Explaining the add-on, Ashley Cheng stated "Basically, it's Goonies."[96] "Mehrunes' Razor", a quest revolving around a mage in search of the deadly Daedric artifact known as Mehrunes' Razor, was released on June 14. It became the most expensive download yet, at US$2.99 for PC users and 250 Marketplace points, equivalent to US$3.13, for Xbox 360 owners.[97] One 1UP reporter took the occasion to reflect on the increasing price of owning the "complete" Oblivion. With all the add-ons included, he calculated, "That's over $80 in game for the complete version of Oblivion, thus far." Foreseeing eventual problems with the upcoming PS3 release, and a potential bundling of all the software for a cheaper price, he wondered: "will Xbox 360 and PC users feel slighted?...Microtransactions are sticky business."[98] Joystiq continued to comment on the "Horse Armor" add-on in their notice of the quest's release. "With a weapon like that, who needs horse armor?"[99] On July 13, "The Vile Lair", sporting a hidden crypt called "Deepscorn Hollow" for players bitten with Oblivion's vampirism bug, was released. Like the "Orrery" and the "Wizard's Tower", Bethesda set "The Vile Lair"'s PC release price at US$1.89, and the Xbox 360 release price at 150 Marketplace points, equivalent to US$1.88.[100] Joystiq responded positively to the new price point. "What a bargain!...It's good to see the folks at Oblivion have learned their lesson and aren't offering relatively super expensive content not fit to see the light of day."[31] On August 31, "Spell Tomes", adding books with "wondrous and powerful magic spells," to the random loot of fallen foes, was released, for the price of US$1.00 on both the Xbox 360 and the PC.[101] Beginning on December 22 and continuing on until the end of the year, Bethesda offered their "Mehrunes Razor" package free of charge, as a sort of holiday gift.[102] Oblivion's final content pack, named "Fighter's Stronghold", was released October 15, 2007. It was free to download in the first week after its release.[103]

51

References
[1] Thorsen, Tor (2004-09-10). "Elder Scrolls IV coming to PC, next-gen" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6107156). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [2] "New Job Openings" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ news_0403. htm). News 20042003. Bethesda Softworks. 2004-06-16. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. Thorsen, Tor (2004-06-16). "Development of next-gen Elder Scrolls under way?" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news_6100799. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. "Obviously, we like candidates who understand RPGs and are familiar with the games we've made in the past." [3] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion announced" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ news_0403. htm). News 20042003. Bethesda Softworks. 2004-09-10. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [4] "Bethesda Softworks Signs Co-Publishing Agreement with Take-Two Interactive for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_020305. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2005-02-03. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. Thorsen, Tor (2005-02-03). "Take-Two to copublish Elder Scrolls IV, Cthulhu" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6117825). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [5] "Interview: Oblivion Game Producer Gavin Carter" (http:/ / www. gameproducer. net/ 2006/ 05/ 25/ interview-oblivion-game-producer-gavin-carter/ ). Game Producer.net. 2006-05-25. . Retrieved 2007-05-27. [6] Malygris (2005-03-02). "Q&A With Ashley Cheng of Bethesda" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070208220544/ http:/ / www. warcry. com/ scripts/ columns/ view_sectionalt. phtml?site=15& id=102& colid=6611). WarCry Network. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. warcry. com/ scripts/ columns/ view_sectionalt. phtml?site=15& id=102& colid=6611) on 2007-02-08. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [7] Surette, Tim (2005-10-06). "Nine more games target 360 launch" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?page=1& sid=6135223). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [8] Thorsen, Tor (2005-10-31). "Elder Scrolls IV missing Xbox 360 launch" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6136973). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26.

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Valerias (2005-12-10). "Oblivion: Release Date Dramas" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=35). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-05-27. [9] Howard, Todd. "The RPG for the Next Generation" (http:/ / elderscrolls. com/ codex/ team_rpgnextgen. htm). Bethesda Softworks. . Retrieved 2007-03-26. [10] Stargleman (2005-05-29). "E3 2005 Coverage: Gavin Carter" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=5). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-05-27. [11] Callaham, John (2005-09-26). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20051103190838/ http:/ / www. gamecloud. com/ article. php?article_id=1635). Gamecloud. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. gamecloud. com/ article. php?article_id=1635) on 2005-11-03. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [12] Houghton, Mat. "Developers Corner: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / www. gamechronicles. com/ qa/ elderscrolls4/ oblivion. htm). Game Chronicles. . Retrieved 2007-08-11. [13] Husemann, Charles (2005-06-02). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview" (http:/ / gamingnexus. com/ Default. aspx?Section=Article& ArticleType=3& OldUID=104). Gaming Nexus. . Retrieved 2007-08-11. [14] Hammond, Alex (2005-03-25). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview" (http:/ / www. gameplaymonthly. com/ interviews/ oblivion. htm). Gameplay Monthly. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [15] Shuman, Sid (2006-05-23). "Living in Oblivion" (http:/ / www. games. net/ article/ feature/ 101408/ living-in-oblivion/ ). games.net. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [16] "Oblivion interview - Gavin Carter of Bethesda" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070825171427/ http:/ / www. elitebastards. com/ page. php?pageid=12316). Elite Bastards. 2005-10-20. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. elitebastards. com/ page. php?pageid=12316) on 2007-08-25. . Retrieved 2007-06-01. [17] dela Fuente, Derek (2005-07-20). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Q&A" (http:/ / www. totalvideogames. com/ articles/ Elder_Scrolls_IV_Oblivion_-_QA_Feature_8066_4139_0_0_0_0_20. htm). TVG. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [18] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview with Gavin Carter" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ elderscrolls/ elder4/ elder4interview. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2007-06-17. [19] Berry, Noah. "A Brief History of Cyrodiil" (http:/ / elderscrolls. com/ codex/ team_teamprof_nberry. htm). Bethesda Softworks. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [20] Staff (2007-03-19). "Bethesda Confirms Oblivion PS3 Shipping" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=13091). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [21] Bishop, Stuart (2007-03-19). "Oblivion misses Euro PS3 launch" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ article. php?id=160219). Computer and Video Games. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. Boyes, Emma (2007-03-20). "Top titles to miss Euro PS3 launch" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps3/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6167680). GameSpot UK. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [22] Thorsen, Tor (2006-11-08). "Retail Radar: PS3 F.E.A.R and Oblivion pushed to 2007" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6161356. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [23] Thorsen, Tor (2006-11-09). "Confirmed: PS3 Oblivion now "Q1 2007 title"" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6161417. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [24] Sinclair, Brendan (2007-03-06). "PS3 embraces Oblivion March 20" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps3/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6166890). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [25] Haynes, Jeff (2007-02-06). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Hands-on" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 762/ 762108p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [26] Sanders, Kathleen (2006-08-11). "Oblivion: The PS3 Interview" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 738/ 738319p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [27] Surette, Tim (2006-04-03). "Oblivion horse armor now available" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?page=1& sid=6147013). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [28] Klepek, Patrick (2006-04-04). "Bethesda Responds To Oblivion Issues" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3149299). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [29] Sinclair, Brendan (2006-04-07). "Next Oblivion add-on priced" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6147320). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [30] Ransom-Wiley, James (2006-04-07). "Bethesda patching Oblivion, lowers cost of future content download" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 04/ 07/ bethesda-patching-oblivion-lowers-cost-of-future-content-downlo/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [31] Summa, Robert (2006-07-11). "Next Oblivion download available Thursday" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 07/ 11/ next-oblivion-download-available-thursday/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [32] "Bethesda Softworks to Develop and Publish Fallout 3" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070710050946/ http:/ / www. bethsoft. com/ news/ pressrelease_071204. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2004-07-12. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. bethsoft. com/ news/ pressrelease_071204. htm) on 2007-07-10. . Retrieved 2007-12-09. [33] Park, Andrew (2005-05-18). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion E3 2005 Impressions" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6124431). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [34] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview" (http:/ / www. gamebanshee. com/ interviews/ oblivion1. php). GameBanshee. UGO. 2004-12-09. . Retrieved 2007-06-01. "No rest for the weary here!"

52

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

[35] "Bethesda Softworks and 2K Games announce The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for Microsoft's Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_051705. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2005-05-16. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [36] Thorsen, Tor (2005-10-20). "Street does double-take over Take-Two stock" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6136197). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. Thorsen, Tor (2005-10-31). "Take-Two lowers guidance, reveals new PSP GTA" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6136974). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. Thorsen, Tor (2005-11-01). "Take-Two clobbered on Wall Street" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6137016). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [37] Thorsen, Tor (2005-11-01). "Take-Two clobbered on Wall Street" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6137016). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [38] Greenberg, Herb (2005-12-08). "Worst CEO: Paul Eibeler of Take-Two" (http:/ / www. marketwatch. com/ News/ Story/ Story. aspx?guid={3C3ACCDE-CC12-4D1C-BB71-0483577E5CD7}& archive=true& siteid=mktw& dist=ArchiveSplash& returnURL=/ news/ story. asp?guid={3C3ACCDE-CC12-4D1C-BB71-0483577E5CD7}& siteid=mktw& dist=& archive=true& param=archive& garden=& minisite=). MarketWatch. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [39] Rose, Alan (2005-11-06). "Oblivion update on Bethesda forums" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2005/ 11/ 06/ oblivion-update-on-bethesda-forums/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [40] Staff (2005-05-17). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Q&A - Oblivion at E3 2005" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6124431). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [41] Pitts, Russ (2006-08-18). "Five Minutes with Bethesda's Todd Howard" (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ news/ view/ 64160-Five-Minutes-with-Bethesdas-Todd-Howard). The Escapist. . Retrieved 2007-06-01. [42] Hines, Pete. "E3 - Fear and Loathing in LA" (http:/ / elderscrolls. com/ codex/ team_e32005. htm). Bethesda Softworks. . Retrieved 2007-05-27. [43] Rorie, Matthew (2005-05-17). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion E3 2005 Preshow Report" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6125085). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [44] Stargelman (2005-05-19). "E3 2005 Coverage: Demo Summary" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=2). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-05-27. [45] Staff (2005-07-08). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Q&A - After E3" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6128767). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [46] GameSpy Staff (2005-05-24). "The Annual E3 Awards: 2005" (http:/ / www. gamespy. com/ articles/ 618/ 618469p22. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-06-03. [47] GameSpot Staff (2005-05-31). "E3 2005 Editors' Choice Awards: Best Role-Playing Game: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PC)" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ features/ 6126660/ p-16. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-03. [48] IGNPC Staff (2005-05-31). "Best Role-Playing Game: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PC)" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 619/ 619565p2. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-06-03. [49] "Games of E3 2005" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ features/ e3-2005/ awards/ index. html). RPGFan. 2005-05-23. . Retrieved 2007-06-03. [50] Jenkins, David (2005-06-08). "2005 E3 Game Critics Awards Winners Announced" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=5654). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-06-03. [51] Ransom-Wiley, James (2006-01-05). "CES: Xbox 360 booth" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 01/ 05/ ces-xbox-360-booth/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [52] Ransom-Wiley, James (2006-01-06). "CES: Oblivion readies for March release" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 01/ 06/ ces-oblivion-readies-for-march-release/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [53] Gibson, Ellie (2007-03-20). "Scrolling Up" (http:/ / www. gamesindustry. biz/ content_page. php?aid=23597). GamesIndustry.biz. . Retrieved 2007-06-27. [54] Surette, Tim (2006-03-02). "Elder Scrolls unrolls this month" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6145290). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-06. [55] Surette, Tim (2006-03-20). "Oblivion ships to stores" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6146210). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-06. [56] Ransom-Wiley, James (2006-01-08). "Bethesda squeezes Oblivion onto one disc" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 01/ 08/ bethesda-crowds-oblivion-onto-one-disc/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [57] Callaham, John (2006-05-31). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview" (http:/ / www. firingsquad. com/ features/ oblivion_interview/ ). Firing Squad. . Retrieved 2007-05-27. [58] Hines, Pete (2006-01-24). "Bethesda Softworks Newsletter" (http:/ / www. bethsoft. com/ newsletter/ devdiary_1. 24. 06. html). Bethesda Softworks. . Retrieved 2006-08-27. [59] "Seventy Bucks for Oblivion Collector's Edition" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ gaming/ xbox-360/ seventy--bucks-for-oblivion-collectors-edition-152908. php). Kotaku. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [60] Kotaku (2006-04-25). "Hang Oblivion Around Your Neck" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ gaming/ pc/ hang-oblivion-around-your-neck-169573. php). Kotaku. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [61] "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, The (PC: 2006)" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ pc/ elderscrolls4oblivion?q=Oblivion). PC Reviews. Metacritic. . Retrieved 2007-01-21.

53

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

[62] "Oblivion Awards" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ links/ links_oblivawards. htm). Bethesda Softworks. . Retrieved 2007-08-12. [63] Thorsen, Tor (2006-04-10). "Oblivion enjoying epic sales" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6147359. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-24. [64] "Bethesda Softworks Announces The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Official Expansion for Oblivion" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_011807. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2007-01-18. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [65] Carless, Simon (2006-04-25). "Report: Oblivion To Debut On PS3, PSP" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=9035). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [66] "Bethesda Softworks Announces Oblivion for PLAYSTATION3 and PSPSystem" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_092806. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2006-09-28. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [67] Dobson, Jason (2006-09-28). "Oblivion Confirmed For PS3 Launch, PSP in Spring" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=11048). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [68] Androvich, Mark (2007-07-24). "Ubisoft first quarter sales up 90.5 per cent" (http:/ / www. gamesindustry. biz/ content_page. php?aid=27013). GamesIndustry.biz. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [69] Ransom-Wiley, James (2006-09-11). "Oblivion slips from PS3 launch, expansion for PC, 360 late Nov" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 11/ 09/ oblivion-slips-from-ps3-launch-expansion-for-pc-360-late-nov/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [70] Bishop, Stuart (2007-04-27). "GAME says Oblivion PS3 on its way" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ article. php?id=162989). Computer and Video Games. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [71] Martin, Matt (2007-04-27). "GAME refuses to stock Oblivion for PS3" (http:/ / www. gamesindustry. biz/ content_page. php?aid=24619). . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [72] Surette, Tim (2007-02-20). "Big Huge Games grabs big huge game designer" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6166140. htm). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-12-09. [73] Blancato, Joe (2007-02-06). "Bethesda: The Right Direction" (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ issue/ 83/ 11). The Escapist. . Retrieved 2007-06-01. [74] Christopher S. Weaver v. ZeniMax Media, 2368 (http:/ / www. courts. state. md. us/ opinions/ cosa/ 2007/ 2368s05. pdf) (Maryland Court of Special Appeals 2007-05-25). [75] Staff (2004-10-28). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Q&A - Overview, Character Development, Fallout" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?page=1& sid=6111720). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [76] Remo, Chris (2006-02-24). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Preview" (http:/ / www. shacknews. com/ extras/ 2006/ 022406_oblivion_1. x). Shacknews. . Retrieved 2007-05-27. [77] Cook, Matt (2005-10-20). "The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion - An interview with Pete Hines" (http:/ / www. mygamer. com/ index. php?page=interviews& mode=viewinterviews& id=35). Mygamer. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [78] Butts, Steve (2004-11-22). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / xbox. ign. com/ articles/ 568/ 568240p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-06-03. [79] Kohler, Chris (2004-10-22). "New details on Elder Scrolls IV" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6111161). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [80] Burman, Rob (2007-02-16). "Bethesda Enters PS3 Oblivion" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 765/ 765378p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [81] Rea, Jared (2007-02-10). "Oblivion: Downgraded for PS3, not happening on Wii [update 1 (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2007/ 02/ 10/ oblivion-downgraded-for-ps3-not-happening-on-wii/ )"]. Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [82] "Oblivion Downloads" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20061223190230/ http:/ / www. obliviondownloads. com/ StoreCatalog_ProductList. aspx?SubCategoryId=1). Bethesda Softworks. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. obliviondownloads. com/ StoreCatalog_ProductList. aspx?SubCategoryId=1) on December 23, 2006. . Retrieved 2006-12-20. [83] Loughrey, Paul (2006-04-05). "Bethesda announces new premium Oblivion content" (http:/ / www. gamesindustry. biz/ content_page. php?aid=15909). GamesIndustry.biz. . Retrieved 2007-06-27. [84] Klepek, Patrick (2006-04-03). "Oblivion 360 Downloads Begin" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3149261& a=all). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [85] Surette, Tim (2006-02-23). "Oblivion content now on Marketplace" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6144822). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [86] Dobson, Jason (2006-04-03). "Round Up: Oblivion Downloadable Content, ESRB Ratings Issues, Ubisoft COO Resigns" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=8784). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [87] Surette, Tim (2005-11-29). "Kameo konkokts kool kostumes" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6140529. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [88] Surette, Tim (2006-03-21). "Marketplace hits 10 million transactions" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ action/ perfectdarkzero/ news. html?page=1& sid=6146324). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [89] Carless, Simon (2006-03-21). "Microsoft Confirms Xbox 360 Production Surge, Plans" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=8606). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [90] Surette, Tim (2006-04-04). "More Oblivion content coming, detailed" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6147118). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-06.

54

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

[91] Ransom-Wiley, James (2006-04-05). "Next Oblivion downloads promise more than horse getups" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 04/ 05/ next-oblivion-downloads-promise-more-than-horse-getups/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [92] Miller, Ross (2006-04-17). "Oblivion Orrery pack now available on Xbox Live [Update (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 04/ 17/ oblivion-orrey-pack-now-available-on-xbox-live/ )"]. Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [93] Grant, Christopher. "Free Oblivion horse armor coupon" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 04/ 07/ free-oblivion-horse-armor-coupon-with-pc-version/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [94] Sinclair, Brendan (2006-04-24). "Wizard's Tower add-on available for Oblivion" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6148244). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [95] Thorsen, Tor (2006-05-22). "Den of Xbox 360 Oblivion thieves uncovered" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6151636. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [96] Ransom-Wiley, James (2006-05-17). "New Oblivion add-on inspired by Goonies" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 05/ 17/ new-oblivion-add-on-inspired-by-goonies/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [97] Sinclair, Brendan (2006-06-01). "Next Oblivion add-on detailed" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6152158). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. Sinclair, Brendan (2006-06-13). "Oblivion Mehrunes' Razor add-on dated" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6152676). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [98] Smith, Luke (2006-06-01). "Yes, Even More Oblivion Content Coming" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3151156). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [99] Rose, Alan (2006-06-16). "New Oblivion plug-in available" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 06/ 16/ new-oblivion-plug-in-available/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [100] Thorsen, Tor (2006-07-11). "Oblivion getting $2 evil add-on July 13" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6163580). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [101] Surette, Tim (2006-08-31). "New $1 Oblivion DL casts spells" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6156923). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [102] Surette, Tim (2006-12-21). "Bethesda giftwraps Oblivion's Mehrunes Razor" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6163580). GameSpot. . [103] Polybren (2007-10-11). "Bethesda preps last Oblivion download" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ show_blog_entry. php?topic_id=25975170). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-10-14.

55

ESRB re-rating of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

On May 3, 2006, the North American Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) changed the rating of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, a video game for PCs, the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360, from Teen (13+) to Mature (17+). The ESRB cited the presence of content not considered in their original review in the published edition of Oblivion. This included detailed depictions of blood and gore and sexually explicit content. The sexually explicit content was an art file, made accessible by a third party modification called the Oblivion Topless Mod, that rendered the game with topless female characters.[1] [2] In response to the new content, the ESRB conducted a new review of Oblivion, showing to its reviewers the content originally submitted by the game's publisher along with the newly disclosed content. The new review resulted in an M rating. The ESRB reported that Bethesda Softworks, the game's developer and publisher, would promptly notify all retailers of the change, issue stickers for retailers and distributors to affix on the product, display the new rating in all following product shipments and marketing, and create a downloadable patch rendering the topless skin inaccessible.[2] Bethesda complied with the request, but issued a press release declaring their disagreement with the ESRB's rationale.[3] Although certain retailers began to check for ID before selling Oblivion as a result of the change,[4] [5] and the change elicited criticism for the ESRB,[6] [7] the events passed by with little notice from the public at large.[1] Other commentators remarked on the injustice of punishing a company for the actions of its clients,[1] [8] and one called the event a "pseudo-sequel" to the Hot Coffee minigame controversy.[9]

ESRB re-rating of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

56

Background
ESRB review process
The ESRB's review process involves the submission, by the game's publisher, of a video which captures all "pertinent content" in the game, where pertinent content is defined as any content that accurately reflects both the "most extreme content of the final product" and "the final product as a whole". That is to say, it must depict the "relative frequency" of said content.[10] As ESRB President Patricia Vance explains it, the ESRB would not just want a "tape of one extreme cut to another", but rather "context for the storyline, the missions, the features and functionality of a game, so that the raters really can get exposed to a pretty reasonable sense of what they'd experience playing the game."[] The fact that the content of Oblivion under investigation was inaccessible during normal play made no difference in the decision. ESRB policy had been "absolutely clear" since the Hot Coffee controversy, Patricia Vance told a reporter. Publishers were told that they could not leave unfinished or other pertinent content on a disc.[] If locked-out content was "pertinent to a rating", ESRB policy stated that it needed to be disclosed, and Bethesda had not done so.[9]

Oblivion Topless Mod

Released in March 2006 and reported on game news sites as a curiosity in April of the same year, the Oblivion Topless Mod had been created by a woman calling herself "Maeyanie". Maeyanie created the mod in protest against what she called "government/society/whatever forcing companies to 'protect our innocent population from seeing those evil dirty things 50% of them possess personally anyways.'"[1] The gaming website Joystiq reported on the mod on April 6, 2006: "Modders are already hard at work on bending the code of the recently released PC version of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion to their will. Early success: topless mod FTW!"[11] Kotaku, another gaming site, reporting on the mod on April 5, 2006, didn't consider the mod anything new and said, "As usual in the world of computer gaming, one of the very first mods released for a popular game allows you to see the breasts of the main character."[12] The content of the mod, wrote commentator Michael Zenke, Editor of Slashdot games, was fairly tame. Without nudity of the lower torso, and without self-consciousness on the part of the nude NPCs, Zenke wrote, the Oblivion Topless Mod was "as erotic as a doctor's visit."[1] Pete Hines had discussed the mod with GameSpot staff before the game was re-rated, saying that he did not consider it a concern. "We can't control and don't condone the actions of anyone who alters the game so that it displays material that may be considered offensive. We haven't received any complaints on the issue from anyone."[9]

ESRB re-review and rating change

After April reports regarding the mod,[1] the ESRB was faced with news that Oblivion players could opt to play the whole game topless.[] "The ESRB", Zenke later stated, "had little choice but to check it out."[1] Although the new content was initially thought to be the product of the mod alone, subsequent ESRB investigations determined that the file was contained within the game disc itself. Phone calls to Bethesda confirmed that the art file was theirs. It was "fully rendered," Patricia Vance stated. "It wasn't a Barbie Doll image, it was fully rendered." During these investigations ESRB staff also found more blood and gore than the review tape had portrayed: What Bethesda had originally disclosed to us, as an example: In that section of the game, there is a hanging corpse. What they disclosed to us was a hanging corpse in the dark, pretty far away and without much detail. And yet, when you bring a torch up to the hanging corpse in the actual game, you can see that it's very mutilated with lots of blood and bones. That was a very different depiction, far more intense, far more extreme than what had been disclosed to us.[] In response to the new content, the ESRB hastily conducted a new review of Oblivion, showing to its reviewers the content originally submitted by Bethesda along with the newly disclosed content. The new review resulted in a Mature rating. The ESRB reported that Bethesda, to correct for the discrepancy, would promptly notify all retailers

ESRB re-rating of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion of the change, issue stickers for retailers and distributors to affix on the product, display the new rating in all following product shipments and marketing, and create a patch for download rendering the topless skin inaccessible.[2] In line with its stated mission of informing consumers regarding the age-suitability of its marked games, the ESRB also released an ESRB Parent Advisory, ensuring that parents would be "immediately notified" of the change.[13]

57

Industry impact
Retailer response
Following news of the rating change on May 3, 2006, the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA), an organization of game retailers, which had previously eased the adoption of industry-wide ratings enforcement,[14] issued its own statement, lauding its own retailers for the speed with which they reacted to the rating change. The IEMA release further stated that identification was needed to secure the purchase of Mature-rated games at roughly the same rate as was needed for R-rated film admission. In compliance with the ESRB's further demand that Bethesda request retailers "to adhere to their respective store policies not to sell the newly rated M (Mature) game to those under the age of 17,"[2] several retailers had begun to include cash register prompts tied to the game's bar code, instructing the cashier to ask for ID.[4] A report by Gamasutra observed that some retailersCircuit City specificallywere even pulling the game from their shelves entirely, "presumably until rating modifications can be made".[15]

Publisher response
Following the announcement of the rating change, Bethesda issued their own press release. Bethesda announced that it was their organization, not Take-Two Interactive, that had handled the ratings application, and that they stood behind it. Bethesda would not contest the change, and would promptly seek to implement the ESRB's demands, without demanding a product recall. Nonetheless, Bethesda stated that Oblivion was not typical of Mature rated titles, and did not contain "central themes of violence" common to such titles. The response asserted that Bethesda's submission to the ESRB was "full, accurate, and comprehensive", following the forms and requirements published by the ESRB, and that nothing was withheld. Bethesda stressed that there was no nudity in their game without a modification, that the company "didn't create a game with nudity" and did not intend for nudity to appear in their game. "Bethesda can not control tampering with Oblivion by third parties," the press release concluded.[3]

Rating agency response outside the United States

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), the ESRB's counterpart in the United Kingdom, did not change its rating of 15. "Were it the case that the developer themselves had included and failed to disclose certain modifications of content, a recall may be required, but not as a result of a patch that has been placed on the Internet by a third party," a BBFC spokesperson told GamesIndustry.biz reporters on May 4, 2006. Any modifications made after release fall outside the powers of the Video Recordings Act.[16] In July 2007, the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) announced that it was extending its purview to cover "games playable online via consoles, PCs and mobiles". Websites or online retail games participating in the program would be granted a PEGI Online logo, specifying whether "the particular game or site is under the control of an operator that cares about protecting young people." An article by gaming website Shacknews noted at the time that PEGI's initiative would address the concerns US publishers had with user-created mods for San Andreas and Oblivion: responsibility for such mods would be placed on the participating publishers.[17]

ESRB re-rating of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

58

Public impact
The events passed by with little concern from either the public or gaming journalists in particular. Zenke attributed the draw in attention to bigger stories that came later in May. The news, for example, came just a week before E3 2006, the last E3 before the show changed from a grand spectacle to a reserved industry-only affair.[1] [18] The story did not pass completely unnoticed, as certain commentators issued statements regarding the issue in the days following the re-rating. On May 4, 2006, then-California Assemblyman Leland Yee used the rating change to criticize the ESRB. Yee, who had previously called on the ESRB to change their rating of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to AO (Adults Only 18+),[19] issued a statement criticizing the ESRB for deceiving parents. Yee chastised the ESRB for failing parents again, and demonstrating their inability to police themselves. Yee called the ESRB's rating system drastically flawed, and called for further legislation to assist parents and protect children.[6] Attorney and activist Jack Thompson sought talk show appearances over the issue, planning to explain to prospective interviewers why the re-rating issue was an even worse disaster than the Hot Coffee scandal, as children of all ages had already bought the game. The ESRB, Thompson said, had learned nothing from its past mistakes.[7] Game designer John Romero, lead designer of Doom, posted a statement in his blog criticizing the modders responsible: Now what's going to happen? You'll probably start seeing game data files becoming encrypted and the open door on assets getting slammed shut just to keep modders from financially screwing the company they should be helping. And the day a game company's file encryption is hacked to add porn and the case goes to the ESRB for review - that's when we'll see how well game companies are protected from these antics and what the courts will rule. Hopefully it'll be on the developer's side.[8] When the ratings change came, Zenke saw political caution in the move, rather than an intelligent response to new content. Previous scandals had forced the Board's hand, and the ratings change was an act of self preservation. Zenke, writing in June 2007 for online gaming magazine The Escapist, criticized the public for its failure to respond to the rating change, and emphasized what the change would mean to moddable games.[1] At the core of Zenke's article was concern that a developer or publisher could be punished for content they neither produced nor distributed.[20] Echoing Romero's concerns, Zenke saw the rating change as a threat, not only to modders, but to developers as well. Zenke asked what the ESRB would do in response to "Game 3.0" concepts, where community involvement is key. Referring to Sony's LittleBigPlanet, Zenke asked, "Will Sony provide personnel to review every fan-made level for offensive content? Will the ESRB?"[1] The Escapist, thinking the issues of a year past long since died down, especially since they hadn't aroused much concern on first coming to light, did not expect the discord that ensued;[] [21] response on their forums was heated, and the ESRB took "vigorous exception" to the piece. Zenke conducted a follow-up interview with ESRB President Patricia Vance. Addressing Zenke's concern for LittleBigPlanet, Vance pointed to the ESRB's online content descriptor, noting that such matters as user-generated content fall outside the ESRB's purview; the issue with Oblivion was purely a matter of content on the game's disc. As a concluding question, Zenke asked whether Vance thought the ESRB was doing, on the whole, an effective job. To it, Vance responded, "[Ultimately] I think the answer to the question is an unquestionable yes, I think it's a very effective system."[]

ESRB re-rating of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

59

References
[1] Zenke, Michael (2007-06-12). "The Breasts That Broke The Game" (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ issue/ 101/ 19). The Escapist (101): 1921. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [2] "ESRB Changes Rating for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion from Teen to Mature" (http:/ / www. esrb. org/ about/ news/ downloads/ oblivion_release_5. 3. 06. pdf) (PDF). Entertainment Software Rating Board. 2006-05-03. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [3] Staff (2006-05-03). "Bethesda responds to Oblivion rerating" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 2006/ 05/ 03/ news_6148925. html?part=rss& tag=gs_& subj=6148925). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [4] Brightman, James (2006-05-03). "Breaking: ESRB Changes Oblivion's Rating to "M"" (http:/ / biz. gamedaily. com/ industry/ feature/ ?id=12604). GameDaily BIZ. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [5] Carless, Simon (2006-05-03). "IEMA Reacts To Oblivion Mature Re-Rating" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=9160). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [6] Sinclair, Brendan (2006-05-04). "Yee chastises ESRB over Oblivion rerating" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6148998). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [7] Stanton, Aaron (2006-05-05). "Jack Thompson Seeks New Limelight Over Oblivion" (http:/ / www. gamesfirst. com/ index. php?id=1280). GamesFirst!. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [8] Kotaku (2006-05-05). "Romero to Modders: You Suck" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ gaming/ pc/ romero-to-modders-you-suck-171986. php). Kotaku. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [9] Sinclair, Brendan (2006-05-03). "Oblivion rerated M for Mature" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6148897. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-24. [10] "Frequently Asked Questions" (http:/ / www. esrb. org/ ratings/ faq. jsp). Entertainment Software Rating Board. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [11] Grant, Christopher (2006-04-06). "The ladies of Oblivion drop their tops" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 04/ 06/ the-ladies-of-oblivion-drop-their-tops/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [12] Kotaku (2006-04-05). "Oblivion Topless Mod Released" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ gaming/ pc/ oblivion-topless-mod-released-165225. php). Kotaku. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [13] "ESRB Parent Advisory regarding rating change for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / www. esrb. org/ about/ news/ downloads/ oblivion_parent_advisory. 5. 3. 06. pdf) (PDF). Entertainment Software Rating Board. 2006-05-03. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [14] "About EMA" (http:/ / www. iema. org/ about_ema. html). Entertainment Merchants Association. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [15] Carless, Simon (2006-05-03). "Breaking: ESRB Pulls, Re-Rates Oblivion To Mature" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=9159). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [16] Loughrey, Paul (2006-05-04). "Oblivion mod prompts ESRB ratings change" (http:/ / www. gamesindustry. biz/ content_page. php?aid=16600). GamesIndustry.biz. . Retrieved 2007-06-27. [17] Bergfeld, Carlos (2007-07-05). "European Ratings Initiative Expands to Online Gaming" (http:/ / www. shacknews. com/ onearticle. x/ 47781). Shacknews. . Retrieved 2007-07-16. [18] Staff (2006-07-31). "ESA confirms much smaller E3 in '07" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pages/ news/ story. php?sid=6154935). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-02. [19] Feldman, Curt; Thorsen, Tor (2005-07-05). "Politician wants San Andreas rated Adults Only" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6128702. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-02. [20] Greene, Maggie (2007-06-17). "'The Breasts That Broke The Game'" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ gaming/ ratings/ the-breasts-that-broke-the-game-269568. php). Kotaku. . Retrieved 2007-07-16. [21] Pitts, Russ (2007-06-18). "Millions of Voices Suddenly Cried Out" (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ articles/ view/ editorials/ op-ed/ 798-Millions-of-Voices-Suddenly-Cried-Out). The Escapist. . Retrieved 2007-07-19.

External links
GamePolitics Interview with Modder behind Oblivion Controversy (http://gamepolitics.livejournal.com/ 323693.html)

TES Construction Set

60

TES Construction Set

The Elder Scrolls Construction Set is an editing software for the video games The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The Morrowind version shipped with the game while the Oblivion version is available for download. The Elder Scrolls Construction Set gives full control of the game's content, but has a high learning curve. It is the same tool that Bethesda Softworks used to create the game worlds. Though Bethesda now utilizes a newer version to create official plug-ins for Oblivion, the two Morrowind and Oblivion versions are not backwards compatible. The Construction Set allows fans to edit the game world directly and save their own alterations as .esp (Elder Scrolls plugin) files, the proprietary filetype for Morrowind plugins. In order to allow more complex interactions between mods, and intereliance of different mods, many mods are converted to .esm (Elder Scrolls Master) files. Third party tools are needed for this type of process (see below). Fans exchange these plug-ins (or 'mods') freely online and, through them, they can change anything about the game from creating new character abilities to adding huge mansions into the side of a cliff overlooking a city or creating an entirely new plotline. The file sizes of fan-made plug-ins can be as small as a few kilobytes if they just edit basic game settings, or they could be hundreds of megabytes if they add a large amount of new content. Most larger plugins also provide additional files that were not included with the game, such as textures and 3D models (or 'meshes') which provide brand new artwork within the game. Sometimes these must be manually moved to the proper place within the game folder structure to become useful. However, most plugins are packaged in archives which can easily be uncompressed directly to the correct game folders with no need for manual placement. The Elder Scrolls Construction Set's influences include Adventure Construction Set. Project lead Todd Howard had stated, "When we started Morrowind, I was really excited about making a tool like 'Stuart Smith's Adventure Construction Set for the Apple 2'. I even used part of the name." [1]

The Set Display

There are three main sections displayed upon loading of the TESCS, the Object Window, the Render Window, and the Cell View Window.

Object window
The Object window is a large archive of every 3D model in the game, from items to walls and ambient lights. Each model is assigned an ID, which will not show in-game. Through use of Static, or solid meshes, the modder can build rooms, houses, and other impermeable constructions. Other tabs include "Actors", containing all the NPCs in the game and "container", which displays a list of placeable containers that generate context-related content. Other sections can also be opened through use of the tabs at the top of the main window. These include the scripting window and the dialogue window. Morrowind contains its own proprietary scripting language, which has a high level of functionality and can be used to manipulate most of the objects in the game world. The language is well documented and is noted for its occasionally unusual syntax. The dialogue window is used to edit and extend the spoken responses given by characters in the game world. Dialogue in Morrowind is based on a series of conditions that must be fulfilled by that character before they will speak the given lines. The dialogue window is also used to deal with service refusal and journal entries. Morrowind quests are created by combining use of these two windows.

TES Construction Set

61

Render window
The Render window is defaulted to show a 3D model of the world and everything in it, however it can also be used to display model animations and other similar things. In-game lighting, pathnode visibility and havok physics simulation can all be toggled in order to make the display in the render window more realistic or easier to use.

Cell View window

The Cell View window is split into two parts- World Cell Selection, and Local Cell Item List. The World Cell Selection, located on the left part of the Cell View Window, archives every single 'cell' used in the game. There are two kinds of cells, an interior cell and an exterior cell. Doors link cells. An example is a house in Balmora. The exterior of the house and the surrounding houses, people, items, and terrain are all part of one cell out of the many which form together to create the outside parts of the game world. A door on the exterior of the house brings up a loading screen, which transitions the user into the house's interior cell. In the TESCS, an interior cell would look like a black emptiness.

Other tools
The large Morrowind modding community has created a large number of tools for extending the functionality of Morrowind modding. These tools often add extra functions not present in the Construction Set. MWEdit [2] is the most complete of these tools, offering large amounts of dialogue and script editing functionality, as well as easy reference cleaning and automated script checking. Enchanted Editor [3] is another popular tool, allowing the viewing of information that is hidden to the user of the Construction Set. Worth mentioning as well is Wrye Mash [4], a tool that allows mod-users to manage many mods and remove unwanted mods with ease. Other third-party tools include TESAME [5], (The Elder Scrolls Advanced Mod Editor), which allows removal of unwanted data from .esp files TESDTK [5] (The Elder Scrolls Dependency Tool Kit), which allows the removal/addition of dependencies on master files and TESFaith [5], which allows the moving of exterior landscape data from one cell to another. Of note as well are the third party programs used to add extra script functions and graphical effects to Morrowind. These involve running third-party programs at the same time as Morrowind, in order to allow enhanced functionality and different visual effects.

References
[1] APY (March 19, 2007), Todd Howard Exclusive Interview, The Elder Scrolls IV Shivering Isles (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=51), Planet Elder Scrolls, pp.1, , retrieved August 6, 2011 [2] http:/ / mwedit. sourceforge. net/ [3] http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Other. Detail& id=52 [4] http:/ / wrye. ufrealms. net/ Wrye%20Mash. html [5] http:/ / tamriel-rebuilt. org/ ?p=modding_data/ utils

External links
The Elder Scrolls Construction Set Wiki (http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/Main_Page) Official Documentation Morrowind Oblivion (http://www.morrowind-oblivion.com/) - Home to a large number of mods for both Morrowind and Oblivion. Also hosts many tools and utilities for both games. A good set of Morrowind and Oblivion tutorials and, of course, the home of The Five Keys of Azura Morrowind mod. Planet Elder Scrolls (http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com) offers news, articles and free downloads of plugins for TESIII: Morrowind and TESIV:Oblivion. Tamriel Rebuilt (http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/) - Home of one of the most daring of mods - striving to recreate the province of Morrowind. Most of the development tools which extend TES CS can be found there.

TES Construction Set Morrowind Modding History (http://mw.modhistory.com/) - An enormous collection of Morrowind mods that were previously hosted at other now-dead sites. Currently hosts over 5200 mods! TES Nexus (http://tesnexus.com/) - Large site dedicated to hosting mods for Morrowind and Oblivion [formerly tessource].

62

63

Games
The Elder Scrolls: Arena
The Elder Scrolls: Arena
Elder Scrolls: Arena cover
Developer(s) Publisher(s) Series Version Platform(s) Release date(s) Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks The Elder Scrolls 1.06 (floppy version) 1.07 (CD version) MS-DOS

NA EU

1994 1994

Genre(s) Mode(s)

Action role-playing, Open world Single player (first-person view)

Media/distribution Floppy disk, CD-ROM, download

The Elder Scrolls: Arena is an action role-playing open world video game developed by Bethesda Softworks and released in 1994 for MS-DOS. It is the first game in the Elder Scrolls series. In 2004, a downloadable version of the game was made available free of charge as part of the 10th anniversary of The Elder Scrolls series, but newer systems may require an emulator such as DOSBox to run it, as Arena is a DOS-based program.[1] Like its sequels, Arena takes place in the continent of Tamriel, complete with wilderness, dungeons, and a spell creation system that allows players to mix various spell effects into a new spell as long as they have the money to pay for it.

Gameplay
The game is played from a first-person perspective.[2] Melee combat is performed by using the mouse, and dragging the cursor across the screen to attack. Magic is used by cycling through a menu found by clicking the appropriate button on the main game screen, then clicking the spell to be used, and its target. This makes playing as a mainly magic-using character quite difficult. The game world is very large. Players may explore outside cities into the wild. There they may find inns, farms, small towns, dungeons, and other places of interest. As the terrain was randomly generated, it may be repetitive to some. It is not possible to reach other cities without using the fast-travel feature. Several hundred towns, dungeons, and NPCs are available. Arena has been noted for its tendency to be unforgiving towards new players. It is easy to die in the starting dungeon, as powerful enemies can be encountered if the player lingers too long. This effect gradually disappears as the player becomes more powerful, and more aware of the threats that loom everywhere. Ken Rolston, lead designer of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, says he started the game at least twenty times, and only got out of the beginning dungeon once.[3]

The Elder Scrolls: Arena

64

Story
The Emperor, Uriel Septim VII has been imprisoned in another dimension (in a copy of the Black Horse Courier in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, this dimension is revealed to be a realm of Oblivion), and impersonated by Imperial Battlemage Jagar Tharn. The only way to bring him back is to find the eight pieces of the Staff of Chaos. After the pieces have been collected, the hero battles with Tharn in the Imperial City. Ria Silmane, just prior to the start of the game, is apprentice to Jagar Tharn. During his usurpation of the throne, Tharn is unable to corrupt his apprentice, and so he murders her. She is able to hold herself together long enough to direct the player's character how to escape from slow death in the dungeons through a teleportation device called a "shift-gate." Past that point, she lacks the power to manifest physically, and appears to the player during dreams. The central quest requires the player to obtain various artifacts. Each time such an item is found, Silmane appears the next time the player rests, in order to provide the general location of the next such item. The events portrayed in this game would later on be known as "The Imperial Simulacrum." Part of this story is found in Daggerfall, Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim within the book series "The Real Barenziah." The next game in the series is The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, released in 1996.

Development
Bethesda's history as a "sport-and-port" game developer did not help it when it began its first action-RPG venture. Designer Ted Peterson recalls the experience: "I remember talking to the guys at SirTech, who were doing Wizardry: Crusaders of the Dark Savant at the time, and they literally laughing at us for thinking we could do it."[4] Ted Peterson worked as one of the designers of what was then simply Arena, a "medieval-style gladiator game."[4] [5] Peterson and Julian LeFay were those who, in Peterson's opinion, "really spear-headed the initial development of the series".[4] During the development of Arena, Todd Howard, later Executive Producer of Oblivion, joined Bethesda, and saw testing the CD-ROM version of Arena as one of his first assignments.[6] Initially, Arena was not to be a classic RPG at all. The player, and a team of his fighters, would travel about a world fighting other teams in their arenas, until the player became "grand champion" in the world's capital, the Imperial City.[5] Along the way, side quests of a more role-playing nature could be completed. As the process of development progressed, however, the tournaments became less important, and the side quests more so.[4] RPG elements were added to the game, as the game expanded to include the cities outside the arenas, and dungeons beyond the cities.[5] Eventually, it was decided to drop the idea of tournaments altogether, and focus on quests and dungeons,[4] on making the game a "full-blown RPG".[5] The original concept of arena-combat had never made it to the coding stage, and so few artifacts from that era of development remain: the game's title, and a text file with the names of fighting teams from every large city in Tamriel, and a brief introduction for them.[7] The concept of traveling teams was eventually left aside as well, because the team's decision to produce a first-person RPG had made the system somewhat less fun.[5] Although the team had dropped arena-combat from the endgame, because all the material had already been printed up with the title, the game went to market as The Elder Scrolls: Arena. The team retconned the idea that, because the Empire of Tamriel was so violent, it had been nicknamed the Arena. It was actually Bethesda's founder Christopher Weaver who came up with the name of "The Elder Scrolls,""[4] the description of which eventually came to mean "Tamriel's mystical tomes of knowledge that told of its past, present, and future."[5] The game's initial voice-over was changed in response, beginning: "It has been foretold in the Elder Scrolls..."[4] Ted Peterson had joined the company in 1992, working assignments on Terminator: 2029, Terminator Rampage, and Terminator Future Shock, as well as some other titles." Peterson, Vijay Lakshman, and LeFay were longtime aficionados of pencil-and-paper role-playing games,[4] and it is from these games that the world of Tamriel was created.[5] They were also fans of Looking Glass Studios' Ultima Underworld series, which became their main

The Elder Scrolls: Arena inspiration for Arena. The influence of Legends of Valour, a game Ted Peterson describes as a "free-form first-person perspective game that took place in a single city," has also been noted.[4] [5] Peterson, asked for his overall comment on the game, replied "It was certainly derivative...".[4] The game's release was slow to build. Bethesda missed their Christmas 1993 window, and released the game the following March 1994, This was "really serious for a small developer/publisher like Bethesda Softworks." The racy packaging further contributed to distributor concerns for the game,[6] leading to an initial distribution of under 10,000 units a smaller number, recalls Peterson, than the initial sales for his Terminator: 2029 add-on. Nonetheless, sales continued, month after month, based upon good word-of-mouth. Soon, despite some initially harsh reviews, general bugginess,[4] and the formidable demands the game made on player's machines,[8] the game became a cult hit.[6] Evaluations of the game's success vary from "minor"[4] to "modest"[8] to "wild,"[6] but are unvarying in presenting the game as a success. Game historian Matt Barton concludes that, in any case, "the game set a new standard for this type of role-playing video game, and demonstrated just how much room was left for innovation."[8] The Elder Scrolls: Arena, had definitely pushed the envelope and started a series that went on to become a reference work in the genre.

65

Floppy disk, CD-ROM and Deluxe editions

Arena was originally released on CD-ROM and 3.5" floppy disk. The CD-ROM edition is the more advanced, featuring enhanced speech for some characters and CGI video sequences. In late 1994, Arena was re-released in a special "Deluxe Edition" package, containing the CD-ROM patched to the latest version, a mousepad with the map of Tamriel printed on it, and the "Codex Scientia"; an in-depth hint book. The version that was released as freeware by Bethesda Softworks in 2004 is the 3.5" floppy disk version, not the CD-ROM edition. In 2005, the CD-ROM version was released on a limited edition re-issue for PC. This version included DOSBox, which would install automatically onto the computer, so the user would have no compatibility issues. The cover was in the same style of Morrowind.

References
[1] "Bethesda Softworks celebrates Elder Scroll's 10th" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6093099. html). GameSpot. 2007-04-07. . Retrieved 2008-04-08. [2] "The Elder Scrolls: Arena" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ objects/ 003/ 003623. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-09-15. [3] Rolston, Ken (2007-06-16). "Most Memorable Elder Scrolls Moments" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080307074525/ http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ team_tesmoments. htm). Bethesda Softworks. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ team_tesmoments. htm) on 2008-03-07. . [4] "Ted Peterson Interview I" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=12). Morrowind Italia. 2001-04-09. . Retrieved 2007-06-08. [5] "Arena - Behind the Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-arena. htm). The Elder Scrolls 10th Anniversary. Bethesda Softworks. 2004. . Retrieved 2007-06-08. [6] Blancato, Joe (2007-02-06). "Bethesda: The Right Direction" (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ issue/ 83/ 11). The Escapist. . Retrieved 2007-06-01. [7] "Go Blades!" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ go-blades). The Imperial Library. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [8] Barton, Matt (2007-04-11). "The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part III: The Platinum and Modern Ages (1994-2004)" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ features/ 20070411/ barton_05. shtml). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-06-08.

The Elder Scrolls: Arena

66

External links
UESP Wiki Arena section (http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Arena:Arena) TES: Arena manual (http://www.svatopluk.com/arena/manual/) Free official download (http://www.elderscrolls.com/arena/), from The Elder Scrolls official site ArenaSetup (http://theelderscrolls.wiwiland.net/?title=Arena_:_ArenaSetup_EN) : A ready to play version for modern Windows using DOSbox based on the CD version.

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall

67

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
Developer(s) Publisher(s) Series Engine Version Platform(s) Release date(s) Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks The Elder Scrolls XnGine 2.13
[1]

MS-DOS

NA EU

August 31, 1996 1996

Genre(s) Mode(s)

Action role-playing, Open world Single player (first-person view)

Media/distribution CD-ROM System requirements System

90 MHz Pentium 32 MB RAM 200 MB disk space

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall is an action role-playing open world video game developed by Bethesda Softworks and released in 1996 for MS-DOS. It is a sequel to The Elder Scrolls: Arena and the second installment in The Elder Scrolls series. On July 9, 2009, it was made available as a free download on the Elder Scrolls website. It is the first game in the series to be rated M.

Gameplay
In Daggerfall, as in all The Elder Scrolls games, players are not required to follow questlines or fill specific character archetypes. Daggerfall features a spell-creation system where, through the Mages Guild, players can create custom spells with several different effects. The game will then automatically generate the mana cost of the spell based on the power of the effects chosen. Other features include an equipment enchantment system (similar in concept to the spell creation system); the ability to buy houses and ships; a variety of clothing and equipment; dynamic political relationships between kingdoms; the ability to become a vampire, werewolf, or wereboar; and the combat system, which uses mouse movement to determine the direction and effect of weapon swings in melee combat. The political system is supported by a net of guilds, orders, and religions, all with unique tasks and quests. Joining and contributing to these organizations allow the player to raise ranks and gain a reputation in the game world, which affects how NPCs and other factions view the player. Daggerfall has genre-typical gore elements and some sexual topics. It displays cartoonish nudity (showing breasts but no genitals) both on NPCs and on the character's paper doll when all equipment is removed. The game installer includes a password-protected childgard feature that hides blood and corpses (instead showing just the skeleton of the corpse), disables sexual topics (though not removing all nudity), and ensures the character portrait is wearing underwear at all times.

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall

68

Game world
Daggerfall, like the other games in the Elder Scrolls series, takes place on the fictional continent of Tamriel. In Daggerfall, the player may travel within the High Rock and Hammerfell provinces of Tamriel. A wide range of formidable enemies, the strongest of which are the Daedra, make the journey through these realms difficult. Bethesda claims that the scale of the game is equal to twice the size of Great Britain:[2] around 487,000 square kilometers. The game world features over 15,000 towns, cities, villages, and dungeons for the player's character to explore. According to Todd Howard, Game Director and Executive Producer for Bethesda Game Studios, the game's sequel, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, is 0.01% the size of Daggerfall, but it should be noted most of Daggerfall's terrain was randomly generated. Vvardenfell, the explorable part of Morrowind in the third game has 10 square miles (25.9 square kilometers).[3] [4] The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has approximately 16 square miles (41.4 square kilometers) to explore.[5] In Daggerfall, there are 750,000+ non-player characters (NPCs) for the player to interact with, compared to the count of around 1,000 NPCs found in Morrowind and Oblivion. However, the geography and the characters in these later games are much more detailed. An automap was implemented to help players navigate through the lengthy tombs and ancient underground fortresses. Players have to visit approximately 6-8 areas in order to finish the game, although a total of 47 areas are present. A limited array of building blocks were used to construct the towns and dungeons, causing some reviewers to complain about the game's monotony. In 2002, Morrowind, the third game in the series, responded to this issue with a smaller, more detailed world containing unique-looking cities and NPCs with greater individuality.

Story
Daggerfall is a city in the Breton homeland of High Rock. The player is sent here at the personal request of the emperor. He wants the player to do two things. First, the player must free the ghost of the late King Lysandus from his earthly shackles. Second, the player must discover what happened to a letter from the emperor to a Blades spy in the court of Daggerfall. The letter reveals that Lysandus's mother, Nulfaga, knows the location of the Mantella, the key to resurrecting the first Numidium, a powerful iron golem. The emperor wants his spy to force Nulfaga into revealing the location of the Mantella so that the Blades can finish the reconstruction of the Numidium. Through a series of mishaps and confusions the letter fell into the hands of an orc by the name of Gortworg. Not knowing what the Mantella is, Gortworg consults Mannimarco, the King of Worms (the leader of the Necromancers). During this time the Underking, who originally destroyed the first Numidium because of its misuse by Tiber Septim, is recuperating deep within a tomb of High Rock after expending so much energy destroying it the first time. In order for the player to give the Mantella to anyone, the player must kill King Lysandus's murderer and put his ghost to rest. After accomplishing this, the player must steal the totem of Tiber Septim from King Gothryd of Daggerfall, and free the Mantella from its prison in Aetherius. Following this the player has six choices of how to deal with the Mantella.

Endings
Daggerfall has six endings: If the player activates the Mantella himself while in possession of the totem (the controlling device of the Numidium), the Numidium will slay the player, go out of control, and be destroyed by Imperial forces. It should be noted that although this was listed as a possible ending on the Elder Scroll's official website during the 10th anniversary of the series, there doesn't appear to be any possible way to achieve this ending because the player cannot retrieve the Mantella without giving the totem to one of the major powers first. This ending is possibly just a rumor which even staff of Bethesda that didn't work on the development of Daggerfall were led to believe was true. It is possible to achieve this ending through hacking of game files however the end result is a glitched mess. If the player gives the Mantella to the Underking, he absorbs its power, passes into eternal rest, and creates a large "magicka free" area around himself.

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall If Gortworg is victorious, he uses the Numidium to destroy the Imperial forces and the "Bay Kings", the rulers of the several provinces of the Iliac Bay. The Underking arrives shortly thereafter to destroy the first Numidium once and for all, losing his own life in the process. Gortworg then succeeds in creating Orsinium, a kingdom of Orcs. If the Blades are victorious, they succeed in recreating the first Numidium and use it to defeat the Bay Kings and the Orcs as well as unite all the provinces of Tamriel under the empire once again. If any of the Bay Kings win, that king will use the first Numidium to defeat all the other kings just before the Underking destroys him and itself. If Mannimarco receives the Mantella, he uses it to make himself a God.

69

Development
Work on The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall began immediately after Arena's release in March 1994.[6] The new project saw Ted Peterson assigned the role of Lead Game Designer.[7] Originally titled Mournhold and set in Morrowind, the game was eventually relocated to the provinces of High Rock and Hammerfell, in Tamriel's northwest. Daggerfall saw the replacement of Arena's experience-point-based system with one that rewarded the player for actually role-playing their character and revolved around skills.[6] Alongside skill-set tweaking, Daggerfall came equipped with an improved character generation engine, which included not only Arena's basic class choices but also a class creation system.[8] The system, which was designed primarily by Peterson with influences from GURPS, allowed players to create their own classes, assigning their own skills. Peterson notes that he's always enjoyed character-creation systems and that, although he doesn't "like playing Gamma World", even now he'll sometimes "roll the dice and see what kind of mutations my character would develop if I actually wanted to play the game". "I know", he says, "I'm weird."[7] Daggerfall was initially developed with an updated 2.5D Raycast engine, like Doom's, but it was eventually dropped in favor of the XnGine engine. Daggerfall realized an immense game world,[6] filled with 15,000 towns and a population of 750,000.[9] Daggerfall saw little influence from other video games of the time. "Computer role-playing games weren't very interesting while we were working on Daggerfall. I can remember playing the latest King's Quest, Doom, and Sam and Max Hit the Road while working on it, but I can't say they had any profound impact on the story or design." The game's most profound influences came from whatever games and literature Julian LeFay or Ted Peterson happened to be playing or reading at the time, such as Dumas's The Man in the Iron Mask, which influenced "the quest where the player had to find the missing Prince of Sentinel", and Vampire: The Masquerade, which influenced "the idea of vampire tribes throughout the region".[7] Daggerfall's plot was opened up beyond Arena's clichd and linear "find the eight missing pieces of the 'Staff of Chaos' and use it to rescue the Emperor from a dimensional prison",[10] and "that most cliched of all role-playing conventions, slaying the wicked wizard", to a "complex series of adventures leading to multiple resolutions".[7] Daggerfall was released on August 31, 1996,[11] within the game's intended release window.[12] Similar to Arena, the original release suffered from buggy code. Although Daggerfall's code was, in contrast to Arena's, patchable,[10] the yearning to avoid, in LeFay's words, "all the stupid patches we had for Daggerfall" led to a more cautious release schedule in the future.[13] Ted Peterson left Bethesda following Daggerfall's release and went to work for a series of companies in Los Angeles and San Francisco: Film Roman, AnyRiver Entertainment, Activision, and Savage Entertainment.[7] On July 9, 2009, Bethesda made Daggerfall available as a free, legal download on their website, commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Elder Scrolls franchise.[14]

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall

70

Modding
Although Daggerfall did not come with official modding tools like later Elder Scrolls series releases, enthusiasts for the game developed tools on their own to access the game's content soon after its release. As a result, a number of additional quests, graphical enhancements, and gameplay features were developed by third parties. Notable works include AndyFall[15] and DaedraFall.[16] In addition, some mod makers have devoted time to repairing some of the remaining bugs in the latest official release of Daggerfall, the DFQFIX quest-fix pack and HackFall being the most recent attempts at this.[17] [18]

XL Engine
The XL Engine is a rewrite of many different classic game engines, including Daggerfall. It has been in development since June 2009.[19] It was initially called DaggerXL, and was being developed alongside another game engine rewrite project until 2011, when DaggerXL and the other project were merged together, creating the XL Engine in the process. The eventual goal of the project is to create an updated playing environment for classic 3D games, capable of being run on modern operating systems (as opposed to being run in DOS or through DOSBox). Past this, additional goals for Daggerfall specifically - include the implementation of features that were initially promised for the game, but were not included or only partially coded in for the final release of the game. As of June 2011, DaggerXL supports character creation, the rendering of all provinces and dungeons, user-definable display resolution (including smoothed terrain and Bloom), and basic gameplay. Additional gameplay features and bug-fixes are currently being coded for future releases of DaggerXL.

DaggerfallSetup
DaggerfallSetup is a Daggerfall installer for modern Windows.[20] The aim of this project is to install and easily run a fully patched Daggerfall on a modern Windows operating system. The setup contains many official and unofficial patches and translations for the game. DOSBox is used to run the game.

References
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] "Daggerfall:Files" (http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Daggerfall:Files). . Retrieved 2011-01-18. "Bethesda Softworks" (http:/ / www. bethsoft. com/ eng/ games/ games_daggerfall. html). Bethsoft.com. . Retrieved 2011-12-02. CDA Access (http:/ / www. cdaccess. com/ html/ pc/ 43role. htm) Ace Gamez (http:/ / www. acegamez. co. uk/ reviews_pc/ The_Elder_Scrolls_III_Morrowind_PC. htm) Firing Squad (http:/ / www. firingsquad. com/ games/ oblivion_review/ ) "Daggerfall - Behind the Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-daggerfall. htm). The Elder Scrolls 10th Anniversary. Bethesda Softworks. 2004. . Retrieved 2007-06-09. [7] "Ted Peterson Interview I" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=12). Morrowind Italia. 2001-04-09. . Retrieved 2007-06-08. [8] "Daggerfall". Next Generation Magazine (11): 825. November 1995. [9] Blancato, Joe (2007-02-06). "Bethesda: The Right Direction" (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ issue/ 83/ 11). The Escapist. . Retrieved 2007-06-01. [10] Barton, Matt (2007-04-11). "The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part III: The Platinum and Modern Ages (1994-2004)" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ features/ 20070411/ barton_05. shtml). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-06-08. [11] "Daggerfall release dates" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ daggerfall/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . [12] Ward, Trent C. (1996-05-01). "Daggerfall Preview" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ daggerfall/ news. html?sid=2558603& om_act=convert& om_clk=gsupdates& tag=updates;title;8). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-14. [13] "Battlespire". Next Generation Magazine (34): 1245. October 1997. [14] Thompson, Michael (2009-07-10). "Bethesda releasing Daggerfall for free" (http:/ / arstechnica. com/ gaming/ news/ 2009/ 07/ bethesda-releasing-daggerfall-for-free. ars). Arstechnica.com. . Retrieved 2011-12-02. [15] "AndyFall" (http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Daggerfall:Files). UESPWiki. . Retrieved 2010-02-28. [16] "DeadraFall" (http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Daggerfall:Files). UESPWiki. . Retrieved 2010-02-28. [17] "DFQFIX" (http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Daggerfall:Files). UESPWiki. . Retrieved 2010-02-28.

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall

[18] "HackFall" (http:/ / slushpool. fortunecity. com). Daggerfall Tool Repository. . Retrieved 2011-11-24. [19] "DaggerXL" (http:/ / xlengine. com/ ). Homepage. . Retrieved 2011-05-06. [20] "DaggerfallSetup" (http:/ / theelderscrolls. wiwiland. net/ ?title=Daggerfall_:_DaggerfallSetup_EN). Homepage. . Retrieved 2010-03-08.

71

External links
Official The Elder Scrolls site (http://www.elderscrolls.com/) UESP Daggerfall Wiki (http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Daggerfall) The Daggerfall Embassy (http://www.svatopluk.com/daggerfall/) Daggerfall Tool Repository (http://slushpool.fortunecity.com/) Unofficial patches, and game editing tools and information. Daggerfall Resources (http://sweb1.dmit.nait.ca/~jparrott2/DMIT208/) The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (http://www.dmoz.org/Games/Video_Games/Roleplaying/E/ Elder_Scrolls_Series,_The/Elder_Scrolls_II,_The_-_Daggerfall//) at the Open Directory Project The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319341/) at the Internet Movie Database

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Developer(s) Publisher(s) Designer(s) Composer(s) Series Engine Version Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Softworks Ubisoft (Europe: Xbox) Todd Howard (project lead) Ken Rolston (lead designer) Jeremy Soule The Elder Scrolls NetImmerse/GameBryo 1.2.0722 (July 22, 2002) [2] 1.6.1820 (GotY) (July 09, 2003) Microsoft Windows, Xbox Microsoft Windows

NA EU

[1]

Platform(s) Release date(s)

[3]

May 1, 2002 May 2, 2002 June 6, 2002 November 22, 2002 October 31, 2003 November 7, 2003 (PC) February 20, 2004 (Xbox)

Xbox

[4]

NA EU

Game of the Year Edition

NA EU EU

Genre(s) Mode(s)

Action role-playing, Open world Single player (first-person and third-person view)

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

72

Rating(s)

ELSPA: 11+ ESRB: T PEGI: 12 USK: 12

Media/distribution

2 CD-ROMs (PC), 1 DVD (Xbox), Download

System requirements Windows ME/98 - 128 MB RAM Windows XP/2000 - 256 MB RAM, 500MHz Intel Pentium III, Celeron, AMD Athlon or better processor, 8x CD/DVD-ROM Drive, 1 GB free hard disk space, DirectX 8.1 (included), 32 MB Direct3D compatible video card with 32-bit color support, DirectX 8.1 compatible driver, and Hardware Transform & Lighting support, DirectX 8.1 compatible sound card

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (often referred to as simply Morrowind) is an action role-playing open world video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios, and published by Bethesda Softworks and Ubisoft. It is the third installment in The Elder Scrolls series of games, following The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. It was released in North America in 2002 for Microsoft Windows and the Xbox. Well-received publicly and critically, with over four million sales[5] and more than 60 awards (including Game of the Year),[6] the game spawned two expansion packs for the PC: Tribunal and Bloodmoon. Both were eventually repackaged into a full set containing all three, Morrowind: Game of the Year Edition, which shipped on October 30, 2003 for both PC and Xbox.[7] The main story takes place on Vvardenfell, an island in the Dunmer province of Morrowind, which lies in the empire of Tamriel and is far from the more civilized lands to the west and south that typified Daggerfall and Arena. The central quests concern the deity Dagoth Ur, housed within the volcanic Red Mountain, who seeks to gain power and break Morrowind free from Imperial reign.[8] [9] [10] Morrowind was designed with an open-ended free-form style of gameplay in mind, with less of an emphasis on the game's main plot than its predecessors. This choice received mixed reviews in the gaming press, though such feelings were tempered by reviewers' appreciation of Morrowind's expansive and detailed game world.

Gameplay
Further information: Gameplay of The Elder Scrolls series

Character creation
Morrowind begins with the player's character, having been imprisoned, arriving in Morrowind by boat in order to be pardoned. This is a common introductory segment throughout the main installments of the series. A well-received tutorial depicting the prisoner's release moves the player through the process of character creation.[11] [12] [13] [14] [15] The player is successively asked questions by a fellow prisoner, an officer, and a bureaucrat as the player is registered as a free citizen; choosing, in the process, the player character's name, race, gender, class, and birthsign. These affect the player's starting attributes, skills, and abilities. In a throwback to the Ultima series, the player has an opportunity to answer a series of moral questions to determine his class.[11] [12] [16]

Skill system
The player character's proficiency with a skill is increased either by practice, training or study. Practice involves performing the specific actions associated with a given skill, which gradually raises the character's proficiency in that skill. Raising weapon skills requires striking an enemy with the appropriate weapon; raising armor skills requires being struck while wearing the appropriate type of armor; etc. Training involves paying cash to NPCs in exchange for immediate proficiency increases in that skill. Study requires reading books found in the game, some of which will immediately raise a skill when read. Weaponry skills (viz. Short Blade, Long Blade, Axe, etc.) affect the character's chance to hit. Armor skills (viz. Heavy Armor, Light Armor, Unarmored, etc.) affect the defensive strength of the armor. Other skills (viz. Alchemy, Athletics and Security) affect proficiency at other actions such as potion-making, running, lockpicking, etc.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Morrowind, like its predecessor Daggerfall, makes a distinction between "attributes" and "skills"; skills being those individual proficiencies in particular schools of battle or with particular armor classes, and attributes being broader proficiencies, such as "strength" and "endurance", which are either tied to important features unconnected to any skill, (viz. Health, evasion chance, etc.) or improve the efficiency of a wide variety of skills. Strength, for example, improves the damage of any physical blow dealt by the player character. Attributes, however, are improved only when the player levels up. The player levels up their character by gaining levels in ten pre-determined skills, listed as 'major' and 'minor' skills. Each time the player levels up their character, they can select three attributes to augment as well. The player is better able to augment attributes related to their skill set, as each level gained in a particular skill adds to the multiplier by which the attribute is augmented.[16] [17] [18] [19]

73

Combat
On a PC, the simplest melee attack, a chop, is performed with a left click. The slightly more complex slash and thrust attacks are performed by clicking in unison with tapping a directional key,[20] though by turning on the "always use best attack" option, players can eliminate the moving element, freeing them to focus on the combat. A melee weapon's damage potential is rated for each of these attacks. Reviewers found little value in choosing between the three types of attacks for most weapons, and recommended the "always use best attack" option.[20] [21] Hidden arithmetic modifiers, applied to each combatant's skills, determines whether or not the attack hits. In the game's original release, the player was given no indication of the amount of health left in their enemies, and no indication of the strength of the player's attacks. Reviewers took the absence badly, wishing for more visible feedback.[16] [20] [22] Bethesda eventually added enemy health bars in patch 1.1.0605, released one month after Morrowind's initial publication.[23]

Free-form design
Morrowind, following the tradition established by its predecessors in The Elder Scrolls series,[24] attempts to establish a completely free-form world, with little constricting boundaries on the player's actions. From the beginning of the game, players are put in a world where they are left to roam, steal, quest and explore, without necessarily following the main quest.[25] Lead Designer Ken Rolston, asked prior to Morrowind's release what he thought were the "core, untouchable design elements" of the Elder Scrolls series which "set them apart from other games", responded immediately: "Free-form experience."[26] In Rolston's view, the game's central plot is a chance to introduce the player to a cross-current of conflicting factions, background themes, and to the characters of the game, rather than the primary focus of the player's experience.[27] "Every TES game has to let you create the kind of character you want, and then do the things you want. We would never have a TES RPG force you to be a certain character or go down a certain path."[26] To allow for this behavior, Morrowind, in addition to creating an extensive main quest, provides detailed discursive quests for a variety of factions, including various guilds, religious organizations and aristocratic houses, in addition to side-quests found by mere exploration.[28] [29] Even the main plot itself may be undertaken in a number of ways. There are, in the words of critic Craig Lindley, "a very specific set of central plot points within this main plot. But the plot points are partially ordered: seven high level tasks must be completed, but their constituent sub-tasks...can be accomplished in any order, and this is repeated for the sub-tasks involved in those sub-tasks." The choices the player makes in their performance of these tasks thus become methods of character interpretation; a set of dramatic tools establishing the player's newly created self-identity.[30] According to Gamasutra's Matt Barton, some have argued that these changes put Morrowind closer in spirit to the original Dungeons & Dragons tabletop game, where players take a more creative role in their play, and where players are left to decide for themselves the "right" action.[31] This is a view paralleled by Rolston, who has stated that "The goal of every TES game is to create something that resembles a pen and paper RPG on the computer."[26]

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind The sheer number of quest possibilities, combined with what developer Ken Rolston identified as a lack of "narrative urgency", left many critics dissatisfied with the main plot. Ken Rolston later stated that the main quest might have been presented with greater force, in the style of the game's successor, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, without losing the free-form design of the series, but such concerns were not addressed prior to Morrowind's release.[32]

74

Story
While Morrowind contains many quests and storylines, the central plot revolves around the reincarnation of the Dunmer hero, Indoril Nerevar. The incarnate of Nerevar, referred to as "The Nerevarine", has been prophesied to oppose and defeat the rise of the malevolent deity Dagoth Ur and the remnants of his followers. These followers are encompassed in a forbidden faction named "The Sixth House", and are mainly located within the volcanic region of Red Mountain in the center of Vvardenfell, the island on which the game takes place. Dagoth Ur has used the Heart of Lorkhan, an artifact of great power, to make himself immortal and now seeks to drive the Imperial occupiers from Morrowind using his network of spies, as well as an enormous golem, powered by the Heart of Lorkhan, which Dagoth Ur had originally been tasked to guard.[8] [10] After a storm and a strange vision in his dreams, the player begins fresh off a boat from a mainland prison in a town called Seyda Neen, freed by the string pulling of the current ruler of the Tamrielic Empire, Emperor Uriel Septim VII, with the task of meeting Caius Cosades, a member of the Blades, a secret group tasked with the protection of the Emperor and the Empire.[15] Cosades inducts the player into the Blades under orders of the Emperor, and sets the player on various quests to uncover the mysterious disappearances and revelations that the citizens of Vvardenfell have experienced, particularly the Sixth House and the Ashlander prophecies of the Nerevarine. It is later revealed that The Sixth House, and Dagoth Ur, has been directly influencing the people within their dreams, including attempts to invade the player's mind. Prophecies from the nomadic people living in the Ashlands, The Ashlanders, predict that Nerevar's incarnate will fulfil a set of seven prophecies. The first two prophecies are that Nerevar will be born on a certain day to uncertain parents, and will be cured of Corprus disease. Fulfilling these, the player seeks to complete the third prophecy, a test to find the Moon-and-Star, the symbolic ring worn by Nerevar, which would instantly kill any other who tried to wear it. Once the player finds and equips the ring, he receives a vision from Azura, the ancient Daedric Queen of the Dawn and Dusk, who confirms that the player is Nerevar's incarnate. Nerevar completes the fourth and fifth trials, which are to rally the Great Houses and Ashlanders of Vvardenfell under one banner. After receiving the support and being declared "Hortator" of the Great Houses and "Nerevarine" of the nomadic Ashlander tribes, the player is officially, albeit reluctantly, called "Nerevarine" by the Tribunal Temple, who normally persecute anyone who claims to be the Nerevarine and sentences them to death. Nerevar is invited to the palace of the poet God-King Vivec to discuss the assault on Dagoth Ur's stronghold in the heart of Red Mountain. Vivec presents the player with the artifact gauntlet Wraithguard, an ancient Dwemer artifact that can use the tools of 'Sunder' and 'Keening'. The ancient implements will destroy the fabled Heart of Lorkhan, but without having the Wraithguard equipped, it will deal a fatal blow to whoever wields it.[33] The player travels into Red Mountain to Dagoth Ur's citadel. After talking with Dagoth Ur, who attempts to sway the player to his side with the claim that he is merely following Nerevar's final orders, the player and Dagoth Ur fight. Besting Dagoth Ur, the player breaks the Heart of Lorkhan with Kagrenac's tools, destroying the source of Dagoth Ur's power and killing him in the process. Akulakhan's Chamber where Lorkhan's heart resides is destroyed, and in turn Red Mountain is cleared of blight and The Sixth House falls. Upon escaping from the chamber, Nerevar is congratulated by Azura, who appears before him to reward his efforts of fulfilling the prophecy.[34] After the Main Quest's completion, the game does not end. Vvardenfell is however affected in many different ways. The Blight Storms cease to plague the land, and the weak minded followers of the Sixth House are re-awakened, remembering nothing of their ordeal. The Dreamers who harassed Nerevar fall silent, and Nerevar becomes widely

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind known as the savior of Vvardenfell. The quintessential consequence of defeating Dagoth Ur was the destruction of the Heart of Lorkhan. Due to their immortality linked to the heart, Vivec and the Tribunal become mortal again, leaving Vivec's future in question and up to the player to determine his fate. The loss of divinity among the Tribunal is the main concept for the game's expansion, "Tribunal". It has since been rumored that the hero pursued an expedition to the continent Akavir.

75

Setting
Morrowind takes place on Vvardenfell, an island in the Dunmer province of Morrowind, far from the typically "European" lands to the west and south depicted in Daggerfall and Arena. Along with graphical improvements, one of the most obvious differences between Morrowind and the earlier games in the series is that Morrowind takes place in a much smaller area than the previous games. While Arena featured the entirety of Tamriel as an explorable area, and Daggerfall featured sizeable portions of two provinces of Tamriel, Hammerfell and High Rock, Morrowind includes only the "relatively small" island of Vvardenfell within the province of Morrowind.[20] The change was a result of a conscious choice on the part of the developers to feature more detail and Parts of Vvardenfell region of Morrowind controlled by Hlaalu, Telvanni and variety in the game. Whereas Daggerfall Redoran houses and Arena's dungeons were randomly generated, each area in Morrowind was specifically detailed, and each item specifically placed. As a result, reviewers were generally impressed with the game-world's variety, as this maintained the perception of an "enormous" game-world.[20] The game area expands to Mournhold on Morrowind's mainland in the Tribunal expansion, and to the island of Solstheim to the northwest of Vvardenfell in the Bloodmoon expansion. Morrowind's developers, rather than developing the common Medieval European setting of fantasy games, chose a more eclectic route, taking elements from Egyptian, early Japanese, and Middle Eastern cultures,[35] with Middle Eastern architecture cited in particular for its major influence on Balmora's Hlaalu architecture.[36] Executive Producer Todd Howard felt that the use of Morrowind as a backdrop was integral in the development of the game's style. While admitting some elements of the partially medieval Imperial culture more typical of fantasy to retain familiarity with the earlier installments of the series, Morrowind's dark elven setting "opened huge new avenues for creating cultures and sites that are not traditionally seen in a fantasy setting".[37] The development team also gave particular credit to the Ridley Scott film Gladiator, high fantasy, The Dark Crystal, and Conan the Barbarian as influences.[38] The game has over 300 books (not counting scrolls). One particular compilation of the text was 1,241 sheets of 8.26'' by 11.00'' paper.[39] PC Gamer weighted the in-game text as equal to 6 standard-size novels.[25] Many of these books provide long, serial stories, and provide hints as to the background and history of the game.[12] One critic in particular, Phillip Scuderi, remembered Morrowind for its great literary richness. To him, the in-game literature and its integration within the game was Morrowind's "most original and lasting contribution to the history of games", one

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind that would place it beside Planescape: Torment as one of the most important games of all time.[40] Such themes are echoed in other responses to the game, such as that of RPGamer's Joseph Witham, who found a story "discreet" in its progression, with a dungeon-crawling feel, standing alongside a "whole world of unique history" with books forming the greater part of the player's interaction with that world.[41] Most of the books were reused in Oblivion. The game has a great deal of geographic variety in climate, flora, and, to some extent, fauna as well. Beside that there is also some variety in politics and culture among the in-game population, combination of which adds to the uniqueness of different parts of the island. On top of that there is an archaeological aspect to the game, which gives a certain degree of depth to the story as well as the option for further exploration. Additionally, there are various kinds of limits in visibility such as fog and dust, which are countered with "clear day/night" effects that also enhance visibility to some extent. The in-game exploration is chiefly based on walking and running; however, there are instances when swimming and sometimes flotation is involved. Transportation of other kind is limited to teleportation and fast traveling by the back of giant flea-like creatures named "Silt Striders".

76

Development
A third title in the Elder Scrolls series was first conceived during the development of Daggerfall, though it was originally to be set in the Summerset Isles and called Tribunal. Following the release of Daggerfall, it was set up around an SVGA version of XnGine, which Bethesda later used in Battlespire, and set in the province of Morrowind. The game was "much closer to Daggerfall in scope", encompassing the whole province of Morrowind, rather than the isle of Vvardenfell, and allowing the player to join all five Dunmer Great Houses. The blight was conceived as a dynamic force, progressively expanding and destroying cities in its wake. It was finally decided that the scope of the original design was too grand given the technology current at the time.[42] According to Ken Rolston, something was said approximating "Were not ready for it, we dont want to jump into this and fail".[35] The project was put on hold in 1997, as Bethesda went on to develop Redguard and Battlespire,[42] though the project remained in the back of the developers minds throughout this period.[35] The completion of Redguard in 1998 led to a return to the Morrowind project, as the developers felt a yearning in their audience to return to the classically epic forms of the earlier titles. Finding that the gaps between their own technical capacities and those of rival companies had grown in the interim, Bethesda sought to revitalize itself and return to the forefront of the industry,[42] an effort spearheaded by project leader Todd Howard.[43] The XnGine was scrapped and replaced with a Direct3D powered engine, with transform and lighting capacity,[35] 32-bit textures and skeletal animation.[29] During their promotional campaign, Bethesda deliberately paralleled their screenshot releases with the announcement of NVIDIA's GeForce 4, as "being indicative of the outstanding water effects the technology is capable of".[44] The scale of the game was much reduced from the earlier concept, focusing primarily on Dagoth Ur and a smaller area of land. It was decided that the game world would be populated using the methods the team had developed in Redguard; that is, the game objects would be crafted by hand, rather than generated using the random algorithmic methods of Arena and Daggerfall. By 2000, Morrowind was to be unequivocally a single-player game, with no chance of multiplayer extension. In the words of Pete Hines, Bethesda's Director of Marketing and PR: "No. Not on release, not three months after, no no no."[38] The project, despite the reduced scale, became a massive investment. According to the team's reasoning's, the endeavor took "close to 100 man-years to create". To accomplish this feat, Bethesda tripled their staff and spent their first year of development on The Elder Scrolls Construction Set, allowing the game staff to easily balance the game and to modify it in small increments rather than large.[42] According to project leader Todd Howard, the Construction Set came as the result of a communal yearning to develop a "role-playing operating system", capable of extension and modification, rather than a particular type of game.[45] Despite the additional staff, designer Ken Rolston would later state that, compared to Oblivion, Morrowind had a small design team.[32]

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind In May 2000, Bethesda set the first expected PC release date in late 2001.[46] On May 5, 2001, Bethesda announced the development of an additional Morrowind release for Microsoft's Xbox. The project was, according to the same release, something that Bethesda had been working on with Microsoft since they had first known of the console.[47] Morrowind had an impressive showing at E3 2001,[48] demonstrating a beta build to the public. The same beta build was demonstrated to the staff of PC Gamer for another preview, and was kept around the office as late as June 19 as the subject of later previews, while another test build was developed alongside.[36] Later order forms, such as those by Electronics Boutique, set the date in November. On October 10, 2001, GameSpot reported that Morrowind's release date had been set back to March 2002.[49] On October 12, a press release from Bethesda gave the date of "Spring 2002",[50] confirming GameSpot's supposition of delay without agreeing on the more specific date of "March".[51] Though no rationale behind the delay was given at the time, developer Pete Hines later attributed the delay to a need for game testing and balancing.[52] Although the PC version of Morrowind had gone gold by April 23, 2002,[53] and was released on May 1 in North America,[3] the Xbox release was delayed further. On April 15, GameSpot suggested an Xbox release date sometime in May and a scheduled "going gold" date for the Xbox version in the first week of the same month.[54] In contradiction of GameSpot's supposition, a June 4 Bethesda press release set June 7 as the Xbox release date.[55] On January 3, 2002, Bethesda announced that game publisher Ubisoft would take control of the European distribution of Morrowind and eight other Bethesda games.[56] Under Ubisoft's supervision, Morrowind's European release took place in two stages. A "semi-localized" version of the game was released in May, containing a translated manual but leaving the game's text in untranslated English. A fully localized version of the game, with translated versions of both, was released in August. Ubisoft group brand manager Thomas Petersen described the difficulties of translating a "universe featuring more than a million words" as "quite a task".[57] In a break from standard industry practice, Bethesda decided to publish their strategy guide in-house, rather than contracting it out to a third party publisher like BradyGames or Prima Games. The decision resulted from a belief among Bethesda staff that they believed in and understood Morrowind more than any external agency, and deserved more royalties than were commonly rewarded. Bethesda hired Peter Olafson, a noted game journalist and friend of the company, and they began work on the guide in January 2002, four months prior to release. The resulting product, Morrowind Prophecies Strategy Guide, sold over 200,000 copies as of September 24, 2003. Although the royalties from most third-party game publishers approach 25% to 30% only infrequently, Bethesda managed a 70% profit margin on their own.[58] In spite of this success, Bethesda decided to allow Prima Games to publish the "official" game guide for the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.[59]

77

Audio
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Original Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by Jeremy Soule Genre Length Video game soundtrack 40:22

Morrowind's soundtrack was composed by Jeremy Soule, a video game composer whose previous soundtracks for Total Annihilation and Icewind Dale had earned some acclaim from the gaming press. In a Bethesda press release, Soule stated that the "epic quality" of the Elder Scrolls series was "particularly compatible with the grand, orchestral style of music" that Soule enjoys composing "the most".[60] Outside Bethesda press releases, some have criticized Morrowind's soundtrack. In their reviews of the game, both GameSpot and GameSpy criticized the length of the game's soundtrack and praised its general production quality.[61] [62] In the words of GameSpot's Greg Kasavin: "The very first time you boot up Morrowind, you'll be treated to a memorable, stirring theme filled with soaring strings and booming percussion. You'll proceed to hear it literally every five minutes or so during play."[62] Soule was aware

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind of the problem, and chose to create a soft and minimalist score so as not to wear out players' ears.[63] In a feature for Gamasutra, Scott B. Morton, although praising the music itself, declared that Morrowind's soundtrack did not work effectively with the game's gameplay, accomplishing little as an emotional device. Morrowind's soundtrack is ambient, with cues only for battle encounters. In Morton's view, the lack of variation, of response to the game's action, and of lengthMorrowind's soundtrack is only 30 minutes longleaves players detached from the game world.[64] Alexander Brandon, in another Gamasutra feature, praised Morrowind's soundtrack for its innovative instrumentation. In Brandon's opinion, its use of orchestral elements in conjunction with synthesized ones, and the use of what Brandon termed "the 'Bolero' approach", left the game's soundtrack feeling "incredibly dramatic".[65] In February 2003, Morrowind was nominated for the category of "Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition" at the 6th Annual Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences's Interactive Achievement Awards, but lost to Medal of Honor: Frontline.[66] Morrowind also contained a fair bit of voiced dialogue; an aspect somewhat better received by the gaming press. Of note is Lynda Carter, television's Wonder Woman, promoted by Bethesda for her role in voicing the Nordic race in the game.[67] Morrowind's race-specific voice acting received praise from some reviewers,[68] [69] though was met with disdain from others, who disliked the discord between a culturally inflected voice spoken in an alien dialect and the grammatically flawless dialogue printed in the dialogue boxes.[20]
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Original Soundtrack (bundled with the Collector's Edition) Disc 1 (40:22)
1. Nerevar Rising - 1:56 2. Bright Spears, Dark Blood - 2:08 3. Over the Next Hill - 3:06 4. Knight's Charge - 2:07 5. Peaceful Waters - 3:07 6. Dance of Swords - 2:15 7. The Road Most Travelled - 3:17 8. Hunter's Pursuit - 2:20 9. Blessing of Vivec - 3:18 10. Ambush! - 2:35 11. Silt Sunrise - 3:13 12. Stormclouds on the Battlefield - 2:13 13. Shed Your Travails - 3:15 14. Drumbeat of the Dunmer - 2:05 15. Caprice - 3:27 [70] [71]

78

Reception
Reception Aggregate scores
Aggregator GameRankings Score [72] (PC) 89.19% [73] (Xbox) 86.97% [74] (PC) 89/100 [75] (Xbox) 87/100

Metacritic

Review scores
Publication Edge Score 6/10 [76]

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

[77]

79
Game Informer GamePro GameSpot GameSpy IGN PC Gamer US

9.0/10 5/5

[78] [62] [22]

8.7/10

89/100 9.4/10

[79] [25]

90/100

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind was well-received by critics, it was congratulated most frequently for its breadth of scope, the richness of its visuals, and the freedom it worked into its design. Alongside the compliments, however, came criticism that the game designers had overstretched themselves, leaving glitches in various spots, and made a game too taxing to be run on an average machine, with one reviewer calling it "a resource pig".[61] In a retrospective by 1UP.com, the breadth and open-endedness of Morrowind is suggested to have contributed to the decline of single-player RPGs on home computers by leading customers to MMORPGs where they could have a similar experience.[80] In spite of this, reviewers generally felt that the drawbacks of the game were minor in comparison to its strengths. IGN concluded that "Morrowind isn't perfect and its system requirements are huge; but its accomplishments outweigh any reservations."[79] GameSpot's review concluded with a similar summation. "Morrowind does have numerous drawbacks...But they're all generally minor enough that most anyone should be able to look past them...They'll otherwise find that Morrowind fulfills its many ambitious intentions. It's a beautiful-looking, sprawling, and completely open-ended game that allows you to play pretty much however you like".[62] The game environment of Morrowind was applauded as large and richly detailed, particularly for its real-time weather effects, day/night cycle,[81] and its great variety of plant and animal life.[11] [19] [61] [62] Xbox Nation commended the game for its "sheer scope", and credited that aspect as the game's "biggest selling point", though it criticized the slowdowns, travel times and questing complexities that resulted from it.[82] In contrast to the "generic"[20] nature of Daggerfall's design, reviewers found Morrowind's design spectacular, varied,[61] and stunning.[62] GameSpot stated that "Simply exploring Morrowind is possibly the best thing about it."[62] The mildly complex reciprocal skill system was generally praised, with some few exceptions. IGN, though finding the manual's description of the system unclear, found the classes well balanced and well designed for all play styles.[17] GameSpot found the system clear and sensible.[16] PC Gamer, by contrast, found the system unbalanced, with combat privileged over other features.[25] Computer Gaming World felt the system's privileging of combinations of single-handed combat weapons and shields over double-handed weapons unnecessarily exploitable, but appreciated the freedom offered by the broad skillset and action-dependent leveling.[13] GameSpy gave strong commendation to the system, stating that "The advancement system makes so much sense that it makes other games, even games set in the D&D world such as Baldur's Gate, look silly by comparison".[83] Morrowind's combat system was poorly received by the gaming press. GameSpot characterized it as one of the game's major weak points[84] and GameSpy devoted the majority of their review's minor complaints to it.[22] The system was disparaged for its simplicity[20] and for its tendency to bore.[85] One element about Morrowind that received particular, and near-universal, criticism, was the game's journal system. In Morrowind, the player has a journal which is automatically updated with information from time to time following conversations with NPCs and important developments in the plot, each new entry following all those previous. Though IGN and GamePro commended the general interface for its relative ease of use,[17] [78] the journal was almost universally reviled. The journal was found to quickly become a "muddled mess",[22] "hundreds of pages long",[84] without any useful method of organization by quest title or completion level.[25] Computer Gaming World simply called the feature an "anal-retentive nightmare of confusion", and called it one of the game's two greatest

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind shortcomings.[13] However, Bethesda remedied the complaints to some extent in the subsequent expansion Tribunal. There, the journal was organized by quests and could be more easily navigated. Despite being Bethesda's first major title to be produced for a console, Morrowind's Xbox release was well-received in the gaming press.[42] The inability to use modifications on the Xbox was unhappily felt,[86] as was non-native resolution,[87] but the qualities of detail and open-endedness which had similarly graced the PC release made good the Xbox release's faults.[86] Morrowind's Xbox release sold very well; it continued to rank among the top 10 sellers on the console one year after its initial releasea feat matched only by Halo: Combat Evolved.[88] In spite of its critical and commercial success, Morrowind did not win any end-of-year press awards for its Xbox release. In 2010 IGN ranked Dagoth Ur 90th in "Top 100 Videogames Villains".

80

Awards
Morrowind won GameSpy's PC RPG of the Year Award,[89] though it lost to Neverwinter Nights in reader polls, ranking 24% against Neverwinter's 34.9% popular support.[90] It won IGN's RPG Vault's Game of the Year Award,[91] IGN's PC Roleplaying Game of the Year Award in both its editorial and popular forms,[92] RPG Vault's Game of the Year Award 2002[91] and was IGN's reader's choice for Best Story.[93] Morrowind lost GameSpot's RPG competition to Neverwinter Nights, and failed to win any other awards from the site.[94] Morrowind, in addition to its nomination in music composition, was also nominated in the category of "Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year" at the 2003 Interactive Achievement Awards, but lost, again, to Neverwinter Nights.[66] In September 2003, Morrowind received the dubious honour of ranking 21st on GameSpy's "25 Most Overrated Games" list, for its "buggy, repetitive, and dull gameplay".[95]

Modification
Bethesda Softworks, the developer of Morrowind, offers gamers the ability to recreate the world with a variety of mod making tools, such as The Elder Scrolls Construction Set, which allows the modder to create and edit different races, signs, abilities, and skills.[96] Characters can be made as strong or as fast as the user wants, and allows the player to experience the game in a way that would not normally be possible within the game's mechanics.[97] Morrowind is well known for its ability to be changed by plugins (often referred to as modifications, or mods for short) using the Elder Scrolls Construction Set, which comes with the PC version of the game. These plugins are usually easy to install and can change almost everything in the game.[98] Plugins can include new creatures, weapons, armor, quests, people, playable species, Easter eggs, stores, player owned houses, cities, expand on the size of cities, and introduce new plotlines, or even entire landmasses with some or all of the above. Others create immensely powerful "god items" and place them in convenient locations. Still other mods change or enhance the graphical aspects of the game, such as lighting, 3D models, colors, and textures.[99] There are also official mods made by Bethesda, such as "Siege at Firemoth", which can be found at the official site.[100]

Expansions
The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal
The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal, announced on September 2, 2002 and scheduled for a PC-only release,[101] went gold on November 1[102] and was released, with little fanfare,[103] on November 6.[104] Tribunal puts the player in the self-contained, walled city of Mournhold, the capital of the province of Morrowind; the new city is not connected to Morrowind's land mass, Vvardenfell, and the player must teleport to it. The storyline continues the story of the Tribunal deities.[101] The choice to produce the expansion was primarily inspired by the success of Morrowind's release, as well as a general feeling that Elder Scrolls series games are ongoing experiences that merit new things for their players to

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind do.[105] Development on the game began immediately after Morrowind shipped, giving the developers a mere five-month development cycle to release the gamea very fast cycle for the industry. The prior existence of the Construction Set, however, meant that the team "already had the tools in place to add content and features very quickly."[106] Interface improvementsspecifically, an overhaul of Morrowind's journal systemwere among the key goals for Tribunal's release. The new journal allowed the player to sort quests individually and by completion, reducing the confusion caused by the original's jumbling together of every quest into a single chronological stream. The game's reviewers took well to the change, although some criticized the incomplete implementation of the system, and others found the system continued to be "a bit unwieldy."[107] [108] [109] Reviews of Tribunal were generally positive, though to lesser amounts than was the case for Morrowind. Aggregate scoring sites Metacritic and Gamerankings both gave the game generally favourable scores: Metacritic, a score of 80;[110] Game Rankings, a score of 82.[111] Most critics commented on the greater linearity of the experience, combined with a reduction in the total size of the play area, giving the changes mixed reviews. GameSpot reported sullenly on the change: "it's somewhat surprising that the Tribunal expansion confines your adventures to the relatively small setting of the municipality Mournhold,"[112] and that, in light of this change, "Tribunal doesn't have many of the features that made Morrowind so appealing."[109] IGN stated that although "you'll rarely lose sight of what you're doing or why," a fact that may make the game more "comprehensible" for some players, "the lack of interaction with the rest of the world is pretty depressing."[108] RPGamer, by contrast, was unequivocally positive about the change: "Bethesda...neatly sidesteps two of the most difficult atmospheric flaws of Morrowindthe constant sense of emptiness, and the bland outdoor landscapesby having the story take place entirely within the city of Mournhold...This smaller, tighter playing field ensures that every minor detail can and does get attention."[113]

81

The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon

The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon, announced on February 14, 2003, and scheduled for release in May of the same year,[114] went gold by May 23,[115] and was released on June 6.[116] Bethesda began work on the expansion immediately following the release of Tribunal in November 2002. Bloodmoon is a larger expansion than Tribunal, in terms of area covered and content created;[117] it expands the game's main map to include the untamed island of Solstheim located to the northwest of Vvardenfell, a frigid northern tundra sprinkled with forests, and many new varieties of creatures, such as the short but tough rieklings. These additions marked a return to the "open-ended gameplay" and "free-form exploration" of the original, in contrast to the linearity and confinement of Tribunal.[118] Reviews for Bloodmoon were, again, generally positive. Aggregate scoring sites Metacritic and Game Rankings both gave the game generally favorable scores: Metacritic, a score of 85;[119] Gamerankings, a score of 83.[120] One of the key selling points of Bloodmoon was its reintegration of werewolves; a feature that had been included in Daggerfall, but absent in Morrowind;[121] a feature prominently advertised in previews prior to the game's release,[114] [117] in contrast to Morrowind's vampirism, which was almost an "Easter Egg" in terms of how many players remained unfamiliar with the feature.[122] Players become werewolves by catching the lycanthropic disease "Sanies Lupinus" and letting three days pass without attempting to cure it. Once the disease has been fully integrated, the player transforms every night, regardless of the lunar cycle.[123] Being a werewolf provides ability increases, though their strength was reduced relative to the major bonuses offered by lycanthropy in Daggerfall.[121] Some reviewers found the addition a welcome challenge,[122] [123] [124] but others thought the addition frustrating and poorly implemented.[121] [125]

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

82

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Game of the Year Edition

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Game of the Year Edition was announced May 12, 2003 and released October 31 of the same year.[7] It compiled both the Tribunal and Bloodmoon expansions, along with patches available only for the PC release, and offered them up in one single package for both PC and Xbox platforms; something which, previously, Xbox owners had not had access to.[126] Absent, however, from the Xbox version was the improved journal included in Bethesda's Bloodmoon and Tribunal releases, as well as the later patched editions of Morrowind's original release. Reviewers responded to the absence negatively.[127] Nonetheless, reviews for the GOTY set were generally positive; more so than all previous releases. Metacritic gave the game a score of 89;[128] Game Rankings, a 88.[129] PC Gamer re-released this version under their "PC Gamer Presents" line.

References
[1] "Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind 1.2.0722 Patch" (http:/ / bethsoft. com/ eng/ downloads_01. html#morrowind). Bethesda Softworks. 2002-07-22. . Retrieved 2010-12-24. [2] "Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon 1.6.1820 Patch". Bethesda Softworks. 2003-07-09. [3] "PC release summary" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-30. [4] "Xbox release summary" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-30. [5] "Lynda Carter Joins the Voice Cast of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_081705. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2005-08-17. . Retrieved 2006-11-26. [6] "Game Information: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070810040803/ http:/ / www. bethsoft. com/ games/ games_morrowind. html). Bethesda Softworks. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. bethsoft. com/ games/ games_morrowind. html) on 2007-08-10. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [7] Thorsen, Tor (2003-10-30). "Morrowind GOTY release dates" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox/ rpg/ morrowindgoty/ news. html?sid=6077652& mode=recent). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. "Morrowind: Game of the Year Edition ships" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox/ rpg/ morrowindgoty/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [8] "Intro to Morrowind" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ introduction-3). The Imperial Library (http:/ / imperial-library. info/ ). . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [9] "The Story of Morrowind" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind-storyline). The Imperial Library (http:/ / imperial-library. info/ ). . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [10] Tribunal Temple (2002-05-01). "Dagoth Ur's Plans" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ morrowind-dagoth-urs-plans). The Imperial Library (http:/ / imperial-library. info/ ). . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [11] Brenesal, Barry (2002-05-15). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 1" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 359/ 359554p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [12] Falcon, Jonah. "Morrowind Review" (http:/ / www. ugo. com/ channels/ games/ features/ morrowind/ review_pc. asp). UGO. . Retrieved 2007-09-22. [13] Sanders, Kathleen (2002-08). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis Media). [14] Gee, James Paul (2004-03-24). "Learning by Design: Games as Learning Machines" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ gdc2004/ features/ 20040324/ gee_pfv. htm). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [15] "Arriving in Seyda Neen" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ arriving-seyda-neen). The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2002-05-01. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [16] Kasavin, Greg (2002-05-10). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 1" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ review. html?page=1). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [17] Brenesal, Barry (2002-05-10). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 2" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 359/ 359554p2. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [18] Desslock (2002-09-13). "Attributes and Leveling" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ gameguides/ all/ morrowind/ 6. html). Desslock's Guide to Morrowind (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ gameguides/ all/ morrowind/ index. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [19] Anderson, Chris (2002-06-13). "PC Review: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ article. php?id=67091). PC Zone. ComputerAndVideoGames.com. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [20] Brenesal, Barry (2002-05-15). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 3" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 359/ 359554p3. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [21] Desslock (2002-09-13). "Combat Tips" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ gameguides/ all/ morrowind/ 16. html). Desslock's Guide to Morrowind (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ gameguides/ all/ morrowind/ index. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-12-29.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

[22] Abner, William (2002-05-15). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 3" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ reviews/ may02/ morrow/ index3. shtm). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [23] Walker, Trey (2002-06-19). "New Morrowind patch available" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news. html?sid=2871497). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-22. [24] Staff (2000-05-12). "E3 2001 Preshow Report: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ preview_2760332. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-22. [25] Klett, Steve (Jul., 2002). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind". PC Gamer US, p. 767. [26] IGN Staff (2000-06-08). "Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Interview" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 080/ 080618p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-05-14. [27] Aihoshi, Richard (2003-11-20). "RPG Roundtable #3, Part 1" (http:/ / rpgvault. ign. com/ articles/ 441/ 441165p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-10-02. [28] Chandler, Raphael (2005-10-30). "Soapbox: Active Storytelling in Games" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ features/ 20050707/ chandler_01. shtml). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [29] IGN Staff (2000-10-27). "Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Interview 2" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 086/ 086957p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-05-14. [30] Lindley, Craig A. (2005-10). "The Semiotics of Time Structure in Ludic Space As a Foundation for Analysis and Design" (http:/ / www. gamestudies. org/ 0501/ lindley/ ). Game Studies 5 (1). . [31] Barton, Matt (2007-04-11). "The Dawn of the Platinum Age; Bethesda and The Elder Scrolls" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ features/ 20070411/ barton_05. shtml). The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part III: The Platinum and Modern Ages (1994-2004), page 5. Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-05-13. [32] Varney, Allen (2006-05-23). "Oblivion's Ken Rolston Speaks" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20061031104531/ http:/ / consumer. hardocp. com/ article. html?art=MTA2NCwxLCxoY29uc3VtZXI=). HardOCP. Archived from the original (http:/ / consumer. hardocp. com/ article. html?art=MTA2NCwxLCxoY29uc3VtZXI=) on October 31, 2006. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [33] "House Hlaalu" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ house-hlaalu). The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2002-05-01. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. "House Redoran" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ house-redoran). The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2002-05-01. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. "House Telvanni" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ house-telvanni). The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2002-05-01. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. "Ahemmusa Tribe" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ ahemmusa-tribe). The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2002-05-01. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. "Zaniab Tribe" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ zainab-tribe). The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2002-05-01. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. "Erabenimsun Tribe" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ erabenimsun-tribe). The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Softworks. The Imperial Library. 2002-05-01. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. "Meeting Preparation" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ meeting-preparation). The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Softworks. The Imperial Library. 2002-05-01. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. "Meeting With Vivec" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ meeting-vivec). The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2002-05-01. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [34] "Assault Dagoth Ur" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ assault-dagoth-ur). The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2002-05-01. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. "Assault Dagoth Ur (alternate path)" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ alt-assault-dagoth-ur). The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2002-05-01. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [35] Qwerty (2001-07). "Interview with Morrowind Developers" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ interviews-MW-team). The Interviews. Game. EXE. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [36] Dalin (2001-06-19). "One Man's Journey to Rockville" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=7). . Retrieved 2006-09-22. [37] Howard, Todd (2003-06-30). "RPG Roundtable #1, Part 1" (http:/ / rpgvault. ign. com/ articles/ 426/ 426475p1. html). RPG Vault (http:/ / rpgvault. ign. com/ ). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-12-19. [38] "Development Team Chat #1" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=27). VoodooExtreme (http:/ / ve3d. ign. com/ ). 2000-07-19. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [39] Zeph (2005). "The Elder Scrolls Treasury, Volume I" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ sites/ default/ files/ The Elder Scrolls Treasury Vol. I Ed. 3. pdf) (PDF). Zeph's TES Treasury (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ zephs-tes-treasury) (3rd ed. ed.). Dortmund: The Imperial Library. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [40] Scuderi, Phillip (2006-03-10). "The Literary Achievement of Morrowind" (http:/ / www. gamerswithjobs. com/ node/ 22717). Gamers with Jobs. . Retrieved 2006-11-05. [41] Witham, Joseph. "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - Review" (http:/ / www. gamerswithjobs. com/ node/ 22717). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2007-05-06.

83

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

[42] "Morrowind, Behind the Scenes" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv-morrowind. htm). The Elder Scrolls Tenth Anniversary (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ tenth_anniv/ tenth_anniv. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2004. . Retrieved 2006-11-22. [43] Eidolon (2000-07). "Development Team chat" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=27). Articles (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. List& category_show_all=1& persist_search=ee4b878e4223070b5eb4aaaa853c5c27& Data_page=2). Planet Elder Scrolls (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ ). VoodooExtreme. GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-11-22. [44] Sulic, Ivan (2002-02-08). "The Water of Morrowind" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 324/ 324301p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-05-14. [45] Staff (2000-06-09). "Morrowind Construction Set Announced" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ itemrankings/ fullnews. asp?newsid=1570). GamePen. Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [46] Staff (2000-05-12). "Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ preview_2567858. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [47] "Bethesda Softworks Announces The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind For Xbox" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_050401. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2001-05-05. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. [48] Walker, Trey (2001-05-23). "E3 2001: Morrowind update" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news_2764670. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-06. [49] Walker, Trey (2001-10-01). "Morrowind delayed" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news_2815651. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [50] "Bethesda Softworks set to ship The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind in Spring 2002" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_101201. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2001-10-12. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. [51] Walker, Trey (2001-12-01). "Morrowind delay confirmed" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news_2817768. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [52] "Q&A with Pete Hines" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=33). Morrowind-Guide. Planet Elder Scrolls (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ ). 2001-11-16. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [53] "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind for PC goes gold" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_042302. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2002-04-23. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. Walker, Trey (2002-04-23). "Morrowind goes gold" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news_2862333. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. [54] Varanini, Giancarlo (2002-04-15). "Morrowind sees slight delay" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news. html?sid=2861448& mode=all). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [55] "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind for Xbox headed to stores" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_060402. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2002-06-04. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. [56] "Ubi Soft signs major publishing contract with Bethesda Softworks to distribute multiple titles in Europe" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_011102. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2002-01-03. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. [57] Strohm, Axel (2002-04-23). "Europe to get Morrowind next month" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news. html?sid=2862430& mode=news). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-09. [58] "Bethesda Reaps Wild Margins on Its Self-Published Morrowind Book" (http:/ / www. findarticles. com/ p/ articles/ mi_m0PJQ/ is_12_1/ ai_110307909). Electronic Gaming Business (Ziff Davis Media, Find Articles (http:/ / www. findarticles. com/ )). 2002-09-24. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [59] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Official Game Guide) (Paperback)" (http:/ / www. amazon. com/ dp/ 0761552766). Amazon.com. . Retrieved 2007-05-13. [60] "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind to feature soundtrack by award-winning composer Jeremy Soule" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_111201. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2001-11-12. . Retrieved 2007-05-08. Staff (2001-11-12). "Morrowind's Got Soule" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 099/ 099819p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-10-02. [61] Abner, William (2002-05-15). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 2" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ reviews/ may02/ morrow/ index2. shtm). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [62] Kasavin, Greg (2002-05-10). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 3" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ review. html?page=3). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [63] Napolitano, Jayson (2007-06-06). "Interview with composer Jeremy Soule at PLAY! San Jose" (http:/ / www. music4games. net/ Features_Display. aspx?id=145). Music 4 Games. . Retrieved 2007-07-29. [64] Morton, Scott B. (2005-01-24). "Enhancing the Impact of Music in Drama-Oriented Games" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ features/ 20050124/ morton_01. shtml). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-05-13. [65] Brandon, Alexander (2004-04-30). "Instrumentation: The Game Composer's New Challenge" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ features/ 20040430/ brandon_01. shtml). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-05-13. [66] "The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070929094228/ http:/ / www. interactive. org/ awards. php?winners& year=2003). Archived from the original (http:/ / www. interactive. org/ awards. php?winners& year=2003) on September 29, 2007. . Retrieved 2007-05-22. [67] "Lynda Carter Joins the Cast of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_020502. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2002-02-05. . Retrieved 2007-05-13.

84

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

[68] Knutson, Michael. "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (http:/ / pc. gamezone. com/ gzreviews/ r14869. htm). Gamezone. . Retrieved 2006-08-24. [69] Cavner, Brian. "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ reviews/ morrowind/ Morrowind. html). RPG Fan. . Retrieved 2006-08-24. [70] "Release: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (http:/ / musicbrainz. org/ release/ 8bfe454d-31a4-4fa0-bff2-767317ef4718. html). 2008-04-27. . Retrieved 2009-02-01. [71] "RPGamer - Soundtrack Review - The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Soundtrack" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ elderscrolls/ elder3/ musicreviews/ elder3stmusicrev1. html). . Retrieved 2009-02-01. [72] "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (PC)" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ pc/ 913818-the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind/ index. html). GameRankings. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [73] "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Xbox)" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ xbox/ 480241-the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind/ index. html). GameRankings. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [74] "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (PC)" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ pc/ the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [75] "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Xbox)" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ xbox/ the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [76] Edge staff (July 2002). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind review". Edge (112): 9495. [77] Brogger, Kristian. "Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind review at Game Informer" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20071012220341/ http:/ / gameinformer. com/ Games/ Review/ 200206/ R03. 0801. 1748. 17687. htm?CS_pid=644570). Game Informer. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ Games/ Review/ 200206/ R03. 0801. 1748. 17687. htm?CS_pid=644570) on October 12, 2007. . Retrieved 2006-12-29. [78] Dunjinmaster (2002-05-29). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20021017020900/ http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ computer/ pc/ games/ reviews/ 23820. shtml). GamePro. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ computer/ pc/ games/ reviews/ 23820. shtml) on 2002-10-17. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [79] Brenesal, Barry (2002-05-15). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 5" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 359/ 359554p5. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [80] Joynt, Patrick (2006-03-29). "The Oblivion of Western RPGs: Can Oblivion save a genre it helped bury?" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ feature?pager. offset=0& cId=3148996). 1up.com. . Retrieved 2006-08-14. [81] Walker, Trey (2001-05-23). "E3 2001: Morrowind update" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news_2764670. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-22. [82] "Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20060514143812/ http:/ / findarticles. com/ p/ articles/ mi_zdxbn/ is_200209/ ai_ziff49625). Xbox Nation (Ziff Davis Media, Find Articles (http:/ / www. findarticles. com/ )). 2002-09. Archived from the original (http:/ / findarticles. com/ p/ articles/ mi_zdxbn/ is_200209/ ai_ziff49625) on 2006-05-14. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [83] Abner, William (2002-05-15). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 1" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ reviews/ may02/ morrow/ index. shtm). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [84] Kasavin, Greg (2002-05-10). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review, page 2" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ review. html?page=2). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-12-29. [85] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20060503165551/ http:/ / findarticles. com/ p/ articles/ mi_zdegm/ is_200511/ ai_n15349692). Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis Media, Find Articles (http:/ / www. findarticles. com/ )). 2005-09. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. findarticles. com/ p/ articles/ mi_zdegm/ is_200511/ ai_n15349692) on 2006-05-03. . Retrieved 2007-04-05. [86] Pavlacka, Adam (2002-07-04). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review (Xbox), page 2" (http:/ / xbox. gamespy. com/ xbox/ the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind/ 546782p2. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-10-02. [87] Pavlacka, Adam (2002-07-04). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review (Xbox), page 1" (http:/ / xbox. gamespy. com/ xbox/ the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind/ 546782p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-10-02. [88] "Bethesda Softworks Announces Morrowind Game of the Year Edition Headed to Stores" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_103003. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2003-10-30. . Retrieved 2007-05-13. [89] "GameSpy's PC RPG Game of the Year" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ goty2002/ pc/ index6. shtml). 2002 Game of the Year Awards (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ goty2002/ ). GameSpy. 2003. . Retrieved 2006-12-19. [90] "PC RPG Results" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ goty2002/ fanvote/ finalresults/ 07_pcrpg_results. shtml). Gamers' Choice Awards (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ goty2002/ fanvote/ finalresults/ index. shtml). GameSpy. 2003. . Retrieved 2006-12-19. [91] "2002 RPG Vault Awards" (http:/ / rpgvault. ign. com/ articles/ 382/ 382567p1. html). IGN. 2003. . Retrieved 2006-12-19. [92] "Best of 2002: Roleplaying" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 382/ 382835p1. html). IGN. 2003. . Retrieved 2006-12-19. [93] "Best of 2002: Story" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 383/ 383148p1. html). IGN. 2003. . Retrieved 2006-12-19. [94] "Best Role-Playing Game on PC" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ features/ all/ bestof2002/ pc20. html). Best and Worst of 2002 (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ features/ all/ bestof2002/ index. html). GameSpot. 2003. . Retrieved 2006-12-19. [95] "Morrowind (PC/Xbox) Bethesda" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ articles/ september03/ 25overrated/ index6. shtml). 25 Most Overrated Games of All Time (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ articles/ september03/ 25overrated/ ). GameSpy. 2003-09-15. . Retrieved 2006-12-19.

85

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

[96] "Morrowind - Key Features" (http:/ / elderscrolls. com/ games/ morrowind_keyfeatures. htm). ElderScrolls.com (http:/ / elderscrolls. com/ ). Bethesda Softworks. 2004. . Retrieved 2006-12-16. [97] Staff (2000-06-08). "Morrowind Editor Q&A" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news_2585018. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-01-12. [98] Kathode (2002-01-11). "Destination Morrowind Editor preview" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=24). Articles (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. List& category_show_all=1& persist_search=ee4b878e4223070b5eb4aaaa853c5c27& Data_page=2). Planet Elder Scrolls (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ ). Destination Morrowind. GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-05-12. Dalin (2002-01-15). "Editor Preview" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=25). . . GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-05-12. [99] Staff. "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Downloads" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ downloads. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-12. Staff. "Morrowind Mods" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Mods. List). Planet Elder Scrolls. GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-05-12. [100] "Morrowind Plugins" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ downloads/ updates_plugins. htm). Bethesda Softworks. . Retrieved 2007-05-12. [101] Parker, Sam (2002-09-06). "Tribunal to expand world of Morrowind" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3tribunal/ news. html?sid=2879545). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-22. [102] Parker, Sam (2002-11-01). "Tribunal goes gold" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3tribunal/ news_2896489. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [103] McNewserson, Newsey (2002-11-08). "Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Ships" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 376/ 376755p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [104] "Tribunal release dates" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3tribunal/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [105] Laprad, David (2002-09-20). "The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Interview" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20050501163026/ http:/ / www. adrenalinevault. com/ articles/ getarticle. asp?name=tribunal). The Adrenaline Vault. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. adrenalinevault. com/ articles/ getarticle. asp?name=tribunal) on 2005-05-01. . Retrieved 2007-05-13. [106] Staff (2002-10-11). "The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Q&A" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3tribunal/ preview_2885348. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [107] Abner, William (2002-12-08). "Morrowind: Tribunal Review, page 1" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ reviews/ december02/ tribunalpc/ ). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [108] Brenesal, Barry (2002-12-09). "Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Review, page 1" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 379/ 379780p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [109] Desslock (2002-11-21). "Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Review, page 2" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3tribunal/ review. html?page=2). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [110] "Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal (PC: 2002) Reviews" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ pc/ elderscrolls3tribunal). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [111] "The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal - PC" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ htmlpages2/ 914491. asp). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [112] Desslock (2002-11-21). "Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Review, page 2" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3tribunal/ review. html?page=1). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [113] Lord Craxton. "Second verse, same as the first" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ other/ pc/ elder3/ reviews/ elder3xstrev1. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [114] "Bloodmoon Overview" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ games/ bloodmoon_overview. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2003-02-14. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. Colayco, Bob (2003-02-14). "Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon announced" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3bloodmoon/ news. html?sid=2910947). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [115] Parker, Sam (2003-05-23). "Morrowind expansion goes gold" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3bloodmoon/ news. html?sid=6028892). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [116] "Bloodmoon release dates" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3bloodmoon/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [117] Staff (2003-05-30). "The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon Q&A" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3bloodmoon/ preview_6025949. html?page=1). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [118] Desslock (2003-06-13). "The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon review, page 1" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3bloodmoon/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [119] "Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon, The (PC: 2003) Reviews" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ pc/ elderscrolls3bloodmoon). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [120] "The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon - PC" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ htmlpages2/ 589642. asp). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2007-05-19.

86

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

[121] Lord Craxton. "Or, Return of the Kung-Fu Werewolf" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ other/ pc/ elder3/ reviews/ elder3x2strev1. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [122] Desslock (2003-06-13). "The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon review, page 2" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3bloodmoon/ review. html?page=2). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [123] Abner, William (2003-06-23). "The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon review" (http:/ / pc. gamespy. com/ pc/ the-elder-scrolls-iii-bloodmoon/ 5924p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [124] Butts, Steve (2003-06-16). "Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 424/ 424531p2. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [125] Lo, Ernest (2003-10-16). "The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon Review, page 2" (http:/ / rpgvault. ign. com/ articles/ 455/ 455025p2. html). RPG Vault. IGN. . Retrieved 2007-05-20. [126] "Bethesda Softworks Announces Morrowind Game of the Year Edition for Xbox" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ games/ goty_overview. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2003-05-12. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. Cheng, Ashley. "Xbox Love" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20040416010502/ www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ team_xboxlove. htm). Bethesda Softworks. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ team_xboxlove. htm) on 2004-04-16. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. Kasavin, Greg (2003-09-10). "Morrowind Game of the Year Edition Preview" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox/ rpg/ morrowindgoty/ news. html?sid=6074898). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. "Morrowind: Game of the Year Edition" (http:/ / www. findarticles. com/ p/ articles/ mi_zdegm/ is_200307/ ai_ziff103132). Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis Media, Find Articles). 2003-07. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [127] Kasavin, Greg (2003-11-07). "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Game of the Year Edition for Xbox Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox/ rpg/ morrowindgoty/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-19. [128] "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Game of the Year Edition" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ xbox/ the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind-game-of-the-year-edition). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2011-11-27. [129] "Morrowind GOTY - PC" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ htmlpages2/ 915084. asp). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2007-05-20.

87

External links
The Elder Scrolls official site (http://www.elderscrolls.com/) The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (http://www.uesp.net/) A wiki focusing on the Elder Scrolls series of games. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (http://www.dmoz.org/Games/Video_Games/Roleplaying/E/ Elder_Scrolls_Series,_The/Elder_Scrolls_III,_The_-_Morrowind/) at the Open Directory Project The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314015/) at the Internet Movie Database

The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal

88

The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal

The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal
Developer(s) Publisher(s) Series Engine Version Platform(s) Release date(s) Genre(s) Mode(s) Rating(s) Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks The Elder Scrolls Gamebryo 1.4.1313
[1]

(as of February 03, 2003)

Microsoft Windows

NA

November 6, 2002

First person Action Role-Playing, sandbox Single player ESRB: Teen (T)

Media/distribution 1 CD-ROM

The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal is the first expansion for Bethesda Softworks' The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. It takes place in the temple/city of Mournhold, the capital of Morrowind, located in the larger city of Almalexia. The title refers to the three "Living Gods", known as the Tribunal. Instead of directly modifying the original game world, the city of Mournhold is only accessible by teleportation. While the city of Mournhold appears to be similar to the open-air towns of the original game, Mournhold is actually akin to an interior room. Players cannot levitate while in Mournhold, because levitation would reveal that the "sky" of Mournhold is little more than a ceiling (although the game states it is forbidden so not to offend Almalexia). Should a player go over the walls of Mournhold (using spells or scrolls such as Scroll of Icarian Flight) they will find the area of Mournhold they were in floating in an endless ocean. The other districts of Mournhold will be absent from the ocean. This was probably done because the original game included only the islands of Vvardenfell, and Mournhold, in the fictional geography of Tamriel, lies on the mainland and a considerable distance inland. The most notable aspect of Tribunal is the modification of Morrowind's journal system. In the original game, a player's journal can become extremely lengthy and cumbersome. Tribunal allows a player to sort their journal by quest (instead of chronologically sorted) in order to determine what is required for a specific quest. Another notable feature of the expansion is the Museum of Artifacts. The owner of the museum will pay the player half of the value of an artifact (up to 30,000 gold) for one of the very rare artifacts of Morrowind. This is more than the player can get for the artifact at any other store. The museum starts with one artifact (Stendarr's Hammer), and puts the new artifacts on display cases as they are sold to the museum.

Plot
Once Tribunal is installed, the plot will start after the player first goes to sleep. The player will be attacked by an assassin, who is later revealed to be a member of the Dark Brotherhood, an assassin's guild that spans Tamriel. To find out more about the Dark Brotherhood, the player will be sent to Mournholdthe capital of Morrowind. Once in Mournhold, the player will have to locate the head of the Dark Brotherhood and complete a series of side quests for the new King Helseth and the Living God Almalexia. After the completion of one of the side quests, a group of mechanical creatures called Fabricants suddenly attacks Plaza Brindisi Dorom. The creatures emerge from the statue in the middle of the plaza, and after their attack a secret

The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal passageway to Dwemer ruins is revealed. Since the creatures are mechanical, it is suspected that the secretive god Sotha Sil is behind this attack. The player then has to investigate the ruins and complete a few more side quests, in order to reconstruct Nerevar's lost sword called Trueflame. Upon acquiring the sword, the player is sent into Clockwork City in order to kill Sotha Sil. This is possible because the storyline takes place after the events of the main plot of Morrowind, and it is assumed that the Heart of Lorkhan has already been destroyed, thus rendering all the living gods mortal. The player continues to explore all the rooms of Clockwork City, finally arriving to find Sotha Sil dead. When the player tries to leave the room, Almalexia appears and alleges that she had killed Sotha Sil and instigated the attack in Mournhold, in order to gain more power and control over the citizens. It is also possible that Sotha Sil was long dead (as evidenced by his apparent decay), and that having been driven mad by the Heart of Lorkhan, she perceived Sotha Sil's silence as mockery. The player is then forced to kill her before returning to Mournhold. As the player exits Almalexia's temple in Mournhold, the Daedric Prince Azura reveals that the Heart of Lorkhan drove Almalexia mad and made her hunger for more power, and that mere mortals cannot become gods without consequences. Throughout the later gameplay, only three NPCs are able to believe that Almalexia is really dead; all others will be unable to believe this story and will have a lower disposition if the player insists that this is true. By destroying the Heart of Lorkhan and killing Almalexia, the player continues fulfilling the Nerevarine prophecies, in particularthe death of the Almsivi Tribunal.

89

References
[1] "The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal 1.4.1313 Patch" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ downloads/ updates_patches. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2003-02-03. . Retrieved 2010-03-16.

Laprad, David (2002-09-22). "The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Interview" (http://web.archive.org/web/ 20050501163026/http://www.adrenalinevault.com/articles/getarticle.asp?name=tribunal). The Adrenaline Vault. Archived from the original (http://www.adrenalinevault.com/articles/getarticle.asp?name=tribunal) on 2005-05-01. Retrieved 2007-05-13.

External links
The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal (http://www.dmoz.org/Games/Video_Games/Roleplaying/E/ Elder_Scrolls_Series,_The/Elder_Scrolls_III,_The_-_Morrowind/Tribunal//) at the Open Directory Project The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal (http://www.mobygames.com/game/elder-scrolls-iii-tribunal) at MobyGames

The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon

90

The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon

The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon
Developer(s) Publisher(s) Series Engine Version Platform(s) Release date(s) Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks The Elder Scrolls Gamebryo 1.6.1820
[1]

(as of July 09, 2003)

Microsoft Windows

NA UK

June 3, 2003 June 27, 2003

Genre(s) Mode(s) Rating(s)

First person Action Role-Playing, sandbox Single player ESRB: Teen (T)

Media/distribution 1 CD-ROM

The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon is the second expansion pack for Bethesda Softworks' The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. While it was originally released as an expansion set for Microsoft Windows, Bloodmoon is included within the Morrowind: Game of the Year edition for Xbox. Unlike the first expansion Tribunal, which added a city separate from the world map consisting of interior cells, Bloodmoon adds a large new island to the original world map, a cold northern territory named Solstheim. Rather than the Dunmer (dark elves) that are the indigenous race in the nearby Vvardenfell, Solstheim is populated largely by the Nord race. This is largely because the island sits more or less astride the border between Morrowind and the Nord homeland of Skyrim. This expansion adds new enemies, the East Empire Company as a joinable guild, and the possibility to become a werewolf, akin to the inclusion of vampires seen in Morrowind. Bloodmoon also uses larger and more detailed environments, including snowfall, thus raising the computer hardware requirements, though the ash storms of the original game are much more graphically demanding than the snow of Bloodmoon. As with Morrowind and Tribunal, Bloodmoon has many side-quests to finish and many caves to explore aside from its main quest. Unlike Tribunal, which is intended to be played after the completion of Morrowind's main-quest, Bloodmoon's main-quest is self-contained within the expansion.

Plot
Setting
Bloodmoon takes place on the island of Solstheim, northwest of Morrowind, the main landmass of its eponymous game, and north-east of Skyrim. It is disputed territory, with both provinces claiming the island. There are several distinct regions on Solstheim: Hirstaang Forest in the south of the island covers the area to the west of the Iggnir River and south of Brodir Grove. This area is covered with pine trees and thick grass. The Moesring Mountains are a mountain range in the north-west of the island. The mountains are located west of the Harstrad River and are continually covered with snow and ice.

The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon The Isinfier Plains comprise the central area of the island and are thinly forested (when compared to the rest of Solstheim). The ground is usually frozen and covered with snow. The eastern shore of Solstheim is known as Felsaad Coast. It is located east of Lake Fjalding and the rivers that run from it in both southerly and northerly directions. The environment of the Felsaad Coast varies from place to place and has some land that is similar to each of the other areas. Towns in Solstheim include: Fort Frostmoth, an Imperial Legion fort at the southern tip of the island. Raven Rock, an ebony mining village run by the East Empire Company. It is located in the south-west of the Hirstaang Forest. Skaal, a Nord village in the north of the Felsaad Coast region. Thirsk, a Nord mead hall in the centre of the Felsaad Coast region. Major landmarks include: Lake Fjalding, a large ice covered lake just east of the center of the island and also the Horker mating ground. Hrothmund's Bane, a strange ice formation that looks like a wolf from the air. Mortrag Glacier, a large ice glacier on the north-west tip of the island. Castle Karstaag, a large ice castle just east of Mortrag Glacier. It is home to the ice giant Karstaag and his Rieklings.

91

Story
In the Bloodmoon main quest, the player starts by doing odd jobs for the Imperials' Fort Frostmoth on Solstheim. When the fort is attacked by werewolves, the player must travel to the Nord village of the Skaal at the north of the island. The player must then perform several rituals to be accepted into the village. The player is informed of the Bloodmoon Prophecy, a ritualistic hunt led by the Daedra Lord Hircine. The Daedric Prince takes the four greatest champions on Solstheim, including the player, to his glacier home. He tells them that they must fight until only one is still living; if the player survives, they must fight one of Hircine's aspects - strength (a bear), speed (an elk), or guile (where Hircine fights the player in their own form). If the player wins, they must then escape from the crumbling glacier, thereby completing the main quest.

Additions to Morrowind
Berserkers Bears Wolves Werewolves Draugrs Rieklings Spriggans Grahls Nordic Silver Weapons Stalhrim (Ice) Weapons Huntsman Weapons Wolf Armor Bear Armor Snow Wolf Armor

Snow Bear Armor Stahlrim (Ice) Armor Nordic Mail Armor

The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon Nordic Alchemical ingredients Wolf Pelt Bear Pelt Snow Wolf Pelt Snow Bear Pelt Ripened Belladonna Berries Unripened Belladonna Berries Holly Berries Heartwood Bristleback Leather Grahl Eyeballs Gravetar Horker Tusk Raw Stahlrim Wolfsbane Petals

92

References
[1] "The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon 1.6.1820 Patch" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ downloads/ updates_patches. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2003-07-09. . Retrieved 2010-03-16.

External links
Archived developer diaries (http://web.archive.org/web/20040416002912/www.elderscrolls.com/codex/ team_teamprof_gary.htm). The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon (http://www.dmoz.org/Games/Video_Games/Roleplaying/E/ Elder_Scrolls_Series,_The/Elder_Scrolls_III,_The_-_Morrowind/Bloodmoon/) at the Open Directory Project The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon (http://www.mobygames.com/game/elder-scrolls-iii-bloodmoon) at MobyGames

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

93

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Cover art with the initial T-rating
Developer(s) Bethesda Game Studios (Microsoft Windows & Xbox 360) Superscape (Mobile phone) 4J Studios (PlayStation 3) 2K Games (Microsoft Windows & Xbox 360) Vir2L Studios (Mobile phone) Bethesda Softworks (PlayStation 3) Todd Howard (executive producer) Ken Rolston (lead designer) Matthew Carofano Jeremy Soule The Elder Scrolls Gamebryo (graphics) Havok (physics) SpeedTree (foliage) Microsoft Windows, Mobile phone, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Microsoft Windows & Xbox 360

NA AUS EU JP

Publisher(s)

Designer(s)

Artist(s) Composer(s) Series Engine

Platform(s) Release date(s)

March 20, 2006 March 23, 2006

March 24, 2006

July 26, 2007

Game of the Year Edition

NA EU

September 10, 2007 September 21, 2007 AUS September 28, 2007
JP

April 22, 2010 May 2, 2006 March 20, 2007 April 26, 2007

Mobile phone

NA

PlayStation 3

NA AUS EU JP

April 27, 2007

September 27, 2007

Game of the Year Edition

NA AUS EU JP

October 16, 2007 December 13, 2007

December 14, 2007

April 22, 2010

Latest release Genre(s)

1.2.0416 / April 30, 2007 Action role-playing, Open world

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

94
Single player

Mode(s) Rating(s)

ACB: M BBFC: 15 CERO: D ESRB: M (re-rating) T (original rating) OFLC: R13 PEGI: 16+ USK: 12

Media/distribution DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Download System requirements See Development section for requirements matrix

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (commonly referred to as Oblivion) is an action role-playing open world video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks and the Take-Two Interactive subsidiary 2K Games. It is the fourth installment in The Elder Scrolls action fantasy video game series, following The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Oblivion was first released in March 2006 for Microsoft Windows and Xbox360. A PlayStation3 (PS3) version shipped in March 2007 in North America, and in April 2007 in Europe and Australia. After a number of smaller content releases, a major expansion packShivering Isleswas released. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Editiona package including both Shivering Isles and the official plug-in Knights of the Ninewas released in September 2007 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox360, and PlayStation3, and on Steam in June 2009. A fifth anniversary edition was released in North America in July 2011 and in Australia in September 2011. Versions for other regions have been confirmed, although release details are unannounced. Oblivion's main story revolves around the player character's efforts to thwart a fanatical cult that plans to open the gates to a realm called Oblivion. The game continues the open-world tradition of its predecessors by allowing the player to travel anywhere in the game world at any time and to ignore or postpone the main storyline indefinitely. A perpetual objective for players is to improve their character's skills, which are numerical representations of certain abilities. Seven skills are selected early in the game as major skills, which improve quickly, with the remainder termed minor. Developers opted for tighter pacing and greater plot focus than in past titles. Development for Oblivion began in 2002, directly after the release of Morrowind. In order to achieve its goals of designing "cutting-edge graphics" and creating a more believable environment, Bethesda used of an improved Havok physics engine, high dynamic range lighting, procedural content generation tools that allowed developers to quickly create detailed terrains, and the Radiant A.I. system, which allows non-player characters (NPCs) to make choices and engage in behaviors more complex than in past titles. The game was developed with fully-voiced charactersa first for the seriesand features the music of BAFTA-award-winning composer Jeremy Soule. Oblivion was well received and has won a number of industry and publication awards. It was praised for its impressive graphics, expansive game world and schedule-driven NPCs. The game had shipped 1.7million copies by April 2006, and sold over 3 million copies by January 2007.

Gameplay
Oblivion incorporates open-ended gameplay. The main quest can be postponed or ignored for as long as the player wishes to explore the expansive game world, follow side-quests, interact with NPCs, slay monsters and develop their character. The player is free to go anywhere in the realm of Cyrodiil at any time while playing the game, even after completing the main quest. The game never ends, and the player may build up the character indefinitely. The fast-travel system used in Arena and Daggerfall makes a return in Oblivion. When the player visits a location, it appears as an icon on the game world map. From then on, the player can travel to this location instantly if they are outside and not in combat, though the in-game time is adjusted to reflect the length of the journey. The game regards

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion the player to be in combat when a hostile creature or NPC is near the player, regardless of whether or not the player is aware of the creature or vice-versa.[1] Character development is a primary element of Oblivion. At the beginning of the game, the player selects one of many human or anthropomorphic races, each of which has different natural abilities, and customizes their character's appearance.[2] A perpetual objective for players is to improve their character's skills, which are numerical representations of their ability in certain areas. Seven skills are selected early in the game as major skills, with the remainder termed minor. The player levels up each time they improve their major skills by a total of ten points; this provides the opportunity to improve their attributes. Attributes are more broad character qualities, such as "strength" and "willpower", while skills are more specific, such as "blade" or "destruction" magic. The game rewards the player with "perks" when the player reaches either 25, 50, 75 or 100 points in a single skill. The game's 21skills fall evenly under the categories of combat, magic, and stealth. Combat skills are used primarily for battle and incorporate armor and heavy weapons like blades, axes, maces, and hammers. Magic skills rely on the use of spells to alter the physical world, to affect the minds of others, to injure and debilitate enemies, to summon monsters to help fight, and to heal wounds. Stealth skills allow the player to crack locks, haggle for goods, use speech to manipulate people, and apply cunning in combat (through the use of a bow or in the way of a sneak attack).[3] The spells, weapons, and other tools such as lockpicks that a player needs to employ and enhance these skills can be purchased in shops, stolen from NPCs, or found as loot on the bodies of foes or in dungeons.[4] Oblivion can be played in either a first-or third-person view. The player may change the level of difficulty at any time. The screen constantly presents a head-up display, which provides information about the character's health, magicka, and fatigue. Health can be restored by spells, potions, or resting; the loss of all health results in death. Magicka allows for and is depleted by the use of spells; it is rejuvenated naturally over time, but it can be restored similarly to health. The character's effectiveness in combat and general efficiency are functions of fatigue.[3] Throughout the world are a variety of enemies, including standard fantasy monsters like imps and goblins, and animals like bears and wolves. Enemies become stronger and weapons and armor more effective as the player levels up. This game mechanic, level-scaling, was incorporated to maintain a constant and moderate aspect of difficulty. However, level-scaling, combined with the leveling system has received criticism, as it has the potential to unbalance the game; characters with major skills that increase on an involuntary basis, such as athletics or armor, can find they level too quickly, making the enemies proportionately harder than intended.[5]

95

Plot
Oblivion is set after the events of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, though it is not a direct sequel to it or any other game.[6] The game is set in Cyrodiil, a province of Tamriel, the continent on which all the games in the series have taken place. The story begins with the player imprisoned in a cell for an unnamed crime and the arrival of Emperor Uriel Septim VII, accompanied by Imperial bodyguards known as "the Blades" at the Imperial City prison. They are fleeing from the assassins of the Mythic Dawn, a Daedric cult, who have murdered the Emperor's three sons. The emperor and the Blades head to a sewer that leads out of the city, using a secret entrance that is located in the player's cell. There, the group, joined by the player, is attacked by the Mythic Dawn. Uriel Septim entrusts the player with the Amulet of Kings, worn by the Septim emperors of Tamriel, and orders the player to take it to a man named Jauffre, the grand master of the Blades. Immediately afterward one of the assassins kills the Emperor. The player then proceeds to the open world of Cyrodiil.[7] The lack of an heir for Uriel Septim has broken an old covenantthe barrier to the realm of Oblivion: a dangerous realm that is in another dimension. Multiple gates to Oblivion open, and an invasion of Tamriel begins by magical creatures known as Daedra. Jauffre tells the player that the only way to close the gates permanently is to find someone of the royal bloodline to retake the throne and relight the Dragonfireswith the Amulet of Kingsin the Imperial City. Fortunately, there is an illegitimate son named Martin, who is a priest in the city of Kvatch. Upon arriving at Kvatch, the player finds that the Daedra are destroying the city. A massive Oblivion Gate is obstructing

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion the main city entrance, and the player must venture into the Planes of Oblivion before searching for Martin. After closing the gate, the player enters Kvatch and persuades Martin to come to Weynon Priory.[7] Upon returning, the player finds that Weynon Priory is under attack by Mythic Dawn cult members and that the Amulet of Kings has been stolen. The player escorts Jauffre and Martin to Cloud Ruler Temple, the stronghold of the Blades. Martin is there recognized as the emperor and is given command of the Blades, while the player sets off in search of the amulet. After gathering information, the player attempts to infiltrate the secret meeting place of the Mythic Dawn. When the player does so, their leader, Mankar Camoran, escapes through a portal, taking the amulet with him. The player takes the book that had opened the portal to Martin, who deduces the way to reopen the portal. The player seeks out three key artifacts necessary to recreate the portal: a Daedric artifact, the armor of the first Septim emperor, and a Great Welkynd Stone. With all three retrieved, Martin reveals that a final ingredient is needed: a Great Sigil Stone from inside a Great Gate similar to the one that devastated Kvatch. Martin and Jauffre decide to allow the city of Bruma to be attacked by Daedra so that a Great Gate will be opened. Once it is, the player obtains the Stone and closes the Gate.[7] A portal is created at Cloud Ruler Temple and the player is sent through. After bypassing monsters and obstacles, the player confronts Camoran and kills him. The player returns the Amulet of Kings to Martin Septim, and the Blades travel to the Imperial City to relight the Dragonfires and end the Daedric invasion. They find the city under attack by Daedra and the Daedric Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon. The player and Martin fight their way to the Dragonfires, where Martin shatters the Amulet of Kings to merge himself with the spirit of Akatosh, the Dragon-God of Time, and become his avatar. After a battle, the Avatar casts Dagon back into Oblivion before turning to stone. Martin disappears, the gates of Oblivion are shut forever, the Amulet of Kings is destroyed, and the throne of the Empire again lies empty. In a final monolog, Martin Septim describes the events in an optimistic light and states that the future of Tamriel is now in the player's hands.[7]

96

Development
Official system requirements
Minimum Recommended

Microsoft Windows
Operating system CPU Memory Hard drive space Graphics hardware Sound hardware Network Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, or 7 Intel Pentium 4 2 GHz or AMD Athlon XP 2000+ 512 MB of RAM 4.6 of free hard disk space NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700 128 MB or ATi Radeon 9500 128 MB DirectX 8.1 compatible sound card Broadband required for downloads NVIDIA GeForce 6800 128 MB or ATi Radeon X800 128 MB DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card Intel Pentium 4 3 GHz or AMD Athlon XP 3000+ 1 GB of RAM

The game was developed by the United States software company Bethesda Softworks. Ken Rolston, who was Morrowind's lead designer, oversaw a development team of 268.[8] The PC and Xbox360 versions of the game were co-published by 2K Games and Bethesda.[9] Work began on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion shortly after the release of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind in 2002.[10] By mid-September 2004, Oblivion had been officially announced, and its title released.[10] [11] Bethesda had aimed for a late 2005 publication so that the game could be an Xbox360 launch title.[12] The official release date for the PC and Xbox360 versions was originally November 22, 2005, but developmental delays pushed it back to March 21, 2006.[13] The PlayStation3 version of the game (ported by 2K

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Studios) was released on March 20, 2007, in North America[14] and on April 27, 2007, in Europe.[15] This version includes graphical improvements that had been made since the PC and Xbox360 release, and the PS3 version was subsequently praised for its enhanced visual appeal.[16] [17] During Oblivion's development, Bethesda concentrated on creating a system with a more realistic storyline, more believable characters, and more meaningful quests than had been done in the past. The game features improved artificial intelligence from the Bethesda proprietary Radiant AI software,[18] and enhanced physics with the Havok physics engine.[19] The graphics take advantage of advanced lighting and shader routines like high dynamic range rendering (HDR) and specular mapping.[20] Bethesda developed and implemented procedural content creation tools in the building of Oblivion's terrain, leading to the expedited creation of landscapes that are more complex and realistic than in past titles.[21]

97

Game world
While designing Oblivion's landscape and architecture, developers worked from personal travel photographs, nature books, texture images, and reference photographs.[20] Procedural content generation tools used in production allowed for the creation of realistic environments at much faster rates than was the case with Morrowind.[21] Erosion algorithms incorporated in the landscape generation tools allowed for the creation of craggy terrain quickly and easily, replacing Morrowind's artificially smoothed-over terrain.[21] In accordance with a shift of graphical focus from water to flora, the Bethesda development team enlisted a number of technologies to aid in the production of large and diverse forests.[22] The game scales up the difficulty of opponents based on the player's level, sometimes spawning harder-to-defeat enemies. For example, if a player clears out a dungeon at level one, the enemies would be skeletons. If the player returns at around level 20 or above, the skeletons would be replaced by liches. The enemies' weapons are also scaled up along with the treasure the player can find in chests and on enemies' bodies.[23] Oblivion features dynamic weather and time, shifting between snow, rain, fog, and sunny and overcast skies. The game features more multi-level environments (e.g. a four-story building) and a more varied topology than previous games.[24] Oblivion's view distance is far greater than its predecessor's, extending player sightlines to the horizon and giving views of distant towns and mountain ranges. According to a Microsoft press release, Oblivion's game world is approximately 16 square miles (41 square kilometers) in size.[25] Wilderness quests, ruins, and dungeons were added to fill surplus space.[21] Content in the dungeons was more densely packed, with an increase in the frequency of creature encounters, quest-related NPCs, and puzzles.[21] The populations represented in Oblivion, however, do not match the "thousands upon thousands" described in previous in-game literature. The development team decided to set the NPC populations at a level that would play well, rather than one that would match game lore, since the presence of a large number of NPCs on screen would have caused the game to slow down.[26] In response to the criticism that NPC behavior had been too simplistic in Morrowind, Bethesda developed the Radiant AI system for Oblivion.[27] NPCs were designed to make choices, rather than complete scripted routines, to achieve predetermined goals. The manner in which goals such as eating, sleeping, reading, and speaking to others are fulfilled is dependent upon the environment, the choices of other NPCs, and programmed personality values. For example, an NPC whose goal it is to find food may eventually resort to stealing from others, if they are given the opportunity and if it is in their character.[28] These development mechanics allowed Bethesda to "give the game a more organic feel" and to create NPCs who could engage in complex activitysuch as traveling from town to town every few days or going to church on a certain daywithout the chance of execution error.[18] Oblivion (unlike previous games in the series) presents few loading screens as the player travels through the game world: only when moving from interior to exterior environments or when fast traveling does the game pause to load. The game world is cordoned off at its edges by an invisible wall. In most places, the development team built this limit around a physical barrier, like a mountain. Wherever this was not possible, the screen displays a message stating "You cannot go that way, turn back". However, the team still built past the point in which the character can no longer proceed.[22]

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

98

Additional content
Further information: Downloadable content for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Starting in April 2006, Bethesda released small packages of additional downloadable content for the game from their website and over the Xbox Live Marketplace for US$13. The first update came as a set of specialized armor for Oblivion's ridable horses. It was released on April 3, 2006, and costs 200Microsoft Points, equivalent to US$2.50[29] or 1.50;[30] the corresponding PC release cost US$1.99.[31] Although gamers generally displayed enthusiasm for the concept of micropayments for downloadable in-game content,[29] [32] many expressed their dissatisfaction at the price they had to pay for the relatively minor horse-armor package on the Internet and elsewhere.[29] Hines assured the press that Bethesda was not going to respond rashly to customer criticism.[32] New releases continued into late 2006, at lower prices with more substantial content, leading to a better reception in the gaming press.[33] Other small DLC packs include a set of houses themed after the game's factions, a new dungeon, and new spells that were not included in the initial release. Oblivion's final content pack was released October 15, 2007.[34] The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine is an official plug-in for Oblivion released on November 21, 2006. Downloadable on the Xbox Live marketplace for the Xbox360 and available for retail purchase for PC users, the expansion content was included in the original version of the PlayStation3 version.[35] The plug-in was developed, published, and released in North America by Bethesda Softworks; in Europe, the game was co-published with Ubisoft.[36] The plot of Knights of the Nine centers on the rise of the sorcerer-king Umaril and the player's quest to defeat him with the aid of the lost crusader's relics.[37] Although it made little change to the basic mechanics of Oblivion, it was judged by reviewers to be a brief but polished addition to the game's main plot.[38] The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles,[39] was released on March 27, 2007, for Windows and Xbox360. The expansion offers more than 30 hours of new adventuring, and features new quests, voice acting, monsters, spells, armor, and expanded freeform gameplay plus a new land "that [players] can watch change according to [their] vital life-or-death decisions".[40] [41] Shivering Isles takes place in the realm of madness ruled over by the Daedric prince Sheogorath. The player is tasked by Sheogorath with saving the realm from an approaching cataclysm known as the Greymarch.[42] At E3 2007, it was announced that the Game of the Year Edition for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion would be released in September 2007.[43] The Game of the Year Edition includes the original game as well as the Shivering Isles and Knights of The Nine content packs, but not the other downloadable content.[44] In North America, the game was released on September 10, 2007, for the Xbox360 and PC,[45] and on October 16, 2007, for the PS3;[46] in Europe, it was released on September 21, 2007, for the Xbox360 and PC, and on October 8, 2007, for the PS3; and in Australia, it was released on September 28, 2007, for the Xbox360 and PC, and on December 13, 2007, for the PS3.[45] [47] It was also released on Steam on June 16, 2009.[48] A 5th anniversary edition of Oblivion was announced and released in North America on July 12, 2011 and September 2011 in Australia. Versions for other regions have been confirmed, although details on their release is yet to be released.[49]

Audio
Oblivion features the voices of Patrick Stewart, Lynda Carter, Sean Bean, Terence Stamp, Ralph Cosham, and Wes Johnson.[50] The voice acting received mixed reviews in the gaming press. While many publications praised it as excellent,[51] [52] [53] others found fault with its repetitiveness.[54] [55] The issue has been blamed on the small number of voice actors and the blandness of the dialogue itself.[56] Lead Designer Ken Rolston found the plan to fully voice the game "less flexible, less apt for user projection of his own tone, more constrained for branching, and more trouble for production and disk real estate" than Morrowind's partially recorded dialogue. Rolston tempered his criticism with the suggestion that voice acting "can be a powerful expressive tool" and can contribute significantly to the charm and ambience of the game. He stated "I prefer Morrowind's partially recorded dialogue, for many reasons. But I'm told that fully-voiced dialogue is what the kids want".[57]

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

99

Soundtrack
Oblivion's score was composed by series mainstay Jeremy Soule, a video game composer whose past scores had earned him a BAFTA award in the "Game Music Category" and two nominations for an AIAS award for "Original Music Composition". Soule had worked with Bethesda and Todd Howard during the creation of Morrowind, and, in a press release announcing his return for Oblivion, Soule repeated the words he had said during Morrowind's press release: "The stunning, epic quality of The Elder Scrolls series is particularly compatible with the grand, orchestral style of music I enjoy composing the most".[58] As in his compositions for Morrowind, Soule chose to create a soft and minimalist score so as not to wear out users' ears.[59] Soule stated that while composing the music he did not imagine any specific characters or events; rather, he wanted it "to comment on the human condition and the beauty of life". In a 2006 interview, he related that this desire came as a result of a car accident that occurred during his composition of the score. He said, "I ended up rolling in my car several times on an interstate while flying headlong into oncoming traffic ... I felt no fear ... I simply just acknowledged to myself that I've had a good life and I would soon have to say goodbye to all of it in a matter of seconds". Soule sustained only minor injuries, but commented that his feeling during the crash"that life is indeed precious"remained with him throughout the rest of the composition.[60]

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Soundtrack album by Jeremy Soule Released March 10, 2006 (digital only) Soundtrack 58.5 minutes Direct Song

Genre Length Label

The official soundtrack to Oblivion is sold exclusively via Soule's digital distributor DirectSong. It features 26 tracks spanning 58 minutes, all composed by Soule.[61] The soundtrack was generally positively received, though Square Enix Music gave it a 6/10, criticizing its "monotonous action tracks".[62]
"The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" tracklisting No. Title 1. "Reign of the Septims" 2. "Through the Valleys" 3. "Death Knell" 4. "Harvest Dawn" 5. "Wind from the Depths" 6. "King & Country" 7. "Fall of the Hammer" 8. "Wings of Kynareth" 9. "All's Well" 10. "Tension" 11. "March of the Marauders" 12. "Watchman's Ease" 13. "Glory of Cyrodiil" Length 1:51 4:19 1:10 2:51 1:42 4:05 1:16 3:30 2:26 2:32 2:08 2:05 2:28

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

100
14. "Defending the Gate" 15. "Bloody Blades" 16. "Minstrel's Lament" 17. "Ancient Sorrow" 18. "Auriel's Ascension" 19. "Daedra In Flight" 20. "Unmarked Stone" 21. "Bloodlust" 22. "Sunrise of Flutes" 23. "Churl's Revenge" 24. "Deep Waters" 25. "Dusk at the Market" 26. "Peace of Akatosh" 1:21 1:14 4:42 1:05 3:05 1:02 1:02 1:07 2:56 1:08 1:11 2:11 4:11

Reception
Reception Aggregate scores
Aggregator GameRankings Score [63] (X360) 93.79% [64] (PC) 93.13% [65] (PS3) 92.98% [66] (X360) 94/100 [67] (PC) 94/100 [68] (PS3) 93/100

Metacritic

Review scores
Publication 1UP.com Famitsu GameSpot Score [69] A 38/40 (Platinum) [70]

[71] (X360) 9.6/10 [72] (PS3) 9.5/10 [73] (PC) 9.3/10 [74] [75] [23] [76] (X360 & PC) 9.3/10 [77] (PS3) 9.2/10 9.5/10 [78] [79]

GameSpy IGN

Official Xbox Magazine PC Gamer US

95/100

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

101

Awards
Entity [80] [81] G4, Spike TV, [82] Golden Joystick Awards, [83] IGN Readers' Choice, [84] GameSpy Gamers' Choice, [85] GameSpot Readers' Choice, [86] Interactive Achievement Awards, [87] [80] 1UP.com, G4, [88] [88] IGN, IGN Readers' Choice, [89] [90] GameSpy, GameSpy Gamers' Choice, [91] [91] GameSpot, GameSpot Readers' Choice [92] [86] Game Revolution, Interactive Achievement Awards Award Overall Game of the Year PC Game of the Year

RPG of the Year

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion received universal acclaim from critics.[67] [66] [68] Reviewers praised the game for its impressive graphics, expansive game world and schedule-driven NPCs. Eurogamer editor Kristan Reed stated that the game "successfully unites some of the best elements of RPG, adventure and action games and fuses them into a relentlessly immersive and intoxicating whole".[93] Scott Tobias of The A.V. Club wrote that the game is "Worth playing for the sense of discoveryeach environment looks different from the last and requires a nuanced reactionmakes the action addictive".[94] Game Revolution's Duke Ferris noted that "Though the voices occasionally repeat, it's pretty impressive that they managed to cram so much voiced dialogue in here, and most of it is high-quality work".[95] IGN editor Charles Onyett commended the game for its "Top notch storytelling, easy to navigate menus, and a wonderful upgrade to your map and journal".[23] X-Play's Jason D'Aprile stated "All the games in this series have been known for their sheer vastness and freedom of choice, but the Elder Scrolls IV takes that concept and runs with it".[96] GameZone commented "You can spend hours upon hours leveling up your character, doing various quests, customizing your character to however you want before you even get on the main quest".[97] GamesTM noted "It's heavily steeped in RPG tradition, however, its appeal stretches far beyond the hardcore RPG demographic thanks to its ease of play, boundless ambition and focused attention to detail".[98] GameSpot's Greg Kasavin wrote that "Morrowind earned recognition for being one of the best role-playing games in years, but the immersive and long-lasting experience it provided wasn't for everyone. Oblivion is hands-down better, so much so that even those who'd normally have no interest in a role-playing game should find it hard to resist getting swept up in this big, beautiful, meticulously crafted world".[71] Despite the praise, Patrick Joynt of 1UP.com criticized the conversations between in-game NPCs and the player: "When an NPC greets you with a custom piece of dialogue (such as a guard's warning) and then reverts to the standard options (like a guard's cheerful directions just after that warning) it's more jarring than the canned dialogue by itself".[69] GameSpy's Justin Speer complained that he has experienced "disruptive loading stutters while moving across the game world, hanging load times in excess of 60 seconds during environmental transitions (even after clearing the cache), and several complete system crashes. On all systems we've encountered several miscellaneous smaller bugs, such as inexplicable floating objects and animals, lip-synching without speech and speech with no lip-synching".[99] Onyett of IGN criticized the disjunction between enemies that scaled up according to the player's level and not their combat abilities or NPC allies, the loading times and the imprecision in the combat system, but stated that "none of those minor criticisms hold back Oblivion from being a thoroughly enjoyable, user-friendly, gorgeous experience with enough content to keep you returning time and time again".[23] Oblivion won a number of industry and publication awards. The game had shipped 1.7million copies by April 10, 2006,[100] and sold over 3 million copies by January 18, 2007. In Japan, game magazine Famitsu gave the game their "Platinum award". In 2007, PC Gamer magazine rated Oblivion number one on their list of the top 100 games of all

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion time.[101] In addition to the awards won by the game itself, Patrick Stewart's voice work as Uriel Septim won a Spike TV award,[81] and the musical score by composer Jeremy Soule won the inaugural MTV Video Music Award for "Best Original Score" through an international popular vote. The game was nominated for five BAFTAs.[102]

102

Rating change
On May 3, 2006, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) in North America changed Oblivion's rating from T (Teen13+) to M (Mature17+), citing game content not considered in the ESRB review, i.e., "the presence in the PC version of the game of a locked-out art file that, if accessed by using an apparently unauthorized third party tool, allows the user to play the game with topless versions of female characters".[103] In response to the new content, the ESRB conducted a review of Oblivion, showing to its reviewers the content originally submitted by Bethesda along with the newly disclosed content.[104] The ESRB reported that Bethesda Softworks would promptly notify all retailers of the change, issue stickers for retailers and distributors to affix on the product, display the new rating in all following product shipments and marketing, and create a downloadable patch rendering the topless skin inaccessible.[104] Bethesda complied with the request but disagreed with the ESRB's rationale.[105] Although as a result certain retailers began to check for ID before selling Oblivion,[106] and one California Assemblyman used the event to criticize the ESRB's ability,[107] the events passed by with little notice from the public and gaming journalists.[103]

References
[1] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview" (http:/ / www. gamebanshee. com/ interviews/ oblivion1. php). GameBanshee. UGO Networks. 2004-12-09. . Retrieved 2007-06-01. [2] Kasavin, Greg (2006-03-25). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review (Xbox360)" (http:/ / au. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2010-02-05. [3] Joynt, Patrick (2007-03-26). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review (PS3)" (http:/ / ps3. gamespy. com/ playstation-3/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/ 775981p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2010-02-05. [4] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Guide & Walkthrough - PlayStation 3 (PS3) - IGN" (http:/ / uk. guides. ign. com/ guides/ 857879/ page_28. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2011-10-23. [5] Pitts, Russ (2006-08-03). "Oblivion: The Dagobah Cave" (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ articles/ view/ editorials/ op-ed/ 992-Oblivion-The-Dagobah-Cave). The Escapist. . Retrieved 2007-07-02. [6] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Q&A Overview, Character Development, Fallout" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?page=1& sid=6111720). GameSpot. 2004-10-28. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [7] Bethesda Softworks (2006). Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Official Game Guide. Prima Games. pp.77133. ISBN0761552766. [8] "Game credits for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / www. mobygames. com/ game/ windows/ elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/ credits). MobyGames. . Retrieved 2010-03-16. [9] Thorsen, Tor (2005-02-03). "Take-Two to copublish Elder Scrolls IV, Cthulhu" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6117825). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [10] Thorsen, Tor (2004-09-10). "Elder Scrolls IV coming to PC, next-gen" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6107156). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [11] Thorsen, Tor (2004-06-16). "Development of next-gen Elder Scrolls under way?" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news_6100799. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. "Obviously, we like candidates who understand RPGs and are familiar with the games we've made in the past." [12] Surette, Tim (2005-10-06). "Nine more games target 360 launch" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?page=1& sid=6135223). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. [13] Thorsen, Tor (2005-10-31). "Elder Scrolls IV missing Xbox360 launch" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6136973). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-05-26. Valerias (2005-12-10). "Oblivion: Release Date Dramas" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=35). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-05-27. [14] Staff (2007-03-19). "Bethesda Confirms Oblivion PS3 Shipping" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=13091). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [15] Bishop, Stuart (2007-03-19). "Oblivion misses Euro PS3 launch" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ article. php?id=160219). ComputerAndVideoGames.com. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. Boyes, Emma (2007-03-20). "Top titles to miss Euro PS3 launch" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps3/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6167680). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-03.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

[16] Haynes, Jeff (2007-02-06). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Hands-on" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 762/ 762108p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [17] Sanders, Kathleen (2006-08-11). "Oblivion: The PS3 Interview" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 738/ 738319p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-08-03. [18] Onyett, Charles (2006-02-08). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Answers - PC Feature at IGN" (http:/ / uk. pc. ign. com/ articles/ 686/ 686663p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2011-11-18. [19] Shuman, Sid (2006-05-23). "Living in Oblivion" (http:/ / www. games. net/ article/ feature/ 101408/ living-in-oblivion/ ). games.net. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [20] dela Fuente, Derek (2005-07-20). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Q&A" (http:/ / www. totalvideogames. com/ Elder-Scrolls-IV-Oblivion/ feature-7685. html). TVG. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [21] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview with Gavin Carter" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ elderscrolls/ elder4/ elder4interview. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2007-06-17. [22] Houghton, Mat. "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview with Todd Howard" (http:/ / www. gamechronicles. com/ qa/ elderscrolls4/ oblivion. htm). Game Chronicles. . Retrieved 2010-02-06. [23] Onyett, Charles (2006-03-24). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review (Xbox 360)" (http:/ / au. xbox360. ign. com/ articles/ 698/ 698400p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2010-02-11. [24] Martin, Chris (2005-03-09). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion An Interview with Bethesda Softworks" (http:/ / www. gamesfirst. com/ index. php?id=113). GamesFirst!. . Retrieved 2007-06-02. [25] Chihdo, Danny. "Reinventing Oblivion" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20071223022131/ http:/ / www. xbox. com/ en-US/ games/ t/ theelderscrollsIVoblivion/ 20051110-fe. htm). Microsoft. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. xbox. com/ en-US/ games/ t/ theelderscrollsIVoblivion/ 20051110-fe. htm) on 2007-12-23. . Retrieved 2007-04-17. [26] Wagenaar, Abram (2004-12-08). "Fan interview December 2004" (http:/ / planetelderscrolls. gamespy. com/ View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=23). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-06-03. [27] Stein, Bobby. "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Preview Radiant A.I." (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080621055703/ http:/ / www. xbox. com/ en-US/ games/ t/ theelderscrollsIVoblivion/ 20051208-radiantai. htm). Xbox.com. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. xbox. com/ en-US/ games/ t/ theelderscrollsIVoblivion/ 20051208-radiantai. htm) on 2008-06-21. . Retrieved 2010-02-06. [28] Rausch, Allen (2004-10-22). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Preview" (http:/ / pc. gamespy. com/ pc/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/ 558955p4. html). GameSpy. p. 4. . Retrieved 2010-02-06. [29] Surette, Tim (2006-04-03). "Oblivion horse armor now available" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?page=1& sid=6147013). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [30] Loughrey, Paul (2006-04-05). "Bethesda announces new premium Oblivion content" (http:/ / www. gamesindustry. biz/ articles/ bethesda-announces-new-oblivion-content). GamesIndustry.biz. . Retrieved 2007-06-27. [31] Sinclair, Brendan (2006-04-07). "Next Oblivion add-on priced" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6147320). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [32] Klepek, Patrick (2006-04-04). "Bethesda Responds To Oblivion Issues" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3149299). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [33] Thorsen, Tor (2006-05-22). "Den of Xbox360 Oblivion thieves uncovered" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6151636. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. Sinclair, Brendan (2006-06-01). "Next Oblivion add-on detailed" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6152158). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. Sinclair, Brendan (2006-06-13). "Oblivion Mehrunes' Razor add-on dated" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6152676). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. Thorsen, Tor (2006-07-11). "Oblivion getting $2 evil add-on July 13" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6163580). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. Surette, Tim (2006-08-31). "New $1 Oblivion DL casts spells" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6156923). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [34] Sinclair, Brendan (2007-10-11). "Bethesda preps last Oblivion download" (http:/ / au. gamespot. com/ news/ 6235465. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-10-14. [35] Sanders, Kathleen (2006-10-11). "Oblivion: The PS3 Interview" (http:/ / au. ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 738/ 738319p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2010-01-30. [36] Onyett, Charles (2006-11-13). "Oblivion: Knights of the Nine Hands-On" (http:/ / uk. xboxlive. ign. com/ articles/ 745/ 745729p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2011-08-25. [37] "The story of Knights of the Nine" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ story-knights-nine). The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2006-11-21. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [38] Kasavin, Greg (2006-12-04). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine for PC Review" (http:/ / au. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrolls4knightsofthenine/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. Newton (2007-01-08). "Review: The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070111132800/ http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ computer/ pc/ games/ reviews/ 93008. shtml). GamePro. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ computer/ pc/ games/ reviews/ 93008. shtml) on 2007-01-11. . Retrieved 2007-08-31.

103

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Purchese, Rob (2006-11-27). "Review The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Knights of the Nine" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ r_oblivionkotn_x360). Eurogamer. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [39] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles - Xbox 360" (http:/ / uk. xbox360. ign. com/ objects/ 874/ 874117. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2011-10-23. [40] Bishop, Stuart (2007-01-04). "Oblivion expansion: First concrete details" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ article. php?id=153278). ComputerAndVideoGames.com. . Retrieved 2007-01-16. [41] Remo, Chris (2007-02-08). "Interview: Bethesda Softworks' Pete Hines" (http:/ / www. shacknews. com/ featuredarticle. x?id=236). Shacknews. . Retrieved 2007-02-15. [42] Newton. "The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080927210941/ http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ reviews/ 107898/ elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion-shivering-isles/ ). GamePro Media. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ reviews/ 107898/ elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion-shivering-isles/ ) on 2008-09-27. . Retrieved 2009-07-14. [43] Magrino, Tom (2007-11-10). "Shippin' Out September 1014: Heavenly Sword, NHL, Skate" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ obliviongoty/ news. html?sid=6178472). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-11-13. [44] Hines, Pete (2007-07-23). "Oblivion DLC update" (http:/ / bethblog. com/ index. php/ 2007/ 07/ 23/ oblivion-dlc-update/ ). Bethesda Blog. . Retrieved 2011-08-03. [45] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (Xbox360) Release Summaries" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ obliviongoty/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-10-18. "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (PC) Release Summaries" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ obliviongoty/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-10-18. [46] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (PS3) Release Summaries" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps3/ rpg/ obliviongoty/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-10-18. [47] Boyes, Emma; Thorsen, Tor (2007-07-09). "E3 07: Oblivion GOTY edition announced" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6173814). GameSpot UK. . Retrieved 2007-07-10. [48] "News - Bethesda Brings More Games to Steam - Save 20%" (http:/ / store. steampowered. com/ news/ 2572). Steam. 2009-06-16. . Retrieved 2011-04-30. [49] "Bethesda Unveil Oblivion 5th Anniversary Edition" (http:/ / bethblog. com/ index. php/ 2011/ 06/ 07/ oblivion-5th-anniversary-edition-coming-to-north-america-on-july-12th). Bethesda Blog. 2011-06-07. . Retrieved 2011-08-25. [50] Steel, Wade (2005-09-30). "More of Oblivion's Voice Cast Revealed - PC News at IGN" (http:/ / uk. pc. ign. com/ articles/ 654/ 654980p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2011-11-18. [51] Kasavin, Greg (2006-03-25). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-08-24. [52] McNamara, Tom (2006-03-24). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review Another Take" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 698/ 698405p5. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-24. [53] Vallentin, Greg (2006-04-18). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review" (http:/ / www. videogamer. com/ pc/ the_elder_scrolls_iv/ review-2. html). videogamer.com. . Retrieved 2006-08-24. [54] Ferris, Duke (2006-03-30). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Xbox360" (http:/ / www. gamerevolution. com/ review/ xbox360/ elder_scrolls_4_). Xbox360 Reviews. Game Revolution. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [55] Fisher, Matthew (2006-03-23). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review (Xbox360) Audio" (http:/ / reviews. teamxbox. com/ xbox-360/ 1142/ The-Elder-Scrolls-IV-Oblivion/ p5/ ). TeamXbox. p. 5. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [56] Sliwinski, Alexander (2006-09-18). "Oblivion's vocal and line repetition" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 09/ 18/ oblivions-vocal-and-line-repetition/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2006-09-20. [57] Varney, Allen (2006-05-23). "Oblivion's Ken Rolston Interview" (http:/ / www. hardocp. com/ article/ 2006/ 05/ 23/ oblivions_ken_rolston_speaks/ 2). HardOCP. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [58] Walker, Trey (2001-11-12). "Jeremy Soule to compose Morrowind music" (http:/ / uk. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ elderscrolls3morrowind/ news/ 2824023/ jeremy-soule-to-compose-morrowind-music). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2011-08-25. [59] Napolitano, Jayson (2007-06-06). "Interview with composer Jeremy Soule at PLAY! San Jose" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080620051533/ http:/ / www. music4games. net/ Features_Display. aspx?id=145). Music 4 Games. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. music4games. net/ Features_Display. aspx?id=145) on 2008-06-20. . Retrieved 2007-07-29. [60] Callaham, John (2006-05-22). "Jeremy Soule Interview & PLAY!" (http:/ / www. firingsquad. com/ features/ jeremy_soule_interview/ ). Firing Squad. . Retrieved 2007-05-27. [61] "DirectSong - The World's Greatest Music" (https:/ / www. directsong. com/ index. php#/ shop/ product/ OB101). DirectSong. . Retrieved 2011-10-26. [62] Elchlepp, Simon. "Game Music :: The Elder Scrolls IV -Oblivion- Special Edition Soundtrack :: Review by Simon Elchlepp" (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ reviews/ simonelchlepp/ elderscrolls4. shtml). Square Enix Music. . Retrieved 2011-11-03. [63] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for Xbox 360" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ xbox360/ 927345-the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/ index. html). GameRankings. . Retrieved 2010-02-09. [64] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for PC" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ pc/ 924363-the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/ index. html). GameRankings. . Retrieved 2010-02-09.

104

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

[65] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for PlayStation 3" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ ps3/ 934605-the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/ index. html). GameRankings. . Retrieved 2010-02-09. [66] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Xbox 360)" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ xbox-360/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2010-02-11. [67] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PC)" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ pc/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2007-01-21. [68] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PlayStation 3)" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ playstation-3/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2010-02-11. [69] Joynt, Patrick (2006-03-30). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PC) review" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3149202& did=1). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2009-12-01. [70] "JAPAN: Oblivion and Face Training" (http:/ / www. next-gen. biz/ features/ japan-oblivion-and-face-training). Edge. 2007-07-27. . Retrieved 2010-02-12. [71] Kasavin, Greg (2006-03-25). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review (Xbox 360)" (http:/ / uk. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2010-02-11. [72] Mueller, Greg (2007-03-24). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review (PlayStation 3)" (http:/ / au. gamespot. com/ ps3/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2010-02-11. [73] Kasavin, Greg (2006-03-25). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review (PC)" (http:/ / uk. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-02-12. [74] Rausch, Allen (2006-03-27). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / uk. pc. gamespy. com/ pc/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/ 698423p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-02-12. [75] Speer, Justin (2006-03-27). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / uk. xbox360. gamespy. com/ xbox-360/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/ 698650p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2011-11-17. [76] Onyett, Charles (2006-03-24). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review (PC)" (http:/ / uk. pc. ign. com/ articles/ 698/ 698405p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-02-12. [77] Dunham, Jeremy (2007-02-26). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review (PlayStation 3)" (http:/ / au. xbox360. ign. com/ articles/ 698/ 698400p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2010-02-11. [78] McCaffrey, Ryan (2007-11-06). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / www. oxmonline. com/ article/ reviews/ editors-choice-gallery/ elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion?page=0,1). Official Xbox Magazine. . Retrieved 2010-02-12. [79] Decker, Logan, ed (May 2006). PC Gamer US. p. 80. [80] Johnson, Stephen (2006-08-09). "G-Phoria Winners Announced" (http:/ / g4tv. com/ thefeed/ blog/ post/ 628495/ G-Phoria-Winners-Announced. html). G4 TV. . Retrieved 2010-02-19. [81] Surette, Tim (2006-12-09). "Oblivion nabs Spike TV top honors" (http:/ / uk. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6162929). GameSpot UK. . Retrieved 2007-05-27. [82] Orry, James (2006-10-30). "Oblivion takes home the shiniest golden joystick" (http:/ / www. videogamer. com/ psp/ the_elder_scrolls_iv_oblivion/ news/ oblivion_takes_home_the_shiniest_golden_joystick. html). videogamer.com. . Retrieved 2010-02-17. [83] "Best of 2006 PC Game of the Year" (http:/ / au. bestof. ign. com/ 2006/ pc/ 39. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2010-02-17. [84] "PC Overall Gamers' Choice Award The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / goty. gamespy. com/ 2006/ gamerschoice/ index17. html). GameSpy. 2006. . Retrieved 2010-02-12. [85] "GameSpot Readers' Choice 2006" (http:/ / au. gamespot. com/ special_features/ bestof2006/ readers/ index. html?page=5). GameSpot. p. 5. . Retrieved 2010-02-16. [86] "2007 Interactive Achievement Awards" (http:/ / www. interactive. org/ awards/ 2007_10th_awards. asp). Interactive. . Retrieved 2011-08-25. [87] "2006 1UP Awards Winners" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3156878). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2010-02-17. [88] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Best RPG Best of 2006" (http:/ / au. bestof. ign. com/ 2006/ overall/ 14. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2010-02-17. [89] "2006 Game of the Year PC RPG of the Year The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / goty. gamespy. com/ 2006/ pc/ index13. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2010-02-17. [90] "2006 Game of the Year PC Roleplaying Gamers' Choice Award The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / goty. gamespy. com/ 2006/ gamerschoice/ index13. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2010-02-17. [91] "20 Best & Worst of 2006 Genre awards Best Role-playing Game" (http:/ / au. gamespot. com/ special_features/ bestof2006/ genre/ index. html?page=9). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2010-02-17. [92] "Best of 2006 Awards RPG" (http:/ / www. gamerevolution. com/ features/ best_of_2006/ 8). Game Revolution. . Retrieved 2010-02-17. [93] Reed, Kristan (2006-03-24). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ r_oblivion_x360). Eurogamer. . Retrieved 2011-11-01. [94] Tobias, Scott (2006-04-12). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / www. avclub. com/ articles/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion,9113/ ). The A.V. Club. . Retrieved 2011-08-08. [95] Ferris, Duke (2006-03-30). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review for the Xbox360" (http:/ / www. gamerevolution. com/ review/ xbox360/ elder-scrolls-4-). Game Revolution. . Retrieved 2011-08-08.

105

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

[96] D'Aprile, Jason (2006-04-24). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review" (http:/ / www. g4tv. com/ xplay/ reviews/ 1108/ The_Elder_Scrolls_IV. html). G4. . Retrieved 2011-11-17. [97] jkdmedia (2006-04-03). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - 360 - Review" (http:/ / www. gamezone. com/ reviews/ the_elder_scrolls_iv_oblivion_360_review). GameZone. . Retrieved 2011-11-17. [98] GamesTM (43): 112. May 2006. [99] Speer, Justin (2006-03-27). "GameSpy: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Page 3" (http:/ / uk. xbox360. gamespy. com/ xbox-360/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/ 698650p3. html). GameSpy. p. 3. . Retrieved 2011-11-04. [100] Thorsen, Tor (2006-04-10). "Oblivion enjoying epic sales" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6147359. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-24. [101] Francis, Tom (2007-01-11). "PC Gamer's Best 100 PC Games" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ article. php?id=154740& site=pcg). ComputerAndVideoGames.com. . Retrieved 2010-02-24. [102] "Games Nominations 2006" (http:/ / www. bafta. org/ awards/ video-games/ nominations/ ?year=2006). BAFTA. . Retrieved 2011-08-25. [103] Zenke, Michael (2007-06-12). "The Breasts That Broke The Game" (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ articles/ view/ issues/ issue_101/ 561-The-Breasts-That-Broke-The-Game). The Escapist (101): 1921. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [104] "ESRB Changes Rating for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion from Teen to Mature" (http:/ / www. esrb. org/ about/ news/ downloads/ oblivion_release_5. 3. 06. pdf) (PDF). Entertainment Software Rating Board. 2006-05-03. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. "ESRB Parent Advisory regarding rating change for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (http:/ / www. esrb. org/ about/ news/ downloads/ oblivion_parent_advisory. 5. 3. 06. pdf) (PDF). Entertainment Software Rating Board. 2006-05-03. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [105] Staff (2006-05-03). "Bethesda responds to Oblivion rerating" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 2006/ 05/ 03/ news_6148925. html?part=rss& tag=gs_& subj=6148925). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [106] Carless, Simon (2006-05-03). "IEMA Reacts To Oblivion Mature Re-Rating" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=9160). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [107] Feldman, Curt; Thorsen, Tor (2005-07-05). "Politician wants San Andreas rated Adults Only" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6128702. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-02.

106

Further reading
Burman, Rob (2007-02-16). "Sean Bean Gagging for Oblivion" (http://ps3.ign.com/articles/765/765380p1. html). IGN UK. Retrieved 2007-08-03. Carless, Simon (2007-01-18). "Bethesda Confirms Oblivion Expansion For Xbox Live Distribution" (http:// www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12424). Gamasutra. Retrieved 2007-06-26. Joynt, Patrick (2006-03-29). "The Oblivion of Western RPGs: Is the PC RPG Dead?" (http://www.1up.com/ do/feature?cId=3148996). 1UP.com. Retrieved 2007-06-13. Miller, Ross (2006-10-07). "How modders saved Oblivion" (http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/07/ how-modders-saved-oblivion/). Joystiq. Retrieved 2007-07-09. Miller, Ross (2007-07-26). "Oblivion producer predicts breakout hit in Japan" (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/ 07/26/oblivion-producer-predicts-breakout-hit-in-japan/). Joystiq. Retrieved 2007-07-29.

External links
Official website (http://www.elderscrolls.com/oblivion/) The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (http://www.dmoz.org/Games/Video_Games/Roleplaying/E/ Elder_Scrolls_Series,_The/Elder_Scrolls_IV,_The_-_Oblivion/) at the Open Directory Project The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (http://www.mobygames.com/game/elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion) at MobyGames The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462271/) at the Internet Movie Database

The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine

107

The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine

The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine
Developer(s) Publisher(s) Bethesda Softworks

NA EU

Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks, Ubisoft

Series Engine Platform(s) Release date(s)

The Elder Scrolls Custom Gamebryo engine using SpeedTree, Radiant A.I., Havok 3.0 physics and FaceGen technology Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Xbox 360, Windows retail

NA

November 21, 2006 November 23, 2006

[1]

AUS EU

November 24, 2006

Windows download [2] [3] December 4, 2006 Genre(s) Mode(s) Rating(s) First person Action Role-Playing, sandbox Single player ESRB: M OFLC: M

Media/distribution CD-ROM, download System requirements 3.0 GHz processor, 1 GB system RAM, 128 MB video card, 4.6 GB hard disk space

The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine is an official expansion pack for the role-playing video game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Announced on October 17, 2006 for release on November 21, 2006, the expansion was developed, published, and released in North America by Bethesda Softworks; in Europe, the game was co-published with Ubisoft.[4] The Windows version is available either as a downloadable plug-in from the company website or as part of the retail-released Oblivion Downloadable Content Collection CDa release that also includes all previously released official downloadable content available for Oblivion. The Xbox 360 version is available via Xbox Live Marketplace, and the PlayStation 3 version of Oblivion includes Knights of the Nine in its packaged release. Knights of the Nine centers on a faction of the same name, devoted to locating and preserving a set of "Crusaders' Relics". Once found, these relics must be used to defeat the sorcerer-king Umaril, who seeks revenge on the Nine Divines.[5] Knights of the Nine was generally well-received in the gaming press. Although it made little change to the basic mechanics of Oblivion, it was judged by reviewers to be a brief but polished addition to the game's main plot.[6] [7] [8]

Gameplay
Knights of the Nine changes none of the basic gameplay of Oblivion; the basic design, maneuvers, and interfaces remain unchanged.[6] [7] As such, it is a fantasy-based role-playing adventure game. Players begin Oblivion by defining their character; deciding on its skill set, specialization, physical features, and race. Knights of the Nine is an example of open-ended or sandbox-style gameplay: the main quest may be delayed or completely ignored as the player explores the game world, follows side quests, interacts with NPCs, and develops a character according to their taste.[9] Furthering the goal of open-ended gameplay, Knights of the Nine, unlike Bethesda's prior content packs for Oblivion, begins with no explicit prodding towards the newly introduced content; players must seek out and find the

The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine game's quest without external aid.[6]

108

Plot
Knights of the Nine's quest begins as the player approaches the Chapel of Dibella in Anvil. The Chapel was recently attacked; everyone there has been killed in a dark ritual. The player proceeds to consult a prophet near the scene of the attack, who is preaching about it. The prophet reveals to the player that the one responsible for the attacks is Umaril, an ancient revenge-seeking Ayleid sorcerer-king, who has escaped from his prison in Oblivion to destroy Cyrodiil. Umaril can only be defeated by the prophesized Crusader, favoured by the gods, bearing the relics of Pelinal Whitestrake, the man who originally slew Umaril, and banished his spirit to Oblivion. The player then makes a pilgrimage, and receives a vision from Pelinal Whitestrake, who reveals the location of his tomb, which is beneath the lake surrounding the Imperial City.[10] Inside this tomb, the player discovers the Helm of Pelinal's armor, as well as the corpse of Sir Amiel, one of the old Knights of the Nine. His diary reveals the location of their priory, which houses the Cuirass of Pelinal. Before the player can claim it though, he/she confronts eight spirits of the old Knights of the Nine, including Amiel, who had all given into corruption and been killed. They assist the player, who soon gathers all of Pelinal Whitestrake's relics. During each leg of the quest to retrieve the relics, the player meets a priest, knight, or pilgrim of faith, each of whom pledge to aid the player, each representing one of the original eight divines.[11] After a final blessing from the prophet, to represent the ninth divine, Talos, the player leads the knights against Umaril's stronghold, defeating the Ayleid King, and then pursues Umaril's spirit, destroying him utterly. The player then wakes up in the Priory, with the knights believing him/her dead. After realizing that the powers of the gods resurrected him, the player rejoins the knights.[12]

Production, release, and availability

Prior to any announcement regarding Knights of the Nine, Bethesda had pursued a somewhat novel plan to distribute downloadable content through micropayments, priced from US$0.99 to US$2.99, instead of the more common practice of releasing expansion packs. The program was initially met with criticism by customers due to its alleged low value,[13] but later releasesat a reduced price, and with more contentproved more popular.[14] The releases, in addition to stirring controversy, raised questions regarding Bethesda's future content release plans, and as to whether expansion pack releases were necessary at all.[15] [16] In August 2006, one Bethesda employee wrote in a post to Bethesda's Elder Scrolls forums that the company had "no plans to make an expansion for Oblivion".[16] Further questions were raised by a product listing found on game retailer GameStop's website September 11, 2006, listing a Knights of the White Stallion Expansion Pack for Oblivion. The game had a listed shipping date of November 21, 2006 and a US$19.99 asking price. The title was kept on the website only brieflyremoved after gaming news site GameSpot sent Bethesda a request for comment on the product.[15] Knights of the Nine began its life as a supposedly "exclusive" quest for the PlayStation 3 release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Along with the confirmation of the PlayStation 3 release on October 9, 2006, some gaming news websites reported that the release would contain "a huge, exclusive quest" focusing on "a new faction, The Knights of the Nine".[17] Some reports prefixed "allegedly" onto statements that the release would be exclusive.[18] Suggestions of exclusivity, in any case, did not last long: an October 17, 2006 Bethesda press release announced that Knights of the Nine content was also scheduled for PC and Xbox 360 releases,[4] eliciting commentary from Joystiq remarking on "how finicky" the word 'exclusive' had come to be,[19] and Kotaku remarking on how "Oblivion PS3 content didn't stay exclusive for long... or at all".[20] Other sites saw no incongruence in the announcement: GameSpot assumed that Knights of the Nine was simply the earlier Knights of the White Stallion by a different name,[21] and 1UP.com had anticipated the move ever since an IGN interview with Oblivion's Executive Producer Todd Howard,[22] where Howard had described Bethesda's general aim "to have all our content available across all platforms";[23] the final announcement served only to confirm their suspicions.[24]

The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine The October 17 press release set November 21, 2006 as the North American distribution date for the Xbox 360 and PC versions of Knights.[4] The European release for the Xbox 360 and PC was set two days later, on November 23.[25] The European release was co-published by Bethesda and Ubisoft.[4] On November 9, 2006, Bethesda clarified earlier statements regarding PC releases, declaring that, although the boxed retail PC edition of Knights of the Nine was set for release on November 21, the PC release downloadable from the company website wouldn't be available until December 4.[3] This caused some consumer complaints, for although the Xbox 360 release was available on the Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points (the equivalent of US$10.00, or GB6.80[8] ), for the time being, PC owners had only the US$19.99 boxed retail edition of the game.[26] The increased price of the PC's boxed retail release (The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of Nine Oblivion Downloadable Content Collection) resulted from its inclusion of Oblivion's other previously released downloadable content: Horse Armor, The Orrery, Wizards Tower, Vile Lair, Thieves Den, Mehrunes Razor, Spell Tomes, Fighter's Stronghold & a series of dashboard themes and picture packs. Such content was not included in either the downloadable PC release, the Xbox Marketplace download, or the PlayStation 3 edition of Oblivion.[27] The downloadable release was ultimately issued on December 6 at the price of US$9.99.[28] According to IGN Entertainment's GamerMetrics, a service based on compiled visitor activity information on IGN's website, the pack was the fourth most anticipated release of its release week, following Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas, Superman Returns and College Hoops 2K7.[29]

109

Reception
The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine Aggregate scores
Aggregator GameRankings Metacritic Score 84/100 (based on 12 reviews) [30]

[31] 81/100 (PC; based on 12 reviews) [32] 86/100 (Xbox 360; based on 8 reviews)

Review scores
Publication Eurogamer GamePro GameSpot PC Gamer UK PC Gamer US PC Format (UK) PC Zone (UK) Score 8/10 [8] [7] [6]

4.25/5 8.3/10

74% 80% 79% 74% [33] [33]

Knights of the Nine was generally well-received in the gaming press. Metacritic, an aggregate review site, scored the PC version of the game with an 81 out of 100,[31] and the Xbox 360 version of the game with an 86 out of 100.[32] GameSpot recommended the game for its value; although it made few improvements over the basic Oblivion experience, Knights of the Nine provides "a good day or two's worth of questing for a low price".[6] Similar comments followed from GamePro, who found that the "polish" and "affordable price" of the pack excused the fact that the pack's content "doesn't really change [Oblivion's] gameplay".[7]

The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine Eurogamer praised the game for its memorable plot and new, unique content. They concluded that if "more of the same is what you're after, you can't really argue with what Bethesda's served up for its hardcore fans." The review encouraged caution nonetheless: for if consumers were to fully accept individually priced content releases, Bethesda might just begin charging for all its quests.[8]

110

References
[1] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine Release Summary" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrolls4knightsofthenine/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [2] Rose, Alan (2006-11-22). "Knights of the Nine screens, availability update" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 11/ 22/ knights-of-the-nine-screens-availability-update/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [3] Smith, Luke (2006-11-09). "PS3 Oblivion Shelved Till Next Year" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3155100). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [4] "Bethesda Softworks Announces Knights of the Nine for Xbox 360 and Windows" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_101706. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2006-10-17. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [5] "The story of Knights of the Nine" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ story-knights-nine). The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2006-11-21. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [6] Kasavin, Greg (2006-12-04). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine for PC Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrolls4knightsofthenine/ review. html?sid=6162682). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [7] Newton (2007-01-08). "Review: The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070111132800/ http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ computer/ pc/ games/ reviews/ 93008. shtml). GamePro. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ computer/ pc/ games/ reviews/ 93008. shtml) on 2007-01-11. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [8] Purchese, Rob (2006-11-27). "Review - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Knights of the Nine" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ article. php?article_id=70413). Eurogamer. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [9] Kasavin, Greg (2006-04-25). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for PC Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-11-23. [10] "Attack on Chapel of Anvil" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ attack-chapel-anvil). The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2006-11-21. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [11] The Pilgrimage (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ pilgrimage), Run the Gauntlet (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ priory-nine-run-gauntlet), Nature's Fury (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ priory-nine-natures-fury), The Path of the Righteous (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ priory-nine-path-righteous), Wisdom of the Ages (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ priory-nine-wisdom-ages), Gauntlets of the Crusader (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ priory-nine-stendarrs-mercy), The Faithful Squire (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ priory-nine-faithful-squire). The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library (2006-11-21). Retrieved on 2007-09-01. [12] "The Blessing of Talos" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ blessing-talos). The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2006-11-21. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. "Umaril the Unfeathered" (http:/ / www. imperial-library. info/ content/ umaril-unfeathered). The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine. Bethesda Softworks. Reprinted in The Imperial Library. 2006-11-21. . Retrieved 2010-10-18. [13] Surette, Tim (2006-04-03). "Oblivion horse armor now available" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?page=1& sid=6147013). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. Klepek, Patrick (2006-04-04). "Bethesda Responds To Oblivion Issues" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3149299). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. [14] Sinclair, Brendan (2006-04-07). "Next Oblivion add-on priced" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ news. html?sid=6147320). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-07-06. Ransom-Wiley, James (2006-04-07). "Bethesda patching Oblivion, lowers cost of future content download" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 04/ 07/ bethesda-patching-oblivion-lowers-cost-of-future-content-downlo/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. Summa, Robert (2006-07-11). "Next Oblivion download available Thursday" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 07/ 11/ next-oblivion-download-available-thursday/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-07-09. [15] Sinclair, Brendan (2006-09-11). "Retail Radar: Oblivion expansion, Bully and Splinter Cell collector's editions" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6157428. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [16] Rose, Alan (2006-07-09). "No official Oblivion expansions planned" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 08/ 09/ no-official-oblivion-expansions-planned/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [17] Richardson, Ben (2006-10-09). "Exclusive Oblivion quest for PS3" (http:/ / www. gamesradar. com/ gb/ ps3/ game/ news/ article. jsp?articleId=20061009125053657068& releaseId=20060726163237511007& sectionId=1006). Games Radar. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [18] Ransom-Wiley, James (2006-10-10). "PS3 Oblivion's exclusive quest explained" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 10/ 10/ ps3-oblivions-exclusives-explained/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [19] Miller, Ross (2006-10-17). "Oblivion gets Nine Knights, expansion set on Nov 21 [update 1 ]" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 10/ 17/ oblivion-gets-nine-knights-expansion-set-on-nov-21/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-08-31.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine

[20] Eckhardt, Florian (2006-10-18). "PS3 Oblivion Content Goes To PC and 360" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ gaming/ pc/ ps3-oblivion-content-goes-to-pc-and-360-208364. php). Kotaku. . Retrieved 2007-11-22. [21] Sinclair, Brendan (2006-10-17). "Knights of the Nine ride on 360, PC next month" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrolls4knightsofthenine/ news. html?sid=6159985). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [22] 1UP Staff (2006-10-11). "Oblivion PS3 Content Not Exclusive" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3154363). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [23] Sanders, Kathleen (2006-10-11). "Oblivion: The PS3 Interview" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 738/ 738319p2. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [24] Klepek, Patrick (2006-10-17). "PS3's Oblivion Content Coming to 360, PC" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3154474). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [25] Boyes, Emma (2006-10-18). "Nights of the Nine out in Europe November 23" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrolls4knightsofthenine/ news. html?sid=6160009). GameSpot UK. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [26] De Marco, Flynn (2006-11-04). "New Oblivion Expansion: Only $10 on Xbox Live" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ gaming/ oblivion/ new-oblivion-expansion-only-10-on-xbox-live-212479. php). Kotaku. . Retrieved 2007-11-22. [27] Dobson, Jason (2006-10-17). "Round Up: New Oblivion Content, Entropia Grows, Lumines Lives" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=11304). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [28] Sinclair, Brendan (2006-12-06). "Knights of the Nine PC DL saddled up" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrolls4knightsofthenine/ news. html?sid=6162829). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [29] Dobson, Jason (2006-11-22). "Round Up: PS3/Wii Units, IGN GamerMetrics, Exent/Portugal" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=11827). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [30] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine Reviews" (http:/ / gamerankings. com/ htmlpages2/ 936112. asp). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [31] "Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine, The (PC) Reviews" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ pc/ elderscrolls4knightsofthenine?q=Knights of the Nine). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [32] "Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine, The (Xbox 360) Reviews" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ xbox360/ elderscrolls4knightsofthenine?q=Knights of the Nine). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2007-08-31. [33] http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ pc/ 936112-the-elder-scrolls-iv-knights-of-the-nine/ articles. html

111

External links
The Elder Scrolls official site. (http://www.elderscrolls.com) The story of Knights of the Nine (http://www.imperial-library.info/content/story-knights-nine) at The Imperial Library.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles

112

The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles

The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles
Developer(s) Publisher(s) Series Engine Version Platform(s) Release date(s) Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks, 2K Games The Elder Scrolls Custom Gamebryo engine using SpeedTree Technology, Radiant A.I., Havok 3.0 physics and FaceGen technology 1.2.0416
[1]

(April 30, 2007)

Xbox 360, Windows, PlayStation 3 Xbox 360

NA EU

March 26, 2007 2007 March 27, 2007 2007

[2]

Windows

NA EU

PlayStation 3

NA EU

November 20, 2007 2007

Genre(s) Mode(s) Rating(s)

First person Action role-playing, sandbox Single player

ESRB: M OFLC: M

Media/distribution DVD, download

The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles is the largest official expansion pack for the role-playing game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Announced on January 18, 2007, the expansion was developed, published, and released over the Xbox Live Marketplace by Bethesda Softworks; its retail release was co-published with 2K Games.[3] It was released for Microsoft Windows in a boxed retail edition on March 27, 2007, while the Xbox 360 version was released digitally on the Xbox Live Marketplace.[4] Shivering Isles takes place on the eponymous isles ruled by the Daedric Prince of Madness, Sheogorath. The player becomes Sheogorath's protg, and together they try to defeat the Daedric Lord of Order, Jyggalag, thus preventing the isles from being destroyed.[5]

Gameplay
Shivering Isles changes none of the basic gameplay of Oblivion; the basic design, maneuvers, and interfaces remain unchanged.[5] [6] As such, it is a fantasy-based role-playing adventure game. Players begin Oblivion by defining their character, deciding on its skill set, specialization, physical features, and race. The player gains experience points through the practice of specific skills, such as gaining archery experience by practicing archery. This goes against standard role-playing game form, where any skill use garners generic experience points that may be put towards any type of specialization.[7] Enemies increase in difficulty as players strengthen their skills, scaling the game's challenge to the players' strength.[6] As with the original game, The Shivering Isles is an example of open-ended or sandbox-style gameplay. The main quest may be delayed or completely ignored as the player explores the game world, follows side quests, interacts

The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles with non-player characters, and develops a character according to their taste.[7] Once the game is updated the player can access the extra content at any time with any character.[5]

113

Plot
The expansion pack takes place on the Shivering Isles, ruled by the Daedric Prince of Madness, Sheogorath.[8] The realm is divided into two sections, Mania and Dementia, both of which have different characteristics in the art and design. The player enters the realm as an event called the Greymarch, in which the Daedric Prince of Order, Jyggalag, completely destroys the Shivering Isles, is about to occur. Upon entering the realm, the player has access to only one area of the Shivering Isles, called the Fringe. To gain access to the other areas, the player must defeat a creature called the Gatekeeper. Before entering the other areas, the player is summoned for an audience with Sheogorath. Sheogorath explains to the player that the Greymarch will destroy the realm, and Sheogorath needs a "champion" to stop the event from occurring. Sheogorath decides to choose the player as his protg, whom he sends off on various quests in an attempt to stop the Greymarch.[9] [10] Sheogorath's and the player's attempts to stop the Greymarch ultimately fail. Sheogorath then transforms into Jyggalag, by then revealed to be his alter-ego, and disappears. As the player defends the Court of Madness from the ensuing invasion of the forces of Order, Jyggalag himself appears and attacks the player. The player defeats Jyggalag, and the Greymarch stops. Jyggalag then explains to the player that, when the Daedric Princes were creating their own lands, his power and the rapid expansion of his realm caused the other princes to become fearful and jealous, prompting them to curse him with madness, changing him into Sheogorath, the Prince of Madness. Since Daedra are subject to a reincarnation cycle, Jyggalag/Sheogorath was doomed to relive the Greymarch at the end of each era, after which Jyggalag would once again be transformed into Sheogorath. After explaining this history, Jyggalag thanks the player for breaking the cycle and dubs him/her the "new" Sheogorath, Prince of Madness and ruler of the Shivering Isles.[10]

Development
The earliest news about Shivering Isles surfaced on January 4, 2007 when an issue of PC Zone revealed the expansion. The issue revealed details about the plot and setting of the expansion, published its first screenshots and announced its expected arrival in the second quarter of 2007.[11] Bethesda did not announce the expansion until January 18, 2007.[12] [13] The announcement came after the expansion had already been featured in both PC Zone and PC Gamer, after it had been scheduled for a February 6, 2007 appearance in Games for Windows,[14] and after it had been reported in several online publications.[15] The official announcement also confirmed an eventual release for the Xbox 360, something the magazines, being PC publications, had not previously mentioned.[16] Further clarification came in early March when Executive Producer Todd Howard revealed the specific release date of March 27, 2007,[4] but due to unscheduled maintenance, it was released on Xbox Live a day early.[17] A disc version of Shivering Isles was announced on September 6, 2007 with a previously disallowed hard drive requirement.[18] The expansion was released as a standalone for the PlayStation 3 version of the game on November 20, 2007 and as a download from the PlayStation Network on November 29, 2007.[19] [20] The expansion was made available for download to Australian customers only on November 23, 2007.[21] Shivering Isles and Knights of the Nine expansions shipped together in the packaged release of Oblivion's Game of the Year edition.[22]

The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles

114

Reception
Reviews Publication Eurogamer PC Gamer UK IGN GamePro GameSpot Score 7 of 10

[23]

75 / 100 [24] 8.5 of 10 4.5 of 5

[9]

[5] [6]

8.6 of 10 Compilations of Multiple Reviews

Compiler Game Rankings

PC 360

Score 86.32 % (based on 36 reviews)

87.62 % (based on 45 reviews)

[25] [26] [27] [28]

Metacritic

PC 360

86 of 100 (based on 34 reviews)

86 of 100 (based on 42 reviews) 88% (based on 18 reviews)

Gamestats

360

[29]

Awards Award RPG of the year Expansion of the year Best Downloadable Content Editor's Choice Top Pick Silver Award Publications Game Industry News (2008) Vodoo Extreme (2007),

[30] [32]

[31]

Primotech (2007)

G-Phoria (2007) Team Xbox,

[33]
and IGN

[34]

Game Pro,

[5]

[35]

Game Vortex

[36] [37]

Advanced Media Network

The Shivering Isles was generally well received in the gaming press. Aggregate sites Metacritic and Game Rankings scored both the PC version and the Xbox 360 version of the game at 86 out of 100,[25] [26] [27] [28] while the Xbox 360 version scored 88 out of 100 on Gamestats.[29] Greg Mueller from GameSpot recommends the game for its value but sees it as "not an absolutely essential expansion" and rates some of the later quests as repetitive and uninspired.[6] Similar comments followed from GamePro reviewer Newton, who found that it is "an impressive expansion" which "delivers more of what made Oblivion great: creative quests, a huge land to explore, and tons of things to do there, [therefore] making this expansion is a solid purchase for anyone who was a fan of the core game".[5] Jim Rossignol from Eurogamer initially rated the game as equally memorable to Oblivion but later saying that it is "the same game as it ever was, only this time with a slightly weirder backdrop, and less interesting questing".[23] Charles Onyett from IGN rates it as "an entirely worthy addition to Bethesda's stellar fourth entry in The Elder Scrolls series" and as "a great excuse to jump back in [the series]".[9] The expansion received accolades from several media publishers, including "Best RPG" at the 2008 Game of the Year Awards offered by Game Industry News,[30] the "Best Expansion" at the 2007 Game of the Year Awards offered by Vodoo Extreme,[31] as well as those offered by Primotech,[32] and "Best Downloadable Content" at the

The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles G-Phoria 2007 Awards.[33] It also received the "Editor's Choice Award" from Team Xbox,[34] Game Pro,[5] and IGN,[35] as well as the "Top Pick Award" by Game Vortex,[36] and the "Silver Award" from Advanced Media Network.[37]

115

References
[1] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles 1.2.0416 Patch" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20091230223641/ http:/ / elderscrolls. com/ downloads/ updates_patches. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2007-04-30. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ downloads/ updates_patches. htm) on 2009-12-30. . Retrieved 2010-03-16. [2] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Release Summary" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ elderscrollsivshiveringisles/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-09-02. [3] "Bethesda Softworks Announces The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Official Expansion for Oblivion" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20091231012750/ http:/ / elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_011807. htm). Bethesda Softworks. 2006-01-18. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ news/ press_011807. htm) on 2009-12-31. . Retrieved 2007-09-02. [4] Sinclair, Brendan (2007-03-07). "Oblivion gets Shivering Isles this month" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ elderscrollsivshiveringisles/ news. html?sid=6166936). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-09-02. [5] Newton. "The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080927210941/ http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ reviews/ 107898/ elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion-shivering-isles/ ). GamePro Media. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ reviews/ 107898/ elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion-shivering-isles/ ) on 2008-09-27. . Retrieved 2009-07-14. [6] Mueller, Greg (2007-03-26). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Review for Xbox 360" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ elderscrollsivshiveringisles/ review. html?om_act=convert& om_clk=gssummary& tag=summary;read-review). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2009-07-14. [7] Kasavin, Greg (2006-04-25). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for PC Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ theelderscrollsivoblivion/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-11-23. [8] "Bethesda Softworks" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20071123232555/ http:/ / www. bethsoft. com/ games/ games_obliv_shivisles. html). 2007-01-18. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. bethsoft. com/ games/ games_obliv_shivisles. html) on 2007-11-23. . Retrieved 2007-01-18. [9] Onyett, Charles. "IGN: The Elder Scrolls IV: The Shivering Isles Review" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 776/ 776083p2. html). Pc.ign.com. . Retrieved 2009-07-14. [10] The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Game Guide - Game Guides at GameSpot (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ features/ 6168588/ index. html) [11] Bishop, Stuart (2007-01-04). "Oblivion expansion: First concrete details" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ 153278/ oblivion-expansion-first-concrete-details/ ?skip=yes). Computer and Video Games. . Retrieved 2007-09-02. [12] Ransom-Wiley, James (2007-01-04). "Shivering Isles: first full-length Oblivion expansion" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2007/ 01/ 04/ shivering-isles-first-full-length-oblivion-expansion/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-09-02. [13] Ransom-Wiley, James (2007-01-18). "Bethesda (finally) confirms Shivering Isles Oblivion expansion" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2007/ 01/ 18/ bethesda-finally-confirms-shivering-isles-oblivion-expansion/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-09-02. [14] Ransom-Wiley, James (2007-01-09). "Bethesda mum about Oblivion expansion" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2007/ 01/ 09/ bethesda-mum-about-oblivion-expansion/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-09-02. [15] Klepek, Patrick (2007-01-09). "Bethesda Won't Confirm Oblivion Expansion" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ news/ bethesda-won-confirm-oblivion-expansion). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2007-09-02. [16] Sinclair, Brendan (2007-01-18). "Shivering Isles confirmed for 360" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ elderscrollsivshiveringisles/ news. html?sid=6164329). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-09-02. [17] Miller, Ross (2006-03-26). "Shivering Isles now on Xbox Live grab it before the downtime" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2007/ 03/ 26/ shivering-isles-now-on-xbox-live-grab-it-before-the-downtime/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2007-09-02. [18] Magrino, Tom (2007-09-06). "GameSpot news item" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6178311. html?sid=6178311& part=rss& subj=6178311). Gamespot.com. . Retrieved 2009-07-14. [19] Hatfield, Daemon. "Shivering Isles comes to the PS3" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 829/ 829914p1. html). Ps3.ign.com. . Retrieved 2009-07-14. [20] "Shivering Isles to hit U.S. PlayStation Store next week" (http:/ / ps3. qj. net/ Shivering-Isles-to-hit-U-S-PlayStation-Store-next-week/ pg/ 49/ aid/ 108307). Ps3.qj.net. 2007-11-22. . Retrieved 2009-07-14. [21] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles for Xbox 360 - The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Xbox 360 Game - The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Xbox 360 Video Game" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ xbox360/ rpg/ elderscrollsivshiveringisles/ similar. html?mode=versions). Gamespot.com. . Retrieved 2009-08-08. [22] "The Elder Scrolls" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20091230231156/ http:/ / elderscrolls. com/ games/ obgoty_overview. html). The Elder Scrolls. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ games/ obgoty_overview. html) on 2009-12-30. . Retrieved 2009-08-08. [23] Jim Rossignol (2007-04-05). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Review" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-shivering-isles-review). Eurogamer.net. . Retrieved 2009-07-14.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles

[24] http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ pc/ 937555-the-elder-scrolls-iv-shivering-isles/ articles. html [25] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles for PC" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ pc/ 937555-the-elder-scrolls-iv-shivering-isles/ index. html). GameRankings. . Retrieved 2009-07-14. [26] "Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles, The (Xbox360: 2007): Reviews" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ xbox-360/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-shivering-isles). Metacritic.com. 2007-03-26. . Retrieved 2009-07-14. [27] "Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles, The (pc: 2007): Reviews" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ pc/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-shivering-isles). Metacritic.com. 2007-03-27. . Retrieved 2009-07-14. [28] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles for Xbox 360" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ xbox360/ 937897-the-elder-scrolls-iv-shivering-isles/ index. html). GameRankings. . Retrieved 2009-07-14. [29] "The Elder Scrolls IV: The Shivering Isles Articles" (http:/ / www. gamestats. com/ objects/ 874/ 874117/ / articles. html). GameStats. . Retrieved 2009-08-08. [30] "www.gameindustry.com" (http:/ / www. gameindustry. com/ goty/ winners. asp). www.gameindustry.com. . Retrieved 2009-08-08. [31] "2007 Game of the Year Awards - Voodoo Extreme" (http:/ / ve3d. ign. com/ articles/ features/ 35991/ 2007-Game-of-the-Year-Awards). Ve3d.ign.com. . Retrieved 2009-08-08. [32] "Primotech : Primotech Game of the Year Awards 2007: Day One" (http:/ / www. primotechnology. com/ 2007/ 12/ 17/ primotech-game-of-the-year-awards-2007-day-one/ ). Primotechnology.com. . Retrieved 2009-08-08. [33] "G4 - X-Play - Gphoria 2008" (http:/ / g4tv. com/ gphoria2008/ index. html). G4tv.com. . Retrieved 2009-08-08. [34] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Review (Xbox 360)" (http:/ / reviews. teamxbox. com/ xbox-360/ 1310/ The-Elder-Scrolls-IV-Shivering-Isles/ p1/ ). Reviews.teamxbox.com. 2007-03-29. . Retrieved 2009-08-08. [35] Onyett, Charles. "IGN: The Elder Scrolls IV: The Shivering Isles Review" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 776/ 776083p2. html). Pc.ign.com. . Retrieved 2009-08-08. [36] "The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles" (http:/ / www. gamevortex. com/ gamevortex/ soft_rev. php/ 3493/ the-elder-scrolls-iv-shivering-isles-xbox-360. html). Gamevortex.com. . Retrieved 2009-08-08. [37] "Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles". Gamezone. 2007-04-01.

116

External links
UESP Wiki: Shivering Isles (http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Shivering:Shivering_Isles) The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles (http://www.dmoz.org/Games/Video_Games/Roleplaying/E/ Elder_Scrolls_Series,_The/Elder_Scrolls_IV,_The_-_Oblivion/Shivering_Isles,_The/) at the Open Directory Project

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

117

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Developer(s) Publisher(s) Distributor(s) Director(s) Composer(s) Series Engine Version Platform(s) Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks (retail) Steam (online) Todd Howard Jeremy Soule The Elder Scrolls Creation Engine Havok Physics 1.3.10
[1]

Microsoft Windows PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 November 11, 2011

JP

Release date(s)

[2]

December 8, 2011

Genre(s) Mode(s) Rating(s)

Action role-playing Open world Single-player (first-person and third-person view)

ACB: MA15+ [4] BBFC: 15 CERO: Z [5] ESRB: M [6] OFLC: R13 PEGI: 18+ [7] USK: 16

[3]

Media/distribution DVD Blu-ray Disc Download System requirements See Development section

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (typically simply Skyrim) is an action role-playing open world video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fifth installment in The Elder Scrolls action role-playing video game series, following The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Skyrim was released on November 11, 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Skyrim's main story revolves around the player character's efforts to defeat Alduin, the firstborn of Tamriel's primary deity Akatosh. Alduin is prophesied to destroy the world. Set two hundred years after Oblivion, the game takes place in the land of Skyrim, which is in the midst of a civil war after the High King fell in a duel against the leader of the Stormcloaks. The open world gameplay of the Elder Scrolls series returns in Skyrim; the player can explore the land at will and ignore or postpone the main quest indefinitely. Following its release, the game received universal acclaim from critics.[8] [9] [10]

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

118

Gameplay
The nonlinear gameplay traditional in the Elder Scrolls series is incorporated in Skyrim.[11] The player can explore the open world of Skyrim on foot or on horse, and fast-travel to cities, towns, and dungeons after they have been discovered.[12] Quests are given to the player by non-player characters (NPCs) in the world, and through the Radiant Story system, the quests can be dynamically altered to accommodate for player actions which may influence the quest's characters and objectives. The Radiant Story then further directs the player's interaction with the world by setting unexplored dungeons as quest locations.[13] When not completing quests, the player can interact with NPCs through conversation, and they may request favors or training in skills from the player.[14] In addition to scripted quests certain ones will be dynamically generated, providing a limitless number to the player.[11] Some NPCs can become companions to the player to aid in combat.[15] The player may choose to join factions, which are organized groups of NPCs such as the Dark Brotherhood, a band of assassins.[16] Each of the factions has a headquarters, and they have their own quest paths which the player can progress through. The economy of cities and towns can be stimulated by completing jobs such as farming and mining, or harmed by sabotaging industrial buildings.[17] Character development is a primary element of Skyrim. At the beginning of the game, the player selects one of several human, elven, or zoomorphic human races, each of which has different natural abilities, and customizes their character's appearance.[18] A perpetual objective for the player is to improve their character's skills, which are numerical representations of their ability in certain areas. There are eighteen skills divided evenly between the three schools of combat, magic and stealth. Training skills until the necessary required experience is met results in the player's character leveling-up. Previous Elder Scrolls games made use of a class system to determine which skills would contribute to the character's leveling, but its removal in Skyrim allows for a preferred play-style to be developed naturally.[13] [19] When their character levels, the player may choose to select a skill-specific ability called a perk, or store perks for later use. Upon levelling fifty times, the player character can continue to level and earn perks, but the rate of levelling is slowed significantly.[20] A heads-up display appears when any one of the player's three attributes are being depleted. Health is depleted primarily through combat and can be restored by spells, potions, or resting; the loss of all health results in death. Magicka allows for and is depleted by the use of spells; it is regenerated naturally over time, but it can be restored in similar ways to health. Stamina determines the player's effectiveness in combat and is depleted by sprinting, jumping, and power attacking, but can be restored in similar ways to health and magicka. The player's inventory can be accessed from the menu and items can be viewed in 3D, which may be essential in solving puzzles found in dungeons.[21] The player's effectiveness in combat relies on the use of weapons and armor, which may be bought or created at forges, and magic, which may also be bought or unlocked. Weapons and magic are assigned to each hand, allowing for dual-wielding, and can be swapped out through a quick-access menu of favorite items.[22] Shields can be used either to fend off enemy attacks and reduce the damage intake, or offensively through bashing attacks. Blunt, bladed and hacking weapons can be used in close combat and each have specific advantages and roles; as an example, the player can perform power attacks with each weapon. Magic can be used in the form of spells; each of the eighty-five spells has a different function, such as the regeneration of health or the depletion of enemy health.[23] The bow and arrow may be utilized in long-range combat, but the bow can be used as a defensive melee weapon in close combat. The player can enter a sneak mode and pickpocket, or deliver sneak attacks to unsuspecting enemies. If the player drops unwanted loot, such as a shield or item of clothing, some NPCs will attempt to pick the item up, some even asking the player's permission to take the item.[24] When exploring the game world, the player may encounter wildlife. Many wilderness monsters are immediately hostile towards the player and thus can be slain.[11] The inclusion of Dragons in Skyrim affords a major influence on both story and gameplay. During the game's development, a team was set aside to work on Dragons and their interactions with the world.[13] In the world, a variety of different Dragons are encountered either alone or in small groups. They are randomly-generated, meaning their numbers are infinite, and they can attack cities and towns at any time.[25] Not every Dragon is hostile, and the player can interact with non-hostile Dragons. Early in the main quest, it

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is discovered that the player character is Dragonborn, which allows the player to use powerful spells called dragon shouts. Twenty different Dragon shouts can be discovered by visiting "Word-Walls" in dungeons, and they are unlocked for use by absorbing the souls of slain Dragons.[26] [27] A regeneration period limits the player's use of shouts in gameplay.[28] Another significant change from previous games in the series is the elimination of weapon and armor durability; in which a player would periodically have to repair or pay to have items repaired or risk rendering them broken and unusable.

119

Synopsis
Setting
Skyrim is not a direct sequel to Oblivion, but a new chapter in the Elder Scrolls series, set 200 years after the events of Oblivion.[26] Following the death of Martin Septim and the end of the Oblivion crisis, this heralded the beginnning of the Fourth Era. A Colovian warlord from Cyrodiil named Titus Mede, successfully conquers the Imperial City and thus begins the Mede dynasty in absence of the previous Septim dynasty. In the Empire's weak state, the provinces of Elsweyr, Black Marsh, Valenwood, and the Summerset Isles secede from the Empire. The provinces of the Sumerset Isles and Valenwood create the Aldmeri Dominion, an Elven empire, and rename the founding provinces to "Alinor". Thirty-years prior to the events of Skyrim, the Thalmor, who govern the Dominion, begin to invade both Hammerfell and Cryodiil, thus starting the "Great War", due to a rejection of an ultimatum presented by a Dominion ambassador to the current Emperor, Titus Mede II. The Empire does manage to survive the onslaught of the Thalmor with the White-Gold Concordat, a treaty which prohibits the worship of Talos throughout the Empire. With the end of the Great War, the Blades, a warrior order devoted to the protection of the Emperor of Tamriel, are hunted down and killed by the Thalmor, or seclude themselves from the rest of the world. Ulfric Stormcloak, the Jarl of Windhelm, establishes the Stormcloak faction and rebels against the Empire in order to liberate Skyrim in response to the ban of Talos worship. He kills Skyrim's current High King, Torygg, in a duel. The Empire responds by sending the Imperial Legion to combat the Stormcloaks. As with previous Elder Scrolls games, Skyrim begins with the player character as an unknown prisoner, on the way to Helgen to be executed for being mistaken as a member of the Stormcloaks. As the player character is about to be beheaded, a dragon arrives, destroying the town and interrupting the execution. The player eventually learns that Skyrim's civil war is last in a sequence of prophetic events foretold by the Elder Scrolls, which also foretell of the return of Alduin, the Nordic Dragon-god of destruction. Alduin is prophesied to consume the world. The player character is the last "Dovahkiin" (Dragonborn), a person inhabited by a Dragon's soul and annointed by the gods to help fend off the threat Alduin poses to Skyrim and Tamriel. Among the individuals aiding the player is Esbern (voiced by Max von Sydow), one of the last remaining Blades.[26]

Plot
Following the Dragon attack on Helgen, the player character may choose to escape either with an Imperial soldier or a Stormcloak rebel. After the escape, the player travels to the nearby town of Riverwood. The player is then asked to travel to the city of Whiterun, to request aid from the Jarl against the Dragon threat. The Jarl agrees to send a detachment of soldiers to Riverwood, and asks the player to aid his court-wizard in return, retrieving a Dragonstone from a nearby ruin known as Bleak Falls Barrow. The player discovers a Word-Wall in the process, learning their first "Thu'um", the shouts used by the ancient Nords to battle the Dragons. Upon returning to Whiterun, the player is asked to assist in defending the city from an attacking Dragon. After defeating the Dragon, the player character absorbs the Dragon's soul, which unlocks the Thu'um the player gained in Bleak Falls Barrow. Astonished, the Whiterun soldiers tell the player that they may be a "Dragonborn", able to naturally speak Draconic, the Dragon language, and absorb their souls. After returning to the Jarl with news of the Dragon's defeat, the player is summoned to meet with the Greybeards, an order of monks who live in seclusion in

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim their temple of High Hrothgar on the slopes of Skyrim's highest mountain, The Throat of the World. The Greybeards further train the player in the "Way of the Voice", teaching the player more powerful Thu'um's and instructing the player on their destiny and role of the Dragonborn. As a further test, the Greybeards task the player with retrieving the legendary Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. However, the player discovers the Horn has been stolen by another, who wishes to meet the Dragonborn. The thief reveals themselves as Delphine, Riverwood's innkeeper and one of the last surviving members of The Blades. Delphine and the player witness Alduin reviving a Dragon from a burial mound and successfully defeat the Dragon. Afterwards, Delphine helps the player infiltrate the Thalmor Embassy near Solitude, the headquarters of agents of the Elven Aldmeri Dominion, to follow up on her suspicions about Thalmor's possible involvement with the Dragon threat. While there, the Delphine and the player discover the Thalmor are searching for a man named Esbern, an eccentric archivist of the Blades Order. Delphine then instructs the player to locate Esbern, known to be hiding in the sewers and ratways of Riften. The player character accompanies the Blades in search of "Alduin's Wall", located in an ancient Blades fortress known as Sky Haven Temple. While the Blades set up headquarters in the temple, the player character learns that the ancient Nords used a special Thu'um against Alduin called "Dragonrend", which represented mankind's comprehensive hatred for Dragonkind. To gain more information, the player meets the leader of the Greybeards, an ancient Dragon named Paarthurnax. Paarthurnax reveals that Alduin was not truly defeated in the past, but was sent forward to an unspecified point in time by the use of an Elder Scroll, in the hopes that he would have gotten lost. The player manages to locate the Elder Scroll within the Dwemer ruin of Blackreach and uses it to travel back in time, learning the powerful Dragonrend shout to combat Alduin. Armed with the knowledge of how the ancient Nords defeated Alduin, the player battles Alduin on the summit of the Throat of the World. Overpowered by the player, Alduin flees to Sovngarde, the location of the Nordic afterlife. The player learns that Dragonsreach, the palace of the Jarl of Whiterun, was originally built to trap and hold a dragon. The Jarl of Whiterun refuses to allow the player to utilize Dragonsreach and possibly endanger the city while the civil war between the Stormcloaks and the Imperial Legion still rages. With the help of the Greybeards, the player calls a council between General Tullius and Ulfric Stormcloak, successfully calling for a temporary armistice while the Dragon threat exists. The player summons and traps a Dragon named Odahviing in Dragonsreach, learning from him that Alduin has fled to Sovngarde through a portal located high in the mountains, at an ancient fort called Skuldafn. Odahviing, impressed with the player's Thu'um and ability to capture him, agrees to fly the player to Skuldafn, claiming Alduin has shown himself as weak and undeserving of leadership over the "Dovah"/Dragons. Upon arrival at Skuldafn, the player travels to Sovngarde and meets with Ysgramor, the legendary Nord who, along with his Five Hundred Companions, drove the Elves out of Skyrim. Ysgramor informs the player that Alduin has placed a soul-snare in Sovngarde, allowing him to gain strength by devouring the souls of deceased Nords arriving at Sovngarde. The player meets up with the three heroes of Nordic legend who defeated Alduin originally, and, with their help, confronts Alduin in Sovngarde and destroys him.

120

Development
System requirements

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

121

Minimum

Recommended

Microsoft Windows[29]
Operating system CPU Memory Hard drive space Graphics hardware Sound hardware Network Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 (32 or 64 bit of any) Intel or AMD 2GHz dual-core 2GB RAM 6GB free HDD space Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 512MB of RAM DirectX compatible sound card Internet access for Steam activation Nvidia GeForce GTX 260 or ATI Radeon HD 4890 1GB Intel or AMD quad-core 4GB RAM

Skyrim was conceptualized shortly after the release of Oblivion in 2006.[30] Works on Skyrim did not begin until Fallout 3's release in 2008; developers considered the game to be a spiritual successor to both Fallout 3 and previous Elder Scrolls games.[31] The game was developed by a team of roughly 100 people composed of new talent as well as of the series's veterans.[30] The production was supervised by Todd Howard, who was the director of many titles released by Bethesda Softworks.[30] Skyrim is powered by Bethesda's own Creation Engine which is the company's new engine.[32] [33] Bethesda has officially stated that the engine will be used at least in one more project apart from Skyrim.[34] After Fallout 3's release, the team devised numerous design objectives to meet for Skyrim, and as Howard described, the team "got all those done and kept going".[35] Had the team not been able to meet their design goals with current hardware, they would have waited for the next generation and released Skyrim then,[36] but, as Howard felt, the current technology did not hold the team back at all.[35] The Creation Engine allowed for numerous improvements in graphical fidelity over Bethesda's previous efforts. For example, the draw distance renders farther than in previous Elder Scrolls games; Howard furnished an example where the player could stare at a small object such as a fork in detail, and then look up at a mountain and run to the top of it.[37] Dynamic lighting affords shadows to be created by any structure or item in the game world, and while Bethesda utilized SpeedTree to produce flora in previous games, the Creation Engine utilized by Skyrim allowed for greater detail than what had been allowed by SpeedTree.[26] For example, with Bethesda's own technology, the team was able to give weight to the branches of trees which affected how the tree blew in wind; in addition, the technology afforded wind to affect the flow of water in channels such as rivers and streams.[14] Because of the large presence of snow in Skyrim's game world, the technological upgrades were applied to weather effects and allowed for dynamic snow fall upon the terrain, instead of snow that was rendered as a textural effect in previous games.[14] The team made use of Havok's Behavior toolset for character animation, which allowed for a greater fluidity between the character's movements of walking, running and sprinting, and also increased the efficiency of the third-person camera option which had been criticized in Oblivion.[14] [38] The toolset allowed interactions between the player and NPCs to take place in real-time; in Oblivion, when the player went to interact with an NPC, time would freeze and the camera would zoom in on the NPC's face. In Skyrim, NPCs can move around and make body gestures while conversing with the player. Children are present in the game, and their presence is handled similarly as in Fallout 3 in that they cannot be harmed by the player in any way[26] since depictions of violence involving children in video games is a controversial and largely-debated issue.[39] Skyrim makes use of the Radiant AI artificial intelligence system that was created for Oblivion, and it has been updated to allow NPCs to "do what they want under extra parameters".[25] The updated system allows for greater interaction between NPCs and their environments; NPCs can perform tasks such as farming, milling and mining in the game world, and will react with each other, such as by fighting over loot that the player has dropped.[40] The team set the game in the province of Skyrim, designing it by hand. While similar in size to Oblivion's game world Cyrodiil, the mountainous topography of the world inflates the game space and makes it more difficult to

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim traverse than the relatively flat Cyrodiil.[28] In designing Skyrim's world, the team opted for a different approach to what was taken with Oblivion; art director Matt Carofano considered the more surrealistic approach of Skyrim's world design as a departure from Oblivion's generic representation of classic European fantasy lore.[18] Howard expressed the team's desire to re-encapsulate the "wonder of discovery" of Morrowind's game world in Skyrim, as the return to the classic fantasy of Arena and The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall in Oblivion meant sacrificing a world with a unique culture.[37] As a way of creating diversity in the world, the team divided the world into nine sectors, known as holds, and attempted to make each hold feel topographically unique from another; in addition, the team wanted to reflect the socioeconomic background of the NPCs by making some of the world's locations elaborate and wealthy and others poorer and lower-tech.[13] Focus was put into making of each the game's ten races feel unique; Howard considered that the player's choosing of a race and gender at the beginning of the game was a more important decision than it had been in previous Elder Scrolls games because the culture of Skyrim's world was rooted in racism and sexism. However, he iterated that the player's decisions on race and gender did not have major game-affecting consequences as it simply added "flavor" in different NPCs dispositions towards the player, and was not meant as a way of locking players out of particular quests.[35] Efforts to making Skyrim's world feel hand-crafted extended to the team abandoning the use of generated landscapes as they had done in Oblivion. While one team member was charged with designing dungeons in Oblivion, Skyrim's 150 dungeons were designed by a small team of eight people.[41] Bethesda employed over seventy voice actors to record the voices of NPCs in the game; the total number of lines recorded for NPCs is over 60,000. The cast includes Christopher Plummer, Max von Sydow, Joan Allen, Lynda Carter, Vladimir Kulich and Michael Hogan.[42] Skyrim features 244 quests and over 300 points of interest.[43]

122

Music
The team employed Jeremy Soule to compose music for Skyrim after his work on Morrowind and Oblivion. He composed "Dragonborn", the game's main theme. Dragonborn was recorded with a choir of over thirty people, singing in the game world's dragon language.[44] Creative Director Todd Howard envisioned the theme for Skyrim as the Elder Scrolls theme sung by a choir of barbarians. This became a reality when the idea was passed by Soule, who recorded the 30-man choir and layered three separate recordings to create the effect of 90 voices.[45] The language, Draconic, was created by Bethesda's concept artist Adam Adamowicz, and he developed a 34-character runic alphabet for the game.[] The lexicon of Draconic was expanded as needed; as lead designer Bruce Nesmith explained, words were introduced to the lexicon "every time [the studio wanted] to say something".[25] As with the previous two entries in the series, the soundtrack to Skyrim is sold exclusively via Jeremy Soule's distributor DirectSong; on November 4, 2011 a physical-only release consisting of 4 audio CDs was announced, coinciding with the launch of the game. All copies preordered before December 23 will be personally autographed by Soule.[46] Following an October 17 tweet from Pete Hines, Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing at Bethesda, stating "The OST would take 4 CDs",[47] a 4-disc CD set release was spotted by Digital Song customers during an account display error.[48] "Day One" preorders from Amazon.de also include a 5-track promotional Skyrim soundtrack sampler.[49]

Release
Skyrim was first announced at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California on December 11, 2010. The center was the host of Spike's annual Video Game Awards; Howard appeared on stage during the awards and presented its announcement trailer, which introduced the game's story and revealed its "11-11-11" release date.[50] It was the cover story for the February 2011 issue of the Game Informer magazine, wherein journalist Matt Miller wrote a fifteen-page article that revealed the first details about the game's story and gameplay.[26] Asked about downloadable content (DLC) packages in a June 2011 interview, Howard expressed that it was the team's intention to release DLC packages after having done so for previous releases; he revealed that it was the team's goal to release

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim a lower number of DLC packages that were larger in content than those released for Fallout 3, as he felt that releasing a larger number of low-content packages was "chaotic".[51] Via a press release, the team announced that the first two planned DLC packages would release on the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live a month ahead of PCs and the PlayStation 3 system.[52] At the 2011 QuakeCon conference, the team unveiled Skyrim's special edition package. Bundled with a copy of the game is a map of the game world, a 12-inch figurine of the game's antagonistic dragon Alduin, as well as a 200-page concept art book and a DVD feature about the making of Skyrim.[53] In October 2011 pictures of many pages of the manual of the game were leaked,[54] [55] later followed by footage from the introduction, revealing some more details.[56] By November 1, 2011, a copy of the Xbox 360 version had been leaked and made available through the internet, allowing people with a hacked Xbox 360 to play Skyrim 10 days before its official release.[57] [58] In the Netherlands, the game has been available for purchase since November 7.[59] On the 10th of November stores in Australia began selling the game ahead of its 11 November release date.[60]

123

Sales
During the first day of release, Steam showed over 230,000 people playing Skyrim concurrently.[61] In the first week of release, Bethesda stated the total sales through the following Wednesday at an estimated US$450 million, with 7 million copies of the game shipped.[62] [63] By December 16, 2011, this had risen to 10 million copies shipped to retail and around US$620 million.[64] Additionally, Valve stated that it was the fastest selling game to date on their Steam platform.[64]

Reception
Reception Aggregate scores
Aggregator GameRankings Score [65] (X360)95.09% [66] (PC)94.89% [67] (PS3)88.00% [68] (X360)96/100 [69] (PC)94/100 [70] (PS3)92/100

Metacritic

Review scores
Publication 1UP.com Computer and Video Games Edge Electronic Gaming Monthly Eurogamer Famitsu G4 Game Informer GameSpot Score A[71] [72]

9.5/10 9/10 10

[73]

[74] [75] [76]

10/10 40/40 5/5

[77] [78]

9.5/10 9/10

[79]

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[80] [81]

124
GamesRadar IGN Official PlayStation Magazine (UK) Official Xbox Magazine Wired Destructoid Joystiq GiantBomb GamePro The Guardian

10/10

9.5/10 7/10

[82] [83] [84] [85] [86] [87] [88] [89]

10/10 10/10 10/10

Awards
Entity [90] [91] Spike TV, X-Play, [92] [93] Machinima.com, GameSpot, [93] GameSpot Readers' Choice, [94] [95] 1UP.com Favorite Game, Game Revolution, GameSpy [96] [97] IGN, GameSpot [97] GameSpot Readers' Choice [90] [98] Spike TV, IGN (PC), [91] [99] [100] X-Play, GameSpot, GameSpy Award Overall Game of the Year

PC Gameof the Year RPG of the Year

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim received universal acclaim from critics. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the Xbox 360 version 95.09% and 96/100,[65] [68] the PC version 94.89% and 94/100,[66] [69] and the PlayStation 3 version 87.60% and 92/100.[67] [70] IGN gave the game a rating of 9.5 out of 10, stating "It's a mesmerizing game that draws you into a finely crafted fictional space packed with content that consistently surprises... playing Skyrim is a rare kind of intensely personal, deeply rewarding experience, and one of the best role-playing games yet produced."[81] The Guardian gave the game 5 stars (out of 5), stating "The reason for this is that Skyrim is one of the most gargantuan undertakings gamers will experience all year. The sheer size of the adventure, both in terms of its environment and in the amount of activities available to the player, is mind-blowing."[89] Destructoid gave the game a 10/10 citing that "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is every single reason to love a Western role-playing game, condensed into a single comprehensive experience with nothing lost in the conversion process."[85] Wired.com also gave a perfect score of 10 out of 10, writing "The game's greatest accomplishment is that it is a paradise of escapism, a lavish love letter to immersion. Diving into Skyrim's world feels both thrilling and comforting, like riding a rollercoaster or swimming in the ocean. There is very little padding. There are very few scripted quests that arent worth experiencing."[84] Edge gave Skyrim a rating of 9 out of 10, saying that "in the instance of breathless excitement, triumph or discovery, you invest completely in its world." GameSpot also rated it 9 out of 10, adding that "Skyrim performs the most spectacular of enchantments: the one that causes huge chunks of time to vanish before you know it."[73] Joystiq gave a perfect score of 5 out of 5 citing, "This is the deepest, loveliest world ever created for a single player to explore."[86] AtomicGamer gave a review score of 10/10 saying "While

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim other games this year have delivered tighter storylines and intense multiplayer action, nothing satisfies my gaming needs quite like Bethesda's core studio of developers can."[101] A review score of 5 out of 5 was given by GiantBomb.[87] The PC version received similar praise, but the user interface was heavily criticized as being designed for console controllers as opposed to the traditional keyboard and mouse setup.[102] [103] Official PlayStation Magazine (UK) gave the PlayStation 3 version a 7/10, praising the game but criticizing the technical issues and feeling that the game was in an unfinished state.[82] Gamepro also gave the game a perfect score of 10 out of 10 citing that "Like every other game in the series, Skyrim is going to eat hundreds of hours of my gaming time over the next few years. It has that sense of wonder that makes he Elder Scrolls games so great, and with the changes to skills, the Shouts, and dual-wielding, I think any gamer is going to have a lot of fun with Skyrim (and its eventual expansions) as well.Japanese magazine Famitsu gave Skyrim a score of 40/40, making it the first western video game to receive a perfect rating from them.[76] More Skyrim praises include being crowned game of the year by an array of outlets including the Spike TV 2011 Video Game Awards.We are gratified that Skyrim continues to garner high review scores and accolades around the world, Zenimax chief executive Robert Altman said in a release.We are most grateful to our fans for their support and enthusiasm for the game, and their love of the hundreds of hours of game play it offers.The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim puts players in a boundless world complete with death-dealing dragons, Nordic gods, and foreboding prophecy.The latest installment in the popular Elder Scrolls series is being hailed by critics as a standout game amid an army of must-play titles launching for the year-end holiday season.Skyrim was crafted by game designers who produced open-world post-apocalyptic shooter Fallout 3, so players are welcomed into an expansive mountainous kingdom that they are free to explore at their peril. Innovative software perpetually generates missions such as saving villagers and righting wrongs, meaning that the game is technically endless even if players complete the main story campaign.Skyrim is the fastest selling title in Steams history said Jason Holtman, director of business development at Valve Corporation, which operates the popular Steam digital media distribution platform launched in 2003. Bethesdas commitment to and understanding of the PC as a gaming platform shows in the great review scores, spectacular launch, and continued high player numbers that Skyrim has received.

125

Technical issues
Skyrim was launched with a multitude of technical issues ranging from small to large scale problems. Some examples include a texture down-scaling issue on the Xbox 360 version when the game was run from the hard drive;[104] crashes, slowdown and frame rate issues on the PlayStation 3 version when save files exceeded 6MB;[105] and various crashes and slowdowns on the Windows version.[106] The PlayStation 3 save file issue was also present in both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas.[105] An update (Version 1.2) was released on November 29, 2011 to fix some of the game's issues;[107] however, some players reported new bugs in the game following the patch, including more frequent game crashes.[108] Patch 1.3 was released on December 7, 2011 to improve stability and fix problems introduced in version 1.2.[109]

References
[1] "Skyrim Update 1.3 now on Steam | Bethesda Blog" (http:/ / www. bethblog. com/ 2011/ 12/ 07/ skyrim-update-1-3-now-on-steam/ ). Bethesda blog. ZeniMax Media Inc.. December 6, 2011. . Retrieved December 7, 2011. [2] Bethesda Softworks Announces The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (http:/ / www. prnewswire. com/ news-releases/ bethesda-softworks-announces-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-111780584. html). . www.prnewswire.com (Bethesda Softworks). December 13, 2010. . Retrieved December 13, 2010. [3] "Classification - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" (http:/ / www. classification. gov. au/ www/ cob/ find. nsf/ d853f429dd038ae1ca25759b0003557c/ e3ba09810b8758d9ca2578ee005d6840). Australian Classification Board. . Retrieved September 22, 2011. [4] "Video Game - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" (http:/ / www. bbfc. co. uk/ BDM282610/ ). British Board of Film Classification. . Retrieved September 22, 2011.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[5] "Rating Information - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" (http:/ / www. esrb. org/ ratings/ synopsis. jsp?Certificate=31575). Entertainment Software Rating Board. . Retrieved September 22, 2011. [6] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" (http:/ / www. censorship. govt. nz/ pdfword/ Games-Classification-Update-September-2011. pdf). Office of Film and Literature Classification. . Retrieved October 20, 2011. [7] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim [USK: Title search]" (http:/ / www. usk. de/ titelsuche/ titelsuche/ ?tx_uskdb_list[action]=search& tx_uskdb_list[controller]=Title& cHash=c88f86b2b231b3fbf76fa8f7c3e3b73d) (in German). Die Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle. . Retrieved October 15, 2011. [8] http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ xbox-360/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim [9] http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ pc/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim [10] http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ playstation-3/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim [11] Reilly, Jim (January 11, 2011). "New Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Details" (http:/ / xbox360. ign. com/ articles/ 114/ 1143527p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved January 13, 2011. [12] Onyett, Charles (March 31, 2011). "The Elder Scrolls Evolved: What's New in Skyrim" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 115/ 1158651p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved April 3, 2011. [13] The Game Informer Show. Todd Howard Skyrim Q&A (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ b/ podcasts/ archive/ 2011/ 02/ 03/ toddhowardse. aspx) Game Informer. Game Informer. (February 3, 2011). Podcast accessed on February 6, 2011. [14] Bertz, Matt (January 17, 2011). "The Technology Behind The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ games/ the_elder_scrolls_v_skyrim/ b/ xbox360/ archive/ 2011/ 01/ 17/ the-technology-behind-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim. aspx). Game Informer. . Retrieved January 17, 2011. [15] Howard, Todd; Nesmith, Bruce; Carofano, Matt (July 6, 2011). "Skyrim Fan Interview" (http:/ / forums. bethsoft. com/ index. php?/ topic/ 1207390-skyrim-fan-interview/ ). Bethesda Softworks LLC. . Retrieved September 18, 2011. [16] McCarthy, Al (August 5, 2011). "The Dark Brotherhood Confirmed for Skyrim" (http:/ / attackofthefanboy. com/ news/ the-dark-brotherhood-confirmed-for-skyrim/ ). Attack of the Fanboy. . Retrieved September 18, 2011. [17] Reparaz, Mikel (July 2011). "Dragonborn (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)". PlayStation Official Magazine (United States: Future plc) (047): 4857. [18] Hanson, Ben (January 26, 2011). "The Art Of Skyrim" (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ b/ news/ archive/ 2011/ 01/ 26/ the-art-of-skyrim. aspx). Game Informer. . Retrieved February 12, 2011. [19] Staff (January 8, 2011). "First 'Skyrim' Info And Screens Surface" (http:/ / www. thesixthaxis. com/ 2011/ 01/ 08/ first-skyrim-info-and-screens-surface/ ). TheSixthAxis. . Retrieved January 8, 2011. [20] Cottee, James (February 6, 2011). "Skyrim to Feature Branching Perk System, Horse Armor" (http:/ / games. on. net/ article/ 11530/ Skyrim_to_Feature_Branching_Perk_System_Horse_Armor). Games On Net. . Retrieved February 6, 2011. [21] Bertz, Matt (January 28, 2011). "Inside Skyrim's Menu System Overhaul" (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ games/ the_elder_scrolls_v_skyrim/ b/ xbox360/ archive/ 2011/ 01/ 28/ skyrim-menu-system-overhaul. aspx). www.gameinformer.com. Game Informer. . Retrieved January 28, 2011. [22] Plunkett, Luke (January 7, 2011). "The Next Elder Scrolls Has New Combat & Levelling" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ 5728236/ the-next-elder-scrolls-has-new-combat--levelling). kotaku.com. Kotaku. . Retrieved January 7, 2011. [23] Bertz, Matt (January 24, 2011). "Skyrim: Building Better Combat" (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ b/ features/ archive/ 2011/ 01/ 24/ skyrim-building-better-combat. aspx). www.gameinformer.com. GameInformer. . Retrieved January 24, 2011. [24] Schrier, Jason (October 17, 2011). "Stalking the Dragon: a Skyrim Journal" (http:/ / www. wired. com/ gamelife/ 2011/ 10/ skyrim-hands-on/ ?pid=2156). wired.com. Wired. . Retrieved November 9, 2011. [25] "The Future Of Fantasy (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)". PlayStation Official Magazine UK (United Kingdom: Future plc) (055): 7081. Spring 2011. [26] Miller, Matt (February 2011). "Emerging From Legend (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)". Game Informer (United States: GameStop Corporation) (213): 4660. [27] Miller, Matt (January 20, 2011). "Skyrims Dragon Shouts" (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ b/ features/ archive/ 2011/ 01/ 20/ skyrim-s-dragon-shouts. aspx?PostPageIndex=1). Game Informer. . Retrieved January 22, 2011. [28] Seiji Nakamura (April 21, 2011). "Interview with 'The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim' executive producer, Mr. Todd Howard" (http:/ / game. watch. impress. co. jp/ docs/ interview/ 20110421_441148. html) (in Japanese). Game Watch. . Retrieved September 21, 2011. [29] "Skyrim system requirements announced | Bethesda Blog" (http:/ / www. bethblog. com/ index. php/ 2011/ 10/ 25/ skyrim-system-requirements-announced/ ). Bethesda Blog. . Retrieved October 25, 2011. [30] Howard, Todd (March 8, 2011). "Welcome Back Elder Scrolls" (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ community/ welcome-back-elder-scrolls). Bethesda Softworks LLC. . Retrieved March 20, 2011. [31] Bethesda Blog. The Bethesda Podcast Episode 6: Enter the Dragon (http:/ / bethblog. com/ index. php/ 2010/ 12/ 16/ the-bethesda-podcast-episode-6-enter-the-dragon/ ) bethblog.com (http:/ / bethblog. com/ ). ZeniMax Media Inc.. (December 16, 2010). Podcast accessed on December 23, 2010. [32] Francis, Tom (December 12, 2010). "Confirmed: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will use an entirely new engine" (http:/ / www. pcgamer. com/ 2010/ 12/ 12/ confirmed-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-will-use-an-entirely-new-engine/ ). www.pcgamer.com. PC Gamer. . Retrieved December 12, 2010.

126

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[33] Peckham, Matt. "Skyrim Performance Review: It's Definitely a DirectX 9 Game" (http:/ / www. pcworld. com/ article/ 244400/ skyrim_performance_review_its_definitely_a_directx_9_game. html). PCWorld. . Retrieved 26 November 2011. [34] Cullen, Johnny (January 25, 2011). "Future Bethesda titles to "take advantage" of Skyrim engine" (http:/ / www. vg247. com/ 2011/ 01/ 25/ future-bethesda-titles-to-take-advantage-of-skyrim-engine-says-hines/ ). VG247. . Retrieved January 25, 2011. [35] "Video Interview mit Todd Howard" (http:/ / www. gameswelt. tv/ 19748/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/ video-interview-mit-todd-howard. html?mode=1) (in German, interview in English). Gameswelt TV. April 24, 2011. . Retrieved September 28, 2011. [36] Robinson, Andy (August 3, 2011). "No PS4, Xbox 720 before 2014, says Skyrim boss" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ 314055/ no-ps4-xbox-720-before-2014-says-skyrim-boss/ ). ComputerAndVideoGames. . Retrieved September 28, 2011. [37] Evans-Thirlwell, Edwin (March 9, 2011). "From Morrowind to Skyrim: how Bethesda built its latest gameworld" (http:/ / www. oxm. co. uk/ 26155/ bethesdas-todd-howard-on-elder-scrolls-5-skyrim/ ). Official Xbox Magazine. . Retrieved March 20, 2011. [38] Onyett, Charles (March 24, 2006). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - PC Review at IGN" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 698/ 698405). IGN. p. 4. . Retrieved September 28, 2011. "Though the game offers a third-person mode, don't bother using it save for checking out your armor. It's nearly impossible to fight with the camera pulled back, and some of the third person animations look unrealistically silly" [39] Campbell, Colin (September 4, 2011). "Editorial: Do You Want to Kill Children?" (http:/ / games. ign. com/ articles/ 119/ 1192293p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved September 28, 2011. [40] Raven, Chriss (January 8, 2011). "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Details and info" (http:/ / news. tgn. tv/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-first-details/ ). TGN TV. . Retrieved January 8, 2011. [41] Channell, Mike (March 2011). "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim". Official Xbox Magazine UK (United Kingdom: Future plc) (070): 3045. [42] "A star-studded cast" (http:/ / www. bethblog. com/ index. php/ 2011/ 09/ 27/ a-star-studded-cast/ ). Bethesda Blog. September 27, 2011. . Retrieved September 28, 2011. [43] Collector's Edition - "Making of Skyrim" DVD [44] Hanson, Ben (January 14, 2011). "The Sounds Of Skyrim" (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ b/ news/ archive/ 2011/ 01/ 14/ the-sounds-of-skyrim. aspx). Game Informer. . Retrieved January 14, 2011. [45] om een reactie te plaatsen! (2011-11-03). "BethesdaSoftworksUK on YouTube - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - The Sound of Skyrim" (http:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v=XJ7lmWc14uo). Youtube.com. . Retrieved 2011-11-10. [46] "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 4 CD Set" (http:/ / www. directsong. com/ mobile/ productdetails. php?productid=2240). DirectSong. . Retrieved 2011-11-10. [47] Twitter / @DCDeacon: @robertwery That's just th ... (http:/ / twitter. com/ #!/ DCDeacon/ statuses/ 125883280015892481) [48] "Skyrim soundtrack coming soon as digital download at directsong.com : skyrim" (http:/ / www. reddit. com/ r/ skyrim/ comments/ llxhs/ skyrim_soundtrack_coming_soon_as_digital_download/ ). Reddit.com. 2011-10-23. . Retrieved 2011-11-10. [49] Amazon.de Video Games: The Elder Scrolls: The Old Republic Day One (http:/ / www. amazon. de/ gp/ feature. html/ ref=amb_link_160814547_3/ 278-9020195-7452606?ie=UTF8& docId=1000543513& pf_rd_m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF& pf_rd_s=hero-quick-promo& pf_rd_r=0W9H0Q8MZZ1W4JDTJM9V& pf_rd_t=201& pf_rd_p=257395307& pf_rd_i=B004J2L0YA) ~ Limited Edition] [50] Skyrim's unveiling to the world (http:/ / bethblog. com/ index. php/ 2010/ 12/ 13/ in-case-you-missed-the-vgas/ ). ZeniMax Media / Spike VGA. December 13, 2010. . Retrieved December 13, 2010. [51] Farrelly, Steve (June 22, 2011). "AusGamers Todd Howard Skyrim Video Interview and Transcript" (http:/ / www. ausgamers. com/ features/ read/ 3076322). AusGamers. . Retrieved October 1, 2011. [52] Gilbert, Ben (August 26, 2011). "First two Skyrim DLC packs heading to Xbox 360 first" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2011/ 08/ 26/ skyrim-dlc-packs-heading-to-xbox-360-first/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved October 1, 2011. [53] "QuakeCon 2011: Skyrim Collectors Edition Announced!!!" (http:/ / www. bethblog. com/ index. php/ 2011/ 08/ 05/ quakecon-2011-skyrim-collectors-edition-announced/ ). Bethesda. August 5, 2011. . Retrieved October 1, 2011. [54] McElroy, Griffin (October 11, 2011). "Skyrim manual leaks, reveals details about the game" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2011/ 10/ 11/ skyrim-manual-leaks-reveals-details-about-the-game/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved November 6, 2011. [55] Kollar, Phil (October 10, 2011). "Are You Desperate Enough For Skyrim To Read Its Leaked Manual?" (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ b/ news/ archive/ 2011/ 10/ 10/ are-you-desperate-enough-for-skyrim-to-read-its-leaked-manual. aspx). GameInformer. . Retrieved November 6, 2011. [56] Ng, Alan (October 31, 2011). "25 minute Skyrim gameplay leak and Elder Scrolls morals" (http:/ / www. product-reviews. net/ 2011/ 10/ 31/ 25-minute-skyrim-gameplay-leak-and-elder-scrolls-morals/ ). product-reviews.net. . Retrieved November 6, 2011. [57] Pirvu, Dragos (November 1, 2011). "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim For Xbox 360 Already Leaked For Download On Torrent Websites" (http:/ / www. geeksailor. com/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-xbox-360-leaked-download-torrent/ ). GeekSailor. . Retrieved November 6, 2011. [58] "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Xbox 360 version LEAKED on Torrent" (http:/ / www. gamepur. com/ news/ 6031-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-xbox-360-version-leaked-torrent. html). Gamepure. November 1, 2011. . Retrieved November 6, 2011. [59] Crecente, Brian (2011-11-08). "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on Sale Now In the Netherlands" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ 5857428/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-on-sale-now-in-the-netherlands). Kotaku. . Retrieved 2011-11-10. [60] "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Sreet Break" (http:/ / www. kotaku. com. au/ 2011/ 11/ skyrim-being-sold-in-select-stores-across-australia-street-break-could-be-imminent/ ). kotaku. November 10, 2011. . Retrieved November 11, 2011.

127

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[61] "Skyrim reaches nearly 250000 concurrent users" (http:/ / www. pcgamer. com/ 2011/ 11/ 12/ skyrim-reaches-nearly-250000-concurrent-steam-users-on-day-one-topples-mw3/ ). PC Gamer. November 11, 2011. . Retrieved November 12, 2011. [62] "Bethesda Ships 7M Skyrim, Earns About $450M" (http:/ / www. wired. com/ gamelife/ 2011/ 11/ skyrim-sales). Wired. November 16, 2011. . Retrieved November 16, 2011. [63] Molina, Brett. "The Elder Scrolls V' shipments top 7 million" (http:/ / content. usatoday. com/ communities/ gamehunters/ post/ 2011/ 11/ the-elder-scrolls-v-shipments-top-7-million/ 1). USAToday. . Retrieved 16 November 2011. [64] "Valve: Skyrim fastest-selling game in Steam history News Eurogamer.net" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ 2011-12-16-valve-skyrim-fastest-selling-game-in-steam-history). Eurogamer. December 16, 2011. . Retrieved December 16, 2011. [65] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for Xbox 360 - GameRankings" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ xbox360/ 615803-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/ index. html). GameRankings. . Retrieved 2011-12-09. [66] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for PC - GameRankings" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ pc/ 615805-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/ index. html). GameRankings. . Retrieved 2011-11-19. [67] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for PlayStation 3 - GameRankings" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ ps3/ 615804-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/ index. html). GameRankings. . Retrieved 2011-12-08. [68] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for Xbox 360 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ xbox-360/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim). Metacritic.com. . Retrieved 2011-11-10. [69] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for PC Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ pc/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim). Metacritic.com. . Retrieved 2011-12-17. [70] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for PlayStation 3 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ game/ playstation-3/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim). Metacritic.com. . Retrieved 2012-11-17. [71] "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review for PC, PS3, 360 from" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ reviews/ elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-pc-xbox360-ps3). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2011-11-19. [72] "Review: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ 325673/ reviewsthe-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-review/ ). ComputerAndVideoGames.com. . Retrieved 2011-11-10. [73] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim review - Edge Magazine" (http:/ / www. next-gen. biz/ reviews/ elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-review). Edge. November 10, 2011. . Retrieved November 10, 2011. [74] "EGM Review: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" (http:/ / www. egmnow. com/ articles/ reviews/ egm-review-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/ ). EGMNOW. 2011-11-10. . Retrieved 2011-11-19. [75] "The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Review Eurogamer.net" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ 2011-11-10-the-elder-scrolls-5-skyrim-review). Eurogamer. November 10, 2011. . Retrieved November 10, 2011. [76] "Skyrim is first Western game to get Famitsu 40/40" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ 327750/ skyrim-is-first-western-game-to-get-famitsu-4040/ ). Computer and Video Games. 2011-11-29. . Retrieved 2011-11-29. [77] "The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim for PC - G4tv" (http:/ / www. g4tv. com/ games/ xbox-360/ 64714/ the-elder-scrolls-5-skyrim/ review/ ). G4tv. G4 Media, LLC.. November 10, 2011. . Retrieved November 11, 2011. [78] "Skyrim Review: An RPG Worth Shouting About - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Xbox 360" (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ games/ the_elder_scrolls_v_skyrim/ b/ xbox360/ archive/ 2011/ 11/ 10/ skyrim-review-an-rpg-worth-shouting-about. aspx). www.GameInformer.com. 2011-11-10. . Retrieved 2011-11-19. [79] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review on Xbox 360 - GameSpot.com" (http:/ / uk. gamespot. com/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/ reviews/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-review-6344618?tag=topslot;read;2& page=1). Uk.gamespot.com. . Retrieved 2011-11-10. [80] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim review, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Xbox 360 Reviews" (http:/ / www. gamesradar. com/ elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-review/ ). GamesRadar. 2011-11-10. . Retrieved 2011-11-19. [81] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review - Xbox 360 Review at IGN" (http:/ / xbox360. ign. com/ articles/ 121/ 1212136p1. html). IGN. November 10, 2011. . Retrieved November 10, 2011. [82] "Skyrim PS3 review Official PlayStation Magazine UK" (http:/ / www. officialplaystationmagazine. co. uk/ review/ skyrim-ps3-review/ ). PlayStation Official Magazine (UK). Future plc. November 29, 2011. . Retrieved December 4, 2011. [83] "Official XBOX Magazine | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim review" (http:/ / www. oxmonline. com/ elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-review). Oxmonline.com. . Retrieved 2011-11-10. [84] "Review: Boundless Skyrim Will Become Your Life | Game|Life | Wired.com" (http:/ / www. wired. com/ gamelife/ 2011/ 11/ skyrim-review/ ). Wired. November 10, 2011. . Retrieved November 10, 2011. [85] "Review: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" (http:/ / www. destructoid. com/ review-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-215507. phtml). Destructoid. . Retrieved 2011-11-19. [86] McElroy, Justin (2011-11-10). "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim review: Paths of desire" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2011/ 11/ 10/ skyrim-review/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2011-11-19. [87] "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review" (http:/ / www. giantbomb. com/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/ 61-33394/ reviews/ ). Giant Bomb. 2011-11-10. . Retrieved 2011-11-19. [88] post a comment (2011-11-06). "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review from" (http:/ / www. webcitation. org/ query?url=http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ reviews/ 224812/ review-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-360/ & date=2011-11-30+ 22:31:46). GamePro. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ reviews/ 224812/ review-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-360/ ) on 2011-12-01. . Retrieved

128

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

2011-11-10. [89] "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim review | Technology | guardian.co.uk" (http:/ / www. guardian. co. uk/ technology/ gamesblog/ 2011/ nov/ 10/ elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-review). The Guardian. November 10, 2011. . Retrieved November 10, 2011. [90] "2011 Spike VGA Complete Winners List" (http:/ / gamerant. com/ 2011-spike-video-game-awards-complete-winners-list-robk-120822). . Retrieved 12-12-11. [91] "X-Play's Best of 2011 Awards Results - 2011 Game of the Year and More!" (http:/ / www. g4tv. com/ thefeed/ blog/ post/ 719187/ x-plays-best-of-2011-awards-results-2011-game-of-the-year-and-more/ ). G4. 2011-12-14. . Retrieved 2011-12-19. [92] . Machinima.com. 2011-12-10. http:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v=KYzlxxT8_ZM. Retrieved 2011-12-19. [93] "GameSpot Game of the Year 2011" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ best-of-2011-awards/ game-of-the-year/ index. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2011-12-19. [94] "1UP's Best of 2011 Awards: Editors' Picks: Our Favorite Game of 2011" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ features/ 1up-2011-awards-editors-picks). 1UP.com. 2011-12-22. . Retrieved 2011-12-29. [95] "Game of the Year 2011" (http:/ / www. gamerevolution. com/ news/ game-of-the-year-2011-10201). Game Revolution. 2011-12-23. . Retrieved 2011-12-29. [96] "PC Game of the Year - Best of 2011 - IGN" (http:/ / www. ign. com/ wikis/ best-of-2011/ PC_Game_of_the_Year). . [97] "GameSpot Best PC Game" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ best-of-2011-awards/ platform-awards/ index. html?page=2). GameSpot. p. 2. . Retrieved 2011-12-19. [98] "Best PC Role-Playing Game of the Year - Best of 2011 - IGN" (http:/ / www. ign. com/ wikis/ best-of-2011/ Best_PC_Role-Playing_Game). . [99] "GameSpot Editor's Choice 2011" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ best-of-2011-awards/ genre-awards/ index. html?page=6). GameSpot. p. 6. . Retrieved 2011-12-19. [100] "GameSpy's 2011 Videogame Awards: Day Four! RPG of the Year" (http:/ / pc. gamespy. com/ articles/ 121/ 1215449p4. html). GameSpy. 2011-12-28. . Retrieved 2011-12-29. [101] Buckland, Jeff (2011-10-14). "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review - Free video game downloads, news, reviews, videos, patches, demos, screenshots and more at AtomicGamer" (http:/ / www. atomicgamer. com/ articles/ 1334/ the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-review). Atomicgamer.com. . Retrieved 2011-11-19. [102] "Skyrim, or How Not to Make a PC Game" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ blogs/ EricSchwarz/ 20111111/ 8866/ Skyrim_or_How_Not_to_Make_a_PC_Game. php). Gamasutra. November 11, 2011. . Retrieved November 16, 2011. [103] "The Strange, Frustrating Mess that is 'Skyrim' (PC)" (http:/ / www. forbes. com/ sites/ erikkain/ 2011/ 11/ 16/ the-strange-frustrating-mess-that-is-skyrim-pc/ ). Forbes. November 16, 2011. . Retrieved November 16, 2011. [104] "Texture problems hit Xbox 360 Skyrim Eurogamer.net" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ digitalfoundry-skyrim-texture-problems-on-xbox-360). Eurogamer. November 13, 2011. . Retrieved November 20, 2011. [105] "Skyrim players call for PS3 save file bug fix Eurogamer.net" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ 2011-11-16-skyrim-players-call-for-ps3-save-file-bug-fix). Eurogamer. November 13, 2011. . Retrieved November 20, 2011. [106] "Bethesda working on a Skyrim update for all platforms Eurogamer.net" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ 2011-11-15-bethesda-working-on-a-skyrim-update-for-all-platforms). Eurogamer. November 15, 2011. . Retrieved November 20, 2011. [107] "Skyrim 1.2 update | Bethesda Blog" (http:/ / www. bethblog. com/ index. php/ 2011/ 11/ 28/ skyrim-1-2-update/ ). Bethesda blog. ZeniMax Media Inc.. November 28, 2011. . Retrieved November 30, 2011. [108] "Skyrim 1.2 patch breaks Resistances, makes dragons fly backwards; http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ 327951/ skyrim-12-patch-breaks-resistances-makes-dragons-fly-backwards). November 30, 2011. . Retrieved November 30, 2011. [109] "Skyrim patch 1.3 hits Steam, probably gives boot to backward-flying dragons | PC Gamer" (http:/ / www. pcgamer. com/ 2011/ 12/ 08/ skyrim-patch-1-3-hits-steam-probably-gives-boot-to-backward-flying-dragons/ ). December 7, 2011. . Retrieved December 7, 2011.

129

External links
Official website (http://www.elderscrolls.com/) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1814884/) at the Internet Movie Database

130

Spin-offs
An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire
An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire
Developer(s) Publisher(s) Series Engine Version Platform(s) Release date(s) Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks The Elder Scrolls XnGine 1.5 MS-DOS

NA EU

November 30, 1997 1997

Genre(s) Mode(s) Rating(s)

Action role-playing, Open world Single player, multiplayer ESRB: M (Mature)

Media/distribution CD-ROM

An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire is an action role-playing open world video game developed and published by Bethesda Softworks, set in the world of The Elder Scrolls. In Battlespire (named so after the training facility for battlemages), the player takes the role of an apprentice who, on the day of his final test, discovers that an army of Daedra led by Mehrunes Dagon has invaded and killed nearly everyone. On top of that, his partner is being held captive by Mehrunes Dagon himself. Over the course of seven levels, the player must travel through various realms of Oblivion to reach Mehrunes Dagon, defeat him and escape back to Tamriel. Bethesda introduced a multiplayer feature that included a cooperative mode to follow the single player storyline online as well as a team-based versus mode to fight using all the same strategies from the single player. This was done through the multiplayer network which is now GameSpy. Though no longer supported by Mplayer/GameSpy Arcade, one can still play through the Kali multiplayer network client, which supports and works with all the features in the game.

An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire

131

Notes
Battlespire requires a DOS emulator in order to be run on modern operating systems. However, given that it is one of the most resource-demanding DOS games ever released commercially, as of 2009 the emulation overhead causes even relatively modern PCs to run the game sluggishly. There are also some other marked differences between this game and its predecessors: Lack of a rest feature. Lack of shops or gold (broken or lost equipment must be replaced with randomized drops, either from slain NPCs or treasure piles). Enemies do not reset. They are also not randomized.

Reception
Reviews GameSpot Game Revolution PC Zone UK 6.7/10 D

[1]

[2] [3]

75/100

Reviewers seemed unimpressed as a whole with Desslock of GameSpot noting that, compared against Daggerfall, "Battlespire's less expansive scope, hack-and-slash gameplay, and technical problems ultimately provide a role-playing experience that is only occasionally satisfying."[1] Game Revolution's Tom Garcia decided that, "Battlespire had very little to offer the gamer other than more action than a regular RPG. However, even the action was completely negated with a horrible semi-3D engine plagued by bugs, glitches and lots and lots of clipping errors."[2] PC Zone UK was, on the other hand, relatively upbeat assigning a score of 75%.[3] Averaged across the four reviews available from Game Rankings, Battlespire achieves a score of 63%.[3]

References
[1] Desslock. An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire Review (http:/ / uk. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ battlespire/ review. html). Gamespot, 1998. Retrieved 2011, May 6th. [2] Garcia, Tom. Half Action, Half RPG, Half-Baked!!! (http:/ / www. gamerevolution. com/ review/ pc/ battlespire). Game Revolution. Retrieved 2011, May 6th. [3] An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ pc/ 196728-an-elder-scrolls-legend-battlespire/ articles. html). GameRankings. Retrieved 2011, May 6th.

External links
The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (http://www.uesp.net/w/index.php?title=Battlespire:Battlespire) An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire (http://www.gamefaqs.com/196728) at GameFAQs An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire (http://www.mobygames.com/game/an-elder-scrolls-legend-battlespire) at MobyGames

The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard

132

The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard

The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard
Developer(s) Publisher(s) Series Engine Platform(s) Release date(s) Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks The Elder Scrolls XnGine MS-DOS

NA UK

October 31, 1998 1999

Genre(s) Mode(s) Rating(s) Media/distribution System requirements PC

Action-adventure Single player ESRB: Teen (T) CD-ROM (2)

An Intel Pentium 166MHz, 32 MB of RAM, 350 MB of free hard drive space, Windows 95/98, 16-bit sound card, A 3Dfx video card is supported by a separate 3Dfx version, but the game also supports software rendering

The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard is an action-adventure game developed and published by Bethesda Softworks with a third person style, set in the world of The Elder Scrolls. The game takes place in Tamriel in the year 864 of the Second Era, some 400 years prior to the events of Arena and the rest of the series. The story is about Cyrus, a young Redguard, who arrives on the island of Stros M'kai in order to find his missing sister, Iszara, and subsequently finds himself in the middle of political intrigue. Redguard runs on MS-DOS through the XnGine engine, however the CD-ROM shipped with the Windows-only InstallShield installation program,[1] and features a software renderer as well as a hardware accelerated Glide renderer. The game's manual also included a section called the Pocket Guide to the Empire (often abbreviated as PGE, or PGttE), in which details were given on all the provinces of the Empire during that Era. This guide is written from the point of view of an Imperial, and has several handwritten notices in it written by an anti-imperial. Lastly, in some distributions of the game, the map that was provided in the box was partially burnt to provide an additional level of verisimilitude.[2] Bethesda Softworks has never released a patch for this game.[3] Early copies of Redguard also shipped with a comic book depicting the events that led up to Cyrus' adventure on Stros M'kai. This Comic is now available for free download, via the Official website, see link below. The main character Cyrus is referenced in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: in a song sung by the first mate of the ship, the Marie Elena.[4]

The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard

133

References
[1] "Playing DOS Installments under DOSBox: Redguard" (http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ General:Playing_DOS_Installments_under_DOSBox#Redguard). The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages. 2011-02-27. . Retrieved 2011-03-04. [2] The Elder Scrolls (http:/ / www. elderscrolls. com/ codex/ team_tesmoments_02. htm) [3] "FAQ about Red Guard" (http:/ / support. bethsoft. com/ asp/ resolution. asp?sid=164000080505212251179219& pid=1103& pnm=Red+ Guard& seid=2203& pos=Windows+ 98& top=Upgrade/ Patch%& rid=17082). Support.bethsoft.com. . Retrieved 2011-03-04. [4] "First Mate Malvulis" (http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Oblivion:First_Mate_Malvulis). The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages. 2001-02-04. . Retrieved 2011-03-04.

External links
The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages Wiki: Redguard (http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Redguard:Redguard) The Elder Scrolls Adventures - Redguard The Official Home Page (http://www.elderscrolls.com/redguard) The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard (http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/ elder-scrolls-adventures-redguard) at MobyGames

The Elder Scrolls Travels

The Elder Scrolls Travels are a series of portable games in The Elder Scrolls series of video games published by Bethesda Softworks for Java-enabled cell phones, Nokia's N-Gage. The titles are Dawnstar (2004), Stormhold (2003), Shadowkey (2004), and Oblivion (2009).

Stormhold
The Elder Scrolls Travels: Stormhold (2003) is a role-playing video game developed exclusively for Java-enabled cell phones in the style and scope of its fellow The Elder Scrolls games. It is one of four mobile The Elder Scrolls games and is published by Bethesda Softworks. According to GameFAQs, it was originally released August 1, 2003. Misfortune lands the player in a prison in the Black Marsh named Stormhold. The player must defeat the evil warden of the prison to regain their freedom.

Shadowkey
The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey
Developer(s) Publisher(s) Platform(s) Release date(s) Genre(s) Mode(s) Rating(s) Vir2L Studios, TKO Software Vir2L Studios, TKO Software N-Gage November 11, 2004 First person role-playing game Single player, multiplayer ESRB: Teen (T)

Media/distribution MMC Card System requirements Nokia N-Gage or later model

The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey (2004) is a role-playing game developed exclusively for the N-Gage in the style and scope of its fellow The Elder Scrolls games. It is one of four mobile The Elder Scrolls games and is co-published and produced by TKO Software and Vir2L Studios, the sister company of Bethesda Softworks,[1] and released on November 11, 2004.[2]

The Elder Scrolls Travels

134

Notable locations within the game

Dragonstar - The northern most major city within Hammerfell that was formed by an organization known as the Merchant Captains and led by the Violet family of traders. In 397 half of Dragonstar is also under the control of Skyrim forces (who are unaware that they are taking orders from Tharn). Most of the end game events of Shadowkey takes place in and around this city. Lakvan's Stronghold - Named after the rogue military general of the same name. This military post is located in the mountains on the Skyrim side of the Hammerfell/Skyrim border near the town of Snowline. It is the staging area for the military elements involved in trying to destabilize the northern regions of Hammerfell as well as a base of operations for Tharn's representative in the region, Asuul. Though they work together, Lakvan and Tharn do not like each other. Snowline - A small town located dangerously close to the Hammerfell/Skyrim border on the Hammerfell side of it. While there are no military elements located in this town, representatives of both sides of the current conflict reside here trying to sway the population to join one of the two warring groups. Snowline becomes a hub for much of the mid game quests. Fearfrost - An underground town of peaceful Goblins who (during the course of the game) are starting to notice that their leader is beginning to break their peace treaty between the Redguards and themselves. Important events to the main story take place here. Azra's Crossing - The starting village for the player, this village is located in a small valley near the High Rock/Hammerfell border on the Hammerfell side. At the start of the game, this town will be under attack by an (at the time) unknown force of bandits and their army of giant Rats.
Reviews for Shadowkey Publication GameSpot Game Zone 1up GameSpy Score 6.1 6.9 C+
[3] [4]

[5] [6]

3 out of 5 stars

Compilations of multiple reviews Game Rankings Metacritic 56% (based on 11 reviews)

[7] [8]

59 of 100 (based on 9 reviews)

Gameplay
Gameplay is handled with the numeric touchpad on the right side of the N-Gage as well as the normal game action keys. Additionally, this game allowed (via Bluetooth) 2 player co-operative gameplay. The player or players could create or use characters from the Argonian, Breton, Dark Elf, High Elf, Khajiit, Imperial, Nord, Redguard, and Wood Elf races in game (These are the names used in the game manual itself). The classes available are Assassin, Barbarian, Battlemage, Knight, Nightblade, Rogue, Spellsword, Sorcerer, and Thief.

The Elder Scrolls Travels

135

Reception
The reviews it received were mostly mediocre. Notable concerns from reviewers included a weak draw distance, constant pop up due to the draw distance, overall graphical quality, and janky combat. Still, reviewers generally praised the game for its large world, great sound and the large amount of content.

Dawnstar
The Elder Scrolls Travels: Dawnstar (2004) is a role-playing video game developed exclusively for Java-enabled cell phones in the style and scope of its fellow The Elder Scrolls games. It is one of four mobile The Elder Scrolls games published by Bethesda Softworks.

Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls Travels: Oblivion
Developer(s) Publisher(s) Platform(s) Release date(s) Genre(s) Mode(s) Bethesda Softworks 2K Games, Bethesda Softworks PlayStation Portable Cancelled Role-playing video game Single player

Media/distribution UMD

Oblivion Mobile is an Elder Scrolls Travels game available on Java-enabled cell phones. It follows the storyline established in the console and PC versions of Oblivion, but a player does not require any previous experience with these versions to enjoy the game. Oblivion Mobile includes ten main levels and four optional quests. Eight classes are available to choose from, and each has access to different armor, weapons, and spells, as well as a number of items available to them all.

Oblivion (PSP)
A different game than the mobile version titled Oblivion for the PSP was never completed. It was unrelated to the other Elder Scrolls Travels games in that it was being created for the PSP (instead of phone) and featured improved graphics and gameplay similar to the console/PC version. However, it was planned to lack the free-roaming game play usually associated with the Elder Scrolls series. According to executive producer Todd Howard, the game would have featured 10 large levels that look much like areas in the console versions, but more concentrated. Eighteen out of the twenty one skills from Oblivion were present. There has never been any official reason given for its cancellation or even official confirmation that it was canceled.[9]

The Elder Scrolls Travels

136

References
[1] "The relationship between Vir2L studios and Bethesda Softworks" (http:/ / www. vir2l. com/ about. php). Vir2L's About Page. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [2] "Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey specifications & detail information" (http:/ / www. smarter. com/ n_gage_games---ps--ch-8--pi-5112. html). Smarter.com. . Retrieved 2007-01-27. [3] "Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ngage/ rpg/ theelderscrollstravelsshadowkey/ review. html?om_act=convert& om_clk=gssummary). Gamespot. . Retrieved 2007-01-26. [4] "Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey review at Game Zone" (http:/ / ngage. gamezone. com/ gzreviews/ r23974. htm). Game Zone. . Retrieved 2007-02-06. [5] "1up review on Shadowkey" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3137429). 1up. . Retrieved 2008-08-05. [6] "GameSpy talking on Shadowkey" (http:/ / wireless. gamespy. com/ n-gage/ spider-man-2/ 575960p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2007-02-06. [7] "Game Rankings on Shadowkey" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ htmlpages2/ 920555. asp). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2007-02-06. [8] "Metacritic's Review on Shadowkey" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ ngage/ elderscrollstravelsshadowkey). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2007-02-06. [9] "Oblivion (PSP)" (http:/ / www. uesp. net/ wiki/ Oblivion_(PSP)). http:/ / www. uesp. net. . Retrieved 2011-12-03.

External links
Interview with Shadowkey designer Greg Gorden (http://www.elderscrolls.net/docs/ shadowkey_interview_eng.php) Shadowkey (http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Shadowkey:Shadowkey) at UESP (http://www.uesp.net/)

137

Books
The Infernal City
The Infernal City
Author(s) Language Series Genre(s) Publisher Greg Keyes English The Elder Scrolls Fantasy novel Del Rey

Publication date November 24, 2009 Media type Pages ISBN Print (Paperback), Download (E-Reader) 217 pp 978-0345508010

The Infernal City is a book by Greg Keyes. It is the first of two planned books based on The Elder Scrolls series of video games.[1]

Plot
The Infernal City takes places about 40 years after the events of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles.[2] Tamriel is a continent inhabited by many races, and is ruled by an imperial authority. A floating city known as Umbriel is devastating Tamriel.[2] Any person caught beneath Umbriel dies, and is resurrected as undead.[2] Four decades after the Oblivion Crisis, an unknown mass appeared on the coast of Black Marsh during a powerful storm. Meanwhile, a Dunmer assassin named Sul woke from a nightmare in which he witnessed this appearance. Annag Honart, a seventeen-year-old Breton girl, and her Argonian friend Mere-Glim, escape from Black Marsh just ahead of Umbriel. They witnessed Umbriel moving toward the city, and after Glim is overcome by an urge to run back to the city, Annag uses a flying potion to bring them both to Umbriel, where they witness the slaughter below, and the raising of the dead citzens. She sends her magical messenger bird Coo to find Prince Attrebus Mede, hoping the Empire will send help. Annag and Glim were taken captive by the residents of Umbriel, and Annag was made to cook while Glim was trained as a skraw, to work the Sump. Rising from the bed he shared with Radhasa, a Redguard woman whom he had just signed on to his guard, Attrebus found Coo on his balcony. He spoke with Annag, who told him of the coming danger. When his father, Emperor Titus Mede, brushed off the situation since Black Marsh was no longer a concern to him, the prince secretly gathered his guard. Near the beginning of his journey, however, his men were ambushed and Attrebus was taken captive by Radhasa and her men. Colin, a young Inspector for the Penitus Oculatus, inspected the area where Attrebus was attacked. He discovered a decapitated and charred body with Attrebus' Imperial signet ring, but thought it was too convenient to be authentic. Meanwhile, Attrebus awoke tied up and riding a horse. When they came to a stop, a small skirmish that Radhasa was winning against Attrebus' escape attempts was interrupted by Sul, who charged the group and easily dispatched the

The Infernal City small group of traitorous allies. Colin revealed to the Emperor that he thought the body recovered was not that of the Prince before heading to a tavern in the Market District, where he met an old friend Nial Sextius. While discussing with him the disappearance of the Prince, he discovered that Gulan, Attrebus' adviser and assistant, would have reported Attrebus' plans to the Prime Minister's office, not directly to the Emperor. Back on Umbriel, the kitchen Annag worked for was attacked by the Toel kitchen. She and Slyr were taken captive and trained to work for his kitchen. During the attack, Annag lost the locket that connected her to Coo, but accidentally acquired Qijne's invisible, possibly biological, blade, which wrapped itself around her forearm and extended as she wished. In an outdoor area of Umbriel that Glim discovered called the Fringe Gyre, he found trees that appeared to be related to Hist, since he could hear them murmuring. Here he also met a girl, Fhena, who was able to confirm for him that Annag was alive and was the subject of a large battle between the kitchens. The same evening, he talked with Wert and other skraws. They discussed ways of "negotiating" better treatment, and Glim asked them to make maps of Umbriel. During their journey, Sul and Attrebus met a group of Khajiit who joined them. Sul explained to Attrebus that he intended to short-cut through Oblivion to beat Umbriel to Vvardenfell. He explained that Umbriel was undoubtedly a product of Vuhon, the man who had engineered the ingenium, the device that had kept the Ministry of Truth in place in Vivec's absence. He killed Sul's love, Ilzheven, and caused the Ministry of Truth to crash into Vvardenfell, in turn causing Red Mountain to erupt and destroy the entire island. Sul and Vuhon both were thrown into Oblivion, and a being named Umbra took that opportunity of the barrier between worlds opening to throw a sword, also called Umbra, into Tamriel, preventing Clavicus Vile from imprisoning him in it again. They traveled to Water's Edge for supplies, and while there Attrebus tried to garner support from an old friend, Captain Florius Larsus. Florius agreed to join Attrebus, but while waiting for him in a tavern Attrebus was attacked by a group of people hired by the same that hired Radhasa and her allies to kill him. He found that one of the men that attacked him worked for Florius and ran back to find him sitting at a table, a knife wound in the base of his skull. Sul opened a portal to Oblivion and he, Treb, and the Khajiit entered the planes of Oblivion, traveling through different planes, noticing the differences through the pain of the transitions. The path was interrupted in Hircine's plane, and Sul guided the party through Oblivion as Hircine and his drivers hunted them. One of the Khajiit was killed during the chase, and those remaining stayed behind at the end of the course to delay Hircine from reaching Attrebus and Sul. Attrebus and Sul exited Oblivion directly into the ruined Vivec City. There, Sul explained that Azura told him he'd find Umbra here, and that it must be what Vuhon was after. He found that the place where Umbra should have been was gone, and spoke with the spirit of Ilzheven. He questioned her about Umbra, and she told him that Dunmer found it and took it north, toward the Sea of Ghosts. As Sul wandered the ruined city, Attrebus kept an eye out for Umbriel and opened Coo, finding Annag looking back at him. She told him that she couldn't wait for him, that she and Glim would use her flying potions and leave Umbriel. When she closed her locket, a few moments later Attrebus saw the bottom of Umbriel poking out from the bottom of the clouds, heading toward them and very close. Annag, working in Toel's kitchen on Umbriel, received a bucket of ingredients from a skraw that contained her locket, and inside it a message from Glim. She responded to Glims note and they met the following midnight, at the dock. They consumed flying potions Annag had made, and begin to fly away from Umbriel, only to find that they had become like the other residents of the city; if they traveled too far from Umbriel, they began to lose their substance.

138

The Infernal City Though Colin had been pulled from the Attrebus investigation, he continued investigating. The last person Gulan had spoken to, Letine Arese, an assistant to the Prime Minister, made her way deep into the Market District and entered a building, and Colin climbed a nearby building in order to reach a third-story window. He entered a small empty bedroom and made his way downstairs until he heard the voices of Arese and a male. She seemed concerned that the "job" was not accomplished as it should have been. Colin learned that a courier brought news to the Emperor that the Prince lived. As their conversation escalated, among the screams of men it seemed that Arese changed form into a sort of beast. It moved past him, up the stairs, then a few moments later came back down and exited through the door. The building was burning, and Colin escaped through the window. Unable to search the house, he wondered why Arese wanted the Prince dead, and why she didn't accomplish the task herself. Sul was drawn back to Attrebus by his screams, to find Umbriel nearly upon them. They attempted to move back to their entry position, but were transported to Umbriel, suspended in a type of spiderweb-like net in front of Vuhon. As they spoke, Sul accused Vuhon of murdering his love, Ilzheven, and destroying Vvardenfell; Vuhon contested that it was actually Sul that did that. It was revealed that Ilzheven had a very special type of soul, and Vuhon was using her to power the ingenium, to hold the Ministry of Truth aloft over Vivec City. When Sul freed her, it sent the Ministry of Truth crashing into Vivec City, killing Ilzheven and throwing Sul and Vuhon into Oblivion. Vuhon also revealed that he had an ally inside the Imperial Palace, the person that was trying to have Attrebus killed. He said he'd need the Imperial City, specifically the White Gold Tower, and offered Attrebus the chance to convince his father to back down. Through his close relationship with Oblivion, Sul shattered Vuhon's glass world by summoning a monstrous daedra. While Vuhon was distracted, Attrebus tried to attack from behind, but was discovered by Vuhon and trapped once more. At the last moment, Sul sprang to the prince's side and said "Not now," before laying a hand on his shoulder and pulling them both into another part of Oblivion. The book ends with Glim and Annag back on Umbriel, defeated. They spent a few hours together before saying their goodbyes, and Annag headed back to the kitchen. She promised Glim that, while all they could do was continue to move forward, eventually they would be free. She then resolved to become stronger and more ambitious in order to survive.

139

Characters
Titus Mede - Imperial Emperor. He has established a spy order to replace the Blades. Attrebus - Prince of the Empire, and son of Titus Mede. After being contacted by Annag via her magical talisman Coo, Attrebus sets out to rescue her from Umbriel, until being captured by mercenaries. Attrebus has been coddled his whole life, and has inflated opinions of his abilities and standings, learning his "friends" loathe him, and his combat training was carefully orchestrated babysitting. then meets a seventeen-year-old girl named Annag, and together, they set out on a quest to save their land.[3] A spy sent out by conspirators and a Dunmer mage hell-bent on vengeance are also involved.

The Infernal City

140

References
[1] The Infernal City (http:/ / www. amazon. com/ dp/ 0345508017). June 2010. . [2] "Amazon.com: The Infernal City" (http:/ / www. amazon. com/ dp/ 0345508017). Amazon.com. . Retrieved 2009-10-20. [3] "Bethesda Softworks announcement" (http:/ / www. bethsoft. com/ eng/ news/ pressrelease_042709-3. html). Bethesda Softworks. . Retrieved 2009-10-20.

Sources
Bethsoft press release (http://www.bethsoft.com/eng/news/pressrelease_042709-3.html) The Infernal City (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0345508017) at Amazon.com The Infernal City (http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345508010) at Random House The Infernal City excerpt (http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345508010& view=excerpt) at Random House

External links
The Infernal City (http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:The_Infernal_City) on UESP (http://www.uesp.net/).

Lord Of Souls

141

Lord Of Souls
Lord of Souls
Author(s) Language Series Genre(s) Publisher Greg Keyes English The Elder Scrolls Fantasy novel Del Rey

Publication date September 27, 2011 Media type Pages ISBN Print (Paperback), Download (E-Reader) 304 pp 978-0-345-50802-7

Lord of Souls is a book by Greg Keyes. It is the second of two planned books based on The Elder Scrolls series of video games.[1]

Plot
Like its predecessor The Infernal City, the novel Lord of Souls takes places about 40 years after the events of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles, and some 160 years prior to the events of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.[2]

References
[1] Lord of Souls (http:/ / www. randomhouse. com/ catalog/ display. pperl?isbn=9780345508027). February 2011. . [2] "Amazon.com: Lord of Souls" (http:/ / www. amazon. com/ dp/ 0345508025). Amazon.com. . Retrieved 2011-2-7.

Sources
Lord of Souls (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0345508025) at Amazon.com Lord of Souls (http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345508027) at Random House

Article Sources and Contributors

142

Article Sources and Contributors

The Elder Scrolls series Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=469048421 Contributors: -Majestic-, .V., 4oblivion, Aaa111, Adef7, Aitias, Akjar13, Aknorals, Andrei Ristea, Andrewpmk, Andux, Andy5421, Anonymous Dissident, Aristeo, AstrixZero, Atlan, BLAh, Bahahs, Bastion, Beads20, Ben1239randy, Beyond silence, Bippo Ernesti, Bisected8, Blanchardb, Bobfordsgun, Bockerboy, Brightgalrs, CP\M, Cadillac, Can't sleep, clown will eat me, Ccrowe1990, Coredesat, Crucis119, Cyrillic, DESU GET, DK, Daeken, Daniel J. Leivick, DanielT42, Danooka, Dante Alighieri, Darkness2005, Darthnader37, David Gerard, Demented shadow, DennisIsMe, Depevlad, DesMoinesDude2, Diego Moya, DisAfecT, Dorsal Axe, Dreaded Walrus, Drig44, Drttm, Dv82matt, Eggric, Ehheh, Eik Corell, Elisevs, Eluchil404, Emperorbma, Eridani, Exxolon, Ferret, Firsfron, Fram, Funji, FuturePres47, G.W., Galahaut, Garvin58, Gestumblindi, Gjdickie1992, Grahamb97, GreaterWikiholic, Gsapient, Gstaff, Gtrmp, Gurchzilla, HaakonXCI, HaploTR, Harryboyles, Headbomb, HelloAnnyong, Hervegirod, Hmecey, Honette, ITZKooPA, Ikanreed, Iner22, Iridescent, Itanius, JForget, JONJONAUG, JYOuyang, Jannex, JasonXL-V2, Jeffphunt, JiFish, Jimbreed, Jmccormick927, JoerT, John Smythe, JohnJSal, JonasRH, Jonnyfh1, Josef Sbl cz, JovBlackheart, Jpagel, Jrnesbit, Judgesurreal777, Kaleb.G, Kanjo Kotr, KarakasaObake, Kellyzac, Keyok, Kirbmyster, KizC, Klinthar, KnowledgeOfSelf, Koveras, Kuhan, Kukanani2, Kvdveer, Kylven, L Kensington, L337 kybldmstr, Lankiveil, Lazlohenry, Lee Carre, Lemonbery, Leopold Bloom, Littlebros, Locos epraix, Logan, Lorson, Luminite2, Lupin, Lylepratt, Lfkin Altir, MER-C, Manuelle Magnus, Marek69, MattieTK, Maxis ftw, MaxwellBennett, Mboverload, Meerschwein, Mehrunes Dagon, Mezlo, Mgiganteus1, Michaeldsuarez, Michfan2123, Minimac, Modal Jig, MrOllie, Mrwojo, Mujokan, Muzza299, Mxh178, Mygerardromance, Nandesuka, Narayan, NastalgicCam, NateDan, Nave.notnilc, Nforst, Nickl93, Nifboy, Nova6, NulNul, Nv8200p, Ohnoitsjamie, OldakQuill, Omega9380, Omniwolf, P108, Panu, Papa emo, PatCheng, Pauli133, Pemilligan, Per Abrahamsen, Percy Snoodle, Pevalwen, Phenom, PhilKnight, Piast93, Pockack, Prevalis, Primakov, Psi edit, Pulsemeat, PyroGamer, Randomran, Ravimakkar, Rdsmith4, RebornSentinal, RedWolf, Rettetast, Richiekim, Robo37, Rozzers, Rpeh, SRR99, Sango123, Scumbag, SeanDuggan, SelfQ, Selfworm, Sexykins13, Shaun F, Shoujun, Shyam, Shzam, Silver Edge, Silvestre Zabala, Sinder Velvin, Sky Attacker, Smiloid, Sn0wflake, Spades, Special Cases, SpeedyGonsales, Ssolidus666, Stabby Joe, Sto4olo, Stratadrake, Sum0, Swartskaap, Swatjester, Swiftoak, Synergy (usurped), Sznax, TFX, TMC1982, Tabgptupi, Tes-zone, The Rogue Leader, The Thing That Should Not Be, TheOne217, TheSpectator, TheTruthiness, Thecurran91, Thingg, Thudunder, Tide rolls, Titoxd, Tno, Torres penjamo, Traxs7, Tsiaojian lee, Turian, Twi20Pi, Ultima546, Ultrasound, Umlautbob, Venyx, Vinnyzz, Viruszero0, WhereAmI, Wikizeta, Witchunter, Wolfcp11, Woohookitty, Xeldor, Xxdetharmyxx, Yohiggins1277, ZS, 743 anonymous edits Gameplay Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=469040047 Contributors: ArcLightning, Axl, Clerks, Crzysdrs, DarkJak495, Dbenbenn, Dru of Id, Duncancumming, Enauspeaker, ExodusMachine, G.W., Gequinn, GreaterWikiholic, Headbomb, Hesselsc, Illuminatiscott, J36miles, Joabbuac, JohnnyMrNinja, Koveras, Locos epraix, Maestro25, Meatface 91, Michaeldsuarez, Pagrashtak, Paul A, Ramajois, Rjwilmsi, RobJ1981, RockMFR, SMcCandlish, Slakr, SolanSarr, Tatrgel, Timrusch, Visor, Woohookitty, Xelixed, 57 anonymous edits Organizations Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=468195968 Contributors: AJB4, Agamemnon117, Alexfusco5, Alpha 909, AltNet, Angusmclellan, Anonymous Dissident, Arun92x92, Babedacus, C0RNF1AK35, ChrisCork, Czsk, David Gerard, Dekimasu, Dude527, Dv82matt, Elderbrian, Eridani, G.W., Galactor213, Ghola8, Haemo, Headbomb, Iridescent, J Milburn, JHunterJ, Jsd, Jsprake, Judgesurreal777, Khatru2, King Of Skulls, Koveras, Kutulu, Legion47, Locos epraix, Martarius, Masterchef, Matt Deres, Michaeldsuarez, Mika1h, Mr. G. Williams, Portillo, PresN, Qmwne235, Randomran, Rich Farmbrough, RyanCross, Satanator, Smugland, The Grey Wizard, The monkeyhate, The sunder king, Tonivarius, Tuttle.daniel, Twirligig, Ultimamage, VTNC, Vendettax, West.andrew.g, Wirrad, 177 anonymous edits Races Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=468344234 Contributors: Anonymous Dissident, Anticipation of a New Lover's Arrival, The, Ashton1983, Atorero, Auntof6, Avenged Eightfold, Bobblehead, Bobfordsgun, Cabe6403, Caltas, Coolzin, Dantheman102100, Darklilac, David Gerard, Desaigamon, DescentPro, Discospinster, Doddy Wuid, Dpmuk, Dv82matt, Eluchil404, Entidus, EpochDarkleaf, Euchiasmus, FayssalF, Finduilas 09, Firebos7, Fram, Freepsbane, F, G.W., GamerPro64, GenMalSis, Gmcomp, Gordon Ecker, Grant2600, Gurch, Haikz, Hallows AG, Haridan, Headbomb, Intranetusa, Iridescent, J04n, J5689, JDavid, Jj137, Jsd, Judgesurreal777, KathrynLybarger, Kbdank71, King Bob324, Koveras, Kung Fu Man, Kungfuadam, Kwume11, L Kensington, LilHelpa, Ling.Nut, Locos epraix, Lorus, MECU, MER-C, MarSch, Marcussucram, Meatface 91, Mebadatbball, Michaeldsuarez, Mika1h, Mikeo, Moreschi, MrTaco, Mundum, Nehrams2020, Ng556, Nikkiwolf22, NobodiesNothing, Nordrume, Oxymoron83, PEiP, Pagrashtak, Phlegat, Praetor alpha, PresN, Qmwne235, RAlafriz, Raintheone, Rigas Papadopoulos, Robbie IV, Rorzo, Rpeh, Ryulong, S1080041, Schnitzi, Secret (renamed), Sertion, Shaazaama, ShelfSkewed, Shoessss, Sikovin, Silvercat, Singularity, Svick, Synergy, Sznax, Tabletop, The sunder king, TheProphetTiresias, Theelf29, TikiWikiTikiWiki, Turian, Ujomin, Umlautbob, Unused0030, UseUrHeadFred, Wangpangu, Wayne Hardman, Welsh, Whimsickal, Whipsandchains, WikiTome, Wikieditor1988, Wikipelli, WildKazoo, Wirrad, Woohookitty, Zxcvbnm, Zzuuzz, 334 anonymous edits Bethesda Softworks Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=468940253 Contributors: -Majestic-, ACSE, AClockworkZod, Aaron law, Aatrek, Adderek, Aezay, Andrewsullivan2, Applegamer, Aristeo, ArnoldSchwarzengerman, Ausir, BD2412, Beem2, Beyond silence, Bilbo571, Birdoman, Bjrn, Bllasae, Bobertoq, Bongwarrior, Breno, Calamity-Ace, CatherineMunro, Chase me ladies, I'm the Cavalry, Chef Ketone, Choster, Chris Chittleborough, Clampton, Coldacid, Commander Shepard, Compassghost, CoolingGibbon, Cspariah, Csweaver, CyberSkull, DMG413, DanMS, Darryll, Dawynn, Db erickson, Dcds25, DennisIsMe, Dmeyferth21, Doubledose 2, Dv82matt, Dyl, Ecksemmess, Ecs-Tactic, Emild00d, Emperorbma, Engine-Kyo, EpiC, Evice, Falcon8765, Faramir1138, FatalError, Favonian, Fearlessdog, Feneeth of Borg, Fish and karate, Flipkin, Fluffernutter, Footballracer7, Frankyboy5, FrederikHertzum, Fredrik, Fumitol, G.W., Gamerzworld, Gary King, Gestumblindi, Gogo Dodo, Grafen, Gstaff, H3llkn0wz, Hadirajan, Haipa Doragon, Halofanatic333, Hashar, Headbomb, HelloAnnyong, HelmsC1978, HexaChord, Hide&Reason, Holyjoely, Homrb, Illyria05, Im.a.lumberjack, Ithilien87, JClazlo, JForget, Jac16888, JackMack, Jakaloke, Jaredwf, Jclark256, Jedibob5, Jeff G., Jhoveson, Jhsounds, Joejjc, Joffeloff, JohnnyMrNinja, JonasRH, Josephgrossberg, Joy, JustAGal, KFP, KSweeley, Kasper Holl, Kellyzac, Kerotan, Killermud1, Kirachinmoku, Kungfu2187, L Kensington, LOL, Lamro, Lildyson314, Locos epraix, Lord Hawk, LordJumper, Lorson, LtPowers, Lucasoutloud, MacMog, Maclean25, Martarius, Masheen, Master Jaken, Maxmax1234, MaxwellBennett, Mboverload, Meow22322, Mezigue, Mika1h, Mild Bill Hiccup, MonoAV, Mrtj lavora, MuZemike, Mushroomware, Mwalimu59, Myrdred, Nblschool, Norm mit, Omniwolf, One-dimensional Tangent, Onorem, Orange Suede Sofa, PAWiki, Paulcmnt, Pboyd04, Pemilligan, Philip Trueman, Philo-sofa, Phlegat, Piano non troppo, Piotrek54321, Plasticup, Pliable, Pochepachu, Princess stomper, Psychothaclown505, Pyrosim, Quantpole, Ratsofatsorat, Ratwar, Reaper Eternal, Redfarmer, Regancy42, Rehevkor, Relyk, Rjwilmsi, Rmosler2100, SJ Zero, Samwb123, Scoo, ScottSteiner, Sdornan, Seldomridgem, SelfQ, Senorerik, SeoMac, Seraosha, SevereTireDamage, Shanes, Shiggy, Shmaltz, SignatureFox, Sin-man, Skinnyweed, SkyShadowing, SkyWalker, Smadge1, Smash, Sovvy, Sslaxx, Starburst997, SteinbDJ, Stoopkitty, SuckAnApple, Supermagnetic, Svetovid, T-borg, T@nn, Tad Lincoln, Tbhotch, TennysonXII, Th1rt3en, Thejadefalcon, Themandudething, Thomas Connor, Thunderbrand, Tide rolls, Tony Fox, Tournesol, UncannyGarlic, UpstateNYer, Vendettax, Visik, Vometia, Vrenator, Wackelpudding, Wes Richards, Wikidudeman, WikipedianMarlith, Wikizeta, WilliamH, Wirrad, XXAntibodyXx, Xnatedawgx, Zidane2k1, Zomic13, , 516 anonymous edits Development history of The Elder Scrolls series Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=466812359 Contributors: AMac2002, Anonymous Dissident, Bwpach, Charlemagne III, Chowbok, Chris the speller, Dekimasu, Dispenser, Doomfish01, Dorsal Axe, Dysii, Epbr123, G.W., GLaDOS, Headbomb, HelloAnnyong, Insanity Incarnate, JaGa, JohnnyMrNinja, Junhalestone, Koveras, LOL, Lightmouse, Liquidessa, Locos epraix, Lol-kitas, Metacell, Michael Hardy, Michaeldsuarez, Mouse Nightshirt, Nergaal, Pakaraki, Paul A, Pemilligan, PresN, R'n'B, Rjwilmsi, SJE06, Samuelblakeanderson, TheWerewolf, Tony1, Twirligig, Vili1201, Visor, WikipedianProlific, 52 anonymous edits Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=466812604 Contributors: Andrew22k, Anonymous Dissident, Axem Titanium, Bardin, Brighterorange, Chowbok, Daniel J. Leivick, David Fuchs, Dispenser, Dorftrottel, DoubleCross, DrKiernan, Dreaded Walrus, EEMIV, G.W., Gary King, Giraffedata, Haha169, Headbomb, JaGa, Jackbergin, John254, JohnnyMrNinja, Koriyen, Krator, Locos epraix, MER-C, Megata Sanshiro, Mehrunes Dagon, Melesse, Mika1h, NuclearWarfare, R'n'B, Rjwilmsi, Rmky87, RyanGerbil10, SandyGeorgia, Sdornan, Selket, SharkD, TGilmour, Tony1, 24 anonymous edits ESRB re-rating of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=468225127 Contributors: ?tasteyard$Q, Alansohn, Andrewcapone, Andrewlp1991, Antonio Lopez, AuburnPilot, Awareshiftjk, Axem Titanium, BorgQueen, Brandmeister (old), BreathingMeat, Brianga, Btyner, Burningclean, Can't sleep, clown will eat me, Christopher Parham, Cometstyles, David Fuchs, DeadEyeArrow, Dispenser, Drat, Dreaded Walrus, Dycedarg, EJF, Ember of Light, Enigmaman, Forelyn, G.W., GamerPro64, Giggy, GrahamDo, Headbomb, InsaneZeroG, Izno, Jesse Viviano, Kika chuck, Kimchi.sg, Kozuch, Krator, LAX, LOL, Lenin and McCarthy, Locos epraix, Luwilt, Mangostar, Maximillion Pegasus, Melodia, Ment al, Michael A. White, Midgrid, Mika1h, Moocowsrule, Mrschimpf, Nydas, Panoptical, QuagmireDog, R. Baley, Ran, Reinis, Rjwilmsi, RockMFR, RyanGerbil10, SandyGeorgia, Sceptre, Sdornan, Simetrical, SpikeToronto, Steven Zhang, SusanLesch, TJ Spyke, Tezero, The ed17, Thereaper14, Threedots dead, Tiddly Tom, Tiptoety, Tony1, Typicalwater, Woohookitty, X201, Xezbeth, Yurityger, Zmaster92, 79 anonymous edits TES Construction Set Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=466812648 Contributors: -Majestic-, Andrei Ristea, Bonadea, CyberSkull, Dawynn, Deleted1231, Douglas Whitaker, Dv82matt, Evan Robidoux, Everyking, Frap, Frecklefoot, G.W., Galahaut, Groovenstein, HaploTR, Headbomb, Josh Parris, Joshua Boniface, Jraregris, Judgesurreal777, Koveras, Locos epraix, Luke Ilott, Luminite2, Mboverload, Michaeldsuarez, NBS, Nakon, Ninjan kakashi, R'n'B, Rashidclark, Rent A Troop, Rjo, Shanul, Shyam, Sitethief, Teddythetank, TheUltimate3, Xompanthy, 45 anonymous edits The Elder Scrolls: Arena Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=467646916 Contributors: -Majestic-, Alansohn, Alexander Iwaschkin, Andux, Anonymous Dissident, Ashankar, AstrixZero, AussieLegend, Bahahs, BarryTheUnicorn, Ben kenobi 00, CJLL Wright, Cadsuane Melaidhrin, Capibara, Clampton, Coanda-1910, Codificate, Commander Shepard, D-Katana, Daggerfallfreak12, Darkness2005, Darth Narutorious, David Gerard, Dead Ted, Deathphoenix, Deftera, Dotytanner, Dv82matt, Dysii, Ecksemmess, EinsteinClone, El benito, EmperorFishFinger, Emperorbma, Fabiform, G.W., GeeJo, Gestumblindi, Glacialfox, Golbez, Graham87, Green Lane, Happysailor, Headbomb, Jaredwf, Jarvoll, Jlund3, JohnnyMrNinja, JonasRH, Julianjensen, Koveras, Kumoijishi, Law, Lectonar, Liastnir, LilHelpa, Loco830, Locos epraix, LukeTheSpook, Luksuh, Luminite2, Lupin, Master Thief Garrett, Megaman en m, Michaeldsuarez, Michaelmas1957, Mika1h, Mmmcookies, Moomoomoo, Mrwojo, Mystman666, N. Harmonik, NorwegianBlue, NulNul, Orenen, Papajohnin, Plenk, Portillo, Poulsen, PresN, Protonk, Pwnzor326, Ratwar, Richiekim, Runefrost, SHODAN, Shyam, Silver Edge, SilverSide1895, Slicing, Snek01, Squingynaut, Stargelman, Stormie, Swatjester, Taral, Toukashi, UncannyGarlic, Uttaddmb, VasilievVV, Versioninfo, Vinni999, WOSlinker, Wasbeer, Winterheart, Woohookitty, Xuuluk, Yeanold Viskersenn, ZackVII, Zagrebo, Ziggurat, Zorblek, Zzuuzz, 103 anonymous

Article Sources and Contributors

edits The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=467646983 Contributors: -Majestic-, 09aidepikiw, Aeusoes1, After Midnight, Alexandru Stanoi, Andux, Andypandy.UK, Anonymous Dissident, Appraiser, Archwyrm, Ardraven, AstrixZero, Bounce1337, Cabe6403, Canyq, Capibara, Celique, CityOfSilver, Cledge, Commander Shepard, D-Katana, Daggerfallfreak, Damonchicken, Darkness2005, David Gerard, Ddlamb, Dogman15, DreamGuy, Drskahaggus, EEMIV, Echuck215, Ecksemmess, Eggric, ElTyrant, Elisevs, Epolk, Excirial, Falcon9x5, Frecklefoot, G.W., Ged UK, Gestumblindi, Graham87, Griffin700, GroovySandwich, Hans.Mayer70, Hanzo66, Headbomb, Heliocentric, Ivysaur, JONJONAUG, Jeff schiller, JoerT, JohnnyMrNinja, JonasRH, Kalumba, Keith D, Koveras, LOL, Lasttan, LeilaniLad, LizardWizard, Locos epraix, Loethlin, LukeTheSpook, Luksuh, Lupin, MaXiMiUS, Master Thief Garrett, Matthewmayer, Michaeldsuarez, Mika1h, Mike.manz, Mirddes, Miremare, MisterHand, Mmmcookies, Monty845, Mrmoocow, Mrwojo, N. Harmonik, Nach0king, Nandesuka, NawlinWiki, Ndboy, Nelsito28, Nokom, Ndvornk, Owen, Phenomenart, Pikawil, Pikka Bird, Pixel8, Poulsen, PresN, PyroGamer, RabidDeity, Rapperman124, Ravimakkar, Rdsmith4, Rdunn, Shanul, SharkD, Shyam, Sift&Winnow, Silver Edge, SilverSide1895, Smoketwojoints, Someguy1221, Songi360, Spades, Steveprutz, Stormie, Stormscape, Sukiari, T-1, TS7, TheUltimate3, Themfromspace, Theris Faan, Thingg, Tim7h3Enchanter, Trollollokitteh, Twas Now, UncannyGarlic, VanceXT, Vedran Kordic, Versioninfo, Viznut, WichitaQ, Wicked.fable, Wiki alf, Wikitomino, Winterheart, Wirrad, Wknight94, Woodchuck, Woohookitty, Xabora, Z10x, Zeneky, Zsinj, Zurishaddai, 219 anonymous edits The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=467647100 Contributors: -Majestic-, 09aidepikiw, ABVS1936, ARC Gritt, AVB, AVBr, AZ Eric, Abtin, AdjustShift, AdultSwim, Age 15, Ahoerstemeier, Airplaneman, Alai, Ale jrb, Aleksandr Grigoryev, Alex43223, Alexander Iwaschkin, Algebra, Aliquidparadigm, AlissaWoodward, Alura, Andux, Animeranger, Anonymous Dissident, Anoriega, Asamwithasax, Ashnard, AstrixZero, Atlantima, Aubs 400, Ausir, Babak Kaveh, Banjotooie142, Bender235, Blehfu, Blodskaal, BobBob68911, Bongwarrior, Bovineboy2008, Brambleclawx, Brighterorange, Bushcarrot, C2Talon, C45207, CP\M, CambridgeBayWeather, Canterbury Tail, Careless hx, Casey531, Celzrro, Cendare, Chattie11, Chisel N Gel, Christopher Connor, ChristopherEdwards, Chuck norris kicks ass yo, ClarityMS07, Clinton Baptiste, Combination, Commander Shepard, Connorb123, Conti, Creol, Ctjf83, DaedricDancer, Damuna, DarkSerge, Darkness2005, Darthblaze99, Darthnice, DavimusK, December21st2012Freak, Decoup, DennisChu22, Deuxhero, Dfsghjkgfhdg, Disarm76, Discopanda, Dogcow, Dogman15, Dr Gangrene, DrKiernan, Drat, DroEsperanto, Dubler, Dumoren, Duncancumming, DurtyWilly, Dugosz, ESkog, Ecksemmess, Eddie Nixon, Eggric, Eik Corell, El benito, Eldamorie, Eldaran, Elektrik Shoos, Ellmist, Elvensbane, Enviroboy, Epbr123, Evan Robidoux, Excirial, FTW, Falmarin, FenderNolan, Fireice, Firetrap9254, Fishdert, Flamingspinach, Flipkin, Flypanam, Fontboy, Freja Beha Erichsen, FrenchIsAwesome, G.W., GSlicer, Gaius Cornelius, Gameratio, GarageBay9, Garfunkle20, Gary King, Gasheaduk, Gawaxay, GeeJo, General Epitaph, Gestumblindi, GetMKWearMKFly, Glen, Gogo Dodo, Goustien, Gracenotes, GraemeL, Grafen, Graham87, Green meklar, Gregw134, Groppel, Gtrmp, Guiltyspark, H3llkn0wz, HJ Mitchell, HaakonXCI, Hadal, Haggus573, Haha169, Hahawhatnow, Hahnchen, Halofreak0130, Ham Pastrami, HappyCamper, Harryplopper696, Hashar, Haydenbobs, Headbomb, Hede2000, Himewii, HistoryBuffMcGuff, Holmwood, Home Row Keysplurge, Hornlitz, Hut 8.5, Igordebraga, Ihcoyc, Itake, Itsame, Ixfd64, J Greb, J Milburn, J.delanoy, JMule13, JONJONAUG, JYolkowski, JaGa, Jacoplane, Jagged 85, JamesGecko, Janggeom, Jappalang, Jclemens, JeffAttridge, Jeremygbyrne, JetLover, Jimbreed, Jimfbleak, JimmyBlackwing, Jmccormick927, Jnecaise, Joecowseemoo, John Wyandson, Johndawg, JohnnyMrNinja, Jon Trist, Jonanakaulitz, Jowan2005, Jozkoferko, Jubal, K1Bond007, KappaRose, Kewlernate, Kikianaka, Kikumbob, Koavf, Koveras, Kutulu, Kylet kylet, Lee Carre, Leopold Stotch, Lews Therin, Lightmouse, LilHelpa, Liontamer, Lisaxia, Locos epraix, Lone, Lorddragon, Lsnderick, Luggage, Luksuh, Luminite2, Lupin, M.O.X, Mahasanti, Malikari, Mantissa128, Martarius, MartinDK, Master Thief Garrett, MasterInsan0, MasterJediBro, Matsurika, Matzmat, Maxxon, Maynoth, Mboverload, Miborovsky, Michael Devore, Michael Hardy, Michaeldsuarez, Mika1h, Mike 7, MikeAltieri, Mikefictiti0us, Milowent, Mindstroller, Mini-Geek, Miramotsu, Modster, MoogleDan, Mooseofshadows, Moron-men, Mrwojo, Mubariz2310, MutantClannfear, Mystic Canadian, N. Harmonik, Nakon, Nandesuka, NateDan, Nec-Rol, Necrogem, Nenog, New4, Nforst, Nick hasse, NickMartin, Nnp, NorwegianBlue, Nscheffey, Nwbeeman, Ocee, Oop, Orange Goblin, Orian90, Ornilnas, Ortzinator, Oxymoron83, Paedobearhere, Pagrashtak, Panascea, PatCheng, Paulcmnt, Pelegaid, Percy Snoodle, PhnomPencil, Pigzrock, Pikawil, PinchasC, Pocketford, Poiuyt Man, PolocDoc, PotatoSamurai, Poulsen, Powuhass, Praetor alpha, Premium93, PresN, Pumalegacy, Pwnzor326, Qjuad, Qmwne235, Quarion.nialo, Quasipalm, Qxz, Rabble Rouser, Radical Robert, Reason.decrystallized, Rebent, Regancy42, Rich Farmbrough, Rigas Papadopoulos, Rjo, Rjwilmsi, Robblakewiki, RobertG, Roberta F., Robo37, RockMFR, Ruckgesicht, Runtime, Ruy Pugliesi, Ryan4314, Rycanada, SCB '92, SWAdair, Saint Nerevar, Samuel Blanning, Samuel.Grose, Sanfranman59, Sanitycult, Sarya34, Sdornan, SeanDuggan, Seaphoto, Secret (renamed), Senori, Shadowspike, SharkD, Shugganerd, Shyam, Silver Edge, SilverSide1895, Sin-man, Sinder Velvin, Sindicut, SirParagon, Sj, Skiles1611, Skinnyweed, SkyWalker, Skysmith, Smidydevil, Snyex, Somerwind, Spider-X, Spoonlung, Sportchic623, Ssd, Stargelman, Stormie, Strelot, SudlonrA, SunCreator, Sunderland06, Surachit, Svartalf, Sven Manguard, T@nn, TAnthony, Taishima, Tbhotch, Terrapin, The Bandsaw Vigilante, The Prince of Darkness, TheCrippledVulture, TheJames, TheNudge, TheProphetTiresias, Thebeast46453, Thecatoflostwords, Thedragon58, Theevocater, Thunderbrand, Tide rolls, Tlusa, Tony1, Tratosthefeared, Twas Now, Typhoon966, UncannyGarlic, Uttaddmb, VFANGv, WarEagleTH, Wheasley, WhiteCat, Who, WichitaQ, Wiki-drink, WikiFiend64, Will2k, WilliamH, Wintonian, Wisq, Woohookitty, Wwwwolf, Xtreme skiboy, Xuuluk, YXN, Yoshiah ap, ZFGokuSSJ1, Zanorath, Zelandonia, Zeppelin462, Zombieking07, Zpconn, Zuzzerack, , 777 anonymous edits The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=466815792 Contributors: Andux, Aristeo, AstrixZero, AvicAWB, C2Talon, Cglassey, CyberSkull, D-Katana, Daemonward, Dv82matt, Everyking, G.W., GeeJo, Geo2087, Headbomb, Holek, Iridescent, Jackson070792, Johannes H.-Larsen, King nothing, Koveras, Kusma, Locos epraix, Lorson, Luksuh, Mika1h, Mrwojo, N. Harmonik, Nandesuka, NateDan, Olego, Oli3, Orenburg1, Ovvldc, PatCheng, PresN, Ravimakkar, Salavat, Sam Hocevar, Scumbag, Sdornan, SharkD, Shyam, Silver Edge, SilverSide1895, Sirtywell, Stormie, SudlonrA, TexasAndroid, The One Philosopher, The wub, Twas Now, Umlautbob, UncannyGarlic, WOSlinker, Warreed, WereSpielChequers, WildKazoo, Will2k, 46 anonymous edits The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=466815796 Contributors: ADeveria, Andux, Aristeo, AstrixZero, AvicAWB, Axem Titanium, Bakilas, BodvarBjarki, C2Talon, CaptainAmerica, Chodorkovskiy, CuriousFellow, D-Katana, DarthRahn, Dr Gangrene, Dv82matt, Fram, G.W., Headbomb, Holek, Jockeyrockey, Judgesurreal777, King nothing, Koveras, Kusma, Lectonar, Locos epraix, Lorson, Lucius varro, Luksuh, Maximus Rex, Mika1h, Mike 7, Miranche, Mr Grim Reaper, Mrwojo, N. Harmonik, NateDan, Ndboy, Olessi, PatCheng, Pigzrock, Poulsen, PresN, Ravimakkar, Rich Farmbrough, Salavat, Shanul, SharkD, Shyam, Silver Edge, SilverSide1895, Sirtywell, Smitty, Snowolf, Someone another, Stormie, SudlonrA, TexasAndroid, The wub, TheUltimate3, UncannyGarlic, WOSlinker, Warreed, Whpq, WildKazoo, Zelandonia, 54 anonymous edits The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=468915478 Contributors: $CyBeRwIz$, -Majestic-, 09aidepikiw, 1337 H4XZ0R, 2ndcalagus, 404notfound, 4finger, 4oblivion, 5 albert square, ABF, AIRWaLkersiLLysmile, AK-17, ARC Gritt, ASDFGHJKL, AarnKrry, Abani79, Achilles2.0, Ackander, Adam Bryzak, Adambro, Adamdesautel, Adcro, Aelius28, Aenimiac, Aericanwizard, Age 15, Aghostinthemachine, Aidan309, Aitias, Aknorals, Aktsu, Alansohn, AlbedoYU, Ale jrb, Alecr, Alex.muller, Alexander DeRoest, Alf the Frisbee Kid, Alison, AlissaWoodward, Amaraiel, Amish Gramish, Amoffit, Analcreep10101444, Andonic, Andrewpmk, Andrewrp, Android Mouse, Andux, Anetode, Angrycoot69, Anonymi, Anonymous Dissident, Anonymous403, Anoriega, Antonio Lopez, Apostrophe, Appraiser, Arawn V, ArcLightning, Archilos, Aristeo, Arjayay, Arthena, Astraeus IV, AstrixZero, Atama, Atif.t2, Atropos, Audiosmurf, Auron xp, Ausir, Aut disce aut discede, AuthenticM, Auxfusion, Avinnos, Avono, Axem Titanium, Axle12693, B34stm0d3upinhere, BDD, Babrook, BadgerMan, Bahahs, Bamafan1111, BanyanTree, Barnolde, Bart133, Basilisk59, BazookaJoe, Bbatsell, Ben kenobi 00, Ben1239randy, Beowulf7120, Besselfunctions, Beyond silence, Bibliomancer, Big Johnno, BigBen212, Bigonemo, Biker Biker, Bilbo571, Bilso991, Blade Kassan, Blaise170, Blanchardb, BloodRaven21, BlueCanary9999, BlueMech, BlueMint, Bluebarron, Bmader, Bob2007wowzer, Bobet, Bobo192, Boboboxer, Bonejangles4419, Bonez332, Bongwarrior, Boogie-woogie, Booyabazooka, Borameer, Bproman, Brandon, Brazil4Linux, Brian Sisco, Brinlong, Brokenscope, Brownie1988, Bryan Derksen, Btornado, Buck Conway, Buhda of Newland, Burntsauce, Bushcarrot, Bwatts28, Byerman1, C.TyreR, C2Talon, CABAL, CIreland, CP\M, CR4ZE, Cal42, Calabreseboy, Calamity-Ace, Calendar, Caliga10, Caltas, Camann, CambridgeBayWeather, Can't sleep, clown will eat me, Canderson7, Cantith, Caperplipj, Capricorn42, Carlo V. Sexron, Carlosguitar, Ccrowe1990, Cd12holden, Celzrro, Centrx, Chaka lu Laka, Chamal N, Chan Yin Keen, Chanrobi, ChaoticLlama, Chase me ladies, I'm the Cavalry, Chattie11, Cheeseman Muncher, Cheesemaniac123, Chefe, Cheif Captain, Chensiyuan, Chipmunkchewer, Chisel N Gel, Chowbok, Chris Chittleborough, ChrisEich, Christopher Connor, Chrisvatter, Chriswiki, Chtit draco, Chubba080, Cjwright79, ClanCC, Claptonish, Cmichael, Codemunkee, Colorblindmike, Combination, Commander Shepard, Commdor, Comrade-HW, Connelly, Corky842, Corpx, Cory grimes, Cory1225, Cotton, Courcelles, CraigSteve, Crashmidnightj, CrazyTerabyte, Cremepuff222, CrystallinEntity, Cschmitz, Ctempire, Cun, CyberSkull, Cyberalien18, Cyberbanana1, Cyberkiller, Cypherrange, CzarNick, D-Katana, D0x, DHKANY, DJ SlimJim, DK, Dabomb87, DaltinWentsworth, Damicatz, Dancter, Daniel Case, Daniel J. Leivick, Danieljackson, Danny15buzzin, Dark-Devil, DarkJak495, DarkSaber2k, Darkboy0712, Darkness2005, Darkwind, Darth Panda, Darthblaze99, Davecrosby uk, David Fuchs, David136a, DavidEGonzalez, Dazrimm, Dcooper, Ddcarpio, DeBoisbaudran, DeadEyeArrow, Defkkon, Deiaemeth, Dekimasu, Deleted1231, Delmothop, Demi Zenith, Demian12358, DerHexer, Deth7, Dezidor, Dezy852, Dickdarkly, Digitalme, Digmaster, Dippimunch, Discospinster, Dispenser, Ditre, Dolphin51, Doppelsoldier, Dorftrottel, Dorvaq, DoubleBlue, Doubledose 2, Dr. Sunglasses, DragoonWraith, DrakkenRavenclaw, Drasill, Drat, Dravick, Dreaded Walrus, Dreadstar, Drelin, Drew R. Smith, Drskahaggus, Dstebbins, Dude902, Duncancumming, Durbin911, Durnthalerk, Dv82matt, Dylnuge, DRahier, EEMIV, ESkog, Eban, Ecksemmess, Ecosvaldo, Edgar181, Edwardcoldwell, Eenu, Eggric, Eik Corell, El cid the hero, Elader, ElderJoe1, Elitejeff123, Eljefe84, Eloipfeiffer, Emerald94, Emsohr, Endareth, EoGuy, Epbr123, Equendil, Eric Sandholm, Eric-Wester, Ethanthecaveman, Everard Proudfoot, Evilgrug, Excirial, Exxolon, FJ 1, Falcon9x5, Falkybassist, Falmarin, Faradayplank, Farks, Faschwaa, Fatimus Prime, Fearman77, Fedexpope88, Fieldday-sunday, Filerapist10104344, Finduilas 09, Fish and karate, Flashflash;, Flea110, Floquenbeam, Flyguy649, Flyingnarb, Forerunner93, ForestDepths, Foriamstu, Francs2000, Frank, Frasermoo, Freakofnurture, Frecklefoot, Fred Bradstadt, Fredrik, FrostedBitesCereal, FrostyBytes, Ftprevelation, Fueled, Funkycaveman, Fussie12, G.W., GFHandel, GSMalette, GabeAB, Gabo79, Gail, Gaius Cornelius, Galahaut, Game expert111111, GameHazard, Gamer007, Gamer7545, Gameratio, Gamerer, Gandark, Garpman, Gasheaduk, Gasolene, Gatoatigrado, Ged UK, General Jakass, Generaleskimo, Genericuser, Geodripp, Geologik, Georgewilliamherbert, Gfoley4, Ghostgirl, Giggy, Gilliam, Ginsengbomb, Girlalamodem, Glued2thePC, Gogarburn, Gogo Dodo, Golbez, Gollymollyzot, Gongiar, Gonnas, GordonRichmeier, GorillaWarfare, Goshnya, Government Spook, Gracenotes, Grandia01, GreatOrangePumpkin, GreekWarrior, GregorB, Gregorytheviking, Gringotsgoblin, GroovySandwich, Groyolo, Grsz11, Gtstricky, Guiltyspark, GuitarHero9706, Gumaerd, Gurch, Guyinblack25, Guywhoedits, H3llkn0wz, H4RR7H, HALO-32, HK51, Hack-Man, Haemo, Hahnchen, Haipa Doragon, Handsome elite, Happyrabbit55, Harcalion, Hazzerd3, Hbobrowski, Headbomb, Hecks, Hede2000, Heinous, Heliocentric, Helix84, HelloAnnyong, Hetzer, Hikton100, Hippo99, Holdenmcrutch, Honette, Hpilliner, Hu, Hypnosadist, I am not a neologism, you are., IDX, IHeartRacing, IOblivionIV, IainP, Icyblaze, Ike-bana, Illnab1024, Im.a.lumberjack, Imakesoap, Imaninjapirate, Imboredincisco, Immakillyounerd, Imnottellingyoumyname01, Indrian, Insanity Incarnate, Instinct, Iridescent, Irishguy, IronGargoyle, Irukandji12, Isalom, Istara, Itake, Ivan Bajlo, J Di, J Milburn, J.delanoy, JDC808, JForget, JIGZ, JIP, JPhinfan86, JYolkowski, JaGa, Jabberwockgee, Jack's Revenge, JackSparrow Ninja, Jacoplane, Jadrax, Jake Command Wolf, Jaredwf, Jason Baldek, JasonS2101, JayC, Jaymo121, Jclemens, Jedistud, Jeffthejiff, JegaPRIME, Jeltz, JerroldPease-Atlanta, Jetsiol, Jhsounds, Jkneon, Jleon, Jodyw1, Joeboxer555, Joffeloff, John Kjos, John Quincy Adding Machine, JohnFromPinckney, JohnJSal, Johnny 3 Tears, Johnnysmith117, JovBlackheart, Jpagel, Jrm ColdFox, Jsmaye, Judgesurreal777, Junkmonkey, Jupix, Jwp45698, K-UNIT, K1Bond007, KTFCdan, Kagekiri, Kakofonous, Kalquemex, Kapsco, Katanada, Kazzy101, Kbh3rd, Kclimer13, Kcordina, KdogDS, Keegan, Kenimaru, Kevindrosario, KhalienBB, Khargas, Kierenj, Kiliangpeck, Killkill401, Kindragon, King Bob324,

143

Article Sources and Contributors

Kixy, Kkk999, Kkllnn, Kksuck2, Klosterdev, Knowledge lover1123, KnowledgeOfSelf, Koavf, Kocur, KoshVorlon, Koveras, Kranix, Krator, Krayzi, Krazycev13, Kreydon, KroSha, Kroppie, Kubigula, Kudret abi, Kukanani2, Kuru, Kusma, Kwiki, KyleoG, Kyorosuke, L'homme qui rit 78, LAWhead21, Lachatdelarue, Lahiru k, Lance yoda, Landon1980, Law, Lax15o, LebanonChild, Ledgo, Lelkesa, Lemonsawdust, Leslie222, Levillius, Lews Therin, LibLord, Lightmouse, Lightning Pete, Lights, Likchan, LikeLakers2, LilHelpa, Linkinpark122669, LinoPop, Liontamer, Lloegr-Cymru, Locos epraix, Lolwikiscum, Lone, Lone Guardian, Lone Wolf50, Longebane, Loolool2, Lor772, Lord Mrakainus, Lord ignus, Lorddragon, Lordformosa, LordofHavoc, Lost Dynasty, Lthornsb, Lucky Adrastus, LukeTheSpook, Luksuh, Luminite2, Luna Santin, Lupin, Lusheeta, LykkeLamaen, Lylepratt, M0ment0m, MER-C, MFago, Madhero88, Maester mensch, Makeswell, Malcolm, Malcolmxl5, Maljam1, Mallerd, Mankar Camoran, Mardetanha, Martarius, Martinw93, Martschink, Master Bigode, Master Thief Garrett, Masterfreek64, Mastershake329, Mato, MattieTK, Matveims, Maxmancoop, Maxster101, Maynoth, Mboverload, McGeddon, Mckooldude2, Me2323, Meegs, Meekywiki, Megamix, Megata Sanshiro, Mehrunes Dagon, Melsaran, Mentality, Mentifisto, Mephistophelian, Metroid505, MetsFan76, Mgiganteus1, Mgillespie, Mhoenig, Michaeldsuarez, Michaelmas1957, Mika1h, Mike R, Mike Rosoft, Mikethegreen, MilitantRabbit, Minimac, Miquonranger03, Mirddes, MitchellTF, Mmounties, Modulatum, Monkeylip444, MonoAV, MonsterOvKnowledge, Monstrous m, Monucg, Morda Statca, MordredKLB, MrChupon, MrSpam77, Mrbartjens, Mrjellyhead, Mrkou4, Muffinman2434, Mulder416, Munchrazz, Muninn Crow, Mushroom, Musical Linguist, Mystman666, Mythoughts, N. Harmonik, N419BH, NCurse, NPR2011, Nacimota, Nandesuka, Narroth, Nat495, NateDan, Naufana2, Navious, NawlinWiki, Nbryant, Ndboy, Nealnz, Needghostinfo, Nehrams2020, Nekulor, Nelsito28, Neo Geo, Neo256, Nephus, Nergaal, Netkinetic, Neurolysis, Newskooltrooper, NiGHTS into Dreams..., Nick Drake, Nick arse, NickCatal, Nifboy, Niffweed17, Nightraider911, NightsirK, Nil Einne, NimbusTLD, Nirvana888, Nishkid64, Nneonneo, NobleWarrior, Nobleeagle, Noimnotokay, NorwegianBlue, NotAnonymous0, Nothings, Nottheking, Nuclear Me, NulNul, Nullifi3d, Nwbeeman, Nwbuf, Nyctalopia, Nytestryke24, O, Oahkoah, Oblivion User, Oblivionman21, OdinReborn, Offtherails, Ohnoitsjamie, Olwen29, Omg1204244555, Omniwolf, Onceler, Oneiros, Ong elvin, Ongar the World-Weary, Optichan, Orfen, Ornilnas, Oromisthewise, Osbus, Oscarthecat, Ours18, Outblood, OverlordFT, Oxymoron83, Oysterguitarist, Ozthrox, PAH Page, Pabix, Paddyboy315, Panser Born, PatCheng, Paulcmnt, Pb30, Pcareyiv, Peanut butter jelly ham, Pele Merengue, Pemilligan, Pepper, Personman, Pestridge, Peter Greenwell, Phailyur, Phantomsteve, Phenom, PhilHibbs, Philip Trueman, Phobia2504, Phynicen, Pick45, Pigzrock, Pikawil, Pistolwhip66, Pixel8, Poiuyt Man, Pokeracc, Politepunk, Portillo, Praetor alpha, Predated, PresN, Presto Digito, PrestonH, PrincessofLlyr, Private Butcher, Proud Ho, ProveIt, Psi edit, Psycho Kirby, PyroGamer, QT Desperado, Quas23, Quasipalm, R'n'B, RHaworth, RJASE1, RJHall, RMN, RRS Trojan, Race t, RageGarden, Ragesoss, Raman Noodle, Rand111, Random57, RaptorRex35, Rapturous, Ratwar, Raven4x4x, RazMasters, Rebel In Dreamland, Rebelgecko, Rebochan, RebornSentinal, Recon Etc, Reedy, Regibox, Regret revenge, Retiono Virginian, Rev0lver, RexMaztar, Rexparry sydney, ReyBrujo, RicardoFachada, Rich Farmbrough, Rich257, Richard Keatinge, Ricky81682, Rigas Papadopoulos, Rjfmoulton, Rjo, Rlfb, Rmbyoung, Robdamob, RockMFR, Roga Danar, Romulas, Ronbo76, Rorydent, Rossumcapek, Rovigo, RoyBoy, Rpmcrazyfoool, Rsocol, Runtime, RyanGerbil10, Ryancody, Ryantaite, Ryspeed, Ryulong, SCB '92, SJE06, SRR99, ST47, SaintHammett, Sam Hocevar, Samuel Blanning, Sandstein, Sanfranman59, Sango123, Saphiyago, Sasham43, Satanic Lord of Metal, Saxifrage, Sbeckett91, SchfiftyThree, Scoo, ScottSteiner, Scumbag, Scythre, Sdornan, Sean WI, SeanDuggan, Seaphoto, Sebo1, Sec 1971, Seegoon, Senshi, Sephiroth BCR, Seracrux, SethoftheSeths, Sexy007, SgtJcoo, ShadowInferno, Shadowdancer2, Shadowlink1014, Shadowman17, Shak 10, SharkD, Sharpant, Shawnc, Shogun, Shostexe, Shrodes, Shvender Hoot, Shyam, Sigilion, Signalhead, Signify, Sillygostly, Silver Edge, Silver Sonic Shadow, SilverSide1895, Simetrical, Sin-man, Sir Lothar, Sir On The Edge, Sirstrahd, Sirusblack16, Sissyburr, Sithis, Skarebo, Skater69, Skizzik, Skomorokh, SkyWalker, Skyllz77, Skywatcher68, SladeMcGowan, Slakr, Slicing, Smidydevil, Smurrayinchester, Snailwalker, Snowbrdr464, Snowolf, Snrabu, Soaspdodger1991, Solidfisher101, Solvebreaky, Some jerk on the Internet, Somethingsin, Soowei, Sopoforic, SorryGuy, Soup Lad, SouthernMan, Sp0, Spadra99, SparrowsWing, Spearhead, Spearman, SpeckBoy, Spellcast, Spiffytoasterboy, Spitfire, Sprangledwarf, Sprayee, Spreadthechaos, Spreadtoothin, SpuriousQ, St.daniel, Stabby Joe, Staffwaterboy, Star Warz Ownz, Stargelman, Starhero77, Starionwolf, Stenth1, Stephanieinwonderland, Stephenb, Steveprutz, Stormie, Stormscape, Strangerer, Strongbug, Stwalkersock, SudlonrA, Suffusion of Yellow, SupaSpoilerz, SuperDT, SuperHamster, Supersnake1234, Survivalist, Sven Manguard, Svetovid, Swatjester, SwordFishData, Synergy (usurped), Sypheria, Sysrpl, T@nn, TITROTU, TJ Spyke, TPIRFanSteve, Tad Lincoln, Tanaats, Tango16, TattooedPhreak, Taw, Tazzrox, Tbhotch, Teddythetank, Tedeh, Teh masterer, Teknikaali, Tenho Karite, TenthEagle, Terper, TerraHikaru, Terrett101, TetrisAnarchist, Tghe-retford, Tgraham87, Th3heretic, The 80s chick, The BATTY MAN, The Bloody Rose, The Elder Scrolls 11, The Final Dream, The Merciful, The Only One, The Rambling Man, The Red, The Symbolic Icon, The Thing That Should Not Be, The Yar, The undertow, TheDJ, TheGeoffMeister, TheKoG, TheSpectator, TheTruthiness, Theda, Theelf29, Thejadefalcon, Theman987, Theodolite, Theone256, Thepebble3, Therover007, Thingg, Thomas Connor, Thunderbrand, Tide rolls, Tila tequila, Timorite, Timothy Campbell, Tmurphy101, Tohd8BohaithuGh1, Tomalpha, Tony1, Tonyrex, Toukashi, TowerDragon, TrevianVarthius, Trottlyert, Trusilver, Tsange, Turian, Tvoz, Twan da swan, Txomin, Tyguy92, Tykell, Ucucha, Ulsterman, UltimoCrofto, Ultixer, Ultra megatron, Umlautbob, UncannyGarlic, Uncle Milty, Unicyclopedia, Urban Soldier 9, Urutapu, Useight, VBGFscJUn3, Valenciano, Varpness, Varsindarkin, Vas123, Vazzaroth, Vectorman2, Versus22, Vertius, Vexxing, Viccce, VictorianMutant, Vinnie1337, Vinnyty, Vipinhari, Visor, Vohod, Voidvector, Vrmlguy, Vulian, WOSlinker, Wachagonnadowhentheycome4u, Wackelpudding, Waggers, WalrusMan118, Wapp, Wardy50, Warriortiger84, Wayne Miller, Wazabio, Welsh Lobster, Wexer9, Whereizben, White Mage Cid, Whitesanjuro, Who-is-me, Whpq, WikiPuppies, WikiScholarChad, WikiSlasher, Wikilo12, Wikimansuperman, Wildnox, Wildthing61476, Wilester, Will2k, William Avery, William Pembroke, Wilzo, Wimt, Winchelsea, WiseManOnTheMountain, Wknight94, Wolfraven80, Wolvesfc15, WookieInHeat, Wtatour, Wttheninja, Wwwwolf, Wyvern642, X201, XJDHDR, XX55XX, Xaosflux, Xavcam, Xeon25, Xezbeth, Xompanthy, XxCAPiTAxX, Xxpor, Y2kcrazyjoker4, Yachtsman1, Yamamoto Ichiro, Yamla, Yawaraey, Yerpo, Ylem, YoDarnell, Yoghurt, ZaWhit, Zachij, Zanorath, Zeppelin462, Zero1328, Zeropwnz0r, Zerotonin, Zeus1234, Zoch, Zoney, Zukchbsialunvcviludbv, Zzuuzz, 2943 anonymous edits The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=466815824 Contributors: -Majestic-, Alphathon, Amalas, Appleseed1234, Armoreno10, Arthena, Ashileedo, Boky, Brianga, Cal42, Chowbok, Chris Chittleborough, Closedmouth, David Gerard, Devillunatic, Dude527, Ecksemmess, G.W., Galahaut, Gamer007, Green451, Headbomb, Hukt own fonikz, Imreallyboreded, Instinct, Irishguy42, JONJONAUG, Johannes H.-Larsen, JohnnyMrNinja, JovBlackheart, Kariteh, Kite45, Kman543210, Koavf, Lloegr-Cymru, Locos epraix, Luksuh, Mallerd, Michaeldsuarez, Mika1h, Miremare, NateDan, Nergaal, Oberst, OutRider2003, Oxymoron83, Pagrashtak, Pigzrock, Portillo, R'n'B, Rama's Arrow, Rambutaan, Rapperman124, RaptorRex35, Redsandisk, RisingSunn, RoclorD, RyanGerbil10, Sillygostly, Silver Edge, SkyWalker, Spellcast, Spencermustbeking, Stephenchou0722, Stormie, Tachikoma22, TheSeventhSage, Thingg, Thunderbrand, TnS, Tony1, Torres penjamo, Ultraexactzz, UncannyGarlic, Viccce, Voidvector, Vulian, X201, Yamla, 107 anonymous edits The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=466815843 Contributors: -Majestic-, 808, Aericanwizard, Afatatlot, Akhel, Amalas, Animum, Anonymous Dissident, Arenaross, Aristeo, Arthena, Benikipedia, Beyond silence, Blade Kassan, Bobo The Ninja, Bwanaunsignedhype, C2Talon, CBM, CORBETT312, CR4ZE, Calvin 1998, Can't sleep, clown will eat me, Careless hx, Chensiyuan, Chowbok, Commander Shepard, Cooldude589, Crevox, CyberSkull, D'Agosta, Dachannien, Damicatz, Damien Russell, Daniel J. Leivick, DarkCorrectioner, Darthbob100, David Gerard, Dawnfang, Devillunatic, Devin Esparza, Drat, Dreadstar, Dude527, Ecksemmess, EonOmega, Extransit, Fabrictramp, Falcon9x5, Fish and karate, Flamehearted, Flashflash;, G.W., Galahaut, Gamer007, Gandark, Gasheaduk, General Bison, Grim23, Guiltyspark, Guyzero, H20h0us391, Headbomb, HiDrNick, Hmrox, ITZKooPA, Imperial Scum, Interrupt feed, Iridescent, J Milburn, JAF1970, JONJONAUG, Jacoplane, Jake Command Wolf, Jamesr66a, Jan Hofmann, Jimeree, Joffeloff, John of Reading, Johntan007, JovBlackheart, Kenada53, Khargas, Killik Twilight, Kl4m, Koavf, Kukanani2, L Kensington, Laephis, Law, Licensedrummer, Lloegr-Cymru, Locos epraix, LordHoff, Luksuh, MECU, MER-C, Mallerd, Master of Puppets, Methrunes, Michaeldsuarez, Mika1h, Mooshimanx, MrKIA11, MuZemike, NATO.Caliber, NateDan, Neilgravir, Nergaal, Nicolegetoffmyleg, Nivix, Nufy8, Oh16, Optimus Sledge, Orfen, Ouijalover, Panser Born, Parsecboy, Paulcmnt, Pigzrock, Portillo, Praetor alpha, Queo, Quintote, Rapperman124, Rapturous, RaspberryRush, Ratwar, Rehevkor, Reywas92, Rhymingisfun, Rjwilmsi, RobertMichael, Runerock322, RyanGerbil10, S-Plode, ScruggsyW, Sdornan, SharkD, Sillygostly, Silver Edge, Simulato, SkyWalker, SmilesALot, Smokesoul, SonoftheMorning, Stormie, Susfele, Sylent, SytheMaster, Tenthkarma, The Hybrid, TheSpectator, Thomas Connor, Thunderbrand, Tony Sidaway, Tripleg28, Tyleray, Uberfuzzy the big fat poo, UncannyGarlic, WIKI-GUY-16, Wolfcp11, Xbox360, 324 anonymous edits The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=469045565 Contributors: -Majestic-, 0pen$0urce, 1wolfblake, Abani79, Absconded Northerner, Aeluwas, Ajifoster3, Akjar13, Alan LeHun, AlexanderM, AlexiusHoratius, Alphathon, Anders Feder, Andkore, Anonymous Dissident, Anthonydraco, Asciiavatar, Astronauthang, Auraceon, Austinrbaird, BadUgly101, Banjohalo, Barosaurus Lentus, Baseball Watcher, Behdogg10, Bibboorton, Bilbo571, Bility, Blound, BluWik, Bobfordsgun, Bondegezou, Bongwarrior, Booyahhayoob, Bovineboy2008, Brightgalrs, Brinlong, Bwilkins, CR4ZE, Calabe1992, Calamity-Ace, Capmelon, CaptainVindaloo, Carterhero, Cenarium, Cg2916, Chensiyuan, Cherkash, CityOfSilver, CliffNickels, ColoredCrayon, Constellus, CoolingGibbon, Cosmi, Councilscribe, CowHammer, Crh0872, Cross Pollination, DVdm, Dalahst, Daleang, Danielthekid971, Danno uk, Daren420c, Darkness2005, Darkquest21, Darthskully97, Davidgarfield, Dawnseeker2000, Deathbyhornet, Depevlad, DerpyGothicGhostyHunter, DeviantMonkey, Dibbun, Digitalenvi, Dilcoe, Diomedea Exulans, Dishcmds, Don4of4, Dooye, Dorsal Axe, Doubledose 2, DrNegative, Draconis Neurocam, Drskahaggus, Dryranm, Durval, EclecticEnnui, Ecs-Tactic, EditEdison, Eik Corell, Electroguv, Enrique33, Entropy, Epbr123, Ericdjemba, Erik Dekker, EryZ, Eventide11, Excirial, Facts707, Fallschirmjger, Faramir1138, Fierytigerwolf, Finlay McWalter, Flash512, Fluffernutter, Flyingnarb, FokkerTISM, FonFon Alseif, Foobaz, Frecklefoot, Fyrael, Gabenewellwilleatyou, Galaxyfox, Gamegasm, Gary King, Generaal klei, Gfoley4, Gmantonz, Gogo Dodo, Golfrman, Googol2, Grafen, GrahamHardy, Great50, Gunmetal Angel, Guywhoedits, Gymnophoria, H4RR7H, HYDSG, Hack4good, Hazmongrel, Hazzarington, Headbomb, Hgat, Hoo man, Hvn0413, Iamred0, Ice Cold Beer, Ike-bana, Imfatandfatr, Inswoon, Ionium, Irdepesca572, Istas, JRheic, Jackass2009, Jagged 85, Jaklink, Jguy, Jklharris, Josharoo, Jsharpminor, Jules.lt, Kacj321, Kakarott, Kallzors, Katieh5584, Khing, KlingsorOfOz, Knobsheller, Kolosus, Kreachure, Kubigula, Kwamikagami, Lainestl, Leslie222, Locos epraix, Luciano H, Lukep913, ML, Mackintyre, Mankar Camoran, Marssociety, MasterOfSubtlety, Mat wang, Mattbrown04, Matthewrbowker, Megachad, Merlinsorca, Michaeldsuarez, Mika1h, MikeDKidd, MikeWazowski, MikeeRofl1994, Mileylikeshersalvia, Mitch234, Mitchmalo11, Mkilbride, Nagle, NateDan, Ndboy, NewEnglandYankee, Nicrostar, Niggolino, Nneonneo, Nuhr, Nymf, Odie5533, Omuso ynopy, Owainpj, Pancakes222, Panye1990, Papajohnin, Pemilligan, Petehines, Pfold, Phlegat, Pjulien, Pomtetty, Ponyo, Portillo, PresN, Prestonbrownie, Pulsfordp, Qowihtalge, Queenmomcat, Quijote3000, Racklever, Rallinale, Ramasti, Rassing, Reaper Eternal, Redditwashereashisaloser, Reevnar, Reichsfurst, Replaystay, Retron, Ricardoadnel, Richard BB, Richiekim, Richoguy13, Rlendog, Rpeh, Rxguy, SCB '92, SJE06, Sahuagin, Saitofox, Salvidrim, Samwalton9, Saturn-78, Scen, Schnablo, SchuminWeb, Scorchsaber, Scrapdog, Seaphoto, Sf5xeplus, Shannon Tucker, Shardok, Shealladh, SimranC, Skiles1611, SkyrimBlog, Sleegi, Slon02, SnowFire, Snowolf, Someone another, Something12356789101, Spacy73, Spartan1102, Specever, Spleenatron9, Ssarti, Stabby Joe, StingerP32, Stormwatch70, SuperDopeBass, SuperLuke05, Supermidget98, Svick, Swarm, Takakakadaka, Talalno, Tbhotch, TeleComNasSprVen, Tesi1700, TexMurphy, Tgeairn, Thadeus.Zeitlin, The Bandsaw Vigilante, The Bushranger, The PC Gamer, TheBearPaw, Thehumanipod, Thekoyaanisqatsi, Timeoin, Tollindude, Tom p23, Tommy758, TpathRules, Tritium6, Trolledsoftly, Trolol20, Tsuba, Typhoon966, Utilax, Virenity, Vrinan, WTFCORNBALLS, Wasbeer, Wes1997wes, Whaterwegonnadoonthebed, Wikarchitect, WikiPuppies, WikiTryHardDieHard, Wikipelli, Will-B, Wknight94, Woohookitty, Woolfy123, Worrdo, X Runbash65 x, X201, XJDHDR, XavierAJones, Xoloz, Yong, Youth Energy, Zed Orkin, ZorroBorro, Zzuuzz, , 789 anonymous edits An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=467640647 Contributors: AK-17, ActivExpression, Alexis Rose, Andrei G Kustov, Andux, Apostrophe, AstrixZero, BLAh, Barnaclese, Chroniclev, Comatose51, Darkness2005, Dawynn, Demorde, Dv82matt, Eggric, Elvarg, Fredrik, G.W., Greyhead, Harryboyles, Headbomb, I kant

144

Article Sources and Contributors

spel, Ideasneedme, JohnnyMrNinja, Josef Sbl cz, Koveras, Leuko, LittleSmall, Locos epraix, Lord Hawk, Lorson, Luksuh, Lupin, Michaeldsuarez, Mmmcookies, Mrwojo, N. Harmonik, Pagrashtak, Poss, PresN, Qmwne235, Rapperman124, Ravimakkar, Remuel, SharkD, Shyam, Silver Edge, Stormie, SudlonrA, Supine, TJ Spyke, TallNapoleon, TerokNor, That Guy, From That Show!, Validlessness, Vendettax, Versioninfo, Wtcher, Xabora, 23 anonymous edits The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=466815545 Contributors: .seVer!Ty^-, 09aidepikiw, Andrei G Kustov, Andux, AstrixZero, Cactuarenigma, Dawynn, Dv82matt, Ecksemmess, Eggric, Eldaran, Flewis, G.W., Gtrmp, Headbomb, JustAGal, Kirill Lokshin, Knuckx, Koveras, LittleSmall, Locos epraix, Lord Hawk, Luksuh, Lupin, Magioladitis, Master Thief Garrett, Moocowsrule, Mrwojo, N. Harmonik, Poulsen, PresN, R.silverlok, Rpeh, ScottishJon55, SeanDuggan, SharkD, Shyam, Silver Edge, Stormie, SubSeven, SudlonrA, Theris Faan, Vortexor, WOSlinker, Xabora, 53 anonymous edits The Elder Scrolls Travels Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=466816186 Contributors: Auntof6, Bruntie2, CIreland, CyberSkull, Davehi1, Fram, Fwapper, G.W., Gamebustadog, Gatechjon, Headbomb, Interrupt feed, Jackalt, JohnnyMrNinja, JustAGal, Locos epraix, Luminite2, Maxim, MrKIA11, Ndboy, Phlegat, Pipedreamergrey, QueenCake, R'n'B, Rettetast, Rigas Papadopoulos, Rpeh, Rror, Rz hunTer, SStapleton, SaleHelps, Samuri Gaiden, Shadowjams, Silver Edge, ZenOfThunder, 70 anonymous edits The Infernal City Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=466817069 Contributors: Dravecky, ElmerHomero, GrahamHardy, Headbomb, Honette, JamesAM, Kevinalewis, Locos epraix, Michaeldsuarez, Revares, Rpeh, Rpyle731, Salavat, Smile7104, Sven Manguard, TennysonXII, The Bandsaw Vigilante, 32 anonymous edits Lord Of Souls Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=466816274 Contributors: GenMalSis, Locos epraix, Michaeldsuarez, The Bandsaw Vigilante, 1 anonymous edits

145

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

146

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:ElderScrolls Logo.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:ElderScrolls_Logo.png License: Public Domain Contributors: Original uploader was Brightgalrs at en.wikipedia File:Bethesda Softworks Logo.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Bethesda_Softworks_Logo.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: unknown File:LA Conference Centre E3 2005.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:LA_Conference_Centre_E3_2005.jpg License: Attribution Contributors: Cian Ginty at en.wikipedia File:Vvardenfell04.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Vvardenfell04.png License: Public Domain Contributors: Goustien, Mirko30, 1 anonymous edits File:Star full.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Star_full.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: User:Conti from the original images by User:RedHotHeat File:Star empty.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Star_empty.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.5 Contributors: User:Conti from the original images by User:RedHotHeat

License

147

License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported //creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/