8 Things Skyblivion Should Have Compared to Oblivion and Remastered
Oblivion is still one of Bethesda’s most cherished RPGs, but there are many things that even fans want to change about it. Bethesda released a sequel, Skyrim, but many fans missed the Oblivion quests, atmosphere, and mechanics. There is even a fan-made project, Skyblivion, under development, which aims to build Oblivion in Skyrim’s engine. Here are some things fans want to see in Skyblivion that weren’t in Oblivion, or the game’s remaster.
1. Improved Leveling
This was something many fans were hoping Oblivion Remastered would fix, but the leveling system was still criticized heavily. It hindered gameplay significantly if you didn’t know what you were doing, and it’s why Skyblivion needs to refine the system. Enemies should scale, but a normal bandit attacking you dressed in glass gear feels outlandish. If you level up randomly, you can end up with an underpowered character. These things ruin the immersion, and leveling up should give enemies a tier while also ensuring you don’t break your build.
2. Make Quests Less Repetitive
Oblivion’s quests are still memorable to this day, especially the Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild questlines. However, there was a major flaw in many of the game’s quests: they tended to be quite similar in their formats. You would start a quest, be required to travel, collect an item, and return for your reward. While the rewards were very good in general, the quests themselves became stale fast. Skyblivion doesn’t need to revamp the quests; it just needs to add more substance.
3. Diversify the World More
The Oblivion Gates are an important element, but they are significantly repetitive. The gates are also something some players avoid, and only do the mandatory one. Each gate has the same format: enter, evade or kill enemies, find and take the Sigil Stone to close the gate. While this format is hard to change, Skyblivion can change the worlds inside the gates themselves. This way you won’t always be running towards the Sigil Stone.
4. Unique Weapons Should Feel Unique
This is a common gripe that many players have when they find a unique weapon in the game. Oblivion has many weapons, such as the dagger Sufferthorn, that provide powerful stats, but the game treats their appearance similarly to other normal weapons. This is also true for unique rings and amulets; they may have a different shine or glow, but mostly the unique items look similar to normal items. Skyblivion should make unique weapons stand out, so you feel like you are wielding or wearing a powerful item.
5. Expand the Cities
Oblivion’s cities have no shortage of NPCs, but they still feel small. This is due to most characters following a similar script with limited deviation. You can typically predict a character’s schedule because of how basic it is. Interiors of houses and other buildings also have a limited number of NPCs. Skyblivion can add more NPCs to guilds, shops, and other locations, and also provide them with a more complex daily schedule. This will do two things: increase the total number of NPCs and also make them diverse, so you don’t feel like you are talking to the same person with a different face and name.
6. Evolve Enemies AI
Combat in Oblivion is typically predictable, with enemies having similar combat behavior. Most enemies will rush you rather than positioning strategically. Enemies also don’t retreat, and would rather die than run off. Skyblivion can tweak enemy AI, letting them use more complex attacks rather than prioritizing basic moves. Archers and mages can actually position on higher ground to get the advantage. This makes fights more challenging, and winning will give a sense of accomplishment.
7. Faction Importance
Joining a faction should have more impact on how NPCs treat you in the game. Oblivion and the remaster limited consequences for joining factions. The guild members themselves may react to your feats and praise you, but the general public doesn’t react similarly. Skyblivion can change this, with NPCs either steering clear of you or becoming more friendly based on the guilds you are part of and your rank. This will allow for better roleplaying, and your character will be treated according to their standing in Cyrodiil.
8. Makes Exploration More Rewarding
There are many locations waiting for an adventurer to find in Cyrodiil, but some dungeons have a similar structure. The enemies you fight, the traps you evade, and the rewards you earn can start to feel repetitive. The DLC areas and Daedric Shrines are unique in comparison, but Skyblivion should make the dungeons less repetitive. Skyblivion can change the dungeon designs so they stand out from each other, and you find different enemies and unique rewards.
