[Vicious Love]

Graeme Dice said:

Why do people care about innovation?

[/quote]

I dunno. Possibly because each and every preview of the game promised us volumes upon volumes of innovation?
Or possibly because many of us were fundamentally dissatisfied with many core aspects of Morrowind, and no innovation means no changing these core aspects?
Or maybe we just like the idea of game development not grinding to a screeching halt in the present day, because our games are perfectly all right as they currently are, and there's really nothing new to invent? If games like Oblivion don't take the vanguard, what will?

Innovation does not make a good game.

Every worthwhile computer game since Pong begs to differ. Innovation may not be sufficient, but without it you're just regurgitating the same old stuff with better graphics and a steeper price tag.

It's an upgraded version of Morrowind, with many of the problems fixed, and one of the best melee combat models since Die by the Sword.

Erm... no. It's not really much better than Fable's, either. And it can't begin to compare to Mount & Blade's system.

If no combat from horseback is a dealbreaker, then I question whether you are the correct type of person to enjoy any game of this type in the first place.

This is a cutting-art, state-of-the-edge game that uses a revolutionary third-party tree rendering program and an even more revolutionary "NPCs walk from point A to point B" system, and yet it can't afford to throw in a feature that was available in Daggerfall? I realize it would be a mite trickier to make it work, what with no longer using sprite-based graphics and all, but come on. Speaking of the Point A to Point B engine...

Well, since they _don't_ just do that, I'd wonder whether you've even played Oblivion. Of course, since you haven't purchased it by your admission below, I'd certainly hope that you haven't played it yet.

'fraid I have. It was decent, but you could still see the strings.

Remember people, it's unethical for companies to charge for their products.

See above. Honestly, this is just a cheap shot on behalf of BethSoft's marketing department.

I'd like to know how you know anything about the AI behaviour of the NPCs when you haven't even purchased the game.

Go ahead, take a guess.