Let's Play; Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

[fanklok]

Well I noticed that a few Let's Plays have cropped up, so I decided to be totally edgy and cool and do one myself. But alas alack and woe, I have no fucking clue how to take screen shots in Oblivion. All the usual methods have failed me, so would some benevolent soul provide me with the knowledge to do so? Until then you'll have to live with no screenies to go along with it.

Spoiler: Part 1: They say no one has broken out of this jail in 40 years, HAH

Greetings my name is Francoise Montaclue, a Breton Free Blade. I've been thrown into the Imperial Prison for possession of stolen narcotics, I doubt it's stealing if the entire skooma cartel is dead. Normally a prison term wouldn't bother me too much, some time spent to myself with only the occasional guard to annoy me. But this, this is worse then torture my cell is directly across from a highly abusive Dark Elf's, Valen is his name I believe. The one day I've been in here has been a non-stop insult fest, if these cell doors weren't so good at stopping magic I'd have melted his face off hours ago.

The sound of guards coming finally shutup the annoying whelp, but they weren't normal guards coming over to my cell of all places with a finely dressed old Imperial. After so rudely barging in and threatening my life the geezer says he recognizes me from a dream, I had never been so afraid of prison rape in my entire life. After agreeing with most of the stuff he babbled on about, then one of his guards opened up a secret passage in my cell. Isn't it my lucky day? So I of course follow the group through, ignoring the threats on my life as best as I can. In an open area a band of assassin's in fancy looking armor came out of no where and attempted to kill the old guy, they failed but killed a guard. Serves her right for saying she'd kill me for no reason, I grab her katana and wait patiently for the nearby door to be unlocked. I'm told to just wait here, wait for what I might ask but that's beside the point, I of course attempt to follow but the door is slammed shut in my face and locked.

Damn.

Another stroke of luck though, since a section of the wall collapsed soon afterward opening up a new passage for me and a couple rats came through, which where quickly killed with my new sword. Deciding I don't want to get too much blood on my blade I fight my way through the passages by hurling fireballs at everything that moves, and eventually coming out in the same section of passages that the geezer is in. His guards decide that killing me would be a good idea, but they're stopped. Another less homoerotic conversation ensues between me and mister fancy clothes who I discover is the Emperor, he asked what my birthsign was and I told him The Atronoch. Which is weird considering I didn't run out of Magicka during my trip through the rat and goblin infested tunnels> I'm asked to accompany the Emperor, probably to replace the nicely armored, well trained one that died. I follow and don't do a thing to help in the fights, I wasn't about to waste my Magicka and I'm a horrible swordsman. Eventually we come to a section with a barred gate so we head down a second passage which turns out to be a dead end and more assassins are coming so the Emperors life is left in my hands. I'm told by the Emperor himself that he is about to die, and he hands me the amulet of kings saying that he had an illegitimate son who is now the heir to the throne. I of course was paying little attention wondering how much the fancy jewelry was worth, when an assassin came through a hidden passage and stabbed the emperor to death. The fighting near by ceased and the remaining guard rushed in to see the Emperor slain, and instead of logically blaming me, he blames himself (thank the gods) and asks where the amulet is and believes when I say it was given to me willingly. After giving me explicit instructions to the location of the one man who knows where the heir is he asks what I do for a living expecting me to be some kind of witch hunter, I inform him that I'm a Free Blade, close enough I guess. He tells me to work my way through the sewers and head to Weynon Priory, of course before I set off he takes the katana I claimed back thanking me for holding on to it for him. Good thing I also grabbed her short sword, so I head off and cleave my way through more rats and goblins turns out I'm not such a bad swordsman after all. Finally emerging from the grimy stink hole I gulp in fresh air and take a rest. I wonder where the nearest pawn shop is.

Pending on when I learn to take screenies the next installment will probably be tomorrow.

Part 2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.188692-Lets-Play-Elder-Scrolls-IV-Oblivion#5836458]
Part 3 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.188692-Lets-Play-Elder-Scrolls-IV-Oblivion#5863011]

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

The free trial of Fraps ought to work, although it has been a while since I got myself the full version, so they might have changed it. When I had the free trial, I could take pics and record up to about 30 seconds of gameplay. Try it out, if not maybe I can think of something else.

 

[fanklok]

I'd rather just be able to press a button or combination there of then have a pic saved to a folder or just have to ctrl+v it into paint

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

I'd rather just be able to press a button or combination there of then have a pic saved to a folder or just have to ctrl+v it into paint

You can do that with Fraps. All you have to do is open the program before you play the game. It's one button to take the pic. That's all. You can even assign the the button to whichever key you want.

 

[fanklok]

Ahhh thankye kind sir tis very much obliged. Now I can put in some pictures atleast, but not retroactively I'm not playing the tutorial again.

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

Ahhh thankye kind sir tis very much obliged. Now I can put in some pictures atleast, but not retroactively I'm not playing the tutorial again.

You do know about "console command" right?

 

[fanklok]

Ahhh thankye kind sir tis very much obliged. Now I can put in some pictures atleast, but not retroactively I'm not playing the tutorial again.

You do know about "console command" right?

Yes, I fail to see how that helps me get pictures of my adventure through the old way though.

 

[Ophiuchus]

I'm reasonably certain that hitting the Print Screen button on your keyboard takes a screenshot and saves it to a preset folder. That's definitely how it works with Fallout 3, but I can't really be bothered to go and find my Oblivion disc to check it out.

EDIT: Never mind, just dug out the disc and tried it, doesn't work.

 

[fanklok]

Spoiler: Francoise the Swordsman, aspiring mage

Ahhh finally, my first taste of fresh air in nearly a day. I gulp it down and ponder what my next move should be, hocking that amulet would be a good way to get some quick cash. I head over to the Imperial City's market district and head to every shop I can but not a single merchant wants to give me a single septim for the low quality replica of the Amulet of Kings, morons. Defeated I go to the armor shop and sell the useless valuables I picked up during my prison break and gear up in some cheap leather and fur armor.

Overhearing some chit-chat about the Mage's guild I get directions from a nearby legion soldier and make my way to the arcane university looking to join.

Turns out you can't up and walk into the University and go into the area for actual members, I ask one of the mages in the foyer what I'd need to do to gain admittance. I'm told by a rather displeased sounding Altmer that I would need to gain a recommendation from the guild hall in each city to properly join. Disgruntled I go east towards Cheydinhal.

Upon my I arrival I wander the city till I come upon the guild hall and walk in, luckily enough the first person I talk to is the guild head there Falcar.

He sounded surprised that I wanted to join, and tells me to get his recommendation I'd have to go out back and jump into the well to recover a Ring of Burden that some idiot threw down it. I talk to Deetsan and get the key to open the well, I'm also informed that the previous associate was sent on the same task and didn't return, odd. She even gives me a spell that let's me breath water even though I'm not skilled enough in Alteration I thank her anyway. I throw open the front door and march around back to the well unlock it remove the cover and valiantly jump in. Upon reaching my destination I'm met with an abysmal sight.

He must not have been a very strong swimmer, so I check his pockets and grab the few pieces of gold he had and the ring. Now I know why he drowned the damn thing must weigh 150 pounds, but I manage to struggle my way back to the well opening and burst out gasping for air. Storming back into the guild hall I look around angrily for Falcar but the bastard is no where to be seen, so I march upstairs and shout at Deetsan that the ring was absurdly heavy and the last guy died trying to get it, I even drop the ring and it lodges itself nicely in the floor further proving my point. She tells me that Falcar threw a hissy fit when he learned that she had taught me a useless spell and left, and instructs me to go down into his room to look for a recommendation he may have written for me. After rifling through his belongings I find not a recommendation but a pair of black soul gems.

I grab them and return to Deetsan to show her my discovery, she says that it's a bad sign and tells me that she'll write the recommendation herself. One down six to go.

I leave still mad that I was sent on a suicide mission and go to Bruma hoping that I won't be sent to my death again. I'm informed by the head in this guild that all I have to do is find a missing mage named J'skar, simple enough. After asking around a bit I find that he and Volanaro are good friends, so I track him down and being asking questions. After being met with initial resistance Volanaro say he'll help me find J'skar if I help him pull a prank. I ask him what I need to do and he says I need to go into Jeanne's room and steal her manual of spellcraft. He's even nice enough to teach me an unlock spell, that I can't use, what is it with these people and teaching me spells I'm not skilled enough to cast properly. Making sure that I'm not seen I go upstairs and creep into Jeanne's room and use a lockpick to open the desk, grab the book, and head back to Volanaro who tells me to meet him in his room of the living quarters after 10. I hadn't noticed till now but I was rather tired from my travels so I find an unclaimed bed and take a rest.

Afterward I make my way down the hall to talk to Volanaro who casts a Dispel that breaks the invisibility on J'skar. I go back to my bed and sleep for the rest of the night, the next day I tell Jeanne that I found J'skar and she agrees to send a recommendation to the council, she seemed a little miffed I wonder if she lost something?

 

[grimsprice]

Bretons for the win. That is all.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

It always amazes me the passion Oblivion inspires in its fans.

I'm also a huge fan, and enjoyed this little Let's Play.

Where's Onyx Oblivion? He'd love this.

 

[fanklok]

Disclaimer: I run the deadly reflexes mod which allows you to sever humanoids you kill in half and to decapitate them. It usually leaves a bloody mess of organs. As my Blade skill increases some screenshots may contain scenes of animated violence and gore.
It really isn't that bad just some blood spatter and red blobby things on the ground.

Spoiler: The next chapter in Francoise's ascension to magehood

Time to see what I'll need to do to get my Skingrad recommendation. I've arrived in the middle of the night but as luck would have it the guilds don't lock their doors, I care fully open the Mage's Guild Door so I don't wake anyone up. There's one member still awake and I ask him who I would need to talk to about my recommendation, I'm told to find Adrienne Berene. I decide not to be rude and wait till morning to find her, with that I find an unused room and go to sleep. When I wake up I go downstairs and look for Adrienne and when I find her she says I should go find Erthor for my recommendation.

Taking that advice I talk to Druja who tells me where Erthor practices his magic, and that Adrienne is the one who suggested he use the location.

I should tell Adrienne she may have sent one of her mages to their deaths. She doesn't seem to concerned about it though.

Yes Adrienne I believe we do.

Damn it. But the plus side is I can actually cast the spell she gave me. I begrudgingly trek through the wilderness to Erthor's cave away from home, alone. Inside I find the place is infested with deranged zombies.

I hack my way through them hurling a few fireballs using my new spell and eventually come across Erthor, I tel him to come with me but he won't budge.

No matter how much I try to coax him he still insists that there is atleast one zombie left. I sigh and out of pity indulge him and go back through the cave to see if I can find anything, as it turned out I missed a passage with a zombie in it. I wonder how he knew.

Yeah Erthor let's haul ass out of here and head back the the guild hall. After we arrive Erthor goes to tell Adrienne that I saved him and I take a seat to rest. Soon after I go find Adrienne myself and ask about my recommendation which she says she will eventually get to writing. All that work for a maybe, I'd rather still be in the cave.

I've finished the Chorrol quest as well but a quick walk to get a book wasn't really worth writing about.