Valid points there Comrade Jim, well said.
I bought Morrowind a few years ago and damn was it exciting to play, i nearly didn't buy it, but that GotY box sucked me into parting with my hard earned cash like a candy stored does to a small child who goes hyper off "the blue ones".
Bought it played it and found myself wasting hours exploring avenues and checking out uncharted regions.
Even a hill inspired the thoughts, "hmm, what's over there?" and dammit, i went.
As far as the combat system went on Morrowind, i'll be damned for saying this, but i liked it.
Yes, i know sometimes it was a giant pain in the arse not to stab the rat with your dagger and barbecue him and instead have to reload in the village and hope the local gossips aren't laughing at you for having your ankles gnawed.
I felt a challenge, it offered a threat in the game.
Someone mentioned those random daedric shrines that littered the muddy flats of Morrowind, i went into them as soon as i found them, and i assure you i was of low level.
I learnt that if i don't want too suffer through horrible load times, then staying out of those areas or near to them was a good idea.
I liked not hitting enemies when i swung my craptastic sword about or missing like a wizard with a cataract as my fireball slammed into the nearby tree behind me and not the mudcrab infront of me.
It felt like real character development.
Do i know how to swing a sword? Can i finally aim these fireballs?
No.
Then that bandits den is not the place for me.
Oblivion though, Ugh... i was suprised that my spells actually hit first time, i was taken aback when my wizard could wollop stuff with his staff immediately.
That's about two minutes into my game and i was already annoyed with it, as soon as i got outside, i'll give it credit. I was impressed.
Then it dawned on me, where the hell was i?
I checked the map and found everything was miles away from me, sod walking it.
I found Oblivion's world to swallow the player and i felt a great sense of being overwhelmed. As i stated i like to explore but when i found that too get to that damn mountain i can see would take me about twenty minutes.
control down, Xbox off.
Time to do something else i think.
Oblivion was a let down for me personally and frankly, i have no desire to get past the first half an hour.