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View Full Version : Morrowind Xbox impressions from Gamespot!!



faceoff508
06-08-2002, 08:39 AM
Yesterday, we finally got our hands on a brand-new copy of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind for the Xbox, and we've been playing ever since. In short, the game seems to be a very faithful adaptation of the PC version of the game, which was released about a month ago. The Xbox version of Morrowind looks similar to the PC version of the game running on a midrange system--the graphical detail is impressive, but you'll notice that the frame rate tends to slow down in the more densely populated areas. Beyond that, the game loads and saves pretty quickly (you can save anywhere, anytime), and the FPS-style controls translate well from the PC to the Xbox--the game basically controls like Halo.
Of course, Morrowind plays nothing like an action game, and it also has little in common with traditional console RPGs like the Final Fantasy series. Make no mistake--this is a hard-core computer RPG, only with first-rate graphics and relatively simple controls. Morrowind is a completely nonlinear game. It has real-time combat, it's played entirely from the first-person perspective (you can switch to third-person, though), and the gameplay is all about exploration and choosing your own adventure. Though Morrowind does have a main storyline, there's plenty to do besides that. In fact, you could probably spend twice as much time exploring all of Morrowind's various side quests as you would finishing the main quest. All told, the PC version of the game offers as much as 200 hours of single-player gameplay, and the Xbox version seems to have all the same content in it. There's also a good amount of replay value to be found, seeing as you can choose to play as entirely different types of characters and choose to align yourself with competing factions ranging from thieves' guilds to religious cults to government-sanctioned assassins.

There's a lot of reading to be done in Morrowind. There's tons of written dialogue, and fortunately, Bethesda pumped up the font size for the Xbox version of the game, making all the text easily legible on a typical TV.

Morrowind lets you create your character by choosing from a long list of classes like barbarians, knights, and sorcerers; by responding to a series of moral dilemmas and having the game choose a class for you; or by creating your own custom class. The third option is perhaps the most interesting, and with it we chose to create a wind walker, a warrior who is skilled with blades but has a good grasp of enchantments and some sneaking skills to boot. We also chose to make him a large walking feline, one of the many races available in Morrowind.

The PC version of Morrowind did ship with some bugs in it, causing the game to crash on occasion. We presume that these have been fixed in the Xbox version--we haven't encountered any yet. The Xbox version of Morrowind doesn't include the "construction set" utility that ships with the PC version and allows players to design their own quests and scenery. However, it's hard to imagine anyone expecting the game to be any bigger than it is. We'll have a full review of Morrowind for the Xbox next week, but we're already reasonably certain that this Xbox RPG was worth waiting for.

Ninja Scroll
06-08-2002, 08:48 AM
You know from what your role model-Ninja Jubei has heard is either people love it or hate it.

Most peeps I hear saying the game is a total bore-fest, while others have loss sleep over this RPG.
Im still not sure if im gonna scoop myself up a copy.
Im just getting mad crazy impressions form everyone!!!:eek:

I do love the idea of create a character! Can you give him a name of your own?

faceoff508
06-08-2002, 09:02 AM
Originally posted by Ninja Scroll
You know from what your role model-Ninja Jubei has heard is either people love it or hate it.

Most peeps I hear saying the game is a total bore-fest, while others have loss sleep over this RPG.
Im still not sure if im gonna scoop myself up a copy.
Im just getting mad crazy impressions form everyone!!!:eek:

I do love the idea of create a character! Can you give him a name of your own?

Yes!!

dave_m123
06-08-2002, 09:15 AM
On teamxbox the general opinion on Morrowind is that its brilliant. The few that have siad its boring are also complaining about its graphics its fight system etc.. and the fact they played it for like 30 minutes means there opinion is like oh so credible lol.

Personally i rekcon you will like this game if you buy it knowing what your getting yourslef into. If you expect it to be a big action game then your gonna be dissapointed.

Highlite23
06-08-2002, 09:22 AM
Originally posted by Ninja Scroll
You know from what your role model-Ninja Jubei has heard is either people love it or hate it.

Most peeps I hear saying the game is a total bore-fest, while others have loss sleep over this RPG.
Im still not sure if im gonna scoop myself up a copy.
Im just getting mad crazy impressions form everyone!!!:eek:

I do love the idea of create a character! Can you give him a name of your own?

Your right Ninja, this is a love it or hate it game, i think alot of people expected an Action/Adventure game. This is a hard core RPG, if you want more fights and chases this may not be for you.

I love it, but i liked the Myst series also.

This is probably a good rental for you at first.

Xtopia
06-08-2002, 10:04 AM
Originally posted by highlite23


Your right Ninja, this is a love it or hate it game, i think alot of people expected an Action/Adventure game. This is a hard core RPG, if you want more fights and chases this may not be for you.

I love it, but i liked the Myst series also.

This is probably a good rental for you at first.


I'm with you! I love Morrowind! And the funny thing is this is the first RPG I have ever played, (besides Zelda) and I love this "Hardcore RPG."!

Xbox Owner
06-08-2002, 10:10 AM
Originally posted by Ninja Scroll
You know from what your role model-Ninja Jubei has heard is either people love it or hate it.

Most peeps I hear saying the game is a total bore-fest, while others have loss sleep over this RPG.
Im still not sure if im gonna scoop myself up a copy.
Im just getting mad crazy impressions form everyone!!!:eek:

I do love the idea of create a character! Can you give him a name of your own?

Yeah, I agree. I don't know about the caw thing, though. But, I am waiting on my XBAers..hehe...to tell me whats up with the game!:D

Ninja Scroll
06-08-2002, 11:20 AM
Hey fellas, how is da speech. Do they take real time like Shenmue or is it texted?

Xtopia
06-08-2002, 11:27 AM
Well Ninja, you normally just ask questions...and then get an answer...You don't get to type or even really choose what exactly you say. You just bring up a topic like "little advice", "rumors", "theives guild", etc, etc....

faceoff508
06-08-2002, 12:34 PM
Originally posted by Xtopia
Well Ninja, you normally just ask questions...and then get an answer...You don't get to type or even really choose what exactly you say. You just bring up a topic like "little advice", "rumors", "theives guild", etc, etc....


What sucks is that I have to read alot!! Why couldnt they just talk!!

Hugh_Jass
06-08-2002, 05:41 PM
Originally posted by faceoff508



What sucks is that I have to read alot!! Why couldnt they just talk!!

I agree. The voice acting, when present, is excellent. I wish it was throughout the game.

Frostberg
06-09-2002, 12:04 AM
lol in the beginning I was angry when the welcome animal/thing is talking to you and the mouth just goes up and down in no order and the voice pauses but the mout just keeps on going...I thought that was a bad start but it has gotten better, and not I am busy reading all the time so I dont even look much because there is sooo much to read....

Azazel
06-09-2002, 03:00 PM
Originally posted by Ninja Scroll
You know from what your role model-Ninja Jubei has heard is either people love it or hate it.

Most peeps I hear saying the game is a total bore-fest, while others have loss sleep over this RPG.
Im still not sure if im gonna scoop myself up a copy.
Im just getting mad crazy impressions form everyone!!!:eek:

I do love the idea of create a character! Can you give him a name of your own?

This game is definetly a must own!

Crazy Joe
06-09-2002, 03:03 PM
Originally posted by XBox Owner
I don't know about the caw thing, though.

just curious there chief, what does caw stand for when you are talking about Morrowind? it ain't no wrestling game you know :D

FuNkY mOnK
06-09-2002, 06:01 PM
The only thing I didn’t like in that article they said it looks like the graphics on a mid range pc. Why don’t they just use the xbox hardware like halo, rally, wreckless, even shrek for god sakes. Bethesda was never good in the graphics dept, I honestly think xbox would have been capable of much more higher standards in textures. But none the less this game is fantastic.

monkeyman
06-09-2002, 07:29 PM
WOOH GO XBOX!!!!!!!!

which i dont have yet:mad:

Calve
06-09-2002, 07:57 PM
Originally posted by FuNkY mOnK
The only thing I didn’t like in that article they said it looks like the graphics on a mid range pc. Why don’t they just use the xbox hardware like halo, rally, wreckless, even shrek for god sakes. Bethesda was never good in the graphics dept, I honestly think xbox would have been capable of much more higher standards in textures.

WTF:mad:

this game is 8 times bigger than halo, rally, wreckless, and shrek!!!!Hold up...its 8 times bigger than every xbox game!!!

the game pushed the xbox to the limits!!! even the framerate in populated areas slows down!!!


quit yer whining and ive seen this game play on a hi end pc

its nit much different

Peace

yall
06-09-2002, 09:04 PM
i now have both the pc version and the xbox version. they are nearly identicle as far as everything goes. load times and graphics are similar (and i have a 1.4 gig machine w/ gf4 and 256mg). i honestly must say i prefer the xbox version. and this is being said after playing my pc version through my hdtv. there is just something a little better about the xbox version. this game will please 80-90% of all people who purchase it. and you will notice, as it has been said before, that most of the people who hate it have either played it only for a short while, or nit-pick the game over a few small details. what a great game! should sell a lot of xboxs if you all make sure to show it to your friends. i know i will.

EHWfedPres
06-09-2002, 09:49 PM
First of all, this game is not boring. Only stupid 8 year old's who arent killing things every second will find it boring. There is tons of fighting to do...but you choose when to fight and when not to...and sometimes, you will be attacked without even knowing it. A Cliff Racer hit be from behind and caught me by surprise. Good thing the town guards pitched in to help out...i was nearly dead the way is was...


Also, there is a ton of text in the game...but you dont have to read it all. about 90% of the NPC's that I came across had the same things as dialogue options in the side menu...Morrowind Lore, services, etc. God forbid you spend 20 seconds reading a small paragraph.

The graphics are actually good for a game of this immense size. Of course if you walk right up to a wall it will get blurry...the game designers did that on purpose so the game fit on the Xbox disk. If you are going to complain about blurry walls up close, go kill yourself for paying 50 bucks to stand against a wall and complain. That's just being immature and ignorant.

The sound is amazing in this game. I noticed that on the PC version, the thunderstorms in Balmora has lightning and the Xbox storms did not...but the sound of the thunder was incredible. The first time I heard it, it actually scared me.


The only reason why people would not like this game is because some people liked to be trapped in a virtual world, focred to do a specific thing at a specific time...and fight when the game designers wanted you to...well times have changed and just like Pong, linear RPG's are a thing of the past. I actually consider Morrowind the only true console rpg on any next generation system. In an rpg, you get to play as a character you create, and do what you want. You dont get to play the role of the guy that Bethesda made up and do whatever that guy wants you to do...thats not an rpg, that would make Morrowind a fantasy adventure game, not an rpg. Final Fantasy games are action games, not rpg's. Argue with me if you want, but I dont care what you have to say...if you cant handle the truth, go complain to someone who cares.


But anyway, Morrowind is a great game. I have spent several hours in just one town...and im still yet to explore the whole thing. I also went into some guy's house, killed the dude, and took all of the worldly belongings...and then sold them to buy some decent armor...


and yes, that 350+ page novel that is the official strategy guide is 100% necessary if you want to know where things are. How else would you find out that 125 gold coins are hidden in a tree stump without looking at page 45 of the guide? :)

swampthyng
06-09-2002, 10:42 PM
wow EHWfedPres that was an incredibly....opionated post....

"First of all, this game is not boring. Only stupid 8 year old's who arent killing things every second will find it boring. There is tons of fighting to do...but you choose when to fight and when not to...and sometimes, you will be attacked without even knowing it. A Cliff Racer hit be from behind and caught me by surprise. Good thing the town guards pitched in to help out...i was nearly dead the way is was... "



Hmmm, i'm 30, and i find it boring as hell. Why? 99% of the quests are fetch and carry fedex quests. The combat when you do do it is incredibly lame. Those "exciting" cliff racers of yours? You'll soon find them to be the most annoying thing about the game when your being attacked by one every 15 seconds and your level 8 and they die in one hit. Or even more fun is the diseased ones that manage to disease you in the middle of nowhere and you lose your strength so you literally cannot move unless you have a CD potion or a buff strength potion. Yeah, that's pretty fun. Keep in mind, that daggerfall was one of my all time favorite games and i've since reinstalled it and I think it's hands down better than morrowind.



"The graphics are actually good for a game of this immense size. Of course if you walk right up to a wall it will get blurry...the game designers did that on purpose so the game fit on the Xbox disk"


HUH? WTF are you even talking about? The graphics are blurry on xbox because the xbox can't handle all those textures at high resolution. The PC version ships on a single CDROM, the Xbox version ships on a DVD but according to you they did it on purpose so the game would "fit"? Huh? You even know how big a DVD disc is?


"The sound is amazing in this game. I noticed that on the PC version, the thunderstorms in Balmora has lightning and the Xbox storms did not...but the sound of the thunder was incredible. "


Sound? what sound? Other than the 4 different music tracks and the terrible footstep noise there really isn't much else. Hell most creatures dont' even make sounds.

I'm not sure when the definition of roleplaying became "wandering around and open ended" but i think most people would say that roleplaying is taking on the role of a character in a story. I know when i used to play D&D we had a pretty good story going on and that we played around that story, just like most games. Not knocking the fact that morrowind is open ended as that's great, moreso your goofy definition of roleplaying.



The classic quote of yours though is this one and it leads me to beleive your just a kid:

"Argue with me if you want, but I dont care what you have to say...if you cant handle the truth, go complain to someone who cares. "

So if it's your opinion it's "truth" if it's someone elses it's not? Or we're supposed to care about your opinion for some reason? Typical teenage mind there i'd think.

If morrowind is so grand, i wonder, why aren't there day and night cycles? the same npc's wander the streets aimlessly day and night and never go anywhere? Even daggerfall had this, pc's would go home at night and the streets would be empty. Why is it in morrowind the justice system is incredibly stupid? You get busted, you just pay em off and continue, you never gain the notoriety of being a thief? Hell in daggerfall you could get banished from a city, or if you stole stuff eventually the thieves guild would track you down, or other times people would send bounty hunters after you. Where is all that in morrowind? Or how about entering peoples houses at will? Even gothic had it so that if you entered someones house you'd get threatened to leave and if you didn't they'd attack.

Morrowind is at best an average RPG considering that a 6 year old game eclipses it in features and long term playability. It came SO close but fell so short in fullfilling a completely immersive gaming experience. We get shafted with incredibly lame combat, lame storyline, lame justice system and no world immersiveness.

Personally i think had they just remade daggerfall with updated graphics we'd have a much better game.


Lastly:

"yes, that 350+ page novel that is the official strategy guide is 100% necessary if you want to know where things are. How else would you find out that 125 gold coins are hidden in a tree stump without looking at page 45 of the guide?"


Gee i dunno, maybe roleplay?

yall
06-10-2002, 07:26 AM
gee, what a surprise, someone nit-picking this game to death. if it sucks so bad how did it get a 90% and an editors choice from pc gamer? how is it getting all these great reviews from journalists and players alike? there is always going to be someone who doesnt like something. you seem to be that someone in this instance swampthyng.

SkoalMint
06-10-2002, 09:25 AM
Originally posted by EHWfedPres
I noticed that on the PC version, the thunderstorms in Balmora has lightning and the Xbox storms did not...but the sound of the thunder was incredible.

You sure about this??? I am almost positive I saw lightning.