# Two weeks to..... Oblivion **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2006, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180 "2006-03-05T21:40:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/421 "2006-04-06T22:53:22Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > The dark brotherhood quests are fun. But like the rest of the game, they basically tell you exactly what to do, to the point of giving you a pointer. There’s no real challenge in figuring out how to accomplish your mission, you just do exactly what they tell you. > > They could’ve made this really, really great if they’d have made it more unclear, made you figure things out on your own, rather than leading you by those nose through each quest. True… which is kind of a swing in the opposite direction from Morrowind, which liked to give you vague (or wrong) directions that led to much searching. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/422 "2006-04-07T13:06:00Z")
As much howling as was created by the introduction of pay mods, it’s nothing compared to what Bethesda is in for when they’re contending with the Fallout fanbase. I’m a big Fallout fan myself, but there are some very cranky people among us. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/423 "2006-04-07T14:00:51Z")
> [@brightpenny](#): > > I’m so envious of you all! Sounds like you’re having fun with it. > > I got a nice surprise: the new computer I ordered is arriving much earlier than estimated…and right on my birthday! I can’t wait for Weds. 😃 Will I be disciplined and transfer all my programs and files first, or download Oblivion and dive right in? Hmmm. > > Has anyone else gotten their new machines yet? I wanna hear happy camper stories. I haven’t received mine yet. Last I heard on Tuesday it was pretty much done being built and was going into the 3 day “testing” phase. I just emailed them for another update. I’m hoping it ships on Monday, which would mean I get it on Wednesday. I can’t wait! And I still rabidly love Falcon. I have my own customer service guy with his own email and he responds quickly whenever I ask him questions. They’re partitioning the hard drive the way I want it, and when I told him I wanted to upgrade to 2-day shipping ($100 extra according to the website) he said he’d throw it in for free. If the computer itself is halfway as good as my experience so far buying it, I’m never buying anything but Falcon for the rest of my life. Or until Dell buys them 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/424 "2006-04-07T14:49:33Z")
I hate waiting around for the computer to be built when I got a game that can see immediate benefits. A month or so ago, I ordered a computer from Velocity Micro (I absolutely love it so far!), and knew that it would be able to run Civ4 far better than my shitty laptop. Man… that was brutal. I couldn’t play Civ4 anymore, realizing in a week it’d be far, far better… and it was :D. Hang in there until it comes! ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/425 "2006-04-09T23:13:44Z")
_Is it true_ that you have to have HDR enabled in order to make screenshots? On my older computer I’ve enabled screenshots in my .ini file, but still they don’t work ingame. Needless to say I can’t enable HDR on that machine. I see lots of people with screenshots, and I’m not so sure that they all have HDR capability. Also…if another thread spawns on the Dope about Oblivion, would someone please make a link to it in this thread? I’d hate to miss one, since I’m not too active on the board lately (and won’t be when my new machine comes). **Athena** , both of us with new machines this coming week! I envy you your Falcon, especially now that I’ve found out how massively-sized this Alien Head is actually going to be. :smack: Someone else posting in this thread had just ordered a new machine…wonder if he/she has it yet. Y’all know that beta patches for 360 and PC are coming out soon, as well as some interesting (essential-sounding) content downloads? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/426 "2006-04-09T23:15:33Z")
No reason as far as I’d imagine HDR would be required. Are you hitting printscreen? (it might be shift-printscreen, I forget) ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/427 "2006-04-09T23:17:45Z")
According to the game’s forums- yes, you do have to have HDR enabled to take screenshots. No idea why, except that maybe they think HDR looks better than AA, and they don’t want you to take crappy screenshots. 🙂 However, you can still use third-party programs, like Fraps, to take shots. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/428 "2006-04-09T23:17:51Z")
Whoops: [Linkage](http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=348450) to the announcement. Also, sharing a very nice thread about [simple pleasures](http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=310623) experienced in the game. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/429 "2006-04-09T23:19:18Z")
I used printscreen and shift+ps. I also tried Clipper, with no luck. I hate having another process running in background, and am hoping to use the game feature. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/430 "2006-04-10T07:06:23Z")
Here’s something I never thought I’d say: the new Macs are pretty good at this game. I’ve got a 20" Intel iMac (the basic video card, but 2G memory) I use for development, and on a lark I installed Apple’s “Boot Camp” thing that lets you run Windows XP. Test app? Oblivion, of course. Imagine my surprise when it defaulted to relatively high settings, HDR & 1280 x 1024 resolution. Even set to a more reasonable widescreen rez, it beats my 3Ghz P4 + FX 6600 hands down–not bad for a consumer grade machine. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/431 "2006-04-10T13:23:03Z")
They released it for Macs too, as well as consoles? No wonder they dumbed it down. (sorry 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![Grossbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba8739/32.png) [@Grossbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grossbottom)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/432 "2006-04-10T13:48:46Z")
My new machine should be here this week. While I wait, I’m geeking out and planning my new character and which mods I’m going to use. My tank mage is pretty badass but I might try a pure fighter/thief with no magical spells. ---
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/433 "2006-04-10T15:34:04Z")
Anyone on the 360 run across the “Ring of Burden” glitch for the Mage quest? I looked around and I cant find any fixes yet…anyone have anything that worked? ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/434 "2006-04-10T17:00:07Z")
I don’t have anything for the 360, but I just came across the [Mage Guild Quests Fixes](http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=350648) mod in case anyone is having problems on PC. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/435 "2006-04-11T18:42:01Z")
Today the FedEx guy arrived with 4 large boxes out of the 5 expected. The big alien head tower might arrive tomorrow. But I’m just shocked at the hugeness of the other stuff I bought. The surge protector is a 25-pound monster with a $100,000 connected equipment warranty. The 5.1 surround speakers weight 45 pounds together - big subwoofer I guess. Even the laser gaming mouse fits big in my dainty hand. Cool backlit keyboard and larger monitor are of expected size. I feel like I’ve been shrunk in a giant’s world. And I’m half-dreading the arrival of my big new alien friend. What is it with guys and size, anyway? 😛 I hadn’t realized just how hard-core this stuff is. I may have to consider playing games professionally just to be worthy of this thing I bought! Stay tuned, and let me know if you come up with any good “alien” names for my new buddy. Mork doesn’t sound right. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/436 "2006-04-11T19:17:52Z")
Depending on how geeky you wanna be, you could name it: Colossus (from “Colossus: The Forbin Project”) Vger Deep Thought Joshua (“shall we play a game?”) or WOPR Durandal (from the “Marathon” games) or The Psychofraculator ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/437 "2006-04-11T20:03:23Z")
Good suggestions. The Psychofraculator is a cool name, but I don’t get the reference. _sorry_ It won’t be Spock or Hal. Cylon sounds good but isn’t a name, it’s a species. But The Cylon has a nice ring to it. I’m kind of reminded of the Bad Guy in the old, old, old Felix the Cat cartoons of my youth: The Master Cylinder. I read lots of sf, but it’s been ages since I’ve read a good space opera. There’s bound to be a good alien name in one of the unread books on my shelves. I just thought of an unintended perk of having this monster: luring unsuspecting geek-men into my Den of Sin… ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/438 "2006-04-11T20:15:30Z")
The Psychofraculator was the giant computer destructo device from “Mystery Men.” Me, I name my computers after mythical locations: Valhalla and Avalon were my laptops, and my desktops have been Atlantis, Eldorado, and next will be… I dunno, Elysium. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/439 "2006-04-11T21:47:35Z")
I am SO jealous, brightpenny! Mine was supposed to come tomorrow, but instead of finding a tracking number in my inbox this morning I found an apology and a promise that it will be shipping today. Plus I can’t even name it something good, because the way our @#$#@ work network is set up, it will make my life way easier to just name it the way my work computer is named. ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2006, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180/440 "2006-04-11T22:09:38Z")
Machine names here are according to the whim of each user. The kids have each gotten to name one machine. My son’s (currently non-functional, until I replace the power supply) Alienware machine is “Rex” (from T. Rex, I think). My daughter’s all-pink machine (painted by me) is “Princess”. Dangerosa’s current machine is Isis. I think that was her previous machine’s name as well – she likes continuity. My machine names are all dangerous robots or computers. I’ve had Computo, MODOK (a laptop), SHODAN, Cortana and now Anghammarad. The last one is a bit of a cheat, as it’s not a robot or computer, it’s a golem. Still a constructed thing, though, so I figure I’m okay. So, the moral of the story: name it what appeals to you. Something you won’t feel dippy using to describe it when you tell stories. More options: Hex (from the Discworld series) MCP (Master Control Program, from Tron) M-5 (Multitronic 5, Star Trek) Multivac (Asimov’s The Last Question) T800 (T-anything, really – Terminator) Wintermute (Neuromancer) If you’re looking for a Cylon name: Lucifer Spectre Vulpa Cyrus [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-weeks-to-oblivion/347180.md?page=23)