The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion’s Original Level Scaling System, Which Is Still in Oblivion Remastered, Was a ‘Mistake,’ Designer Admits

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With renewed excitement surrounding The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion following Bethesda’s successful remaster, the game’s original creator recently acknowledged that the level scaling system was an unintentional error.

One bothersome feature of Oblivion’s 20-year-old open-world RPG is its level scaling system. This means that the power level of loot you obtain depends on your character’s level at the time you acquire it. For instance, if you finish a quest for a desired sword at level one, you’ll receive a sword with power locked at level one. If you complete the same quest at level 25, you’ll get the sword at level 25. Unfortunately, this means that a cool sword you obtained early in the game will always be limited to level one power throughout your entire playthrough, regardless of how much you level up. Essentially, players may unintentionally finish quests prematurely, rendering unique items less useful as they progress through the game.

Just as your character’s level affects the enemies that appear, these adversaries will consistently match your strength to ensure a constant challenge. However, this setup may pose an issue if you’re not actively developing specific skills.

By the year 2025, many enthusiasts were taken aback upon discovering that the original level scaling system from Oblivion resurfaced in Oblivion Remastered, despite other aspects of its gameplay mechanics being updated and refined.

User minifat expressed their frustration, noting that it was particularly disheartening since they claimed to have made extraordinary efforts to rectify the character leveling system, and to give them credit, they indeed seemed to have addressed the player attribute adjustments.

Originally, Bruce Nesmith (the creator of Oblivion) admitted to VideoGamer that the game’s level scaling system, also known as “world scaling,” was a misstep. Later on, Bethesda adjusted this level scaling system in 2011’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which many fans felt improved the overall experience.

Nesmith stated that he played a significant role in designing both systems. He was responsible for the technical aspects, such as the underlying principles and mathematics, which he understands thoroughly and knows them inside out.

As a gamer, I believe the decision to have the game world level with me was an error, and my experience in Skyrim supports this view. Instead of implementing this approach, we devised a superior method to keep the game challenging without making it seem that the difficulty adjusts automatically based on my character’s level. It shouldn’t feel like the dungeons adapt to my level progression, diminishing the significance of my advancement.

One enhancement in Oblivion Remastered lies in the character development process. Now, advancing both Minor and Major Skills will contribute to reaching the next level, unlike the original version where only Major Skills provided progress (with Major Skills increasing at a quicker pace, making them more influential).

As you settle into bed to initiate the upgrade process, you’ll now encounter a menu displaying your Character’s Attributes and 12 Virtue Points at your disposal. These points can be allocated among your Attributes, ensuring they don’t surpass 3, similar to the initial game. The highest any one Attribute can be boosted is by +5 points, which was also the limit in the original version.

During each level-up, you’re free to adjust your Attribute improvements without worrying about leaving yourself underpowered due to points allocated to less frequently used Attributes, except for Luck. Every point increased in Luck will cost you four Virtue Points.

In addition, there have been some adjustments in the way certain abilities grow. For instance, Mercantile advances at speeds proportional to the price of the goods being traded, whereas Magick Skills progress more swiftly when casting expensive spells. This means that repeatedly casting cheap spells to quickly level up skills won’t be as efficient a strategy.

Just as anticipated, modders have stepped up yet again. Having addressed the PC performance concerns in Oblivion Remastered, they’ve also introduced NPC level cap mods for balance and unleveled rewards mods that ensure fairness.

In addition to Oblivion Remastered, we have lots more to share, such as a tale about a player who found a way beyond the boundaries of Cyrodiil to venture into Valenwood, Skyrim, and even Hammerfell – which is said to be the location for The Elder Scrolls VI.

As an enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that we’ve put together a comprehensive guide for Oblivion Remastered, packed with valuable resources. You’ll find an extensive Interactive Map, detailed Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, tips on crafting your ideal Character, suggestions on what to do first, every PC Cheat Code, and so much more!

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2025-04-29 17:30