I'm completely confused

vlesperance · 08-03-2012, 12:26 AM

I just bought Oblivion, my first Elder Scroll game.

The game I'm playing is *NOT* anything like the screen shots nor the trailer in the Steam store. The screen shots in the store are beautiful vibrant pictures. The NPC's look very nice.

What I'm seeing are hills appearing out of nowhere as you approach. The ground is giant squares, green or brown. There's trees and plants, but they're sparse. Its night time, but the sky and the sea are just pure black.

Its nothing like the screenshots. Are those modded screen shots? I've spent a couple hours trying to learn how to manage mods. I'd love a list of visual mods just to get going.

But the game I'm playing looks about 10-15 years outdated from the screenshots on the store. Yet, if that were true... I'd think this forum would be full of people asking the same questions.

Am I missing something fundamental?

vlesperance · 08-03-2012, 12:43 AM

I changed textures from small to large and moved every slider to the right.

Now I see stars in the sky. But, for example, in the store screen shot, one pic has a lake. its blue with white ripples and lilly pads.

In my game, I see right through the water. The landscape just continues. But to represent water, its like everything below the waterline is a couple shades greyer.

Its not the same game as in the pics.

I'm willing to mod it, but before investing all the time, I'd like to just hear from someone that doing so would get me to kind of visuals that I see in the steam store.

Naruzuru · 08-03-2012, 01:25 AM

With mods it looks even better than those screenshots.

I'm not sure what it looks like in your game, so there are a couple of things you can do to make it easier for us to help you.

1) Verify your game's cache. That is, right click your game in Steam>Properties>Local files>Verify integrity of game cache
2) Take screenshots of your game, post them here.
3) Post your computer's specs

vlesperance · 08-03-2012, 03:19 AM

Thanks. Any help would be appreciated.

Verified cache.
My basic computer stats: Intel I5-2500K, 8 gig ram, Radeon HD5770 graphics, Window 7 64-bit.

To illustrate my confusion, I tried to "recreate" two of the screen shots that you see on the Steam store page:

Ruins near Water (Steam Store):
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/.../oblivion2.jpg

Ruins near Water (when I play):
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...s/oblivion.jpg

Goblin (steam store):
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...goblingood.jpg

Goblin (when I play):
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...is/goblin2.jpg

I mean, if nothing else, look at the hero's hand in the 3rd pic, and supposedly the same hand in the 4th pic. They're nowhere close to the same quality.

Irv1n3 · 08-03-2012, 05:18 AM

LOL
Yes you've missed something.
I don't know how to fix your problem but this is hilarious.

EvilCreep · 08-03-2012, 05:25 AM

Hey !

I had the same problem when i 1st ran it.

Change your resolution to 1024x768 and turn off ´distant objects´ options, cause they will appear anyway.

My game now runs great !

I know its strange my 5770 runs skyrim and other games GREAT at higher resolutions, but in oblivion only at 1024v768
Try that BEFORE you apply any mod, so you can separate the problems...

running quad core, 5770, vista 32, 4 giga, NO MODS

My screenshots

http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/...F0B6389D4ABBF/

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/59...AE3A523975AE0/

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/59...F79D5399D2740/

vlesperance · 08-03-2012, 11:56 AM

EvilCreep,
I tried what you said, discovered the problem, and *maybe* might be able to help you out too!

It turns out there's 2 completely different "video options" screens!

The game launches with a pop-up. If you select video options from there, you get a modern pop-up screen with "all" the options.

If, however, you continue to the main menu and launch video options from there (or from in-game), you get an older looking options screen, with key options (like video quality) missing.

While following your advice of changing resolution, I stumbled upon the better options screen and that fixed everything (because apparently the game defaulted to "very low quality").

And now that I had access to the "good" options screen, I reset my resolution to max, and everything still looks beautiful.

Here's before and after:

Before: http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...onis/nasty.jpg

After: http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...conis/nice.jpg

Thanks for the help!

EvilCreep · 08-03-2012, 12:27 PM

I´ll look into !!

Thx !!!

DrLoveBox · 08-03-2012, 01:01 PM

maybe you should turn up your settings? oh yeah and mods can completely change the look of the game, qqarl's texture pack is a good start. You might also wanna check out mods that replace character texture since everyone is pretty ugly in default oblivion

EvilCreep · 08-03-2012, 04:58 PM

Hey thx vlesperance !

Now im running at 1680x1050 !!! Its great !!

vonbleak · 08-04-2012, 05:52 AM

Here is a shot of the same thing i think will my setup...

http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/7...780?tab=public

view full size

08-03-2012, 12:26 AM	#1
vlesperance Join Date: Oct 2010 Reputation: 4 Posts: 53	I'm completely confused I just bought Oblivion, my first Elder Scroll game. The game I'm playing is NOT anything like the screen shots nor the trailer in the Steam store. The screen shots in the store are beautiful vibrant pictures. The NPC's look very nice. What I'm seeing are hills appearing out of nowhere as you approach. The ground is giant squares, green or brown. There's trees and plants, but they're sparse. Its night time, but the sky and the sea are just pure black. Its nothing like the screenshots. Are those modded screen shots? I've spent a couple hours trying to learn how to manage mods. I'd love a list of visual mods just to get going. But the game I'm playing looks about 10-15 years outdated from the screenshots on the store. Yet, if that were true... I'd think this forum would be full of people asking the same questions. Am I missing something fundamental?

08-03-2012, 03:19 AM	#4
vlesperance Join Date: Oct 2010 Reputation: 4 Posts: 53	Thanks. Any help would be appreciated. Verified cache. My basic computer stats: Intel I5-2500K, 8 gig ram, Radeon HD5770 graphics, Window 7 64-bit. To illustrate my confusion, I tried to "recreate" two of the screen shots that you see on the Steam store page: Ruins near Water (Steam Store): http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/.../oblivion2.jpg Ruins near Water (when I play): http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...s/oblivion.jpg Goblin (steam store): http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...goblingood.jpg Goblin (when I play): http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...is/goblin2.jpg I mean, if nothing else, look at the hero's hand in the 3rd pic, and supposedly the same hand in the 4th pic. They're nowhere close to the same quality. Last edited by vlesperance: 08-03-2012 at 03:58 AM.

08-03-2012, 05:25 AM	#6
EvilCreep Join Date: Oct 2011 Reputation: 23 Posts: 362	Hey ! I had the same problem when i 1st ran it. Change your resolution to 1024x768 and turn off ´distant objects´ options, cause they will appear anyway. My game now runs great ! I know its strange my 5770 runs skyrim and other games GREAT at higher resolutions, but in oblivion only at 1024v768 Try that BEFORE you apply any mod, so you can separate the problems... running quad core, 5770, vista 32, 4 giga, NO MODS My screenshots http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/...F0B6389D4ABBF/ http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/59...AE3A523975AE0/ http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/59...F79D5399D2740/ Last edited by EvilCreep: 08-03-2012 at 06:06 AM.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

08-03-2012, 12:43 AM	#2
vlesperance Join Date: Oct 2010 Reputation: 4 Posts: 53	I changed textures from small to large and moved every slider to the right. Now I see stars in the sky. But, for example, in the store screen shot, one pic has a lake. its blue with white ripples and lilly pads. In my game, I see right through the water. The landscape just continues. But to represent water, its like everything below the waterline is a couple shades greyer. Its not the same game as in the pics. I'm willing to mod it, but before investing all the time, I'd like to just hear from someone that doing so would get me to kind of visuals that I see in the steam store.

08-03-2012, 01:25 AM	#3
Naruzuru Join Date: Dec 2010 Reputation: 1345 Posts: 720	With mods it looks even better than those screenshots. I'm not sure what it looks like in your game, so there are a couple of things you can do to make it easier for us to help you. 1) Verify your game's cache. That is, right click your game in Steam>Properties>Local files>Verify integrity of game cache 2) Take screenshots of your game, post them here. 3) Post your computer's specs

08-03-2012, 05:18 AM	#5
Irv1n3 Join Date: Feb 2012 Reputation: 18 Posts: 19	LOL Yes you've missed something. I don't know how to fix your problem but this is hilarious.

08-03-2012, 11:56 AM	#7
vlesperance Join Date: Oct 2010 Reputation: 4 Posts: 53	EvilCreep, I tried what you said, discovered the problem, and maybe might be able to help you out too! It turns out there's 2 completely different "video options" screens! The game launches with a pop-up. If you select video options from there, you get a modern pop-up screen with "all" the options. If, however, you continue to the main menu and launch video options from there (or from in-game), you get an older looking options screen, with key options (like video quality) missing. While following your advice of changing resolution, I stumbled upon the better options screen and that fixed everything (because apparently the game defaulted to "very low quality"). And now that I had access to the "good" options screen, I reset my resolution to max, and everything still looks beautiful. Here's before and after: Before: http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...onis/nasty.jpg After: http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...conis/nice.jpg Thanks for the help!

08-03-2012, 12:27 PM	#8
EvilCreep Join Date: Oct 2011 Reputation: 23 Posts: 362	I´ll look into !! Thx !!!

08-03-2012, 01:01 PM	#9
DrLoveBox Join Date: Nov 2011 Reputation: 1 Posts: 92	maybe you should turn up your settings? oh yeah and mods can completely change the look of the game, qqarl's texture pack is a good start. You might also wanna check out mods that replace character texture since everyone is pretty ugly in default oblivion

08-03-2012, 04:58 PM	#10
EvilCreep Join Date: Oct 2011 Reputation: 23 Posts: 362	Hey thx vlesperance ! Now im running at 1680x1050 !!! Its great !!

08-04-2012, 05:52 AM	#11
vonbleak Join Date: Jan 2010 Reputation: 15 Posts: 297	Here is a shot of the same thing i think will my setup... http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/7...780?tab=public view full size