Games

I can count on one hand the game where “stealing clothes” is an option. New Vegas had something like that, but so halfass nobody ever brings it up except as contrivance.

New Vegas, Outer Worlds, and Elder Scrolls Online all have a form of a disguise mechanic. A simple to impliment (even with the limited mechanics) attempt to address the situational dissonance many players feel when playing Bethesda's open world RPG's and the game fails to react in a belivable manner, causing the player to be pulled from the game world and made acutely aware of the facade surrounding it. That situational dissonance being the central problem XTornado was trying to express. Or in story telling jargon, XTornado is feeling the effect known as "violating the aestetic distance". His suggestions would mitigate this, but are not the only means of accomplishing such.

And I know you believe his central probelm was about specifically not having a disguise system or other specific additional mechanics, but I think he made his point pretty clear in saying:

that’s the point… No locks no body complaining about what the hell I am doing there as I said zero attempt at making like oh no you shouldn’t be here… No locking no guards complaining… Only if you pick up some random object… It was really stupid.

He made it pretty obvious that he took issue with the way game reacted to his actions and the way even scripted quests failed to provide the player with sensible in-universe options to resolve them. He wasent even married to the specific solutions he suggested, he consistently repeated things such as "I mean I expect something not necessarily that". But you were so focused on his suggested solutions, you failed to ever even notice (or at least aknowledge) the core problem he was trying to convey.

And the thing is, it's not like Bethesda had to create situations where the tools they provided didn't make sense in context, they literally designed the game. No one complained when a dungeon filled with dragur didn't care about your choice of outfit. Building the world around your game goes a long way to avoid these problems.

Because the only step I would have left is to concede your statement I know to be untrue or accuse you of bad faith.

Well, we can definetly agree on this point. Becuase I don't really see how you can, in good faith, argue that wanting to add mechanics that other very similar games (even a Fallout and Elder Scrolls game) had, means a person wishes it was an entierly different genre. To take a quote from you on this, I know you think your point was good, but it was stupid. Or as I tried to say kindly, hyperbolic. And as you said, there's nowhere to go after that. Or so I would have said..

But I was thinking about this discussion before you made your most recent comment, and somthing you had said stood out that I think explains why you get so defensive when people suggest additional features that would enhance the fun they have playing the game.

We all note that wonderful way you can walk literal circles in full view of people while picking them off and everyone else stands their with their thumbs in their ears.

We did all note that, but not everyone would call it "that wonderful way". For many players, the awkward mechanics of Bethesda's games were neccessary concessions due to technological limitations of their time. And these players forgave these issues due to the sincerity with which Bethesda tried to create a beleivable world to adventure in. These players saw the progress Bethesda made with their early titles, and imagined what the future would bring. Continuing to advance the promise of early Bethesda games, creating more beleivable, immersive, and reactive worlds to explore. And for these types of players, the stagnation of the formula has been a cause of dissapointment. Which is fair frankly.

But sometimes it's easy to forget that for many other enjoyers of Bethesda's games, they didn't see these technologically imposed limitations as a neccessary evil, they viewed them as selling points. Where they derivied their fun as it were. And I think for you that is the case. And it is valid to want these games not to advance anymore. There is no obligation for Bethesda to continue to build on its formula, many players like it for what it is, not for the fantasy it attempts to sell. Just as it's okay for Pokemon to keep creating new versions of the same game, so too can Bethesda.

To circle back around, I don't think your cretique of XTornado's points are valid. His suggestions were simple, easy to impliment, would largely remedy some of the problems many players feel regarding Bethesda's formula, and wouldn't interfere greatly with the gameplay style of players who chose not to make use of them. And even if his specific suggestions were not implimented, mitigating the problem he was complaining about could have been done with just a bit more thoughtful world and quest design.

But I do think enjoying Bethesda's games for what they are is valid, and I don't think you need to like the idea of someone suggesting Bethesda tinker with a formula that works for you. So I hope you continue to enjoy the game for what it is.

Anyways, thanks for the chat. Have a good one.