In a regular feature of the mag, one of us picks a single thing they're particularly passionate about in a game. An odd animation bug in a game of TF2 today brought up a Why I Love that I wrote some eighteen months back: a unique chap I encountered in my travels in Oblivion's Knights of the Nine expansion.
When you complete the Knights of the Nine, your second-in-command Thedret addresses your men on your behalf. As he does so, he raises his arms dramatically and tells them that you survived your heroic clash with an evil god, and Tamriel is safe once more.
At more or less any time, you can ask any of your knights to accompany you on your adventures. You can only have one at a time, but it can be anyone, including Thedret. And so, as much to test the extent of my authority as anything, I asked Thedret to follow me mid-speech. He did, leaving everyone else stuck in our courtyard waiting blankly for the conclusion of his impassioned diction as he and I trundled off over the cliff.
But things didn't really get strange until I stopped to pick a few Green Stain Cups and Aloe Vera leaves, and found Thedret looming over me with his arms aloft in that same absurd "I caught one this big" pose (hence the nickname). His expression was blank, and when spoken to, he asked "Yes, sir knight?" as if I were the one behaving strangely. And ever since, whenever Thedret isn't running or fighting, his arms fly up in this oratorial stance and he glares at me, daring me to ask why. WHY, THEDRET, WHY?
Now, of course, I take Thedret everywhere. If he dies, I reload a previous savegame - but not before beating his killer to a claret pulp with my bare hands. I cannot abide his death. His only interesting feature might be a slightly absurd bug, but the fact that it persists makes him the only truly unique thing I have in the game.
I love my Thedret because no-one else has one. It took Valve six years to make Alyx a likeable aide, but this piece of sloppy code has made Oblivion's Thedret far more important to me. I won't fall in love with Alyx until there's something special about my Alyx. Even if it's just that she likes to stretch.
My poor picture. That took at least 2 minutes to make. As for "removed for being slightly obscene and very rubbish": "slightly obscene"...a tiny bit, but it was done in paint, and I thought the ridiculousness overrode the obsecnity. "Very rubbish"...it was done in paint, what do you expect? I thought it was quite good though.
Bloody thought police.
You find it orgasmic?
Yeah, it made me feel totally orgasmic. The way he lifts his arms up is such a turn on. It makes me feel funny inside.
Im off to sulk and burn my back catalogue of PCG now.
The strongest feelings I've had for a computer game character were for my Little Rocket Man...we went through a lot together, and it was tragic to send him into space :'(
I feel kinda stupid given, as you say, the effort put into making Alyx likeable was vast and the Gnome was just a stupid joke. But hey, the stupid bitch wouldn't hold the Gnome whilst I was driving so now I hate her.
The strongest feelings I've had for a computer game character were for my Little Rocket Man...we went through a lot together, and it was tragic to send him into space :'(
I feel kinda stupid given, as you say, the effort put into making Alyx likeable was vast and the Gnome was just a stupid joke. But hey, the stupid bitch wouldn't hold the Gnome whilst I was driving so now I hate her.
I totally forgot about that achievement. Well, thats my weekend in tatters.
"Very rubbish"...it was done in paint, what do you expect?
Purest awesome, natch.
Returning to the matter at hand, the radiant ‘AI’ in Oblivion made for some amusing NPC behaviours. In particularly I remember a particularly grumpy soul proceeding through a crowd (well three or four) of cheery NPCs, each of them trying to strike up a conversation with a good natured “Hello!” only to rebuffed with a surly “I don’t know you, and I don’t care to know you”. That each of the cheery NPCs remained utterly unphased and responded with a jovial “Well, good day then!” topped the whole thing off.
"Very rubbish"...it was done in paint, what do you expect?
Purest awesome, natch.
Returning to the matter at hand, the radiant ‘AI’ in Oblivion made for some amusing NPC behaviours. In particularly I remember a particularly grumpy soul proceeding through a crowd (well three or four) of cheery NPCs, each of them trying to strike up a conversation with a good natured “Hello!” only to rebuffed with a surly “I don’t know you, and I don’t care to know you”. That each of the cheery NPCs remained utterly unphased and responded with a jovial “Well, good day then!” topped the whole thing off.
That toon is truly awesome
'Hello, I hear oblivion gates are opening all across Cyrodill' 'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!' 'Hmmmm' 'No doubt'.
"Very rubbish"...it was done in paint, what do you expect?
Purest awesome, natch.
Returning to the matter at hand, the radiant ‘AI’ in Oblivion made for some amusing NPC behaviours. In particularly I remember a particularly grumpy soul proceeding through a crowd (well three or four) of cheery NPCs, each of them trying to strike up a conversation with a good natured “Hello!” only to rebuffed with a surly “I don’t know you, and I don’t care to know you”. That each of the cheery NPCs remained utterly unphased and responded with a jovial “Well, good day then!” topped the whole thing off.
How awesome. I must remember to add you to my steam friends list - already thought I had.
I remember walking into a tavern and everyone randomly started attacking each other, i think it was because of the mythic dawn trying to kill me, but still, by the end of it only me and the tavern keeper were left standing.
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My poor picture. That took at least 2 minutes to make. As for "removed for being slightly obscene and very rubbish":
