After hearing the king of funny Elder Scrolls clips explain how Oblivion NPCs work, I have a newfound respect for elves who steal food when they’re hungry and husbands who fight their wives’ dogs

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If you’ve come across a humorous Elder Scrolls video on YouTube or other internet platforms within recent years, chances are it was by Bacon_, whose clever edits and absence of narration let the less-than-perfect games tell their own story. His top pick among his videos, the brief “I love dogs,” is a testament to the quirks of Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, as it could only occur in that game.

Rena Bruiant introduces herself as a resident of Chorrol and an NPC from the game Oblivion. She jokes that everyone must be doing this. The camera then focuses on her husband, Rimalus, who brutally hits Bailey the dog with a double overhand hammer swing, causing the video to end abruptly after Wes Johnson exclaims ‘yah hah!’

The reason Rimalus Bruiant doesn’t seem fond of dogs, and the occurrence of such events being unique to Oblivion instead of Skyrim or Fallout 4, can be attributed to a complex network of NPC objectives and modifications, a system that underwent substantial simplification in subsequent Bethesda games, as Bacon_ explained via email.

By the Nine

According to Bacon, the Oblivion Radiant AI is quite complex with numerous layers, components, and various attributes that influence how NPCs behave and respond to their surroundings. These attributes include Aggression, Disposition, Responsibility, Confidence, Fame, Infamy, and a few more.

It seems our non-canine companion Rimalus exhibits an unusually high level of aggression, with a score of 50 compared to his wife’s score of just five. To add to the situation, he was overlooked and not included in the “Bruiant Family” NPC faction, which may be contributing to his aggressive behavior.

I inquired from Bacon_ regarding another popular video of his, expressing my disbelief at the excessive fines, and it turned out to be a brief tutorial on how Radiant AI might malfunction. In the video, a lower-ranked member of the Fighters Guild named Ohtimbar complains about strict law enforcement in Cheydinhal to an innkeeper. He then surreptitiously walks towards a table, helps himself to some food against the owner’s objections, and casually eats it while continuing the discussion. Ohtimbar continues his theft spree by taking even more food before slipping away nonchalantly.

In simpler terms, Bacon explained that due to an apparent mistake, Ohtimbar’s responsibility has been reduced to zero. This means any character with a responsibility of 30 or fewer will resort to stealing items to fulfill their tasks, such as food if they don’t have any. This act of theft can result in a bounty on their head. Since these characters can’t be jailed, they must either pay a fine in gold or resist arrest. If they lack sufficient gold, their resistance could lead to the guards using lethal force against them.

In one of my own playthroughs for the first time in Oblivion Remastered, I observed an intriguing event: NPC Shameer from Skingrad had reached a responsibility level of 30. As expected, he was caught red-handed stealing Bernadette Peneles’ lunch during the quest Paranoia.

You’ll see strange, unintended interactions like this all throughout Oblivion.

According to Bacon, there’s a character named Ontus Vanin who tends to be more aggressive than most individuals. He also harbors a strong prejudice against members of the Mages Guild, which intensifies as their rank increases. By the time someone reaches the rank of Archmage, Ontus might very well attack them in public streets, unless you’ve made an effort to improve your relationship with him early on.

Occasionally, your renown could become so great that even normally antagonistic characters might view you as a friendly acquaintance, choosing dialogue over hostility.

Positively Radiant

I’ve often felt that Oblivion didn’t receive enough recognition for its exceptional guild and side quests, especially when compared to the fetch quests and straightforward dungeon adventures found in Morrowind. The Dark Brotherhood murder mystery “Whodunit” is a standout example of this. Recently, I find myself agreeing with Bacon_ that Oblivion’s AI also deserves a fresh evaluation.

Bacon explained that when you analyze it from a technical perspective, the odd behavior of the NPCs becomes understandable. It’s a chain reaction of one system influencing another, resulting in the situation being resolved and the NPCs moving onto their next action. In most cases, you can trace what’s happening and why they’re acting that way.

He jokingly referred to it as “it simply functions,” alluding to Todd Howard’s well-known statement about the settlement building system in Fallout 4.

In simpler terms, the AI of Oblivion, though somewhat flawed, was unexpectedly amusing when it malfunctioned. If not for Shameer’s knack for stealing lunch, I wouldn’t recall him. Now he’s etched in my memory as an unforeseen comedic character, strangely relatable like the guy in the I Think You Should Leave sketch who says “Gimme that!”.

Bacon_ shared that they are deeply fond of the Radiant AI system and feel somewhat disappointed by its reduction in subsequent games. They point out that Kingdom Come: Deliverance, a recent role-playing game, seems to capture more of that immersive, systemic charm.

As a dedicated Skyrim enthusiast, I find it fascinating how the game developers revamped the Morality system from the old Oblivion version. Instead of ranging from 0 to 100, the scales have been simplified into 0-3 for Aggression and Responsibility (renamed “Morality”), while Disposition now spans from -4 to 4. This change has certainly made character development more streamlined in my gaming experience. Moreover, it seems that NPCs in Skyrim are not programmed to engage in spontaneous criminal activities as they did in Oblivion.

Bacon mentioned that although Oblivion consists mainly of tiny towns with a population of around 15 individuals, each person has their own dwellings, work, distinct routines, and they react differently to your actions and those of other NPCs based on their specific attributes. There are numerous ways you can influence this dynamic, making it feel incredibly lively.

In a more relaxed phrasing, one might say: “Oblivion has often been seen as the overlooked middle sibling among contemporary Elder Scrolls games. Fans of Morrowind think it’s oversimplified, while fans of Skyrim consider it outdated. It hasn’t received much attention.

The place was relatively small and tranquil, and while it wasn’t for everyone, those who appreciated it truly cherished it – the joys and challenges that were inherent in its unique gaming experience.

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2025-05-15 22:47