Starfield Will Update One of The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion’s Mechanics [IGN]

No footage of the system was shown as part of the video, but lead quest designer Will Shen did explain the thinking behind it. “We sat down, and it was funny [because] we didn’t start with ‘let’s look back at the old Oblivion system’, but there are a couple of beats there. You have to think about, ‘What’s my risk here? Which one do I want to choose?’ We didn’t want it to be a system where there was definitely the right thing to say.”

“It feels like you’re having a conversation where you’re actually trying to persuade somebody of something,” said game director Todd Howard. “As far as new systems dialogue, I think it’s definitely one of the most successful ones that we’ve had.”

If you need a memory refresher, Oblivion featured a mini-game during some dialogue sequences that was used to persuade an NPC. It used a wheel cut into pie-like segments that represented actions such as admire, joke, boast, and coerce. Over a series of rounds, you were able to manipulate a character’s disposition, something made easier through high speechcraft stats or by using a bribe. It’s not clear what elements of this system are reflected in Starfield’s version, but it certainly seems there will be a way to engage in conversations beyond just picking dialogue options.

For more from Starfield, check out the first companion to be revealed, and how factions and backgrounds will shape your journey through the galaxy.

The hugely anticipated Xbox console exclusive will arrive on November 11, and will be Bethesda’s first brand new series in decades. We’ve slowly been learning about the game, including its 1st and 3rd person viewpoints, its full mod support, and that players can pick pronouns, with characters reacting accordingly.

Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Entertainment Writer.