Oblivion mod "Dune" turns heads at Bethesda

The official Bethesda Blog reports the staff at Bethesda Softwork were wowed by Dune, a new Oblivion mod project started by Stefano Tonello (aka Prometheus). This mod is not related to Frank Herbert's Dune universe. It's a completely new and unique storyline. Here's a brief introduction to the world of Dune:

"The DUNE World, known as Dusaar, is a huge desert world where the brutality of people and nature is an everyday part of life. Water has long since ceased to flow on the surface and can only be found in the last sea, some oases, and tiny lakes and streams are the only source of life for the Ancient Forest, a Tropical Jungle surrounded by Canyons and covered from the everpresent winds of the open Desert, protecting this small Last Paradise.

The desert covers the majority of the land, almost 90% of it is surrounded by the Great Wall Cliffs of the east and the Sea of Silt to the west. Some of the mountains are nearly impassable, but ancient canyons throughout them hide the last spots where life can still continue….There are many diverse cultures living in the few safe places on this world."

[SuperSaiyan4]

WOW!!!! This mod is incredible its like a whole new game!!

[Feihc Retsam]

Now, did that look like the world was a Halo-like ring, or was that just a very tall mountain in the distance?

[ravenguard88]

Looks interesting, but the world is kinda bare. It's the lush jungles and stuff that made Oblivion so visually appealing.

[RenegadeValkyrie]

I think if done properly, deserts can be just as beautiful as lush forests and jungles. I imagine it is a lot easier to render as well.

[mighty_douche]

Ooooh I love MoD's o_O

[LinuxGuru]

Once better animations are designed for the mounts, then I'll defintely grab this mod.

[MK_Red]

WOW. Seriously awesome. Superb mod. Reminds me of the Outcast but a bit rough around the edges. Kudos to this great modder and also to Bethesda.

[Skerj]

Damn I was hoping to get some of those awesome powers from the spice agony like Muad'Dib and rip ass to some Harkonnen while riding sandworms all over the place. It still looks cool even though it has nothing to do with "Dune", kudos to the mod team for creating something that looks awesome.

Btw, I now want an open world Dune game, we have the technology we can build it.

[LinuxGuru]

I couldn't agree more Skerj...

The real Dune would make a HELLUVA good open-world game.

VERY epic.

[mariusmal]

so true. dune is one of my favorite books. well.. all of them hehe

[ravenguard88]

You love Rez as much as I do? ;)

[Sarick]

This looks like darksun. Silts Etc.

Someone should hire this person and let him make a world.

[Ridrick]

It reminds Darksun indeed.

That was first thing I thought watching this.

[Tempist]

Damn those kids got the skillz.

[Panthers]

I dont know much about Dune, but arent there giant sand worms? I would like to see one of those.

[NO_PUDding]

They deserve the recognition.

I am part of an Oblivion/Morrowind Mod team, Tamriel Rebuilt. And we aren't doing nearly as well at the moment. But it's safe to say our landmass is far more detailed and larger.

[Taco_Waffle]

Stuff like this is why PC gaming will never fade away. Mods FTW!

[GIJeff]

mods are available for consoles. The reasons PC gaming wont die, is because the hardcore geek wont die. long live the geek.

[NIN64]

Nobody would be able to survive in the open desert without a stilsuit, unless they are a Fremen. . .

[jcwordlife]

Very well done by the modder, it's like a whole new game for FREE!
But I bet that I will get overkill FPS' considering this mod is so barren and doesn't have any vegetation LOL!

But the view at the sky is amazing though...

[theox2g7]

PC GAMING FTW!!! WOHOOO!!!

[SageFrancis]

Yay lets spend ages running around a dessert yay.

looks boring.

[Silver Bull3t]

Now where's the licensed DUNE MMO we've all been waiting for???

Best series ever. Even the stuff by Brian and Kevin.

[Arutha]

I'll agree the Dune stuff is some of the best, but the Brian and Kevin stuff was ok at best. It was nice reading more on the Dune Universe, but it makes one wonder how much better Frank's stuff would have been. I read Dune once a year and the Dune series (Frank's) every couple of years.

[jiinn]

I'm not saying that it is *CORRECT* -- I think IP law is terrible.

But I smell LAWSUIT.

He should *QUICKLY* drop the "dune" and just name it "Duasaar".

[NarsilianShard]

And just when I thought I had played enough Oblivion, this mod has to come along

[skynidas]

awesome

[GETPWNZORED]

lol. THIS is turning heads? Whoever he got to do his animations clearly is a n00b. The most obvious turd animation is the "looping" run animation on that beast he rides. He should have hired me. Would have been much better, and also loopable! As for the environment, seems boring to me. Wow. A desert. So amazing. Looks like someone can put a brown bitmap onto some terrain. Consider me wowed. I can't tell from this crap video, but I'm going to assume his shaders are low-rez turds as well, probably not even with any normal mapping. And using the name "Dune" to lure people into thinking its something cool and amazing like the actual Dune franchise is another low point. Overall, I'd say this mod blows. Hehe.

[blade402]

actually it looks good

[GETPWNZORED]

Meh, I've made better mods for Oblivion.Never heard of the PP prison? Sewer parallax pack? Or my most critically acclaimed Ayleid ruins parallax texture pack?!?!?!? I started a movement at which Bethesda failed. People have since repacked the entire rest of the game with next-gen shaders. *bows*

[DragonKnight]

I suppose you would have made a Cogs of War mod for Oblivion right?

Because it's the best looking game ever made because of the tech behind it right?

And you're obviously better than someone who had the ACTUAL development team of Oblivion saying "Wow" right?

Sour grapes?

[PopEmUp]

GETPWNZ and GETPWNZORED is a wannabe but except no one want him to be that he wannabe but instead hes getpwnz every times he does

[SRuN4]

I bet someone gets contacted about a job after this.

[miir]

I kept thinking I was looking at an early beta of Vanguard.
Many of the structures are exact copies.
Not very original.

[Rugludallur]

getpwnzored you are just a little sad and jealous person of the talents of others. You know nothing but to be ingorant little fanboy, grow up!

[xc7x]

i like

[TrevorPhillips]

its great but i prefer the original oblivion more environment, more enemies, more houses and castles also farms, and more people to talk to.

[JDW]

I would love to play a full version of this game.

[Legion]

Looks great... has a lot of potential.

Difficult to make desert landscape look like anything more then mounds of sand... but with proper structure it could work. The sky would have to be very dramatic at moments to offset the landscape. And maybe moving weather patterns to keep visual attention.

I didn't like how the smaller creatures didn't react to the large mount rolling up on them. They acted as if they didn't recognize it's presence.

But the creatures looked nice as well as the character modifications.

Would be nice to see this tweaked into an add on and crossed over into the console market. Could be a whole new spin off?

[jinn]

what is this and y is it the top story on N4G?

[JosefTor]

I dont know about you guys but this mod looks boring as anything. Why would I want to play in a giant sand box? The reason that Oblivion is so good is that the environments are so vibrant.

[realistgamer]

wow, mad skillz!