Bethesda has just rolled out a new update for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, now available in the Steam Beta channel. If you want to try it out, simply switch to the beta tab in your Steam library. The latest Patch 1.2 brings several performance, quest, and gameplay improvements. The biggest change is the reduction in open-world stutters, which were a major issue when the game first launched. Here’s a quick rundown of the changes aimed at improving performance and visuals:
- Fixed frame rate drops in Deepscorn Hollow
- Fixed frame rate drops in Black Rock Caverns
- Fixed frame rate drop between Skingrad and Skingrad Castle
- Fixed frame rate drop south of Bravil Castle courtyard
- Reduced stuttering frequency in the open world
- General performance optimizations in many locations
- Optimized character attachment updates
- Improved water rendering in the open world
- Enhanced light/shadow updates in several areas
- Optimized waterfall particle effects and rendering
- Optimized the weather system
- Improved character animation system
- Fixed flickering shadows when using XeSS Upscaling
- Proper title restart after purchasing the Deluxe Upgrade on PC
- Fixed issues migrating settings between PC and Xbox
- Fixed water disappearing after fast travel
- Addressed cursor slowdown when enabling high frame rate V-Sync
- Fixed shaders not preloading due to cloud save replication
- Resolved long loading screen blackouts
- Fixed weather VFX flashing while outside
- Fixed motion blur artifacts in Oblivion Plane
- Corrected NPCs not following the Wait action
On top of these improvements, Bethesda has also added new difficulty settings to the game. Players can now adjust combat damage for both the player and enemies. The difficulty options range from “Novice” to “Master”, with a new “Journeyman” setting positioned between “Adept” and “Expert”. The developers hope this will provide a smoother experience for players looking for a challenge.
As a bonus, Oblivion Remastered is currently available for 20% off on Steam as part of the Summer Sale, but hurry-the discount only lasts for a few more hours!