Gavin: Characters are another area we’re working hard to improve. The lack of character schedules was a big complaint we got for Morrowind, so for Oblivion we tackled the problem head-on. Instead of simply scripting out each individual character, we developed the Radiant AI system that allows characters to dynamically go about their day based on a framework of destinations, values, and conditions. We can make this framework as specific or generic as we want. So a character might go buy some bread if he’s hungry, or maybe he’ll pickpocket it off someone else. We can create a character that runs around trying to gather up all the alchemical ingredients he can get his hands on. Or maybe we’ll make it so he only looks for ingredients worth more than 40 gold, looks for them only on Wednesdays, when it’s raining, after 4PM, and only if the player has completed the Thieves Guild quests.

Todd: Most of the systems are totally redone for Oblivion, so it's really a new game and experience. So from Morrowind, there is very little that you will see that feels exactly the same. Combat is a good example where the feel of it and how fun and deep it is has really changed. I think you can look at the changes we made from Daggerfall to Morrowind and expect a similar jump from Morrowind to Oblivion.​