The lockpicking system is horrible

[King Robert Baratheon]

I much prefer the one I've seen in videos of Skyrim (haven't played that yet but I did buy it during the summer sale) and what is in Fallout 3 & New Vegas (where I first got exposed to that kind of lock picking system). I'm honestly not sure if I can continue playing Oblivion if I a lot of quest stuff is accessable only through being able to lock pick advanced locks. I went through all of my lock picks trying one door and then just used the console to unlock it. I think i'm just going to start a skyrim playthrough and I'll come back to this later...

[Microsoft227sam]

The oblivion version is more realistic but I can see why you hate it

[True American Patriot]

get to level 10 and then go to nocturnals shrine to get the quest for the unbreakable skeleton key

[King Robert Baratheon]

Originally posted by CommanderASN:

get to level 10 and then go to nocturnals shrine to get the quest for the unbreakable skeleton key

I've been watching Lobos Jr's playthrough of Skyrim (he just started it recently. He was streaming it today actually and two parts of the playthrough are already on his youtube) and someone in his chat mentioned that iirc. Can I be any class or should I also be a thief/assassin (whichever of those two is the best for lockpicking, also whatever race is the best for lockpicking)?

[Ryuuken]

Just keep tapping those tumblers up until it goes up very slowly. Once you see it go up slowly, left-click and it will lock in place. Oblivion's lock-picking is all about patience. You can easily do Very Hard locks with 1 level in Security as long as your patient.

Hope this helps.

[LEGACY]

I don't like Oblivion's lockpicking system either. Mostly because I'm terrible at it I suppose.
Next to using the console, there is the auto attempt, the skeleton key and also alteration.
Alteration magic has spells that will unlock chests.

[ManualMakron]

I'd suggest trying this mod out. http://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/38801/?
It's very customizable. I was always bothered how the player entered a menu for lockpicking and you could do it during fights as well. This mod makes it realtime and makes it more difficult, since unlocking very hard locks in vanilla was easy as pie..

[King Robert Baratheon]

Originally posted by Nlich:

I'd suggest trying this mod out. http://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/38801/?
It's very customizable. I was always bothered how the player entered a menu for lockpicking and you could do it during fights as well. This mod makes it realtime and makes it more difficult, since unlocking very hard locks in vanilla was easy as pie..

So you see that i'm having trouble doing lockpicking...and suggest a mod to make it even MORE difficult/troublesome? Nice one.

[ᵉʳᵍᵒ]

I love Oblivion's lockpicking system. It's player skill based instead of character skill based. I understand why that's a bad idea for an RPG, but playing a trial-and-error guessing game over and over again in Fallout 3, NV, Skyrim and onward is just annoying.

[Borrolan]

There is also a sound element to lockpicking. Took me a while to latch (sorry) onto it.

When the pin has been properly engaged, it makes a different sound to the one it makes when the pin will not stay in place. Once you recognise the sound of the pin locking in place, that's when to select it. You need to respond quickly after hearing the "engaged pin" sound. That's the skill part. Can't describe the sound difference but it is quite noticeable.

Lockpicking takes practice to get it right. Which is fine by me. Locks are meant to be difficult to pick for a reason.

[76561198034396398]

soon as i hit lvl 10 off to get the Skeleton key,I can't stand the ingame lockpicking

[Walter C. Dornez]

Its easy after you know how it works xD i wait until those tumblers go down very fast, since the next time you move them, they will lock in place, then you just need to click in the right moment.

[ManualMakron]

Originally posted by Bearer of the Curse:

Originally posted by Nlich:

I'd suggest trying this mod out. http://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/38801/?
It's very customizable. I was always bothered how the player entered a menu for lockpicking and you could do it during fights as well. This mod makes it realtime and makes it more difficult, since unlocking very hard locks in vanilla was easy as pie..

So you see that i'm having trouble doing lockpicking...and suggest a mod to make it even MORE difficult/troublesome? Nice one.

A harder Oblivion is a better Oblivion

Originally posted by Evil Doctor Porkchop:

soon as i hit lvl 10 off to get the Skeleton key,I can't stand the ingame lockpicking

Like the nickname and profile avatar :ooo

But yeah, just like everyone else said, once you hit lvl 10 you could do that quest and have the easy mode, which is boring :P

[Taiwan Number One]

I agree that locked chests are too common, but the lockpicking system in Oblivion is the best out of the ES. All it requires is patience. Tumblers go up and down at varying speeds and it's always in the same pattern. Learn the pattern and only try to lock a tumbler in place when the tumbler is moving slowly. It also makes a particular sound, as ohters have mentioned, when a tumbler can be locked.

[PainkilleR]

Originally posted by GodOfHeWhoSleepsOnRailroads:

lockpicking system in Oblivion is the best out of the ES

It's worst. You can pick hardest locks without loosing a single lockpick while you have 5 security... In an RPG game. That's good system for Splinter Cell or Hitman. But in Elder Scrolls it's just bad. Even in Skyrim lockpcking relies on lockpicking skill a little.

[Borrolan]

Originally posted by PainkilleR:

You can pick hardest locks without loosing a single lockpick while you have 5 security

In Skyrim, the lockpicking perk tree allows the player to never break a lockpick "Unbreakable" perk) And they can acquire the Skeleton Key which they can keep as long as they like.