2K Games and Bethesda, publishers and makers of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, have released a number of screenshots of the Oblivion level editor.
One of the most exciting features of the upcoming Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is the possibility of being able to create your own stories. Elder Scrolls III allowed PC owners to make and share adventures separate from the main storyline of the title, and some of the resulting mods were nearly as good as the original game. There were hundreds of hours of extra content created by fans of the series.
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, looks to be setting itself up for the same experience by shipping the level editor included in the box when Oblivion is purchased on the PC. Probably one of the most exciting potential features of the game on the Xbox 360 is be the possibility of users being allowed to download and play authorized game mods created by the fan base on the PC. During an interview about two months ago, the makers of Oblivion reported that they were currently investigating such possibilities. While there are a lot of security and technical issues that have to be overcome, the possibility that it might happen should still make a great deal of people very, very happy.
The ability to use player created content, such as maps and levels, is one of the greatest aspects of Xbox Live. So far, the map maker in Timesplitters: Future Perfect, which allows users to create maps and upload them from the Xbox for other players as long as they are connected to Xbox Live during its design, is really the only system to touch the surface of this potential. If there\'s any company capable of pushing the limits, though, it\'s Bethesda.
Hands down, Oblivion is one of the most exciting announced titles on the market.