Hobbies And Interests
Character Creation
"Oblivion" starts with a tutorial that teaches you the basic game play and controls, and lets you create and define your character. The game suggests a class to you based on your actions during the tutorial, but you will most likely want to customize your character. Choose whichever class you find the most interesting, with an eye toward one that can perform a variety of actions.
Later on in the game, you will be challenged to use your stealth, combat strength and magic, so a well-rounded character boosts your chance of success. If you save your game right before you exit the door at the end of the tutorial, you can skip the tutorial when making a new character by loading that save and editing your new character before leaving the dungeon.
Combat
When you complete the tutorial and arrive in the world of Cyrodiil, you can do anything you like. There's a main quest line to follow and the Imperial City sits nearby, but you can ignore that in favor of side quests or attacking the wildlife. Engage in combat with melee weapons by getting close to launch an attack -- and if you have a shield, block the enemy's blows -- then counter-attack.
Using magic works much like a first-person shooting game: Aim and fire, and know that some spells move slow and don't track your enemies, so you may need to aim where you think they're going. Stealth comes in handy during combat, as by attacking an enemy who's unaware of you, you do bonus damage that can be enough for a one-hit kill, depending on your weapon. You can also get the stealth bonus using ranged weapons.
Leveling
When you acquire enough experience points, you can level up. When you see the level-up icon, find a bed and sleep to enter the leveling screen. On this screen, you will distribute points you earn towards attributes. This all depends on the kind of character you want, so pick the ones which best suit you. For example, if you have a purely magic-casting character, focus on intelligence and willpower.
Questing
Besides the main quest line, hundreds of other quests wait for you in "Oblivion." Many random non-player characters, or NPCs, offer them, including common quest lines seen in other "Elder Scrolls" games such as the "Fighters Guild" and "Mages Guild" quests. Quests provide the story of the game and bonus experience for completion, and can lead to very interesting loot.