That time Sir Terry Pratchett modded Oblivion
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- Опубликовано: 7 янв 2025
- Explore the untold story of how Discworld author Terry Pratchett became an unexpected contributor to the world of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. This video delves into Pratchett’s love for gaming, his contributions to the modding community, and the unique partnership that emerged around Vilja, one of the most beloved companion mods in Oblivion. From his fascination with goblins to his personal input on mod features, Pratchett’s involvement adds a heartwarming layer to his legacy. Don’t forget to check out the original article and mods linked in the pinned comment.
#Oblivion #ElderScrolls #TerryPratchett
Check out the original article, and the modder’s website:
www.eurogamer.net/the-story-behind-the-oblivion-mod-terry-pratchett-worked-on
lovkullen.net/Emma/
So, WAY back in the day, I was a member of the Craftybits forum. A crafting overhaul mod for Oblivion. I was checking out the bugs subforum, and saw quite possibly the best bug report thread, by Sir Terry himself..
"Day one: I think I've stumbled on a method of duplicating cheese wheels. I'll keep you all informed"
"Day three: My method is unfortunately repeatable, in that it's a self-perpetuating reaction.."
"Day seven: I can no longer reach the door from my kitchen, and I fear I may die in here. Please send help. And salt!"
With accompanying screenies of his Oblivion home gradually filling with more and more and more cheese wheels.
That is absolutely fantastic! I'll bet that's a bug report you'll remember forever.
❤ Love this story 😎👍
This is such a fun story! I've never played the game myself but I was hoping to find the old bug report and read it for the fun of it. I had little luck, however, The wayback machine DOES have some captures of "bug reports - CB" from 2009, including a topic called "now the cheese is repeating..." by Terry Pratchett, along with some others of his. Unfortunately the threads themselves don't seem to be available for reading. I even found one capture from March 26th 2009 showing him as a currently online user...
What a gem XD
From my EVE days i remember a site that concentrated stuff like that and one had a somewhat eturbed sounding GM responding to a ticket with the closing line hoping for the ticket feature not be isused like that but would recommend the sandwich first over some other dish.
Or randomly encountering a GM in the wilds in classic Wow, sometimes the funnist things happen
This should be one of those random things you stumble across
A cabin with a wizard called sir Terry dead in there
A barricade of cheese wheels you have to climb through
Maybe a side quest that gets you some weird replicating cheese or something
And you find the I'll keep you informed and you have to find the second one about the self perpetuating cheese then the others outside his cabin door like he just managed to get it over the cheese pile
There is an absolutely hilarious passage in Terry's Biography about him prefering to play Oblivion instead of finalizing a novel with a hard deadline looming just hours away from total disaster.
I think we can all identify with that (well those of us of a certain age when we played it) - for me, it was avoiding studying for exams and playing Oblivion!
Ha, that resonates. When what was meant to be an essay all-nighter prior to a midday deadline ended up being Oblivion until 6am, followed by a period of intensely desperate speed-typing. Wouldn't have imagined Terry being in the same position at the same time!
“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” - Terry Pratchett.
@@snograt I'm fairly certain that was Douglas Adams, who once had to be locked in a hotel room with his editor in order to actually finish one of his books
@@turntablestudios that sounds both incredibly awkward and incredibly helpful.
I'm literally trying to meet a deadline now. I'd love an annoying editor watching over my shoulder, stopping me from straying onto RUclips lol
"For Emma ... for helping me understand goblins"
The dedication is right there in Snuff. I loved playing with Vilja as a companion in Skyrim. And never did I make the connection. Thanks for sharing this beautiful story!
You're very welcome. And - thanks for putting that dedication here - I knew someone would eventually!
That's great!
I just finished re-reading Snuff last week (one of the best IMO)... always wondered what that line was about!
I dont know Snuff or Terry, but I loved the Vilja mod alot
oh my god just checked my copy and youre right!! thats so cool!
Oh wow, I'd completely forgotten, but now you mention it i remember reading that and wondering what it meant. Amazing!
Honestly, finding out Snuff is largely based on Pratchett's Oblivion experience explains so damn much about that book.
Did you see some commenters noted that the dedication of Snuff is to Emma, the modder?
It really does.
He used to run a stall at the Robin Hood festival at Sherwood Forest. No announcement, no sign sating "Meet Terry Pratchett", nothing, he just took part because he enjoyed it and it was a nice surprise if anyone recognised him
Just a great human being. I think that's what comes across in his writing, for me - genuine.
What a beautiful story. The fact that Terry Pratchett wanted to befriend the goblins made me smile. The only time I can think of that he specifically wrote about video games in one of his novels was in his 1992 kids book 'Only You Can Save Mankind' which is about a boy who finds out that the cannon-fodder aliens in a space battle game are real after they surrender to him and ask him to help protect them. It's so wonderful that the modder helped him fulfil what must have been a long term wish. Pratchett's daughter Rhianna is also a writer and has contributed to a number of video games.
It's an amazing story, isn't it - it's why it stuck with me for so many years! And it's amazing to have a mod that has contributions from such a literary giant. I haven't read that book - I'll have to check it out! Reminds me somewhat of Enders Game, but I won't say anything about that on the slim chance you don't know that plot! But yes, it's probably one of the most poignant gaming stories I've ever come across, which is why I wanted to cover it, get it out to a wider audience, and point people to the writer of the article/Emma and the other modders involved.
makes me wonder what sir terry would have thought of undertale, lol
you guys are gonna think I'm an ass but I freaking called it
the second I saw terry pratchett and oblivion I knew it was going to something to do with the goblins
@@heehoo3685 I think he’d have LOVED it
@@tictacterminator I believe you!
Vilja helping him out of dungeons makes me cry
It’s very touching isn’t it!
Me too! The thought of a poor brilliant old man who's mind is slowly beginning to slip losing his orientation in a video game dungeon but being guided out by a fictional character that a friend created partly for him is just absolutely heart breaking 😭
I know right? I clicked on this thinking "Huh, interesting!" didn't know it was going to make me cry!
i just know it's going to be one of those things i remember at random times and start crying about, it's so sweet, and so sad
i teared up when i saw this title! my grandpa loved terry pratchett so much! he bought every book until he was diagnosed with cancer. he died on january 2015 on new years day and i still miss him dreadfully.
grandpa also loved oblivion! i watched him play after school and i think thats where i felt the most at home. he would’ve loved to find this out and i wish with all my heart i could watch this with him.
I feel you, I lost my Grandfather in 2016 so about the same time ❤️
Pratchett is one of the only celebrities whose death genuinely affected me. He truly was a treasure
bump.
i was at work when I saw that he had passed away. I had to excuse myself to the restroom and have a quick cry.
Agreed. Just agreed.
Him, and Iain. M. Banks, for me.
GNU Terry Pratchett
R.I.P. Terry Pratchett. I loved your stories as a kid. Wish you could have been with us longer.
He dead?
Try to reread as an adult. You'll be amazed at how the complexity unfolds and the humour gains multiple levels you may have missed first time around.
As soon as you mentioned goblins I thought "This is going to be relevant in Snuff right?"
By the end of the video I was, of course, crying.
Terry Pratchett was also a big-time fan of the classic computer game NetHack, which gave tribute to his books through the Tourist role as well as other more subtle nods. So strong was the connection that when he died the developers dedicated version 3.6.0 to Terry's memory with a very extensive collection of tributes including making the in-game cameras imp-powered and changing the squeaky board trap to reference an excerpt from one of his books.
I’m loving the info people are sharing here in the comments - thank you for this. I didn’t know this myself, so I’m gonna go read into this further - and I’m sure others scrolling through will be interested as well!
Wild, I always thought the tourist from nethack and two flower were related somehow.
That game is crazy difficult btw. I have heard of people taking years just to ascend, though that was way back in the day. I think the internet has made it easier due to optimization and guides.
My god, I always assumed the nethack Tourist was based on Discworld. Never checked the dates
@@RexRex-n5t Even in the modern day it took me years. Granted, it was because I never got into the habit of making item caches to keep myself unencumbered, but it really shows how careful and deliberate you have to be to beat it.
"A man is not dead while his name is still spoken."
This story and your delivery brought this old man to tears; Thank you Shades, thank you Cian, and thank you Terry, Emma, and Charles.
You are most welcome - and I thank Cian, Terry, Emma, Charles as well, and yourself for the kind comment :)
What's your definition of "dead"?
@@platogkrone7161 multitudinous.
@@platogkrone7161 read Dune
I never got the feeling Pratchett did what he did for fame, or "immortality". Always got the sense that he genuinely just enjoyed telling stories.
I was privileged to be one of the beta testers for this mod. It is still, after all these years, my all-time favorite Elder Scrolls companion mod (for both Oblivion and Skyrim). Emma's Morrowind companion mods were groundbreaking in their time as well. Very nice video! .
Amazing - thanks for stopping by! You were part of the story as well, then! And yep I wanted to make sure there was a route for people seeing this video to explore further and maybe check out the mods for themselves - and pass on their appreciation to the people who made it all possible!
@PseronWyrd I think I recognize your username from the old TES forums. I was pretty young when I was downloading Morrowind mods, but in retrospect that was such a wonderful, creative community.
@@ian-something He was also a moderator there for a long time, and regularly wrote posts, I found both interesting and insightful 😊
Just have to give a wave, as another old member of Emma's forum who recognises your handle. 👋
I don't remember what name I went under there, but I did have the forum title "Archmaster of House Redoran" . It was a wonderful community, even to an adolescent brat like I was back then!
It makes me so happy to hear that Sir Terry enjoyed Oblivion. I always used to play as Rincewind.
It's such a brilliant crossover of worlds, isn't it?
@@shadesofslayIt is! I always imagined the Ivory Tower might be another guise of the Tower of Art as well.
Never played Oblivion so I gotta ask, can you put a brick in a sock?
@@fangoram29 Gonna steal the sock of the arch mage (in lieu of arch chancellor) and see what happens
High athletics/acrobatics build? Not a single spell known but doing the mages guild quests?
I only recently discovered that Emma also made The White Wolf of Lokken Mountain, one of the earliest expansive quest/landmass mods for Morrowind. Its always nice to see how our favourite creators are comnected
Indeed - I myself spent some time exploring her modding website and being thoroughly impressed by everything I found!
Dont know how this was recommended but im glad it was
I'm glad too!
I've watched some Oblivion stuff before, but literally just before this I was watching a highlight from the Kill James Bond podcast, featuring the hosts (Abigail Thorne from Philosophy Tube, and November Kelly and Devon from Well There's Your Problem) talking about their favorite YA novels, in which Terry Pratchett featured heavily. So I guess RUclips got it right in presenting me this.
@@Benu54321 a sort of nexus point recommendation eh! Glad it brought you here 🙂
I dropped so many things to watch this
@@charleshammel8541 I'm glad you did, thank you for watching!
Omg.. The algorithm for once worked out with an absolute blessing of an upload to watch. Thanks for all the work you went to into sharing this.
You’re most welcome - thanks for taking the time to write this, I really appreciate it 🙂
The fact that Snuff is partially inspired in Oblivion goblins gives me joy
Did you make the connection with the book's dedication and the mod author Emma?
@@shadesofslay Pride and extreme prejudice.
I love Pratchetts books, they seem to be so human (something that can be missing from some fantasy imo). There's so much empathy and understanding between some characters. Never heard of this, thank you for sharing
Absolutely. It’s a totally rich vibe, if you know what I mean. Basically I just think I’m saying what you’re saying with different words. Like, a rich and authentic experience. And - no problem - was glad to put this together 🙂
I’ve often thought that Terry Pratchett will be remembered as one of the most important humanists of the late 20th-early 21st century.
“No one is finally dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away, until the clock wound up winds down, until the wine she made has finished its ferment, until the crop they planted is harvested. The span of someone’s life is only the core of their actual existence.” -Reaper Man, 1991
Thank you for winding the clock.
@@rossstewart9475 beautiful. Thank you!
A big chunk of the Oblivion iceberg that I'd never seen before. Thanks for bringing this story (and the source article) to my attention. As a fan of Pratchett, TES and Vilja, this is a full meal for me.
You are very welcome 🙂
I didnt know this story, Sir Terry was an absolute legend, taken too soon.
Absolutely - a massive loss, indeed.
He was a huge proponent for euthanasia, since there was no real way to know how bad things would get as his condition progressed, only that it would get worse and he'd gradually lose everything that made him who he was...
I still remember how devastated I was when I learned he'd passed on, but it was a relief to know that it was peaceful & he was at home with his family, before his worst fears were realised.
@@Blue_Sonnet Yep - imagine losing yourself completely and having no way out of it - I'm relieved also that it ended how it did, but incredibly sad about it too.
Modding really is a blessing to the gaming community, no matter what form it takes.
Yep - it’s a big part of why I love these particular games. The modding communities are huge.
Too bad some companies and authors are trying to make it a corporate industry
@@Nuniixo Mm - I feel you! I subscribe to Nexus Premium out of choice - I always think there should be choice so that if you do have the means and want to show appreciation that way, you can.
even lovelab ?
@@siluda9255 not familiar with it, myself
Knowing that me and TERRY PRATCHETT play games the same way makes me so sadly happy. I would've loved to show him all my notes from all the different games I've played and I would KILL to hear him tell me about all of the things he's analysed/noticed.
I learned about this because of a Skyrim mod called 'Vilja in Skyrim' that had dialogue writing done by him. It's basically the same mod as the Oblivion mod you talked about but for Skyrim.
The things I'm still learning about this man even after all this time. I would say that he's a national treasure but that does him a great disservice. Sir Terry was truly a treasure of all mankind.
GNU Terry Pratchett
RUclips loves to reccomend videos from smaller channels to me a lot. Most of the time, I don't really find myself drawn to them - typically they're only 30 minutes of unedited gameplay or livestream vods. However, today it's given me a video I truly appreciate having been able watch.
Thanks for this, I really appreciate it! I did do a run through of Fallout 3, but made sure those were edited somewhat so the story of each mission was easier to follow... but truth be told, I've had far more fun making the more recent videos, which are in this style :)
I love that Scottish accent and cadence. It's not so heavy that I can't understand it, but it has the bouncy musical quality of the Celtic dialects. Please continue to speak through all the ages, so that we may not be deprived the pleasure of hearing your voice.
I miss Mr. Pratchett and his stories. I suppose that is the way of stories though. Life goes on; things change; stories end, begin again, evolve. We carry them in our hearts, and keep them alive in our own stories. On and on, across the endless cascade of creation.
That was a lovely comment to read - thank you for that! I'll make sure to give you a lot more videos then :) and also, a beautiful sentiment there too - I do feel also that the impermanence of life is what gives it meaning.
I kept hearing Teddy Pratchett.
Wow I've heard of Vilja for years, I knew she was the biggest oblivion companion, but I didnt know Terry helped on the mod. Thats really awesome
There you go, a TIL moment :)
Biggest by far.
Vilja has more chatter content than every vanilla npc. Combined.
I never play a game of Oblivion or Skyrim without her.
I distinctly remember, back in my young teenage years, how I too was absolutely fascinated by the Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion goblins, their culture, their tribal identities and how the world around them perceived them. (One in-game book in particular suggests that goblins could not only be domesticated, they could be made to socialize properly with humans and live peacefully, but are instead ostracized and even enslaved by the high elves on summurset.)
That's probably something that has always been a part of me since the day I first saw The Fellowship of the Ring. Orcs and goblins always interested me. They were just so vile, foul and violent, but at the same time showcased intelligence, hierarchy and even social understanding.
Some of my favorite fantasy rpg's and mmorpg's back in the day were generally picked on the basis of whether I could fight hordes of goblins or orcs in them (which is why Champions of Norrath 1 and 2 were two of my favorite titles. Absolute recommendation. In my opinion the better versions of the diablo games.)
While that love for goblin- and goblin-adjacent lore has somewhat diminished over the years, I still feel very bad whenever I have to kill some of them, if I ever choose to replay Oblibion. Not just because warchiefs are an ABSOLUTE PAIN IN THE ASS to fight, but because the creatures just wail and cry as you would expect a living, emotional creature to, fighting for their lives and tribe.
And leaving a cave full of furniture and rat farms empty and slaughtered always leaves a bit of a gut feeling behind. That I just destroyed something that was part of nature.
Then again, I absolutely have no mercy for bandits and willfully-cave-dwelling necromancers and the like, so maybe I'm overthinking the moral aspect of this particular part of the games.
It's such a joy to see how a brilliant mind and imaginative soul like that of Terry Pratchett found the same almost childlike wonder and joy in these silly green creatures and their impact on the world around them.
I'm glad that one of my favorite teen-years games brought him so much joy and help during his struggles with Alzheimer.
R.I.P. to the absolute legend. And kudos to the modders that enabled that joy.
Thanks for this fantastic, thoughtful comment. I feel similarly to you! I think when it comes to the human wrong'uns in the games, like you mentioned, I feel like they have less of an excuse to be violent than creatures who may have a more primal nature. For instance, animals are wild - they can be trained to be around humans, but if they do something violent, I often think - well, that was always a risk eh! And I don't blame them for that.
This was a very moving video. His books have meant a lot to me and I miss him dearly.
This is the greatest, most awesomely, mindbuggeling heartwarming story.
I loved that guy.
This left me with a lump in my throat
❤️
This is so cool, I've been a huge Pratchett fan for 30 years but I had no idea about this, and it makes a lot of sense that this experience would have influenced Snuff, which is very focused on the idea that these disposable enemies have a meaningful culture and inner life.
Reading Terry's books made me feel close to him, his wit and imagination made my life better.
Now I know he was a gamer, I miss him even more.
Yet another commonality he shared with so many of his readers ❤️
@@shadesofslay I think the best thing in his books is the wisdom and compassion of some of his characters. "LORD, WHAT CAN THE HARVEST HOPE FOR, IF NOT FOR THE CARE OF THE REAPER MAN?"
@@russellcollins4291 indeed - and that line in particular makes me sure that in his own mind, he’d have faced death - perceived death - as a similarly necessary and merciful force.
@@shadesofslay Agreed. We better ourselves through our relationship with death, because it is the ultimate cause for life to have meaning.
This made me both sad and happy thank you.
No problem - it's a story that's quite affecting, isn't it?
We call that feeling "bittersweet".
Wow, I never heard of this. I know of Discworld from osmosis and that Pratchett wrote it, but that's about it. I literally thought this video would be some kind of meme or something, but to hear that he literally loved the game and engaged with it in such a creative and pacifist way is so endearing and awesome. It reminds me of how I engaged with Skyrim the first time I played it. I thought I was wanted by the imperials after Helgen and would avoid the roads for hours of ingame time. I even avoided going to Solitude because of this. I thought wearing a robe would hide my face and that I needed warm clothes for the cold (I mistakenly thought frost damage was frostbite). I was completely immersed, and the feeling of that is just awesome!
I need to read Discworld now. Your video has made me do so.
Thanks for sharing that story of immersion from Skyrim - there's NOTHING like getting lost in these worlds. I can't help but do so on every replay of these types of games. And - I'm glad you will read Discworld! I'm glad this video nudged you in that direction :)
I have the article as a permanent window in my browser. When I'm feeling down i read it, to remember Pratchett
Fantastic - I’ve had it saved in various places!
As soon as you mentioned goblins, I thought of Snuff. It's interesting that the inspiration for the book was a video game.
Just goes to show how many experiences one might consider to be innocuous can have a massive impact!
@@shadesofslay Oh, I didn't mean to imply that video games are somehow not "worthy" of inclusion in a discussion about inspiration. I'm a lifelong gamer myself, and have been inspired plenty by various games over the years.
@@Wishbone1977 ah I didn't get that implication from you at all - I guess I meant goblins in the game itself being a, on the face of it, minor part of the experience - after all, how STP engaged with them was so unique and most people wouldn't have given them the attention! But I appreciate that, I feel the same as you do :)
That was a beautiful story...you made me cry a little. Thanks for sharing it. Also the Long Earth is seriously underrated. GNU Pterry
No problem, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Please make sure to say something to the author of the article - I couldn't have made this video if I didn't know about the story. I put my own spin on it, but he did the original work :)
Thanks for making me aware of this little subject.
Such a wholesome story. Its a nice glimpse into a great man and also validation of my love for modding.
You’re an absolute legend for bringing this story to the masses via RUclips
Liked and happily happily subscribed. Absolutely cathartic video what with the music and scenery and brilliant narration + script. Very eloquent.
This video is an absolute gem.Your voice and accent are fantastic.
I really want to thank you for telling me about a part of the life of such an amazing person and author.
It's simply a great story. I'll definitely give the mod a try.
Thank you, that means a lot to me! You're very welcome. I'm glad you're going to give the mod a go! I'm sure you'll love it.
Thanks for not using ai voice. Big love+peace.
All real, all the time on this channel!
The voice is far too good to hide
@@shadesofslay It is a fantastic voice, would be a shame to replace it
he has a great voice, but this comment comes off whiny
@@sammxn-w2veh, even if that's the case they're justified to whine. Nothing makes me more tempted to click off a video than the moment I hear an ai voice
I love that I listened for 30 seconds and immediately knew you know what you're doing. Proper academic disclosure at the very start, I applaud you sir
Thank you, I appreciate that since I wanted to make it super clear with this vid where the source came from!
I played with Vilja back in the days, but I never knew Pratchett had anything to do with it; hell, I didn't even know he was an Oblivion fan! Thanks for shedding light on this story!
Thank you! Though it was the original journalist Cian Maher who dug this story up five years ago - credit where credit is due - there's a link to his article in the pinned comment :) but, I wanted to spread the story out there, and I thought I'd put my own spin on it with the video. I LOVE the story.
Pratchett's life reads like a delight at times with all the little things he yearned to explore and learn about. He always had an eye for the small, and the rare ability to see how powerful they were.
SorcererDave is doing a Modded Oblivion LP with Vilja while roleplaying as a Khajiit. Nice to hear the story of the mod!
Very nice, I'll check that out!
@@shadesofslay It's been on hold for a good year, but it's good so far!
@@BlazingLee0610 What's it titled as btw? I was trying to find it! I'm already subbed to SorcererDave, just need to know what vid I'm looking for!
@@shadesofslay there's a Playlist. Let's Play Oblivion Again j'zirr's Story. Has 39 episodes.
@@shadesofslay it's a while before Vilja enters the series. At least until Episode 9-10 I think
It was strange seeing my words in print, but surreal hearing them in that great Scottish accent. You've done a wonderful job of relaying some of the magic I felt while helping to bring Vilja to life.
Charles! Great to see you here! I'm glad you found some value in my retelling of this amazing story :) I can only imagine what it must have been like to live it! Thank you for stopping by to leave a comment - having someone from the tale itself stop by is a surreal moment for me!
This was a video i really needed rn
Ive tead through his biography, and ive grown such an admiration for this man.
The fact that he played this game that shaped my own childhood and loved it is so amazing
Im definitely looking into this companion mod
Totally, it's that blending of two worlds isn't it - when you love him, and the game, and you find this out, it just elevates them both!
This video made my week. Ended up teary-eyed. I've had Terry Pratchett on my to-read list for a long time now, but the humanity within this video has bumped him up to the top... AND I want to give Oblivion another go. AND you're a hero for giving so much credit to good, human journalism. Gonna check out the article and author for sure, and you've got a new permanent subscriber. This is the type of video I come to RUclips for.
Thank you! Bumping Terry Pratchett to the top of the list and rekindling a desire to play Oblivion? My work here is done! And thanks for acknowledging the credit given - I think it’s totally fine to create work based on others (after all, what are lets plays, lore videos, heck some people read our articles word for word) but in some cases, I feel like a bit more of a spotlight should be put onto the original author. So I’m glad you mentioned that 🙂
Thank you for recording this video! watching it legitimately made me bawl, i love moments of genuine connection like this, where people come together over something they're passionate about and just create for the joy of creation.
No problem! And aw, yeah, it really is a story that gets you in the feels eh! I felt it in my voice when I was reading it out - like, I felt it a bit more hearing myself say what I'd written than I did when I first read about it. There's something about speaking and storytelling that's so primal and communicates/inspires emotions around things, don't you think? And, of course, it's the story itself too which is one of the most poignant gaming tales I've ever come across.
@@shadesofslay Yeah, for real! The part where you talked about how they added Vilja being able to lead you out of the dungeon is the part that got me especially.
@@forest-goddess Yep, it's just so touching isn't it, that someone with his illness was being helped and had ways to keep playing even when he felt helpless
So glad this popped up in my recommended and I'm definitely chopping onions right now.
It’s a lovely story isn’t it - as I said in the vid, it stuck with me for so long. Make sure to tell the author of the original article too if you haven’t already! And - I’m glad it got recommended to you too - RUclips is doing well today!
What a heartwarming story ❤
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for this - I really appreciate it!!
I played with Vilja a LOT back in the day, learning about this is a real treat
It's always nice to hear about the more heartwarming stories in gaming, and this is has been one ofym favourites since first hearing about it a couple years back
Yep, we need more heartwarming stuff! And yep, I love this story. It's so unique.
I miss him so much, and I've never met him. But he had a huge influence on my life.
And OF COURSE he'd be involved somehow in the modding community lol. It's such a perfect fit, isn't it? And he loved writing about the underdog :)
It truly is a perfect fit!
Well, your video and the article just made me cry and cry. Sir Terry and his worlds were my safe space when the life got rough and I love him for it.
Thank you very much for telling us about this!
You are most welcome 🙂
Good lad for reminding everyone about this. I had totally forgotten about this. Time to get back into Oblivion.
It had to be done! And - super pleased you're gonna get back into Oblivion!
Thank you so much for this. I've read all the Discworld novels and love them dearly. I've also played a bit of Oblivion, though more Skyrim to be honest. I'm a middle aged man and found myself blubbing while watching this. Sir Terry was a truly amazing man and a true humanitarian.
I knew this story, yet it's nice to see it presented in a well watchable format. It still makes me cry, I really hold the Discworld series close to my heart. Hope you're resting in peace, Terry
The tale of Emma and Sir Terry remains one of my favourites in gaming.I'd been playing with Vilja a few years before I learned it, and it explained a lot of the unique systems she had that never made it into similar mods.
I'm glad you put this out, I literally just shared this info the other day on Tiktok to a guy trying to make the whiterun guard companion.
I had no idea about this. As a Swede, Oblivion player and (most of all) huge fan of Pratchetts work, it brings me joy to see.
Never played Oblivian, but I resonate with Mr. Pratchet's interest in the goblins. Its how I feel about the Falmer. I also was intrigued by their culture and still try to observe them and make sense of their underground camps.
Glad RUclips recommened me this video! Amazing story!
The algorithm is doing well today :)
First year at university I was in the bookstore, desperately trying to find a book that would help me understand analogue electronics, and instead I picked up the Colour of Magic, which had just been published. For someone who had been mining 40s, 50s, 60s Fantasy genre fiction for the last few years I was the perfect target for the parody and blown away by the invention.
A few years later I got to meet him at NiCon, the first science fiction convention in Northern Ireland (shout out to Tommy Ferguson who organised it!)
He was such a geek. Man had a ZX81. I knew his daughter was in the gaming industry, but had no idea he was a gamer. Apples, trees etc.
Great video! Very much enjoyed it.
This was a beautiful story. Terry Pratchett's been a household name for my family for as long as I can remember, so hearing that he once had a passion for my current favorite pass time feels pretty fantastic. Thank you for sharing this, I appreciate it more than you could ever possibly know.
You're most welcome - I appreciate your kind words :)
This video randomly popped up in my feed, and I've been a subscriber ever since.
I can't imagine how in awe Emma must've felt recieving original dialogue written by Sir Terry Pratchett.
Thank you for subscribing :) and - I thought the same! If it were me I'd have been unable to process the awesomeness of it.
This made me so happy and so so sad at the same time. I LOVE the discworld and Oblivion and how I didn't know about this is beyond me. Thank you so very much for this. I have Sir Terry's biography but I still haven't been able to read it due to it making me so damn sad we no longer have his light. His characters live in my head and I am overjoyed that he found Oblivion and he enjoyed it so much. I was heartbroken when he started to forget his characters and he decided to leave us. Such a terrible thing to happen to such a geniously creative mind.
You’re very welcome. I think for a lot of people who didn’t know this (and have a love for oblivion) it adds another layer of connection to someone they’ve admired ❤️
wow, I wasn't expecting this to make me cry, My grandfather had Alzheimers, and it's such a tragic thing to watch as a person slowly unknows everything and everyone, losing day by day what one might call their essence, those traits, beliefs, ideas, quirks, idiosyncrasies, all of that "self" disintegrating... And you see a person now trapped in a mind they cant command, inside a body they dont recall, passing through confusion to confusion, and behind their eyes you can see the pleas of someone truly frightened and alone. here or there the old person makes it up for a quick gasp of air and then its gone again.
I would sit by his side as he rocked in his old chair, and I'd tell him what we where doing on the farm that day, and he'd sometimes come roaring back to himself and let out a belly laugh and ask how long its been since we last had a chance to catch up like this, and then he was gone again. It's a cruel thing to be thrown into this world, work a hard long life, only to have it all ripped away in such an ugly way.
I can empathize so much with helping Pratchett out, and forgoing any thought of it being anything other than just some people sharing their worlds with each other. Today, I needed to be reminded of the good we do for each other.
Thank you for sharing your own experiences and insights. It is, indeed, a cruel affliction on both the person and those around them. I've watched a few channels covering this disease and the decline in the people is rather shocking to see over time. Immense respect for those caring for, or dealing with this sort of thing in their lives
Wow. I have used Vilja for a long time. Even played with the mod a bit in Oblivion before I moved on to Skyrim (I use the Skyrim version now). She has always had a permanent place in my load order. This makes it even more special. I am glad that this video was recommended out of nowhere. Subscribed.
I'm glad it got recommended to you too :) and thank you for the subscribe!
I've read all of his books multiple times, Sir Terry Pratchett took genuinely an important part in forming my moral framework and fundamental view of the world..
I did not think i could love this man any more BUT NOW YOU TELL ME THIS!! thank you.
Every new piece of information seems designed to make people love the man more, eh :)
Thank you so much for making this video! I doubt I would have ever found out about this otherwise. 💜
Pratchett's Discworld novels, Oblivion and Thief II were three things I poured hundreds if not thousands of hours into as a teenager. It's amazing to find out that my favourite author enjoyed two of my favourite games. I also had the same fascination with the goblins that he did.
You're most welcome :)
This video genuinly made me tear up. Humans are beautiful.
You actually got me to shed a tear by reminding me of the magic of creativity.
Oh my word, this brings me back! I was one of the founding members of Emma's elder scrolls forum, "migrating" there from Rethan Manor in around 2006-2007. It was a really great community. I was only a teenager at the time, but I was made very welcome and I was an avid contributer. Emma was a really friendly person and always good for a chat.
It's worth noting that Emma had been a "companion" modder from before Oblivion, starting in Morrowind with characters like "Sigrid" in "White Wolf of Lokken Island" and one if my favourites, the bratty Bosmer thief Constance. She was a pioneer in the companion mod field, working with a script made by another great modder "Grumpy". Their Morrowind work went on to inspire my favourite Elder Scrolls companion of all time, Julan, the work of fellow forumgoer Kateri
I'm long removed from that game world and Emma's forum has long been in hibernation. But I will always remember it fondly.
Thanks for sharing this! I’m glad it caused a nice nostalgia trip 🙂 I hope the site and forum have been digitally archived in the scary event they ever go down! Would be a shame to lose that history.
Terry has been my favorite author for decades. This video sparked some tears, I gotta say. This guy had a thing to tell beautiful human stories and every bit I learn of him seems to show that he made them happen as well. Thanks for telling this bit.
You're most welcome, I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
Despite only having played Skyrim, I saw the title and was intrigued. Was not expecting to have tears form hearing the story, but that is exactly what happened. Never would have known any of this without your video, so thank you, it was beautiful ❤.
You’re very welcome - I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Even now, Terry Pratchett surprises me with his brilliance. Truly the GOAT.
I remember hearing some version of this story in the past, but not as complete as this, I'm glad I found this video.
Terry is my all-time favourite author, I've read his books since I was a child and they absolutely shaped my world view. The fact that Snuff was born from his experiences here, and dedicated to Emma, is heart-warming. I need to re-read that book soon!
I also need to get around to reading The Shepherd's Crown, but I keep putting it off because then I'll never have a new Discworld book to read, and that breaks my heart.
I’m glad you found it too 🙂 and - I feel you. It’s hard to face endings. Knowing there’s still something new that you could preserve forever is torturous but also comforting. If that makes sense.
This is a wonderful story; thank you so much for bringing attention to it.
I'm glad you enjoyed it - you're welcome :)
I love, adore even, how much you emphasised the other peoples work that you used as a reference for your video. Its a real class act. Instantly got a new subscriber.
Thank you for saying this, I really appreciate it - especially because it was so important to me to make it clear to give credit where credit was due!
love the video and mention of goblin wars! and your reverence for the article’s original author. subscribed
Thank you - much appreciated :)
You've just given me such a sweet little insight into an author I dearly loved and really missed. What an amazing story. Thank You.
You are so welcome!
Thank you for bringing this story to youtube, but especially thank you for really encouraging people to check out the original article. I think it's very important to credit people, especially when their work is so unique.
Strangely, I have never downloaded this mod but I think I'm going to have to rectify that now.
You’re most welcome and thanks for saying this - I too totally agree people MUST be credited for the work they’ve done!
Color me intrigued, I had no idea Sir Terry Pratchett modded Oblivion. Amazing
I was too, when I first read about it!
@@shadesofslay Yeah, add another feather in the late legend's cap
Tearing up here. So much love and emphaty on display here. Both from Terry and Emma
dude you made me choke up and get tears in my eyes thats a wonderful insight into an auther and game that have both given me so much joy
i can practically see the first germ of how the book snuff got started thank you for that genuinly
You're most welcome - I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
Big Terry Pratchett fan and also a Skyrim player that has long been a fan of Vilja. Thank you for relaying this story and the connection to the quote in snuff I'd never understood until now.
You are most welcome :)
Excellent video. I went and read the article, it too is very informative and well written, not that I'm any expert, but I appreciate the work that goes into making them. The Elder Scrolls series is one of my favourite series and to think that Terry Pratchett had a hand in a mod for it and was a gamer is joy to my heart.
Thank you! And I'm glad you engaged with the article as well :)
Well this provides a lot of context for his book Snuff, which introduces the lore and culture of goblins in the Discworld. This was later expanded in the last novel of the series, Raising Steam.
Terry Pratchet has a special corner in my memorybecause I not only love his books but he also saved my sanity and perhaps my sons also. My son had severe adhd he inerited it from me though mine was probably not so bad, but the result was that he had trouble sleeping and kept me awake also, but one night he was so upset that he decided that he wanted a good book to read. I gave him Mort to read and instead of listening to his printer I then had to listen to him laughing but he laughed himself to sleep for the first time in months we both managed to sleep a full night. Thank you Terry and it is so good to know that he also had a hand in creating a brilliant mod for one of my favorite games of all time. Soo sad what happened to him he did not deserve that at all
Thanks for sharing this with us all here in the comments, that’s a really impactful story… I’m sure Terry would be over the moon to think his work had such a positive impact on you and your son!
Finding out such a subtle aspect to Pratchett's life feels very insightful and somehow wistful. It's like finding out about Robin WIlliams gamer roots and how much it meant to him. Making me love them, and miss them, even more. Pratchett's diagnosis and death was really painful. Thank you for sharing such a heartwarming story!
You're most welcome - and I agree completely, wistful is the perfect word. I didn't know about Robin Williams' gamer roots - I'm gonna look into that, as I loved him as well!
This was a great video. Thanks for putting this together!
I had never heard about this and I'm glad to know about it now.
You’re very welcome! It’s a fantastic tale, one of my favourite pieces of overall gaming lore.
Vilja is a HUGELY famous Oblivion mod-- and in addition to being a staple of a lot people's Oblivion playthroughs, was very influential on future companion mods in Oblivion and Skyrim. IIRC Vilja herself was influenced by Morrowind's Julan companion. The community nature of modding is so essential to how it evolves and advances and what the new standards become.
I love the modding community. In particular with New Vegas - I play with hundreds of mods.
I'm usually more reserved with who I subscribe to, but this was just so wonderfully done I hit subscribe halfway through. Thanks for this.
That's a big compliment - thank you for letting me know! (And subbing of course!)
This was amazing. Thanks.
And also huge respect for the real life Viljas who lead Sir Terry out of the dungeon
Sometimes, RUclips gets the recommendations right. I knew the bare bones of the story, but it's really nice learning details. Guess I'll check the link now.
he was a real one. few celebs made me sad with their passing. he was one of mine and its fitting in that he spent his working life making me laugh often.