I hope es6/fo5 go back to the old way the starfield way isn’t great.
NoxiD20
Oblivion’s was the best by far.
Caffeinated_Radish
The cross cut tumbler was the most rewarding. Oblivion was and still is an incredible game; such awesome memories for me to this day.
DefinitelyNotaGuest
Those digipicks are infuriating. I understand the concept but it’s just not fun.
straxusii
Starfields was awful.
Edit: I’ll expand on this. The major problem with it was that every lock was easily solvable, I would write down the various picks I had to use on each layer, it just took way too long.
InspiredNameHere
Actually I’ll go against the grain and say I liked Starfields method. Oh sure, it’s not a stereotypical lockpick, but it is in a future world so I doubt they use the same type of locks we currently use.
farbekrieg
the time and effort required needs to be reflected in the loot or increased skill should reduce complexity, sure a simpler mini game should have less impressive loot but a more complex minigame that has trash as a reward is insulting
DoeDon404
Minus the rewards I quite enjoyed them having a different systems and starfields version of locks, not sure which system I’d personally like to see
Lyrick_
They all fucking sucked after the 20th time, and were even worse after the 200th. Especiaily since there was rarely anything of value to be had after completion.
Starfields was the best due to the perk that allowed you to automatically skip most of the effort, most of the time.
BroPudding1080i
I’ve always preferred the simple skillcheck lockpicking of Morrowind, the minigames are just annoying, and the fact that player skill can trivialize character’s lockpicking skill seems silly to me.
josh35767
I’m going to say Skyrim felt the most immersive. Especially with certain version where you could feel the direction of the “correct” spot with vibration. Lockpicking is mostly feel, so I felt I was actually picking a lock when I did that. Oblivion wasn’t bad, but it’s a little unimmersive to get x-ray vision to see the lock pins.
lostfornames
The best part of oblivion’s was getting the skeleton key and auto attempting
Giblet_
The biggest problem that I have with these minigames is that once you figure out how to do it, the lockpicking skill is useless. It sort of defeats the purpose of role playing mechanics when every single character you ever create is going to be more than capable of playing the role of a lockpicker, regardless of how many points you invest in that category.
Justifiably_Cynical
Next installment will require tools made by Bosnian Bill.
morbihann
‘Evolution’
gumpythegreat
Skyrim’s lock picking is ideal for me.
Captures the vibes of lock picking well, but is also quite quick and easy, as long as it’s not a super high level lock relative to your skill.
I did also like oblivions though. Definitely slower and more tedious, but it was a reasonable challenge.
unknown_user_163
Skyrims lockpicking was great don’t get me wrong, but I absolutely love starfields puzzle shit, one of the best things about that game for me
Santiago1313
I loved hacking in BioShock. It was intense and rewarding. You would also get better at it in a way that isn’t learning a word puzzle or getting used to timing windows. Other games should follow that method.
yama1291
I mod them out after my first playthrough.
The mini game isn’t a challenge, it’s tedium masquerading as gameplay.
The_Real_Black
lockpicking was best in Thief 1… just rub a lockpick against the door while looking around in fear.
For Bethesda games its best in Morrowind just random chance and done.
No minigame that just slows you down for nothing. Also on many reruns and opening most times all the doors the minigames gets boring to anoying to /unlock…
Jeoshua
It’s funny to me, because it started as what appears to be a decent representation of how lock picking really works, has just gotten less and less realistic.
Electronbomb
There is also technically another version of lockpicking that appeared in Eltder Scrolls online, which is like an inverted version of Oblivion.
Thomas_JCG
I fucking hate the lockpicking in *Starfield*, how was I supposed to know I shouldn’t have used that one piece that fitted?
AdNo266
To be honest, I don’t like lockpicking/hacking mini games in general.
Even if the minigame itself is fine, you get so sick of doing it over and over
Alioshia
Basically evolving into what ratchet and clank 3 has.
jptigerclaw
I’d really love to see a game with all these different versions incorporated into them. It’s not like all locks are the same in real life so why not have a few different “mini games” for variety, maybe some longs allow for straight up strength check workarounds where you break the lock, and for Elder Scrolls magical unlocking spells.
gokuby
I’d want the Oblivion style back, but with more difficulty levels. If your lockpick level is high enough you should just be able to wiggle low level locks open with one button. The hardest locks could maybe get spools or false gates to actually be challenging without high lockpicking.
Duloth
I.E: Criminally inept lockpicker simulator 2006, 2015, and failed ME Minigame reproduction 2022?
(To be clear; as someone who can actually pick locks in the real world; that first one is the one that gives you an idea of how locks actually work. But except for the, in game, extremely rare situation where you’re trying to quietly pick a lock that you need to work normally and look like you were never there, is vastly more time-consuming than any sane person would do. I’ve had to carefully pick wafer locks because they wanted to re-use a filing cabinet lock before, but if I’m picking a dungeon lock or a residential one I don’t care if they know I broke into, I’m gonna use a dagger, a hammer, and about two seconds to force it.)
LordJambrek
Thief 3 had the best lockpicking system. It wasn’t tedious, it was tight and when you got more experienced you got faster on it. On console it was even better bcs you had vibration feedback.
Chris9871
I’m gonna get downvoted to oblivion for this, but I really liked Starfields lock picking
kfggts
This may be unpopular but i’d rather have a skill check against a dice roll than waste my time with those mini games. Don’t get me started with Fallout terminal “hacking”.
CannyVenial
The first and third are quite fun. Skyrim/fo4 lock picking took the fun out of it. The exception in fo4 being the science hacks
talivus
Out of all of them, is it weird that I enjoy ESO’s lock picking the best?
Root_Veggie
Best lockpicking system was in Resident Evil Revelations 2.
DerpyEDH
And me modding it to not have a minigame at all as soon as possible because nothing is more tedious than these lockpicking systems.
37 Comments
I hope es6/fo5 go back to the old way the starfield way isn’t great.
Oblivion’s was the best by far.
The cross cut tumbler was the most rewarding. Oblivion was and still is an incredible game; such awesome memories for me to this day.
Those digipicks are infuriating. I understand the concept but it’s just not fun.
Starfields was awful.
Edit: I’ll expand on this. The major problem with it was that every lock was easily solvable, I would write down the various picks I had to use on each layer, it just took way too long.
Actually I’ll go against the grain and say I liked Starfields method. Oh sure, it’s not a stereotypical lockpick, but it is in a future world so I doubt they use the same type of locks we currently use.
the time and effort required needs to be reflected in the loot or increased skill should reduce complexity, sure a simpler mini game should have less impressive loot but a more complex minigame that has trash as a reward is insulting
Minus the rewards I quite enjoyed them having a different systems and starfields version of locks, not sure which system I’d personally like to see
They all fucking sucked after the 20th time, and were even worse after the 200th. Especiaily since there was rarely anything of value to be had after completion.
Starfields was the best due to the perk that allowed you to automatically skip most of the effort, most of the time.
I’ve always preferred the simple skillcheck lockpicking of Morrowind, the minigames are just annoying, and the fact that player skill can trivialize character’s lockpicking skill seems silly to me.
I’m going to say Skyrim felt the most immersive. Especially with certain version where you could feel the direction of the “correct” spot with vibration. Lockpicking is mostly feel, so I felt I was actually picking a lock when I did that. Oblivion wasn’t bad, but it’s a little unimmersive to get x-ray vision to see the lock pins.
The best part of oblivion’s was getting the skeleton key and auto attempting
The biggest problem that I have with these minigames is that once you figure out how to do it, the lockpicking skill is useless. It sort of defeats the purpose of role playing mechanics when every single character you ever create is going to be more than capable of playing the role of a lockpicker, regardless of how many points you invest in that category.
Next installment will require tools made by Bosnian Bill.
‘Evolution’
Skyrim’s lock picking is ideal for me.
Captures the vibes of lock picking well, but is also quite quick and easy, as long as it’s not a super high level lock relative to your skill.
I did also like oblivions though. Definitely slower and more tedious, but it was a reasonable challenge.
Skyrims lockpicking was great don’t get me wrong, but I absolutely love starfields puzzle shit, one of the best things about that game for me
I loved hacking in BioShock. It was intense and rewarding. You would also get better at it in a way that isn’t learning a word puzzle or getting used to timing windows. Other games should follow that method.
I mod them out after my first playthrough.
The mini game isn’t a challenge, it’s tedium masquerading as gameplay.
lockpicking was best in Thief 1… just rub a lockpick against the door while looking around in fear.
For Bethesda games its best in Morrowind just random chance and done.
No minigame that just slows you down for nothing. Also on many reruns and opening most times all the doors the minigames gets boring to anoying to /unlock…
It’s funny to me, because it started as what appears to be a decent representation of how lock picking really works, has just gotten less and less realistic.
There is also technically another version of lockpicking that appeared in Eltder Scrolls online, which is like an inverted version of Oblivion.
I fucking hate the lockpicking in *Starfield*, how was I supposed to know I shouldn’t have used that one piece that fitted?
To be honest, I don’t like lockpicking/hacking mini games in general.
Even if the minigame itself is fine, you get so sick of doing it over and over
Basically evolving into what ratchet and clank 3 has.
I’d really love to see a game with all these different versions incorporated into them. It’s not like all locks are the same in real life so why not have a few different “mini games” for variety, maybe some longs allow for straight up strength check workarounds where you break the lock, and for Elder Scrolls magical unlocking spells.
I’d want the Oblivion style back, but with more difficulty levels. If your lockpick level is high enough you should just be able to wiggle low level locks open with one button. The hardest locks could maybe get spools or false gates to actually be challenging without high lockpicking.
I.E: Criminally inept lockpicker simulator 2006, 2015, and failed ME Minigame reproduction 2022?
(To be clear; as someone who can actually pick locks in the real world; that first one is the one that gives you an idea of how locks actually work. But except for the, in game, extremely rare situation where you’re trying to quietly pick a lock that you need to work normally and look like you were never there, is vastly more time-consuming than any sane person would do. I’ve had to carefully pick wafer locks because they wanted to re-use a filing cabinet lock before, but if I’m picking a dungeon lock or a residential one I don’t care if they know I broke into, I’m gonna use a dagger, a hammer, and about two seconds to force it.)
Thief 3 had the best lockpicking system. It wasn’t tedious, it was tight and when you got more experienced you got faster on it. On console it was even better bcs you had vibration feedback.
I’m gonna get downvoted to oblivion for this, but I really liked Starfields lock picking
This may be unpopular but i’d rather have a skill check against a dice roll than waste my time with those mini games. Don’t get me started with Fallout terminal “hacking”.
The first and third are quite fun. Skyrim/fo4 lock picking took the fun out of it. The exception in fo4 being the science hacks
Out of all of them, is it weird that I enjoy ESO’s lock picking the best?
Best lockpicking system was in Resident Evil Revelations 2.
And me modding it to not have a minigame at all as soon as possible because nothing is more tedious than these lockpicking systems.
Then theres morrowind
*lock pick failed.*
*lock pick failed.*
*lock pick failed.*
*lock pick success!*
Starfield came out in 2023 didn’t it?