A recently-released mod forSkyrimhas broughtOblivion’s Adoring Fan into the game, with the use of AI to give him a brand-new voice.Skyrim’s modding community has always pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in Bethesda’s RPG, but it has arguably gone too far this time.
Although the Adoring Fan had fallen into the background of Bethesda’s back catalog for a while, the character has had something of a resurgence in the mainstream lately. It has mostly been fueled by the news that theAdoring Fan will be appearing inStarfield, with original actor Craig Sechler returning to play the role after seventeen years. His unwavering enthusiasm for the player has been a point of contention among gamers for years. For some, he’s the most annoying companion of them all, and for others, there’s an endearing charm about the whole thing.
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Nexus Mods author JobiWanUK uploaded the mod, as well as a video that shows the mod in action. In this mod, the Adoring Fan is a resident of Riften. Unlike the original, he can’t become aSkyrimcompanion, instead deciding to remain in Riften, where he will continue to compliment the player incessantly, as is tradition. WhileOblivion’s Adoring Fan falls victim to the game’s notorious potato-faced NPCs, JobiWanUK has implemented an equally cursed head sculpt inSkyrim’s version. It truly does a great job of capturing the terrifying essence ofOblivion’s NPCs.
Despite the novelty of the mod, it’s hard to deny that it’s well-made. The author on Nexus Mods has ensured that it has been tested with many of the mostpopularSkyrimmods, and confirmed that the Adoring Fan is fully compatible with most of them. As well as this, it employs the use of AI voice technology to give the Adoring Fan a new voice. It’s not the voice players will associate withOblivion’s most notorious NPC, but it adds something fresh to the experience. While the use of AI assets in video games is an increasingly controversial issue, there’s undoubtedly something fascinating about seeing it come to life.
Ultimately, no matter how divisive the Adoring Fan is among theElder Scrollscommunity, there’s no doubt that the series is better for characters like him. Sure, he can be annoying, but he’s memorable despite relatively little screen time, which is the highest compliment to be paid to any bit-part character. Love him or hate him, the Adoring Fan gets people talking.Skyrimwas filled with unforgettable characters, as wasOblivion, soThe Elder Scrolls 6could do worse than an Adoring Fan-esque figure. After all, if the goal is to create memorable characters and experiences, there’s arguably no one better than the Adoring Fan.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis available for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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