I got mine on the day after release just by walking into Gamestop. Maybe because it was the PC version? Still, I felt pretty lucky.

OTOH, my new video card is still a day away.

rub it in our downgraded faces
fine

i am such a dork. i thought you meant the david foster wallace book, and said to myself, "huh? i got that one last year!"

Yesterday I bought a new video card (all in wonder 2006) so I could get the game running.

Although actually I first accidentally bought the pci express version instead of the agp version. I don't have any pci express posts on my motherboard. After returning the card to best buy I discovered that they didn't carry the agp version. So I had to go to compusa to get the right card.

Upon installation my bios couldn't recognize my primary master hd. After reseating the video card and methodically checking all connections to both harddrives and my 3 fans I figured maybe it was a power issue. So I unplugged all the fans but still got no results. So I changed out the harddrive ribbon and finally got it working. It was a really old, fucked up ribbon anyway.

Upon installing the new catalyst drivers I foolishly didn't remove all the old ati software before installing the new stuff. Upon reboot the OS crashed. Twice. After rebooting into safe mode and removing all ati software I was able to do a clean install and get the card and OS working nicely together.

After all that I still had to screw with the video settings of oblivion to get it running smoothly. So after about 6-7 hours of going through all of this I was finally able to play the game. And I would do it all again, cuz this game kicks total ass.

i got the book too and haven't read it yet.
i think that makes us less dorkus

i haven't read it either! i have banned myself from amazon until i read at least a few things on the unread shelf. maybe we need a book club for it.

i'd like something more escapist right now personally.

no idea what.

It came out the day that I was in Seattle. First thing I did on the drive back was to stop by a Future Shop.

Sold out. 50 copies, all sold out the day it was released before noon. Apparently all the other Future Shops were the same. I was pissed.

"Hey, there's that new Best Buy on Cambie..."

I drop by, couldn't find it on the shelves. Shit. I start to leave, see a wall of "New Releases!"

Holy cow. Dozens of copies. Dozens of copies of the collector's edition.

An hour later I was playing Oblivion (CE) at home. The production quality is incredible. The bonus material (a very nicely bound book) came in both English and French.