Tes2Mod:Daggerfall Unity/Gameplay Differences

As described elsewhere on these pages, Daggerfall Unity features stable performance on modern computer systems, fixes a large number of bugs from Daggerfall, adds greatly enhanced graphics and modding options, and includes a wide range of optional game settings via an in-game setup menu. In addition to these enhancements, Daggerfall Unity has improved upon some of the gameplay and user interface mechanics of Daggerfall, as detailed below.

Banking
In Daggerfall Unity, clicking on the "Gold" line in the character sheet (F5) will show what bank accounts and loans the character has in each region. Forum source

Cheat Commands
In Daggerfall, a cheat mode was added to give the player certain advantages to counteract the game's buggy behavior.

In Daggerfall Unity, a  console is available in game with several dozen commands, which can perform most of the cheat mode's functions and do much more.

Dodging
In Daggerfall, Dodging was erroneously applied, such that increasing your dodging skill made enemies harder to kill.

In Daggerfall Unity, Dodging helps you evade attacks on a basis of (Dodging / 4)%.  Github source

Enemy Behavior
In Daggerfall Unity, an option has been added to allow non-quest enemies to fight each other. They are organized in various teams, such as Vermin, Undead, and Orcs. These teams will fight amongst each other when found together. Reddit source

Equipment
In Daggerfall, (non-shield) armor ratings displayed via inventory screen "INFO" tooltips were less than the values displayed via the inventory screen player "paper doll". Also, the displayed damage ranges for all weapons were incorrect.

In Daggerfall Unity, these values are properly displayed. [

Fast Travel
In Daggerfall, the fast travel search function would select the most similar name to what you typed in.

In Daggerfall Unity, the fast travel search function provides a list of similar names, if applicable, and allows you to choose among them. It also accounts for possible spelling mistakes.

In Daggerfall Unity, you can click on adjacent regions on the travel map to switch to viewing them.

In Daggerfall Unity, when the quest log registers a new location to travel to, many times you can click on the log entry and the game will automatically configure a fast travel to it. 

Guild Membership
In Daggerfall, guild membership would only change if reputation dropped below 0. This would expel the character from the guild.

In Daggerfall Unity, a character can also be demoted to a lower rank within a guild when the character's guild reputation drops below the minimum threshold for the character's current rank. Forum source

Guild Quests
In Daggerfall, Mages Guilds and Knightly Orders would offer quests based on guild rank or character level, whichever is higher. The other guilds would use rank alone.

In Daggerfall Unity, all guilds use rank only.

Ingredients
In Daggerfall, some ingredients were different but had the same name, like Berries. There was no way to differentiate the one or the other for potion making.

In Daggerfall Unity, such ingredients have unique identifiers such as "northern" and "southern" to make clear which is needed. Reddit source

Item Enchanting
In Daggerfall, the Item Maker enabled the advantages "Cast When Strikes", "Potent Vs", and "Vampiric Effect: When Strikes" as custom enchantments for all items, despite the enchantments only having an effect for weapons.

In Daggerfall Unity, the Item Maker only enables the "Cast When Strikes", "Potent Vs", and "Vampiric Effect: When Strikes" custom enchantments for weapons. Forum source

Knightly Order Faction Promotion Awards
In Daggerfall, Knightly Order faction rank promotions awarded armor pieces as described at Knightly Orders.

In Daggerfall Unity, Knightly Order faction rank promotions award armor pieces according to Daggerfall Chronicles data. Forum source

Loaded Taverns
In Daggerfall, some taverns were coded to fill with end-game gear free for the taking in their cupboards, called the Rusty Ogre Lodge exploit.

In Daggerfall Unity, such taverns stock normal items.

Lockpicking
In Daggerfall, lockpicking  is believed to have made use of player level and a probability range between 5% and 95% success.

In Daggerfall Unity, "For Lockpicking you must roll less than (lockpicking skill - 5 * lock strength)% on a 1-100 roll." Reddit source

Loot Icon Customization
In Daggerfall Unity, the icons displayed for "loot piles" dropped on the ground can be edited within the game. Forum source

Magic Immunity
In Daggerfall, Magic immunity/resistance/low tolerance/critical weaknesses applied also to Disease, Paralysis, and Poison effects. 

In Daggerfall Unity, Magic immunity/resistance/low tolerance/critical weaknesses only refer to the Magicka element of spells, similar to the Fire, Frost, and Shock elements, and no longer provide immunity/resistance/low tolerance/critical weakness to Disease, Paralysis, or Poison effects. Forum source

(For more details regarding the operation of elemental resistances and immunities in Daggerfall Unity, see here.)

Pacification
In Daggerfall, enemies could be pacified through language skills but the game would not inform that it had happened. Resting and fast travelling near pacified enemies was also not possible.

In Daggerfall Unity, a message informs the player when a foe has been pacified through language skills. Forum source Resting and fast traveling are enabled when pacified NPCs are nearby.

Player Attack
Daggerfall had one attack method: holding the right mouse button and swinging in any direction to direct the player's attack.

Daggerfall Unity has the classic attack method and added a click-to-attack option. The click-to-attack direction is chosen at random and does not allow for player choice. Reddit source

Quest Items
In Daggerfall, items essential to quests could be stored in the wagon and dropped from the inventory.

In Daggerfall Unity, quest items must remain in the inventory at all times when the related quests are active.

Resting
In Daggerfall, clicking the two "Rest" buttons under any circumstance in a town would invoke irate guards instantaneously.

In Daggerfall Unity, a warning will appear prior to the rest action. It is also possible to rest for a short period of time before the guards become aware. Forum source

In Daggerfall Unity, the loitering limit has been raised from 3 hours to 12. Forum source

Rodent Infestation Quests
In Daggerfall, four quests would spawn enemies in a building slowly, confusing many new players who needed to kill them.

In Daggerfall Unity, those quests have been patched to spawn much more quickly. An introduction message also appears when entering the correct building, and a victory message was added to one quest that lacked it. Forum source