Chorrol.com > Wolf Mods

Lena Wolf

Mar 27 2022, 10:53 PM

(Re)-construction of Elden Root is complete!

All that is left is to test it... Ehhh... Not today.

But it's the sort of project that needed to be all finished before I could do any meaningful testing. Or so I told myself.

Without going into spoilers, besides the ones that I already revealed, here are some statistics.

The Elden Root chapter fills in 34 interiors and adds 54 NPCs, plus 14 guards. Once all the shops are fully refurbished and business restored, you will find some 150 new items offered in shops. All of these new items are only offered in shops in Elden Root, they are not found as loot and not offered in shops elsewhere. Elden Root is unique! If you want these special items, you'll just have to come back... You will see some of the new apparel worn by Elden Root citizens and some of the other items displayed, but there isn't a giant chest with everything in it anywhere. The merchants' stock will vary, so it could be a long time before you've seen everything that is on offer. You'll need to buy a house and start building a collection, if you want to get it all...

Elden Root has 2 inns and 4 taverns, the Mages Guild, the Fighters Guild, the Thieves Guild, the Order of Virtuous Blood, some Dark Brotherhood presence but no Sanctuary as yet, market with 3 stalls, 11 shops, 2 independent traders, a real estate agent and a total of 3 properties for sale. There is also the City Council and the Office of Imperial Commerce, the City Guard Offices, barracks and dungeon with a working jail, and the City Crypt with suitable provisions. You can also sleep outdoors, unless the beggars beat you to it. And finally, there's a chapel. Much of it is however inaccessible from the start, so it is up to you to restore the city!

The guilds, the Dark Brotherhood and the Order of Virtuous Blood currently have no jobs associated with them, but this could be added in the future. There are other possibilities for expansion as well.

I can tell you all these things because you can see the buildings when you visit the city. There are hardly any shop signs - you need to rescue the shopkeepers first - but public buildings like the Guilds are there for you to see. There are also quite a few more people around right from the start, besides those three that were wandering the streets before. And yet you have 18 people to rescue. I think that's plenty, as some of those locations will be quite hard to find. Others will be easy. Forget uniformity.

Once citizens start returning, other citizens' schedules will become more complex, yet others will come out of hiding. A lot seems to be riding on the restoration of the City Guard, although some citizens would rather have their favourite bar reopen first, and the Guard can well stay away, for all they care. I wonder why, what a strange attitude...

I made a few small changes to the city layout as well, namely I connected the cemetery with the Lower District with a bridge (for those of you who know the city). This makes it all more connected and helps to create patrol routes for the City Guard. I also installed street lights. Screenshots will follow next week as I start testing!

Zelazko

Mar 28 2022, 02:14 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Nov 14 2021, 01:32 PM)

Thanks Acadian, Macole - those trees look great, don't they?

With all the TWMP mods (including Hammerfell) I installed all the main files (latest version only), all the resource files and all the LOD files, that is everything except the patches because I don't need them. The LOD files are really tricky because they are not in a BSA but just files on disk, and you have to install them in the right order because they overwrite what you've got already. But then - people say - you generate new LOD with TES4Edit and everything is fixed! Yeah, right... this has not been my experience. The files in distantLOD folder are overwritten when you generate LOD, and they contain data for trees, objects and some of the water (some? yeah, clear). Then there's texture LOD - some files in Textures/landscapeLOD, and I have not been able to regenerate those successfully with anything. I just get a lot of purple everywhere when I try. But all of those TWMP mods come with land LOD textures, and my mod doesn't change landscapes, so fortunately I don't need to update them. It does make it very important to load the mods in the correct order to get those things overwritten correctly.

Phew... if you are not confused yet, why not?

So, for the record I decided to write up exactly which mods from the TWMP suite I installed and in which order, that's the long list that follows. It is my intention to get Valenwood and Elsweyr working as well, they are not all TWMP, but they were made to work with TWMP, or so I hear. Bear in mind that I haven't explored those areas yet, so I might have to adjust the list later. This is based on this thread on Reddit.

My installation does not start from an empty Oblivion - I already have various mods, some with the dreaded LOD that gets overwritten. Besides, I started with TWMP for Skyrim and installed Elsweyr and Valenwood afterwards - which is the opposite of what they advise on Reddit. I also had my LOD messed up several times while developing my mod, fixed it, messed it up again... So then I decided to reinstall all those TWMP mods again, overwriting everything, but now I've done it in the right order according to Reddit. I have only checked Skyrim and Hammerfell so far, and they are fixed, and Cyrodiil seems to be in order also. So I think this might be a way to go.

EDIT 18 December 2021: I have updated these instructions now that my mod got a new release. Here is the up-to-date page.

Download and Installation

IMPORTANT: download the mods and save them in a safe place because you'll be reusing them a few times! I suggest Data/Downloads. Put each mod in its own folder so you know what's what. It gets confusing very quickly. I download everything first, then go about installing it - this helps to keep track of where you are at.

Installation needs to happen in the order listed below because files get overwritten in the process. Some of the mods also give installation instructions, I tried to take them all into account, but be sure to check them for notes regarding other popular mods that you might have in your game.

Note: I don't use Unique Landscapes, so I didn't download any of those resources. If you do use UL, you will need those files too! Top up your common sense reserves, they will be tested!

Oblivion Script Extender - OBSE - xOBSE

Go to their website and download and install the latest version. TWMP claims to need v21 on its latest mods, but v19 is probably already sufficient.

Under the sign of the dragon - Tamriel Heightmaps
- Tamriel LOD resources
- Tamriel Heightmap v 3.3
- Tr Stirk LOD resources

Under the sign of the dragon - Tamriel Landscape Pack
- BSA
- ESM

Under the sign of the dragon - Tamriel Resource Pack
- ESM ESP
- Full resource pack
The other files here are just the individual parts already contained in the full resource pack, in case you have to re-download (so save it first!).

Elsweyr the Deserts of Anequina
- Main file

Valenwood Improved
- 1020 Full German
- 1020 English translation (replacement ESP with English text)
With TWMP we don't need the ESPs from this mod, only the resources. So why did I download the ESPs as well? No reason. Just for my collection.

TWMP Valenwood Improved
- Main file (the ESP)
- Patch for Elsweyr
We will use this ESP with the resources from the other Valenwood mod. I also downloaded the patch for Elsweyr because I use Elsweyr. Download other patches as needed.

Valenwood Islands
- Valenwood Islands main file
- Valenwood Islands patch
- LOD fix
These are the three main files for this mod, I did not use any of the optional patches.

Under the sign of the dragon - Tamriel Landscapes
- Black Marsh ESP
- Summerset Isles ESP
- Summerset Isles meshes BSA
- Summerset Isles textures BSA
Note that I did not use any of the LOD resource archives from this mod, and also not the Valenwood-Elsweyr module. These are outdated (according to Reddit).

TWMP Summerset Isles Extension
- TWMP SI version 0.1.1

TWMP Castle Dunkerlore
- Main file

TWMP Hammerfell
- Main file
- Distant LOD
- Resource pack
- _far meshes
- LOD terrain meshes and textures
I don't have Sutch village, so I didn't use the patch. Apply your common sense here.

Stirk is integrated in this mod, so remove any stand-alone versions.

TWMP (only High Rock is needed, not Skyrim)
- High Rock ESP
- TWMP LOD resources
Note that you don't need Skyrim ESP but you do need Skyrim LOD resources included in the LOD pack.

TWMP Skyrim Improved
- Main ESP
- Resources
- LOD textures and meshes
Jerall Pass is integrated into this mod, so remove the stand-alone version.

TWMP Locations
- ESP and BSA
Skyrim Nord Tombs is integrated into this mod, so again remove the stand-alone version.

TWMP Skyrim Guard Armors and Shields
- Main file

TWMP Skyrim Alive

- Core
- Optional: Silent dialogue. I don't use Ely's Silent Voice, so I generated this for the whole of Skyrim.
Skyrim Alive is integrated into this mod, so remove the stand-alone version.

Load order is the same as the installation order. If you have any mods that edit the same areas, put them before this lot, or you'll have land tears and/or roads will be lost. Download what patches you need (e.g., for Unique Landscapes) and read descriptions of the corresponding mods for ideas where they go in the load order. I don't use them, so can't test it.

The map

I tried different options and found Dynamic Map to work best, it requires MenuQue.

MenuQue - OBSE Plugin
- Main file version 16b
Note that Dynamic Map states that MenuQue v17 is required, but the highest version we have here is 16b. I use it, it works fine.

Dynamic Map
The main archive contains several options for installation. Choose TWMP Heightmaps - the only option that shows all of Tamriel. Map pack that is available separately, is not needed.

High Detail Dynamic Map TWMP
- Main file
- Patch
Install the main file first, choose the version with Valenwood and Elsweyr. Then the patch because it overwrites the INI file. This is a replacement for the TWMP Heightmaps module of the Dynamic Map.

TWMP Skyrim Alive
- Map archive
This is my overlay for Skyrim - for the High Detail Dynamic Map from above. Again, it overwrites the INI file, so installation order is important.

Once you've got your Dynamic Map installed, have a look at its two configuration files in Data/Ini folder. The core file regulates things like keys used to zoom in and out, while the other file determins what is being displayed. I changed the zoom keys in the core file, for example.

This is the map I shall be maintaining as I explore more of Tamriel. So if I find problems in Elsweyr and Valenwood related to the map, I'll be fixing them for the High Detail version. Unfortunately it is not compatible with "standard" versions because the map is not simply scaled, it is also cropped, so you can't simply resize your old modules - they don't fit properly, you have to redo them in GIMP or something.

Recommended additions

These are the mods I use in my game and they work well with TWMP, at least the Skyrim part which I have so far explored. I understand that some don't work very well with OOO or perhaps something else - check what you are using. For Unique Landscapes there are patches and patches, I've seen them everywhere, so you should be able to fix it.

Load these mods before the TWMP lot, or anyhow before TWMP Skyrim Alive, or you will lose the roads in the Jeralls.

Skyrim Observatory - North-East from the Dive Rock.

HESU Mod Collection - Skyrim Temple - West from the shrine of Azura.

Jerall Home Remastered - puts a house just North of the Dragonclaw Rock.

The Ancient Dwemer Ruins - right on the road West of the Temple of Ancestor Moths.

Ancient Dwemer Ruin Vornhuzduc - in Cyrodiil West of Bruma.

Pinevale - in the Jeralls West of Bruma. There is a pass from below.

Nordinkarst- Nordic Meadhall - in the Jeralls West of Pinevale. Easy access from Falkreath! Use this patch with TWMP. Load the main mod before TWMP mods, and load the patch after the TWMP mods.

The Crystal Chasm - North-West from the shrine of Mora, on the vanilla road to Hammerfell (vanilla road to Hammerfell? Oh yes!!). This puts a road from the shrine connecting to the vanilla road. I hear this conflicts with bandits from the OOO, so you might have to choose.

Red Mead Hall - just West of the shrine of Hermaeus Mora. Quite something. Conflicts with the road from the Crystal Chasm which goes under the building, unfortunately - you have to choose or use my patch for it. This does not depend on TWMP, so can be used without it. Load Chasm first, then Red Mead Hall, then the patch. This block of three can be loaded before all the TWMP mods.

Falkreath - Ghastley's mod, no longer on Nexus. Fits beautifully!

Start playing!

This is the important bit... get out there! Start exploring!!

Oh, and people say you can also safely install Morroblivion on top of all of this. I plan to do it too, at some point.

How many plugins does it take to make?

I am wondering about fitting this in my mod setup. I already have 170 esp/esm plugins.

Lena Wolf

Mar 28 2022, 02:56 PM

QUOTE

How many plugins does it take to make?

I am wondering about fitting this in my mod setup. I already have 170 esp/esm plugins.

You still have room, not to worry.

These instructions are a little out of date though, and I have since figured out how to do LOD, and why I was having issues before. Best check that up to date page which I am indeed keeping up to date as I learn new things and explore more of Tamriel.

EDIT: I see that I haven't updated that page yet! I thought I did... Never mind. There are some small changes to load order, and of course there's now TWMP Southern Alliance which reconciles Valenwood Improved and Elsweyr Pelletine, so there is no longer a need to make a choice.

Lena Wolf

Mar 28 2022, 05:29 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Mar 28 2022, 02:56 PM)

QUOTE

How many plugins does it take to make?

I am wondering about fitting this in my mod setup. I already have 170 esp/esm plugins.

You still have room, not to worry.

These instructions are a little out of date though, and I have since figured out how to do LOD, and why I was having issues before. Best check that up to date page which I am indeed keeping up to date as I learn new things and explore more of Tamriel.

Page updated. See also: Building your own LOD.

Zelazko

Mar 29 2022, 01:23 AM

QUOTE

Elsweyr the Deserts of Anequina from AFK Mods, not Nexus
– Main files
– Patches as needed
– Do not install any LOD

https://www.afkmods.com/index.php?/files/fi...sweyr-anequina/
I should grab and use the 01_ElsweyrAnequina_Official_Patch?

The fix Includes:

QUOTE

1. Fix to the Rimmen buy-a-house quest, ending the quest after purchase of all upgrades.
2. Fixes to the rent-a-room topic, recognizing if the player does not have enough gold.
3. Patch to the village of Alabaster's Ayleid walls to account for the changes to those meshes in the Unofficial Oblivion Patch.
4. Access to the Corinthe Temple District and the friendly Khajiit tribal village of Chasemoor in a hidden valley between Rimmen and Orcrest.
5. Fix to the Rimmen Guard who left the city and travelled toward Chorrol.

Also

TWMP_Valenwood_Elsweyr.esp is required by ElsweyrPelletine.esp. The guide says that

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/38792?tab=files

QUOTE

Under the sign of the dragon – Tamriel Landscapes
– Valenwood_Elsweyr – BSA only
– Do not install the ESP or the LOD

For removal of Valenwood Islands LOD. I need to remove
Valenwood Islands\textures\landscapelod\generated
Valenwood Islands\meshes\landscape\lod
That's what I at least removed for ElsweyrPelletine but I am not sure how to deal with Valenwood Islands' distantlod folder.

Lena Wolf

Mar 29 2022, 02:13 AM

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Mar 29 2022, 01:23 AM)

https://www.afkmods.com/index.php?/files/fi...sweyr-anequina/
I should grab and use the 01_ElsweyrAnequina_Official_Patch?

I installed it. I have so far only visited Corinthe, and there were no issues there - I also use Corinthe City Extension. There was one disembodied door leading to the Temple District, but I fixed it in Mysteries - just a simple repositioning. I would say probably yes, get it, but check in game. It's not a major thing anyway.

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Mar 29 2022, 01:23 AM)

TWMP_Valenwood_Elsweyr.esp is required by ElsweyrPelletine.esp. The guide says that

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/38792?tab=files

QUOTE

Under the sign of the dragon – Tamriel Landscapes
– Valenwood_Elsweyr – BSA only
– Do not install the ESP or the LOD

Keep reading.

That file was redone in TWMP Southern Alliance. It is the key to use the redone version, NOT the original!

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Mar 29 2022, 01:23 AM)

For removal of Valenwood Islands LOD. I need to remove
Valenwood Islands\textures\landscapelod\generated
Valenwood Islands\meshes\landscape\lod
That's what I at least removed for ElsweyrPelletine but I am not sure how to deal with Valenwood Islands' distantlod folder.

I need to clarify that, sorry. Do not remove the entire folders but only the LOD that pertains to Tamriel. Look at the files in those folders. Files for Tamriel start with "60." or "Tamriel". Remove those. Don't remove the ones that start with other names - they belong to other worldspaces.

Sorry I haven't got the computer before me now. You need to remove files from all three folders, also distantlod.

I believe that Pelletine only has LOD for Tamriel, I remember removing everything there. But Valenwood Islands also have LOD for the island worldspaces, you want to keep that.

Lena Wolf

Mar 29 2022, 11:20 AM

I have updated the instructions with more info on LOD removal and generation, among other things.

Lena Wolf

Apr 1 2022, 01:28 PM

It has been quiet in the land of Wolf mods lately. I still haven't started testing Elden Root, I just needed a break from it. I've been cleaning up some mess I made earlier when I didn't know what I was doing, and cleaning up mess can be more labour-intensive than starting from scratch. But this was around my companion system, and since I already have some of those companions in-game, I didn't want to just throw them away and start again but rather wanted to keep them and catch up.

At this point my first fully custom companion - Hauk - is all finished and needs a holiday.

I used him to develop the scripting and AI for the framework, which means it transfers to all other companions connected to it. Of which there are none complete so far.

Oh, there are a number in development, but they all need filling in and testing.

The next one is a biggie though - Lucien Lachance. His companion part including all buildings is finished (a separate NPC so as not to mess up the vanilla quests), and some of his custom quests are finished - he comes with a lot of strings attached. He is not going to be ready for release until many more quests are done though, and this is something I want to play through myself. Of course, in terms of Lena's story, those are all events that took place two centuries ago, so she'll be remembering them, writing memoirs or some such. The quests are indeed based on the stories. In terms of the companion mod, you'd need to finish those quests in a particular way to gain favour with Lucien so that eventually he would deem you worthy of his assistance. None of the quests will be a game breaker, but rather he'll count your failures and see that you redeem yourself. I feel this suits his character.

Lena Wolf

Apr 4 2022, 11:45 AM

The weekend was spent cleaning up. I tried to start testing my new Valenwood Cities mod, and sure enough, there are a few more people out and about in Elden Root. But then my FPS dropped from 15 to 13 to 8 to... none. And the game crashed.

My 15 year old PC with 4GB RAM could not handle it. I am sure the crash was not due to any bugs but purely because the system got overloaded. I mean, it was slow to begin with, and those few extra people just tipped it over, it seems.

I bought a better computer, it's been awaiting attention for a couple of weeks, so it seems I need to transfer everything to it before I can continue with Valenwood. So in the meantime while waiting for it to download and re-install stuff, I've been cleaning up my mods, publishing some small things here and there, and building more Companion modules. The Companion system is actually reaching maturity.

In other news, after some communication with the current maintainer of TWMP (Haldar), I have a plan for Skyrim: Whiterun, Morthal and Castle Volkihar. Dawnstar is also missing, but it might have to wait until round 3. So there's my summer sorted.

I shall also fix up Riften with a few enhancements - I've learned a few things since I made it. Such as how to make a working jail so that you don't get taken to Bruma for processing.

Turns out, it's easy. Well, everything is easy once you know how to do it! It's not like there's a Tome of Oblivion Modding out there somewhere, and I mean one which goes beyond "My first NPC". (Yes, I read the one that's out there.)

Zelazko

Apr 5 2022, 09:50 PM

Why not plug an old hard drive into new PC and transfer all mods. I assume you use Wrye Bash. So you would need to only install Oblivion in the same directory as old PC and move everything copy/replace.

I am having trouble with stability. Can you share your TWMP load order? I can play like 30 minutes but then the game crashes randomly which I assume is a issue related to faulty load order.

Lena Wolf

Apr 5 2022, 09:59 PM

I am copying over a lot of data, most of it not in Oblivion/Data but elsewhere. But yes, I suppose I could have plugged the HD into the other PC... But I didn't want to touch the hardware. Anyway, I'm nearly done.

Load order: please see my guide on how to install TWMP Tamriel, it's towards the bottom. This is my actual load order.

Random crashes like this may very well be happening due to Oblivion overloading. I am having the same problem anywhere in the South (Valenwood or Elsweyr), but not in Cyrodiil or Skyrim. I installed a purger mod and that helps a lot.

Zelazko

Apr 6 2022, 02:31 AM

Active Mod Files:
00 Oblivion.esm
01 All Natural Base.esm [Version 1.38]
02 Hemingweys Capes Improved.esm [Version 3.0b]
03 Oblivifall Master File.esm [Version 1.2]
04 Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esm [Version 1.5.11]
05 Waalx Animals & Creatures.esm
06 A_Bloody_Mess.esm
07 HorseCombatMaster.esm
08 Lovers with PK.esm
09 LoversCreature.esm [Version 2.5]
0A TamagoClub.esm
0B HiyokoClub.esm
0C Dynamic Underwear System.esm
0D TamRes.esm
0E TamRes_LandscapeResource.esm
0F Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp [Version 3.5.7]
++ Oblivion Citadel Door Fix.esp
10 DLCShiveringIsles.esp
11 Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch.esp [Version 1.6.0]
12 DLCHorseArmor.esp
13 DLCHorseArmor - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.9]
14 DLCOrrery.esp
15 DLCOrrery - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.7]
16 DLCVileLair.esp
17 DLCVileLair - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.11]
18 DLCMehrunesRazor.esp
19 DLCMehrunesRazor - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.8]
1A DLCSpellTomes.esp
++ DLCSpellTomes - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.1]
1B DLCThievesDen.esp
1C DLCThievesDen - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.15]
1D DLCThievesDen - Unofficial Patch - SSSB.esp [Version 1.0.14]
1E DLCBattlehornCastle.esp
1F DLCBattlehornCastle - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.12]
20 DLCFrostcrag.esp
21 DLCFrostcrag - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.10]
22 Knights.esp
23 Knights - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.1.8]
24 AoG Overhaul and Detect Item.esp
25 Oblivion_Character_Overhaul.esp [Version 2.03]
26 AoG Overhaul Greed Empire.esp
27 Tamriel.esp
28 TamRes.esp
29 TWMP_BlackMarsh.esp
2A All Natural - Real Lights.esp [Version 1.38]
2B Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esp [Version 1.5.10]
2C OOOShiveringIsles.esp
2D WAC.esp
2E OOOExtended.esp
2F Oblivion Uncut.esp
30 Oblivifall - Losing My Religion.esp [Version 1.43]
31 Sounds of Cyrodiil.esp [Version 1.1]
32 TWMP_Castle_Dunkerlore.esp
33 Rost3_Topal.esp [Version 1.0]
34 TWMP_Summerset.esp
35 TWMP SI.esp
36 TWMP_Hammerfell.esp [Version 1.2.1]
37 Hemingweys Capes Improved for OOO.esp [Version 3.0b]
38 WACIntegration.esp
39 All Natural.esp [Version 1.38]
3A Sutch Village.esp [Version 1.0.4]
++ TWMP_Hammerfell - Sutch Village.esp
3B TWMP_HighRock.esp
3C TWMP_SkyrimImproved.esp
3D TWMP Skyrim Guard Armors & Shields.esp
3E TWMP_Locations.esp [Version 1.0.6]
3F TWMP Skyrim Alive.esp
40 ElsweyrAnequina.esp
41 All Natural - SI.esp [Version 1.38]
42 StarX Vanilla Vampires Revised.esp
43 Kvatch Rebuilt.esp [Version 3.0RC3]
44 bgMagicEV.esp [Version 1.7EV]
45 Vampire Hunting - Order of the Virtuous Blood.esp
46 Oblivifall - Losing My Religion KOTN.esp [Version 1.0]
47 Enhanced Quest Roleplaying.esp [Version 2.03]
48 TheReturnOfTheDarkBrotherhood.esp
49 Mages Guild Quests.esp
4A RadiantAI - NPCs Alive - Cyrodiil.esp
4B Enhanced Daedric Invasion.esp
++ Silenced Dialogue.esp
4C PSMainQuestDelayer.esp
4D DD_NPCArrest.esp
++ OOO155-HEchasm-patch.esp
4E LoversSituations.esp
4F Fighters Guild Quests.esp
++ Hemingweys OOO Show Amulets.esp [Version 3.0b]
** OCOv2 - Filter Patch for Mods.esp [Version 1.5]
++ Hemingweys OOO NPC Capes Improved Citizens Lite.esp [Version 3.0b]
++ Hemingweys OOO NPC Capes Improved Enemies.esp [Version 3.0b]
50 STDDiversGuards Merge.esp
51 Oblivion Uncut - OOO Adaptation.esp [Version 1.5]
52 CurseOfHircine.esp
** OOOExtendedArcheryPatch.esp
53 Immersive Weapons.esp
++ Hemingweys OOO NPC Capes Improved Bosses Only.esp [Version 3.0b]
++ Hemingweys OOO NPC Capes Improved Regional City Guards.esp [Version 3.0b]
54 tbskGuardsFeatures.esp
55 Banes Guilds UnitedOOO.esp
56 GuildAdvancementBGU.esp
57 BrotherhoodRenewed.esp [Version 1.1.2]
58 TWMP_Valenwood_Elsweyr.esp
59 ElsweyrPelletine.esp [Version 1.42]
5A TWMP_ValenwoodImproved.esp [Version 1.02.0]
5B ValenwoodIslands.esp
5C New Senchal.esp
5D TWMP Southern Alliance.esp
++ ElsweyrPelletine - Plantations patch.esp
5E JQ-AssassinQuest.esp
** bgMagicEVShader.esp [Version 1.7EV]
++ AoG Patch No Bolt FRDG and SHDG.esp
5F Tales of Cyrodiil.esp
60 Devastation of Kvatch - Kvatch only.esp
61 StarX VVR_OOO_FCOM Patch.esp
62 Why only apple-EV.esp [Version 1.02]
63 Reaction.esp [Version 1.12]
64 LoversProstitute.esp [Version 2]
65 LoversPayBandit.esp
66 Plentiful Priories.esp
67 bgMagicBonus.esp [Version 1.7EV]
68 Dead at the Gallows.esp
69 SpreadingVampirism.esp
6A Crossbows of Cyrodiil.esp
6B TamrielTransportationNetwork.esp
6C FarmAnimalsofCyrodiil.esp [Version 1.4]
6D bgMagicEVPaperChase.esp [Version 1.68EV]
6E Vampire Revolution.esp [Version v1.13]
++ CoH Werewolves Mixed.esp
6F LoversImmoralGuards.esp [Version 3.0]
70 Whispered Warning.esp
71 BrumaMGRestored.esp
72 Glenmoril Covens.esp
73 Camping.esp
74 BrumaMGRestored-Frostcrag.esp
75 Basic Personal Hygiene.esp [Version 3.0]
76 Basic Primary Needs.esp [Version 6.3]
77 bgMagicAlchemy.esp [Version 1.57]
++ bgMagicEVAddEnVar.esp [Version 1.68EV]
++ bgMagicEVStartspells.esp [Version 1.68EV]
++ bgMagicItemSigil.esp [Version 1.68EV]
78 bgMagicLightningbolt.esp
++ bgMagicPotionNumberSoulGemValue.esp [Version 1.68UV]
++ bgMagicShaderLifeDetect.esp [Version 1.68]
++ bgMagicSpellTomes_for_WryeBash.esp [Version 1.68EV]
79 Improved Chests (OOO Compatible).esp
7A Cover yourself when you sleep.esp
7B Elz - Realistic Gravity.esp
7C Enhanced Economy.esp [Version 5.4.3]
++ Enhanced Economy - House prices.esp [Version 5.4.3]
7D Weapons Of Morrowind.esp [Version 1.0]
7E Expanded Weaponry.esp
7F Get Wet.esp
++ Goblin Shamans Respawn.esp
++ goblin_war_party.esp
++ Hemingweys OOO Boss Chest Cape Loot.esp [Version 3.0b]
++ Hemingweys OOO Cape Patch.esp [Version 3.0b]
++ Hemingweys OOO NPC Capes Improved IC Guards.esp [Version 3.0b]
++ Hemingweys OOO NPC Capes Improved Legion Forester.esp [Version 3.0b]
80 Kaizits New Animations NPC.esp
81 Kvatch Rebuilt - OOO Adaptation.esp
82 Kvatch Rebuilt Weather Patch.esp
83 Lava Does Fire Damage.esp
84 LegionInteractAnims.esp
85 LINK.esp [Version 1.4]
86 Loth's Blunt Weapons for Npcs.esp
87 MigLockpicking.esp [Version 1.8]
88 Palace Improvement.esp
89 New skill - Unarmored.esp [Version 1.2]
8A Oblivifall - Closing Time.esp [Version 1.0]
8B One of a Kind Weapons.esp
++ P1DlookAtShrines.esp
8C P1DlookHereYou.esp
++ Real Lava 1.3.esp
8D Real Time Lockpicking Minigames.esp
++ Starx-OVB Patch.esp
8E StoneMask.esp
8F StopDarkBrotherhood.esp
** tbskGuardsFeatures_UOP_Patch.esp [Version 1.0]
++ tbskGuardsFeatures OOO Patch.esp
90 tbskGuardsFeaturesKvatchAddon.esp
91 UltimateToolBoxV2.esp
92 VipCxj_BulletCamera.esp
93 WeaponReachAndSpeedOverhaul.esp
94 WeatherEffects.esp
95 WindowLightingSystem.esp
++ Quest NPCs Run.esp [Version 1.5]
96 A Bloody Mess - Bloody Fights.esp
97 Bloody_Mess.esp
98 LAME OBME Edition addon.esp
99 Jadrax Illegal Skooma.esp
9A Dynamic Map.esp [Version 2.1.1]
9B EDiveRiseControls.esp
9C Deadly Reflex 6 - Timed Block with no damage or durability changes.esp
9D DeadlyReflex 6 - Combat Moves.esp
++ cidnothump.esp
9E LoversHiyokoShooter.esp
9F LoversSlaveTrader.esp
A0 Enhanced Grabbing.esp [Version 0.5]
A1 sycSHOUT.esp [Version 1.02]
A2 Mounted_Spellcasting_Deadly_Reflex_Compatible.esp
++ Deadly Reflex 6 - HeX NifSE Patch.esp
A3 zzEstrus.esp
++ TentaclePlant.esp
++ zzEstrusSoundVolumeDown.esp
A4 Lovers with PK.esp [Version 96v5]
A5 LoversMB2.esp
A6 LoversBed.esp
A7 LoversChorus.esp
A8 LoversCreature.esp [Version 2.5.11]
A9 xLCR.esp
AA LoversRaperS.esp
++ OOOShiveringIsles_OCO_Patch.esp
++ Vanilla Like Khajiits.esp
++ OCO_Eyes_Fix.esp
** OCO DLC Faces.esp [Version 1.3]
AB Ragdolls.esp
AC HiyokoGenerator.esp
AD HiyokoGenetics.esp
AE LoversEncounter.esp [Version 1.20]
AF LVSSP_Creatures.esp
B0 LoversOrgy.esp
B1 DUS - Female Underwear Pack.esp
B2 TamagoGuide.esp
B3 Lovers_Prowler_Full.esp
B4 A0GAG.esp
++ PikachunoTM Delayed DLC.esp [Version 1..0.1]
B5 HiyokoGrow.esp [Version 2.3]
B6 TamagoDischarge.esp
B7 SetBody.esp
B8 LoversJoystick.esp
++ lustyargonianrequest.esp
** All Natural - Indoor Weather Filter For Mods.esp [Version 1.38]
B9 Bashed Patch, 0.esp
BA OOOExtended - Creature Spawn Chance Fix.esp
BB OOO - Creature Spawn Chance Fix.esp
BC LoversIdleAnimsPriority.esp
BD Lovers3dorgasm.esp
BE Lovers3dorgasmMB2.esp
BF LoversAnimObjectsPriority.esp
C0 Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul.esp [Version 4.9.4.2]
C1 LoversIdleAnimsPriority_MOO.esp

Sorry for the long list but spoiler tag has line limit which I exceed and it displays nothing.

macole

Apr 6 2022, 04:46 AM

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Apr 5 2022, 08:31 PM)

Active Mod Files:
*
C0 Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul.esp [Version 4.9.4.2]
C1 LoversIdleAnimsPriority_MOO.esp

Sorry for the long list but spoiler tag has line limit which I exceed and it displays nothing.

Did you include Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul in the Bash Patch? My understanding is that MOO should sorted after and not included in the Bash Patch.

Lena Wolf

Apr 6 2022, 08:31 AM

Zelazko - you have a very different load order from mine. You have a lot of mods that do things dynamically, like OOO and other modern stuff. I only have static mods mostly, my PC cannot handle all the processing imposed by the dynamic mods. Also, I don't just put mods into my load order, I clean them first, and fix errors reported by TES4Edit, so they are often not the same as what you download from Nexus. Except for TWMP mods, as those are amazingly clean. I also make my own custom merges. I do not use bashed patch. My use of Wrye Bash is limited to establishing load order. I am also skeptical of Unofficial Patches. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, is what I say, and I have no issues with the vanilla game...

Below is my complete mod list. Mods without a mark in front are just as they are, without any changes. Here are the marks:

# - my merges (I can provide a list of what's inside if you want)
$ - my own mods that have been published (I use the same version as the one released)
% - my mods for private use, as yet unpublished mods or modifications to existing mods made for private use

So, here comes the list.

Oblivion.esm
Oblivifall Master File.esm
Cybiades.esm
TamRes.esm
TamRes_LandscapeResource.esm
CustomSpellIcons.esm
% LenasCompanions.esm

HrmnsOblivionScriptOptimizationv1.0.esp
DLCShiveringIsles.esp
DLCMehrunesRazor.esp
DLCFrostcrag.esp
DLCBattlehornCastle.esp
DLCSpellTomes.esp
DLCOrrery.esp
DLCVileLair.esp
DLCThievesDen.esp

Purge Cell Buffers ++.esp
HZRevealMapMarkers.esp
DS Time Manager.esp
Kyoma's Journal Mod.esp
% Real Time Lockpicking Minigames.esp
MigMiscellanea.esp
AdvancedMagicLeveling.esp
SummonsUnsuckified.esp
BareNecessities.esp
# Basic Utilities.esp
kuerteeBattleFatigueAndInjuries.esp
See You Sleep DLL.esp
% 0-Clothes and Armour.esp
Oblivifall - Losing My Religion.esp
% Oblivifall - Losing My Religion Chapel Update.esp
# Animations.esp
# MoreGenericDialogue.esp
Diverse Voices.esp
# People of Cyrodiil.esp
blance.esp
RCB - Realistic Combat Behaviour.esp
% Companion Dylan.esp
Classic Witcher.esp
% Companion Hauk Serck-Hanssen.esp
% Companion Sanguine.esp
% Companion Fenris Bero.esp
% Companion Garrus Darelliun.esp
% Companion Lucien Lachance.esp
% Companion Scorpio.esp
% The Dark Brotherhood Contracts.esp
% 0-house-paths.esp
% 0-MG-necr-war.esp
Mages Guild Quests.esp
ardah.esp
archfall_house.esp
everrest.esp
MadgodsParadise.esp
% Anvil Port and Drinks.esp
centiel.esp
# SI Merged Plugin.esp
SICitiesExpanded.esp
SINSOutskirts.esp
Saldaea.esp
# Cyrodiil Updated.esp
MNMRTP Topal's Rest.esp
alternativecityentrances-updated.esp
$ Imperial Shipyard City Isle.esp
# HESU.esp
# Bravil Port Merged.esp
# Imperial Legion Outposts.esp
Legions of Cyrodiil.esp
Im Garten Kosh_ImpIsle.esp
Darbinshire Keep.esp
Dungeons of Blackwood.esp
Colovian Barrow Mounds.esp
Dungeons of Tamriel.esp
WellDiver.esp
Ayleid Water Tower.esp
SweetspringIsland.esp
% Pale Pass Inn.esp
Fort Dreftin.esp
# Dwemer Ruins Combined.esp
Falkreath.esp
Aruins2 - Great City of Nivarian.esp
Mehrunes Maze.esp
zES Mathmeldi.esp
AsarusTomb1.esp
Cybiades.esp
CybiadesDungeon.esp
Tamriel.esp
TamRes.esp
Tieflandsburg Castle v2.esp
# TWMP Summerset Combined.esp
# TWMP Black Marsh Extended.esp
TWMP_Hammerfell.esp
TWMP_HighRock.esp
TWMP_SkyrimImproved.esp
$ TWMP Skyrim Less Scary.esp
TWMP Skyrim Guard Armors & Shields.esp
TWMP_Locations.esp
$ TWMP Skyrim Alive.esp
aaRedHall.esp
nordinkarst_1.0.1_en.esp
$ nordinkarst-TWMP-Skyrim-Alive-patch.esp
% Companion Witcher Geralt.esp
ElsweyrAnequina.esp
ElsweyrAnequinaPatch.esp
# ElsweyrAnequina Merged Addons.esp
$ TWMP_Valenwood_Elsweyr.esp
ElsweyrPelletine.esp
# ElsweyrPelletine Merged Addons.esp
$ Elsweyr Mysteries.esp
ElsweyrPelletine - Plantations patch.esp
$ ElsweyrPelletine - Mysteries Patch.esp
TWMP_ValenwoodImproved.esp
% TWMP Valenwood Cities.esp
$ TWMP Southern Alliance.esp
ValenwoodIslands.esp
$ New Senchal.esp
$ 0-Vampirism with relapse.esp
ScriptIcon_Replacer.esp
$ Tamriel map.esp

Lena Wolf

Apr 6 2022, 10:50 AM

Zelazko - looking through your mod list, I see you have OCO. Do you also have OCO Compatibility Edition? Users have reported problems with the original OCO and various other mods, including my TWMP Skyrim Alive. I didn't do anything with OCO, but it seems that it can cause random crashes with other mods, even though they are completely independent. But the Compatibility Edition seems to help. See posts section for TWMP Skyrim Alive.

Lena Wolf

Apr 6 2022, 04:39 PM

I made peace with my old computer! Turns out, it was running out of memory. I disabled Black Marsh and Summerset Isles, and all my performance issues melted away.

I shall of course still need to upgrade at some point, but it doesn't have to be right now.

Which means I started testing Valenwood Cities! A few small things here and there so far, but nothing major. And here are the first screenshots!

Some people are out and about

Some shops are open

Most people claim that everyone's on holiday...

But clues are to be found

Some people have a story

Some are just... strange...

Something is definitely going on!

Zelazko

Apr 6 2022, 09:24 PM

For OCO I use https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51324 Oblivion Character Overhaul Cleaned - OCO Cleaned by PushTheWinButton
@Macole - yes I don't include MOO in Bashed Patch Lovers mods as well as they advise against on LL forum.
It's true my load order is loaded with dynamic stuff but that is nothing my old PC couldn't handle. I had similar (65%) load order years back -especially lovers mod and other. I am new functionality junkie when it comes to mods. Same goes for Skyrim. I can live with low 30 FPS in stressed areas. I just want to reduce significantly the crashes.
Thanks for info regarding Summerset Isles. I think I will drop it since there isn't much content for that province.
I will use BOSS and manually try to sort other plugins to my best ability. I will also swap for OCO Compatibility Edition. Maybe it will reduce the crashes. The load order I listed was generated by LOOT.

This is that last load order I used years back. I still have a backup of that modded setup. But it's outdated. There were no OCO at that time or its seamless version which is must have.
I managed to make FCOM+WAC work.

Show / Hide Spoiler Text Above!

Lena Wolf

Apr 7 2022, 01:26 AM

Zelazko - sorry I can't help you. I don't use most of the mods that you use. No OCO, seamless, OOO, MMM, or other acronyms.

So I would have no clue.

However, I did notice that the Southern provinces require far more resources than the Northern provinces. I started with Hammerfell, High Rock, Skyrim and Morrowind, and didn't notice any degradation of performance. But as soon as I went to Elsweyr, the system started to lag. Southern provinces use new and more detailed models for trees, rocks and landscapes, with or without TWMP (Anequina has nothing to do with TWMP, for example). And I think this is the reason why they need so much more resources. I have now disabled both Black Marsh and Summerset Isles. There is very little for Black Marsh, and not all that much for Summerset Isles, although more than for Black Marsh. But mostly I have no time to go exploring there yet, because I have other plans and want to try Morroblivion first, so for me I disabled them for now. Try it and see if it helps. I do not believe that TWMP introduces instability by way of bugs (not more than anything else, anyway), but rather instability might arise due to running out of memory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But back to TWMP Valenwood Cities! I got so excited to have my old PC back, that I forgot to look at the clock, it is now 1:20am and I'm not in the least sleepy...

Even in spite of rum.

But Valenwood Cities is working!

I've been having so much fun! I fixed a few small things and ironed out a few creases, but actually it's ready for release! Not tonight though, probably tomorrow, and I need to calm down and sleep on it. But here come some screenshots!

Elden Root bridges

The Eagle's Nest Inn

A popular bar

A view of the rooftops

The City Guard barracks (these beds should not be empty!)

The City Guard dining room (where are all the boys?)

The Ayleid Quarter

An evening on the town

Zelazko

Apr 7 2022, 03:04 AM

Maybe some meshes or textures that are used commonly in southern provinces mods are not optimized? Or it could be a script bottleneck firing every frame because someone forgot to add doOnce condition? Those could be two main reasons.

Since Oblivion 64-bit version is never coming out I wish some OBSE guru would hack and expanded memory address. I checked MoreHeap and no matter which area I go to (Waterfront badly optimized) the RAM usage is still the same. In relative stress free Oblivion uses about 380 MB and in Waterfront 680 MB.

Lena Wolf

Apr 7 2022, 08:25 AM

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Apr 7 2022, 03:04 AM)

Maybe some meshes or textures that are used commonly in southern provinces mods are not optimized? Or it could be a script bottleneck firing every frame because someone forgot to add doOnce condition? Those could be two main reasons.

The meshes are not optimised and textures are higher resolution. This is well known, apparently. Several people confirmed this. FPS drops in the South.

QUOTE

Since Oblivion 64-bit version is never coming out I wish some OBSE guru would hack and expanded memory address. I checked MoreHeap and no matter which area I go to (Waterfront badly optimized) the RAM usage is still the same. In relative stress free Oblivion uses about 380 MB and in Waterfront 680 MB.

Are you using 4GB RAM Patcher? Someone already did it.

It says in the write-up that it only becomes effective if you have more than 4GB RAM in your PC though.

I must also add that I use GOG Oblivion. It has already been patched for 4GB and better heap allocation. There appear to be issues with Steam Oblivion when trying to use 4GB patcher, OSR or similar mods because Steam Oblivion is also modified, but it is unclear how (other than to fit with Steam).

Also, I run Windows 10. It does a decent job of memory management, although there is no salvation once it starts to swap. But this is true for any OS.

Dispensation has just published his 2022 guide to Oblivion modding. Although I do not necessarily agree with his selection of mods, he does have some good advice on general utilities, memory management and the like, that is well worth reading. The mod selection will always remain a personal choice, however.

Lena Wolf

Apr 7 2022, 09:07 PM

TWMP Valenwood Cities is published! This is volume 1 - Elden Root.

Phew. Now I can do other things.

The sewers of Anvil are calling loud and clear! (Not my work, I downloaded some stuff, time to go exploring! And I never found the secret passage to the castle either, and that's vanilla!)

In other news, if you are using Elsweyr Pelletine, make sure to download this bug fixing patch from theredcurtain - he fixed all those wrong Khajiit skeletons that were causing stripes on screen and CTDs shortly afterwards.

Zelazko

Apr 9 2022, 12:10 AM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Apr 7 2022, 08:25 AM)

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Apr 7 2022, 03:04 AM)

Maybe some meshes or textures that are used commonly in southern provinces mods are not optimized? Or it could be a script bottleneck firing every frame because someone forgot to add doOnce condition? Those could be two main reasons.

The meshes are not optimised and textures are higher resolution. This is well known, apparently. Several people confirmed this. FPS drops in the South.

QUOTE

Since Oblivion 64-bit version is never coming out I wish some OBSE guru would hack and expanded memory address. I checked MoreHeap and no matter which area I go to (Waterfront badly optimized) the RAM usage is still the same. In relative stress free Oblivion uses about 380 MB and in Waterfront 680 MB.

Are you using 4GB RAM Patcher? Someone already did it.

It says in the write-up that it only becomes effective if you have more than 4GB RAM in your PC though.

I used GOG version of Oblivion. I tried both with and without 4GB. The RAM memory usage is same. I have 32 GB of DDR4 RAM.

I am no expert here but I think both 4GB patch and ORS or MoreHeap expand the precache engine memory and have little to do with the actual RAM. I can be wrong here.

Those cities looks nice. I cannot say more from the screenshots. But maybe make Valenwood cities like at least 80% of Bosmer? Only Cyrodiil gets to be very cosmolitan and multiracial. In Morrowind/Vvardenfell the other races are more common only in Imperial Forts and hamlets. Dunmer are majority in Balmora, vast majority in the Redorn capital of Ald-ruhn. Vivec is more cosmolitan and Telvanni only allows outsiders if they are members of the faction. TES V -Skyrim cities villages and towns were also in majority inhabited by Nords.

Lena Wolf

Apr 9 2022, 01:03 AM

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Apr 9 2022, 12:10 AM)

I used GOG version of Oblivion. I tried both with and without 4GB. The RAM memory usage is same. I have 32 GB of DDR4 RAM.

Wow, Zelazko, that's a lot of RAM! I only have 4GB, so I cannot help you.

QUOTE

Those cities looks nice. I cannot say more from the screenshots. But maybe make Valenwood cities like at least 80% of Bosmer?

It is mostly Bosmer. Why did you think it would not be? Because I posted two pictures of Nords? Well, I guess therein lies my personal preference.

I did not change the city layout, that's just how it is in Valenwood Improved. I only added interiors which I obviously didn't post as it would be a spoiler, and of course I added NPCs. It is indeed mostly Bosmer. I kept the percentage about the same as in Elsweyr, except that in Valenwood we have Bosmer instead of the Khajiit.

EDIT: Now I went and counted the NPCs. Not considering the guards who have to be Imperial to function, the rest of the population is 50% Bosmer and 50% other races. There are no Khajiit because they and Bosmer don't like each other very much.

There are mostly other elves. A few Argonians, Nords, Orcs, Redguards and Imperials. One Breton.

I have also counted the NPCs in Whiterun. It is the same percentage - only 50% of Whiterun citizens are Nord, not counting the guards. It seems that foreigners have permeated the Empire rather further than it would appear.

"What happened to my Skyrim? Elves and lizards everywhere." And I am not even talking about Windhelm with its Grey Quarter and its Argonian Docks. Windhelm, the seat of the Stormcloaks.

Elden Root is a big city, it is not the old Elden Root with Bosmer tribes or the ancestral tree - all of that is long gone. Valenwood Improved is not lore-friendly, people say. Welcome to Valenwood Improved!

There are plenty of Bosmer around, or rather there will be once the city is restored by the player. There's a reason why it were the Nords and the Orcs who survived the massacre. Fight well. May your kills be fast and many.

PS. Yes, I know I could have made Bosmer guards with silent dialogue. That's a lot of work and I am not sure how to do it. I had my hands full making the rest of the population, so I made the guards vanilla - that is, Imperial. This can be changed later, although personally I think that talking guards are better than silent ones, even if they are Imperial rather than Bosmer. The Captain is a Redguard anyway, and the Mayor (who is a Bosmer) won't take a step without him, or without his Nord bodyguard. I am not arguing with the Mayor.

There's a reason why the Captain is a Redguard and why there are those other Redguards there, but it is not yet implemented in this release. People need to restore the city first anyway, then we'll see.

macole

Apr 9 2022, 03:59 AM

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Apr 5 2022, 03:50 PM)

I am having trouble with stability. Can you share your TWMP load order? I can play like 30 minutes but then the game crashes randomly which I assume is a issue related to faulty load order.

Along with using the 4gb patch, have you tried using CTD and Memory patch ENBboost?. I believe it made a significant improvement with my game.

Lena Wolf

Apr 10 2022, 12:39 AM

I am playing God and creating another companion. This is Jowan from Dragon Age Origins, and I am trying to recreate his face in Oblivion, which is a challenge. He is also supposed to be some ten years older. Have a look at this picture:

Is this the same man?

Right - Jowan in Dragon Age at around 20 years old, left - my recreation for Oblivion, at 30.

What do you think? Have I succeeded? I am rather undecided on that one.

macole

Apr 11 2022, 05:13 AM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Apr 9 2022, 06:39 PM)

I am playing God and creating another companion. This is Jowan from Dragon Age Origins, and I am trying to recreate his face in Oblivion, which is a challenge. He is also supposed to be some ten years older. Have a look at this picture:

Is this the same man?

Right - Jowan in Dragon Age at around 20 years old, left - my recreation for Oblivion, at 30.

What do you think? Have I succeeded? I am rather undecided on that one.

Aside from the Oblivion's face having bushy eyebrows tilting upwards, I'd say yes. The nose, the mouth, and the beard shadow are all nearly perfect. It's been a long time since I last created a face. I remember working days sometimes weeks on a face.

Lena Wolf

Apr 11 2022, 10:38 AM

QUOTE(macole @ Apr 11 2022, 05:13 AM)

Aside from the Oblivion's face having bushy eyebrows tilting upwards, I'd say yes. The nose, the mouth, and the beard shadow are all nearly perfect. It's been a long time since I last created a face. I remember working days sometimes weeks on a face.

Yeah, the eyebrows... It appears that Jowan had had some plastic surgery done during his long trip from Ferelden to Tamriel.

Oh wait - it were the sirens. They lured the ship to their island and did some plastic surgery.

It seems that with the face generation, you can change pretty much everything except the shape of eyebrows. I switched Jowan from Imperial to Breton because actually it fits better with his abilities, but Breton presets also changed his face. Less bushy eyebrows were the main change! Hurray! They are still not straight, but better.

Given the possibilities, I focussed on reconstructing his bone structure and face proportions. The rest is going to be put down to ageing and those sirens.

So with this said, I spent the weekend doing magic. Blood magic from Dragon Age for Jowan and advanced sorcery from Dragon Dogma for Scorpio (another companion). I tried to utilise standard Oblivion magic mechanics for that, with some scripted spells.

Dragon Age is actually quite vague on the topic of blood magic. Yes, you use health to boost your magicka, either your own health or someone else's, and while a blood magic spell is active, you cannot heal. But then in the Dragon Age lore they talk about those other blood mages doing extremely powerful stuff, while the spells given to the player are less than underwhelming. I think Bioware never really figured out how to actually implement Blood Magic.

There are a few Blood Magic mods for Oblivion, but what they mostly do is allow you to use your health when your magicka runs out. That's step one but I wanted more. I managed to concoct Blood Summons for Jowan that combine Absorb Health with a compensating Drain Health on Self and a regular summon but at a reduced cost. Effectively Jowan can summon a creature of a higher level than his skill would ordinarily allow. But the price to pay is that his health is drained while the summon is active. Since Jowan is Essential, it won't kill him, but may well knock him out if his health was low to begin with.

Besides this, Jowan also has a few scripted spells that he casts when surrounded by enemies, at a significant cost to his own health - Damage Health and Drain Health combined, so he is prevented from healing while the spell lasts and his health does not recover automatically afterwards. These spells include mass paralysis (enemies only), group heal (allies only) or pandemonium (invisibility and stop combat for allies combined with frenzy for the enemies, then stand back and watch). Blood Magic is supposed to mess with your head, I tried to reconstruct that...

Oh, and stay away from Jowan's sword if you can. Blood Magic does give him a certain affinity for swords, and with all that practice he's become rather good at slicing and dicing.

Besides Blood Magic, Jowan also has an affinity for Necromancy, except that he hates making zombies - you can't get the stench out of your robes for weeks. He prefers skeletons, wraiths and flesh atronachs. All logical choices, I feel. He can also summon a mean Xivilai or Spider Daedra on higher levels.

With Necromancy Jowan can reanimate the dead, including a powerful mass reanimate spell. With Conjuration... well... the summons can now summon their own minions! And that's not just Jowan's summons, that's everyone else's too. Basically, if the original creature can summon a minion, then the summoned creature will also be able to do it. Summon a lich, and he'll summon a skeleton, or summon a Xivilai, and he comes complete with his own clannfear. Master summons also level up with the player, but only master summons, so you need to invest in your Conjuration if you want really powerful creatures on higher levels.

Some of the high level creatures like Gloom Wraiths and Skeleton Heroes can now summon minions too, it's not just liches you need to watch out for. Liches have become far more dangerous too, they now come with swords as well as staffs, and full liches now have a chance to summon nether liches who might summon skeletons... But it isn't as bad as David Brasher's Really Scary Liches - I tried to keep an eye on performance and avoid too many chain summons.

With Scorpio from Dragon Dogma I had very different spells to make. Scorpio is an elemental sorcerer, so while he is not that good at Illusion and Conjuration, his Destruction mastery is amazing. He can summon a thunderstorm to target all enemies within range, granting them each their own personal lightning bolt right where it hurts most.

He can do the same with a fire storm or a blizzard. Allies not affected. He can also get really mean and just deal direct damage to health, or do a massive health and fatigue drain on the enemies. This isn't without cost however: the has to focus to cast these spells and becomes incapacitated while they are charging. His fatigue is drained almost to zero, too. Magic takes its toll.

These spells have two components: an area of effect spell to mark the targets followed by individual punishers for each marked target. The area of effect spell passes through walls and is based on Mysticism, while the punishers are all Destruction, so the mage has to be skilled at both. Restoration is very beneficial too, what with the massive fatigue drain and the danger of being knocked out while charging...

And when he's not casting, do stay away from his axe.

So far these new spells for Jowan and Scorpio are just for them, that is they are NPC versions. The player character is handled very differently by the game engine, in particular when it comes to health and fatigue calculations, so I would have to rewrite the scripts and possibly redesign the spells to get the same effect for the player. So at the moment, you can't learn these spells, but may be I'll figure it out later.

These two mages are nearly done, including their houses, AI, items and scripting. I also have a few non-magical companions who deal with the enemies in conventional ways.

A combination of the two would be interesting. And what about bringing both Jowan and Scorpio along? Sheer madness, I think.

Let the good times begin!

Lena Wolf

Apr 13 2022, 10:27 PM

Jowan is ready! It took me many rounds to finally get rid of his bushy eyebrows and 5-day dark stubble, but I declare him complete.

Here's Jowan's new face.

Besides that, I have also finished scripting his more complex Blood Magic rituals. I am curious to see how it will work out in practice, because they cost a lot of his health. The percentage varies as his skill grows, but it is always between 70% and 90% of his base health - poof, gone, drained for the duration of the spell. Such a ritual can only be cast when he actually has enough health available, but then of course almost anything will knock him out. The good thing however is while a mage is knocked out, his spells remain active. It is going to be important to protect him in battle so that he would have a chance to cast those spells.

Lena Wolf

Apr 19 2022, 07:49 AM

It's been two weeks since I released TWMP Valenwood Cities. It got more attention than I ever expected thinking that the TWMP bit would put people off. Well, I'm glad it's enticing enough!

But some of the comments... well, they show human nature, I guess - never happy with what is given, always wanting more.

"Can you merge all the Elsweyr mods together otherwise it's not worth the headache of getting them to work?" - Sorry for adding to your headache, dear, do stay away from the "Download" button. And this isn't even Elsweyr.

"It's too bad it's for TWMP!" - Yeah, I expected that. Nothing for you, then.

"Valenwood is such a drag. Good that you've done at least something!" - Sheesh... I've done a whole city... a month of dedicated work... "at least something"? May be your attitude is what is making it a drag.

I am not discouraged or hurt, just a bit annoyed. Sorry for the rant.

macole

Apr 19 2022, 09:03 AM

It is hard to understand the commentators sometimes. It's like they want something for nothing and then complain when they get it. Yet they don't want to do the work themselves.

Personally I think what you have done is great!

Keep it up as long as you fine it to be enjoyable, then stop, and pay little attention to the comments. Only help those that ask politely (unless it's me).

Oh and the one that complained that Valenwood is so boring he or she just doesn't enjoy walking around exploring the park. Why, I bet they never found the cave, fully furnished and decorated, that can be used as a free player home.

Lena Wolf

Apr 19 2022, 09:46 AM

Thanks, Macole! I'm not worried about the comments.

There's only one answer to those people: if you don't like it, don't download.

This reminds me: someone complained that the way Solitude looks in TWMP Skyrim Improved is all wrong. And by that they meant it's nothing like in TES5. Well... TWMP Skyrim Improved was made before TES5 based on the lore known to date. I'd say it's Bethesda who got their Solitude all wrong!

Skyrim will be getting Whiterun, Morthal and Castle Volkihar in the next release. Also, the moors, Windstad Manor and some crypts - possibly Ustengrav. I figured that's an old crypt and would have existed in the end of the 3rd era. But none of it will look like in TES5, because hey, it's 200 years prior! And because if you want it to look like TES5, go play TES5.

I also have an idea what happened in Southpoint in Valenwood - why it is so empty. Not sufficiently fleshed out yet, but it's a start. Hint: it's a port, so it's something to do with ships... possibly ghost ships... ooooh...

Once I figure out the story, I'll want to make it, no doubt.

I spent the Easter weekend mostly cleaning up existing mods, mine and downloaded, fixing errors and making merges. Made a "Dungeons" merge that mostly contains new dungeons on the outskirts of Cyrodiil or just over the border. They are of increased difficulty (compared to vanilla), both in enemies and in dungeon layout, indeed some of them are tough mazes. The merge combines 18 mods of which several contain a dozen dungeons each... Of course by now I completely forgot where they all are and which is which, so it will be fun exploring them all. After all, the new companions that I just finished, need thorough testing - all that sorcery, blood magic and witcher's skills need to be put to a good use. That's after Lena and Lucien liberate the Cybiades - Lucien is next in line to get his head messed with as I continue testing the Companions system. He's a very different character from Hauk and will allow me to test different aspects of the system. Plus, not having a tank battlemage along will call for different fighting techniques... yep, I'm actually going to play now!

macole

Apr 19 2022, 04:08 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Apr 19 2022, 03:46 AM)

This reminds me: someone complained that the way Solitude looks in TWMP Skyrim Improved is all wrong. And by that they meant it's nothing like in TES5. Well... TWMP Skyrim Improved was made before TES5 based on the lore known to date. I'd say it's Bethesda who got their Solitude all wrong!

Bethesda has gotten their stuff wrong ever since Daggerfall. IMO.

QUOTE

I also have an idea what happened in Southpoint in Valenwood - why it is so empty. Not sufficiently fleshed out yet, but it's a start. Hint: it's a port, so it's something to do with ships... possibly ghost ships... ooooh...

Once I figure out the story, I'll want to make it, no doubt.

I sense Sload or more likely Maomer pirates looming on horizon. A Dreugh invasion, dragging off captives to the depths, would be a novel idea.

QUOTE

... yep, I'm actually going to play now!

Party Time!

Lena Wolf

Apr 19 2022, 05:14 PM

QUOTE(macole @ Apr 19 2022, 04:08 PM)

QUOTE

I also have an idea what happened in Southpoint in Valenwood - why it is so empty. Not sufficiently fleshed out yet, but it's a start. Hint: it's a port, so it's something to do with ships... possibly ghost ships... ooooh...

Once I figure out the story, I'll want to make it, no doubt.

I sense Sload or more likely Maomer pirates looming on horizon. A Dreugh invasion, dragging off captives to the depths, would be a novel idea.

I was actually thinking Captain Jones with his ghost ship... The Flying Dutchman... will need to be renamed, obviously, may be the Flying Altmer? Doesn't quite have the same ring to it though... Hmmm...

Looking at Davy Jones, a Dreugh invasion isn't far off, actually.

Lena Wolf

Apr 21 2022, 04:00 PM

QUOTE(macole @ Apr 19 2022, 04:08 PM)

QUOTE

I also have an idea what happened in Southpoint in Valenwood - why it is so empty. Not sufficiently fleshed out yet, but it's a start. Hint: it's a port, so it's something to do with ships... possibly ghost ships... ooooh...

Once I figure out the story, I'll want to make it, no doubt.

I sense Sload or more likely Maomer pirates looming on horizon. A Dreugh invasion, dragging off captives to the depths, would be a novel idea.

Whoa! Maormer pirates... Just looked them up.

Among the Maormer, the leviathans are the most feared. They have been described by one scholar as "the spawn of some unholy and sorcerous coupling of Sea Elf and Sea Serpent". They are scaly and massive, standing a head and a half over the tallest Nords when they draw themselves to their full height, which they don't often do because they carry themselves in a beastly posture. Maormer leviathans are usually hunched over, their backs bent and arced like a snake ready to strike. When they walk, their movements are akin to slithering in an uneven predatory lope. The Leviathans appear unused to using their legs on land. They move deftly in the water, and can climb effortlessly up the slippery sides of ships. They are capable of stretching their jaws out of place to swallow their prey.

And in another UESP article they say that Maormer pirates frequent the waters of Southern Elsweyr... That's just next door! I think they might have taken a detour to Southern Valenwood as well... Poor Southpoint...

OK! We have the core of the story. I have ideas for graphics as well, using existing models and effects (although not all vanilla, there are many monsters to be had on Nexus). Now there's just this tiny detail: if the citizens of Southpoint got kidnapped, what was the point, where they were taken to and how to get them back?

See, we're almost there...

macole

Apr 21 2022, 05:04 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Apr 21 2022, 10:00 AM)

Now there's just this tiny detail: if the citizens of Southpoint got kidnapped, what was the point, where they were taken to and how to get them back?

See, we're almost there...

Did you ever watch the classic TV show The Twilight Zone episode, "To Serve Man"? Got keep those leviathans happy, you know. Just a thought, don't know if it would really work well for your story.

Lena Wolf

Apr 21 2022, 05:22 PM

QUOTE(macole @ Apr 21 2022, 05:04 PM)

Did you ever watch the classic TV show The Twilight Zone episode, "To Serve Man"? Got keep those leviathans happy, you know. Just a thought, don't know if it would really work well for your story.

I know the show but I haven't watched much of it, and certainly can't recall that episode. However, I met Leviathans in several other games, and although they had nothing to do with Maormer pirates, they did have the same spirit (and the same frightening appearance, going by the description). I am drawing on Davey Jones and what went on that ship, but it won't be a copy of the Pirates of Caribbean - it is just my inspiration. Let's just say, they are not going to let go of their captives so easily. Certainly not for nothing. You'll have to pay. Sacrifices will be required. All these concepts are not new; I have also figured out what to do if you find yourself too weak and unable to escape - there is a way out, unlike that vanilla quest "Through the Nightmare, Darkly". You can - if you are persistent enough - earn the right to return to your normal life. You can come back when you feel up to it, and restart the quest.

You will have to work for it. And this time, companions can't join you.

Lena Wolf

Apr 22 2022, 08:32 AM

Ideas are brewing... This is going to be one evil story!

I had a dream about it... But I can't tell you anything else because it would ruin it. Some details still need ironing out, but those are technical details, so I've come a long way with the concept. Once I've figured it out, I'll be ready to start on it. It'll probably be another month in the making. So... tentative release date - mid-Summer. Keep your diaries open!

I'll most likely do a maintenance release of TWMP Southern Alliance first. It isn't going to be a dependency, but it's in the area, so might as well. I still haven't fully solved the mystery of the LOD wall in the sea by Southpoint... It might collide with the ghost ship...

Lena Wolf

May 3 2022, 05:47 PM

It's been relatively quiet on the modding front as I started to play Morroblivion.

It is of course a very large mod, so it took a few days to get it downloaded and installed, and then a few more days to get it to work with some of the other mods I've been using in my Oblivion game (I made a fresh game installation for this). It started with a lot of crashes caused by mod conflicts - many combat and AI related mods rely on particular items from Oblivion base game and don't play very well with Morrowind items introduced by Morroblivion. And by this I mean for example potions, weapons, armour, combat styles, creatures.... err... pretty much anything. It took a long time trying to figure out what exactly was conflicting with what, but in the end it was just one mod that I needed to disable, and another mod that I had to update (I missed a recent update, apparently, in which pretty much all scripts got rewritten). The situation got complicated by the fact that all of that was in a merge with some thirty other plugins, a merge that was a merge of merges from a long time ago...

The major lesson here is this: NEVER and I mean NEVER use TES4Gecko for merging. Every merge it made turned out to be messed up. Use "Merge Plugins" utility instead (found under Skyrim mods on Nexus). It is not perfect, and I never managed to make it merge BSAs, but equally it never messed up an ESP merge for me.

While all that testing was going on - and in order to do all that testing - I started exploring Morrowind in the usual way, Seyda Neen to Balmora to Caldera to Gaar Mok, Hla Oad and back to Balmora. I made a few patches for the mods that I liked (mods that extend and enrich those areas), find them on Nexus, some more patches are still to come. I am also working on a Yet Another Map of Morrowind because the existing ones were either imprecise or had no roads on them. My new map is based on the same world map that I made earlier, which itself included a high resolution map of Vvardenfell from Morroblivion. But since I don't use Dynamic Map, that resolution was too high for me, and the map had no roads. I shall eventually release this Morrowind map as well, but it won't be any time soon because the roads need to be thoroughly tested. By that time I might add Tamriel Rebuilt (which had been converted to Morrowind already), and that will require a much bigger map anyway.

I must also add that my old "friend" RSI has reared its head once again, and since computer work is my day job as well, I shall have to turn down my modding efforts and take up something that doesn't require the use of my hands... like... umm... sleeping, may be?

Lena Wolf

May 8 2022, 10:07 AM

Balmora has grown! I started with a patch, but then added more houses, more cafes, more trees, more people... Have a look at the pictures inside my Balmora patch mod.

Gnaar Mok had already been extended, but I still found things to patch... Those sideways lamps are really a plague in Morroblivion (glass lanterns floating on their side rather than standing upright). So I started fixing them and got carried away a bit. See pictures inside the Gnaar Mok patch mod.

Lena Wolf

May 23 2022, 12:31 PM

I'm still in Morrowind, and so I released a string of patch mods to help reconcile Morroblivion More Detailed Places with the latest release and with Morroblivion Hlaalu Project. Still didn't get much further than Ald'ruhn, but decided it was time to load Tamriel Rebuilt... Haven't explored any of that yet - that's the continental part of Morrowind - but it didn't do anything bad to the game, so I'll get there eventually. It's a conversion of a WIP, so unfinished things and missing meshes/textures are expected there. Quests don't convert well either, but since I generally don't need quests anyway, that's just fine with me. I'll enjoy playing through them when they do appear, but I don't need them to go exploring. Speaking of which... there was no good map!

So I had to make one. It's based on several existing maps, overlaid with the actual map generated by TES4LL (which shows the lay of the land, but I cannot for the life of me make it look nice, hence the need for manual artwork acrobatics).

Anyway, the resulting map (released on Nexus) shows the entire Morrowind with roads, whether or not they already exist in Tamriel Rebuilt - it's taken from their concept map. The map can be used also for playing classic Morroblivion, without TR - I find it nice to have Vvardenfell and Solstheim shown together with mainland, they are not floating in a bug blue ocean all by themselves, you know.

IPB Image

Zelazko

May 27 2022, 03:47 AM

I think I ***may*** know why using TWMP Tamriel leads to frequent random crashes and it may not be a memory related issue since there are way to tweak purgers and it still crashes. The problem may lie when the Oblivion exe loads temporary references limit. The engine will count temporary references and persistent ones inside the ESP file but if the same ESP is converted into ESM then it doesn't count the temporary references therefore reducing the references cap.
Lena can you please use this xEdit script https://gist.github.com/aers/953a50c61b3028...7e5376e8590abed and see the number of references you get when it finishes the work - both persistent ones and temporary. If TWMP Tamriel set up hits beyond 1 million references then it is likely to cause the CTD when the engine loads those temporary references when you explore. Persistent references are always loaded at the start of the game.

[00:00] Start: Applying script "count_loaded_refs_in_load_order"
Found 0 temporary and 15732 persistent (15732 total) loaded references in [00] Oblivion.esm.
Found 287 temporary and 35 persistent (322 total) loaded references in [01] Tamriel_Missions.esp.
Found 287 temporary and 15767 persistent loaded references, for a grand total of 16054 loaded references.
[01:09] Done: Applying script "count_loaded_refs_in_load_order", Elapsed Time: 01:09

The mods that add new areas (loading doors) and NPC Ai Packages increase the number of the persistent references.

Lena Wolf

May 27 2022, 07:51 AM

Zelazko, I am confused. My mod list is vastly different from yours and I have no CTDs with TWMP. How is it going to help to know how many references are in my game? Should you not do it yourself for your game instead?

Have you considered that your issue might be with OBSE? Many OBSE releases from the past year or so had bugs in them, in particular with processing array variables. I've been having troubles with Morroblivion randomly crashing, and I narrowed it down to that (check the OBSE log). The latest release 22.6.1 is a lot better but still a bit buggy. I myself am considering to downgrade back to 21.8 - the last really stable release.

Lena Wolf

May 29 2022, 07:19 PM

Zelazko, I ran that script.

On my TWMP game it returned the following:

Found 3,026,247 temporary and 42,379 persistent loaded references, for a grand total of 3,068,626 loaded references.

This is well over 1 million (3 times over, in fact), and I have no issues with my TWMP game. I think this may not be a problem.

I also ran this script on my Morroblivion game which includes Tamriel Rebuilt but no TWMP or other large mods. I got this:

Found 1,011,974 temporary and 38,366 persistent loaded references, for a grand total of 1,050,340 loaded references.

Just over a million and three times smaller than TWMP, and yet Morroblivion is rather unstable. Here the crashes are caused by OBSE or possibly scripts that use OBSE incorrectly. It did not improve when I downgraded OBSE to 21.8, so I'm just having to live with it.

Lena Wolf

May 30 2022, 10:10 AM

I am still playing Morroblivion, and modding it as I go. Hauk has arrived in Gnisis where he intends to join the Legion (umm, he was told to join the Legion since he's with the Legion already

). Upon arrival he found a ghost town with a couple of people walking around, nothing more. Where are all the soldiers? "On maneuvers," he was told. Yeah, maneuvering around Desele's House of Earthly Delights, no doubt. No wonder everyone wants to be stationed in Pelagiad!

No wonder also that Gnisis is the only garrison still hiring recruits - it is clearly understaffed. Poor General Talius... err... Darius... is standing still like a statue 24/7. Hauk shook his head and did some magic.

Gnisis Port was born and is now on Nexus. Docks were constructed at the mouth of the river and an Imperial ship The Reliant is now sailing regularly between Gnisis and the Imperial City. They take passengers, if you are willing to sleep in the hold. And pay the fee. A couple of hanging bridges were added to aid crossing the river and to finally connect Gnisis to the road network so that you'd be able to enter the town from the South and not have to go sightseeing around the entire West Gash so as to approach it from the North. It took Hauk all day, and he was riding - it must be taking forever for everyone else. And now lo and behold, the town is filled with Legionnaires and sailors alike, and although there are still no organised parades on that big open space in the middle of town, there are at least enough people walking around to make you realise it's a living town and not an ancient abandoned ruin. Even General Darius finally relaxed - he and the others now eat, sleep and walk around, they are statues no more.

The Reliant in the port of Gnisis. The shore of Morrowind mainland is visible in the distance (from Tamriel Rebuilt).

The Reliant and a local boat

The long bridge over the river

Gnisis seen from the other shore

Gnisis seen from its Southern approach

The Legionnaires are back!

What's going on here?

Ahhh... The Imperial City

Acadian

May 30 2022, 12:27 PM

Nice work, Lena!

Lena Wolf

Jun 1 2022, 05:09 PM

Thank you, Acadian! I enjoyed making it.

While Hauk is considering his options in Gnisis, Geralt the Witcher needs to get ready for the Great Hunt - Hircine is becoming more and more insistent. This is going to be a different game with Geralt in the lead, and he is going to do the Bloodmoon DLC on Solstheim. Whose side is he going to be on? Can you guess?

Geralt's story in Tamriel is that he sailed to Skyrim, so that'll be Windhelm or Solutide. Both cities exist in TWMP Skyrim, ready to be explored. But there's no Morthal, and Geralt wants a house on the moors... There are no moors either, come to think of it.

That whole corner where Morthal and Dawnstar are supposed to be, is as yet undeveloped. You sense where that is going, don't you?

TWMP Skyrim is shaped differently than TES5 Skyrim, but it is still possible to mark the Hold borders, major roads and cities such that in relation to each other they correspond to TES5 - the roads lead to the same places, cross the same rivers, etc. Here is my concept map. The next release of TWMP Skyrim Alive will have Whiterun, Morthal and most roads. And the moors. But also - and this is very important for Geralt as he's so fond of fighting monsters - Skyrim will have a large injection of dungeons dotted all over the place. I also intend to make sure it is possible to play the whole game in Skyrim, starting with level 1 - so the monster spawn needs to be made well leveled. At the moment you get overwhelmed by werewolves, and they are level 22...

I plan to build some 70 dungeons - forts, caves, mines, the usual. Import some Dwemer ruins as well with nice freeware mods. Build some Nordic crypts from scratch. But I started with the standard dungeons.

Yes, I am reusing vanilla dungeons from Cyrodiil - but I dare you to recall every single detail of every one! Because they are not going to be straight copies. These dungeons will be dynamic, with a fixed first cell opening to dynamically linked levels. I won't give more details here so as not to spoil the fun, but let's just say that these will be no labyrinths and nothing as complex as the Helgen Labyrinth or as endless as the Dune Catacombs. They will be logical dungeons that can never be truly "cleared" because you'll never know which levels get linked to that fixed lobby. I plan to have a few treasure hunt quests going as well, and you'll never know how many dungeons you'll need to clear to collect everything... If there ever was a place to hide the stones of Barenziah, this is it!

If you want a scientific explanation of how this can be possible, let me point you to everyone's favourite Dragon Break. Or felldew. Probably rather felldew - if you think that dungeon got flipped, you simply don't remember it right...

I've got a few days off - it's the Jubilee Weekend in Britain. And I'm spending it building the dungeons of Skyrim.

Zelazko

Jun 7 2022, 02:40 PM

Are there any lore friendly looking outfits for Redguards (Crows & Forebears) from Hammerfell? I'm making embassies mods for TES IV. Getting something resembling Alik'rs outfit for Skyrim would be perfect.

Lena Wolf

Jun 7 2022, 04:39 PM

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Jun 7 2022, 02:40 PM)

Are there any lore friendly looking outfits for Redguards (Crows & Forebears) from Hammerfell? I'm making embassies mods for TES IV. Getting something resembling Alik'rs outfit for Skyrim would be perfect.

Redirecting to Oblivion Clothing discussion. There are a number of Hammerfell mods on Nexus, perhaps there's something useful among them?

Lena Wolf

Jun 7 2022, 09:47 PM

The Dungeons of Skyrim

by Jorgen Rammstein

Many an adventurer have perished in the dungeons of Skyrim. Wraiths and draugr, Dragon Priests, vampires and zombie hordes await those who venture deep into the ruins of old crypts and abandoned mines. What are they searching for?

The Orcs believe there are treasures in the depths, ancient artefacts worthy of carrying back to Orsinium to please Malacath. The Nords tell stories of the lost Rings of Fortune - rings left behind by the many generations of Nords that came before. It is said that although each ring in itself only carries a mild enchantment, and sometimes even a mild curse, you are richly rewarded once you've collected enough of them. The reward is said to fulfil your most sincere desire... So be careful what you wish for.

In Riften, in the Ratway, people exchange looks and nods when someone brings an unusual stone - and the word in the street directs you there. The Stones of Barenziah... Could it really be true? If ever all collected, they will adorn the Crown of Barenziah that is believed to be more valuable than even the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal to those who value discretion.

The dungeons of Skyrim are dotted all over. Some start out as caves filled with animals or local bandits, some are goblin lairs, there also Nordic crypts, Dwemer ruins, disused Imperial forts, mines, crevasses, sinkholes, smuggler caves, rock fissures, underwater passages and even whole castles abandoned centuries ago... Explore at your own risk. The dungeons often have several levels, going deep into the rock, where a cave can open onto a ruined fort leading to an abandoned mine - you never know what you'll find.

When setting out, be sure to fill your pack with provisions and healing potions - you will soon make room for any treasures. It isn't just the undead that haunt the dungeons. A very large number of caverns and fort ruins was taken over by people with alternative views on Imperial Law - Necromancers, rogue Conjurers, apostate mages, as well as the usual bandits and marauders make many dungeons their home. And they welcome visitors with their weapons drawn.

But even they rarely enter the deepest caverns, for no one wishes to face what dwells there. If you ever fought a lich and found it hard, what would be your chances against an Ancient Lich or an Ancient Wraith? They cannot be harmed with either magic or steel, and only silver can chip away at their substance, of which they have a huge supply.

And if all of that wasn't enough... Know that the musty air of old caves is infused with spores that make you confuse one dungeon with another. If a fort looks familiar, it may be that you've been there before, but more likely that you only think so. If you believe that cave such-and-such opens onto a fort ruin on its lower level, you may find it open onto a mine next time you are there. The further in you go, the more likely it is that you are getting confused.

For this reason generations of explorers have been leaving marks in the dungeons, words scratched into the rock naming each hall. Are all of them named? Who knows. Perhaps you'll find one without a name and scratch it in yourself. What will it be? "The Halls of Despair" or "The Final Judgement"?

You will find gems and gold in those old halls. Pick it up... or don't. Those coins belong to the dead, and some are cursed. It is said that an odd Septim coin can teleport you into the depths of another dungeon, so that when you come out - if you ever come out - you will find yourself far away from where you started, in a different Hold perhaps, in a completely different part of Skyrim...

Welcome to the Land of the Nords.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The dungeons described in this book will appear in the next release of TWMP Skyrim Alive. Around 100 dynamically linked dungeons dotted throughout Skyrim, plus indeed David Brasher's Obsidian dungeons, Nordic crypts and Dwemer ruins, with some adjustments. Treasure hunt quests too. Get your gear ready, you've got work to do!

Lena Wolf

Jun 12 2022, 11:40 PM

Skyrim is in. I have officially started working on the next installment.

This is going to be a big release, so it will take me a few months to make. I want to be able to play a whole game in Skyrim... Arrive by ship to Solitude and go play. And yet, there won't be an epic quest line to once again save the Empire. Skyrim is for explorers. I've got 97 dynamically linked dungeons lined up, with progressively more difficult levels. I put the first one in!

And while doing so, also accidentally added an inn to the village of Blackmoor, extended their mine (plus added a small quest), built a high altitude watch tower with a keep accessed through a hidden entrance and currently occupied by draugr and led by a Dragon Priest - all that while building a road from Riverwood to Blackmoor (previously you had to teleport due to impassably high mountains). I am putting notice boards into villages (the first one - Blackmoor) where one can find various local quests (there will be three in Blackmoor to start with). It is an easy system to expand on later, too.

This means of course that any work on Valenwood and Elsweyr will have to wait until the start of winter (urgent bug fixes excepted). In summer I want to be in Skyrim!