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Ibsen's Ghost · 12-17-2010, 11:22 PM,

Official 'Black Marsh' Claim for Dungeon Claim: Mulum Hist Caves

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Mulum Hist Caves
AVAILABILITY: Marked for Adaptation

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No screenshots as yet.

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Description & Details

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Mulum is the first cave for the Murkwood region, lying fairly close to the tree city of Murkwood itself. As such, it is drenched in toxic Hist sap and guarded by skeletal Argonians....more info later.

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At-a-glance Details

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Tileset: Mossy Cave
Exterior cell coordinates: (unknown as yet)
Cell Name: BMDunMul01-04
Claim Difficulty: Hard.
Creatures: Creatures Mostly Undead. 8+ for hard levels.
Mission Connections: None as yet.
Amount of Loot: High (according to the above).
General Info: Check this space for a link to a thread detailing completed claims and future plans.

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Modding Directions

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You will eventually find the, as-yet-uncreated, entrance for the ruin in the Murkwood region of the BlackMarshes worldspace. Use the latest esm (v2.53) or a higher version.

Don't forget to select snap to grid (32-64) and snap to angle, when creating the lay-out for your ruin.

You have to use the new Mossy Cave tileset (Static>Blackmarsh>Dungeons>).

If plans for this Cave extend, then it's fine to add more than the two levels as suggested. Just give the new cell the same name, except for the last part which should receive a suffix such as lvl1, lvl2 etc.

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Recommended Objects

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For any traps I recommend using the whipvines in the activators section under 'blackmarsh'.

Some good ideas may include the use of roots and gnarled trees. Additionally, consider using the oilplants (under Light>blackmarsh), the land Glow-shrooms (under Static>Flora), BMWallmushrooms (under Static>blackmarsh>clutters) and perhaps the BMHangMoss varieties (under Static>blackmarsh>Environment). You can also use the rockswampmoss varieties with the cave tileset (under Static>blackmarsh>rocks>SwampRocks). I like the idea of using running water and sky objects where the cave is falling in but please use carefully.

For inspiration check people's favourite caves from the vanilla locations or take a look at what Leo Gura did with this cave tileset in the mod 'Lost Spires'.

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Cluttering your Dungeon

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You should use leveled lists for the loot but the ruin may be being used by some person or creature so you may wish to select accordingly. Ask around the forums for special loot if you wish to add some character to the ruin such as who once lived there and so on.

There could possibly be some gems, armor, weapons, gold, and other loot from travelling adventurers. If magic-users have attempted to examine the ruins, then you’d find ingredients, books, potions, and other mage-related items. Some special items for particular races might also be found - for example, we have a nice range of specialist staffs.

The preferred type of enemy for this ruin is listed at the top of this thread. You might be able to do something else though if you want - just check with the core first and we'll discuss this. However, for the time being, please keep to the vanilla levelled lists which can later be replaced.

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Lighting up your Dungeon

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Please look in the object window for any of BM's own candles such as Glo-shrooms. However, vanilla lights are fine. Your tomb can be as dark or as light as you want it to be, probably depending on whether the separate areas were densely populated or not. For a good example of excellent use of light of the very, very dark variety which really improves the gameplay of a ruin or tomb, I would advise checking out the early sections of ‘Gates to Aesgaard’ by ThePriest909 which makes for a sensationally spooky and jumpy gaming experience.

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Making Enemies

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The function of this ruin is up to you but, so that we can adapt it in places where quests use this location, please stick to the levelled lists for now....unless you have cleared your plans for what to use with the core already by using the forums or a PM. Try to make it interesting for the player, of course. If you have any specific ideas then let the core know about it.

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Final Tasks

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Add a pathgrid to the caves. Playtest the entire layout and make any necessary corrections before submitting it for review.

NB: - Thanks to the 'Silgrad Tower' team for pioneering the claims system and for being such excellent all-round good eggs around these forums.

Ibsen's Ghost · 12-18-2010, 01:26 PM,

I've almost prepared this one for use...

Ibsen's Ghost · 12-24-2010, 08:23 PM,

This one is now ready but it could use a small opening level other than the current inappropriate one (Oblivion lava caves?!?). This one also needs an entrance setting up in Murkwood.

Ibsen's Ghost · 01-02-2011, 02:20 PM,

I added a new opening level and created the opening for this one at 'Murkmount'. Screenshots will be added soon so stay tuned. I am also planning on making use of the shrine tileset within the cave itself as a trial for creating a makeshift shrine tileset in the future.

Ibsen's Ghost · 01-02-2011, 08:35 PM,

I just need to finish off the path-gridding for the first level but Mulum is pretty much done. Here are some screenies:

The top of 'Murkmount' is covered in a special swampy soil with a mudslide waterfall.
The entrance to the Mulum Hist caves lies on top.
Flick back and forth between this shot and...
...this shot to see how the face in the tree is animated. Nice one, KP! :goodjob:
Brief remnants of a Hist shrine remain here but it has been overrun...
...and abandoned, leaving only tribespeople who lack a proper shaman.
Inside, the Hist caves are dominated by lizards...and this Hist sap burns like lava.
It doesn't stop the odd Guar from wandering around though.
You might just be able to see the Bogtoad lurking over the makeshift bridge.
An Argonian skeleton guards Mulum's treasures.
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Deeza · 01-02-2011, 09:57 PM,

I like what I see, particularly the radioactive-looking Hist sap caves! Only comment is the standard Imperial furniture in the inhabited area. It's not what I'd expect to find this deep into the marsh (very, very few outsiders ever go into Murkwood). Apart from that, though, it looks great.

Koniption · 01-03-2011, 12:18 AM,

Those screenshots look really great!

I agree with Deeza, though, about the furniture.

Is that Argonian skeleton suffering from a mesh issue, or is that just your old PC's graphics card doing what it normally does? Or are you using your new PC, now?

Koniption

Ibsen's Ghost · 01-03-2011, 11:22 AM,

Yes, it's my crappy graphics card. I bought my PC from Dell and they take quite some time to deliver, I believe. It could be a month or so yet.

And yes, the furniture is temporary. I grabbed this little room from an old vanilla cave. I occasionally do that to speed things up....grab bits and pieces of stuff. Needless to say that this part needs adapting. In fact, anyone wishing to further adapt the existing dungeons is welcome to do so.

EDIT - I just checked my emails and the delivery date for my PC is on or before 13th January so this is sounding much, much better than the last estimation. :goodjob: