NJRD0104 "Ixtuthapan Hist Shrine" (Claimed)

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Official 'Black Marsh' Claim for Dungeon Claim: Ixtuthapan Hist Shrine

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Ixtuthapan Hist Shrine
AVAILABILITY: Claimed by Ibsen's Ghost

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Description & Details

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Details on Ixtuthapan Hist Shrine pending. It is a single level Hist Shrine in the mountains North of Stormhold.

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At-a-glance Details

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Tileset: Hist Shrine
Exterior cell coordinates: (-7,28)
Cell Name: BMShrIxtuth01
Claim Difficulty: Hard.
Creatures: Bhuru Magic Creatures. 7+ for medium levels.
Mission Connections: None as yet.
Amount of Loot: Medium-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'll find the entrance for the ruin in the cell Ixtuthapan Hist Shrine (-7,28) of the BlackMarshes worldspace. Use the latest esm (v2.57) or a higher version.

Don't forget to select snap to grid (with a rating of 4) and snap to angle, when creating the lay-out for your ruin. Hist Shrines are extremely difficult to mod with and you should ensure that you lay out the floors and ceilings first, taking great care to ensure that seams are avoided, especially if using the Hist sap water. It is recommended that a black mask be used beneath all non-water-filled areas as the likelihood of seams showing is unusually high.

You have to use the new Hist Shrines tileset (Static>Blackmarsh>Architecture>shrines>).

If plans for this shrine extends, then it's fine to add more than the one level 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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Consider any use of water first as this may affect the overall layout. If wishing to add it, activate the water in the cell and, where possible, make use of the flowing water meshes, of which there are the vanilla waterfalls alongside our own fast streams. For any traps I recommend using the whipvines in the activators section under 'blackmarsh'. It may prove possible to propel the PC along some sections where the underwater current is strong and thereby force them into colliding with the whipvines. Some other tileset pieces may work blended into the construction as long as they are positioned very, very carefully.....

Also, try checking the original Ayleid Ruins and matching up the tileset items. Just right-click on a trap and 'use info' to check the cell in question. Remember that Ayleid Ruins were excellent for traps so much fun can be had here. Don't forget though: if you affect anything in vanilla Oblivion, you will create a 'dirty' esp and totally screw up all your work, making it unmergeable so check this before modding and not during!

Please continue with the use of roots and gnarled trees as you see fit. Additionally, for the caves, consider using the oilplants (under Light>blackmarsh), the land Glow-shrooms (under Static>Flora), BMWallmushrooms can be used in places (under Static>blackmarsh>clutters) and perhaps the BMHangMoss varieties (under Static>blackmarsh>Environment). You can also use some rocks if needs be.

For inspiration check any existing Hist Shrines, as the tileset is awkward to work with but very adaptable and very rewarding, so please report any problems to me.

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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 Marsh Elves might also be found - for example, we have a nice range of specialist staffs. It is also possible that one of Phitt's artifacts may reside here.

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. At the time of writing, the creature levelled lists are yet to be tested so you may wish to do this yourself or stick to the vanilla levelled lists just to be on the safe side. These 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 shrine can be as dark or as light as you want it to be, probably depending on whether the separate areas were densely populated by beats races 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.

A good light to use is the 'DementiaStreetLightWall' activator combined with any generic dungeon light of roughly 300 in strength.

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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 ruins/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]

I've built much more of this....takes a hell of a long time but the results are looking very nice indeed! =)

[Ibsen's Ghost]

The Hist Shrines are now looking about ready. There are a few other ideas I have for the models but, on the whole, the modding for these dungeons can now begin in earnest. I have completed the first full level of the Hist Shrine dungeons, adding a pathgrid, creatures and more clutter. I may add more clutter later but, for the time being, this is done.

After I send in my esp, this can be claimed if anyone wishes to further this and create a second level. Please see me before doing so as it's a tricky tileset and you'll need to know the tricks of the trade with it. :yes:

NB: Take note of the last pic which features a lantern you can pick up and use if you happen to have no torches available. This is a model created by Koniption.

@ Koniption - Btw, what was the bracket called that you created to go with this? I couldn't find it in the archive. It might not have been merged (dunno yet). In which case, I may need it sending across again.

[Koniption]

The bracket was put in the "Lights" folder. You named it bmlantern02hang.nif. It's already in the BM files.

KP

EDIT: Cool screenshots, IG!

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Cheers. I added the bracket. :yes:

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Just a quick point that affects the new Hist Shrine interior where is a single tarantula lurking somewhere around a corner: the tarantulas are now much more aggressive and should attack on sight.

Whilst making this change, I also added a working portcullis to the entrance of Hixinoag. Feel free to check it out to see if it works.