 Really important thread! |
Alasdair
Jarl of Skyrim
Registration Date: 29.08.2006
Posts: 1,169
Location: Somerset, England
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Ok, so a few days ago I posted this in the Skyrim core boards.
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Basically the gist of this post is that I'm beginning to think that
implementing the whole of Skyrim is such a herculean task, and unless
every able modder on BSF steps up to help, we will never be able to
finish. That in itself isn't a problem, we've always planned to release
hold by hold, so no-matter what, we will release something. The problem
as I see it, is that we have our sights set so high, on a task
seemingly so impossible, it's just demoralizing that's there's no real
end in sight. So this is what I propose:
I think we should limit this project to just 2 holds, the Rift and
Eastmarch. I don't think anyone but me really has an idea of just how
much we've done of these two holds already. Landscaping wise we've
easily done 60-70% of these two holds, and if you give me the go-ahead,
I can make that 100% pretty damn quick (I have some wonderful region
presets left from solstheim). We've already done half the town
exteriors, and numerous interiors, and we have all the architecture we
need for these holds already done. Suddenly we're no longer looking up
at an impossible mountain of work, but we're a good way there already.
Don't think the Rift is small either, our heightmap is somewhat
oversized, and just these two holds would still make it one of the
largest mods out there.
The second (but still important) reason I have for wanting to limit our
mod to two holds is quests, many of our quests and questlines are
spread all over Skyrim, and it will likely be years before we are in a
position to start seriously implementing them. The war with the Redoran
in Morrowind provides a near perfect backdrop for conflict and politics
between the Rift and Eastmarch. Just as Silgrad has created a
believable and exiting world with only part of Morrowind, I believe we
can do something similar with Skyrim.
Obviously with a change of this scale to the project lots needs to be
discussed, and re-thought, re-invented, and generally changed for the
better. I firmly believe that this is the right way to go with the
project. We can produce a mod bigger and better than anything
previously made and get it out sooner than any other large mod, if we
just focus on realistic goals. I feel that many have been thinking
this, but perhaps not saying it. Anyway Skyrim Alpha 03 is scheduled
for late december/early january and it will rock your world! 
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Now, if you haven't read that I suggest you go back and do it, because
if you haven't the remainder of this thread won't make an awful lot of
sense. The map below shows the area of Skyrim this mod is now working
towards completing, it contains the Rift and Eastmarch in their
entirety, and parts of several other holds.
The green lines show the borders of Holds, the blue shows towns (very
approximate though) and the pink shows the locations of imperial forts
and roads.
As far as quests go, there will no longer be a Mages guild or a
Fighters Guild questline (although both factions will be present in the
mod). There will instead be 4 questlines, all of which have been
discussed previously on the forums, but lack fully written questlines.
The Order of the Oak and Thorn will be a traditional Nordic shaman
group, for mages. The knights of the Silver Raven will be a knightly
order perfect for fighter characters. The thieves guild will exist as
per normal, we will just change the current questline slightly to
include only locations in the mod, the idea being that there are
several different crime syndicates operating in Skyrim, each one
claiming to be a legitimate part of the Theives guild. The mainquest
will likely revolve around tensions between the Rift and Eastmarch, and
the ongoing conflict with House Redoran in Morrowind. Beyond that
however, nothing has been fully decided.
Comments and ideas are welcome! There is much that still needs to be discussed, especially concerning the new questlines.
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09.12.2007 19:47 |
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theifing_tom
Swordsman
Registration Date: 28.11.2007
Posts: 12
Location: Dallas,Tx
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I think that this is a fine idea, as even looking at the mods in these
forums a little it seems hopless. This is a good plan, and I think it
would be good to finish and get these 2 sections playable and working,
then perhaps look at completing the rest of skyrim, or even just 1 or
two sections at a time.
__________________
I NEED A JOB! I CAN DRAW AND WRITE, maybe a little modding
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09.12.2007 19:56 |
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Siegfried
Archduke
Registration Date: 07.03.2006
Posts: 2,598
Location: With Your Mom...
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Excellent decision Alasdair, I actually considered posting something
like this before leaving the Core, and kind of assumed this was what
the "A Rather Radical Proposal" thread was all about.
I believe though that we ought to keep the Pit Faction in our mod (even
if it is somewhat simplified and dumbed down), and include Whiterun in
its own seperate worldspace, similar to Mournhould. I think a city with
the political importance to Skyrim as Whiterun does should remain in
the mod-- at this point one more city is probably not going to consume
too much of our time, plus the Thieves Guild could use more urbanized
areas as a back-drop for their missions. |
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09.12.2007 20:34 |
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Alasdair
Jarl of Skyrim
Registration Date: 29.08.2006
Posts: 1,169
Location: Somerset, England
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The pit is definitely still going to be in the mod! we really need one
more location for a pit though. There is one in Vernim Wood, and there
will be a large arena type pit in Windhelm. But I think 3 would really
be the ideal number. I'm not sure about adding another city though,
Windhelm should be pretty awesome with it's lighthouse, docks, 1st era
palace and other such goodies.
Another thing - I notice that there is a Colorado blue spruce speedtree
in Hearters Gap, but it has the irritating habit of Crashing my CS
whenever I try to use it. Would anyone know how to get it working? |
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10.12.2007 21:24 |
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Cuthalion
Count
Registration Date: 08.05.2006
Posts: 783
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Personally, I wholly agree! It's better to put a smaller locale full of
quests than to spread your quests thin over the region.
__________________
Quote of the Day
There's real poetry in the real world. Science is the poetry of reality. Richard Dawkins, The Enemies of Reason
Factions:
Silgrad Tower Mages Guild
Skyrim Thieves Guild
Vvardenfell Mages Guild
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10.12.2007 21:33 |
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bob196045
Monarch of Morrowind
Registration Date: 14.05.2006
Posts: 3,961
Location: Dallas
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Howdy
from a person looking in >>
You have made a wise choice !
Understanding your abilities, managing your resourses and making the tough choices is what makes things come together well
Make the portion your proposing, make it the best it can be and if when
all is done and you can look back at it you will say we made the right
choice ! Now lets make more
You can always add on
Enjoy
Bob
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11.12.2007 03:09 |
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Skot the Sanguine
Knight
Registration Date: 11.10.2006
Posts: 93
Location: New York, USA
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Even though I have been just a forum Troll here for over a year, I
figure I should also state that I think your choice was the wisest
course. All these types of mods are herculian and in some ways
"pipe-dream" by their nature. Silgrad, and now Skyrim, are different in
that they are more pragmatic about when a team of individuals can
accomplish (in their free, unpaid, time) before the next in the series
comes out!
Really though Alasdair, that shows good decision making and initiative.
__________________
That which does not kill me only delays the inevitable.
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11.12.2007 19:42 |
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Alasdair
Jarl of Skyrim
Registration Date: 29.08.2006
Posts: 1,169
Location: Somerset, England
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Thank you all for your encouraging and supportive comments! Expanding
the mod is a possibility, but I don't plan on doing it until this part
of Skyrim is 100% finished and totally playable.
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Originally posted by Lady Nerevar
procedural generation wise? or hand placing rocks and shit wise? if its
the former, are you planing to fully hand-detail the area later on? |
A bit of both really. Most of the currently done regions are
procedurally generated, with bits here and their added in by hand. For
example in the area around Riften, I added a camp next to a lake with a
waterfall. There's a fine gap between too generic and totally overdone.
Fully
hand detailing all the regions is really an impossibility for any mod
project, and it's usually pointless anyway, because the Region editor
does a pretty good job. In fact for simple forests and whatnot it
usually does a better job than a modder placing it all by hand - people
get bored placing thousands of tiny rocks and all the other details
that made oblivion's forests so life-like. Doing things by hand is best
reserved for wonderful set-piece scenery, like the Rift canyon or our
towering redwood forests.
Currently the only thing our regions are really lacking is new
alchemical ingredients, some regions use stuff from Cyrodiil, but in
other regions I purposefully left out ingredients so that unique Skyrim
ingredients could be added at a later date.
Edit: I should mention that I probably won't be online tomorrow or on
thursday. I have to go up to Manchester and Sheffield for university
interviews and since british trains are stupidly slow, I won't be
getting back till really late either night. This post has been edited 2 time(s), it was last edited by Alasdair: 11.12.2007 22:10.
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11.12.2007 21:54 |
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Siegfried
Archduke
Registration Date: 07.03.2006
Posts: 2,598
Location: With Your Mom...
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On the subject of new content for our regions, I was hiking in the
mountains over the summer and snapped some pictures of ground textures,
they're a decent rez, I could upload them for you and you could pick
out what you're interested in. |
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11.12.2007 23:44 |
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Richard
Chieftain of Skyrim
Registration Date: 23.08.2006
Posts: 747
Location: Invercargill, New Zealand
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| quote: |
Originally posted by Skot the Sanguine
Even though I have been just a forum Troll here for over a year, I
figure I should also state that I think your choice was the wisest
course. All these types of mods are herculian and in some ways
"pipe-dream" by their nature. Silgrad, and now Skyrim, are different in
that they are more pragmatic about when a team of individuals can
accomplish (in their free, unpaid, time) before the next in the series
comes out!
Really though Alasdair, that shows good decision making and initiative. |
I think you mean a forum LURKER lol. A troll is someone who comes to
make trouble by posting random crap that makes me want to beat them.
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12.12.2007 07:21 |
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Siegfried
Archduke
Registration Date: 07.03.2006
Posts: 2,598
Location: With Your Mom...
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I can only ever think of having one troll around here, though that was
a particularly severe case, Core got mixed up in it even... glad it was
straightened out though 
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12.12.2007 07:53 |
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Skot the Sanguine
Knight
Registration Date: 11.10.2006
Posts: 93
Location: New York, USA
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Hehe, guess I am still learning the lingo.
__________________
That which does not kill me only delays the inevitable.
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12.12.2007 17:11 |
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Really important thread!
