elder scrolls mod development thread

[smortt]

Never mind, I'll make Skyrim much more barren.

-- I've added ashlands. Will add guar and kwama resources (though the closest graphics Ive found are frogs for guar and some eggs for kwama). Not sure whether to make them available to dunmer only or not.

 

[4lexander]

Not really using, just trying to find some graphics there and use them...
And I don't really know their magic system.
Mine is pretty basic

Just another reason to have a look into it if you accept suggestions.


As you surely know, TES has magic organized into schools. A single mage can specialize and became very powerful with same rather than others.

FFH has a pretty similar system, with different magic schools related to different research paths in which you can invest to create your own strategy.

It appears to be logic for a fantasy mod like this to implement a similar mechanich and there is no reason to start from the ground if similar assets are available.


You could get a look into what FFH has other than graphic that could fit for your project. You'll surely find more than I can tell.


Just a suggestion, I would like very much to see an elder scrolls mod developed to its full potential.

 

[smortt]

I really appreciate your worries

And I read about their system today after writing this, really cool stuff.
For now however I'm the only one working on this mod, and I really don't know how to adopt their system, or parts of it, without turning it to a modmod for FFH2 (which I really don't want).
(this is really not a small thing, because when you change game mechanics, apart from the code you need to balance everything and make the AI use it wisely enough...)

But... I see this version as a start point really; I have many plans for future releases of this mod.
My plan is to release this version for testing really soon (end of month), to "pull" more people with more knowledge to the mod, and then to start working on next version - I have big plans for it too, though much of it I still can't implement.

 

[4lexander]

Excellent, I could not get better answer.

I wish you to complete the first release as soon as possible, and to get more support at that point.

It would be great to play scenarios based on your mod, for istance. Who said Dunmer?

 

[Mousey_Commander]

Dunmer should be the only one to get Kwama, its quite ok, in fact its good design to give monopolies or semi-monopolies (depending on map size and resource value), as it encourages trade. For example I would suggest making Khajiit sugar heavy, then make argonians banana/spice heavy, high rock lots of dye (celts with dye, I'm so creative ) and then giving skyrim lots of elephants (mammoths), and ores or furs, although don't forget Bosmer follow the green pact, so maybe give them the main monopoly on fur, and try to give them lots of deer and livestock rather than grains and plantations (should keep valenwood a bit more forested too).

 

[smortt]

Excellent, I could not get better answer.

I wish you to complete the first release as soon as possible, and to get more support at that point.

Trying though now I have some time, but thenext semester will be extremely busy

Dunmer should be the only one to get Kwama, its quite ok, in fact its good design to give monopolies or semi-monopolies (depending on map size and resource value), as it encourages trade. For example I would suggest making Khajiit sugar heavy, then make argonians banana/spice heavy, high rock lots of dye (celts with dye, I'm so creative ) and then giving skyrim lots of elephants (mammoths), and ores or furs, although don't forget Bosmer follow the green pact, so maybe give them the main monopoly on fur, and try to give them lots of deer and livestock rather than grains and plantations (should keep valenwood a bit more forested too).

Khajiit are moon sugar heavy already (adding moon sugar on top of the sugar); Nords have bonuses on mamooth, fur and elk; bosmer I know, looking for possible valenwood resources.

 

[smortt]

Consulting regarding religions:

Originally I incorporated Orion's limited religions mod, which prevents a civ to found more than one religion. I thought that there were too few religions and their founding techs are too close, which may lead for a civ establishing 3 religions too often.
But now when I think about that, there could be nothing wrong with that, since races in lore did worship aedra+ancestral spirits, for example.

Alternatively, this way argonians and bosmer could found a new religion on top of their unique ones... I suppose it is somewhat logical. Bosmer can theoretically worship Y'ffre and the 8 divines.

This brings me to another idea: iff I'll leave limited religions, then cancel bosmer and argonian religions as in-game religions, but give those races some specific religious buildings and bonuses. This way those "religions" don't spread to other races, and all bosmer and argonians believe in them, regardless of any other religion present.

So... the choices are:
1. pre-defined religios for bosmer+ argonians; about 6 other religions, out of which every civ can found only one.
2. pre-defined religios for bosmer+ argonians; about 6 other religions, no restrictions on founding multiple religions.
3. bosmer and argonians have "no religion" (instead, specific bonuses & buildings), 6 religions, no restrictions on founding multiple religions, including argonians & bosmer. In this case I need to think of more religions.


Another thing... should khajiiti religion be pre-defined too? It makes sence, but I don't like the idea of many pre-defined religions. Might as well make all religions pre-defined, though that I like even less.
The concept is to assign pre-defined religions to those races whose existance is dictating their religion. Argonians were/are "modified" by the hist, khajiiti born and take their forms by the moons, bosmer have their green pact. All others can by choosable, though I do need some more... maybe just names for religions. Maybe orcs too should worship only malacath.

 

[4lexander]

So... the choices are:
1. pre-defined religios for bosmer+ argonians; about 6 other religions, out of which every civ can found only one.
2. pre-defined religios for bosmer+ argonians; about 6 other religions, no restrictions on founding multiple religions.
3. bosmer and argonians have "no religion" (instead, specific bonuses & buildings), 6 religions, no restrictions on founding multiple religions, including argonians & bosmer. In this case I need to think of more religions.


Another thing... should khajiiti religion be pre-defined too? It makes sence, but I don't like the idea of many pre-defined religions. Might as well make all religions pre-defined, though that I like even less.
The concept is to assign pre-defined religions to those races whose existance is dictating their religion. Argonians were/are "modified" by the hist, khajiiti born and take their forms by the moons, bosmer have their green pact. All others can by choosable, though I do need some more... maybe just names for religions. Maybe orcs too should worship only malacath.

I vote for number 2, for the highlighted reasons.

 

[Mousey_Commander]

The problem I have is for some of the religions founding will not make sense, for example humans founding the 8 Divines and worshipping elves only, then having elves found the 9 and worship and extra god who was human?

 

[smortt]

I see the difference between the 2 aedric panteons not with the addition or removing of talos (humans had only 8 divines before tiber either), but with altmer worship aedra as their ancestors, while humans worshipping aedra just as divines. Therefore I'll name the former "aedra worship" (aedra=our ancestors), and the last - 8 divines. Or just divines.

 

[SamSniped]

I open the thread hoping to help...and see you are done with all the coding, and all that you need are graphics. Damn. I can help beta-test when you get the graphics, though.

 

[smortt]

I'd be happy

Not all the coding is done, though.
There are still things to be done.

 

[SamSniped]

Like what?

 

[smortt]

3 wonders in courtesy of hrochland

resources:

samsniper:
uhm actually...
If you're familiar with elder scrolls lore, I need a lot of texts to be written - civilopedia articles, descriptions and such.
If you're familiar with python, I need some small thing to code, I think.
If you're familiar with graphics, well then I need mostly units.

 

[Mousey_Commander]

I could do some texts I guess.

 

[smortt]

all right!

text files need to be in the following format (you can just look at the files in civilization\assets\xml\text\):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<TEXT>
<Tag>TXT_KEY_TECH_MYSTICISM_QUOTE</Tag>
<English>bla bla bla bla</English>
<French>same bla bla bla bla</French>
<German>bla bla bla bla</German>
<Italian>bla bla bla bla</Italian>
<Spanish>bla bla bla bla</Spanish>
</TEXT>
<TEXT>
<Tag>TXT_KEY_TECH_DESTRUCTION_QUOTE</Tag>
<English></English>
<French></French>
<German></German>
<Italian></Italian>
<Spanish></Spanish>
</TEXT>

.
.
and so on

TXT_KEY_TECH_DESTRUCTION_QUOTE is the quote displayed when you discover said tech, ; the languages are how it will be displayed in civ installed in german\ french\ version. Since I know mostly english I just copy them all to be the english version.
similarly, TXT_KEY_TECH_DESTRUCTION_PEDIA is the civilopedia entry for it.

Similarly (am I using this word again??!), resources describtion in civilopedia will be under TXT_KEY_BONUS_GEMS_PEDIA and such. (bonus=resource)

So... if you can produce files like these I'll be grateful. It doesn't matter if they are all in one file, or in different files for each "kind" (techs, resources, wonders, etc.)

ok, the specific things I need:

- tech quotes (TXT_KEY_TECH_DESTRUCTION_QUOTE ) for the new techs can really add flavor. (without voice acting of course, but, well, we'll see. I toyed with the idea of using quotes from oblivion...."stop right there criminal scum!!" )
- tech describtions TXT_KEY_TECH_DESTRUCTION_PEDIA - the describtion for the tech in pedia.. you can see the techs I've added in screenshopts in this thread.
- leaders description in civilopedia: TXT_KEY_LEADER_THALMOR_PEDIA - the leaders listed on the first thread here.
- civilizations description in civilopedia - TXT_KEY_CIV_ORC_PEDIA
- buildings and wonders description - most are in screenshots on page 2 here. TXT_KEY_BUILDING_ENCHANTER_PEDIA. just short describtion\ history really. the religious buildings though not yet finished so it's better to leave them for later.
- describtions for new resources.
- units - later.

Probably many things here can be just copied from UESP or imperial library, or some other sources. Overall civilopedia entries are not very important, but still give a nice touch. Just a couple of general notes on each subject are better than nothing.
tech quotes - if there's a quote from whatever source (lore, books, games, vivec's sermons, whatnot) that seem appropriate for one of the new techs, that's most welcomed.

 

[Mousey_Commander]

All right I have found what you mean, but would you possibly have an XML with your changes made to it, its quite difficult to wade through all the civilopedia entries when most won't be in the game or will be under a different name (ie I won't know what the Basic Magic tech will correspond to in BTS)

 

[smortt]

oh no don't worry; just use the name of the technology\ building\whatever, ; basic magic is TXT_KEY_TECH_BASIC_MAGIC_PEDIA for civilopedia and TXT_KEY_TECH_BASIC_MAGIC_QUOTE for quote. It's doesn't really matter, if it's wrong I'll just fix it later, it just needs to correspond with the same name in techinfos, and I'm not sure I even nemed them all.



/// and thanks !!!




...and :

(this is how I tried to turn the great wall into ghost fence)

and I fixed white gold tower from earlier.. :

 

[Mousey_Commander]

Oh wow, the white-gold tower is looking really nice!

Just another thing, what do you want done with techs/buildings that are from BTS like granaries or barracks?

EDIT: Heres the quote for Spirituality: "Some et'Ada gave part of themselves to Mundus, creating the eight Planets. Magnus, disgusted, left for Aetherius, tearing a hole in Oblivion and creating the Sun, and others followed creating the Stars. Lorkhan was punished, his heart fired into the sea, his corpse floating above Nirn as the Moons." [PARAGRAPH:1]- The Creation of Mundus

 

[smortt]

Just another thing, what do you want done with techs/buildings that are from BTS like granaries or barracks?

uhm, your consideration really. I mean, if the original text really doesn't suit, they need to be changed, but it's not top priority.

EDIT: Heres the quote for Spirituality: "Some et'Ada gave part of themselves to Mundus, creating the eight Planets. Magnus, disgusted, left for Aetherius, tearing a hole in Oblivion and creating the Sun, and others followed creating the Stars. Lorkhan was punished, his heart fired into the sea, his corpse floating above Nirn as the Moons." [PARAGRAPH:1]- The Creation of Mundus

nice one!