Would folks be interested in this mod?

cjdevito · Post by **cjdevito** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 6:15 pm

I've been toying with an idea for awhile, and now that I've scribbled over twenty pages of notes on it I think I might actually take the time to put it together. Before I do, though, I figure it makes sense to find out if anyone would actually be interested in it.

What I'm thinking of is putting together a mod involving a new faction. A few new NPCs, locations, and a full faction's worth of quests.

From the word doc I'm scribbing in, here's some background....
"Dedicated to the ‘forbidden’ knowledge that the native Dunmer of Morrowind find so distasteful, the Illuminated Order of the Invisibles is a confederation of those who have an interest in the esoteric subjects of necromancy, vampirism, lycanthropy, and other dark lore.

Because of the outlawed nature of their subject of inquiry, the Order is highly secretive. It has to be; were knowledge of its existence made public, the Temple and Houses Indoril and Redoran would immediately attempt to violently expunge the Order’s existence. Accordingly, members of the Order tend towards a highly paranoid and closed-mouthed existence. New recruits are, therefore, exceedingly rare; generally, only those who have clearly demonstrated their own interests in the outlawed knowledge are considered.

Valued Skills: Alchemy, Enchant, Sneak, Security, Destruction, Conjuration, Illusion
Valued Stats: Intelligence, Willpower
Guild Ranks:
1. Instrument of Dark Labors
2. Instrument of Devious Gambits
3. Instrument of Hidden Motivations
4. Inquisitor of Obscure Arts
5. Inquisitor of Shadowy Visions
6. Inquisitor of Sacred Untruths
7. Keeper of Unseemly Wisdom
8. Keeper of Ethereal Lore
9. Keeper of Forbidden Secrets

Anyway, anyone interested in something like this? I have quests mapped out involving everything from vampires to liches to trying to steal the power Dagoth Ur has infused his Ascended Sleepers with......

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 6:23 pm

That looks like great fun...so many of the new faction mods out there either don't have enough quests, or are lacking a storyline that fits in with the game. If you do it well, I'll be very interested

Gorgan · Post by **Gorgan** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 7:18 pm

Thats sounds like mad fun and i think it will have total ownage over the crappy guild mods, but of course youll have to a good job!!!

rnrules · Post by **rnrules** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 9:31 pm

Looks cool, I'm finially getting Morrowind for PC ^^. All the mod's and tribunal will make it worth it. I really like all your ideas, do you think that this new faction will be located inside a city? I personally think that an accesabile guild outside of a city would be pretty sweet. Maybe after a few acensions in rank, you could have a side deal with the mage's guild, like they want something from you, or want you to do some work they would preffer not being associated with. Then, if you successfuly complete the quest, the questgiver will give you some kind of password to give to the trasporters, then they might say "Oh you're (nameofplayer) aren't you? Well I suppose I could assist you... Then after that you could travel it as if it were another mage's guild. Anway don't know if that idea has any merit, but it looks like you're going about making a factiont the right way, actually brainstorming and not just messing around on the editor.

Cya

cjdevito · Post by **cjdevito** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 9:48 pm

do you think that this new faction will be located inside a city?

Yes and no. First, the only way to join is to follow up on a rumor that takes you through a couple of dungeons. Then you get directed to the first guild house, which is in a city. You do the quests there before they even admit there's a second guild house, let alone where to find it. Second guild house is also in a city. Do the quests there, they point you to the third guild house -- which is not in a city, but isn't all that far from one. Then there's a fourth and final guild house, which isn't strictly speaking in a city, but is reached through one.

Yes, I know this all sounds very linear. It's the nature of the order, though... you barely know anything about them when you first join, and it's only after doing quests and rising in rank that they trust you with more information.... even down to passwords to get into their guild houses.

Hell, I'll spill a little bit... the first quest you get after you join is to bring a letter full of deliberate misinformation to M'aiq the Liar (the existing NPC who, well, lies through his teeth)... for the sole purpose of giving him MORE lies to spread. A campaign of misinformation for the public serves the Order's purposes quite well; after all, if someone gets told to become a werewolf by doing steps A, B & C and, after much effort, they don't work.... well, that person is a lot less likely to go seriously digging into the subject again, aren't they?

The Order is VERY paranoid.

you could have a side deal with the mage's guild

Good thought, but no -- for story reasons if nothing else. Three of the four guild houses are fairly easily accessible off the main travel routes, provided you know where to look for them and the correct phrases to get inside. The fourth isn't on a main route, but can be reached via fast travel.

rnrules · Post by **rnrules** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 9:56 pm

Well, with that much planning, I can't think of much to go wrong with it... How long do you think designing it will take? A month?

cjdevito · Post by **cjdevito** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 9:59 pm

Damned if I know. It's mostly going to depend on how much trouble the scripting is. In terms of new NPCs and locations, there's only going to be a handful of each... there's an amazing lot you can do with stuff that already exists, that won't interfere in any way with anything else already in the game.

I'll post updates as I go, though.

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 10:16 pm

The more I hear, the more I like it. Go for it!

Rahvin · Post by **Rahvin** » Sat Dec 07, 2002 9:26 am

sounds like a great idea, I'd use it, keep us posted!

cjdevito · Post by **cjdevito** » Sat Dec 07, 2002 7:39 pm

FWIW, I spent most of the afternoon today building the first guildhouse

rnrules · Post by **rnrules** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 12:30 am

Did you get it finished?

cjdevito · Post by **cjdevito** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 11:42 am

The physical location, yes. No NPCs or quests in it yet, though. Putting interior cells together from scratch is pretty straightforward in the construction kit.... the most time consuming aspect of it, IMO, is that none of the pieces in the editor have thumbnails, so you don't know what something is until you drag it into the render window. With hundreds (if not thousands) of pieces, that's lots to look at.

rnrules · Post by **rnrules** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 7:08 pm

since you are designing your own quests, how did you learn the scripting? (I just want to learn it).

Programming knowledge?
Reference?
Specific website that I could check out?

k koo, cya later

cjdevito · Post by **cjdevito** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 8:04 pm

I've completed the first guildhouse, and I've uploaded an ESP file containing JUST that.... no quests or even a faction in there yet. I'm uploading it mostly just to see what folks have to say about it.

It's EXTREMELY dark in the guildhall. That's deliberate, and I spent hours on the lighting getting it to what I wanted. If you really can't cope with it, use nighteye.... but if you can manage it, don't, because the lighting is really important to the feel. There's a tapestry in the first room -- walk through it. Beyond it, the way is lit with candles. Try to experience it with just the candles for light, if you can.

The guildhall itself is located immediately east of the north end of the canal cutting through Balmora, right next to the watch house that's west of Cauis Cosades. It's labelled in game as 'Demnevanni Manor'.

I don't recommend saving your game with this mod installed, and I recommend uninstalling it when you're done.

The file is at http://advancedaquarist.com/cjdevitotemp/order.esp

cjdevito · Post by **cjdevito** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 8:09 pm

@rnrules: I haven't taught myself MW scripting yet, I'm working on it though

You can get the scripter's bible about halfway down the page at http://thelys.free.fr/misc.htm

cjdevito · Post by **cjdevito** » Mon Dec 09, 2002 4:06 pm

Hey, somebody give it a try. Or you'll leave me no choice but to post screenshots

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Mon Dec 09, 2002 4:36 pm

Originally posted by cjdevito
Hey, somebody give it a try. Or you'll leave me no choice but to post screenshots

Here's a screenshot:

I see what you mean about it being dark

(Ok, ok, I'll give it a go

)

cjdevito · Post by **cjdevito** » Mon Dec 09, 2002 4:43 pm

Actually, if you took a screenshot in the first room, it probably -would- come out that dark since screenies ignore any changes you've made to your gamme setting.

Light levels beyond the first room are pretty much fine, I think (though I may add more candles to the stairs), but that first room is a PITA. I need it dark enough so that:
1. The stairs being so dark doesn't look out of place
2. It isn't all that easy to notice there's an open doorway behind the tapestry.

On my system, the current light levels in the first room look fine with an unadjusted gamma, and very do-able with even nighteye 20. But please let me know if you find the first room too dark to deal with. The stairs I can light up a bit more if I need to, and the lower area is well enough lit, I think

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Mon Dec 09, 2002 5:07 pm

Wow. I like what you've done with the place...

I went in without any Night Eye or Light, but it was still easy enough to see what was going on. To be honest, when I was approaching from across the river, I looked at the Manor and was wondering if it had always been there...great job integrating it with the rest of Balmora. Inside is equally impressive - not trying to do too much like many mods do. I like it being dark...that level of light does indeed create an excellent air of mystery to the place. Those red candles on the way down kick ass

I'd love to give some constructive criticism, but there doesn't seem to be much wrong so far

Not sure about the crystals...maybe they're a little too big/bright for the whole feel of the place.

Oh, and the two books upstairs and the parchment...did you write any of that yourself? I don't really pay attention to the books in-game, so I'm not sure. Pretty convinced that Confessions of a Skooma-Eater isn't one of yours...

Conclusion: well done. Keep it up and this mod has a lot of potential

EDIT - Don't change the lighting unless you absolutely have to. Aren't there any larger tapestries that can cover that hole?

cjdevito · Post by **cjdevito** » Mon Dec 09, 2002 5:33 pm

Wow. I like what you've done with the place...

Cool. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted, but it was the first time I've used the editor to build a cell, and wasn't at all sure folks would like what I did with it.

Those red candles on the way down kick ass

Heh. Glad you like them. I was real pleased especially with that last stretch at the bottom of the stairs

Not sure about the crystals...maybe they're a little too big/bright for the whole feel of the place.

The crystals themselves actually give out very little light. There's a -big- pulsing green omni light in the middle of the room, above the altar that actually provides most of the light there.

Speaking of the altar, didja notice the graphiti scrawled in blood on it's surface?

Oh, and the two books upstairs and the parchment...did you write any of that yourself?

Nope. All three actually exist in-game, but I wouldn't be surprised if you've never seen them before.... the two books only have one copy each in game, and the scrawled note only has three (and all three of which are pretty thoroughly hard to spot, and in 6th house strongholds).

There -are- going to be original books and such, though.

Conclusion: well done. Keep it up and this mod has a lot of potential

Glad you liked it. This is really the first time I'm doing something like this, so I'm really having to feel my way through it one step at a time.

Aren't there any larger tapestries that can cover that hole?

No. I -could- play with the dimensions in the editor, but it looks kind of screwy when I do.