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Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 11 2021, 01:37 PM

I mentioned this in a couple of other threads already, it started as a small "let me change this tree" idea, and has now grown into a proper project of mine. So I am starting this thread to share with you what I've been doing in the hope to get feedback and ideas well before the mod is in any shape or form ready for release.

First of all, this is an add-on for TWMP Skyrim Improved which is a part of the TWMP project that very ambitiously wants to bring the entire Tamriel into Oblivion. They've got pretty much everything covered, too! And I fully intend to load it all up and see what happens, but I started with Skyrim, and that needed some tweaks... or so I thought.

To install existing TWMP mods, start with https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46149 and follow the dependencies mentioned in the description. Then install https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/42449 which gives you a proper map to use with Dynamic Map. Also recommended https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46258. Then go play.

If you wanted to try installing the whole of Tamriel, including Elsweyr, Valenwood, Somerset Isle and Morrowind (Morroblivion), you are not alone - it is apparently possible! People have done it! With success! I'm not there yet, but here is a post explaining in which order you need to install the mods for it to work: https://www.reddit.com/r/oblivion/comments/k3urgk/is_there_a_way_to_install_all_those_twmp_mods/.

But back to Skyrim.

There are three roads from Cyrodiil into Skyrim:
- Eastern route: North from the Temple of the Ancestor Moths.
- Central route: North from the Cloud Ruler Temple.
- Western route: somewhere North West of the Shrine of Hermaeus Mora.

It may also be worth while talking to Agata at the Mages Guild in Leyawiin. Just saying.

I was impressed with TWMP Skyrim, but I wanted it to be more similar to Skyrim The Game. I have been exploring South East so far, so that's where I started - in what was supposed to be The Rift.

But it's not The Rift if it's filled with snow-covered white pines, it's got to have birches and aspens in autumnal colours. So I did that. Added grid paths to the land too, so that the roads are now recognised by the AI as well as by the player. Then I extended Riverwood and populated it with familiar characters - just pop in to The Sleeping Giant Inn.

Next on the list is Riften. There isn't a city there, and there needs to be one - because I say so. I've got a plan, now the fun of building can begin.

Some pictures to start with, I've got more, will add them shortly. This is already in my game, so it actually works, most of the times.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/south-skyrim-map.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/the-rift.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/stairs-riften.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/oblivion-gate.jpg. In the original TWMP Skyrim Improved this is actually Riften, but I decided to build a new Riften next to it. So then this area is a perfect spot to house some guards. Well, it was a perfect spot to house some guards...

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/riften-watch.jpg

Posted by: macole Oct 11 2021, 04:06 PM

Nice pictures, hope your project goes well. I do like the gate desstroying Riftn's Watch House.

Mehrunes Dagon really misused placing his gates, thankfully.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 11 2021, 04:31 PM

Thanks, Macole! I'll be posting a lot more pictures here than what fits in Lena's story, but her travels in Skyrim do prompt the development.

There are apparently 100 Oblivion gates in Skyrim! Wow. I found three in game so far... But I can see a lot more in the Construction Set, however I try not to peek. Exploring in game is so much more fun!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 15 2021, 03:39 PM

A quick update. I am building Riften - the actual real Riften, to make Skyrim the Game jealous. I have 12 houses of multiple occupancy at the moment, plus Mistveil Keep, some towers, the Ratway, extra catacombs, ships, boats and the Temple of Mara. Oh, and some burned down remains of what used to be Riften Watch (the barracks). The population is mostly a mix of Nords and Argonians with some Dunmer and a few other races, I've got about 20 NPCs at the moment, including children, but there will be more. No guards or Jarl yet - but they will appear. All have schedules - work and hang out at the inn, mostly. Some also go to the chapel from time to time. We have two inns and various shops to make it into a proper city. Pictures will follow when I get it loaded into the game - it's just in the Construction Set at the moment.

In the meantime, a map of Southern Skyrim as a reminder, and a few pictures of the previously done areas (already in the game).

Posted by: Acadian Oct 15 2021, 03:41 PM

Wow, nice work Lena!

Posted by: mirocu Oct 16 2021, 03:29 PM

Are you doing this yourself, Lena? Cause this is impressive!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 16 2021, 03:56 PM

Thanks, yes, all myself... It started literally with the idea of replacing some trees in The Rift to make it look like The Rift... and from there it snowballed. I am of course building on the work of people behind TWMP Skyrim Improved, but they had only a burned down Riften, so I felt like I wanted more. Now I'm completely sucked into it!

Posted by: macole Oct 17 2021, 05:01 AM

Lena, it is amazing what you are doing. Looking forward to seeing the results.

Posted by: Renee Oct 18 2021, 01:27 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Oct 15 2021, 10:39 AM)

I feel this is the game...

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 18 2021, 02:19 PM

I have been having so much fun yesterday populating the Warrens in my Riften... Some familiar characters make their appearance (hint: skooma pipe and candle and no shirt, for example ), but also some new ones turn up - it's fun to make the very furnishings of their cells tell a story of why this person could be hiding in the Warrens. It's almost ready for screenshooting, I just need to populate the Rugged Flagon. I've got the Wrath of Mercer Frey guarding the Vaults already... And no, I am not reproducing the Thieves Guild members for the reasons I won't divulge - it's all in Lena's story. Also, this isn't Skyrim the Game, so it is not quite the same anyway.

Posted by: macole Oct 18 2021, 03:59 PM

"having so much fun" Yes I know that feeling well. The same thing happened to me when I put together mods for my current world. It really does become its own game.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 18 2021, 04:17 PM

I find that I also get frustrated pretty quickly when things don't work and I can't see why. Like when I was trying to build a new Mages Guild quest line - I'm sure there was a perfectly logical explanation why some lines of dialogue didn't appear when they should have appeared, but I couldn't see it and it made me give up after a few frustrating hours. So no more quests for me, thanks. Not complex ones anyway.

Another thing is mod stability. When I was making my Kvatch Duplicated mod, I was working with two and a half (literally) other mods that were never meant to work together and were both meant to only kick in after you've completed the main quest. Problem was, I never even started the main quest (never delivered the amulet), so I couldn't get into Kvatch the way those mods were meant to work. I had to remove them from the game because they caused crashes, I think the whole foundation was just really unstable. I do like the idea though, and eventually I shall redo it all - starting from scratch. I learned how to do it now that I'm building stuff for TWMP - I must say this is a very nice and solid foundation to build on, and it does come with a lot of stuff in Northern Skyrim and Hammerfell filled in, ready to explore (I saw it in the CS but tried not to peek).

Posted by: Renee Oct 18 2021, 09:01 PM

That is true about the frustrating part. That's the part of modding nobody told me about back when I was pure console player. All I heard was how great mods are, but there is definitely another side. You WILL have plenty of "learning experiences" along the way.

Of course it also Depends how far you want to get into it with your own ideas (quests for me, which as you've noted, can get really really frustrating), or with adding mod after mod of other peoples' work. You know all this Lena, I'm not telling you anything you don't know, I am just reiterating. War stories, and all.

On the other hand, seems like you're making progress with some of your work. Whatever you do, always make sure you keep notes! So if something goes right, you have a ready-made page to look at to make sure it goes right again in the future. That's all my modding thread is--my personal notes, except I copy/pasted them here, which (for me) makes them easy to find than digging into folders on my computer every time.

Ciao.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 19 2021, 07:39 AM

Riften is ready for screenshots!

Note: When you click on a picture, WordPress frames it in its own window, cutting down the resolution. But if you return here and click the same picture again, it opens it directly without fuss - and you can see it much better. At least that's the way it works in Firefox and Chrome...

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/riften-town-lake.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/riften-keep-air.jpg - and Morrowind beyond, as seen from the Watch.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/riften-keep-cloud.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/riften-lake.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/riften-town.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/riften-port.jpg... oops! Time to panic!

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/panic.jpg... What happened here?!

Apparently generating LOD can result in deleting LOD instead... This was fixed by reinstalling original TWMP mods (with LOD included) and then regenerating LOD cell by cell where needed. No bulk generations next time!

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/warrens-cell-coffin.jpg - they are all different.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/warrens-shrine.jpg. Was the worship of Talos banned in Skyrim?

There are people in each and every house, as well as in the chapel (a better picture is to follow - at the moment you just see the spire behind the houses). But the AI is not complete yet, they are not venturing out much. Also, we need sailors to man the ships. But things are progressing!

Posted by: Acadian Oct 19 2021, 12:13 PM

Wow, you've been busy, Lena! Nice work!

Posted by: Renee Oct 19 2021, 12:56 PM

Yeah this is neat. Really proud of you, Lena. I like the fact that the place is populated, too.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 19 2021, 01:56 PM

Thank you both!

Population: yes, I agree that's important. We don't want ghost towns. Even if I don't do any quests, I am still populating it - people give life to towns. Plus of course we want shop keepers and publicans and such. For the same reason I think every house needs an interior - no empty shells here, and that includes the larger ships.

The other cities in Skyrim and Hammerfell are quite fleshed out, there are a lot of NPCs with schedules and quests and all. I wanted Riften to be on the same level. They don't have all the cities done, but they do have Windhelm, Solitude and Snowhawk which was meant to be Markarth, but it was built before Skyrim the Game came out, and it is very different and not quite in the right place. So the creators renamed it into Snowhawk rather than removing it. I believe they also have something of Winterhold and its college, but like I said I don't want to look it all up in the CS, I'd rather go and explore it in game eventually. There are smaller settlements and villages in between, too.

Posted by: macole Oct 19 2021, 03:28 PM

From what I understood was that the Skyrim city names where based on the original names given in TES1 Arena. Snowhawk was a walled city-state rival to Solitude. At that time Markarth was a much smaller village between the two rival cities. Smaller even than the town Dragon Bridge.

What happened in the resulting 300-hundred years to cause the population shift is anyone's guess. The collaspe of the empire, the Oblivion crisis, or something else who knows. I suspect the silver mine had something to do with it.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 21 2021, 09:26 AM

Oh this is interesting about Snowhawk - thanks, Macole! I haven't played Arena or Daggerfel, so didn't know about it. The same as those other people who thought that Snowhawk was supposed to be Markarth - I actually read it somewhere. In which case I can report that TWMP Skyrim Improved has no Markarth. However, it has Granitehall which Skyrim the Game lacks, although there is a mod for that, but it is not follower-friendly, seems to lack path grids. I tried it on PS4, but when we got there, my follower just turned around and left. Very odd. He waited for me in Rorikstead.

In Riften I've been filling out big ships with interior and crew. The ship that's moored at the posh end of the docks is called Tharstan Glory and is owned by a local family living in one of the big houses in the Cloud District (what a surprise). The captain goes there for dinner - his sister lives there with another character of unknown purpose. The other big ship that's moored at the Town Quay is called The Black Pearl. Are they pirates? We don't know, but I suggest you don't pose such questions to Captain Octavius Rex. Just a thought. The sailors of both ships hang around the port during the day and spend their evenings either at the Rugged Flagon or at The Bee and Barb (I figured out how to randomise their comings and goings).

Generally, people start venturing out of their houses, although no one goes to the chapel yet.

I've also been using a follower-friendly scheme to rent rooms at the inns. Rather than unlocking just one door and pointing you at one bed, I don't lock doors at all and change ownership of all rentable beds to PlayerFaction. This allows you and your followers sleep in any of the available beds. Perhaps I should raise prices too, seeing how you're basically renting the whole inn.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 25 2021, 07:06 PM

More Riften construction was going on over the weekend. I have completed the ships: there are three larger ships docked in the harbour: Tharstan Glory, The Black Pearl and Sirens' Bane. The first two are larger ships (galleons?), the last one is a cargo ship. They each have a captain and four sailors on board, they sleep on their ships and wander around the deck quite a lot, but they also wander around the docks and go to the inns for their evening meal and/or drink. Their schedules vary. Some even go to the chapel for a prayer.

Tharstan Glory is owned by a local family who have a fancy mansion in the Cloud District - the captain's sister lives there (I think I already said this in a previous post). The cargo ship Sirens' Bane is also owned by a local family - they live in a simple wooden house in town. Their son hangs around his uncle's cargo ship a lot... The Black Pearl are visitors.

The city has three taverns: The Bee and Barb, The Honeydew Inn and The Rugged Flagon. The first two are also inns. All this is now set up and working, with schedules randomised. It should be getting quite busy.

In terms of shops, the city has a smithy (the smith working outside, an apprentice working inside, both trading), a warehouse (and yes, you can buy stuff from the warehouse master), an alchemy shop "The Right Potion" selling all kinds of potions, including... umm... the less allowed variety. Also wine and beer and stuff. He's an alchemist, Eridor of Riften, he brews stuff... There will also be a general trader - not yet done.

The warehouse is quite large but understandably locked. It has several vaults inside - that's already behind common gates. You can find all sorts of stuff in there, we even spotted an Ordered Chest... I was toying with an idea of letting the player rent one of the vaults to safely store stuff, seeing how you can't buy a house here. But then I got distracted by other things.

There are several trainers among the people of the city, they are the normal "unmarked" individuals, as in other places.

Things to do still include: The Minotaur Manor - a fancy mansion that needs a story (it's an ex-Fighters Guild, but there's no Fighters Guild in Skyrim, so I can't quite figure out who the people are that live in it); the general store; and Mistveil Keep with guards. I don't know if I'll be able to make a jail - apparently it's a bit tricky. Perhaps your crimes will just have to go unpunished then.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 27 2021, 10:50 PM

An update in pictures!

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/south-skyrim-map1.jpg

Posted by: Acadian Oct 28 2021, 12:57 AM

Wow, some more nice work. I imaging you're having lots of fun just modding Skyrim into your Oblivion!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 28 2021, 08:19 AM

Thanks, Acadian! Yes, fun is the key. It also helps tremendously that I am not running into any unexpected issues with the underlying plugins, except for the pink water, that is... But I can live with that one. Essentially I can keep it in the load order and go do other things, and it doesn't make the game unstable like some other mods I've tried. And once Riften is finished, I'll release version 1.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 31 2021, 10:47 AM

We've been sticking flags into the ground with Geralt yesterday. We are checking the trails that lead into Skyrim, adding some new ones where the landscape allows, and updating the map. There were no roads on the map in the first place, and it was hard to draw them correctly switching back and forth between Gimp and the game, but now with this https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/26389 mod we can finally do it. Fair warning: the mod is not perfect, read the comments.

So yesterday we walked along both Pale Pass trails: the Old Pale Pass that comes out by the Dragonclaw Rock (my addition) and the New Pale Pass that goes over the top of the mountains with many steep stairs. They both start at the Northern Inn from TWMP.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/roadsign-northern-inn.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/roadsign-northern-inn2.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/old-pale-pass.jpg is marked with braziers and some leftovers of a paved road.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/mountain-pass-view.jpg A view from the New Pale Pass.

We've been sticking flags along that route:

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/pale-pass-flags.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/eastern-route-flags.jpg

Posted by: macole Oct 31 2021, 05:11 PM

I’m using Unique Landscapes so yours is probably different but in my game set-up https://i.imgur.com/rFsAcJB.jpg. There’s no real path marked but I can travel down and back up the northern slope from here. If you look closely you can see the buildings through the trees.

https://i.imgur.com/PqQYL4P.jpg.

Oh, and don't forget the schnapps to keep you toasty warm.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 31 2021, 06:36 PM

There are quite a few patches from the TWMP team for Unique Landscapes, I haven't looked at them yet. I am not modifying the landscape (well, only very slightly), so I expect to be able to use most patches. But I'll test it later. I am not using UL myself, so this isn't a priority for selfish reasons.

There is no visible route to Falkreath in vanilla or TWMP, but I expect the general landscape to be roughly the same, so we'll just find a slope that we can navigate in both directions and call it "the road". Such exploration is so much fun! Except may be for the beasts... Never mind an overgrown lone landdreugh - we've got werewolves roaming in packs... Ouch. Regards from TWMP!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 1 2021, 09:49 AM

Macole - the ice and snow looks different in your game than in mine, are you using some retexturing mods? I had a better look at your screenshot of the road by Hermaeus Mora shrine, I do have that road, it's vanilla, but mine has a different texture to the point that I didn't even recognise it! Anyway, I see that if you just hop over the ledge and go down the hill, it's easy enough.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/south-skyrim-map3.jpg

Posted by: macole Nov 1 2021, 05:18 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Nov 1 2021, 03:49 AM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 1 2021, 05:50 PM

QUOTE(macole @ Nov 1 2021, 05:18 PM)

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Nov 1 2021, 03:49 AM)

Macole - the ice and snow looks different in your game than in mine, are you using some retexturing mods?

Yes, I am using some (over 150) retex and replacer mods. My game is a delicate house of cards of 276 mods. The snow I'm not too happy with. At a distance it looks really good but the area that you walk on looked like brown muddy slush. I found the appropriate shader and treid to enhance it myself. It's better but... I don't know. How does it look to you? Of course you can tell since you're not walking on it.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 2 2021, 11:56 AM

Remember pink water in my screenshots of Riften harbour? And me not being able to fix it? We've travelled away from Riften and came across another body of water, and it too was pink. I think all of my water is pink at night now. Well... look what the web turned up (finally I asked the right question):

From https://stepmodifications.org/wiki/Guide:Oblivion_INI/Water:

Posted by: macole Nov 2 2021, 03:33 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Nov 2 2021, 05:56 AM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 2 2021, 05:32 PM

Thanks Macole - but black water is different from pink water, I discovered. There are so many ways that things can go wrong... it's frightening.

I launched a systematic investigation and found the problem! One of my mods was somehow accidentally overwriting the texture of water at night... Go figure. No idea how it happened, but since I did not provide a replacement texture for water at night, the game was showing it in pink. I used TES4Edit to delete the offending record, and lo and behold - the water is water again! Hurray!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 2 2021, 07:38 PM

Posted by: Acadian Nov 3 2021, 02:15 PM

Despite her reluctance about the hospitality of those with scales and tails, Linnea gives a delightful tour of this harbor town.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 3 2021, 04:42 PM

Thanks, Acadian! The inns and shops in Riften now have a copy of the book somewhere on the counter, along with a local edition of the Black Horse Courier and some random handbills (not to mention private notes carelessly left lying around by various irresponsible citizens). For some strange reason however at the Bee and Barb the copy of the guide got flung under a mead keg... No idea why.

So we now have bits of information as well as rumours floating around Riften. I have also recruited 25 guards - order will be upheld! It is well needed with 60 or so inhabitants, including a dozen sailors. The Keep is being outfitted as we speak, we already have guard uniforms in Riften colours from a TWMP mod, but we need to see about getting banners and rugs for the Keep updated as well. Jarl Sigfrid Shield-Breaker is not to be crossed!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 6 2021, 07:51 PM

BLACK HORSE COURIER

Posted by: Acadian Nov 6 2021, 08:50 PM

It's the safest damn city in Skyrim! If you don't believe us, we'll kill you!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 6 2021, 08:55 PM

We've heard rumours about a certain Guild hiding in the sewers... Nah, can't be! Those are just rumours!

Posted by: macole Nov 7 2021, 07:28 AM

A good report by the Black Horse Courier. I think I'll visit elsewhere, by the way.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 7 2021, 09:49 AM

Whatever you mean - it is perfectly safe! Especially now with all those gaps boarded over. Quite literally. Regardless of all my previous pathing efforts, the citizens of Riften keep choosing dangerous paths that lead them off the pier and into the water. And while there is nothing wrong with a refreshing swim in the lake, falling off the pier on the side of the mountain slope caused them to get stuck between the pier and the mountain. Even Talen-Jei's Cliff Racer can't help them to get out of the ditch. But no more. The gaps are now boarded over!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 7 2021, 09:00 PM

An update with pictures.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/riften-mist.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/riften-mist2.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/riften-shops.jpg Shops set into the mountain side and the ditch boarded over.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/remus.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/odds-sods.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/riften-grand-staircase.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/riften-great-hall1.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/riften-great-hall.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/riften-court.jpg

Posted by: macole Nov 7 2021, 10:34 PM

After seeing the pics I've changed my mind, I would like a visit. I'll just have to keep my hands in my pockets to avoid getting arrested.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 7 2021, 10:46 PM

Actually, you'll be quite safe even if you do get arrested. For some reason they take you to Bruma for processing... It seems Bruma is the default.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 8 2021, 06:49 PM

The citizens of Riften choose to live dangerous lives - they swim in the lake a lot, jump fro great heights ignoring the stairs and get into fights with werewolves. This leads to unnecessary deaths. The Jarl ordered two things to remedy the situation: install rope barriers along the dock walks to prevent people from falling into the water, and to teach everyone basic restoration spells to heal themselves.

Searching the Imperial Archives reveals that when a citizen needs to find a path to a point rather far away, the task proves too complex for common sense and they try to just go in a straight line... obstacles or no obstacles. This is a limitation of their AI. They do try to correct themselves as they go though, so hopefully rope barriers will help. Hmph.

Posted by: Acadian Nov 8 2021, 06:58 PM

I can imagine that teaching pathing to AI citizens who generally have no apparent fear of death (NAFOD) is indeed a challenge.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 9 2021, 10:17 AM

That's just the thing. No common sense. Riften covers quite a large area - a dozen cells - and from what I read, the AI only uses path nodes to calculate short stretches. For longer distances, it just goes in a straight line... but it adjusts it when the NPC finds him/herself standing on a node. All in all, it actually works very well, I think. But in Riften it results in them choosing to go for a swim too often, and there are mudcrabs and slaughterfish in the lake... The funny thing is that when NPCs meet each other in the water, they stop for a chat. In the water. And say things like: "I saw a couple of mudcrabs yesterday, I steered clear of them!" - all while being attacked by a mudcrab... The liers...

I am going to declare that crazy pathfinding is just something that happens in Riften all the time. Too much mead. Or possibly too many Cliff Racer cocktails being consumed. But with the safety measures put in place, there should be very few unnecessary deaths.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 9 2021, 08:31 PM

Rope barriers definitely help to keep NPCs from falling into the water. Also the system fetches them out of the water rather quickly. The Jarl seems to have employed invisible life guards.

They say don't load an old save because it will mess up your newly changed plugin. Which is exactly why I always load several existing saves to see just how far they get messed up. So far no crashes, but some amusing things do happen. (Click these pictures twice to get full resolution.)

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/naked-sailor.jpg And I don't even have any Khajiit sailors. May be that's why he had no luck.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/roach-arrest.jpg Notice the second guard on the left.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/roach-arrest-done.jpg Seeing this outcome, the other guard put away his bow, turned around and returned to his post. Smart guy.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 13 2021, 07:33 PM

It is done! https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51538 is out! Phew... Now I can get back to playing!!

I have installed everything I could find that works with TWMP: Black Marsh, Summerset Isle, Valenwood and Elsweyr, and of course I already had Hammerfell and High Rock. I see Lena going to explore the South next and see if there are any land tears.

Posted by: Acadian Nov 13 2021, 07:56 PM

Congrats!

Posted by: macole Nov 14 2021, 07:55 AM

Well done Lena! One of the best looking tree replacer mods for Oblivion I've seen in quiet awhile.

For the TWMP Hammerfell did you load all 7 of the files?

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 14 2021, 01:32 PM

Thanks Acadian, Macole - those trees look great, don't they?

With all the TWMP mods (including Hammerfell) I installed all the main files (latest version only), all the resource files and all the LOD files, that is everything except the patches because I don't need them. The LOD files are really tricky because they are not in a BSA but just files on disk, and you have to install them in the right order because they overwrite what you've got already. But then - people say - you generate new LOD with TES4Edit and everything is fixed! Yeah, right... this has not been my experience. The files in distantLOD folder are overwritten when you generate LOD, and they contain data for trees, objects and some of the water (some? yeah, clear). Then there's texture LOD - some files in Textures/landscapeLOD, and I have not been able to regenerate those successfully with anything. I just get a lot of purple everywhere when I try. But all of those TWMP mods come with land LOD textures, and my mod doesn't change landscapes, so fortunately I don't need to update them. It does make it very important to load the mods in the correct order to get those things overwritten correctly.

Phew... if you are not confused yet, why not?

So, for the record I decided to write up exactly which mods from the TWMP suite I installed and in which order, that's the long list that follows. It is my intention to get Valenwood and Elsweyr working as well, they are not all TWMP, but they were made to work with TWMP, or so I hear. Bear in mind that I haven't explored those areas yet, so I might have to adjust the list later. This is based on https://www.reddit.com/r/oblivion/comments/k3urgk/is_there_a_way_to_install_all_those_twmp_mods/ on Reddit.

My installation does not start from an empty Oblivion - I already have various mods, some with the dreaded LOD that gets overwritten. Besides, I started with TWMP for Skyrim and installed Elsweyr and Valenwood afterwards - which is the opposite of what they advise on Reddit. I also had my LOD messed up several times while developing my mod, fixed it, messed it up again... So then I decided to reinstall all those TWMP mods again, overwriting everything, but now I've done it in the right order according to Reddit. I have only checked Skyrim and Hammerfell so far, and they are fixed, and Cyrodiil seems to be in order also. So I think this might be a way to go.

EDIT 18 December 2021: I have updated these instructions now that my mod got a new release. https://masserandsecunda.wordpress.com/mods-for-oblivion/installing-twmp-tamriel/

Download and Installation

IMPORTANT: download the mods and save them in a safe place because you'll be reusing them a few times! I suggest Data/Downloads. Put each mod in its own folder so you know what's what. It gets confusing very quickly. I download everything first, then go about installing it - this helps to keep track of where you are at.

Installation needs to happen in the order listed below because files get overwritten in the process. Some of the mods also give installation instructions, I tried to take them all into account, but be sure to check them for notes regarding other popular mods that you might have in your game.

Note: I don't use Unique Landscapes, so I didn't download any of those resources. If you do use UL, you will need those files too! Top up your common sense reserves, they will be tested!

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/37952
Go to their website and download and install the latest version. TWMP claims to need v21 on its latest mods, but v19 is probably already sufficient.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/27235
- Tamriel LOD resources
- Tamriel Heightmap v 3.3
- Tr Stirk LOD resources

http://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/36887/
- BSA
- ESM

http://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/24822/
- ESM ESP
- Full resource pack
The other files here are just the individual parts already contained in the full resource pack, in case you have to re-download (so save it first!).

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/25023
- Main file

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/22555
- 1020 Full German
- 1020 English translation (replacement ESP with English text)
With TWMP we don't need the ESPs from this mod, only the resources. So why did I download the ESPs as well? No reason. Just for my collection.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/43814
- Main file (the ESP)
- Patch for Elsweyr
We will use this ESP with the resources from the other Valenwood mod. I also downloaded the patch for Elsweyr because I use Elsweyr. Download other patches as needed.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/45533
- Valenwood Islands main file
- Valenwood Islands patch
- LOD fix
These are the three main files for this mod, I did not use any of the optional patches.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/38792
- Black Marsh ESP
- Summerset Isles ESP
- Summerset Isles meshes BSA
- Summerset Isles textures BSA
Note that I did not use any of the LOD resource archives from this mod, and also not the Valenwood-Elsweyr module. These are outdated (according to Reddit).

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46694
- TWMP SI version 0.1.1

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/36826
- Main file

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/43120/
- Main file
- Distant LOD
- Resource pack
- _far meshes
- LOD terrain meshes and textures
I don't have Sutch village, so I didn't use the patch. Apply your common sense here. Stirk is integrated in this mod, so remove any stand-alone versions.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/40005/ (only High Rock is needed, not Skyrim)
- High Rock ESP
- TWMP LOD resources
Note that you don't need Skyrim ESP but you do need Skyrim LOD resources included in the LOD pack.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/43924
- Main ESP
- Resources
- LOD textures and meshes
Jerall Pass is integrated into this mod, so remove the stand-alone version.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46149
- ESP and BSA
Skyrim Nord Tombs is integrated into this mod, so again remove the stand-alone version.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46258
- Main file

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51538
- Core
- Optional: Silent dialogue. I don't use Ely's Silent Voice, so I generated this for the whole of Skyrim.
Skyrim Alive is integrated into this mod, so remove the stand-alone version.

Load order is the same as the installation order. If you have any mods that edit the same areas, put them before this lot, or you'll have land tears and/or roads will be lost. Download what patches you need (e.g., for Unique Landscapes) and read descriptions of the corresponding mods for ideas where they go in the load order. I don't use them, so can't test it.

The map

I tried different options and found Dynamic Map to work best, it requires MenuQue.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/32200
- Main file version 16b
Note that Dynamic Map states that MenuQue v17 is required, but the highest version we have here is 16b. I use it, it works fine.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/35969/
The main archive contains several options for installation. Choose TWMP Heightmaps - the only option that shows all of Tamriel. Map pack that is available separately, is not needed.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/42449
- Main file
- Patch
Install the main file first, choose the version with Valenwood and Elsweyr. Then the patch because it overwrites the INI file. This is a replacement for the TWMP Heightmaps module of the Dynamic Map.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51538
- Map archive
This is my overlay for Skyrim - for the High Detail Dynamic Map from above. Again, it overwrites the INI file, so installation order is important.

Once you've got your Dynamic Map installed, have a look at its two configuration files in Data/Ini folder. The core file regulates things like keys used to zoom in and out, while the other file determins what is being displayed. I changed the zoom keys in the core file, for example.

This is the map I shall be maintaining as I explore more of Tamriel. So if I find problems in Elsweyr and Valenwood related to the map, I'll be fixing them for the High Detail version. Unfortunately it is not compatible with "standard" versions because the map is not simply scaled, it is also cropped, so you can't simply resize your old modules - they don't fit properly, you have to redo them in GIMP or something.

Recommended additions

These are the mods I use in my game and they work well with TWMP, at least the Skyrim part which I have so far explored. I understand that some don't work very well with OOO or perhaps something else - check what you are using. For Unique Landscapes there are patches and patches, I've seen them everywhere, so you should be able to fix it.

Load these mods before the TWMP lot, or anyhow before TWMP Skyrim Alive, or you will lose the roads in the Jeralls.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/36128 - North-East from the Dive Rock.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46090 - West from the shrine of Azura.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/47635 - puts a house just North of the Dragonclaw Rock.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/47101 - right on the road West of the Temple of Ancestor Moths.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/39815 - in Cyrodiil West of Bruma.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/23804 - in the Jeralls West of Bruma. There is a pass from below.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/13735 - in the Jeralls West of Pinevale. Easy access from Falkreath! Use this https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51543 with TWMP. Load the main mod before TWMP mods, and load the patch after the TWMP mods.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/40550 - North-West from the shrine of Mora, on the vanilla road to Hammerfell (vanilla road to Hammerfell? Oh yes!!). This puts a road from the shrine connecting to the vanilla road. I hear this conflicts with bandits from the OOO, so you might have to choose.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/44943 - just West of the shrine of Hermaeus Mora. Quite something. Conflicts with the road from the Crystal Chasm which goes under the building, unfortunately - you have to choose or use https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51544 for it. This does not depend on TWMP, so can be used without it. Load Chasm first, then Red Mead Hall, then the patch. This block of three can be loaded before all the TWMP mods.

Falkreath - Ghastley's mod, no longer on Nexus. Fits beautifully!

Start playing!

This is the important bit... get out there! Start exploring!!

Oh, and people say you can also safely install Morroblivion on top of all of this. I plan to do it too, at some point.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 14 2021, 10:31 PM

I have just uploaded two patches for the mead hall mods that I rather liked.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51544 - this makes these two mods work together. It does not depend on TWMP, this is just for vanilla (but also works with TWMP).

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51543 - this repairs a small land tear near this mead hall. Small but preventing followers to reach the mead hall! Must be fixed. This mead hall is easily reachable from Falkreath! I think you don't need the patch if you are not using TWMP.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 16 2021, 01:28 PM

The works in Skyrim continue! So much for playing... Oh, wait - I am playing!

My goal now is to get various areas of Skyrim connected to each other with roads and mountain passes - over land rather than via tunnels. The landscape in the South of Skyrim is divided into pockets with high mountains separating them - impossible to climb for an average NPC. So I have commissioned some heavy diggers to build mountain passes suitable for travelling on foot. I am trying to recreate connections that we see in TES5, and although the lay of the land is significantly different, I figured if we have roads connecting some of the same towns, we should be Ok.

Here is my updated map - there is a new road on the Northern side of the Jeralls going from Falkreath via Helgen (Helgen!!) and eventually on to Riften, similar to TES5 (similar enough, I think.)

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/south-skyrim-map4.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/tamriel-cartoon-map-skyrim-south4.jpg

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 18 2021, 12:06 AM

This was a day of digging mountain passes... Digging, throwing away, messing things up, fixing them, starting again. Three times. Three bloody times!! Learned how to generate new landscape meshes (harder than it looks), learned NOT TO TOUCH landscape textures because I cannot generate them... yeah, harder than it looks! But now I know where I'm going. Dug two passes to connect Falkreath with Helgen, laid some roads, play tested over and over. Werewolves are still falling out of the skies and the whole thing needs beautifying, but the structure is in place! Landscape changed! And I've got pictures!

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/falkreath-east-pass.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/falkreath-east-pass-full-view.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/falkreath-east-pass-southern-mine.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/helgen-west-pass.jpg

Posted by: macole Nov 18 2021, 04:10 AM

Wow, that is impressive. Knowing nothing as I do, I would have thought a foot trail up and over the mountains would be the way to go. Probably harder to do than it sounds. But this is real cut a road through the mountains kind of stuff. so, how many fireballs did it take for the Deprtment of Roads and Bridges mages to cut through the mountains?

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 18 2021, 09:56 AM

That was a job and a half - far more difficult than I expected. My first five or six attempts didn't work in-game - Lena couldn't climb them, and that is not counting the three starting over incidents when I messed things up on a technical level. A lot of Calm spells were used...

A foot trail only works if the slope is quite shallow - the NPCs in Oblivion don't climb very well, not even horses. The player can often climb a lot higher than the NPCs, but I wanted the trail to be easily accessible by followers riding horses.

If the slope is too steep, you have to use stairs. I tried various available staircases, they have different slope angles, Bravil stairs have the steepest angle. But even that was not steep enough for the mountains, and there was no room for zig-zagging. Also I didn't want that really because Bravil stairs are too steep for horses - they can just about climb them but they do fall off. When I tried to take Roach up the New Pale Pass (which is built with Bravil stairs), Roach was falling off for no reason and breaking her legs, I think those stairs are too narrow for horses.

Back to foot trails then. Drawing a road on a landscape does not yet make the landscape suitable for climbing - you still have the problem with slope. So you have to make serpentine roads and zig-zag a lot, and there is no room for that (and I was too impatient on my third attempt to make a pass). Those mountains are very high and very steep. In fact the height variation in Skyrim is greater than what Oblivion engine is supposed to be able to handle, as I read somewhere. It works just fine though. The mountain ridge West of Falkreath is actually even higher and steeper than the Jerall mountains that serve as a border. So cutting through it was the only feasible solution at that point. It may appear flat in the pictures, but actually it still has a lot of slope to it - as much as the NPCs can climb, it is still not a walk in the park... and I don't even mean the werewolves! I'll try making serpentine roads elsewhere - plenty of mountains to practice on in Skyrim.

Yeah, those mages from the Department of Transport had their work cut out for them. Until one of them came up with a better idea: he summoned a daedroth before breakfast, scaled it up and put a goat on the other side of the mountain. There was a pass there before we knew it.

Posted by: macole Nov 19 2021, 04:25 AM

Ah yes, those Daedroth do love their roast goat.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 19 2021, 09:42 AM

Update announcement: I've uploaded a patch for TWMP Skyrim Alive - I forgot to pack the new textures into the original archive! I have also updated the main archive, this is now called version 1.0.1 - the same as version 1.0 but the missing files are now included...

Please download the patch (the missing files) if you've got version 1.0 main archive.

Posted by: macole Nov 19 2021, 10:34 PM

Thank you Lena!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 21 2021, 10:39 PM

Construction continues! I've been fixing up the mountain passes - smoothing the terrain, placing some rocks and trees and redoing path grids. If you don't, creatures materialise in mid-air, and as most of them cannot fly, they fall to their deaths (see mammoth pic below). Also your summons materialise on the grid and fall to their death... So now all path grids actually connect with the ground.

I have also extended Helgen. Well, established Helgen and built it around the Northern Inn where the Old and the New Pale Passes come into Skyim. Of course this is the right spot! Helgen is an Imperial Outpost, so it will have Legionnaires on patrol. It has an old ruined tower (typical) currently overrun by bandits and whatnot, and a new watch tower with barracks. There's also a smithy and of course the inn that was there already before. No interiors or NPCs yet - but they will appear!

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/helgen-new-tower.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/helgen-smithy-new-tower.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/helgen-old-tower.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/helgen-pass.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/throat-ice-worm.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/mammoth-on-its-back.jpg

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 23 2021, 11:32 AM

Yesterday I decided to return to Cyrodiil so that Lena could go explore Valenwood and Elsweyr - the map is filled with markers in both provinces (I want all undiscovered markers visible, thank you. What use is a map without markers?). But before she could turn South, she accidentally ventured North from Oakwood in Skyrim...

Sorry, no pics. She entered the Whiterun Hold of TWMP Skyrim Improved. This area is much better fleshed out than the South! The woods have lots of things in them besides trees, it is so much more fun to explore. I always knew the South needed more small stuff - herbs, mushrooms, low bushes, fallen trees, small rocks. I'll be generating those at some point as well, they make such a difference!

But anyway. Going North, Lena immediately got attacked by a pack of werewolves (8 of them), a black bear, a couple of wargs, some timber wolves (6 or 7), a mountain lion and a leopard - all at once. We found a herd of mammoths lying dead on the ground - and we know what killed them! This is all a bit much, don't you think? Those Oblivion gates are messing up everything... And there are so many of them - the sky is nearly perpetually red.

Ahem, Snap! I've got the power to fix this sort of thing.

I looked in the CS and found that the levelled lists that generate creatures were set up a bit too generously. Too many creatures get generated - I'm sure it wasn't intended that way (or was it?). For example, a list for a forest creature contains three packs of werewolves - 1, 3 and 5, so yeah, if you are unlucky, you get 9 of them together because those M symbols are all over the place. Also having three packs of werewolves in the list among other creatures means that werewolves are 3 times more likely to spawn than anything else, such as deer which is in the same list. I started reworking those levelled lists to make them nested with a better chance distribution. This is going to be a separate mod (in case someone likes to be slaughtered like a certain Jandaga we know), current working title "TWMP Skyrim Less Scary.esp".

And then there are the Oblivion gates. There are 100 gates in all of Skyrim, so that's quite a lot. These are normal gates that follow normal Oblivion gate rules, except that they are here while there are no gates in Cyrodiil - I never delivered the Amulet of Kings, so the main quest has not yet started in my game. I quite like to have Oblivion gates in Skyrim - they are not spewing creatures, but they do colour the skies red which gets annoying after a while. So these gates are going to be transient - they will pop in and out of existence all by themselves, whether you close them or not. Mehrunes Dagon is having fun in Skyrim - whichever Era you are in!

Skyrim in Oblivion is also much bigger than Skyrim in Skyrim, did you know? In proportion to the size of the territory of other provinces. So I don't want to go change the land mass, TWMP has done a very good job on that. I'm using what we have, and instead I rework the map!

Here are the two maps for comparison. Essentially I cut Skyrim East to West just South of Riften - High Hrothgar - Whiterun and shifted that whole Northern area upwards by a good amount introducing more space in between. It now matches TWMP landscape quite well - up to Whiterun, I haven't checked further North yet.

Original map of Skyrim
https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/tamriel-cartoon-map-skyrim-1.jpg


New map of Skyrim
https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/tamriel-cartoon-map-skyrim-new.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/tamriel-cartoon-map-new-1.jpg

Posted by: macole Nov 23 2021, 04:55 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Nov 23 2021, 04:32 AM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 24 2021, 09:27 AM

QUOTE(macole @ Nov 23 2021, 03:55 PM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 25 2021, 07:19 PM

QUOTE(macole @ Nov 1 2021, 04:18 PM)

Posted by: macole Nov 26 2021, 09:36 AM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Nov 25 2021, 12:19 PM)

Macole - never mind please - I found I cannot merge those plugins anyway. Not without moving everything manually which is a bit too involved for my liking.
There is no great rush with that, obviously! Thanks in advance! (Clever, eh? )

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 26 2021, 10:07 AM

QUOTE(macole @ Nov 26 2021, 08:36 AM)

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Nov 25 2021, 12:19 PM)

Macole - never mind please - I found I cannot merge those plugins anyway. Not without moving everything manually which is a bit too involved for my liking.
There is no great rush with that, obviously! Thanks in advance! (Clever, eh? )

Bummer . It's shame the OOO Skyrim Bandit major encampment is in the same location as The Crystal Chasm. I thought it would be really neat to have the bandits camped outside the Crystal Chasm.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 26 2021, 11:27 PM

Patch Announcement

I made a https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51571/ for Oscuros Oblivion Overhaul to allow it to work with Crystal Chasm. I simply moved the bandit camp slightly so that it no longer collides with the chasm. The reason for it is that the Chasm will be integrated into the next release of TWMP Skyrim Alive, and I didn't want to throw those bandits into the abyss.

Posted by: macole Nov 27 2021, 11:32 PM

I'll have something for you soon.

Posted by: macole Nov 28 2021, 07:15 AM

Lena, I hope this helps. In my set-up I have major overhauls running; OOO v1.40, MOO, and Unique Landscapes. Ghastley’s Falkreath is also in the general area to the north. The Crystal Chasm does have major issues with OOO as you have discovered. MOO does its own thing while Unique Landscapes and Falkreath have no negative effect as far as I can tell.

https://imgur.com/UBMmiG3.jpeg Marek’s tent is the tall one with the pointed top.

https://i.imgur.com/RSCNMcY.jpg. Brrrrr, it’s cold.

https://i.imgur.com/ifseZiZ.jpg Prior to patch there is no sign of the Ice Dragon Clan camp

https://i.imgur.com/55ufYpU.jpg. Yes this is before applying your patch.

https://i.imgur.com/pJmFpcn.jpg. Nice place for an abandoned tower. I don’t know how MOO determines the placement. It might not be there the next time you start a new game.

https://i.imgur.com/D2Foo0R.jpg FYI cell (-14,41) position (-52248,170136,32218) easily disabled vis console. actually theere are two rocks floating next each other.

https://i.imgur.com/jfVGh1X.jpg Looks good. Should be 5 tents with clutter; I see five tents and some clutter.

https://i.imgur.com/CuvKrbH.jpg. The Skyrim bandits attack the player on sight. There are four bandits plus Marlek their captain. This should be a very difficult fight. Two of the bandits got caught south of the chasm and were unable to cross. (found out there is a barrier that prevents you from falling or otherwise descending into the chasm). One bandit attacking from the south and another from the east had no problem. Marlek the captain was nowhere to be seen.
On one test one bandit spawned inside the chasm underneath the stairs surrounded by storage chests and boxes.

https://i.imgur.com/lQ5daaJ.jpg. Taking the ladder down into the chasm I was unexpectedly attacked by Marlek. Even though I like the idea of Marlek investigating the Crystal Chasm he really should be up near his tent in the camp.

https://i.imgur.com/Q2X0KE9.jpg found in chasm. Using a save from 2019-01-23 Marlek’s items; Marlek’s Bedroll, elegant chest, exquisite jewelry box, and Vyka’s Change of Plans note should be in Marlek’s tent. There are 3 barrels, 3 bottles of mead, and one book here that should be placed in or around Marlek’s tent. To get to these items and Marlek if he is there you have to use TCL as there is a barrier that prevents you from climbing or jumping into this portion of the chasm. Marlek’s tent in the camp only contains two sacks. One inside the tent and one outside, both are nearly completely buried in the snow.

Now that’s another thing I found strange. not every time but on a couple of tests the bandits attacking on the snow covered slope between the camp and the chasm would sink completely into the snow when they died.

Please let me know if there are any qquestions or concerns.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 28 2021, 10:04 AM

OOH that was some serious testing - thanks Macole!!

So I think we can conclude that MOO or UL does not clash and moving the bandit camp is the right approach. Have you checked the road all the way to the shrine of Hermaeus Mora? But I think it should be conflict-free.

I got a couple of comments on Nexus and it appears that there are differences between the versions of OOO. I didn't see all those versions at first because I had disabled adult content (too many boob mods on the front page) but now I see that we have three major versions of OOO about: 1.3.6.1 (a.k.a 1.36.1 "LITE"), 1.4 (known as "FULL") and 1.5.5+ (latest is 1.5.12 known as "Updated"). I used 1.3.5a (the last version not marked as adult content) but you are running 1.4 and there's also 1.5.5+. You cannot switch between 1.4 and 1.5.5 - you need a new game (all FormIDs have changed, I've been told). It's a bit of a mess, but I can handle three versions.

Regarding the issues that you found.

Some items still stuck in the chasm - could be because I used version 1.35 and it didn't have these items. I thought I moved everything. Will make a patch specifically for 1.4.

Floating rock - must have been moved accidentally. Or someone forgot to pay their gravity bill. Tszst - tszst - user error. If you click on that rock, does its ID start with 00 (vanilla) or with something else (mod)? If you then click on an obelisk, the fist two digits in its ID identify the mod, so all the items from that mod start with that. Click on a bandit tent, and you have the ID for OOO in your load order. These are dynamic IDs that change every time you change your mod list, but they do help to tell what comes from where.

Don't worry about that rock though - I'll be making a new patch anyway.

Marek materialising inside the chasm - he must have gone there, it's a different cell, he could not be spawned in it. May be he was spawned just next to the entrance though.

Some bandits getting stuck on the other side of the chasm - I should move the camp a bit further away, this should fix it. The bandits are probably trying to cross the chasm as this is the most direct path, then they get stuck. Could you check whether there are any path nodes inside the chasm? Use TPG console command please.

Dead bandits getting stuck in the snow - incorrect path grid is the most likely cause.

I'll make a new patch for 1.4 and make sure to include pathing around the chasm.

I have now integrated the chasm into TWMP, so I shall be making those patches for OOO. I'm still building Helgen though, so release is a stretch away anyhow. It will be a few days before another attempt at OOO patching - Elsweyr calls! There's a silent bet going on here that Lena won't get to Elsweyr before Christmas, well, I need to see that she does!

Thanks again for the great testing, Macole! You thought you retired, but may be not...

Posted by: macole Nov 29 2021, 09:28 AM

Lena,

I didn't realize how much I miss that job. Difference is that back then I had an office with a libary full of reference manuals. Plus, I knew the multiple systems I was working with.

The rocks formIDs begin with 00.

Today I loaded a save from 2019-01-22 previously I used a file from 2019-01-24. Walking west up the mountain past Hermaeus Mora’s shrine I found https://i.imgur.com/pUOc5uf.jpg. It is well marked with many banners. The road itself is clear and no issues encountered while traveling on it.

Now for the fun part.

https://i.imgur.com/KyGZi0S.jpg.

https://i.imgur.com/D6UscZo.jpg; the bedroll, elegant chest, exquisite jewelry box, Vyka’s Change of Plans note are in the big tent buried in the snow. Their formIDs begin with 04. Other clutter; 3 barrels, 2 sacks, 3 bottles of mead, a 1 book, and platinum nugget are in and around the big tent also buried in the snow.

I am unable to enter the big tent. Don’t remember if I was able to enter the big tent or if I was able to reach the chest and jewelry box from the entrance. I will have to uninstall the Crystal Chasm to determine that.

The logs for the fire outside the big tent are buried in the snow.

https://i.imgur.com/r8rLAh1.jpg. See the TPG.

TPG: Is this what you need? https://i.imgur.com/eZAfzVm.jpg.

How far away from the Crystal Chasm can you place the OOO Ice Dragon Clan camp? Would further to west of on the other side of the road be too far away? https://i.imgur.com/AwQhhuZ.jpg: Location (0000003c), Cell (-17,40), Position (-62908, 165446, 32233). Cell (-16, 40) also looks good. But then I don’t know what I’m doing.

Marlek is again trapped in the chasm. The items in the chasm that I pointed to in last test are not there. I don’t know what to say I load a different save and things end up in different places. Would the fact that I'm not usiing the TWMP height map make a difference?

Map marker: Loading my current game and using fast travel to Ice Dragon Clan camp I arrived at original map marker located under the northern snow bank surface.

I'm fairly certain that the OOO versions 1.34 to1.40 are consistant with this camp location. The Skyrim Bandits has been very stable for 12 years I've been playing with it.

Well anyway best of luck with this project and let me know if there is anything else I can help with. Who knows, I just might learn something.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 29 2021, 10:13 AM

Macole - thanks again for the testing!

Yes, the path grid going into the chasm is the reason why the bandits get trapped there. It appears that OOO spawns them near the camp but not exactly on the markers, so some end up in the chasm. The solution must be to move the camp further away. You don't need TWMP to test this because TWMP does not alter the landscape in this area (yet). I am adding roads to Falkreath in my mod, so here comes the change, and then I'll really really need a patch for OOO.

What about your load order though? The Chasm mod itself has correct pathing around the chasm, but you must have something else loaded after it because your path grid goes right through. With landscape and pathing, it's the last loaded mod that edits anywhere in that cell overwrites the entire cell. But again, don't fret too much - I shall be making a new patch anyway.

Another fun command is TPL. Click an actor, then issue TPL and exit console. You will briefly see a pink line from that actor to wherever he/she is going. This is the path the AI intends to take. Sometimes they are awfully crazy. Nothing you can do about that, it's just for fun. It can be useful in debugging path grids, but since NPC AI is free to ignore path grids, it isn't much of an indicator. The AI learns over time however, and I observed many times that just as you introduce new obstacles, the NPCs at first try walking into them, but then they remember most of it, and after some time their AI becomes a lot more sensible in that area. There must be a cache somewhere, something being stored in the save file, it can't be all down to luck. Of course then they go to an inn, get drunk and forget everything they've learned... *sigh*

Regarding the new location for the bandit camp - I think it definitely needs to be in a different cell, a good stretch away, so indeed either one cell North or one cell West. But didn't you have a MOO random watch tower in the West?

Missing items: some items are persistent across saves whereas others come exclusively from the mod. Typically any items that can be picked up, will not be moved by a mod - their locations are stored in the save the first time you enter the cell they are in. Because this patch relocates the items rather than respawns them, such items won't be moved (the same ID). But if indeed some items go missing because of that, the solution might be to change their IDs so that they do get respawned in the new location. Let me make another patch first, then check for those items again.

Note that this is not the same as ticking "Persistent" flag on an object placed in a cell. For example, markers and doors are always persistent, but they do get moved by the mod. Your map marker should have moved too, my only thinking is that it didn't move far enough. You don't get teleported exactly on the spot of the marker but only near it - the more reason to move the camp further away, I think it will work much better when the new reference is in a different cell.

Interesting about not being able to enter the tent. There should be no difference, it's the same tent, and it didn't have a door in the original, at least not in the version I was using. I think it will be better to start with version 1.4 so that we could eliminate this sort of inconsistency. The camp may look the same in the game, but it could well be different under the hood.

I've been doing portable camping equipment this weekend. Yes, Lena still didn't get to the Imperial City even, instead she's gone back to Skyrim to test the new mountain pass from Riverwood to the Rift... "What did I tell you?" was sitting next to me all day! But hey, we need camping equipment! Borba is raving about it!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 30 2021, 02:01 AM

Macole - you cannot enter those tents, that's correct. It is how the models are made. But you can reach some items right near the entrance. To enter the tent, you need a door leading you to an interior cell just like in any house.

I discovered this when I added a large tent to my camping gear and Lena got trapped inside it. There is no way out!

Posted by: macole Nov 30 2021, 05:27 AM

I'm using Wrye Bash to install and have placed the Crystal Chasm esp followed by the patch beneath all other OOO patches. That's way down in my load order. I'm going to move the patch very near the bottom just to see if that would make a difference. Probably not.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 30 2021, 11:58 AM

Posted by: macole Dec 4 2021, 09:49 AM

TR_Stirk; from what I see the map alignment is good. A marker is displayed indicating that I’ve been there. Using map marker to fast travel to Stirk puts me in the middle of town as it should.

Sutch Village: As with TR_Stirk, the map marker alignment looks good. Fast travel to that marker puts me in the middle of town as it should. I don’t see a need to do more with it.

Cybiades: https://i.imgur.com/46NMZXI.jpg. The significance of the island Cybiades has diminished since the Daggerfall game. Nice to have but probably not worth the bother.

https://i.imgur.com/h2cuJKx.jpg:

Atmora should be in the northern sea.

Valenwood Islands: The three islands are on the map as they should be. Map markers for the village on the big island are not displayed to indicate having been there. I’m not sure where to look for the .dds file overlays. I’ve been searching through the folders but haven’t found .dds files for the Valenwood Island mod or its village. This is one of those nice to have features that probably won’t be missed if not there. Wouldn’t worry too much about it

https://i.imgur.com/j9u4rT3.jpg! The more I work with this map the more I like it.
The kid does get around.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 4 2021, 02:52 PM

Macole - thanks for the brilliant testing! Let me know of any mistakes in the future, such as Daggerfall being spelled as Daggerfell and Vvardenfell as Vaardenfall as on the map I started out with. A brilliant map but some of the labels had to be redone... Which meant all of the labels because I could not match the original font. Oh, and yes, Atmora being relocated South... This is all easy to fix when you have the source files, as I do.

A word on how the map works. There are two independent things: the background image and the map markers. The images live in Data\Textures\menus\DynamicMap. The image is what I've changed, the markers however come from the mods you are using (respectively, vanilla markers come from Oblivion.esm). A marker has its coordinates in a particular cell, and the idea is that the background image provides the correct picture for that cell. So the map does not do anything at all to the markers - if they existed on your previous map, they will exist also on the new one. (I have all map markers revealed, whether I discovered them or not. Useful for testing the map. And generally a cheat. Or is it? When I buy a map in a shop, it normally has towns and villages marked on it already.)

When it comes to mods that add new lands far outside of Cyrodiil, they often do that in a separate worldspace that is not anchored in Tamriel, that is they don't have any coordinates in the Tamriel worldspace. So you don't see any of the Shivering Isles map markers in Tamriel - that would be weird. Whether or not a worldspace is anchored in Tamriel is determined by the mod you are using, not by the map.

So with TR Stirk, they have obviously anchored their worldspace in Tamriel and the map provided a drawing of an island in the right spot. So when you travel there, you can zoom into the map and see whether the shape of the island under your feet corresponds to the drawing on the map - or does it appear that you are walking on water. It is probably fine with TR Stirk, but generally this is what we need to check.

With Valenwood Islands there is a confusion - there are two versions of them... I have markers on the Valenwood Islands on my map, and I think they come from Valenwood Improved. Reading through Valenwood Island mod, the author says they are located in a separate worldspace, and I think she means that it isn't anchored in Tamriel. Which means that when you eventually travel all the way South in Valenwood, you will discover another set of Valenwood Islands... Clearly, when Martin shattered the Amulet of Kings, it wasn't just Kvatch that got duplicated... I have Valenwood Islands mod loaded, but there are no villages in sight - they should be floating in the ocean to the South, if they had been anchored in Tamriel, but they are not there.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/valenwoodimprovedelsweyrsenchal.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/south-valenwoodimprovedelsweyrsenchal.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/elsweyr_anequinapelletine.jpg. The arrow shows the location of Valenwood Islands with this land layout, but there are no map markers on them, which means that the mod is not anchored in Tamriel.

I shall change the description on the mod page to reflect these new findings! This means you can load Valenwood Islands either with Valenwood Improved or with Elsweyr Pelletine. Since they don't show up on the general map anyway. Oh well.

There will be a map update after some time - I noticed a few things myself that need changing. But it seems to be useable as it is! Glad you like it and many thanks again for testing!!

PS. If anyone is wondering, this map is available as a mod on Nexus: https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51588.

Posted by: macole Dec 4 2021, 05:54 PM

Wow Lena, look at the activity on your map's nexus site. Oblivion players are hungry for improvements.

It is really good to see such a well written description page. You addressed a couple of items before I even had a chance to ask.

Thank you for helping me to better understand how the internals of the game works.

Oh and thanks for the acknowledgement. Much appreciated.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 4 2021, 10:28 PM

Thanks, Macole! There has not been an update for the map in a long time - the last Tamriel map is ten years old, and with so many mods adding new lands, people want new maps! Just like me.

I am uploading an update for the mod - it has a few minor changes to labels, I got rid of Atmora label because there's no room for it at the top of the map, and I added Cybiades, even though the mod does not put a marker on the island. But still. Why not. But most importantly, I changed around some overlays to improve performance, so I recommend upgrading. It's uploading as I am typing this.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 5 2021, 05:20 PM

Lena is still in Skyrim... Well, she's on her way South! She's not far from the Temple of Ancestor Moths and she came across an https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/47101 right on the road. Walking up the hill, she saw the https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46090 on the other side. How could she not stop and have a look around?

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/dwemer-heso-skyrim-road.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/dwemer-heso-skyrim-road-close.jpg

Make sure to load the Dwemer Ruin after the Skyrim Temple to avoid land tears.

Lena found some of the Dwemer technology rather fascinating: a few anti-gravity rocks and invisible walls here and there. Hmmm... Naturally, she had to fiddle with it. https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51597.

Proceeding to Cheydinhal now to get some of that Orcish Camping Gear from Borba.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 5 2021, 09:09 PM

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 6 2021, 12:17 PM

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51599 is a micro-mod I released yesterday, not expecting any interest. Well... it seems I was wrong! People seem to like it! Which is why I thought I'd mention it here. It is for those people who want to keep the vanilla menus but just want a bigger map https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/south-valenwoodimprovedelsweyrsenchal.jpg.

Posted by: macole Dec 7 2021, 07:52 AM

Lena, test v1.1
The new location looks good. The tents are all in place but there is something odd going on with my setup.

I ran three tests.

First test: Faulty update, operator error. https://i.imgur.com/V0aLFxh.jpg, everything is black. Redid patch install and Bash Patch.

Second test: with my current save which is long after I have completed the OOO Skyrim Bandit quest;

1. https://i.imgur.com/luZSFzk.jpg.
2. I can go into the big tent. and loot the chest and jewelry box.
3. I was able to loot the and loot the chest and jewelry box that I was unable to unlock due to lack of skill, in January 2019
4. The Marlek’s big tent and Blondie’s smaller tent do not have sleeping bags.
5. https://i.imgur.com/khyqDBY.jpg.

Third test: with a save from 2019-01-22 prior to engaging Marlek the Ice Dragon Clan leader went rather strangely;

1. https://i.imgur.com/9TA1nAw.jpg in 2019 before adding Crystal Chasm
2. As in First Test the new camp location looks good and all the tents are in place.
3. I can go into the big tent and loot the chest and jewelry box.
4. https://i.imgur.com/R6fHeSH.jpg (strange).
5. The Skyrim Bandits are nowhere to be seen when I first enter the camp.
6. After walking around the area looking for the bandits, three bandits eventually did attack.
7. Searched the Chasm for Marlek and Blondie, the fourth Ice Dragon Clan bandit. Found both stuck in the Chasm.
------ a. https://i.imgur.com/cPlcZpu.jpg
------ b. https://i.imgur.com/zfFcvM6.jpg
8. Back in the Ice Dragon Clan camp it was getting dark around 9:00pm when Marlek shows up and attacks. Marlek is defeated and the quest update message is displayed.

I’m not certain as to why Marlek reacts the way he does. He may be scripted to appear in the camp at night? I’m also not sure if Marlek will appear consistently as he did this time.

The NPC I call Blondie is always close by Marlek. If you would play the Skyrim Bandits OOO quest you get the idea that Marleks is a two timing cad.

I am at a loss as to why the current save after defeating Marlek is different than the one prior to defeating Marlek. Any thoughts on that?

It would be um, fun if Marlek and Blondie were fixed in the Crystal Chasm Poolroom or Bedroom.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 7 2021, 10:34 AM

Macole, thanks for great testing! Again!

I can explain the strange things that you are seeing, but I shall verify any scripting in the CS tonight.

The bandits appear to be all persistent references rather than generic respawning ones, meaning that the moment you enter the cell for the first time, or the moment the NPCs are enabled by a script, their locations are recorded in your save file, so any changes to their locations introduced by a mod are ignored. These bandits then follow their AI schedules, which, judging by the screenshot showing them a distance away from the tents, are telling them to roam the area in a fairly large circle. When you return to the location, all NPC positions are taken from your save file, and then their AI schedules are applied. (This is roughly how it works, there are a number of finer points that I omitted, but it gives a general idea.)

This is why the bandits roam around to start with, eventually finding the new location of their camp and coming back to it. Unfortunately for Marek and his beautiful Blondie, they are stuck in the chasm and cannot get out. In this case Oblivion comes to the rescue - but only after some time. Oblivion lets them marinade in the chasm for a while, but when it transpires that they are unable to follow their AI schedules, the game fetches them and relocates them somewhere safe. Hence Marek eventually appearing, Blondie should follow at some point too. Note that Oblivion can easily let them marinade for 24 in-game hours before coming to the rescue (I've observed this a few times). In the worst case it can be full 3 days - the standard duration before a cell resets.

The same goes for the two bedrolls and sacks that didn't move - for some strange reason their coordinates were recorded in your save file, which is usually not the case for stationary objects. But there you go. It's Oblivion.

So, to test it cleanly, you would need a save from before you ever ventured into that area, and certainly from before their quest was started. If you don't have such a save, don't worry - I'll enable OOO in my game, put Lena in God Mode and go see for myself. Lena would never survive it as herself, I don't think.

Your testing with "dirty" saves is very important though, because this is what many people will see when they apply it. OOO generally says that you have to start a new game for it to work correctly, this may be because they make extensive use of persistent references, so things don't get moved when you apply a mod. This is just a suspicion though - but the stubborn bedrolls and sacks seem to confirm it. Or may be it was just a fluke with those sacks and bedrolls - who knows. The fact that their position was different between saves, shows that where they remained in the old position, that position was recorded in the save.

I can suggest one more test on a "dirty" save. Take the one where the bedrolls and sacks were positioned correctly but Marek and Blondie were stuck in the chasm. Enter area, walk around, kill whoever is present, save. Wait 24 hours. Walk around a bit more, and I would expect both Marek and Blondie to turn up after a little while - they should have been rescued by the game engine by now. So now you can kill them. If Marek is a "Quest Item", he may be extra persistent, with his location being recorded in the save file before everyone else's. If Blondie is scripted to follow him, it would explain her behaviour as well. But I need to check this in the CS.

When you were testing v1.0, you found Marek in the chasm cell. I think this was the rescue action by Oblivion. Rescues are not consistent.

This new location of the camp is going to be the definitive one because the location from v1.0 interferes with the road to Falkreath that I introduce in the upcoming release of TWMP Skyrim Alive, which also incorporates the chasm.

And by the way: path grids run right through the chasm already in the original mod, which would make NPCs suicidal trying to cross the chasm. This is fixed in my Skyrim Alive version of the chasm.

Once again - thank you so much for testing!

May I use your nice screenshot showing the camp and the chasm on the mod page, please? I haven't got any decent screenshots myself, the CS is not very good for it. Thanks in advance - but only if you agree, of course.

Posted by: macole Dec 7 2021, 05:26 PM

Working as designed. I think I understand what you are saying. It explains a lot.

I always rebuild the Bash patch after uninstalling and installing a mods .esp. That is unless I forget which is what I did. But it sounds like there is a confusion with BOSS the sorting program. The patch was place near the bottom of my load order. No re-sorting of the order was done.

You can use any picture that I send to you. If you want one without my NPCs in the shot, wider FOV, or a special persective let me know and it probably can be done.

I have older saves, ones before my ffirst encounter with any Skyrim Bandit, that I can try using.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 7 2021, 05:55 PM

Thanks for the screenshot! I'll use that - it's just perfect, shows both the camp and the chasm bridge. Your characters are also looking very fetching there. High heels and all.

Regarding Wrye Bash, what I mean is that my Wrye Bash always tries to find the right place for a new mod in the load order - and more often than not it is the wrong place. I always have to move all new mods to where I actually want them. May be I used Bashed Patch wrong, but after a few attempts I just gave up. I completely ignore it and never build or load it - and everything works as I expect it to work, conflicts and all. Plus, not using it saves time when I'm juggling mods around.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 9 2021, 12:38 PM

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 12 2021, 10:55 PM

I have put together Helgen, the town and the labyrinth. All that is left is to test it... And to get it to actually work. Details.

After spending most of the day getting my computer issues sorted (see the other thread), I was able to finally do a bit of Helgen testing. Mixed results there, but that's normal - this stuff is highly experimental.

While I was making Helgen however, I was also preparing to go South in the game, so I had Valenwood, Elsweyr, Black Marsh, Summerset Isles and other similar tropical mods in my load order. Something is doing funny things to Imperial gear - look, it's all covered in tropical vegetation!

Legion gear on display at the smithy

Posted by: macole Dec 13 2021, 06:48 AM

That is the strangest thing I've seen in a long time. Could be a druid or a tree hugging Bosmer has move in.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 13 2021, 10:35 AM

Yeah, this is really weird. The ferns are only growing out of Legion gear that is lying loose as opposed to it being worn. I've got Legionnaires stationed around Helgen, and they've got no ferns growing out of their armpits (yet). But give it time...

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 13 2021, 12:56 PM

Looking back at the OOO patch to move the bandit camp North of the shrine of Hermaeus Mora - Macole, I'm looking at you! I found https://cs.elderscrolls.com/index.php?title=Cell_Reset that takes a good look at cell reset mechanism - both for internal and external cells. It gets rather technical at times, but they do try to explain all those persistent/non-persistent/dynamic/dead/etc. aspects with respect to the data set in the CS (vanilla modules or mods) versus data stored in save game files.

Just an FYI for those who wanted to know more. Not needed to play the game!

Posted by: macole Dec 13 2021, 11:38 PM

There you go again, making me learn something new. Should have done this ten years ago.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 16 2021, 10:01 AM

Spent most of the day yesterday testing and debugging the Helgen Labyrinth. By the end of the day Lena successfully got lost, and I mean really lost - I had to enable all debugging output to figure out where she was and which door would lead her to safety! In the end I had to use COC to get her out! I'd say the labyrinth works as intended.

The funny thing that deep inside it she received a visit from a certain captain asking her help with a disaster on the Cybiades. Amazing how these characters can find you in the most unusual places. Unfortunately he just ran off after their conversation, leaving Lena stuck in the labyrinth.

Posted by: macole Dec 16 2021, 04:23 PM

The unwavering courier syndrome strikes again. "Sorry no time to help. Got message to deliver, you know."

Cybiades? Goodness Lena your mod list is getting up there in size. Close to mine it seems.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 16 2021, 05:43 PM

166 mods enabled at the moment, but a few more on standby. In particular in the South you've got to choose between Valenwood Improved and Elsweyr Pelletine, so at the moment the Valenwood suite is on, but it may change. I feel a (very) rough patch coming on, too. And yes, Cybiades. The write-up sounded nice, so why not. Also a few other "outworldly" mods, old and new. I've got the entire Tamriel as TWMP, except Morroblivion, which will come in later. There's a TWMP patch for it, but there's also another solution, I only glanced at both, that's not for now. But I don't have any texture replacers, not for landscapes and not for bodies, I actually like my Oblivion the way I'm used to seeing it... But there you go.

PS. Someone on Nexus suggested that my game could only be lightly modded because that's all you would be able to manage with my 15 y/o PC. I would not call it "lightly modded". But of course mods differ greatly in their impact on performance, but so far I haven't used any enhancements like OSR - no need.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 18 2021, 11:54 PM

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51538

I have just released version 1.1 of the Skyrim Alive adventure. Phew! Now Lena can finally focus on going South! All the info is on the Nexus page, no need to repeat it here. Besides, if you've been reading the updates, you already know what's included!

Posted by: macole Dec 19 2021, 03:26 AM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Dec 16 2021, 10:43 AM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 19 2021, 10:55 AM

QUOTE(macole @ Dec 19 2021, 02:26 AM)

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Dec 16 2021, 10:43 AM)

PS. Someone on Nexus suggested that my game could only be lightly modded because that's all you would be able to manage with my 15 y/o PC. I would not call it "lightly modded". But of course mods differ greatly in their impact on performance, but so far I haven't used any enhancements like OSR - no need.

IMO, as long as you don't go loading 4K texture replacers you'll be fine. Even I don't go overboard on the replacers.

P.S. I have running 273 .esp's and another 70 texture replacers loaded. It's not the heaviest load i've heard of

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 23 2021, 12:16 AM

Spent most of the day untangling the mess I made earlier. This concerns companions. I''ve been using a heavily modified Companion Share and Recruit, and I've arrived at the point of starting from scratch on my own companion system... Which I had done, but the companions themselves were rather messy too, so I had to pull them out of the old mod and put them each into their individual mods, edit IDs, make it all stick together...

So why I am writing about it in this topic? Because I need to have Lena's friend Hauk fixed so that they could go South to check on more TWMP territories. Not Skyrim anymore, but the land of Elsweyr actually comes from TWMP too. So I'm still on topic. Hauk is the first companion with the new system, and he's going to be testing it. But the others also had to be converted, even if they are staying in the background, to make sure that the old system is not loaded.

Let me tell you this: it is better to avoid making a mess from the start!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 2 2022, 02:20 PM

Does anybody know why the Mages Guild in Dune is abandoned? No?

Well, we found the following crumpled note under some junk in there:

Well, now you've done it! What were you thinking?! Experiment in teleportation, indeed! Did you string up every single goblin-infested dungeon that you could find? And if that wasn't bad enough, why oh why did you connect each of them to the trapdoor in the Mages Guild? Oh, "for convenience", so that you wouldn't find yourself trapped in there again doing your experiments! But goblins also found it very convenient to get to our supplies! You should see the mess! And the worst part is that they now stole the key to the trapdoor, so I can't even lock them out anymore...

That's it, I've had enough - I am leaving. Zayiq Cherim has got the key to the Guild Hall. I instructed him to only give it to another mage - it's just unfair to subject anyone else to the results of your experiments. Perhaps someone will be able to find the key to the trapdoor and lock out those goblins once and for all! Mind you, they'll have to go through a lot of dungeons, and with your random connections, there's no telling how long it will take them to even get to the right one, let alone to actually find the key in there... Goblin psychology never saw enough study to even begin to guess where they might hide it.

Oh we should have expelled you when we had the chance!

Posted by: Acadian Jan 2 2022, 03:11 PM

Lena, it has been many years since playing Oblivion and I don't recall specifics about the MG in Dune. But I certainly recall loving the Anequina mod, and Buffy spent much time there riding over warm sands, wrapping the jungles around herself and bathing in the beautiful waterfalls. Oh, and (ugh) sandstorms. . . .

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 2 2022, 03:37 PM

We've just started our Elsweyr adventure. The Mages Guild in Dune is abandoned because it is unfinished. There is no key. The cell is empty. So...

Yep, goblins.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 5 2022, 02:37 AM

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51655 is now available on Nexus.

Posted by: Acadian Jan 5 2022, 01:05 PM

Very cool, Lena!

Posted by: macole Jan 5 2022, 06:54 PM

Come to think of it, I never did give Dune a thorough walk about. I'm going to have to pay Dune a visit soon.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 5 2022, 09:09 PM

QUOTE(macole @ Jan 5 2022, 05:54 PM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 6 2022, 12:33 PM

Conclusion of the experiments with merging TWMP mods: it is not feasible because the combined size of all TWMP content is over 650MB, and that's ESP only, not counting the resources. This is not counting Elsweyr or Valenwood mods because they are not technically TWMP. For comparison Oblivion.esm with all major DLC integrated, is only 256MB. Makes sense - Oblivion only covers Cyrodiil, just the one province!

Another issue is that if we were to merge TWMP mods, everything would need to be renumbered, requiring a new game and breaking all compatibility with previous save games or other mods. Nope. Not good.

So the TWMP suite should remain as it is - a set of ESP modules to be loaded in a particular order. This gives the players flexibility to choose which provinces they want to include, so it is actually a good thing. The many mods that you have to load however is less good, but it is the lesser evil...

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 7 2022, 09:29 AM

Dune is getting sewers! I am in the dungeon building mood... There will be other dungeons accessible from there, as well as some non-dungeon facilities. All sorts of stuff happens in the sewers, you know.

Dungeon building is in full swing. There is also going to be a chest inside Under the Influence den where you can pick up scrolls with jobs. Put the deliverable back into the chest, close and open it again and take out your reward. A simple system with minimal fuss. Admittedly, these are not going to be world-shuttering quests, but then again, everyday activities rarely are. This is mostly for those people who like to have an incentive for visiting dungeons. Some of these jobs will randomly repeat to keep the system going for ever, even after all the unique ones will have been exhausted. Not a true Radial Quest system, but easy to set up.

Another simple quest line that I am working on is Resupply the Traders. Various traders in Elsweyr are going to complain to you about shortage of certain items, and if you bring them a batch of the stuff, they'll pay you double the market value. Now, these may not always be high value items, so the bother would not be worth the pay. But may be if you do it enough times, those traders might ask you for a favour... and that would be worth the bother. (And no, you can't charm them into it, they'll be counting the batches of stuff rather than relying on disposition.)

This is something that can be expanded as we go along. I started with one trader, then I'll be adding more traders along the way. Got to figure out what their favours are going to be! And it's not guaranteed. May be some traders just want the supplies. You'll never know.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 9 2022, 10:03 PM

Dune Catacombs are complete, comprising 47 dungeon cells. You descend into the sewers first, and in the sewers there are several access points into the various sections of the catacombs. Each section is comprised of 9 to 11 dungeons dynamically linked via several doors, so not only is the layout different each time you play, it can also change on the fly under certain circumstances (on the whim of the Oblivion game engine). The sections are also connected to one another in a few places, just to add to the confusion... err... fun. But it isn't all that bad: each dungeon cell has a fixed exit back into the sewers. All you have to do is find it.

Of course I did not build 47 dungeon cells from scratch in two days time. I reused existing vanilla dungeons, so some layouts may be familiar (do you honestly remember every single dungeon by heart?). I did change some things around, and of course the doors are all in different places and linked in different ways, so I bet that even if you remember one or the other layout, you will still be surprised.

I have now finished the fetch quests: there are 10 repeatable ones (collect ingredients type of thing), and 5 unique (fetch a misplaced item). Enough incentive to visit the catacombs, I think. I'll give it a bit more play-testing, but then I'll release it for you to test... err... enjoy. In all honestly, I cannot possibly test every single door because of their random nature.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 10 2022, 01:06 AM

Version 1.1 of https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51655 is now available on Nexus.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 14 2022, 10:40 AM

I've done another update - Elsweyr Mysteries is on version 1.2 now. Added another run of the roofs and five more jobs for the chest at Under the Influence - these are not simple fetch quests though. But most importantly I fixed several doors, including the ones of the Mages Guild. The Mages Guild quest would still run more or less correctly also with the previous version, but I recommend upgrading. I'm still learning stuff! Those doors have scripts on them, and I hadn't realised all of the consequences of that... Anyway, fixed now.

I have a few more ideas for quests based in Dune, but that will have to wait - I'm taking a break from this. Besides, I really don't like making complex quests. Well, more complex than just stick a scroll into a chest sort of thing. So I don't expect any updates for a while, unless someone finds bugs in it.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 19 2022, 06:03 PM

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51655 v2 - Orcrest - is released!

This is not a huge release, but I am moving on to the next city. In Orcrest you'll find a working gambling den in town and a Dark Brotherhood crypt and shrine underground. There's nothing going on in the crypt yet, but even so - can you find it? There are pictures with the mod, so yeah, it does exist and is accessible and all. I have ideas for further content there, but it won't be for a while.

Now we're on to Corinthe! Don't expect to do too much there because several other people already did quite a bit of work on that. But who knows!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 24 2022, 03:47 PM

Perhaps this thread should be renamed to Wolf Mods or something. I've been doing a lot of scripting recently - working on my own companions system. I started with Companions Share and Recruit, which is a very good system, but it has large parts that I am not using, such as squads or automatic looting. I've used it for a while but I found that these automatic actions result in companions running around a lot and forgetting to follow or to fight, as well as losing their horses. That mod wasn't developed with horses in mind, it has some horse-related functionality but it is unreliable, clearly an afterthought. For me however it is important.

So, drawing on that experience, I started making my own system. It is not generic, you can't just walk up to any arbitrary NPC and hire them, which is what introduced a lot of complexity to Share and Recruit. In my system the companions are dedicated NPCs. Yes, I know of CM partners, but there too it's not quite what I want. It never is, unless you made it yourself.

I have the core of the system working already for a long time, Hauk is my test character here. Poor Hauk, he gets his head messed with quite a lot. Here's what is implemented and working already now:

- Recruit and dismiss companions. When dismissed, they return to their homes and their "off-duty" routines.

- Track each companion on the map with their own quests. Particularly useful when they are off-duty and you want to find them.

- Access companion's inventory, also without recruiting them. Weight limit applies - you cannot give them more than they can carry.

- Let companions follow on foot or mounted and sneak with the player.

- Stop combat and catch up if falling behind.

- Companions' horses follow their respective owners when the player is riding a horse. Companions can call their horses if the horse is too far away and the companion needs to catch up.

- When following the player, automatically sit down when the player is sitting down, sleep when the player is lying in a bed (use See You Sleep to see the player lie in bed).

- When following and the player has City Wear token equipped, automatically switch from armour to clothes and unequip weapons.

- Tell companions to wait, relax or pick herbs in the area. They stop following you without being dismissed. Waiting means stand where you left them, relaxing switches them to eating, sleeping and wandering near where you left them, and picking herbs has them go picking herbs (surprise!).

- While sitting down, automatically repair weapons using repair hammers and level up the NPC's repair skill. Play one of several repair animations, so you can actually watch them do it.

- Automatically recharge currently equipped staff with a trickle charge based on the Intelligence value. Only when out of combat, and only staves. This is meant for mages. I am working on recharging with soul gems, but it is not easy.

- Play some idle animations that don't interfere with actual following. I found that some do.

Of course the system alone is nothing without the companions. I have already a few of them done, others are being tinkered with. Eventually I shall release this together with the companions and a guide how to make your own. Here's what I have now. All these companions have their own horses, too. They each bring new armour, weapons or spells, some also bring houses. Some companions come with quests, others are just sitting there twiddling their thumbs, ready for an adventure.

- Hauk Serck-Hanssen, a battlemage. Friendly and bored.

- Lucien Lachance, a master assassin. Comes with strings attached - a large mod with the Dark Brotherhood quest line redesigned and another quest line added after it. Only after you've done it all, will he come with you. You have to earn the right to be his companion. Typical.

- Fenris Bero, a vampire nightblade - an upgrade of the Dark Minion provided by the Vile Lair DLC. That minion was rather useless, I thought. Comes with an upgrade to the Vile Lair itself, too.

- Garrus Darreliun, Captain of the City Guard in Cheydinhal. Becomes available after that quest is done - Garrus actually gets promoted to Captain and is no longer stuck patrolling the throne room 13 hours a day. He takes over making rounds around the city and will come with you since you've been so good to sort out their little corruption problem. And because he's bored.

- Dylan, a Mazken. Not as useless as the female Mazken would have you believe. He hangs around Passwall once you're through the Gates of Madness. He does not leave the Shivering Isles, and so has no horse (no horses in the Shivering Isles).

- Scorpio, a sorcerer. He starts out as an elemental battlemage, but as you level up, he gains access to more interesting and powerful spells such as thunderstorm, rock avalanche or force push. These work on all targets in the area - on all hostile targets only, allies are unaffected, so they are not plain area of effect spells. Unfortunately the effort of casting it leaves the sorcerer incapacitated for a while, and these are very advanced spells to cast. He can teach you these spells if you're skilled enough. He lives in Crucible but will travel with you everywhere. He's got a horse in Bravil stables for just such an eventuality.

- Geralt of Rivia, a witcher. Does all the usual witcher stuff and hangs around Bruma - those ogres and goblins need to be kept in check. He actually looks like Geralt of Rivia and has all the correct gear and spells - based on Witcher 2, mod "Classic Witcher".

- Jowan Angwin, a blood mage. The concept and the character comes from Dragon Age Origins (except I gave him a surname). Blood magic allows him to cast very advanced spells at the cost of his own health - he is not so evil as to use the health of his allies, but he might use the health of his enemies at times. Blood magic also gives him affinity for necromancy, although he dislikes making zombies (you can't get the stench off your robes for weeks!). He stays a the Bruma Mages Guild (guess why), even though he is not a member of the guild.

- Sanguine, a drunk and a Prince. You have to earn his favour though, and I haven't decided yet how exactly. It will be something to do with Shivering Isles - some stories on the back of my head. He gives you a dremora summon with long term binding - the dremora stays with you until he is defeated or dispelled. You can talk to this dremora and arrange to meet Sanguine - he will be drinking at the Roxey Inn. Sanguine comes with a number of islands that you can visit. They are just peaceful places, with nothing going on. There are a number of nice mods like this, some even freeware, and I plan on using them.

Wow, now that I've written it up, it's quite a lot! No wonder it's been keeping me busy... Plus of course we're still travelling in Elsweyr - Corinthe awaits!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 30 2022, 07:07 PM

There hasn't been all that much mod building recently because I was busy fixing other people's Elsweyr mods so that I could use them in my game... So I guess it was modding for personal use, since the author of the mods asked me not to release any fixes or patches to his mods. It's his work and his choice.

I've been exploring Corinthe in game, including the City Expansion mod which fills in the Palace District. Something there is making my game lag badly. At first I though it was the sheer number of NPCs walking about, but a thought on the back of my mind was saying: "No, it's no more than anywhere else since you've got Crowded Cities and Radiant AI mods!" Thank you, u16m12*, you're right. Returning to the Palace District at night with barely any NPCs out and about, game performance wasn't any better. I don't know what it is, I've read that some models could drive the FPS down, or may be it's the lighting, no idea. It isn't unplayable, but it's rather jerky. Back to the Market District, and all is well again. Good thing I don't really like palaces anyway.

There's a mystery in Corinthe brewing: where does the wealth of the local Mages Guild come from? It is quite remarkable, considering the less-than-average services that they offer. There must be more to it...

A second blatant mystery is this: where is the Thieves Guild? Is it realistic to think that a city of this wealth be devoid of thieves? No, didn't think so. Yet we found no traces of any kind of thievery. Hmmm.

Jobasha is back from Vivec City, with his store in the Palace District! Hello, Jobasha! Oh wait... Thieves Guild... or may be not.

I made a few additions to Corinthe so far, to appear in the next release of Mysteries:
- All vendors now sell stuff (bug fix).
- The rooftops in the Market District are now properly accessible and traversible, also for NPCs, but there's nothing going on there yet.
- I put up shop signs everywhere... couldn't find my way around town.

I got a plaque for Christmas, it says: "I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept." Amen.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* Walter Moers, Die Stadt der Träumenden Bücher, 2004 (also available in English translation: The City of Dreaming Books).

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 31 2022, 07:44 PM

No more ads on Nexus for me! It suprised me today with a big orange message saying that I am now a "recognised mod author" with over 1000 unique downloads across my mods. Wow.

You choose to share your time with me? You humble me.

Posted by: Acadian Jan 31 2022, 08:12 PM

Very impressive, Lena!

Posted by: macole Feb 1 2022, 07:35 AM

Well-deserved, I would say.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 1 2022, 10:05 AM

Thank you both!

What I find remarkable is which mod of mine is doing best: it's "Just a bigger map". Yep, it keeps your vanilla interface and just gives you a bigger map window. Considering that when you read descriptions of those various advanced mod UIs, they give you the impression that obviously everyone wants a Skyrim-style UI, or a dark themed UI, or a small font UI, or a tiny icon UI, with far more information, with everything different from the despised vanilla UI... Umm... 438 downloads in under 2 months... it seems a lot of people actually like the vanilla UI after all, and just want a bigger map. Who would have thought.

Of course none of it comes even remotely close to the mods offering you yet another stamp-sized micro-bikini outfit where the stamps are so small, you can't see the picture on them anyway. But hey, we shouldn't be comparing apples and mangos, should we.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 2 2022, 11:39 PM

I am treading into unfamiliar waters: I've been making quests. I made a rather complicated patchwork quest last week, and just before I could save it, the CS crashed without a panic save... Everything gone. Except of coure the experience. I'll redo that patchwork quest later, but today I've been making two proper quests for Elsweyr Mysteries - yeah, two new mysteries for Corinthe! Testing will be interesting, there are some experimental elements in that... I wonder.

But since they are mysteries, that's all I'll be saying about them.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 7 2022, 12:44 PM

A quick update to say that two rather large quests for Corinthe are done, that is scripted in. Whether they are actually working or not, is an entirely different matter.

One is a straightforward sort of quest, where you follow it stage by stage and can bring it to conclusion within a few days in-game. That one I shall be testing start to finish. The second quest is sort of a treasure hunt thing. Not saying what it is since it's a mystery, but let's just say I'll test it as far as humanly possible, considering that treasure hunts can become rather drawn out in time.

These two quests and the book that Macole and I have been writing, will constitute the next instalment of Elsweyr Mysteries. Oh, and a few small fixes here and there that I made along the way. Another quest will come later - a follow up on the first quest above. That isn't much of a mystery, and the story is getting included in I am Lena Wolf, but the quest will only trigger for you if you fulfil certain requirements and if you finish the first quest in a particular way, so not everyone will get it. Oh yes, that quest has several possible endings. Your choices do matter.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 7 2022, 11:46 PM

Corinthe is getting a bath house!

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/corinthe-bath-outside.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/corinthe-bath-inside.jpg Bring your own soap

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/corinthe-bath-loo.jpg

Made with beautiful resources by Stroti with Wolf scripting (no clothes in the bath!). This does not require you to wash, it's just for fun. For reading newspapers and such.

Posted by: Acadian Feb 8 2022, 01:12 AM

Looks very nice indeed!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 9 2022, 06:56 PM

Postcards from Corinthe.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/corinthe-roof-night.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/corinthe-roof.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/corinthe-roof-notes.jpg

Posted by: SubRosa Feb 9 2022, 07:24 PM

Some nice travelogue pics from an exotic, faraway land.

Posted by: macole Feb 9 2022, 09:40 PM

Nice pictures! Makes one want to go back to the land of warm sands.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 10 2022, 12:41 AM

Thanks! Next time you are in Corinthe, make sure to explore the rooftops. The views are brilliant.

Quest debugging is going well! Some experimental effects included. It won't be long now!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 12 2022, 02:28 PM

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51655 is released! It includes the Corinthe chapter and a certain book we've been having fun writing... At Jobasha's in Corinthe and at the First Edition, of course.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 16 2022, 06:53 PM

I am taking a break from Elsweyr Mysteries, I think I overheated under the desert sun... Lena and Hauk are ready to go further South from Corinthe, where we expect massive land tears due to having Pelletine and Valenwood Improved loaded together. Yes, I know, it cannot be done! The Cartographers Guild told us so! It's either one or the other, not both! Umm... but it's one Tamriel, is it not? So how can you have either this or that land layout, dear cartographers? There can only be one land layout, even after a massive earthquake or whatever it was that ripped the very fabric of the land to pieces.

So we are going South. There is a rumour that a new city has risen from the Topal Sea just South of Elsweyr, and it calls itself https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51474! But it is not the Senchal at the Southern point of the Pelletine peninsular. Rumour has it that this new Senchal is encrouching on some of the beaches of Anequina... Or has someone had too much skooma when they were writing that report? We aim to find out.

It is my aim to build a rough patch that would allow to reconsile these warrying mods. Note that I said rough. If some villages get in the way, they may just get removed. Other people are working on a far better patch, so mine will eventually be superceded. I just want to be able to explore those lands without falling into the Void prematurely.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 20 2022, 12:18 AM

Today was the most annoying day in modern history! Well, all right, the most annoying day of this week. I was working on this new mod - Senchal the Seaside City - trying to make it compatible with Elsweyr Anequina. I was hoping for a patch, but unfortunately that mod had a number of edits that had to be removed - I couldn't get rid of them with a patch. So then I just continued. I did make a nice compatible version, there's a crossing from a beach in Anequina, and the city looks very nice, it's almost on an island, except for that crossing. All good. Except for LOD. I regenerated it five times! And it takes about half an hour on my PC to do Tamriel... And still I was having floating forests and distant land while all of that had been removed! WTF!!!

SkyBSA. No, it does NOT work for me. Freshly generated LOD files should have overwritten LOD found in BSA archives, but in fact they didn't. That wrong LOD was coming from the archives of several mods, and even Akatosh couldn't sort it out. Floating trees and false islands galore. And the stupid thing is - SkyBSA should not have been loaded... I tested it before, found it not working, so why was it still sitting in my OBSE plugin folder? Huh?

So now I am regenerating LOD for the sixth time. I have also removed LOD data from those BSA archives, but there may be more of it around, I didn't check them all. After that it's going West towards that enormous land tear I spotted earlier... unless of course it was only due to spurious LOD! We'll see. Tomorrow has a great potential of becoming the second most annoying day in modern history.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 24 2022, 01:13 AM

Today is the day. THE day. I've reconciled the warring mods of Valenwood and Elsweyr under a new https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51795! Yeah!!!

This is my rough patch. It is meant to close land tears, not reposition every rock. In fact, it distinctly doesn't do that. Plenty of floating rocks for you to find in the enchanted forests!

But you can load together TWMP Valenwood Improved, Elsweyr Anequina and Elsweyr Pelletine, and it was Valenwood and Pelletine that weren't getting along. Plus, I also made a version of Senchal the Seaside City that is compatible with Anequina, and I named it https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51794 because obviously we already got one from Pelletine. And if that wasn't enough... I also https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51588! Phew!! Now it's time to go exploring.

Like I said, not every rock got grounded. There are also areas where land texture didn't take - I am not sure what I'm doing wrong, but the CS stubbornly refuses to paint the land. So you see straight lines there, if you ever get to those areas - there's nothing going in those remote regions. I tried my best to make inhabited areas presentable, focusing on the border between Valenwood and Elsweyr and areas that conflicted with Pelletine. I had to sacrifice a group of hostile skooma addicts, but otherwise I tried to reposition things rather than throw them away. I may well have missed something - the place is huge! But you can take the road from Senchal in Pelletine all the way to Skingrad in Cyrodiil, passing by Torval (Pelletine), Haven (Valenwood), Dune (Anequina) and Arenthia (Valenwood), with other roads branching off. There should be no land tears anywhere! But watch your step nonetheless...

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51588/51588-1645644506-1965911675.jpeg

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51588/51588-1645644203-533560569.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51794/51794-1645645459-1155864144.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51794/51794-1645645323-1552674612.png

Once Hauk gets over his scorpion fever, he and Lena will set off again, after all they do have that blank scroll of parchment from the Cartographers Guild to fill in... The roads of Pelletine are not marked on the map, we need to change that, and of course to watch for any decidedly floating rocks, trees or houses... Let the adventure continue! Finally!

Posted by: macole Feb 24 2022, 03:49 AM

WOW!!! I need to hurry up and finish a couple quest lines so I can reload everything and go explore what you have done.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 24 2022, 11:53 AM

Thanks, Macole! Don't rush though - if you wait another month, there's likely to be an update to the Southern Alliance as we go exploring it in game. But it will never be perfect because it will be discarded eventually when TWMP Valenwood Regrown finally gets released. I have to find a balance between investing too much into a throw-away project and having a nicely laid out game here and now. And being impatient as I am... umm... you see where this is going, don't you?

Posted by: macole Feb 24 2022, 05:08 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Feb 24 2022, 04:53 AM)

Thanks, Macole! Don't rush though - if you wait another month, there's likely to be an update to the Southern Alliance as we go exploring it in game. But it will never be perfect because it will be discarded eventually when TWMP Valenwood Regrown finally gets released. I have to find a balance between investing too much into a throw-away project and having a nicely laid out game here and now. And being impatient as I am... umm... you see where this is going, don't you?

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 24 2022, 05:35 PM

QUOTE(macole @ Feb 24 2022, 04:08 PM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 4 2022, 01:03 PM

I declare https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51795 finished for now. I released version 3 which has all land tears repaired, all landscape smoothed over and repainted to my best ability (that is, where the new texture would stick), and all roads checked and fixed. The roads in Valenwood and Anequina were already fine and only needed merging on the border, but the roads in Pelletine required resurfacing, including making path grids. NPCs require path grids to navigate the land, and roads should have "preferential" nodes assigned to them so that the NPCs would be able to tell the roads from the rest of the terrain. This is a manual process. The roads in Valenwood don't always have preferential nodes in their path grids but I haven't done it in this round because Valenwood didn't need any work at all otherwise. May be in version 4.

I made new https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51814 that include all the new roads. This is a departure from the Dynamic Map - these are static maps to replace the default in-game map, and they don't zoom. However, I switched to using that instead of the Dynamic Map myself because I found that the Dynamic Map caused performance degradation in my game, and together with the flickering and a few other annoying problems, it just tipped the scales for me to forgo zoom functionality and use a static map. This may well be just due to my rather low end PC, but then again, I know I am not alone in this. Which is why I released the static maps, in case someone else would like them. I shall still update the Dynamic Map module with the new roads too.

The South is open to exploring!

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51814/51814-1646331583-977675536.jpeg

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 6 2022, 11:49 AM

Now that the Southern Alliance is generally working, I have been exploring Valenwood Improved. Well, it's TWMP Valenwood Improved but it is exactly the same as the original - the differences are all on technical level only. So yes, it is just as unfinished and all that. And it is wonderful! I really like it. Such elaborate cities, just waiting to be filled with people and things to do. I am surprised no one has done it so far - or have I missed it? Didn't see any add-ons for the original either. Haven't explored any of the dungeons yet, and won't do on this walkabout - this is just the first tour. Won't get to every city either - Lena is due back in Anvil in a week. The story goes on and life continues, but I can certainly see many happy returns to Valenwood.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 7 2022, 11:37 PM

A note found in the boarded up Chapel of Arkay in Elden Root.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Take that, Prior Livan! Ha! Ha ha! That's what I say to you!

All of you, taken! Who will come and rescue you now, eh? Arkay hasn't heard your prayers, Priest!

Every single one of you captured in soul gems, all neatly labelled - we are professionals! We left a few people around for now, but we might still come back for them. They are scared enough not to ever tell of what had occurred.

And if only you knew... The way to your salvation is so simple! Take the soul gem and throw it into the fire... And your soul will be released! Together with your body and your belongings, I might add. Genius!

But of course it isn't as simple as that - it would be madness to allow it. You have to throw the gem into the fire in the house where the person in the gem used to dwell the most. And if you throw it into the wrong fire... you'll find out for yourself!

Ha! Ha ha! But seeing how I'm holding the gem with your soul in my hands now, you will never read this note! And we will be gone by morning - we'll take you all back to your roots! Search the Ayleids, if you please!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



It will take a while to fill this in... please bear with me. But the setup is done, and the first four citizens with their houses and belongings have been created. Of course, their souls are currently trapped in black soul gems, poor things...

Posted by: macole Mar 8 2022, 05:24 AM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Mar 6 2022, 04:49 AM)

Now that the Southern Alliance is generally working, I have been exploring Valenwood Improved. Well, it's TWMP Valenwood Improved but it is exactly the same as the original - the differences are all on technical level only. So yes, it is just as unfinished and all that. And it is wonderful! I really like it. Such elaborate cities, just waiting to be filled with people and things to do. I am surprised no one has done it so far - or have I missed it? Didn't see any add-ons for the original either. Haven't explored any of the dungeons yet, and won't do on this walkabout - this is just the first tour. Won't get to every city either - Lena is due back in Anvil in a week. The story goes on and life continues, but I can certainly see many happy returns to Valenwood.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 8 2022, 10:03 AM

QUOTE(macole @ Mar 8 2022, 04:24 AM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 10 2022, 12:47 AM

I have been enjoying filling in Elden Root. Every citizen has a story. Status so far: 11 citizens created, plus the interiors of their houses. These are all shopkeepers so far, 8 of them were taken into the black soul gems. There will be a few more people around who were not taken, and there's a reason in each case... I leave it to you to find out.

There are 21 empty houses still to fill in, that includes houses belonging to 3 original citizens. Unfortunately their houses are completely unfurnished... Poor souls. We'll need to fix that. I am also looking to establish a chapter of the Mages Guild and of course a contingent of the City Guard. I haven't decided about the Fighters Guild yet. And then there's going to be a few people living in the streets... So I'd say I'm a quarter in.

Posted by: macole Mar 10 2022, 05:33 AM

If there one place in Oblivion mod world, Elden Root is the one I’d like to see populated. I had thoughts of working on Elden Root myself when I first saw it. https://imgur.com/Ft19cFW.jpg, it is furnished only with a usable double bed on the second floor. I thought of making it a player home or a chapter house Order of the Virtuous Blood or the Archeology Guild. Dreamer that I am, I never got around to learning how.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 10 2022, 09:53 AM

QUOTE(macole @ Mar 10 2022, 04:33 AM)

Posted by: macole Mar 12 2022, 08:59 AM

Now why would anyone in Skingrad hang garlic on the fireplace mantel? They act like they think the city is run by vampires.

Your Valenwood Cities is sounding very interesting.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 12 2022, 07:29 PM

Thanks, Macole! I am certainly having a lot of fun making the mod, but it's a lot of work too - over 30 interiors to make, and many of them have to be done from scratch because I can't find a suitable existing interior to copy and modify... But it will be done eventually, every single house. That's the point for me - the city must be complete. It will probably require some 20 guards too to make up the shifts for the patrols, and then of course there's the Mayor and his staff.

I just discovered today that one of the houses in Skingrad is haunted... And not by vampires. Never knew it because I don't break into houses! Do you know which one it is?

As for garlic and vampires... Garlic actually does absolutely nothing to vampires in Cyrodiil, it's an urban myth, is all. The only vampire affected by garlic is Vicente Valteri, and that's just because he's allergic to it, has always been, since before he got vampirism. Now, silver weapons, that's a different tale entirely!

Posted by: macole Mar 12 2022, 10:32 PM

Nerastarel's House, an abandoned house filled with undead sits almost directly across the street from Rosethorn Manor is populated with undead. I don’t know of any explanation as to why being given. It could have been a quest location that was never completed and cut from the game.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 14 2022, 12:56 AM

Nerastarel's House is the one!

Elden Root is getting several houses for sale. At the moment, there's an apartment in an upper class house as a private sale, plus two houses with the real estate agent. Unfortunately, the real estate agent was taken by the necromancers, so you'll have to free him first to be able to access the properties. But here's a preview (marketing materials alert!).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Sextant House

The Sextant House is one of the most prestigious properties in Elden Root.

With its prominent location in the Upper District and its distinctive towers and impressive size, it is not just an upper class house, it is a unique upper class house! Don't miss this rare opportunity to become its proprietor.

The house features ample accommodation and storage on its three floors. The ground floor has the lounge and dining area, the middle floor is laid out for discerning entertainment, and the upper floor offers a spacious bedroom with two most comfortable double beds covering all of your needs!

Please see Sillas at The House and Garden Agency about this property.

The Hunter's Rest

The Hunter's Rest is a well-appointed house on a budget.

Located in the Lower District, the Hunter's Rest might not catch your eye at first. It is a wooden one-storey house, and thus does not offer the same amount of space as our other properties. But don't discount it just yet.

This open-plan house is laid out for two people - it has two single beds, a dining area, a study, a cozy lounge area by the fire and even a pantry by the side entrance. There is ample storage, and it is connected to our inn services which replenish food barrels on a regular basis. Yet safety of the rest of your storage is guaranteed!

The house has good furnishings, rather better than you would expect to see in a dwelling of this stature. It is a comfortable abode, easily affordable for most people!

Please see Sillas at The House and Garden Agency about this property.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 17 2022, 11:12 AM

I had a few days off and I spent them building Elden Root... It is getting along nicely! I decided that not everyone will need to be rescued, some people ran away and hid in their houses, so they survived the attack. But they are scared! They are not coming out until the City Guard is restored. At the moment, 17 people need rescuing, which is plenty, I think, considering that each gem is hidden in a different ruin... This will have you running around the entire Cyrodiil and Valenwood! And once you rescue them, some people will have further fetch quests for you before they can fully restore their business. Here I'm reusing existing unfinished fetch quests - there are some 20 fetch quests in the Valenwood Improved mod, of which two in Elden Root, both unfinished. This gave me the idea. Finish them off, and reap the benefit of improved service from those people.

Another thing I've been doing is adding background stories to some people, so they have a little bit more to say than just the rumours about the Emperor being assassinated. They might get quests at a later date, but I want this mod finished and out the door with version 1 for now. Personal quests can be added later.

The status now is that I have done 28 houses already, with their inhabitants and stories, plus market stall traders and a few others. I have only 4 houses left to do, plus beggars, plus the City Guard, plus the City Council schedules (the Mayor is hiding in his apartment for now). So a lot more NPCs to come, and not quite so much real estate.

Posted by: Acadian Mar 17 2022, 12:36 PM

This is great fun reading about what you're doing with Elden Root. Back in the Second Era, Buffy makes her home there. In her time, the city is mostly within a massive graht oak.

In this https://i.imgur.com/8dFRmxP.png, Buffy is in the foreground. Right behind her to the left is her little 'Snugpod' home that the tree so nicely grew for her. Close behind her on the right, the tarp and tusk structure is the city stable. And in the distance is the Elden Root itself, featuring its cavernous 50 foot high arched doorway. Inside are numerous shrines and shoppes on the ground floor. One floor up is where the artisan crafting centers, banks and more merchants are. One floor above that is the FG, MG, and chambers of the current king of the Camoran Dynasty. Above that (in our head canon) are the real owners of the tree - the Elden Root tribe of the Cloud Dancer clan (to which Buffy belongs). Cloud Dancers are smaller, lighter and well suited for life in the tall trees. Rather than embrace Yffre's Green Pact to free themselves of the Wild Hunt, they long ago embraced the Nirn Mother (Mara) and Sky Goddess (Kynareth) to free themselves. Superb stewards of the forest, they have no problem using wood or the forest's other bounties; they simply do not waste. The Elden Root tribe is quite cosmopolitan about visitors in the lower levels but protective/private about the upper levels of their tree.

Though the tree is ancient, it grows atop and encroaches throughout an even older Aylied Ruin that is now mostly underground.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 17 2022, 01:32 PM

Look how things have changed! Elden Root of the Fourth Era doesn't have a giant tree, but you can see where it once would have stood - there's a giant hole in the ground, of sorts. And yes, it is built on top of an Ayleid ruin. After all, Valenwood Improved is over ten years old. Some people say it isn't lore-friendly, that the forests and cities are all wrong because they use some elements also seen in the Shivering Isles. But to me, Valenwood Improved is exactly what I imagined the land of the Bosmer to be like, based on the Bosmer characters from Oblivion and Skyrim, the same as Elsweyr Anequina rang true for the Khajiit. I would rather argue that if there are any similarities between Valenwood and the Shivering Isles, that's entirely due to the Bosmer taking their culture from Valenwood to the Shivering Isles, and not the other way around.

I feel that both Anequina and Valenwood Improved have truly enriched my game, and I should be coming back to those places again and again. There's still so much to explore there! And I only started on Pelletine, not even gone to any of the cities yet (tail-less Khajiit in Torval crash my game, and the FPS in Pelletine is hovering around 6 which is abysmal, while I get a steady 25-30 elsewhere). With that said, and with the weather in the "real world" turning warmer, the snow of Skyrim is calling to me again...

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 23 2022, 10:44 PM

The last few days I've been working on a few side quests for Elden Root. Some of the shop keepers will ask you favours after you rescue them - they will need extra supplies. Once delivered, they broaden the range of goods that they offer. Some shop keepers already start out with special goods, and some only get them once everyone has been rescued.

It all started with a small fetch quest that I found in the original Valenwood Improved mod - fetch 15 bags of flour for an aspiring baker... and get a bit of gold in return. Boring, and unsurprisingly unfinished. Well, there's still a quest to fetch 15 bags of flour for that aspiring baker... But now she'll start baking rather special pies - Cornish pasties, mushroom pies, shepherd's pies, vegetable pies, etc. Well worth the bother of collecting 15 sacks of flour, although the pies won't be free.

All in all, I now have 7 re-supply quests and a total of 144 unique items to be sold in shops... How did this happen? Did I may be get carried away just a bit? And these are just basic items, you can make your own enchantments where applicable (although I would not recommend enchanting food, it's best eat it as is).

Things are getting along nicely! The only major task still left to do is to recruit the City Guard.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 27 2022, 10:53 PM

(Re)-construction of Elden Root is complete! All that is left is to test it... Ehhh... Not today. But it's the sort of project that needed to be all finished before I could do any meaningful testing. Or so I told myself.

Without going into spoilers, besides the ones that I already revealed, here are some statistics.

The Elden Root chapter fills in 34 interiors and adds 54 NPCs, plus 14 guards. Once all the shops are fully refurbished and business restored, you will find some 150 new items offered in shops. All of these new items are only offered in shops in Elden Root, they are not found as loot and not offered in shops elsewhere. Elden Root is unique! If you want these special items, you'll just have to come back... You will see some of the new apparel worn by Elden Root citizens and some of the other items displayed, but there isn't a giant chest with everything in it anywhere. The merchants' stock will vary, so it could be a long time before you've seen everything that is on offer. You'll need to buy a house and start building a collection, if you want to get it all...

Elden Root has 2 inns and 4 taverns, the Mages Guild, the Fighters Guild, the Thieves Guild, the Order of Virtuous Blood, some Dark Brotherhood presence but no Sanctuary as yet, market with 3 stalls, 11 shops, 2 independent traders, a real estate agent and a total of 3 properties for sale. There is also the City Council and the Office of Imperial Commerce, the City Guard Offices, barracks and dungeon with a working jail, and the City Crypt with suitable provisions. You can also sleep outdoors, unless the beggars beat you to it. And finally, there's a chapel. Much of it is however inaccessible from the start, so it is up to you to restore the city!

The guilds, the Dark Brotherhood and the Order of Virtuous Blood currently have no jobs associated with them, but this could be added in the future. There are other possibilities for expansion as well.

I can tell you all these things because you can see the buildings when you visit the city. There are hardly any shop signs - you need to rescue the shopkeepers first - but public buildings like the Guilds are there for you to see. There are also quite a few more people around right from the start, besides those three that were wandering the streets before. And yet you have 18 people to rescue. I think that's plenty, as some of those locations will be quite hard to find. Others will be easy. Forget uniformity. Once citizens start returning, other citizens' schedules will become more complex, yet others will come out of hiding. A lot seems to be riding on the restoration of the City Guard, although some citizens would rather have their favourite bar reopen first, and the Guard can well stay away, for all they care. I wonder why, what a strange attitude...

I made a few small changes to the city layout as well, namely I connected the cemetery with the Lower District with a bridge (for those of you who know the city). This makes it all more connected and helps to create patrol routes for the City Guard. I also installed street lights. Screenshots will follow next week as I start testing!

Posted by: Zelazko Mar 28 2022, 02:14 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Nov 14 2021, 01:32 PM)

Thanks Acadian, Macole - those trees look great, don't they?

With all the TWMP mods (including Hammerfell) I installed all the main files (latest version only), all the resource files and all the LOD files, that is everything except the patches because I don't need them. The LOD files are really tricky because they are not in a BSA but just files on disk, and you have to install them in the right order because they overwrite what you've got already. But then - people say - you generate new LOD with TES4Edit and everything is fixed! Yeah, right... this has not been my experience. The files in distantLOD folder are overwritten when you generate LOD, and they contain data for trees, objects and some of the water (some? yeah, clear). Then there's texture LOD - some files in Textures/landscapeLOD, and I have not been able to regenerate those successfully with anything. I just get a lot of purple everywhere when I try. But all of those TWMP mods come with land LOD textures, and my mod doesn't change landscapes, so fortunately I don't need to update them. It does make it very important to load the mods in the correct order to get those things overwritten correctly.

Phew... if you are not confused yet, why not?

So, for the record I decided to write up exactly which mods from the TWMP suite I installed and in which order, that's the long list that follows. It is my intention to get Valenwood and Elsweyr working as well, they are not all TWMP, but they were made to work with TWMP, or so I hear. Bear in mind that I haven't explored those areas yet, so I might have to adjust the list later. This is based on https://www.reddit.com/r/oblivion/comments/k3urgk/is_there_a_way_to_install_all_those_twmp_mods/ on Reddit.

My installation does not start from an empty Oblivion - I already have various mods, some with the dreaded LOD that gets overwritten. Besides, I started with TWMP for Skyrim and installed Elsweyr and Valenwood afterwards - which is the opposite of what they advise on Reddit. I also had my LOD messed up several times while developing my mod, fixed it, messed it up again... So then I decided to reinstall all those TWMP mods again, overwriting everything, but now I've done it in the right order according to Reddit. I have only checked Skyrim and Hammerfell so far, and they are fixed, and Cyrodiil seems to be in order also. So I think this might be a way to go.

EDIT 18 December 2021: I have updated these instructions now that my mod got a new release. https://masserandsecunda.wordpress.com/mods-for-oblivion/installing-twmp-tamriel/

Download and Installation

IMPORTANT: download the mods and save them in a safe place because you'll be reusing them a few times! I suggest Data/Downloads. Put each mod in its own folder so you know what's what. It gets confusing very quickly. I download everything first, then go about installing it - this helps to keep track of where you are at.

Installation needs to happen in the order listed below because files get overwritten in the process. Some of the mods also give installation instructions, I tried to take them all into account, but be sure to check them for notes regarding other popular mods that you might have in your game.

Note: I don't use Unique Landscapes, so I didn't download any of those resources. If you do use UL, you will need those files too! Top up your common sense reserves, they will be tested!

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/37952
Go to their website and download and install the latest version. TWMP claims to need v21 on its latest mods, but v19 is probably already sufficient.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/27235
- Tamriel LOD resources
- Tamriel Heightmap v 3.3
- Tr Stirk LOD resources

http://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/36887/
- BSA
- ESM

http://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/24822/
- ESM ESP
- Full resource pack
The other files here are just the individual parts already contained in the full resource pack, in case you have to re-download (so save it first!).

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/25023
- Main file

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/22555
- 1020 Full German
- 1020 English translation (replacement ESP with English text)
With TWMP we don't need the ESPs from this mod, only the resources. So why did I download the ESPs as well? No reason. Just for my collection.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/43814
- Main file (the ESP)
- Patch for Elsweyr
We will use this ESP with the resources from the other Valenwood mod. I also downloaded the patch for Elsweyr because I use Elsweyr. Download other patches as needed.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/45533
- Valenwood Islands main file
- Valenwood Islands patch
- LOD fix
These are the three main files for this mod, I did not use any of the optional patches.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/38792
- Black Marsh ESP
- Summerset Isles ESP
- Summerset Isles meshes BSA
- Summerset Isles textures BSA
Note that I did not use any of the LOD resource archives from this mod, and also not the Valenwood-Elsweyr module. These are outdated (according to Reddit).

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46694
- TWMP SI version 0.1.1

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/36826
- Main file

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/43120/
- Main file
- Distant LOD
- Resource pack
- _far meshes
- LOD terrain meshes and textures
I don't have Sutch village, so I didn't use the patch. Apply your common sense here. Stirk is integrated in this mod, so remove any stand-alone versions.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/40005/ (only High Rock is needed, not Skyrim)
- High Rock ESP
- TWMP LOD resources
Note that you don't need Skyrim ESP but you do need Skyrim LOD resources included in the LOD pack.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/43924
- Main ESP
- Resources
- LOD textures and meshes
Jerall Pass is integrated into this mod, so remove the stand-alone version.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46149
- ESP and BSA
Skyrim Nord Tombs is integrated into this mod, so again remove the stand-alone version.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46258
- Main file

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51538
- Core
- Optional: Silent dialogue. I don't use Ely's Silent Voice, so I generated this for the whole of Skyrim.
Skyrim Alive is integrated into this mod, so remove the stand-alone version.

Load order is the same as the installation order. If you have any mods that edit the same areas, put them before this lot, or you'll have land tears and/or roads will be lost. Download what patches you need (e.g., for Unique Landscapes) and read descriptions of the corresponding mods for ideas where they go in the load order. I don't use them, so can't test it.

The map

I tried different options and found Dynamic Map to work best, it requires MenuQue.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/32200
- Main file version 16b
Note that Dynamic Map states that MenuQue v17 is required, but the highest version we have here is 16b. I use it, it works fine.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/35969/
The main archive contains several options for installation. Choose TWMP Heightmaps - the only option that shows all of Tamriel. Map pack that is available separately, is not needed.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/42449
- Main file
- Patch
Install the main file first, choose the version with Valenwood and Elsweyr. Then the patch because it overwrites the INI file. This is a replacement for the TWMP Heightmaps module of the Dynamic Map.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51538
- Map archive
This is my overlay for Skyrim - for the High Detail Dynamic Map from above. Again, it overwrites the INI file, so installation order is important.

Once you've got your Dynamic Map installed, have a look at its two configuration files in Data/Ini folder. The core file regulates things like keys used to zoom in and out, while the other file determins what is being displayed. I changed the zoom keys in the core file, for example.

This is the map I shall be maintaining as I explore more of Tamriel. So if I find problems in Elsweyr and Valenwood related to the map, I'll be fixing them for the High Detail version. Unfortunately it is not compatible with "standard" versions because the map is not simply scaled, it is also cropped, so you can't simply resize your old modules - they don't fit properly, you have to redo them in GIMP or something.

Recommended additions

These are the mods I use in my game and they work well with TWMP, at least the Skyrim part which I have so far explored. I understand that some don't work very well with OOO or perhaps something else - check what you are using. For Unique Landscapes there are patches and patches, I've seen them everywhere, so you should be able to fix it.

Load these mods before the TWMP lot, or anyhow before TWMP Skyrim Alive, or you will lose the roads in the Jeralls.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/36128 - North-East from the Dive Rock.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46090 - West from the shrine of Azura.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/47635 - puts a house just North of the Dragonclaw Rock.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/47101 - right on the road West of the Temple of Ancestor Moths.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/39815 - in Cyrodiil West of Bruma.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/23804 - in the Jeralls West of Bruma. There is a pass from below.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/13735 - in the Jeralls West of Pinevale. Easy access from Falkreath! Use this https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51543 with TWMP. Load the main mod before TWMP mods, and load the patch after the TWMP mods.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/40550 - North-West from the shrine of Mora, on the vanilla road to Hammerfell (vanilla road to Hammerfell? Oh yes!!). This puts a road from the shrine connecting to the vanilla road. I hear this conflicts with bandits from the OOO, so you might have to choose.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/44943 - just West of the shrine of Hermaeus Mora. Quite something. Conflicts with the road from the Crystal Chasm which goes under the building, unfortunately - you have to choose or use https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51544 for it. This does not depend on TWMP, so can be used without it. Load Chasm first, then Red Mead Hall, then the patch. This block of three can be loaded before all the TWMP mods.

Falkreath - Ghastley's mod, no longer on Nexus. Fits beautifully!

Start playing!

This is the important bit... get out there! Start exploring!!

Oh, and people say you can also safely install Morroblivion on top of all of this. I plan to do it too, at some point.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 28 2022, 02:56 PM

How many plugins does it take to make? I am wondering about fitting this in my mod setup. I already have 170 esp/esm plugins.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 28 2022, 05:29 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Mar 28 2022, 02:56 PM)

QUOTE

How many plugins does it take to make? I am wondering about fitting this in my mod setup. I already have 170 esp/esm plugins.

You still have room, not to worry.

These instructions are a little out of date though, and I have since figured out how to do LOD, and why I was having issues before. Best check that https://masserandsecunda.wordpress.com/mods-for-oblivion/installing-twmp-tamriel/ which I am indeed keeping up to date as I learn new things and explore more of Tamriel.

Posted by: Zelazko Mar 29 2022, 01:23 AM

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 29 2022, 02:13 AM

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Mar 29 2022, 01:23 AM)

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Mar 29 2022, 01:23 AM)

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Mar 29 2022, 01:23 AM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 29 2022, 11:20 AM

I have updated the instructions with more info on LOD removal and generation, among other things.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 1 2022, 01:28 PM

It has been quiet in the land of Wolf mods lately. I still haven't started testing Elden Root, I just needed a break from it. I've been cleaning up some mess I made earlier when I didn't know what I was doing, and cleaning up mess can be more labour-intensive than starting from scratch. But this was around my https://masserandsecunda.wordpress.com/lenas-companions/, and since I already have some of those companions in-game, I didn't want to just throw them away and start again but rather wanted to keep them and catch up.

At this point my first fully custom companion - https://masserandsecunda.wordpress.com/lenas-companions/hauk-serck-hanssen/ - is all finished and needs a holiday. I used him to develop the scripting and AI for the framework, which means it transfers to all other companions connected to it. Of which there are none complete so far. Oh, there are a number in development, but they all need filling in and testing.

The next one is a biggie though - https://masserandsecunda.wordpress.com/lenas-companions/companion-lucien-lachance/. His companion part including all buildings is finished (a separate NPC so as not to mess up the vanilla quests), and some of his custom quests are finished - he comes with a lot of strings attached. He is not going to be ready for release until many more quests are done though, and this is something I want to play through myself. Of course, in terms of Lena's story, those are all events that took place two centuries ago, so she'll be remembering them, writing memoirs or some such. The quests are indeed based on the stories. In terms of the companion mod, you'd need to finish those quests in a particular way to gain favour with Lucien so that eventually he would deem you worthy of his assistance. None of the quests will be a game breaker, but rather he'll count your failures and see that you redeem yourself. I feel this suits his character.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 4 2022, 11:45 AM

The weekend was spent cleaning up. I tried to start testing my new Valenwood Cities mod, and sure enough, there are a few more people out and about in Elden Root. But then my FPS dropped from 15 to 13 to 8 to... none. And the game crashed. My 15 year old PC with 4GB RAM could not handle it. I am sure the crash was not due to any bugs but purely because the system got overloaded. I mean, it was slow to begin with, and those few extra people just tipped it over, it seems.

I bought a better computer, it's been awaiting attention for a couple of weeks, so it seems I need to transfer everything to it before I can continue with Valenwood. So in the meantime while waiting for it to download and re-install stuff, I've been cleaning up my mods, publishing some small things here and there, and building more Companion modules. The Companion system is actually reaching maturity.

In other news, after some communication with the current maintainer of TWMP (Haldar), I have a plan for Skyrim: Whiterun, Morthal and Castle Volkihar. Dawnstar is also missing, but it might have to wait until round 3. So there's my summer sorted. I shall also fix up Riften with a few enhancements - I've learned a few things since I made it. Such as how to make a working jail so that you don't get taken to Bruma for processing. Turns out, it's easy. Well, everything is easy once you know how to do it! It's not like there's a Tome of Oblivion Modding out there somewhere, and I mean one which goes beyond "My first NPC". (Yes, I read the one that's out there.)

Posted by: Zelazko Apr 5 2022, 09:50 PM

Why not plug an old hard drive into new PC and transfer all mods. I assume you use Wrye Bash. So you would need to only install Oblivion in the same directory as old PC and move everything copy/replace.

I am having trouble with stability. Can you share your TWMP load order? I can play like 30 minutes but then the game crashes randomly which I assume is a issue related to faulty load order.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 5 2022, 09:59 PM

I am copying over a lot of data, most of it not in Oblivion/Data but elsewhere. But yes, I suppose I could have plugged the HD into the other PC... But I didn't want to touch the hardware. Anyway, I'm nearly done.

Load order: please see my guide on https://masserandsecunda.wordpress.com/mods-for-oblivion/installing-twmp-tamriel/, it's towards the bottom. This is my actual load order.

Random crashes like this may very well be happening due to Oblivion overloading. I am having the same problem anywhere in the South (Valenwood or Elsweyr), but not in Cyrodiil or Skyrim. I installed a https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/45797 and that helps a lot.

Posted by: Zelazko Apr 6 2022, 02:31 AM

Active Mod Files:
00 Oblivion.esm
01 All Natural Base.esm [Version 1.38]
02 Hemingweys Capes Improved.esm [Version 3.0b]
03 Oblivifall Master File.esm [Version 1.2]
04 Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esm [Version 1.5.11]
05 Waalx Animals & Creatures.esm
06 A_Bloody_Mess.esm
07 HorseCombatMaster.esm
08 Lovers with PK.esm
09 LoversCreature.esm [Version 2.5]
0A TamagoClub.esm
0B HiyokoClub.esm
0C Dynamic Underwear System.esm
0D TamRes.esm
0E TamRes_LandscapeResource.esm
0F Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp [Version 3.5.7]
++ Oblivion Citadel Door Fix.esp
10 DLCShiveringIsles.esp
11 Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch.esp [Version 1.6.0]
12 DLCHorseArmor.esp
13 DLCHorseArmor - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.9]
14 DLCOrrery.esp
15 DLCOrrery - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.7]
16 DLCVileLair.esp
17 DLCVileLair - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.11]
18 DLCMehrunesRazor.esp
19 DLCMehrunesRazor - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.8]
1A DLCSpellTomes.esp
++ DLCSpellTomes - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.1]
1B DLCThievesDen.esp
1C DLCThievesDen - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.15]
1D DLCThievesDen - Unofficial Patch - SSSB.esp [Version 1.0.14]
1E DLCBattlehornCastle.esp
1F DLCBattlehornCastle - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.12]
20 DLCFrostcrag.esp
21 DLCFrostcrag - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.10]
22 Knights.esp
23 Knights - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.1.8]
24 AoG Overhaul and Detect Item.esp
25 Oblivion_Character_Overhaul.esp [Version 2.03]
26 AoG Overhaul Greed Empire.esp
27 Tamriel.esp
28 TamRes.esp
29 TWMP_BlackMarsh.esp
2A All Natural - Real Lights.esp [Version 1.38]
2B Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esp [Version 1.5.10]
2C OOOShiveringIsles.esp
2D WAC.esp
2E OOOExtended.esp
2F Oblivion Uncut.esp
30 Oblivifall - Losing My Religion.esp [Version 1.43]
31 Sounds of Cyrodiil.esp [Version 1.1]
32 TWMP_Castle_Dunkerlore.esp
33 Rost3_Topal.esp [Version 1.0]
34 TWMP_Summerset.esp
35 TWMP SI.esp
36 TWMP_Hammerfell.esp [Version 1.2.1]
37 Hemingweys Capes Improved for OOO.esp [Version 3.0b]
38 WACIntegration.esp
39 All Natural.esp [Version 1.38]
3A Sutch Village.esp [Version 1.0.4]
++ TWMP_Hammerfell - Sutch Village.esp
3B TWMP_HighRock.esp
3C TWMP_SkyrimImproved.esp
3D TWMP Skyrim Guard Armors & Shields.esp
3E TWMP_Locations.esp [Version 1.0.6]
3F TWMP Skyrim Alive.esp
40 ElsweyrAnequina.esp
41 All Natural - SI.esp [Version 1.38]
42 StarX Vanilla Vampires Revised.esp
43 Kvatch Rebuilt.esp [Version 3.0RC3]
44 bgMagicEV.esp [Version 1.7EV]
45 Vampire Hunting - Order of the Virtuous Blood.esp
46 Oblivifall - Losing My Religion KOTN.esp [Version 1.0]
47 Enhanced Quest Roleplaying.esp [Version 2.03]
48 TheReturnOfTheDarkBrotherhood.esp
49 Mages Guild Quests.esp
4A RadiantAI - NPCs Alive - Cyrodiil.esp
4B Enhanced Daedric Invasion.esp
++ Silenced Dialogue.esp
4C PSMainQuestDelayer.esp
4D DD_NPCArrest.esp
++ OOO155-HEchasm-patch.esp
4E LoversSituations.esp
4F Fighters Guild Quests.esp
++ Hemingweys OOO Show Amulets.esp [Version 3.0b]
** OCOv2 - Filter Patch for Mods.esp [Version 1.5]
++ Hemingweys OOO NPC Capes Improved Citizens Lite.esp [Version 3.0b]
++ Hemingweys OOO NPC Capes Improved Enemies.esp [Version 3.0b]
50 STDDiversGuards Merge.esp
51 Oblivion Uncut - OOO Adaptation.esp [Version 1.5]
52 CurseOfHircine.esp
** OOOExtendedArcheryPatch.esp
53 Immersive Weapons.esp
++ Hemingweys OOO NPC Capes Improved Bosses Only.esp [Version 3.0b]
++ Hemingweys OOO NPC Capes Improved Regional City Guards.esp [Version 3.0b]
54 tbskGuardsFeatures.esp
55 Banes Guilds UnitedOOO.esp
56 GuildAdvancementBGU.esp
57 BrotherhoodRenewed.esp [Version 1.1.2]
58 TWMP_Valenwood_Elsweyr.esp
59 ElsweyrPelletine.esp [Version 1.42]
5A TWMP_ValenwoodImproved.esp [Version 1.02.0]
5B ValenwoodIslands.esp
5C New Senchal.esp
5D TWMP Southern Alliance.esp
++ ElsweyrPelletine - Plantations patch.esp
5E JQ-AssassinQuest.esp
** bgMagicEVShader.esp [Version 1.7EV]
++ AoG Patch No Bolt FRDG and SHDG.esp
5F Tales of Cyrodiil.esp
60 Devastation of Kvatch - Kvatch only.esp
61 StarX VVR_OOO_FCOM Patch.esp
62 Why only apple-EV.esp [Version 1.02]
63 Reaction.esp [Version 1.12]
64 LoversProstitute.esp [Version 2]
65 LoversPayBandit.esp
66 Plentiful Priories.esp
67 bgMagicBonus.esp [Version 1.7EV]
68 Dead at the Gallows.esp
69 SpreadingVampirism.esp
6A Crossbows of Cyrodiil.esp
6B TamrielTransportationNetwork.esp
6C FarmAnimalsofCyrodiil.esp [Version 1.4]
6D bgMagicEVPaperChase.esp [Version 1.68EV]
6E Vampire Revolution.esp [Version v1.13]
++ CoH Werewolves Mixed.esp
6F LoversImmoralGuards.esp [Version 3.0]
70 Whispered Warning.esp
71 BrumaMGRestored.esp
72 Glenmoril Covens.esp
73 Camping.esp
74 BrumaMGRestored-Frostcrag.esp
75 Basic Personal Hygiene.esp [Version 3.0]
76 Basic Primary Needs.esp [Version 6.3]
77 bgMagicAlchemy.esp [Version 1.57]
++ bgMagicEVAddEnVar.esp [Version 1.68EV]
++ bgMagicEVStartspells.esp [Version 1.68EV]
++ bgMagicItemSigil.esp [Version 1.68EV]
78 bgMagicLightningbolt.esp
++ bgMagicPotionNumberSoulGemValue.esp [Version 1.68UV]
++ bgMagicShaderLifeDetect.esp [Version 1.68]
++ bgMagicSpellTomes_for_WryeBash.esp [Version 1.68EV]
79 Improved Chests (OOO Compatible).esp
7A Cover yourself when you sleep.esp
7B Elz - Realistic Gravity.esp
7C Enhanced Economy.esp [Version 5.4.3]
++ Enhanced Economy - House prices.esp [Version 5.4.3]
7D Weapons Of Morrowind.esp [Version 1.0]
7E Expanded Weaponry.esp
7F Get Wet.esp
++ Goblin Shamans Respawn.esp
++ goblin_war_party.esp
++ Hemingweys OOO Boss Chest Cape Loot.esp [Version 3.0b]
++ Hemingweys OOO Cape Patch.esp [Version 3.0b]
++ Hemingweys OOO NPC Capes Improved IC Guards.esp [Version 3.0b]
++ Hemingweys OOO NPC Capes Improved Legion Forester.esp [Version 3.0b]
80 Kaizits New Animations NPC.esp
81 Kvatch Rebuilt - OOO Adaptation.esp
82 Kvatch Rebuilt Weather Patch.esp
83 Lava Does Fire Damage.esp
84 LegionInteractAnims.esp
85 LINK.esp [Version 1.4]
86 Loth's Blunt Weapons for Npcs.esp
87 MigLockpicking.esp [Version 1.8]
88 Palace Improvement.esp
89 New skill - Unarmored.esp [Version 1.2]
8A Oblivifall - Closing Time.esp [Version 1.0]
8B One of a Kind Weapons.esp
++ P1DlookAtShrines.esp
8C P1DlookHereYou.esp
++ Real Lava 1.3.esp
8D Real Time Lockpicking Minigames.esp
++ Starx-OVB Patch.esp
8E StoneMask.esp
8F StopDarkBrotherhood.esp
** tbskGuardsFeatures_UOP_Patch.esp [Version 1.0]
++ tbskGuardsFeatures OOO Patch.esp
90 tbskGuardsFeaturesKvatchAddon.esp
91 UltimateToolBoxV2.esp
92 VipCxj_BulletCamera.esp
93 WeaponReachAndSpeedOverhaul.esp
94 WeatherEffects.esp
95 WindowLightingSystem.esp
++ Quest NPCs Run.esp [Version 1.5]
96 A Bloody Mess - Bloody Fights.esp
97 Bloody_Mess.esp
98 LAME OBME Edition addon.esp
99 Jadrax Illegal Skooma.esp
9A Dynamic Map.esp [Version 2.1.1]
9B EDiveRiseControls.esp
9C Deadly Reflex 6 - Timed Block with no damage or durability changes.esp
9D DeadlyReflex 6 - Combat Moves.esp
++ cidnothump.esp
9E LoversHiyokoShooter.esp
9F LoversSlaveTrader.esp
A0 Enhanced Grabbing.esp [Version 0.5]
A1 sycSHOUT.esp [Version 1.02]
A2 Mounted_Spellcasting_Deadly_Reflex_Compatible.esp
++ Deadly Reflex 6 - HeX NifSE Patch.esp
A3 zzEstrus.esp
++ TentaclePlant.esp
++ zzEstrusSoundVolumeDown.esp
A4 Lovers with PK.esp [Version 96v5]
A5 LoversMB2.esp
A6 LoversBed.esp
A7 LoversChorus.esp
A8 LoversCreature.esp [Version 2.5.11]
A9 xLCR.esp
AA LoversRaperS.esp
++ OOOShiveringIsles_OCO_Patch.esp
++ Vanilla Like Khajiits.esp
++ OCO_Eyes_Fix.esp
** OCO DLC Faces.esp [Version 1.3]
AB Ragdolls.esp
AC HiyokoGenerator.esp
AD HiyokoGenetics.esp
AE LoversEncounter.esp [Version 1.20]
AF LVSSP_Creatures.esp
B0 LoversOrgy.esp
B1 DUS - Female Underwear Pack.esp
B2 TamagoGuide.esp
B3 Lovers_Prowler_Full.esp
B4 A0GAG.esp
++ PikachunoTM Delayed DLC.esp [Version 1..0.1]
B5 HiyokoGrow.esp [Version 2.3]
B6 TamagoDischarge.esp
B7 SetBody.esp
B8 LoversJoystick.esp
++ lustyargonianrequest.esp
** All Natural - Indoor Weather Filter For Mods.esp [Version 1.38]
B9 Bashed Patch, 0.esp
BA OOOExtended - Creature Spawn Chance Fix.esp
BB OOO - Creature Spawn Chance Fix.esp
BC LoversIdleAnimsPriority.esp
BD Lovers3dorgasm.esp
BE Lovers3dorgasmMB2.esp
BF LoversAnimObjectsPriority.esp
C0 Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul.esp [Version 4.9.4.2]
C1 LoversIdleAnimsPriority_MOO.esp


Sorry for the long list but spoiler tag has line limit which I exceed and it displays nothing.

Posted by: macole Apr 6 2022, 04:46 AM

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Apr 5 2022, 08:31 PM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 6 2022, 08:31 AM

Zelazko - you have a very different load order from mine. You have a lot of mods that do things dynamically, like OOO and other modern stuff. I only have static mods mostly, my PC cannot handle all the processing imposed by the dynamic mods. Also, I don't just put mods into my load order, I clean them first, and fix errors reported by TES4Edit, so they are often not the same as what you download from Nexus. Except for TWMP mods, as those are amazingly clean. I also make my own custom merges. I do not use bashed patch. My use of Wrye Bash is limited to establishing load order. I am also skeptical of Unofficial Patches. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, is what I say, and I have no issues with the vanilla game...

Below is my complete mod list. Mods without a mark in front are just as they are, without any changes. Here are the marks:

# - my merges (I can provide a list of what's inside if you want)
$ - my own mods that have been published (I use the same version as the one released)
% - my mods for private use, as yet unpublished mods or modifications to existing mods made for private use

So, here comes the list.

Oblivion.esm
Oblivifall Master File.esm
Cybiades.esm
TamRes.esm
TamRes_LandscapeResource.esm
CustomSpellIcons.esm
% LenasCompanions.esm

HrmnsOblivionScriptOptimizationv1.0.esp
DLCShiveringIsles.esp
DLCMehrunesRazor.esp
DLCFrostcrag.esp
DLCBattlehornCastle.esp
DLCSpellTomes.esp
DLCOrrery.esp
DLCVileLair.esp
DLCThievesDen.esp

Purge Cell Buffers ++.esp
HZRevealMapMarkers.esp
DS Time Manager.esp
Kyoma's Journal Mod.esp
% Real Time Lockpicking Minigames.esp
MigMiscellanea.esp
AdvancedMagicLeveling.esp
SummonsUnsuckified.esp
BareNecessities.esp
# Basic Utilities.esp
kuerteeBattleFatigueAndInjuries.esp
See You Sleep DLL.esp
% 0-Clothes and Armour.esp
Oblivifall - Losing My Religion.esp
% Oblivifall - Losing My Religion Chapel Update.esp
# Animations.esp
# MoreGenericDialogue.esp
Diverse Voices.esp
# People of Cyrodiil.esp
blance.esp
RCB - Realistic Combat Behaviour.esp
% Companion Dylan.esp
Classic Witcher.esp
% Companion Hauk Serck-Hanssen.esp
% Companion Sanguine.esp
% Companion Fenris Bero.esp
% Companion Garrus Darelliun.esp
% Companion Lucien Lachance.esp
% Companion Scorpio.esp
% The Dark Brotherhood Contracts.esp
% 0-house-paths.esp
% 0-MG-necr-war.esp
Mages Guild Quests.esp
ardah.esp
archfall_house.esp
everrest.esp
MadgodsParadise.esp
% Anvil Port and Drinks.esp
centiel.esp
# SI Merged Plugin.esp
SICitiesExpanded.esp
SINSOutskirts.esp
Saldaea.esp
# Cyrodiil Updated.esp
MNMRTP Topal's Rest.esp
alternativecityentrances-updated.esp
$ Imperial Shipyard City Isle.esp
# HESU.esp
# Bravil Port Merged.esp
# Imperial Legion Outposts.esp
Legions of Cyrodiil.esp
Im Garten Kosh_ImpIsle.esp
Darbinshire Keep.esp
Dungeons of Blackwood.esp
Colovian Barrow Mounds.esp
Dungeons of Tamriel.esp
WellDiver.esp
Ayleid Water Tower.esp
SweetspringIsland.esp
% Pale Pass Inn.esp
Fort Dreftin.esp
# Dwemer Ruins Combined.esp
Falkreath.esp
Aruins2 - Great City of Nivarian.esp
Mehrunes Maze.esp
zES Mathmeldi.esp
AsarusTomb1.esp
Cybiades.esp
CybiadesDungeon.esp
Tamriel.esp
TamRes.esp
Tieflandsburg Castle v2.esp
# TWMP Summerset Combined.esp
# TWMP Black Marsh Extended.esp
TWMP_Hammerfell.esp
TWMP_HighRock.esp
TWMP_SkyrimImproved.esp
$ TWMP Skyrim Less Scary.esp
TWMP Skyrim Guard Armors & Shields.esp
TWMP_Locations.esp
$ TWMP Skyrim Alive.esp
aaRedHall.esp
nordinkarst_1.0.1_en.esp
$ nordinkarst-TWMP-Skyrim-Alive-patch.esp
% Companion Witcher Geralt.esp
ElsweyrAnequina.esp
ElsweyrAnequinaPatch.esp
# ElsweyrAnequina Merged Addons.esp
$ TWMP_Valenwood_Elsweyr.esp
ElsweyrPelletine.esp
# ElsweyrPelletine Merged Addons.esp
$ Elsweyr Mysteries.esp
ElsweyrPelletine - Plantations patch.esp
$ ElsweyrPelletine - Mysteries Patch.esp
TWMP_ValenwoodImproved.esp
% TWMP Valenwood Cities.esp
$ TWMP Southern Alliance.esp
ValenwoodIslands.esp
$ New Senchal.esp
$ 0-Vampirism with relapse.esp
ScriptIcon_Replacer.esp
$ Tamriel map.esp

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 6 2022, 10:50 AM

Zelazko - looking through your mod list, I see you have OCO. Do you also have https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51121? Users have reported problems with the original OCO and various other mods, including my TWMP Skyrim Alive. I didn't do anything with OCO, but it seems that it can cause random crashes with other mods, even though they are completely independent. But the Compatibility Edition seems to help. See https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51538?tab=posts.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 6 2022, 04:39 PM

I made peace with my old computer! Turns out, it was running out of memory. I disabled Black Marsh and Summerset Isles, and all my performance issues melted away. I shall of course still need to upgrade at some point, but it doesn't have to be right now.

Which means I started testing Valenwood Cities! A few small things here and there so far, but nothing major. And here are the first screenshots!

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-lower.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-hidden-gem.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-holidays.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-jorgen.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-lars.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-pilgrim.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-spooky.jpg

Posted by: Zelazko Apr 6 2022, 09:24 PM

For OCO I use https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51324 Oblivion Character Overhaul Cleaned - OCO Cleaned by PushTheWinButton
@Macole - yes I don't include MOO in Bashed Patch Lovers mods as well as they advise against on LL forum.
It's true my load order is loaded with dynamic stuff but that is nothing my old PC couldn't handle. I had similar (65%) load order years back -especially lovers mod and other. I am new functionality junkie when it comes to mods. Same goes for Skyrim. I can live with low 30 FPS in stressed areas. I just want to reduce significantly the crashes.
Thanks for info regarding Summerset Isles. I think I will drop it since there isn't much content for that province.
I will use BOSS and manually try to sort other plugins to my best ability. I will also swap for OCO Compatibility Edition. Maybe it will reduce the crashes. The load order I listed was generated by LOOT.

This is that last load order I used years back. I still have a backup of that modded setup. But it's outdated. There were no OCO at that time or its seamless version which is must have.
I managed to make FCOM+WAC work.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 7 2022, 01:26 AM

Zelazko - sorry I can't help you. I don't use most of the mods that you use. No OCO, seamless, OOO, MMM, or other acronyms. So I would have no clue.

However, I did notice that the Southern provinces require far more resources than the Northern provinces. I started with Hammerfell, High Rock, Skyrim and Morrowind, and didn't notice any degradation of performance. But as soon as I went to Elsweyr, the system started to lag. Southern provinces use new and more detailed models for trees, rocks and landscapes, with or without TWMP (Anequina has nothing to do with TWMP, for example). And I think this is the reason why they need so much more resources. I have now disabled both Black Marsh and Summerset Isles. There is very little for Black Marsh, and not all that much for Summerset Isles, although more than for Black Marsh. But mostly I have no time to go exploring there yet, because I have other plans and want to try Morroblivion first, so for me I disabled them for now. Try it and see if it helps. I do not believe that TWMP introduces instability by way of bugs (not more than anything else, anyway), but rather instability might arise due to running out of memory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But back to TWMP Valenwood Cities! I got so excited to have my old PC back, that I forgot to look at the clock, it is now 1:20am and I'm not in the least sleepy... Even in spite of rum. But Valenwood Cities is working! I've been having so much fun! I fixed a few small things and ironed out a few creases, but actually it's ready for release! Not tonight though, probably tomorrow, and I need to calm down and sleep on it. But here come some screenshots!

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-bridges.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-inn.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-bar.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-roofs.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-barracks.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-barracks-dining.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-ayleid-quarter.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/elden-root-cafe.jpg

Posted by: Zelazko Apr 7 2022, 03:04 AM

Maybe some meshes or textures that are used commonly in southern provinces mods are not optimized? Or it could be a script bottleneck firing every frame because someone forgot to add doOnce condition? Those could be two main reasons.

Since Oblivion 64-bit version is never coming out I wish some OBSE guru would hack and expanded memory address. I checked MoreHeap and no matter which area I go to (Waterfront badly optimized) the RAM usage is still the same. In relative stress free Oblivion uses about 380 MB and in Waterfront 680 MB.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 7 2022, 08:25 AM

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Apr 7 2022, 03:04 AM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 7 2022, 09:07 PM

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51843 is published! This is volume 1 - Elden Root.

Phew. Now I can do other things. The sewers of Anvil are calling loud and clear! (Not my work, I downloaded some stuff, time to go exploring! And I never found the secret passage to the castle either, and that's vanilla!)

In other news, if you are using Elsweyr Pelletine, make sure to download this https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51888/ from theredcurtain - he fixed all those wrong Khajiit skeletons that were causing stripes on screen and CTDs shortly afterwards.

Posted by: Zelazko Apr 9 2022, 12:10 AM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Apr 7 2022, 08:25 AM)

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Apr 7 2022, 03:04 AM)

Maybe some meshes or textures that are used commonly in southern provinces mods are not optimized? Or it could be a script bottleneck firing every frame because someone forgot to add doOnce condition? Those could be two main reasons.

The meshes are not optimised and textures are higher resolution. This is well known, apparently. Several people confirmed this. FPS drops in the South.

QUOTE

Since Oblivion 64-bit version is never coming out I wish some OBSE guru would hack and expanded memory address. I checked MoreHeap and no matter which area I go to (Waterfront badly optimized) the RAM usage is still the same. In relative stress free Oblivion uses about 380 MB and in Waterfront 680 MB.

Are you using https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/45576? Someone already did it. It says in the write-up that it only becomes effective if you have more than 4GB RAM in your PC though.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 9 2022, 01:03 AM

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Apr 9 2022, 12:10 AM)

Posted by: macole Apr 9 2022, 03:59 AM

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Apr 5 2022, 03:50 PM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 10 2022, 12:39 AM

I am playing God and creating another companion. This is Jowan from Dragon Age Origins, and I am trying to recreate his face in Oblivion, which is a challenge. He is also supposed to be some ten years older. Have a look at this picture:

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/jowan2-1.jpg

Right - Jowan in Dragon Age at around 20 years old, left - my recreation for Oblivion, at 30.

What do you think? Have I succeeded? I am rather undecided on that one.

Posted by: macole Apr 11 2022, 05:13 AM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Apr 9 2022, 06:39 PM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 11 2022, 10:38 AM

QUOTE(macole @ Apr 11 2022, 05:13 AM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 13 2022, 10:27 PM

Jowan is ready! It took me many rounds to finally get rid of his bushy eyebrows and 5-day dark stubble, but I declare him complete.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/jowan2-2.jpg

Besides that, I have also finished scripting his more complex Blood Magic rituals. I am curious to see how it will work out in practice, because they cost a lot of his health. The percentage varies as his skill grows, but it is always between 70% and 90% of his base health - poof, gone, drained for the duration of the spell. Such a ritual can only be cast when he actually has enough health available, but then of course almost anything will knock him out. The good thing however is while a mage is knocked out, his spells remain active. It is going to be important to protect him in battle so that he would have a chance to cast those spells.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 19 2022, 07:49 AM

It's been two weeks since I released TWMP Valenwood Cities. It got more attention than I ever expected thinking that the TWMP bit would put people off. Well, I'm glad it's enticing enough! But some of the comments... well, they show human nature, I guess - never happy with what is given, always wanting more.

"Can you merge all the Elsweyr mods together otherwise it's not worth the headache of getting them to work?" - Sorry for adding to your headache, dear, do stay away from the "Download" button. And this isn't even Elsweyr.

"It's too bad it's for TWMP!" - Yeah, I expected that. Nothing for you, then.

"Valenwood is such a drag. Good that you've done at least something!" - Sheesh... I've done a whole city... a month of dedicated work... "at least something"? May be your attitude is what is making it a drag.

I am not discouraged or hurt, just a bit annoyed. Sorry for the rant.

Posted by: macole Apr 19 2022, 09:03 AM

It is hard to understand the commentators sometimes. It's like they want something for nothing and then complain when they get it. Yet they don't want to do the work themselves.

Personally I think what you have done is great! Keep it up as long as you fine it to be enjoyable, then stop, and pay little attention to the comments. Only help those that ask politely (unless it's me).

Oh and the one that complained that Valenwood is so boring he or she just doesn't enjoy walking around exploring the park. Why, I bet they never found the cave, fully furnished and decorated, that can be used as a free player home.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 19 2022, 09:46 AM

Thanks, Macole! I'm not worried about the comments. There's only one answer to those people: if you don't like it, don't download.

This reminds me: someone complained that the way Solitude looks in TWMP Skyrim Improved is all wrong. And by that they meant it's nothing like in TES5. Well... TWMP Skyrim Improved was made before TES5 based on the lore known to date. I'd say it's Bethesda who got their Solitude all wrong!

Skyrim will be getting Whiterun, Morthal and Castle Volkihar in the next release. Also, the moors, Windstad Manor and some crypts - possibly Ustengrav. I figured that's an old crypt and would have existed in the end of the 3rd era. But none of it will look like in TES5, because hey, it's 200 years prior! And because if you want it to look like TES5, go play TES5.

I also have an idea what happened in Southpoint in Valenwood - why it is so empty. Not sufficiently fleshed out yet, but it's a start. Hint: it's a port, so it's something to do with ships... possibly ghost ships... ooooh... Once I figure out the story, I'll want to make it, no doubt.

I spent the Easter weekend mostly cleaning up existing mods, mine and downloaded, fixing errors and making merges. Made a "Dungeons" merge that mostly contains new dungeons on the outskirts of Cyrodiil or just over the border. They are of increased difficulty (compared to vanilla), both in enemies and in dungeon layout, indeed some of them are tough mazes. The merge combines 18 mods of which several contain a dozen dungeons each... Of course by now I completely forgot where they all are and which is which, so it will be fun exploring them all. After all, the new companions that I just finished, need thorough testing - all that sorcery, blood magic and witcher's skills need to be put to a good use. That's after Lena and Lucien liberate the Cybiades - Lucien is next in line to get his head messed with as I continue testing the Companions system. He's a very different character from Hauk and will allow me to test different aspects of the system. Plus, not having a tank battlemage along will call for different fighting techniques... yep, I'm actually going to play now!

Posted by: macole Apr 19 2022, 04:08 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Apr 19 2022, 03:46 AM)

This reminds me: someone complained that the way Solitude looks in TWMP Skyrim Improved is all wrong. And by that they meant it's nothing like in TES5. Well... TWMP Skyrim Improved was made before TES5 based on the lore known to date. I'd say it's Bethesda who got their Solitude all wrong!

I also have an idea what happened in Southpoint in Valenwood - why it is so empty. Not sufficiently fleshed out yet, but it's a start. Hint: it's a port, so it's something to do with ships... possibly ghost ships... ooooh... Once I figure out the story, I'll want to make it, no doubt.

... yep, I'm actually going to play now!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 19 2022, 05:14 PM

QUOTE(macole @ Apr 19 2022, 04:08 PM)

QUOTE

I also have an idea what happened in Southpoint in Valenwood - why it is so empty. Not sufficiently fleshed out yet, but it's a start. Hint: it's a port, so it's something to do with ships... possibly ghost ships... ooooh... Once I figure out the story, I'll want to make it, no doubt.

I sense Sload or more likely Maomer pirates looming on horizon. A Dreugh invasion, dragging off captives to the depths, would be a novel idea.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 21 2022, 04:00 PM

QUOTE(macole @ Apr 19 2022, 04:08 PM)

QUOTE

I also have an idea what happened in Southpoint in Valenwood - why it is so empty. Not sufficiently fleshed out yet, but it's a start. Hint: it's a port, so it's something to do with ships... possibly ghost ships... ooooh... Once I figure out the story, I'll want to make it, no doubt.

I sense Sload or more likely Maomer pirates looming on horizon. A Dreugh invasion, dragging off captives to the depths, would be a novel idea.

Posted by: macole Apr 21 2022, 05:04 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Apr 21 2022, 10:00 AM)

Now there's just this tiny detail: if the citizens of Southpoint got kidnapped, what was the point, where they were taken to and how to get them back? See, we're almost there...

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 21 2022, 05:22 PM

QUOTE(macole @ Apr 21 2022, 05:04 PM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 22 2022, 08:32 AM

Ideas are brewing... This is going to be one evil story! I had a dream about it... But I can't tell you anything else because it would ruin it. Some details still need ironing out, but those are technical details, so I've come a long way with the concept. Once I've figured it out, I'll be ready to start on it. It'll probably be another month in the making. So... tentative release date - mid-Summer. Keep your diaries open!

I'll most likely do a maintenance release of TWMP Southern Alliance first. It isn't going to be a dependency, but it's in the area, so might as well. I still haven't fully solved the mystery of the LOD wall in the sea by Southpoint... It might collide with the ghost ship...

Posted by: Lena Wolf May 3 2022, 05:47 PM

It's been relatively quiet on the modding front as I started to play Morroblivion. It is of course a very large mod, so it took a few days to get it downloaded and installed, and then a few more days to get it to work with some of the other mods I've been using in my Oblivion game (I made a fresh game installation for this). It started with a lot of crashes caused by mod conflicts - many combat and AI related mods rely on particular items from Oblivion base game and don't play very well with Morrowind items introduced by Morroblivion. And by this I mean for example potions, weapons, armour, combat styles, creatures.... err... pretty much anything. It took a long time trying to figure out what exactly was conflicting with what, but in the end it was just one mod that I needed to disable, and another mod that I had to update (I missed a recent update, apparently, in which pretty much all scripts got rewritten). The situation got complicated by the fact that all of that was in a merge with some thirty other plugins, a merge that was a merge of merges from a long time ago...

The major lesson here is this: NEVER and I mean NEVER use TES4Gecko for merging. Every merge it made turned out to be messed up. Use "Merge Plugins" utility instead (found under Skyrim mods on Nexus). It is not perfect, and I never managed to make it merge BSAs, but equally it never messed up an ESP merge for me.

While all that testing was going on - and in order to do all that testing - I started exploring Morrowind in the usual way, Seyda Neen to Balmora to Caldera to Gaar Mok, Hla Oad and back to Balmora. I made a few patches for the mods that I liked (mods that extend and enrich those areas), find them on Nexus, some more patches are still to come. I am also working on a Yet Another Map of Morrowind because the existing ones were either imprecise or had no roads on them. My new map is based on the same world map that I made earlier, which itself included a high resolution map of Vvardenfell from Morroblivion. But since I don't use Dynamic Map, that resolution was too high for me, and the map had no roads. I shall eventually release this Morrowind map as well, but it won't be any time soon because the roads need to be thoroughly tested. By that time I might add Tamriel Rebuilt (which had been converted to Morrowind already), and that will require a much bigger map anyway.

I must also add that my old "friend" RSI has reared its head once again, and since computer work is my day job as well, I shall have to turn down my modding efforts and take up something that doesn't require the use of my hands... like... umm... sleeping, may be?

Posted by: Lena Wolf May 8 2022, 10:07 AM

Balmora has grown! I started with a patch, but then added more houses, more cafes, more trees, more people... Have a look at the pictures inside my https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51943.

Gnaar Mok had already been extended, but I still found things to patch... Those sideways lamps are really a plague in Morroblivion (glass lanterns floating on their side rather than standing upright). So I started fixing them and got carried away a bit. See pictures inside the https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51968.

Posted by: Lena Wolf May 23 2022, 12:31 PM

I'm still in Morrowind, and so I released a string of patch mods to help reconcile Morroblivion More Detailed Places with the latest release and with Morroblivion Hlaalu Project. Still didn't get much further than Ald'ruhn, but decided it was time to load Tamriel Rebuilt... Haven't explored any of that yet - that's the continental part of Morrowind - but it didn't do anything bad to the game, so I'll get there eventually. It's a conversion of a WIP, so unfinished things and missing meshes/textures are expected there. Quests don't convert well either, but since I generally don't need quests anyway, that's just fine with me. I'll enjoy playing through them when they do appear, but I don't need them to go exploring. Speaking of which... there was no good map! So I had to make one. It's based on several existing maps, overlaid with the actual map generated by TES4LL (which shows the lay of the land, but I cannot for the life of me make it look nice, hence the need for manual artwork acrobatics).

Anyway, the resulting map (https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/52025) shows the entire Morrowind with roads, whether or not they already exist in Tamriel Rebuilt - it's taken from their concept map. The map can be used also for playing classic Morroblivion, without TR - I find it nice to have Vvardenfell and Solstheim shown together with mainland, they are not floating in a bug blue ocean all by themselves, you know.

Posted by: Zelazko May 27 2022, 03:47 AM

I think I ***may*** know why using TWMP Tamriel leads to frequent random crashes and it may not be a memory related issue since there are way to tweak purgers and it still crashes. The problem may lie when the Oblivion exe loads temporary references limit. The engine will count temporary references and persistent ones inside the ESP file but if the same ESP is converted into ESM then it doesn't count the temporary references therefore reducing the references cap.
Lena can you please use this xEdit script https://gist.github.com/aers/953a50c61b3028bce7e5376e8590abed and see the number of references you get when it finishes the work - both persistent ones and temporary. If TWMP Tamriel set up hits beyond 1 million references then it is likely to cause the CTD when the engine loads those temporary references when you explore. Persistent references are always loaded at the start of the game.



[00:00] Start: Applying script "count_loaded_refs_in_load_order"
Found 0 temporary and 15732 persistent (15732 total) loaded references in [00] Oblivion.esm.
Found 287 temporary and 35 persistent (322 total) loaded references in [01] Tamriel_Missions.esp.
Found 287 temporary and 15767 persistent loaded references, for a grand total of 16054 loaded references.
[01:09] Done: Applying script "count_loaded_refs_in_load_order", Elapsed Time: 01:09

The mods that add new areas (loading doors) and NPC Ai Packages increase the number of the persistent references.

Posted by: Lena Wolf May 27 2022, 07:51 AM

Zelazko, I am confused. My mod list is vastly different from yours and I have no CTDs with TWMP. How is it going to help to know how many references are in my game? Should you not do it yourself for your game instead?

Have you considered that your issue might be with OBSE? Many OBSE releases from the past year or so had bugs in them, in particular with processing array variables. I've been having troubles with Morroblivion randomly crashing, and I narrowed it down to that (check the OBSE log). The latest release 22.6.1 is a lot better but still a bit buggy. I myself am considering to downgrade back to 21.8 - the last really stable release.

Posted by: Lena Wolf May 29 2022, 07:19 PM

Zelazko, I ran that script.

On my TWMP game it returned the following:

Found 3,026,247 temporary and 42,379 persistent loaded references, for a grand total of 3,068,626 loaded references.

Found 1,011,974 temporary and 38,366 persistent loaded references, for a grand total of 1,050,340 loaded references.

Posted by: Lena Wolf May 30 2022, 10:10 AM

I am still playing Morroblivion, and modding it as I go. Hauk has arrived in Gnisis where he intends to join the Legion (umm, he was told to join the Legion since he's with the Legion already ). Upon arrival he found a ghost town with a couple of people walking around, nothing more. Where are all the soldiers? "On maneuvers," he was told. Yeah, maneuvering around Desele's House of Earthly Delights, no doubt. No wonder everyone wants to be stationed in Pelagiad! No wonder also that Gnisis is the only garrison still hiring recruits - it is clearly understaffed. Poor General Talius... err... Darius... is standing still like a statue 24/7. Hauk shook his head and did some magic.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/52045 was born and is now on Nexus. Docks were constructed at the mouth of the river and an Imperial ship The Reliant is now sailing regularly between Gnisis and the Imperial City. They take passengers, if you are willing to sleep in the hold. And pay the fee. A couple of hanging bridges were added to aid crossing the river and to finally connect Gnisis to the road network so that you'd be able to enter the town from the South and not have to go sightseeing around the entire West Gash so as to approach it from the North. It took Hauk all day, and he was riding - it must be taking forever for everyone else. And now lo and behold, the town is filled with Legionnaires and sailors alike, and although there are still no organised parades on that big open space in the middle of town, there are at least enough people walking around to make you realise it's a living town and not an ancient abandoned ruin. Even General Darius finally relaxed - he and the others now eat, sleep and walk around, they are statues no more.

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/52045/52045-1653860137-2014480521.png. The shore of Morrowind mainland is visible in the distance (from Tamriel Rebuilt).

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/52045/52045-1653860611-506766336.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/52045/52045-1653860186-2111705772.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/52045/52045-1653860281-739916304.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/52045/52045-1653860332-1426267928.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/52045/52045-1653860572-939928448.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/52045/52045-1653860520-1560653960.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/52045/52045-1653860749-1380635593.png

Posted by: Acadian May 30 2022, 12:27 PM

Nice work, Lena!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jun 1 2022, 05:09 PM

Thank you, Acadian! I enjoyed making it.

While Hauk is considering his options in Gnisis, Geralt the Witcher needs to get ready for the Great Hunt - Hircine is becoming more and more insistent. This is going to be a different game with Geralt in the lead, and he is going to do the Bloodmoon DLC on Solstheim. Whose side is he going to be on? Can you guess?

Geralt's story in Tamriel is that he sailed to Skyrim, so that'll be Windhelm or Solutide. Both cities exist in TWMP Skyrim, ready to be explored. But there's no Morthal, and Geralt wants a house on the moors... There are no moors either, come to think of it. That whole corner where Morthal and Dawnstar are supposed to be, is as yet undeveloped. You sense where that is going, don't you?

TWMP Skyrim is shaped differently than TES5 Skyrim, but it is still possible to mark the Hold borders, major roads and cities such that in relation to each other they correspond to TES5 - the roads lead to the same places, cross the same rivers, etc. https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/05/skyrim-map-concept.jpg. The next release of TWMP Skyrim Alive will have Whiterun, Morthal and most roads. And the moors. But also - and this is very important for Geralt as he's so fond of fighting monsters - Skyrim will have a large injection of dungeons dotted all over the place. I also intend to make sure it is possible to play the whole game in Skyrim, starting with level 1 - so the monster spawn needs to be made well leveled. At the moment you get overwhelmed by werewolves, and they are level 22...

I plan to build some 70 dungeons - forts, caves, mines, the usual. Import some Dwemer ruins as well with nice freeware mods. Build some Nordic crypts from scratch. But I started with the standard dungeons.

Yes, I am reusing vanilla dungeons from Cyrodiil - but I dare you to recall every single detail of every one! Because they are not going to be straight copies. These dungeons will be dynamic, with a fixed first cell opening to dynamically linked levels. I won't give more details here so as not to spoil the fun, but let's just say that these will be no labyrinths and nothing as complex as the Helgen Labyrinth or as endless as the Dune Catacombs. They will be logical dungeons that can never be truly "cleared" because you'll never know which levels get linked to that fixed lobby. I plan to have a few treasure hunt quests going as well, and you'll never know how many dungeons you'll need to clear to collect everything... If there ever was a place to hide the stones of Barenziah, this is it!

If you want a scientific explanation of how this can be possible, let me point you to everyone's favourite Dragon Break. Or felldew. Probably rather felldew - if you think that dungeon got flipped, you simply don't remember it right...

I've got a few days off - it's the Jubilee Weekend in Britain. And I'm spending it building the dungeons of Skyrim.

Posted by: Zelazko Jun 7 2022, 02:40 PM

Are there any lore friendly looking outfits for Redguards (Crows & Forebears) from Hammerfell? I'm making embassies mods for TES IV. Getting something resembling Alik'rs outfit for Skyrim would be perfect.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jun 7 2022, 04:39 PM

QUOTE(Zelazko @ Jun 7 2022, 02:40 PM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jun 7 2022, 09:47 PM

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jun 12 2022, 11:40 PM

Skyrim is in. I have officially started working on the next installment.

This is going to be a big release, so it will take me a few months to make. I want to be able to play a whole game in Skyrim... Arrive by ship to Solitude and go play. And yet, there won't be an epic quest line to once again save the Empire. Skyrim is for explorers. I've got 97 dynamically linked dungeons lined up, with progressively more difficult levels. I put the first one in! And while doing so, also accidentally added an inn to the village of Blackmoor, extended their mine (plus added a small quest), built a high altitude watch tower with a keep accessed through a hidden entrance and currently occupied by draugr and led by a Dragon Priest - all that while building a road from Riverwood to Blackmoor (previously you had to teleport due to impassably high mountains). I am putting notice boards into villages (the first one - Blackmoor) where one can find various local quests (there will be three in Blackmoor to start with). It is an easy system to expand on later, too.

This means of course that any work on Valenwood and Elsweyr will have to wait until the start of winter (urgent bug fixes excepted). In summer I want to be in Skyrim!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jun 17 2022, 01:58 PM

If you value your life, stay away!

You can see it looming high in the mountains just South of Blackmoor - the Blackmoor Watch. It was a Legion bastion once... many centuries ago. There is no way to get to the top of the mountain any more, or is there? Don't you go looking for it! No matter what whispers you hear, secret passages or not! The place is a death trap for sure.

Since Blackmoor village does not have a resident gravedigger, we advise that you stay away from the Blackmoor Watch. It's such a bother getting rid of your corpse otherwise.

Posted by: Acadian Jun 17 2022, 02:19 PM

Looks like a neat mod for explorers and questers! Are the pink bits complaints from the mod system of something missing or not right?

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jun 17 2022, 02:49 PM

QUOTE(Acadian @ Jun 17 2022, 02:19 PM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jun 19 2022, 02:19 AM

Lake Geir is beautiful this time of year. Any time of year. Why not stop for a drink along the way? The Drunken Sailor is always open.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/06/drunkensailorinn.jpg goes along the shore of Lake Geir. If one can speak of a shore of a loch. Mind the slaughterfish now.

Posted by: macole Jun 19 2022, 04:14 AM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Jun 17 2022, 07:58 AM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jun 27 2022, 09:46 AM

Skyrim is getting on! More road building and small quests have been happening, and I am putting dungeons everywhere - I've got over 100 of them to place! (It was 97 to start with, but I added a few in the meantime.)

Here's the https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/06/skyrim-progress-3.jpg. Roads in orange are already built - landscaped, put stairs where needed, and all fully path grid. Where roads and stairs already existed, I took them up into the network - nothing is wasted. Roads in black were added in the previous release (so they already exist), and roads in grey are planned. They are approximate and subject to change, but that's where they are going. (Orange road locations are also still approximate, as I need to verify their exact location in-game.)

You see a road going to Snowhawk. It is a grand city here. I am not going to touch it in any way, other than build a road to its gate. Whiterun, on the other hand, does not exist. Yeah, I know! But fear not - I found a nice location for it, and you see the road already in place. Whiterun will emerge next.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jul 7 2022, 11:13 AM

I am entrenched in the moors... The moors of Hjaalmarch. Snowhawk sits far to the South, engulfed in River Hjaal, but the moors cover the Northern part of Hjaalmarch, the area between the shore of the Sea of Ghosts and the huge mountain with an entrance to Labirintian. Such is the topology of TWMP Skyrim, so the Jarl of Hjaalmarch may be forgiven for being only vaguely aware of the situation on the moors. After all, he sits in Snowhawk.

Morthal is a small town up on the moors, where too sits the Jarl of Hjaalmarch... Well, this one may not rule over Snowhawk, but he does rule over the moors.

This part of Skyrim will see a large transformation in the upcoming release. Firstly, there are the moors, where none existed previously. Secondly, there's Morthal and Windstad Manor - a house that you might earn for yourself. There's trouble here that is more than a fetch quest. This area fired up my imagination, so you will find two fairly long quests and a number of smaller ones already in this release. However, to tell you more would be a major spoiler, so I won't. Geralt is exploring the moors in my current fiction "I am Lena Wolf" here on Chorrol, so you can read a bit more about it there, but even so, I shall try to avoid too many spoilers.

To the East, the Pale is getting Dwemer ruins. Although we've got nothing like the Black Reach, there are still secrets to uncover in several large ruins. Dawnstar will not appear in this release, that town has a story of its own that is to be told at a later date. There is no Winterhold either - I am keeping these two towns out of the development at this point in order to keep it to a manageable size. At least this way it stands a chance of getting finished!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jul 18 2022, 10:31 AM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Jul 7 2022, 11:13 AM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jul 19 2022, 08:53 AM

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/skyrim-progress.jpg is here! You will want to magnify it though - the map is high resolution, try opening it in a new window using your browser's context menu - it should get rid of the frame added by WordPress.

Like before, orange roads are done, and these are the actual roads with correct locations. The Dwemer Canal in Eastmarch is still provisional, and as such it conflicts with the road. I built the road following the landscape, so I'll need to solve that problem there - it should not be crossing the canal. Looks like the canal is going to get a bit bendy.

I am currently busy adapting the City of Sunev to be the College of Magic in Winterhold. That mod is mostly complete when it comes to interiors and city layout, and there are some 75 new NPCs (including guards), but none of them have any AI at all... That's quite a lot of work actually, to give them all something to do. Also some 20 NPCs are still homeless with nowhere to sleep, so more housing is required somehow. And then of course there's the city of Winterhold to do as well.

I was always so disappointed by Winterhold in TES5 Skyrim. Three houses and that's it? Surely, that site is far more important than that! Of course in TES5 they explained it by having had a huge explosion that wiped out everything, but actually you can see that even before the explosion the town was extremely modest. Well, not so in Skyrim for Oblivion! It is of course modest compared to, say, Whiterun or Snowhawk, but it has more than three houses (a dozen, at the moment). And yeah, there's that rivalry and animosity between the "town" and the "mages". Some things never change!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jul 22 2022, 01:17 AM

Picture time! It's all about Winterhold and the College of Magic which is located on the site of an ancient Ayleid city of Sunev.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/winterholdlower.jpg - lower town

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/winterhold1.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/winterhold2.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/winterhold3.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/winterhold5.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunevgate.jpg - the city of Sunev with mages inside

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev4.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev1.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev5.jpg (haven't got that many!)

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev2.jpg (still the same street)

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev3.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev6.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/winterholdtower.jpg

Posted by: macole Jul 22 2022, 03:55 AM

I like this. And there's Magical Armory shop, wow!

Posted by: Acadian Jul 22 2022, 12:17 PM

Nice! Love the idea of a little Magetown!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jul 23 2022, 12:06 AM

Thank you both! Yes, Winterhold needed a bit of extra love, I felt, and when I saw that old mod of the city of Sunev - free to a good home - I just thought I found it a home right there in the North of Skyrim. Cold, yes, but mages will easily sort it out. Have you seen all the Southern plants and flowers? The planters are enchanted to keep the soil and the air above it warm, of course.

Magical Armory is at your disposal. They offer weapons and armour of the regular kind (best Nord quality, naturally), plus enchanted armour. Most enchantments are traditional, but the range is far wider than what you find at a regular smithy.

I'll do some interior screenshots soon, some of those interiors had me ooh and aah when I saw them in the CS. The original author had fantastic ideas, and all that done exclusively with standard assets. I substituted a few things of course to convert it from a religious institution into a magical one, but overall it was a very good fit to begin with. Still working through some unfinished bits at the moment, but it's getting along pretty nicely! Even if I say so myself.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jul 28 2022, 02:00 PM

The city of Sunev takes a lot of extra work... Of course I knew what I was getting myself into, but it was too good to pass up. I've done some retexturing, some model tweaking, mostly using resources made by others, but also a few things I made myself. I cannot make new models with Blender or some such, but I can make new models by combining parts of other existing models, and some of the times it even works... Anyway, here come the pictures. I tried to keep the interiors very close to the original, but in some cases things had to be changed to work.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-welkynd-cavern.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-welkynd-guild.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-subterrania.jpg - the living area of the city

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-baths5.jpg. There are so many mages in this town that they don't all fit in the Mages Quarters at the College. So other accommodations have sprung up, like these two houses.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-baths4.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-baths3.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-baths2.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-baths1.jpg

The main college halls are also housed in Ayleid halls, which are far from ruins here. That's what you have apprentices for - to scrub the stone. But now that the stone is nice and clean, they don't want it dirtied by things like alchemy. Which is why College Practice Rooms are housed in a different building altogether.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-alchemy.jpg. Some of the ingredients are grown right there too.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-troll.jpg - it's just as important as learning to brew potions.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-library2.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-library.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-librarian.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/sunev-librarian-levitate2.jpg Could it be that you cannot?

No, I am not introducing levitation spells here - they've been outlawed, remember? But of course if you already knew how to do it...

All the mages now have a place to sleep, a place to eat and some AI to actually do it. As well as teach at the college, naturally. We've got an Arch-Mage who holds regular Council meetings. We've got the Office of Imperial Commerce, there to help the College in mundane tasks such as making money from all the Welkynd mining and trading... But the mages aren't as stupid as that. There's a balance here.

Things that remain to be done in Sunev is to recruit 20 apprentices to fill the halls (someone needs to keep scrubbing that stone), and to take care of the city guard which at this point just stands still wherever you place them. Their barracks need work too, because there're only three beds for some 20 guards... I foresee problems...

I shall also need to add a few non-magical citizens so that there's someone walking around town during the day, besides the guards. I've got a few of those Ayleid apartments free for that purpose. There's also a house for sale in the Subterrania - it's straight off the lobby, there's no need to descend into the baths. Although I wouldn't blame you if you did. You might want to visit the crypt and see if there's anything untoward going on there per chance. Who knows, the dead do become restless sometimes...

Other than that, I've been building more roads as a distraction from all the housing issues in Sunev. Here is the https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/skyrim-progress-1.jpg.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jul 28 2022, 04:13 PM

Posted by: Acadian Jul 28 2022, 08:24 PM

Looks like you're having a lot of fun with this Ayleid-inspired magical city!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jul 28 2022, 08:56 PM

QUOTE(Acadian @ Jul 28 2022, 08:24 PM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Aug 1 2022, 01:54 PM

Winterhold and the College of Magic at Sunev are finished! Phew! That was a big job. Those two towns together have almost 150 NPCs... That's including guards and apprentices, but still. Each and every one of them had to have a place to sleep and some AI, however basic. No one stands around like a statue any more, they all have stuff to do, places to be. It is a busy town, even though the apprentices are of course supposed to be at their classes, but you know students... Always finding an excuse to loiter around town instead.

I had to build some additional housing to give every citizen a place to sleep. By far most houses are of multiple occupancy - lodges. Posh ones have a concierge, plain ones just have several people living there. Some have their own rooms, whereas some just get a bed in a shared room. Well, people have different income and so different levels of luxury in their housing. Although with the Welkynd mine feeding the town, it is generally a very prosperous place. You should see Sunev guard barracks! All marble and silver. Winterhold guards are jealous, but on the plus side, they don't have two Captains and a Legate to remind them of their duties all day long. As always, everything is relative.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Aug 5 2022, 06:26 PM

Whiterun is being built! I've done the city layout, but that's the easy bit. The interiors and the NPCs is what takes the real work...

This is a rather large city close to the White River which has spectacular waterfalls in TWMP Skyrim. Whiterun is located on a main road immediately after a bridge over the White River. The road passes through Whiterun and continues on to Snowhawk. So it is also the city's main street.

Right and left of the road are two hills: Dragonsreach and Jorrvaskr. They are facing each other, and Jorrvaskr is a little jealous because Dragonsreach is on a bigger hill. The town itself is split between the two hills as well: the smaller houses climb up the hill to Dragonsreach and use the rising land to compensate for the lack of height. The larger houses stand proud along the main street, not climbing anywhere and not needing the hill to add to their height. Some of you might recognise the architecture. Have a look at the pictures!

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun2.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun3.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun1.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun-dragonsreach3.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun-dragonsreach.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun-dragonsreach2.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun-dragonsreach4.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun-jor.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun6.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun4.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun5.jpg

Posted by: Acadian Aug 5 2022, 08:25 PM

What beautiful work! Wow!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Aug 5 2022, 10:37 PM

Thank you, Acadian!

Here's an upgrade to the Jorrvaskr Meadhall and Sky Forge. Clan Grey-Mane lives in the large house near Jorrvaskr, and they have the forge in that round house attached to it. Because of the incline of the hillside, it is built on solid rock. As it should be.

The other members of Ysgramor's Companions mostly live in the meadhall - this prevents them from tumbling down the hill when drunk. I haven't decided yet who is going to live in the medium sized house, but I'll think of something.

Clan Battle-Born lives in one of those tall houses along the main street. Naturally.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun-jorrvaskr.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun-jorrvaskr2.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/whiterun-skyforge.jpg

Posted by: Acadian Aug 6 2022, 12:07 AM

Some nice splashes of color.

Posted by: macole Aug 6 2022, 04:41 AM

Your interpretation of Dragonsreach is impressive. The dragon sconces on the stairs are a real nice touch.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Aug 8 2022, 10:41 AM

Thanks Macole, Acadian!

Whiterun is taking shape - I've been making interiors and people who live there (playing god again). Whiterun is a big town, it has 23 houses, a chapel, a meadhall (Jorrvaskr) and of course Dragonsreach which is a massive castle. Those Breton houses are all large multi-storey buildings too, with the Bannered Mare having five floors! In terms of interior decorating, that's like making five houses... And since these are all new models, there aren't any existing interiors that I could copy and modify, these all have to be done from scratch. More or less.

As I said earlier, Whiterun will not be all filled in this time around - too much work. Instead, it will have a quest not unlike the one for Elden Root in Valenwood where you have to do things to bring the citizens back. This quest will start in this release but will actually be completed in the next release. With this I hope to give some explanation as to why there are so few people around in Whiterun when you visit it first, so it won't be so blatantly unfinished town. Obviously, you won't be able to actually do the quest this time because it isn't all there yet... You will be asked to come back later - that's for the next release.

So what can we expect from Whiterun today then? Well, we've got a few shops and an inn, the chapel is open so you can get a blessing, and there are a few people around so it doesn't feel empty. These people will also tell you about everyone who's not around and where they went, but you won't be able to do anything about it yet. There is also a house for sale, you'll need to speak to the Jarl's steward in Dragonsreach about that, except of course that Dragonsreach is closed for refurbishment just now. Seems you'll have to wait. The Jarl's housecarl had a falling out with the Captain of the City Guard, a brawl followed, and now major repairs to the building and furniture are required, and the steward has his hands full organising it. The Jarl gathered his housecarl and the Captain of the Guard along with most of the guards and took them all away on a team building exercise somewhere - he is keen to avoid any such brawls in the future. Gosh, you'd think a dragon was thrashing around the castle! So you see, it's closed at the moment. Come back later.

The Mages Guild is closed until it reopens.

High Rock Gourmet Inn is closed because Belethor had gone to High Rock for supplies and new inspiration. He'll be back of course, never fear.

Fools' Ebony is closed for stock taking - Dervayn Adlenar is off to Morrowind for supplies, he was unhappy with what he got last time and decided to see to it personally this time.

Dragon Break Books is open as usual.

The Bannered Mare is open, and lodging is free due to the lack of customers. It won't be like that forever, so be sure to take advantage of it! Be sure to dine there as well, or else! Well, there's no where else to eat in town anyhow, except for the Drunken Huntsman, but who would go there?

The Warmaiden is open.

Jorrvaskr meadhall is open, but when you enter you only find the housekeeper there. She tells you that the Companions are currently out of town. Come back later. Oh, and Jorland Grey-Mane at the Sky Forge isn't trading with you because he only serves members of the Companions. So pointless to ask.

The Golden Cauldron is closed because Arcadia is self-isolating with Ataxia again. You can wave to her when she looks out of the window.

The Drunken Huntsman is open. The notice board next to it is rather empty though, you must have caught them at a lull.

The Chapel of Kynareth is open but where is the priest? Gone to bond with nature, it appears. Still, the altar is working, but it's all self-service now.

The Battle-Borns are on holiday! Went to the Golden Coast for a few months. Rumour has it, they planned on taking one of those tropical tours from Anvil - yes, some of those ads even made it to Skyrim! A new tropical island with untouched pre-Ayleid ruins... That got their interest. It may be more than a few months, by the sound of things though...

All in all, your immediate needs will be covered, but for more adventure come back next year.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Aug 15 2022, 12:11 AM

Dawnstar is a white town on the edge of Skyrim. I've been filling in the interiors and adding populace.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dawnstar1.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dawnstar2.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dawnstar3.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dawnstar4.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dawnstar6.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/mzinchaleft.jpg

Posted by: Acadian Aug 15 2022, 12:26 PM

Another town done! Nice.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Aug 15 2022, 02:34 PM

Thanks, Acadian! Not quite done here yet, but getting there. Dawnstar has 11 houses, 2 ships with interiors and the lighthouse which is in fact the guard house with the dungeon in the cellar. For once the guards make themselves useful and tend to the fire in the lighthouse. I am now exactly half way doing the interiors, and I think since this isn't a very large town, I'll have it all filled in already in this release. But no quests! Or I'll never be done. But I think what with all the Dwemer ruins in the area and Castle Volkihar still to rise in the Sea of Ghosts directly North of Dawnstar, this town will make for a nice base when exploring the area, even without any quests.

Posted by: macole Aug 15 2022, 03:47 PM

No quests? Ah, a nice quiet peaceful stroll through the countryside. Sometimes that is all that is needed.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Aug 15 2022, 03:55 PM

Who said anything about peaceful?

Posted by: Lena Wolf Aug 17 2022, 04:09 PM

Posted by: Lena Wolf Aug 21 2022, 09:10 PM

Dragon Bridge is done! It's just a small place with a big bridge...

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dragonbridge5.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dragonbridge1.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dragonbridge3.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dragonbridge4.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dragonbridge6.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dragonbridge2.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dragonbridge8.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/dragonbridge7.jpg

And of course a bridge is nothing without the road on either end. Here is the https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/skyrim-progress.jpg. I have also mapped the roads in Hammerfell - this is the original TWMP Hammerfell that is bundled with Skyrim. You can't have Skyrim without it, I'm afraid. However, it only covers a small area of Hammerfell, just that bit in the South.

I shall release the new map at the same time as when I release the Skyrim mod. It will be exactly as you see it here. The roads are all mapped true to their actual locations. They are not only a "painting on the ground" but are fully landscaped (they are flat and passable with stairs where required) and fully path grid with preferential nodes so that NPCs can "see" them. Otherwise they have no clue and try to cut through the wilderness!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Aug 25 2022, 01:35 PM

Posted by: Lena Wolf Aug 30 2022, 09:36 PM

I've been tying up loose ends with Skyrim, there are a few of those still left... One of the things to do was to creepyfy Castle Volkihar. It wasn't creepy enough from the outside. Looked like a positively friendly place. I hope it is now clearer just how friendly it is exactly.

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/volkihar8.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/volkihar7.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/volkihar6.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/volkihar5.jpg

https://masserandsecunda.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/volkihar1.jpg

Posted by: macole Aug 31 2022, 07:15 AM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Aug 30 2022, 03:36 PM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 1 2022, 12:29 AM

QUOTE(macole @ Aug 31 2022, 07:15 AM)

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Aug 30 2022, 03:36 PM)

One of the things to do was to creepyfy Castle Volkihar.

Such an inviting ah-hem uninviting place to spend the night.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 8 2022, 06:53 PM

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51538 release 2 is out!!

Now I can get back to playing. Phew.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 9 2022, 05:05 PM

Ok, I feel I have to complain, and you get to listen.

Mods come without support!! Yeah!! That's how it works! You get a piece of software for nothing, and you get the support to match the price!

Ok, complaint over, sorry about that. I feel I got shouted at by someone who demanded immediate help because the new version of my mod crashed his game... Well, that's too bad. So I tried to help him, then got shouted at because apparently there was nothing wrong with his installation... Except for the crashes, of course. Which was all my fault! I have half a mind to block that person, but I think I won't. I only blocked one person so far.

Anyway, if TWMP Skyrim Alive crashes your game, you could always go play TES5. Why don't you?

With that said, most users are really nice, and the criticism they give is good and constructive. Helps to make our mods better, I'm all for it. So there will be a series of maintenance releases of this mod, because it's a huge one, and I discovered some potholes in the roads already, and some floating rocks and such. I'm not giving up just because one person wasn't all that polite.

Posted by: Acadian Sep 9 2022, 06:23 PM

Sorry you ran into a bad apple. As a mod user only (not smart enough to make them), I am always super appreciative of the skill and efforts of modders who offer neat stuff for free simply out of love for the game. Modmakers are awesome!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 10 2022, 09:07 AM

Thanks, Acadian!

Posted by: ghastley Sep 11 2022, 01:19 PM

Been there, bought the same t-shirt.

The most common source of crashes is dirty mods that have deleted items you mod uses. That's not a problem until your mod is installed, so it's your fault.

Suggest the user clean his mods with xEdit, especially the "undelete and disable" part.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 11 2022, 02:05 PM

That's a good point to keep in mind, thanks Ghastley! I'm having issues with Morroblivion (although not shouting and complaining at people who made it!), so I'll have a pass at cleaning everything - you never know.

My Skyrim mod was actually crashing his game. I reproduced the problem eventually and found the culprit - a corrupt record. I was having a lot of editor crashes at the time, so it must have inserted a corrupt record that only gets triggered every now and again. Fixing it now. But I still feel that shouting was out of line.

Another favourite of mine is "Your mod conflicts with my mod XYZ! Make a patch!! NOW!!!" Yeah, right. Roll up your sleeves, mate, and make your own patch!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 12 2022, 02:44 PM

Modding is the game, isn't it?

Yes and no. It's a game, but it is also far more straining and tiring than playing. But it's addictive - worse than skooma! I have a head full of ideas for Skyrim, even though I'm absolutely drained and tired of the big release that I just finished. Crazy. Also ideas for Valenwood are coming in thick and fast, and I already had some before, so may be I'll do Southpoint next. Hint: wasps, carnivorous plants, monster trees and snails, on top of capulari/Davy Jones. Anyone played Dragon Age Origins? Remember the oak poet?

And then there's Morroblivion. Hauk has got a job to do, and Lucien is soon to go to Morrowind as well, and with the two of them I want to explore more of not just Morroblivion proper, but of Tamriel Rebuilt. It still has many missing textures in this build, and I've already been fixing a few, but there will be many more which of course I shall have the compulsion to fix... But that's an easy job, really. All the textures are actually present, you just need to point the system in the right direction.

Oh, and then there's Geralt - I made the necessary mods and started a new game for him in Skyrim. He was the whole reason I wanted Skyrim filled in! Well, plenty of monsters there for a witcher to tuck into. The next release of Skyrim Alive (apart from bug fixing releases) will be a quest release adding all those quests that I had planned to do but scrapped due to having run out of steam. Plus I had a few interesting suggestions for whole new quests, so I might do them as well. And the ideas I had in between... Hint: dragons!

Once I know my way around Tamriel Rebuilt, Skyrim will get connected to it properly. You already can teleport from Snowhawk to Balmora courtesy TWMP Skyrim Improved. I plan to add boat transport from Windhelm to Solstheim and connect the Rift and Dunmereth mountain passes to their equivalents in Tamriel Rebuilt. I haven't been there yet, but the map markers are there, so it's worth a try.

Of course Skyrim itself is still missing Falkreath and Markarth and the guards in Snowhawk wear the wrong armour (that of Markarth). Also, the Hold borders are not drawn correctly in game, so it tells you you're in Whiterun Hold while in fact you're in the Reach... Will be fixed later. I'm using Ghastley's Falkreath so not fussed about that, but Markarth... Yeah, we need it. But that will have to wait, along with the rest of the Reach, I think this is something for another major pass, may be next year or so. Release 3.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 16 2022, 11:04 AM

The paint is still wet on Skyrim but new plans are already brewing...

The second chapter of Valenwood Cities will be about Southpoint. It will still be months and months before it is ready, as I haven't started yet! And won't start for a while - I promised myself a break from modding. However, it doesn't mean I can't think about it...

The population of Southpoint has been kidnapped by Maormer pirates! Why, their ghost ship is floating above Southpoint every night! And it's up to you to rescue the populace...

The people have been taken to an island to work in a mine - https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/38306! I found this unfinished island up for grabs, and it's just perfect for this story. Which is quite a simple story, really: each captive is wearing enchanted wrist irons that prevent him from escaping. That isn't even necessary, strictly speaking, because there is no escape anyway... unless...

Your task is to find the keys for each of the captives, they are all individual keys hidden somewhere on this dangerous island. I don't plan on making caves, this will be mainly an overland adventure, but if you've ever tried to locate a small chest in a dense undergrowth - or a grey Ayleid step stone among grey rocks covered in moss - then you'll know it's not that easy! In particular while being frequently attacked by tigers, spiders and hummingbirds... and other stuff! (Evil trees, carnivourous plants, giant wasps, man eating snails and the like.)

Once the magical wrist irons are off, the person returns to Southpoint. But for you to return, you need to find a teleportation stone which is also hidden somewhere in the undergrowth...

That's the idea, nice and simple. There will be also stuff to do on the ghost ship itself - you'll need to find your way to the island through that ship. Once everyone has been rescued, the ghost ship will vanish too.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 20 2022, 02:58 PM

I am stepping back form modding for a bit. I think something is seriously wrong with the latest version of xEdit that I'm using. I am getting very strange effects, sporadic crashes and just unexplained unstable behaviour. Yesterday I made a very small mod that worked fine out of the CS, but after cleaning with xEdit it crashes the game when you are trying to save. There was no backup and nothing to go back to either because apparently xEdit didn't do anything... Except of course it did. I have redone the mod by hand (it was a small mod) and promptly the game is working fine again.

I think something similar happened to TWMP Skyrim Alive and Lena's Companions ESM that came with it. Lena's game is now crashing even with the previous release of Skyrim, but I changed other mods as well, it must be one of them (may be even the Companions ESM!). I shall investigate it, downgrade xEdit and get Skyrim fixed up as best I can, but after that I'm going back to Lena's story writing. I still have backups of old setups that were working properly, and with that I'll get the game restored. I'm sure Skyrim can be made "playable" as they say, and that was really all I wanted.

EDIT: Suspicion confirmed!!! The weird problems started when I upgraded xEdit to the latest version 4.0.3. I found a spurious duplicate cell <0,0> in Skyrim Alive, and that cell later "vanished" leaving weird problems in its stead. http://tes5edit.github.io/whatsnew.html as a solved bug: "#669 - CELL at 0,0 may be spuriously added to worldspaces during cleaning." Now I don't know whether it removed too much or whatever else happened... There are a lot of scary bugs listed there, apparently fixed, but it makes me very mistrustful of this whole unsupervised automatic cleaning thing... I always feel computers require human supervision.

Posted by: macole Sep 20 2022, 04:13 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Sep 20 2022, 08:58 AM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 21 2022, 08:39 PM

QUOTE(macole @ Sep 20 2022, 04:13 PM)

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Sep 20 2022, 08:58 AM)

... I always feel computers require human supervision.

As a former mainframe master console operator, DP shift supervisor, and release candidate stress tester I can confirm this to be true.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 22 2022, 10:32 AM

Further review of the log files show that we have a conflict between Elsweyr Anequina and TWMP - the same sort of thing that I had with Skyrim. Both ElsweyrAnequina.esp and Tamriel.esp define cells at the same coordinates with different formIDs - nearly 700 cells overlap like that! Zelazko - this could be the source of your instabilities that you wrote about earlier.

These cells will need further investigation. I've been talking to Haldar about it - he maintains TWMP now. He immediately suggested that the overlapping cells should be deleted from Tamriel.esp, however that was before I told him just how many cells we're talking about. I think some of them may be in Valenwood, and so that would mean that they need removing from Anequina. I am going to make a proper cross-reference of this between Anequina, TWMP and Valenwood Improved Original. All three of these mods operate in the same area, and we need TWMP if we want to have Pelletine. With this cross-reference we can then devise the best course of action to make it possible to combine Anequina with the neighbouring mods without conflicts or potential instabilities.

Posted by: Acadian Sep 22 2022, 12:10 PM

When you combine magic with gremlins the result is likely to be unpredictable and often unpleasant.

Posted by: ghastley Sep 22 2022, 02:43 PM

When you mentioned that Anequina and Skyrim overlapped, my first reaction was that X/Y coordinates were wrapping, but the XCLC records hold two 32-bit values, so that shouldn’t happen. Unless the CS is internally assuming that a signed byte is enough. The Cyrodiil map fits in -64 to +64 in each direction, and Anequina would only go a little further south, and may still fit. It certainly would not reach -128. So the only question would be if Skyrim might exceed +128 going north? I still do not think it would wrap far enough to reach the bottom of the map, but empty Ocean may be defined beyond the explorable range.

It may even be a conflict of empty cells anyway. I don’t recall how much padding with those there is. A long time since I turned off borders and walked off the edge of the world.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 22 2022, 03:00 PM

Skyrim does extend further North than +128, just a few cells up to +132, but still. Solstheim however extends far further, and it's been a part of TWMP for a long time already. No, this isn't the problem. The X coordinate was all wrong for the cells that I was working on. All in all 288 bogus duplicate cells were inserted in the Anequina region, not contiguous either, and I strongly suspect not so much the CS but rather xEdit, TES4Gecko and Merge Plugins. I was merging in several mods and I think this is where it went wrong. Plus xEdit definitely introduced garbage as well, I've had problems also with other mods, although it wasn't bogus cells. Some untraceable rubbish - a different CRC but apparently the same content, and one version crashes the game while the other works perfectly.

It is only a few days ago that I discovered this fantastic log file produced by MessageLogger, and now I'm finally able to clean up that rubbish - this is where I saw the cell conflicts. We'll get it sorted yet!

QUOTE(Acadian @ Sep 22 2022, 12:10 PM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 23 2022, 11:04 AM

I have analysed which cells overlap between Elsweyr Anequina and TWMP, and I found that they are exactly the same cells that also overlap between Anequina and the original Valenwood Improved - and all those cells are in Valenwood! Basically it is excessive padding attached to Anequina - this sort of thing can happen automatically in the CS. This is the reason why Valenwood Improved Original or Tamriel.esp for the TWMP version has to be loaded before Anequina, which seems counter-intuitive.

What happens here is this. These new lands have to create new cells outside of Cyrodiil because they do not exist in Oblivion.esm - they go beyond the existing padding. These new cells are created automatically by the CS when you scroll around the land, and the CS assigns them some formIDs. Naturally these IDs turn out different for the various mods, so if you try to load them together, you have multiple cell definitions for the same coordinates. When the game encounters this, it keeps the first definition that it finds and destroys all other cells defined for the same coordinates. So in this case the first definition overrides all subsequent ones, which is the opposite of what happens with everything else.

Destruction of a cell during load means that every non-persistent object in that cell is deleted, so the landscape, the path grid, trees, buildings, flora, rocks - all that is deleted, but persistent objects like NPCs, doors and markers are preserved. Disembodied doors, anyone? Yep, that's where they come from. It means then that it is only safe to allow unimportant empty cells to be deleted, otherwise you are erasing content and creating disembodied markers, people and doors.

Of course it is better not to force the game to clean up your mess. It is better to delete unwanted padding cells from the mod yourself, so that there are no conflicting cell definitions.

And this is exactly what I'm doing for my own game: trimming off padding from Anequina. The border between Anequina and Valenwood is quite clear, both in the original and in the TWMP version, and it is the same in both of them. Unfortunately Iliana is no longer replying to messages, so I won't be able to release this trimmed down version since it is explicitly prohibited to release alternatives to the main download, and cell deletion is not something that can be done with a patch. Besides, it is not strictly necessary... It's just something that I am uncomfortable with.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 26 2022, 12:00 PM

An update on the overlapping cells between Anequina and Valenwood.

Valenwood Improved original and its TWMP version cover exactly the same cells (in terms of coordinates), while Anequina extends all the way to the West coast of Valenwood and also a great deal to the South. That territory has landscape with texture, rocks and trees but is unreachable from Anequina - there is a solid collision barrier along the border, you can't go beyond it. I suppose the landscape was generated so that you could still see the land beyond that point with LOD.

Valenwood Improved however has a different structure. It simply ends at its Eastern border, and if you don't have Anequina, you would see a giant drop to level zero and fall into that gigantic land tear. Perhaps it was always meant to be used with Anequina - you do get some land tears along the border, but they are small.

However, about half way between Skingrad and the sea in the South, Anequina Western border and Valenwood Eastern border start diverging - Anequina turns East and Valenwood turns West. This produces a very sizeable hole, a hole that is covered by the padding of Anequina. This hole is filled in by TWMP which follows the border of Anequina exactly.

The conclusion is then that if you want to trim the padding off Anequina, you have to make two different versions: one for Valenwood Improved Original and the other for TWMP (with or without Valenwood Improved in it). You still need a patch to repair the land tears along the border - use whatever patch you were using before. This trimming is purely for stability.

I have now trimmed Anequina for TWMP to use with my own game. It shaved off about 15 seconds off loading time of the first save of the game session. It also made every loading of Tamriel noticeably quicker and smoother with a much shorter "settling in" period after loading. I am satisfied.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Sep 30 2022, 11:20 PM

I've been having visions while cleaning up my TWMP Skyrim Alive. I think https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/fable/images/1/19/Gordon1.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20091025015014 will be coming to The Reach. To complement https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51616 and https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/52206. Lore police begone!

~~~~~~~~~~
If you don't recognise the first picture, here is https://fable.fandom.com/wiki/Gordon.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 10 2022, 05:30 PM

TWMP Skyrim Alive is getting slowly debugged. I am still not feeling like playing it all that much, so most reports - but not all! - come from other people. Fortunately the really bad stuff seems to be over, and now we get the peanuts. I've been doing a lot of cleaning and other xEdit work aimed at making the mod more stable and purging more of the weirdly corrupt records that somehow got into it in the first place. I think there must be some floating point number overflow going on because some rocks are found on the other side of the planet... quite literally. Assuming that Tamriel is in fact a continent on a spherical planet, then the Z coordinates of some of those rocks put them firmly to the other side of the globe. Alice going down the rabbit hole all over again.

I have also been adding notice board quests. Some of these are quite simple, others are a bit more involved, and yet others have interesting consequences like enabling ship transport between a port town in Skyrim and a port town in Cyrodiil. It may not be obvious from the start which quest has "hidden extras". I have a list of quests I want to put in, and I'll be working through it over the next month or so, I expect. The quests come from the background stories that I imagined for the NPCs as I've been creating them - they come from the core of it rather than being a lump added on top, which should ensure that the world feels natural and any weird requests that you might get stem entirely from the weird nature of the NPCs rather than their creator.

Oh, and we'll have a rats quest. Cannot possibly do without! But it's Skyrim, and rats are more... hairy.

Posted by: ghastley Oct 10 2022, 06:37 PM

Doesn’t xEdit’s undelete action do something strange with the z coordinate? You might be reinstating conflicts, like rocks blocking entrances.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 13 2022, 10:58 AM

I hear you, Ghastley! This would be most annoying. The newer versions of xEdit use a different technique to undelete records: they give them the Player as the parent and set their "enabled" status to be opposite to the parent. This is an awful choice on so many levels! But anyhow, the rocks on the other side of the planet were caused by a bug in the CS (I hope it's a bug!), I think. They most likely got introduced when I was relocating a castle from the Gnoll Mountain (near Bruma) by selecting a range of objects with the mouse (click and drag to select several objects). I am not exactly sure how or why, but often when you do this, you also get items from the cells on the other side of the world deep underground or high in the skies. With the Gnoll Castle relocation I got both, plus several duplicated cells as well. It took a major effort to clear (and to figure out in the first place).

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 28 2022, 02:41 PM

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51538 is getting bigger. I looked through my notes for each Hold and found an awful lot of quests waiting to be implemented... And I thought I didn't do quests! Ok, quests it is...

Quests are coming to Skyrim in batches. With the big release done and mostly debugged, I can take it easy and work in bite-sized chunks again. These are all point releases (2.7, 2.8, 2.9, etc.), I feel this is still material that belongs to release 2, not release 3.

The first chunk of this type was release 2.8 that I did yesterday. It took a couple of weeks to complete, but not working on it every day, at a nice leisurely pace. It contains a bunch of quests for Dawnstar, long distance travel by ship and the Docks district of Kogotel. Err... in Morrowind. I was going to connect the gates at the Rift and Dunmereth Passes to the corresponding gates in Tamriel Rebuilt for Morroblivion, but those areas are too unfinished to be playable. Missing meshes and textures everywhere, no interiors or NPCs, no path grids, plenty of CTDs... Not surprising really because these areas are not yet a part of the official Tamriel Rebuilt but only a part of Preview - they are still very much work in progress, in particular in their Morroblivion conversion.

So I decided on a different approach. Build a small settlement just over the border in Morrowind, give it a port, put a ship there and arrange transport directly to Vvardenfell. And thus Kogotel Docks came to exist - just the docks district of what is supposed to be a big city. Whether the rest of Kogotel will appear as well, is anyone's guess...

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51538/51538-1666817533-1362362693.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51538/51538-1666817814-307079787.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51538/51538-1666817345-1785992043.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51538/51538-1666817434-233457835.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51538/51538-1666819789-1574277732.png (the best place for smuggling trade, they tell me)

Posted by: ghastley Oct 28 2022, 03:42 PM

Does this mean Kogotel is the first stop on your ship journey from somewhere in Skyrim, or do you reach there overland?

In TESV, you sail from Windhelm to Raven Rock, and I assumed that was the remnant of a larger trade with all of Morrowind, that existed before the eruption. So I expected Windhelm to Vvardenfell by ship.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 28 2022, 04:03 PM

A https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51588/51588-1662240945-903888607.jpeg would help, wouldn't it.

Raven Rock is not on Vvardenfell though - it's on Solstheim. And yes, we also have ship transport between Windhelm and Fort Frostmoth - the original destination on Solstheim, quite close to Raven Rock.

Kogotel is reached by road taking the Rift Pass from Riften. It crosses the Velothi Mountains. From Kogotel you can take a ship sailing into the Inner Sea, so basically anywhere. I let it sail to Gnaar Mok because it is pretty much on the other shore of the Inner Sea where you come out into it from Kogotel.

Posted by: macole Oct 28 2022, 08:21 PM

Good job! I was thinking of starting a new TES V game just the other day. Now I wonder, why did I do that?

Posted by: Lena Wolf Oct 28 2022, 08:59 PM

QUOTE(macole @ Oct 28 2022, 08:21 PM)

Posted by: macole Oct 28 2022, 11:40 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Oct 28 2022, 02:59 PM)

You got tempted by the cool version of TESV - you know, the one without steam.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 15 2022, 12:56 AM

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51538 version 2.9 is out. This one has got another new town - Dunkreath. It's in Morrowind, just on the other side of the Dunmereth Pass. It's got ship transport to Ald Velothi in the North of Vvardenfell (if you've got Morroblivion installed, that is). Other than that, it's got Imperial Census and Excise Office, a couple of shops and a few strange people...

This update also has a bunch of collection quests and two joinable guilds - the Welkynd Masons Guild (become a Free Mason!) and the Dwemer Artifact Collectors Guild (become Chief Explorer). The guilds are not open immediately, you've got to earn the right to join. We don't want to make it too easy! This is my replacement of a typical radial quest system which sends you into the many dungeons that I added in release 2. Still nothing epic (try the main quest for epic! ).


https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51538/51538-1668469560-136964648.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51538/51538-1668439818-252705162.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51538/51538-1668439664-1683490629.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51538/51538-1668439744-1666044107.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51538/51538-1668439889-1605648075.png

https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/101/images/51538/51538-1668440037-627798472.png

Posted by: Acadian Nov 15 2022, 01:03 AM

Dunkreath - what an eclectic town!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 15 2022, 01:19 AM

They seem to have repurposed Dwemer ruins... waste not, want not I suppose.

Also, I just realised: TWMP Skyrim Alive is exactly one year and one day old! I uploaded version one a year ago... How time flies when you're having fun!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 22 2022, 01:22 PM

I have finally decided to release https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/52488 in its own right, and not just as a part of TWMP Skyrim Alive. I actually have a dozen companions already... But the release starts with three. I shall be adding new ones when I am happy with the level of testing that they'll have received.

I developed these companions for my own game, they feature in Lena's story. Some, like Hauk Serck-Hanssen, for example, even have a "player" file - a mod that allows you to play as that character. Hauk is my lead character in Morroblivion, and I wanted him to look and feel like the companion that's been with me for over a year now... Yeah, these things have a tendency to snow-ball.

Posted by: Acadian Nov 22 2022, 04:59 PM

Wow, very impressive!

Posted by: macole Nov 22 2022, 10:16 PM

Yes indeed Acadian is right, this is very impressive. I don't know how you do it. It's been fun watching the development of your mods. Sorry to have missed the birthday party.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 22 2022, 10:29 PM

Thank you both!

How I do it? I tinker. Start small, and before you know it, you have a bunch of companions running around in a whole new land... Being a programmer helps, too. But admittedly modding has a very steep learning curve - it took me may be half a year to get to a stage where I at least remotely understood what I was doing... Still learning every day.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 28 2022, 10:09 AM

I spent some time figuring out xVASynth - the voice synthesizer. It was recently revamped and updated, both the engine itself and the voice models for Oblivion. Whoah - it's getting really good! Tamriel is no longer run over by the Daleks... But it is still quite a pain to get from the lines typed into the quest window to the voice files that actually play in-game and have associated lip sync files. I've been testing it on Geralt's Companion file (which is close to release). It's quite nice to hear him inquiring about goblins and ogres, even if he does have a bit of an accent. But then of course, he's an Outlander, so it's only natural.

Posted by: ghastley Nov 28 2022, 03:30 PM

Let us know what tips and tricks you come up with, as you’re not alone.

I’m trying to get Lynda Carter’s voice from Oblivion over to Skyrim. She did Azura (and Gormlaith) so I want to use her voice for some extra Azura lines. Nocturnal is easier, as her voice actress in Skyrim also did FemaleDarkElf. But the files for Oblivion don’t seem to be at the same level as the Skyrim ones, and need more manual intervention.

Yarob, the Wise (or Wild) Woman for my Orc Hearthfires mod, may get either regular Orc, or Lynda Carter as Sir Mazoga, depending on the results from Azura.

Azura, Nocturnal, and Greta (who can be standard FemaleYoungEager) are needed for the Diablo mod. All the others get by with standard dialogue, and my other mods so far have avoided using any spoken communication.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 28 2022, 03:37 PM

I'm afraid you're way ahead of me there! I don't do any manual intervention - that's beyond me. I don't have that kind of time. It already took me half a day to just get the lines from the quest window converted into playable MP3s, and that's only a dozen lines. Admittedly, it will go a lot faster next time and won't take half a day, but still, the sheer amount of spreadsheet work required is mind-boggling, and then the voice files generated don't play in game and need an extra conversion step by a different program first. And lip sync generation requires several goes, etc., etc. I am only using standard models, I cannot train any new voices or anything, like I said - you're way ahead of me already!

Posted by: ghastley Nov 28 2022, 03:49 PM

And I have not done any conversions from.wav yet, so you’re ahead of me on that part. I may try voicing Yarob as FemaleOrc first, just to get that workflow sorted out, and do a further round once the LC voice files are ready. By that time, I might understand how the batch thing works.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 28 2022, 03:53 PM

Oh, in that case it seems that we're approaching it from different ends. I started with the batch method straight away - it produces MP3 files which play fine when you click them from the file manager, but don't play in game. You've got to use an MP3 optimiser to make them playable, and the thing is, you have to enter the exact same parameters as you do in the synth, but now the resulting files are much larger and actually play... which is kinda nice... Mind-boggling, I'm telling you. I'll write it up once I actually understand what I'm doing.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 29 2022, 01:30 AM

I had another go at voice generation (in batch mode), and I now have a better idea of what's going on. I https://masserandsecunda.wordpress.com/how-to-2/making-proper-mods/generating-voice-files-with-xvasynth/, if anyone is interested.

Posted by: macole Nov 29 2022, 04:44 PM

On the NEXUS I found a couple mods that will give a spell to deactivate dark welkynd traps. Has anyone ever had any experience with deactivating dark welkynd stones?

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 29 2022, 05:08 PM

No. But those traps work because they've got a script attached to them. You cannot remove a script in-game, as far as I know, so I wonder how those spells were made. Do you have a link to one of those mods perhaps? Curious.

Posted by: macole Nov 29 2022, 10:59 PM

QUOTE(Lena Wolf @ Nov 29 2022, 10:08 AM)

No. But those traps work because they've got a script attached to them. You cannot remove a script in-game, as far as I know, so I wonder how those spells were made. Do you have a link to one of those mods perhaps? Curious.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 30 2022, 01:17 AM

Both these mods work in a similar fashion: when the spell is cast, all dark welkynd stones in range are removed from the cell and replaced with inert dummies. It happens so quickly, you don't notice. When you leave the cell, they put them back.

The scripting is very different though, the method and the effect would be the same. Not a lot of comments - you'd have to try them out!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Nov 30 2022, 09:57 PM

Skyrim, Hammerfell, Stirk and Chain Islands - the Northern Realms - are getting voice files! Uploading as we speak... 176MB 7zip archive - that'll take a couple of hours. We employ snails here for internet traffic.

It took me two days full time and all the curses in the languages that I speak and almost all the curses in the other languages. Learned a few things though, might be useful to others - will post the details in the xVAsynth thread. Very tedious, but worth it!

So now a certain Helga Open-Legs actually tells you that she wants to break out of jail. She is no longer mute!

Posted by: macole Dec 1 2022, 03:50 AM

Oh my gosh, I remember getting Helga out of jail.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 1 2022, 10:37 AM

QUOTE(macole @ Dec 1 2022, 02:50 AM)

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 8 2022, 10:39 AM

An anecdote for you. This happened today.

You're playing a game that is rated to have some adult content. You come across a nymph in all its aquatic glory (she is aqua-coloured with a suggestion of nipples). You fall for her charms, even though all she wants to do is kill you and eat your brain. You make a video of this (the fight, not the eating of the brain). You post it somewhere on the internet. You get slammed with a "nudity" punishment. You return to the creator of the game and request that nymphs should be wearing shorts and bras.

The question here is whether you would have fallen for the nymphs' charms in the first place if they were wearing clothes?

Posted by: Acadian Dec 8 2022, 01:19 PM

https://i.imgur.com/TuV7sUa.png

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 8 2022, 01:52 PM

So, the solution is then to play ESO instead because the nymphs there are more modest. (Although they will probably still eat your brain.)

Posted by: macole Dec 8 2022, 08:53 PM

https://i.imgur.com/4g1EtMT.jpg

to answer the question, NO. (If I say yes several pairs of angry eyes will burn holes in my back.)
I've been told that the lack of clothing is a distraction technique used to make the mind more susceptible to natural charm spells. Not really necessary but effective none the less.

Posted by: Acadian Dec 8 2022, 09:14 PM

Claire wins!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 13 2022, 12:47 AM

I have too many projects going. Could it be true? It seems so.

I have therefore been on a path of finishing up some of them. Since I released https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/52488 master files as a separate mod, I started releasing companion files as well. They've been hanging around here for a long time, some of them for a very long time, they've all been in my game in some form or other, but having to clean them up and get them ready to go makes them "finished". It just puts a milestone in the project development path and allows me to move on. Also it gives me a fixed version that I can return to in case my future improvements "improve" them beyond usable...

I still have four companions to finish up, and then I feel I'll be able to park them for a while and get on with something else, such as playing.

What did you do that for?

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 15 2022, 05:14 PM

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 26 2022, 10:33 AM

That's it, https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51538 is done!

I might have figured out how to make quests. TWMP Skyrim Alive now has over 50 quests... I can't quite believe it myself. Granted, that most of them are small and none are epic, but still. With the synthesized voices, they become fun - I was avoiding dialogue before because I dislike silent lines. But now there's no need to avoid it any longer! Synthesized voices are not as good as natural voices, granted, but they are quite all right by now, I think.

I have repackaged all resources together into a single archive, including voices for the entire TWMP Northern Realms (Hammerfell, High Rock and Skyrim). This BSA is now 1.1GB! I don't plan any additions until release 3 next season, so anything released between now and then will be just for bug fixes.

Well, with that out of the way... Perhaps I can get back to playing?

Posted by: Lena Wolf Dec 28 2022, 07:22 PM

Got back to playing... Only to find Lena's game crashing outdoors for no apparent reason. I thought, it's over 850 hours, and I swapped mods in it hundreds of times... May be finally I've done it one time too many.

Turns out - no! A couple of weeks ago someone was having issues with my https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51843 mod in combination with Northern UI and Sheogorath knows what other mods. I could never reproduce their problem, but tried to fix it anyway. And broke the whole mod in the process! Quests remain difficult.

What happened is that I've redone the whole quest logic, now relying on stages rather then quest variables (because it's better and I only just figured out how to use it). But what I forgot to check, is whether those quest variables were used elsewhere in the mod. Because of course I long forgot how it all fits together. Turns out - yes! Some 30 AI packages and 20 dialogue lines had them as conditions... Oops. That mod was basically broken. And those broken AI packages caused instability and CTDs outdoors because that's when Oblivion checks on NPCs that aren't in nearby cells. Boom - crash.

I think in the future I shall not be fixing problems that I cannot reproduce. Leave it as an exercise to the user.


PS. Lena's game is cooked, after all. Ever since I installed Oblivion Reloaded in it and then removed it, I'm having OBSE crashes. I think some garbage is left behind in the save file. Also for some reason the game becomes very slow, then crashes - and I already removed every mod I could think of. With each mod removed, it gets better for a while, then the problems return after game restart. It often crashes on save, too.

Bottom line is, I think, to put it to rest. There is a natural pause in Lena's story anyway - she's heavily pregnant now, she'll give birth soon and there will be no adventuring right after giving birth! Besides, I don't really know what she's going to do next anyway, so may be I'll just let her have a holiday. Start a fresh game some time later. But, considering that this game started on Xbox360 and is now at 860 hours with mods constantly being switched in and out... I think she's done well!

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 6 2023, 08:06 PM

I've been cleaning up my mods, converting some of the batch files into mods, too. Because when I start a new game for Lena, I shall want some of the houses that I modified in her save game, to look the same in the newly started game. So they need to become mods. Much of it will be just private, but some stuff is good enough for general use - such as "Inns Sleep Two" mod that simply makes it so that almost all inns have at least two sleeping places when the player rents a room. Many of them already have a double bed, but because it is made owned by the player, the companions cannot sleep in it. So I added a second sleeping place where there wasn't one and modified all scripts to make it available to the companions also. No one needs to stand guard any longer.

I have also been finishing up unfinished companions, so there are additions there too.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 9 2023, 01:09 AM

I give up trying to improve the appearance of potato heads...

The thing is, I quite like them. Or may be I am used to them. I looked at all these other options, from complete overhauls like OCO to subtle changes to meshes or textures (or both). And I reverted to plain vanilla.

Vanilla Oblivion faces may not be the prettiest, but I think they are some of the most expressive faces in the video game universe. They are not airbrushed, not smoothed out, and that's their charm. They have individuality and character. Isn't it what we always say about something obviously decrepit and broken - that it's "bijou", "quirky" or "old-worldy"? Well, may be. I like them that way.

So now that I'm on a trek of finishing up my companions, I decided to make their faces for the vanilla potato meshes and textures. It does mean that they can never be quite like the originals, but so be it. People look different in different countries, that's just how it is. Because I said so.

First I did Yennefer Vengerberg (or of Vengerberg). Converting a face from The Witcher 3 into Oblivion potato heads was never going to happen, so I decided to make a new Yennefer altogether.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Jan 27 2023, 03:40 PM

I am taking a break from modding. I got stuck a bit trying to remember what Scorpio was all about - he was Lena's companion in Dragon's Dogma, but it's been quite a few years since I played that game last. So I fired it up again, on Xbox360. It's a great game!

But like any game, it can be improved with mods... I didn't want to change it all that much, but there were a few things that were bugging me then and that I found to be bugging me again this time around. So when GOG.com https://www.gog.com/en/game/dragons_dogma_dark_arisen for a mere £3.89 rather than the usual £23.99, I grabbed it. (Offer ends in a few days, by the way.)

When I looked on Nexus however, I didn't find all that many mods. We are truly blessed with Bethesda games in how modular they are, how easy to change anything and everything around, add quests, add whole new worlds... Not so with Dragon's Dogma and many other games, as I found. I was also not able to convert my Xbox360 save to the PC, something that people had done in the past but that became broken with a newer version of Windows.

No matter. I started a new game on PC, with a few mods that indeed change the bits that bugged me last time around. Long live modding! So it's back to more story writing and less modding, and no playing Oblivion for a while, because now I'm all in Dragon's Dogma again. Amazing how quickly I got sucked in... And once you're in, there's no other way but through...

Posted by: Lena Wolf Feb 6 2023, 07:01 PM

Playing Dragon's Dogma now and turning it into a bit of Dragon Age... It's all dragons, anyway. It has to do with companions, but that's a bit off-topic (see my mod for Dragon's Dogma).

What is on topic however, is that playing Dragon's Dogma, Dragon Age and Two Worlds II recently made me realise that what I miss in Oblivion is the specialisation of weapons and armour. All these games have some limitations to the weapons and armour that can be used together. For example, you cannot use a bow with heavy armour, or in Two Worlds I you cannot even swim in heavy armour - you drown. In Morrowind I believe you get reduced spell efficiency if you are wearing a helmet or gauntlets (or was it in some other game?), the argument being that metal shielding is not good for magicka flow.

I have already made a mod for myself that imposes a spell efficiency penalty if you are wearing gauntlets. Cloth gloves are fine, but armoured gauntlets get in the way. I enjoyed playing this way, and now I'm thinking to extend this similar to the other games.
- No bows or daggers with heavy armour, check.
- No waterbreathing in heavy armour? Ooooh... May be a bit harsh. Battlemages wear heavy armour.
- Heavier penalties to magic when wearing armour, unless armour skill is very high. So instead of 90% spell efficiency when wearing armour, you'd start with, I dunno, 70% efficiency. But then raise it to 100% instead of 95% at Expert level armour skill.

Something along these lines. Essentially requiring you to wear light armour or no armour if you want to use light weapons or magic. Got to think on it but stay tuned.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 19 2023, 12:43 AM

Back in Oblivion I started a new game with Lucien Lachance as the protagonist - he is going to Mournhold to prevent another war of assassins. That is, he is going to play Tribunal DLC. But before he boards that ship that takes him to Gnisis, he decided to take a detour to Anvil, which in my universe is his home town. Have you noticed how we have zero background on his character in vanilla Oblivion? Well, I filled it in. Leaving out the details of why he went to Anvil, let's just say that Anvil needed an update.

I have been using several mods that extend Anvil Docks, most notably Anvil Bay Expansion, and I built the rest around it. But I never looked too closely at what's inside that mod... What a mistake to make, eh? My game had been suffering from CTDs and lag for a long time, why, just about since I installed that Anvil Bay Expansion... err... The big problem with that mod is two (!) computation-heavy quest scripts that run every frame, yet do absolutely nothing. That is, they do all those calculations but there is no visible effect (apart from the lag and the CTDs). The author tried to implement sailing ships, it never got finished, but the scripts remained activated. So, I fixed that. Then looked closer still... oh dear. Plenty of player homes, but all containers respawn... quests that cannot progress... no path grids in any of the interiors... lighting issues... both lack of lighting and too many light sources which hits the frame rate...

And so I ended up spending a few days fixing it all up and adding some more stuff, some new dungeons, some new quests, voiced dialogue... the lot. The result is my new mod - https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/52813 which covers exclusively Anvil Docks (so not the North of the city and not inside the city, and also not in the castle, etc., etc.). It will probably conflict with Better Cities or Open Cities or whatever else is redoing the docks. It is meant to be complete, I don't believe you can squeeze anything else in there without making it too crowded. Anyway, made for myself at first, then decided to share. Have fun with it if you decide to try it out, but remember: all is not what it seems! Keep your wits about you. Just saying.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Mar 20 2023, 12:25 AM

More merging activity today. Discovered quite by accident that https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/45156 is an outdated merge - the author had updated the individual components but never made a new merge. So I made my own. Also thought it would be nice to connect the sewers from this mod with the sewers from https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/52693. Did that, twice. Published the lot under https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/52829. Kinda neat.

Secondly I finally decided to publish a merge of my patches and whatnots for Morroblivion, especially that a few of them had never been published on their own: https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/52831. All further updates will be made to this merge and not to the individual files.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 9 2023, 11:02 AM

A lot of hard core mod building has been going on here lately. A lot of scripting. A lot of discovering that things don't work as expected...

I have been adding a whole new level to my companions system. The idea is to introduce mutual help in combat, a combination of ideas from different games.

When the player or one of your companions gets knocked out in battle, he won't get up after 10 seconds anymore, he will stay knocked down until you or another companion helps him up, or until the battle is over. If the whole party including the player is knocked out, it's game over, unless you have a wakestone. If you choose to use a wakestone, it is destroyed but the whole party gets up with fully restored health.

When one of the companions or the player is knocked out, the other companions get a call for help. They will attempt to disengage from combat and run to the fallen comrade. One of them has to reach and "activate" him, which revives him. The player can do it too. The fallen companion gets up with 1/3 of his health restored - the default state when getting up after being knocked out.

The wakestones come from The Everfall - a new dungeon with difficult enemies that sometimes drop wakestones, so you can go hunting for them, like you do at some point in Dragon's Dogma. What also comes from Dragon's Dogma, is The Rift and riftstones - gateways to the Rift. No, it isn't a Hold in Skyrim...

Riftstone in Testing Hall

Companions arriving

Posted by: macole Apr 9 2023, 05:28 PM

This sounds very promising. Pretty sure I'd have to learn how to create my own companions and start a new game with something like this. Tempting, very tempting.

Posted by: Lena Wolf Apr 9 2023, 05:44 PM

Thanks, Macole! It will take some time to test it properly, and who knows what Oblivion is going to do with that call for help system. You can tell an NPC to stop combat, but it is ultimately the game engine that decides whether or not they'll heed your call... I see a lot of dungeon delving coming up to test this out!