Alternative Oblivion Magic System (AOMS)
Beta Release 0.20

This mod changes the whole way the spells are gained by the character, turning the game into a more immersive
experience, by making every character unique.

I started this mod because I hated the buying spells system, and hated how every character could have every spell available in the game. I prefer it more customized and unique, and saving me the time of buying and being able to have all the Spells in the end.
These are the features:

-> All Spells are gained by meeting special or mixed skill requirements

-> Full integration of the best magic mods out there:
Supreme Magicka,
Midas Magic spells of Aurum and
LAME (Less annoying magic experience).
Fearsome Magicka (New!!!)
These mods are REQUIRED to play. Follow the installation instructions below.

-> 18 specializations, different and unique from each other, with their own spell tree. Each one requiring the character to meet certain skill levels before being chosen.

-> Houndred of spells included, distributed with balance and coherency between all 18 Specializations. Making between 50 and 100 spells per specialization
NOTE: (Beta v0.11 up to Journeyman Level only, yet)

-> Disabled ALL spell shops. There is no way you can buy spells now. All spells are gained through the
experience of your character. You can still buy training skills to enable special spells.

-> 99% compatibility with any mod in the nexus. This system is done through scripting and does NOT ADD or
REPLACES ANY game file. Read below for more information about compatibility.

-> Better immersive gameplay, by being different from each character you play with, fully exploiting all the spells available in the game (since you will be limited to those). Spell lists were designed to be as most balanced and fun as possible, while maintaining coherency and roleplay.

Check at the end of this readme for more information about the gameplay

Sounds excellent. I would love for this to take off. I hated the buying aspect of spells as well, as it doesn't really make sense. How are spells discovered, and how are they taught instantly when you buy them from a person? This, like you said, is much more immersive.

*cough*In-Guild-Wars-You-Buy-Spells-And-Can-Use-Any-Spell-At-Any-SKill-Level*cough*
:)

I actually really like the sound of this, but I think that all the lore-obsessed people on this forum will be less than fond of it; just a warning for if you feel like there's a lack of interest. Best of luck!

CC

looks pretty decent. i purposefully limit my character to only major in 2 magic schools at most........usually illusion and restoration. i also avoid using stupid nonsensical spells like lockpick and cure disease which are gamebreaking for me.

woops, you are right, my wrong. I Guess i thought fast by chosing that game for example. I think i have chosen it just because the different abilities for different characters

Thanks everyone for the comments, I hope It goes fine and I dont find limitations.

Currently I am finishing the main scripts, which orders and triggers different "Quests" for each class specialization you chose. Once everything is done, I will stop to think about how Classes progress over Experience, so any idea you can give me about Spells, Powers, Class names, etc will be thanked (as together with my exams at college, my time in this week is poorly limited, but I will boost when it ends, so I hope a small beta at the end of the month)

bye!

Normally I do not comment in very early WIP threads as I've seen so many die in slightly less early stages, but this one is a concept near and dear to me.

I too disdain the magic systems in Bethesda TES lore. I understand that they are trying to stick to the concept of 'go anywhere, do anything.' The problem is that doing this they don't put blocks (game obstacles if using a game theory approach) on anything and a person could simultaneously be head of the Mages Guild (with very little real magical power), Thieves Guild, Fighters Guild, and Assassins Guild with little to no consequences.

From a role-playing point of view that is horrendous. and as a result there are plenty, like bigjohnson here, who limit themselves in order to not ruin the experience.

Then taking just the Mages Guild as an example ... buying spells any spells, learning all schools of magic, etc. This is compounded by the fact that the most notorious school and the one mentioned in every other rumor you hear does not even exist in the game: Necromancy.

Both Supreme Magicka and LAME attempt to address the vanilla system and make it slightly less stupid, but the basics remain - buy spells, no restrictions on schools,still can become head of the Mages guild with little skills. Choices and Consequences does address that to a degree though. Those though all work with the already dumn vanilla system instead of revamping it.

For myself I believe that the the system would be greatly enhanced by having it intertwined with faction relationships. Meaning that you could apprentice to no more than one or two (or have the limit be stat based) but that as you apprentice more you reduce the upper limit of being able to learn in one school. Certainly if not specialized in the majors you choose very limited. To me the factions would be more than game mechanics of introducing limits, but real factions plotting and scheming against one another. the school represented in the game as is would be the more civilized and compromised branches of each school where the advanced spells are learned by leaving those city walls and going to where the real hearts of the factions are at. Where real political (or other ambitions) are played out.

Perhaps then the arch-mage is one who is able to gain the alliances with these schools (yet still maintain his/her own agenda) and has learned to play them against each other. ...Or ... Perhaps the arch-mage purposely limits their own power so as to not become too biased in their political position. Other ways you could go about this too. The point being that real magical power would be gained from questing and alliances and not $.

I'm uncertain about all the divisions you chose though - and will review at a later time. But ideas I've had about this include dividing the schools up more by how the magic is implemented, so that certain schools may require:
1. materials to fuel spells (plants, gems, animal parts, etc).
2. Specific stats (or even limits to other stats for hardcoe roleplayers).
3. Power objects (relics, foci, etc).
4. Locations to repower.
5. Situations.

Then of course the more you gain power in one school the less you can learn in others - all that tied to real factions which are the second and as important reason for these limits.

Anyway that is my 2 cents on what would really make playing a magic user in this game truly fun.

Best of all luck getting this off the ground.

@ 'Psymon'

There are plenty of great Ideas that come out of my mind from all you said. I totally agree that the factions should be revamped in some way to make them more reasonable, and immersive together with the gameplay I expect to achieve. Also, It is very interesting to say that, some specific spells could be added (in addition to what I designed), through special occasions as you mentioned 1. materials to fuel spells (plants, gems, animal parts, etc). 2. Specific stats (or even limits to other stats for hardcoe roleplayers). 3. Power objects (relics, foci, etc). 4. Locations to repower. 5. Situations. And I think of a lot of great ideas, specially to include (in a future) spells from Midas or Supreme Magicka.

Still, the mod is so premature enough to define things as such, we are yet looking forward to make the "system" done and working (at first, with the Tentative List I designed). But I hope that when that is done, I start adding content (At first, I hope to include all Vanilla Spells). Once all this is done, I will look forward to add Special Stuff. But first, let see how the basics work

Thank you for the cents, I totally agree the way you think about stuff.
I sent the list of classes i designed to other staff members to get revisions and improvements of the basics

Main script is done! The mod Gives you a tool to initiate the mod (this custom-start is to maintain compatibility with Alternative-Start mods, and avoid problems with the tutorial). Once used, the Initiate Tool destroys. This get's information about the character and pops up a Menu Like the screenshots. Chosing non-major schools returns a Wrong-Choice Message. It is the best way I found to maintain compatibility and Clean works. Perhaps in the future I script an auto-detection for Tutorials-finished and classes chosen, but the custom way for now its safer

In a while after some adjustment to the script, I will start adding content to the game easily (I made the script so it is easy to me to modify classes and spells)

[img]http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/6219/some.jpg[/img]

Sorry, But I would like to bump this Up.

Lot of progress have been made, and thanks to ShadowTX. Spell Shops has been disabled for now.

The Tentative Starting List has been updated with many interesting changes. And the Main Script is finished. Hands on the work now, as we will start designing the Progression List

Good luck with this...I can't wait to try it out!

I can't wait to try it out either. You're certainly working fast; keep it up!

Thank you all.

Today we are starting the design of the Classes progression, using at first instance, only vanilla Spells.

Hopefully when all Vanilla Spells are used, the first beta will be released

Damn gotta type this again. Already posted this but then the post on nexus was removed so here I go again.

I like the idea of not buying what you know in magic but actually learning it. Swordplay makes more sense to beable to buy and do more damage, but magic isnt about money and power, well sometimes power. Its more about knowledge. I love the idea simply.

Some thinks you might want to include. A mage should be able to learn a spell from using a scroll. Its kinda the purpose of scrolls with spells on it is for a mage to be able to read them and know how to use them. A warrior should not be allowed to learn the scrolls.

Formula -
Scroll of Fireball 1(Basically a scroll the has a fireball spell that does oh say 12 fire damage)
Players Skill in Destruction - (Spell level * 20)

Players Destruction skill = 30

if players Destruction Skill >= (Players Skill in Destruction - (Spell level * 20)) then add spell to players spell list.

a player who masters in the are of sword play wouldn't have a destruction level of 20 so they can only use the spell not learn it.

formula needs a lot of work it was a quick example.

Excellent, Yes, Thank you.

I was thinking of creating a scrolls system in the near future, to add more special features.

My only concern and fear is about on How adding it to the current LOOT system, without screwing it up with mods such as FCOM/OOO.
But I guess with little patience and Wrye Bash managment (together with it's bashed patch) everything could be done

Thank you!

I was going to say Wrye Bash patch.....If you are not using it you shouldn't even be playing oblivion with mods.

Well if you need any help with textures and scripting I should be able to help in a small part.

I am currently going to try and revive an old idea I had for Oblivion mods. So I can only help very little.

^ Bump UP

More news:

1) Updated Spec List (First Post)

2) We are making into the game the first Spell Lists (Vanilla only) for Novice/Apprentice Mages. Some of them have certain requirements, others spells require mixed Skills (for example, Destruction + Restoration)

3) We are designing a Modular .esp (Optional) which turns ON these effects:

a. All Spells with 0 Duration have a Dynamic Duration depending on the Character's Skill + Mathematical Operation (overall, the spells last Active a lot more time)
b. All Spells can be CANCELED Manually pressing a button
c. All Active Spells will Slowly Drain Magicka and Fatigue. When any of these turns empty, the spell is automatically dispelled

4) All this progress, is being designed without modifying ANY Game file, so the magic system is Compatible with ANY mod for Oblivion! as its name suggests, its a System change.

Just to edit what Revolucion09 said our mod will not be compatible with mods that add spells without there own merchant becouse all spell merchants in vanilla Oblivion were of course disabled from selling spells and any spells added from any spell mods exept Supreem Magicka will not be added by the new learning spell system.



Also news: We have now OFFICIALLY been given permision from SUPREEM MAGICKA to use their spells in this mod!!!
which means that they will be in the AOMS script so you can learn them as you gain skill in your school.

xXShaddowTXx member of AOMS

Could you make NPC and creatures use Midas Magick spells (some of them) and SM spells too? And integrating "Fearsome Magicka" would be nice

It looks great!

Right now we are focusing on the scripting and testing part of the original Oblivion spells then we will include Supreem Magicka and we also PLAN on getting L.A.M.E and Midas Spells.....i'll bring up the idea of npc's using the spells but I think they already do and the creatures I don't know if we can.
It requires curtain skill to get spells and I don't think creatures have skills in the schools of Magic.

I mean creatures like Liches or Wraith which do magic
When you use midas magic npcs use the spells? I'll download it then, I didn't before because I dont want to be casting awesome spells while everyone is still with little fireballs and the boring vanilla magic stuff xD

Thos sounds good! I never really liked Oblivions spells system much either.

Yes, it is a quite interesting proposition, but we have a long way ahead of us, and AI designing will be set when everything else is working OK. But yes, I will not forget this consideration, as I would ALSO like the NPCs to get and use these spells depending on their Magical Capabilities

Also, I Intend to contact the Author of Fearsome magicka, as both mods could get along together nicely, as both consider D&D Basic Ideas of Magic Systems

^ Bump Up

Lots of changes are being made to the Mod. Classes and spells changed in their composition and organization. LAME and Supreme Magicka spells are being added.

Hopefully for the next saturday, all Spells and classes are finished up to Skill Level 50. All classes get between 15 and 30 Spells (This is for Level 0-50 in Major Skills, this means, Novice and Apprentice only) +4 Per Multiclass (for example, a WarPriest with Destruction will get 4 Destruction Spells). Destruction classes such as the fire elementalist wont support Multiclassing (this is because destruction classes are highly overpowered if permitted to multiclass).

Another example is the Conjuration School, which has been split down into four classes, the War Mage (summoner of equipment), The Daedric Summoner, The Druid (Summoner of creatures of the wild) And the Necromancer (Requires Destruction Skills).
Other new classes have been added, replaced or split up.

About administrative stuff, I am still waiting for Midas Spells author to answer my permission (I Think he's not checking the nexus any longer), and a response from the new mod Fearsome Magicka.
Also I am thinking about adding a starting set of Equipment for each class, but I am unsure about it.

This sounds liks such a good mod and I really wish there was anything I could do to help out but theers nothing I can do or say other than Good Luck :]