Interesting idea. Some feedback:

* portcullis opening is too narrow - suggest increasing opening so that finished stonework is flush with adjoining wall. The narrowness is most noticeable where the archway opening is very tall (e.g. ebonheart near six fishes), proportions don't look right. Should also help with allowing NPCs to pass thru without too much navigation trouble (noticed that guards will sometimes pace back and forth perpendicular to the opening before getting thru - usually caused by AI not having enough room to navigate).

* inner side of portcullis needs finished stonework along edge of opening, similar to what's on the outer facing side.

* in some places, the framing of archway side doors is covered up by portcullis wall (e.g. inner side of southern entry to ebonheart) - not very aesthetic, looks like the portcullis was constructed as an afterthought and a rushed job at that.

Almost there, just needs a few more tweaks! B)

Hmmm, a horizontal portcullis? I'd leave this out, to me the fix is worse than the problem. A horizontal portcullis implies complex machinery to open and close it and begs the question of why not use a simpler, vertical one. To me my immersion would be ruined more by this than by no portcullis.

I think someone could just complete Nonsuch's series with A Portcullis for Ebonheart.

http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=2238
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=2369
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=2415
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=3845

These plugins have been in my game since I found them.

Those are great, thanks for the links!

I like the idea of a portcullis. However, I can't see the horizontal portcullis because Morrowind is not with me at the moment. Anyone care to take some newer screenshots?

Also, I like those meshes by Nonsuch.

@Dragon32: The reason Connary wanted to use horizontal portcullises was because (I think) the arch ways are sometimes segmented in a way that makes a vertical portcullis nonsensical (I think he mentions his reasons in previous pages). Another reason is because you have to have a wall above that is of equal height or more to the archway below. However, Nonsuch gets around this, supposedly by having the grates be shorter and not cover the whole of the archway.

Another reason is because Connary is designing the portcullis as a pluginless replacer which will replace every instance of Ex_imp_wall_arch_01.nif mesh.

Nonsuch's mods use a plugin to only add the portcullises to select locations where they make the most sense for a vertical portcullis.

I'm still waiting for some screenshots of his latest version of the horizontal portcullis, if anyone could assist

Already posted http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1033715&st=41#.

Better yet, download the test version http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1033715&st=62# and give it a go yourself - it's just a single mesh, no esps to worry about. :poke:

I still don't like horizontal portcullises as it doesn't even make sense, but I think I'll survive though.
A bit disappointing, I don't think portcullises should be in it personally, because not implementing it is better than implementing it in a forced way.

Those screenshots are from his first version of the mesh before he uploaded it for beta-testing. As he mentions http://rapidshare.com/files/274770823/Horizontal_Portcullis.rar, http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1033715&view=findpost&p=15007036, and http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1033715&view=findpost&p=15007229, he has uploaded 3 versions of the new portcullis mesh (I assume the first one is the mesh used for those screenshots). Since, as I've mentioned, I don't have Morrowind with me (meaning not on a computer within several miles of here) I would be ever so thankful if someone would take some screenshots of the "final mesh" in post http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1033715&view=findpost&p=15007229. Pretty please with sugar and new textures on top? :angel:

However, disregard the request for screenshots if the newest mesh looks exactly like the one in the screenshots he took (because he might have just adjusted the collision).

I'm pretty sure he just adjusted the collision

Dagnabit, tricked again!

WOW??? This as become a very interesting thing. The feedback with the portcullis its a extraordinary tool for me. My only complain its that only a few people (four, five?) seems to care about sharing his thoughts from a total of 28 downloads of the last version.

All the mesh versions are the same. Ive only changed the mesh collision.

The basis of this concept, like Tetchy said, its the substitution of the original mesh to this one. This implies than it must work in all conditions. Vertical position its the most important to take care. This is the reason the portcullis works in all the entire longitude (high) of the door aperture. Also a open portcullis need evidently vertical space to maintain his metal sheet, no way with 30 metres high archdoor that we need to close. Example, in tel vos there are some arch doors near the maximum altitude of the mesh.
I had the feeling that this concept dont have a good acceptance. Not by the majority. Seeing this i will delete this mesh from the Compendium.

But my big, tremendous??? (put some percusion here, bum bum bum...) surprise its the main reason that the majority alleges, the horizontal movement.
Ive not invented the wheel here. You can find this solution in all the history eras, also middle ages. Its not the castle portcullis that we have in mind but its a solution for places without vertical o turn space like prisons, cellars, etc.... We must add that this is an open fantasy world. Perhaps my implementation of this idea its so horrid that creates this feelings. Its curious, the open castle brings to me this disgusting sensation of something out of place.

The open forts and castles always struck me as suggesting that while there was a Legion presence in Morrowind, it was for the most part a civilized-enough area that they didn't feel particularly threatened, and were only there, just in the horizon, to remind the people (for good and bad) that the Empire is there and watching.
I think adding portcullises or anything to the forts would imply that the Legion feels a need to lock up and was something to worry about. Which they really don't. A real god-Emperor tends to do a lot for you.

Anyways, those lights look interesting. I like the effect. Any chance I could sneak a preview of them to see how they react to bloom, and possibly tweak some setting in tB g6 so it works with your mod as well as possible, connary? Possibly release an edition preset to take your textures into account?

This is exactly the same kind of lie that i repeat everytime that im visiting the forts but a really good one. You are right, we all can fill the design holes with our imagination.

Sorry, which lights?

Why remove something from your vision for end users? If they don't like it, they don't need to use it, or even d/l it, Its very easy to not place it in the game if you so choose, so I don't see any reason to not include it if it is part of your vision. :shrug:

Besides, there are those that like it as well. :goodjob:

Just figured I'd give my 2 cents, I consider myself lucky to have downloaded it as is though if you decide to not include it, as I am one of those that like it.

I don't know if that seems like a hole, really. If they meant to use that reasoning, it works just fine. Otherwise, it's still a pretty decent basis. It also fits the world. There are plenty of bandits, but compared to the Legion, what does Morrowind have that could possibly be a challenge? Dagoth Ur and the Tribunal, but that's about it.



On second thought, I don't think that it would be possible to do a decent setup without having the full texture pack. I suppose I'll have to just download it eventually.
But I was referring to a picture with a lamp or two, you posted previously. The lamps are similar to Morrowind's, but with more effects and changed colors. The thing with bloom is that it fakes light based on the color present, so it can be extremely sensitive to changes in color. Hence why your textures may need some tweaks to the bloom technique to get the same effect as vanilla textures.

I think that you do not construct a fortress without doors whatever the level of threat at a certain moment. But i must insist that your reasoning its a valid one and i can live with it.
Will be wonderful if you download my mod eventually :rolleyes: and work in an adaptation of a shader. My textures are definitely more contrasted and dark in some places than the vanilla ones.

i do understand its a fantasy realm. But even in a fantasy there are rules that make the world work. I think if the art of the horizontal portcullis is liked. thats all great, but the art has nnothing to do with its implementation. It seems fewer like the idea than the ones that do not like it. Having to sift a few hundred megabytes for a small file for newbies that dont know how to remove it, as opposed to using an "Optionals" folder with things like the horizontal portcullis?

would be really great for both, a regualr folder for trees , armor etc. the accepted stuff, and a few optionals in a "optional" folder for the horizontal portcullis?

just thinking of how the compendium was said i think abouts over 1 gig? sifting it seem's like a nightmare to me for small files here or there, is my concern.

Come to think of it, is this for an interior or exterior passage? and why at all would a door even be needed?

Its not so complicated to detect undesired meshes. Entering the console and left click on an object ingame brings the name of the mesh.
I need some time to decide what i must do with this particular things that touch the limits of the original game concepts. Perhaps an addendum for brave people or perhaps maintain the fidelity to my own concept including this mesh into the compendium, i dont know at this time. The good thing its that in a mod with hundred of meshes this is the only one i can remember that can be controversial. The rest of my mesh modifications tend to be undetectable for outlanders.

There's this wonderful concept in fantasy worlds called magic. As part of the fortifications process, a permanency spell is cast onto the horizontal portcullis that enables its lateral movement. There could even be extra dimensional spaces that the portcullis retracts into, eliminating the need for physical wall space to house the open grating - both horizontally and vertically! :lightbulb:

Every windows install comes with file search capabilities - connary would only need to mention the file name in the readme, then people could actually make use of the power provided by having a computer to search for that file themselves after it's installed and choose what to do with it. Self empowerment is a wonderful thing. B)

True. It would make good tactical sense to have doors. Of course, doors cost more, so they could have just been skimping on expenses. At that point it starts to get out of good logic and into guessing, though.

I only say eventually because I am, at the moment, happy with my textures (no slight against your work ). I will certainly take a look at it and see if any improvements can be made for various shaders, just as soon as you release it.
Contrast definitely will changes things somewhat. Darkness may not have a large effect, since an HDR shader will negate that to an extent. However, HDR and bloom will certainly have to take contrast and detail into account.





You could always use an installer, and separate those questionable parts. Most installer creation programs now support optional packages. You could include any changes as options, and it would be simple to use for new and experienced users.
Also, some new installers support chunked archives. You could include the installer program with the first 100 MB of the package, and use separate files as the next chunks to split the download but still use an installer and have easy options.
Plus, making options means the not only do you not have to cut into your vision to please users, they can select what they prefer without any hassle on either end.

well, I was completely un aware of that concept connary. no sarcasm =)

so I will try to remember the console, thing. thanks.

but since horizontal portcullis is controversial, maybe a small addendum? makes sense, as it would be most convenient ^_^

make everyone happy with your work BOTH ways. good idea.

I like the horizontal portcullis! I think you should just put it in and not listen to anybody! :mohawk:

his mod , so it being up to him. but why ask anyone at all for an opinion to say screw the people using it, if not to assume our opinions matter? not even going to argue further. just my opinion.

I like the mesh.

You can easily make it an optional addon Connary.