@Surazal; whoops, not intended. Which particular esp file is it that is the problem?

This one: "ImpeREAL Empire - Unique Forts .esp"

Ok, thanks. Uploading the fixed esp now.

Ok, the fixed file is on nexus.

To the thirty five people who downloaded it, other than Surazal, rename 'ImpeREAL Empire - Unique Forts .esp' to 'ImpeREAL Empire - Unique Forts.esp' (in other words, remove the space between Forts and .esp). Or get the fixed version, but changing the name is easier.

Also, if I had even the least bit of knowledge about modding I'd start working on this expansion myself, but I'm useless for the time being. I'd be glad to help in any way I can, though, if you decide to try to implement any of this stuff. Writing, um, more writing, I don't know, there's probably something I could do, heh. Just let me know in the future and I'll do whatever I can.

Also thanks, for I am one of those 35 people.

@Palidoo; those are all good ideas, though scripting it would be time consuming (although simple and easy to pick up on). I wouldn't have time to do something like that right now, but if in the future you feel like you'd like to try something like that just let me know. ImpeREAL forts is happy to have more people involved.

Will do, it's actually simple enough compared to all the other ideas I have that it might be the first thing I try once I finish and launch my mod website, which is the project taking up my time right now. Most of my other ideas are on the level of huge thorough overhauls to things, aside from various little immersion-boosting ideas I've made a list of (boats viewable off the coast of Anvil, anyone??). So yeah it's entirely possible I might have success with it and notify you in the future.

I'm working on a that adds http://elderscrolls.iguanadons.net/index.php?a=topic&t=101&p=3178#p3178 crewed by the Imperial Legion, in case your interested, does that fit in with your idea?

Prettyfly, The idea for ships is an awesome one indeed. Oblvion is always in need of more immersion. Btw, have you ever seen this mod? http://orden.xerxes-design.de/ It is a German one, and due to a conflict between mod creator and some forumers, it will be hardly translated into English. That is sad, as mod made some very cool additions.
I am particularly interested in this one - Imperial military port at Brena http://orden.xerxes-design.de/scrbrena.html .
Do you think that you can make something similar (a fort with a port, maybe at Brena too, to make it compatible with UL, or in Topal Bay, a bit outside of the map.)?

It could be possible depending on how things go for time. However, I won't include it as part of the initial release of the ships mod, but if things go well I could certainly look into. Definitely a good idea.

Nice, your ships sound very much like what I have in mind. My idea is probably more purely visual, basically one or two ships far off the coast of Anvil that are seen at random times, as if there is commerce going on or whatever and not just some ship sitting off the coast doing nothing.

I am looking forward to it, whenever you make it! It is a bit sad that heart of the Empire does not have navy or a proper military port, to control vast Sea around it.

ImpeREAL Forts - OOO patch V1.1 by Xtudo is now released

This update overhauls the NPC's in Fort Ordeal. Remember to delete the old OOO patch before installing the upgrade.

Remember the patch includes the changes for BOTH Fort Ordeal and Fort Black Rock.

DON'T use the new version at the same time as the new version.

I have a small bit of CC on this mod. Specifically on the technique of placing the first floor into the Tamriel worldspace.

I feel that this should be altered or discontinued. Preferably altered.

The reason is this: you are using invisible walls to block the player's progress into the fort until they activate said wall. This is absolute murder to immersion. This is my main reason why: You make it seem like it will be possible to enter the fort smoothly, but then get halted by what is essentially a "Hey, you can't do that! You are not conforming to the game's will!" Considering that this is a game that was designed for players to not conform to any strict rules or regulations regarding where you are and are not allowed to go, this technique is extremely out of place.

However, I think we will be able to retain this sort of transition and do so much more smoothly. All that needs to be done is attach a script to the door that makes it a proper load door, but delays the teleportation until the opening animation is finished, then have the door close automatically after a certain period of time. No more need for invisible walls, and you don't need to gut the mod to make such a change. I know this is possible because Harvest Containers did something very similar by forcing the container menu not to display until the container opening animation is completed. You might be able to simply reverse-engineer those scripts to do what I described above.

Unless someone can see a flaw in that approach. I'm no scripting guru. :whistling:

Hmm...Arthmoor did something a bit like this in Faregyl, didn't he?

In any case, I like that idea, it should provide an extra degree of immersion for the mod. I see what SilentResisdent thinks about (I'm sure he'll like the idea though), and I might have a look at doing that in the near future.

On the door opening/door shutting mechanism though; wouldn't it make more sense for the door to shut as soon as you enter the interior cell? Because if there is a timer, if you immediately exit the interior you might find the door still open when you go back outside, which will then allow you to enter the exterior interior(tongue twister or what) of the fort. And to go back into the fort you'd have to close an already open door...

But otherwise, great idea.

Deceptively simple. The door object that's used for the invisible doors (probably a copied collision box) just needs the "automatic door" box checked in the door definition. That will remove the activation prompt because you shouldn't be able to get close enough to see it. You'll simply be carried inside like you walked in. That's exactly how the mine transitions in Faregyl work. You just get close and the load screen interrupts you briefly.

Sweet, that sure does make things simple then. A quick check with SilentResisdent and I should have an update ready quite briefly.

It does have one slight drawback in that if you happen to step backward or something inside the fort and back toward the door you'd be pulled back outside again.

I've got some news which I think people are going to be somewhat disappointed with. Unfortunately, automatic loading doors are not going to be able to be used in the mod. This is because the game is extremely picky about what part of the mesh you have to be touching for it to load you into the interior cell, and as a result it doesn't really function properly with the large doors to the forts.

If someone has a way to get around this then I'll try and get it to work again, but for the moment it isn't going to be included.

Other methods, like the one's Thomas recommended may still be on the table though, but I don't have time just now to work on them.

How hard would it be for you to make an alternate version of the mod that doesn't include the visible interior? I was just wondering what effect it had on performance, as I was approaching one of the forts recently and my framerate dipped significantly. It's not a big deal, but I thought if it wasn't too difficult it might be an option for people with lower performing computers; I'm not sure I'd even use it unless the difference in performance is substantial.

It wouldn't be hard. I'd need SilentResisdent's permission first though, and I'd want to find out from the community what they want as well.

I do agree that the forts do cause performance to dip quite a bit though and if enough people with performance problems ask it should be easy enough to do.

Cool. I mean, it's a pretty neat feature for when you want to go inside, but when you're just passing by it's rendering stuff you won't end up seeing and is ultimately a waste. I guess if Oblivion's engine could actually do proper occlusion culling (is that the correct term for not rendering stuff not actively in the player's view?) it wouldn't be an issue.

I really enjoy this particular feature and do not want it abandoned. That said, I've nothing against a standard-door option for those who want it.

-Decrepit-

I would attribute any performance dips with this mod to the new NPCs over the interior meshes. We're talking on the magnitude of 4 to 5 legion soldiers (with full AI) outside with up to 3 horses stabled nearby. Coupled with road traffic, you can easily have up to 10 NPCs in that small area around the fort at a single time, and that is certainly going to affect performance.

Just saying, the interior modeling is not the only culprit here. It is common knowledge that this game svcks at crowds.

Not sure what the exact problem was with the automatic door thing but maybe it's not suitable for larger openings? It works fine in the confined spaces of the Faregyl mines and is apparently the same method used in the immersive caves mod. Could be the center of the mesh (crosshairs in the CS) needs to be relatively close to where you want the door?

Also, I'd much rather see the visible interiors remain.