Good afternoon Oblivion Mods Community,

This is my seconds attempt at making a mod using the CS, and I feel it is fit enough for people to use. Its still a work in progress and thanks to some feedback, the first dungeon has been completed.

This is a solo project and Labor of love, as I am also currently in college progress will take some time to complete. However, I intend to blow your mind of all previous assumptions of oblivion dungeons.
Would love feedback positive and negative alike, as long as its constructive criticism.

You can download it here:
4shared: http://www.4shared.com/file/QtnLB_iU/Water_Temple_v100.html

** Description **
This mod currently adds an Ayleid Runs, which utilizes concepts similar to those found in The Legend of Zelda series of games. Your usual means of opening
gates, and finding your way through a dungeon shan't work here. You must use your mind to solve puzzles which open the way to great treasures. This is the first
in a series of progressively increasing difficulty dungeons that I intent to create all influenced strongly by The Legend of Zelda series of games. Get out your thinking
caps, and prepare for a puzzle bananza. I also plan on including a quest "The Master Quest" in the future once the dungeons have been finalized.
This quest will incorporate finding key items in the less difficult dungeons that are required to progress in future dungeons. (If you missed item A
in dungeon C, you will not be able to complete 'or sometimes even enter' dungeon E without first going back to C).

Progress:
Dungeon #1 100% (Complete)
Dungeon #2 5% (Dungeon Floor Planning)


** How to Properly Setup **
1: Merge the Data folder with the one in your Oblivion Directory. (Default: C:/Program Files (x86)/Bethesda Softworks/Oblivion)
Within your Data folder there should be Sound/fx/MasterQuest filepath with a few custom sound files in it used by my dungeons.

Install the main file with your method of choice:

Standard
2a: Move the "Water Temple v1.00" file manually into your Data Folder, When launching Oblivion via the Launcher click Data and Check its entry in the list.

OBMM
2b: Alternatively you can open OBMM,
find the Create button at the bottom,
In the new window select to "Add Files" and Navigate to where you unzipped "Water Temple v1.00" and double click to add it to the omod. (Do not add the Archive as there is no Conversion Data, so the sounds won't be placed properly.)
At the bottom right of the window select "Create Omod".
Finally Activate it from the list

I've been looking for something to do tonight, and this concept sounds fun. I'll download it tonight and try it out.

Alright, first things first...using OBMM didn't put the esp in the Data folder. In fact, it didn't put the esp anywhere. Had to manually extract it. Also, it put the data files into Data\Water Temple Beta v1.0\Data\Sounds\fx\TestingSpace. Looking at the Read Me, I don't think that is what you meant for OBMM to do. So I manually extracted those also.

Side note, there is a "sound" directory in Data already, your instructions reference "Sounds" and so does your folder tree in the rar. Something to keep in mind to clean up, unless you meant to do that.

On to playing...

Alright, main room looks good, except there is a block at the food of those stairs that rise up that I keep running into. Not game breaking, but a bit annoying.

First area, maze is kinda cool. Skeletons for me were dropping nice swords, anyone without strength will find themselves running in and out to sell stuff (like I did)

First problem encountered: The next area, the water room...there is a button on the far wall. I can get to it, the "push" symbol appears, but I can't actually push it. Kinda stuck atm. Looking for alternatives.

Edit: figured it out, very clever.

My mistake, you are right about it being Sound instead of Sounds in the Data directory. I'll correct that.

EDIT: As far as OBMM is concerned. Its not ment to add the entire archive, just the esp. I don't have conversion data inside the archive for it to find (still new, haven't looked up a guide yet on how to make OBMM conversion data. Its on my todo list).

Things happen

Next area...the one with the six buttons and all the gates. I see what you are trying to do there, but both chests can be accessed from the water behind them. Not sure if this was intentional, considering the nasty trap that did kill me when I got curious and went through the gates to the same chests. On to the next room, so far rather enjoyable.

Yea, I kinda figured higher level characters would good acrobatics would get around it that way >.< If only there was a fenced in version of the bridge's endcap. =/ I could do it with the current tile set but it wouldn't look right >.<

Links updated fixed the typo in the readme and directory tree.

EDIT: Oooh, from the water.. I thought you ment you jumped over the ledge eek, guess they are a little close to the ledge

Yep, directly from the water, right behind them. Maybe make the ends of the halls a bit bigger and put the chests up on a pedestal?
Next room...not too bad. No issues here, just did my thang and got out to the boss fight.

Gotta admit, that was kinda scary for a lowly level 3 mage. Lots of run, cast skeleton, turn fire, run, repeat. Boss loot chests were very anti-climactic. Are they leveled? If so, I can understand, but the boss weapon (silver hammer) was worth more than the chests

Over all, a nice little mod. Didn't notice any performance issues or anything odd like that. I'd say a good job for your second mod.

I did notice the skeletons and other random chests sometimes had rather expensive stuff. I picked up two runeskulls (def a mod thing) and several elven swords and better. nice little payday there.

Yea, those runeskulls are coming from MMM. As far as the Boss chests, they have a 10% chance to drop magic weapons/armor of light and heavy variety. and 25% chance for regular stuff. The normal chests throughout the dungeon have a 10% chance for regular weapons/armor. I used basic leveled lists from the CS for chest loot, so if a mod like MMM is editing those lists then I guess my dungeon loots going to be different than I intended hehe. All the monsters are leveled so the weapons they drop (aside from the big guy at the end) should be scaled to your level. However I think MMM mods that too.

I believe I originally was going to put them on pedestals, I guess it slipped my mind when I got into writing scripts for the various doors and gates to all work and reset properly as well as consume the keys in the dungeon.

And thanks for the feedback, glad you enjoyed it

The first mod I made was probably 3x bigger than that, and heavily details. It took alot out of me and I noticed the FPS hits in certain areas on my test-runs so I decided to cut back a little in that department.

Well, I was going to test it out for you as well, since I have time on my hands this evening, but it appears your file in no longer available. Does that mean you're satisfied?

No, I upped a new file but it seems filefront is having some trouble atm =/ I'll try to re-up it and see if that helps anything.

EDIT: I think its just a temporary problem with filefront, I'll look for an alternative source.

EDIT 2: Updated first post with a new link.

I'm trying to play through it now, but I can't seem to figure out any of the puzzles. I love doing these things, but sadly I can never pretend to be good at them. Could you perhaps send me some sort of walk-through?

Anyway, to give some constructive criticism on what I've seen so far, http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v510/mattkaine/Oblivion/Oblivion2011-04-3009-07-25-83.jpg, though when the actual mod is released, I would probably move it away from civilization. I noticed upon entering the Temple that it could easily be a lot darker. This would add to the sense of danger and such. The skeletons in the maze-like section sneaked up on me, though it was http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v510/mattkaine/Oblivion/Oblivion2011-04-3009-13-24-85.jpg. I would recommend making them a bit smaller so they don't get stuck so easily. If you do end up sending me a walk-through, I can progress further and give you more advice, but right now I'm trapped inside of the room with the button and the bow and clueless as what to do next.

I left the bow in the room as a hint ^^

And yes the entrence will be else where, its only in the waterfront so its easily found for testing. (and because I never added a map marker for it)

Updated the 4-shared link to a new build, Shrunk the skeletons in the maze like you suggested as well as made the chests after the gate puzzle a little higher off the ground so you shouldn't be able to reach them from the water. Also added a little something extra (for fun) after the final boss in the zone, they are weak and rather timid but funny to watch :]

EDIT: I sent you a PM, but the forums signed me out afterward so I don't know if you actually got it.

So far it's been really entertaining trying to figure out puzzles and such, but I'm stuck in a room now that I can't figure out. I replied to your PM with where I am. My only other piece of criticism I have right now is that there isn't really very much clutter around the dungeon. Putting some broken furniture and such would keep the rooms less monotonous and help distract the character so the puzzles aren't as quick to solve.

atm clutter is under the incomplete section, I will be adding some in the future to make the dungeon more complete. Just trying to get a feel if oblivion players actually like the puzzle concept before I put more time into polishing the dungeon layout. I intend to make much larger more complex dungeons if it catches some popularity, I'll try to refrain from locking players in a room until they solve the puzzle however. I can see how that might frustrate someone whos been trying to figure something out for a while and might want to take a break from it and relax outside the dungeon somewhere.

I wasn't necessarily saying that being trapped inside the dungeon was necessarily a bad thing. I personally think it adds to the intensity of the experience.

I'm not sure what happened to our PM conversation; it says I was banned from it? I just defeated the boss, which was fun, but definitely could have been better if he was more associated with water, given the name of the temple. I really liked what happens when he dies, too. But is it the end once you kill him? My local map shows me that there's a hallway in the boss room that's still hidden. Nevermind, I figured it out.

All in all, the end result will be great once you put in the clutter and such. Like I said earlier, too, you could also afford to make the whole dungeon a little darker. If it's possible, it might be fun to replace the fire with blue flames, which would suit the theme a bit more. Thanks for letting me test it out, and I can't wait to play through it again once the final version is released.

The only hallway that should be leading out of the last room should be the way to the entrance, I'll go double check and make sure there isn't a piece of the tile set sitting randomly off to the side or something. If you don't mind providing a screenshot of what you are talking about, then I could more easily discern what you mean.

Np, glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully some others will drop by and decide to give it a go with 2 positive ratings so far

Oh btw, no ones commented on the few custom sounds. Are they working correctly?

Also, I don't know if you did much exploring under water in the different rooms but there are a few hidden chests to be found down there.

Hard to know whether they all worked if I don't know when they were supposed to be activated, but I did notice a few of the new ones, and they sounded good and entertaining. And of course I got the reference. :tongue:

I did dive down occasionally and grab some of the loot underwater. A lot of the chests have random stuff like ingredients and the like, and that includes the boss chests. Taking out the possibility of ingredients spawning could make these chests a lot more worth while, in my opinion. As Maiev said, the boss's weapon was worth more than anything inside of the chests.

Hehe, well if you got the reference then I guess that means they worked. There wasn't very many, just the wall switches that require a certain ranged activation to let you know its been triggered and the other 2 sounds to let you know something new has appeared close by or a new path has opened.

I suppose I could up the rate a little more on the boss chests. The standard chests also have a chance of dropping up to 1k gold, and the random ingrediants don't hinder anything else from populating the chest. Potentially it could drop one of every catagory of item possible on the chest (Gold, Weapons, Arrows, Reagents, Soul Gems, Filled Soul Gems (lower rate), Micro Treasure, Gems, Light and Heavy Armor). All dependent on level ofcourse. Won't see random grand soul gems till lvl 25 things like that. The boss chests have all those items plus magic items of every kind at 10% rate. Maybe I'll increase it to 25% to make it a little more worthwhile. Though I think the chests should prove alot more worthwhile for higher level characters than for lower level (in comparison to the final boss's held weapon, which I might end up modifying). Yea, not many enchanted items for lower levels. Should be finding more at higher levels, also just modified to loot a little for the next build. Working on clutter atm.

All of that makes sense to me. I'd say upping the rate of finding an enchanted item seems like the best idea. Looking forward to seeing the clutter! Also, I should let you know, I played through the whole thing using a level 1 character and used god mode when the enemies were too difficult, so I can't give you any advice on how hard everything is to kill. Just be sure to say in the final version that you should go in until level 5 or higher.

Oh, and I forgot to mention earlier that there was a typo when reading the tablet in the room I was stuck in.

Thanks for the heads up, I found and fixed the typo you were referring to.
Flare should dispatch the skeletons in 1 hit, even at level one. At least it does on mine, even though I normally fist fight them for testing.

New version being put up, within the next minute.
Updated with some clutter. I didn't feel standard clutter (crates, barrels, etc.) really fit the theme of the dungeon outside the first room. (Wanted it to appear as if adventurers had tried to explore, unsuccessfully.) However I added other elements and revamped a few areas where possible to make the over all exploration feel a bit more satisfying in the end, as far as finding things go. As well as a couple surprises, although one is blatantly obvious
Also changed some of the chest loot, made the money from the chests a little more random instead of an even 5, 20, 50, 100, etc (Since you got the reference I'll assume you know why I did that as well ;p).
Final boss has also been changed to, really the only creature that fits the theme remotely that doesn't swim in the water... lol (I think he might be very rough and need some toning down, if you were to do nothing be melee him at lower levels, use flare!).
Also reduced the over-all file size, since I had sounds in the folder I wasn't currently utilizing. Reducing its size by 75%!

PS: I don't know if you found it or not, but there is a switch somewhere that gives access to 2 Varla stones, The only aspect of the dungeon that does not reset.

I did a quick run-through of the latest version. I love the new boss, the clutter and such adds a lot to the atmosphere, and the darkness makes the whole thing incredibly freaky. I even thought so the second time, and I already knew how to do everything! The only thing I noticed this time was that the throne in the last room is floating a bit. Other than that, it's fantastic.

Oh, and yes, I did manage to find the switch for the varla stones this time around.

Awesome, hehe. I'll get that throne in a proper place.

Glad you liked the atmosphere. I was thinking I went a bit over the top with some of the mist fx.

EDIT: Thanks for all the help, wish more people would give it a try Updated the throne.