[Relz] ALEX Ayleid Loot Extended Thread 2 : IV

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:21 pm

Have http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=22795 and http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=OblivionMods.Detail&id=5362 and read on!
This mod is also available in http://hazevalley.ru/downloads.php?page_id=212.

From the readme:

This mod adds a bunch of new ayleid clutter to the game, but rather than just add it for sale at one or more vendors I have made it as loot that can be obtained through exploration and thievery. The items can still be purchased from some vendors, but stock is erratic as the items are hard to come by.

Most items are placed inside new containers that can be found in many ayleid ruins. These containers are placed in out of the way corners where people have never noticed them before, so if you can't find any then you're not looking hard enough. The placement of these containers is what makes this mod fun for me: they are placed in some seriously inconvenient places. If you can see a container but cannot work out how to access it, consider obtaining access to these magic effects via spells, potions or scrolls: telekinesis, water walking, water breathing, fortify acrobatics, fortify speed and light. I have tested that all the most inconvenient containers are accessible, but I make no promises about how *easy* it is to access them, or even find them! Some of them are crammed into very inconvenient corners.

For players of a more devious nature I have also provided some options for acquiring some (not all) of the new items by theft. There are a couple of NPCs in the game with small (but quite valuable) collections in their homes. Keep an eye out!

Finally, there is a simple mini-quest. There's no quest log, no quest marker and no dialogue, but there are a couple of letters, a key and a lost chest of valuables.

As a warning note: players without access to the magic effects I have listed may find it difficult to find or access more than a handful of the new containers. Also players who don't check their environment carefully may never see any of these chests. This is intentional. If you have the esp installed and cannot find any chests then you're most likely just not looking carefully enough.

Feedback that's welcome:

Missing files in the download archive!
Typos in the readme/documentation.
Bugs in the mod (including things like clipping or dirty/unnecessary edits).
Info about modders' resources for additional ayleid clutter.
Are there too many or too few chests? (Currently 26 chests spread over the 54 vanilla ayleid ruins)
Are loot drops too rare and/or too lucrative when you get them? (Currently you tend to only get the occasional lucky hit, but the lucky hits are quite generous)
Are items reasonably priced?

Feedback I don't need:

"I have this great idea...": so do I. :shrug:
"You could ask XXX if you can use his resources.": yes, I could, but I can do other things too: I only want info about proper modders' resources.
"I can't find any of these chests": read the readme.
"It's too hard": tough.
"It's too easy": make it yourself then.
"My grandmother ate my hamster after she played this": uuuuuh, wha?

Info on compatibility:

This mod adds chests to numerous vanilla aylieid ruins, adds clutter items and chests to two vanilla NPCs' houses and adds a couple of items to one vanilla NPC's inventory (bash tag included to help make sure the items will appear in your game). Any other mod(s) changing these records can potentially conflict.

Screens (will be updated soon for the new icons):

As the point of this mod is that the loot has to be searched for and found, all screens of item placement are potential spoilers (i.e. you might say "I know that place!" and then not have the "fun" of struggling to find that chest). You are warned.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot3.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot2.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot1.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot0.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot19.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot18.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot17.jpg Oh, wait, how do you get up there to begin with? :lol:

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot20.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot22.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot25.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot23.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot24.jpg You should (re)move those glasses before there's an accident.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot26.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/Revanchism/Ayleid%20Loot/ScreenShot21.jpg

The meshes for ALEX are inspired from cryptic_rain's ayleid clutter mod, and made using the textures and meshes from http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=20644. For additional screens of the full item sets please check their pages.

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/960320-relz-ayleid-loot-extended-alex/.

Vac

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:22 am

Hi Vac,

Thanks for getting back so soon (you're really awesome about that)...

Well, unless the person's an ********, I think people generally deserve a fast response if they take the time to make a comment or ask a question in the appropriate space (and not opening a new thread, or asking on other forums). Of course, if I'm asleep or at work I can't do a lot about it.

And I believe I owe you an apology. Believe it or not, it appears my issues (fingers, toes, and anything else I can think of crossed) are FIXED, thanks to Wrye Bash's bloat fix of all things. http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1094775-allies-for-bruma-trouble/page__p__15985829__fromsearch__1&#entry15985829, if you're interested. I have not tried yet, and I have no reason to now, but I am sure I could deactivate ALEX now if I wanted to. (and no, I don't want to!)

Sweet! I am very glad to hear you fixed it and also very glad to hear that it doesn't seem to really be ALEX-related.

Off topic (but since this is the end of this thread, what the heck), I have been taking some screenshots of VASE entities as I encounter them. I will gladly shoot them to you if you like. Eventually I am going to throw them up with some others in a gallery online, but that could be a while yet. If you'd like to see what I have in the meantime let me know and I'll zip them up for you.

Stick them in an archive, put it on 4Shared or somewhere and pm me the link. At the very least, I'd enjoy seeing someone else's shots of them.

What I really need most for ALEX at this stage are videos, and I really don't have spare time for that...

Thanks again, and thanks for all of your excellent work. It makes Tamriel so much more interesting!
veg

My pleasure.

Vac

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 6:00 pm

The link to cryptic's doesn't work.

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 7:35 pm

The link to cryptic's doesn't work.

Ahh, yes, I remember that: Cryptic pulled that work offline. As I remade all the items myself using Meo's resources it doesn't cause issues with permission, but I'll snuff the link. Cheers for spotting that.

Vac

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:24 am

How do you pronounce "buroiae", "lormathiae", and any of the other items I haven't found yet?

(Really nice stuff, BTW... I have a buriae bowl, a couple lormathiae spoons, and a vase, which I have on display.)

» Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:27 am

How do you pronounce "buroiae", "lormathiae", and any of the other items I haven't found yet?

(Really nice stuff, BTW... I have a buriae bowl, a couple lormathiae spoons, and a vase, which I have on display.)

For pronunciation, I just kinda try to say it phonetically. For the language reference, look for stuff on the Ayleid language, for example on the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Ayleid_Language. I don't know any pronunciation guides, however. Maybe someone in the lore forum could help you out?

Vac

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:03 am

Hehe. I thought you made those words up, not adapted them from Ayleid. Silly me.

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 7:50 pm

Hehe. I thought you made those words up, not adapted them from Ayleid. Silly me.

Heavens, no. There's no need to make stuff up. Well. I did take some liberties; the resources on the Ayleid language aren't terribly , uhh, comprehensive, but it all uses known vocabulary and grammar, at least.

Vac

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 3:47 pm

This mod looks very interesting. Sorry for not noticing it earlier.
I'll play it for a bit and see how fun it is. I like finding treasure, even if it is just clutter.

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 6:12 pm

I've been in one and a half Ayleid ruins on the Hammerfell coast, and I haven't found any Ayleid loot yet. I thought I gave the one ruin I fully cleared out a good look-over, so I'm guessing that one ruin didn't have any. Will keep my eyes peeled though.

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:25 pm

I've been in one and a half Ayleid ruins on the Hammerfell coast, and I haven't found any Ayleid loot yet. I thought I gave the one ruin I fully cleared out a good look-over, so I'm guessing that one ruin didn't have any. Will keep my eyes peeled though.

Maybe they're empty, maybe they're not: most of the ruins have at least one chest somewhere. Make no mistake that some of these containers are absolute nightmares to find: even I struggle sometimes, and I'm the one who hid them! :brokencomputer: There are a few (just a few) that are quite easy, so don't for one moment think that by finding one the others are going to be as easy to find as one you just spotted.

Vac

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 3:24 pm

This mod is a must-have for any adventure or treasure-hunter type of player. Thank you for all your hard work, got my vote for File of the month :thumbsup:

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:08 am

This mod is a must-have for any adventure or treasure-hunter type of player. Thank you for all your hard work, got my vote for File of the month :thumbsup:

Huh?!? File of the Month? Seriously? Thanks! That's very kind of you, but I very much doubt I've got a polar bear's chance in Libya of winning. Heheh, that just made my day though. :icecream:

Vac

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:55 pm

Thanks for the work in this mod. I have played for sometime with it. It would be interesting to give some reasons (lore or story related) to why all these Ayleid stuffs are so scatttered in ruines and most often in odd places; this is the (somewhat subjective) reason that had lead me to stop using it. I want just you to take this as constructive criticism.
BTW a have the same remark for a similar mod of Phitt.

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:45 pm

This mod makes me realize that I svck at finding stuff. My char must have done +10 Ayleid Ruins by now - and I haven't found a single item yet. And I thought that I was good at canvassing dungeons. Apparently not so... :shakehead:

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:56 pm

This mod makes me realize that I svck at finding stuff. My char must have done +10 Ayleid Ruins by now - and I haven't found a single item yet. And I thought that I was good at canvassing dungeons. Apparently not so... :shakehead:

He, with my new build it took me 60 hours to realise I haven't turned ALEX on... but then in the first forgotten ayleid dungeon from Ayleid steps found almost full set. One house to furnish down, dozen more left.

» Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:47 pm

He, with my new build it took me 60 hours to realise I haven't turned ALEX on... but then in the first forgotten ayleid dungeon from Ayleid steps found almost full set. One house to furnish down, dozen more left.

It's on alright as I've seen loot in a certain NPC's home. Hm, time to do some serious Ayleid dungeon excavations I guess. Also, doesn't Ayleid Steps use the same resources - so that was actually not from ALEX?

» Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:57 am

It would be interesting to give some reasons (lore or story related) to why all these Ayleid stuffs are so scatttered in ruines and most often in odd places

Err... Umm...

then Abbot Cosmas gathered all the brothers and led them to Malada, also known as the High Fane in the Elvish tongue, and came against it with holy fire, and the foul demons were destroyed, and many devilish relics and books found therein were burned.

[Pelinal] drove the sorcerer armies past the Niben, claiming all the eastern lands for the rebellion of the Paravania, and Kyne had to send her rain to wash the blood from the villages and forts that no longer flew Ayleid banners

wrought destruction from Narlemae all the way to Celediil, and erased those lands from the maps of Elves and Men, and all things in them,

How about hundreds of angry humans invading your cities, killing everyone indiscriminately, breaking everything, stealing all the valuables they can carry and burning the rest, generally doing a fine job of showing the world the meaning of the word "pillage"? Wouldn't that be a good reason to hide your valuables in a safe place out the way in the hope you might be able to come back and retrieve them later (except that you get killed along with nearly everyone else). There's plenty of historical examples of ethnic/cultural/religious groups suffering life-threatening persecution/threats hiding their valuables in the hope they can return later and recover them. I really don't see the problem aside from a lack of imagination or knowledge of lore.

This mod makes me realize that I svck at finding stuff. My char must have done +10 Ayleid Ruins by now - and I haven't found a single item yet. And I thought that I was good at canvassing dungeons. Apparently not so... :shakehead:

Hahah, if you've searched ten of them, then I think it's pretty unlikely they were all genuinely empty (that would be very unlucky). Roughly three quarters of the ruins have at least one chest in them as I recall. Some have more than one. Seriously... You need to really *search*. Just "looking around" will likely not show you anything whatsoever. The vanilla loot was typically placed in the middle of the room, or on a convenient ledge at the side. This stuff is hidden. Really hidden. Above you, below you, behind things, between things, anywhere there's a little space that's hidden from your eyes, that's a place that might have a chest. And the fun thing about Ayleid ruins is that most ruins have lots of these spaces.

Vac

» Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:44 am

Gah, I got distracted reading other stuff and people posted while Iw as away.

He, with my new build it took me 60 hours to realise I haven't turned ALEX on... but then in the first forgotten ayleid dungeon from Ayleid steps found almost full set. One house to furnish down, dozen more left.

Yep, Ervvyn used the same resources in Cobl but didn't hide them like in ALEX, so it's pretty easy to find significant amounts of ALEX loot in the lost dungeons. Nothing wrong with that as they've mostly been sealed for a long, long time, but you certainly won't find any of my hidden containers in those ruins either.

It's on alright as I've seen loot in a certain NPC's home. Hm, time to do some serious Ayleid dungeon excavations I guess. Also, doesn't Ayleid Steps use the same resources - so that was actually not from ALEX?

Yep, same resources that were added to Cobl after Wrye saw ALEX, and if you've seen some of the stuff in NPC homes, that's ALEX alright. There's not a lot of it as it's a good way to generate conflicts I don't want.

Vac