Arcane Asylum

Updated 10/07/09

http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=27529 (clicky)

Project Histroy
Well after taking a year or so long break from Oblivion I got an email the other day asking about one of my http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=OblivionMods.Detail&id=1461. I felt bad when I had to write back saying that the project was abandoned, however while that project will remain on the shelf I did decide to reinstall and look at some of my old work. After sifting through quite a few "Backup Emails" I found a file I had forgotten about, it contained a set of stairs with water running down them, nothing to exiting but I decided it would be a good place to refresh my TES:CS skills so I started to expand on it. At this point it was still up in the air as to what it would become, so I just kept building and the result is now a project I'm calling the Arcane Asylum.

Project Story
Now onto the back story. Let me start with a question. What do you do with a crazy mage? After years of studying occult magics some members of the Mages Guild are bound to crack. Now normal person goes insane he may be a minor threat to those in his immediate vicinity, a high ranking wizard goes off the deep end, he may be a minor threat to any living creature, plant, or inanimate object of varying size in a 5 mile radius. This would be a problem, and so I envision a solution; The Arcane Asylum. The Mages Guild being as old as it is must have faced this problem in the past, and so according to my new version of events in years gone an Arch Mage opened a portal to another plane / space time / separate location of your choice (Who knows it was a long time ago and the mages forgot, so there), and preceded to build a special area for there cracked brethren. Guarded by powerful wards, charms, and seals its the ideal place to stop a mage being a mage. Magicka is constantly siphoned from the inhabitants, while an eternal seal of silence pervaded the entire establishment, as enchanted suits of armor patrol the corridors insuring the inmates behave. But oh no! Something has gone wrong, the autonomous armors have stopped there ceaseless security sweeps, and the seals are starting to succumb to...stuff...fail! If those within were to get out it would be disastrous.


Project Goals
You can get the gist of what I plan to do with the project from the Story above. I'm working on building an insane asylum for the more magically inclined. A Mages Guild representative is looking for someone to go and power the place back on after some internal system error threatens to release all the inmates. Basic dungeon format, go in kill some things, flip some switches, grab some treasure and get out before bedtime. So far I have the base world building for the exterior done, I'll be doing some touch ups but its more or less finished. I'll be moving onto the interior cells shortly after posting this. Who knows maybe I'll even finish the project! (see below)


Project Warning
To date I have NEVER finished and released any project of reasonable length, and to be honest there's no reason to think this will be the one. I start a project, get all exited, build a bunch of stuff then look at it, decide it was cool and wander off. So while this isn't a very exiting project to start with I want to stress if you dislike disappointment do not to get exited, interested in, or remotely curious about this project. You have been warned.

Super Awesome Picture Time!

10/02/09
Initial pics

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0221-22-5.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0221-23-1.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0221-25-4.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0221-26-0.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0221-26-4.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0221-28-0.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0221-29-0.jpg

10/03/09
Few shots from eairly int work

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0305-00-2.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0305-29-3.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0319-09-3.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0321-36-1.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0318-48-1.jpg

10/07/09
Here's the more up to date version of the pictures seen in the first set

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0721-3-1.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0721-31-3.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0721-32-0.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0721-32-0.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0721-32-1.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0721-32-2.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0721-32-5.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0721-53-5.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0721-55-0.jpg



And there you have it
There you have it indeed, my new project doomed to be abandoned before it started but none the less interesting enough that I felt like sharing. Feel free to leave any comments, question, concerns, idea, complaints, or low key random mumbling below.

-Mike

Dude, I'm so totally not excited about this at all. I'm so uninterested that I will probably not check for thread updates at all. And, most likely, I won't curse your name quietly under my breath... over and over again... in the dark... on the day you announce you have abandoned this project... that I am not curious at all about.

gothemasticator

What a boring, uninteresting, incurious project.

Are you planning a simple dungeon crawl, or a social aspect as well? Like SI.... I mean just because someone is insane, powerful, and deemed dangerous that doesn't mean they aren't talkative, maybe even helpful.... if you wanted to you could even include lore mages like the one from http://uesp.net/wiki/Lore%3a%50alla who accidentally resurrected and seduced a hideous monster... Maybe him and the monster are living together in the asylum and there's a side-quest where you can decide to kill the monster.

EDIT: My joke was ninja'd :cold:

:ninja:

Continuing the trend...what an utterly unimaginative project. I wouldn't want to supply you with ideas no matter what happens. Hell, the ideas below don't exist, by the way.

Nonexistent idea #1: Don't put in a person who's really happy and insane and always tells lies, and don't put in a person nearby or in the same cell that is criminally sociopathic and a murderer, but he always tells the truth. Then you could totally not make a puzzle quest where you have to logically figure out which dude is criminally insane and which dude is happy insane. If it's done well, it could really (not) interest or intrigue me at all. Nope.

Nonexistent idea #2: You totally should not have wizards that act like children, and want their "toys" or "friends", which happen to be charred remains of former enemies.

Nonexistent idea #3: You definitely should never add a quest for a person outside the prison who wants to take revenge on a person inside, for whatever reason.

Don't take any of those ideas seriously, because they are imaginary. I am imaginary. This mod is nonexistent.

All existence is futile!

I would never play this so i wouldn't say i'd hate to see tonnes of battle mages that roam around and that may not enjoy the idea of a visitor and that definately won't have a disgruntled employee that want's to overthrow the head honcho and use the insane as his minions that would be stupid and i wouldn't enjoy it at all.

Don't do drugs kids.

"Montaron, you are so aggravating! 'Tis disturbing to my demeanor!"

I love the idea of an Arcane Asylum. It reminds me of Baldur's Gate 2. Indeed, mages can lose their mind after having spent too many time studying magic. And thus, they must be put in the Asylum.

But sometimes I wonder, why exactly would the Mages Guild put them in an Asylum? I don't think the only reason would be that the mage can be dangerous to the society. If that would be the case, the mage could be slain and dealt with.

What about a darker motive. Mages who go insane are, most likely, highly ranked and full of knowledge few have accessed. Putting them in an Asylum allows the Mages Guild to study them and extract their precious knowledge. That would make something interesting, I believe, in terms of storyline ideas. The general populace of Tamriel would believe that Mages in there are just crazy people who are imprisoned so they do not harm the citizens, while some higher ups in the Mages Guild want to svck up the knowledge from the mages who lost their mind.

Interesting indeed. Good success with the project!

I figured the Mages Guild wouldn't want to kill the former colleagues and friends. Better to put them somewhere safe where there no harm to themselves or others then execute them, at least that's my logic.

And to everyone who's put forth ideas as to what some of the delusions of the inmates should be, I thank you. I'm still a ways off from adding any NPCs, let alone setting up there personality's, but when I get to that point I'll have nice log of ideas saved up in this thread ^_^

Anyways take a look at the new Screens from the Interior (see added pictures in first post), I'm really torn on the high sec ward. The simple bridges to the cells are sooooo much easier but the idea of platforms lowering to make bridges is far more interesting. I really like the idea of the cells being completely cut off when the platforms are up, leaving those inside totally stuck even if they managed to open the cell door. However, there's two major problems with the platforms. The first, they can only be lowered. There's just no animation for it raising. The second, do to the height of the room the chains that support the platforms end in the middle of the air and look quite strange. The first problem is simple enough to solve, a switch can be placed in a location from which the platforms cant be seen that when pulled simply resets them. The second bit however I cant think of an easy way around...if they were remodeled with out the chain it could work. Magic moves them problem solved but I don't have any idea how to go about that.

Any ideas on the problem would be most helpful. http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/modder_mad_mike/Arcane%20Asylum/TESConstructionSet2009-10-0319-32-1.jpg

Intresting idea, chap. I look forward to killing some nutty mages.

Good thing you edited your post. :facepalm:


As for your problemwith the chains, I'm surprised that there are no chainless platforms like the one you have. I believe the mesh is from the sewer accessories?
If it doesn't have any, you can let a modeler know and he'll do it. It's something that is not hard to do.

I know that Hel Borne does a lot of meshes and requested meshes as well. With something as simple as what you have, I'm sure he won't mind at all.

I am very much liking this. The generator looks amazing.

As for the asylum idea- awesome. Maybe they have special creatures patrolling the borders? And holes which mad patients have dug to try and escape? Orororor a chamber which cuts off the senses? and stuff like that maybe?

I really like the name too. Arcane Asylum. It has this awesome ring to it. I can just see this dark, forboding place from which screams of the mad emit, and fog wrapping around the topmost tower, from which there is only a hole to slip food through. And dragons in the air which are used for transport, security, and feeding the prisoners in the top tower. And the whole thing is perched on a cliff with waves pounding at the side...

*shudders* THAT would be creepy.

EDIT: Oh, and I re-read the story, and maybe there's one prison inmate who will give you scrambled clues and cryptic messages about what's happening? But the guards just think it's him being insane?

Ahaha sorry for all the random junk.

Yay happy updates for everyone! And this ones a biggy, its time for a http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=27529! Want to explore the outer grounds of the Asylum? Go for it! Will it be buggy? You bet, should you save first on account of getting trapped in there? That's up to you but either way take a look around and tell me what you think. And as an update to the story theres now a tower involved located in the Valus Mountains. Built as housing for whoever is unlucky enough to be on Warden Duty it stands guard over the portal to the Asylum. When NPCs start to show up in this project one will be living there, after sorting out the trouble with the A.A. he'll pass on the Title of Warden as well as the Tower to you. But, seeing as he's not there yet feel free to call it home. Check the link (Tes:Nexus) for DL as well as further locating instructions.

Looking pretty darn good. Keep it up.

Updated with new pictures, tell me what you think.

This is a very interesting concept. As for the bridges... why not use the ones that appear in dungeons - the drawbridge type ones, with the wooden bridge and a stone center part? I'm surprised no one's come up with an animation to make them go back up...

I can't believe I never though of that, it works like a charm thanks.

I think you really captured the atmosphere of the mod. It looks amazing, keep up the good work! (btw I loved the picture with the necromancer looking down at you)

Just posting here to confirm the world's complete disinterest in this mod :yes: .