Basically what I'm looking to do in a mod is alter the way Dwemer artifacts are handled in the game, making it follow the lore a bit more (from my perspective).

What I don't have experience with is scripting, which brings me here. I've read a little bit, and obviously would need to read a lot (and probably practice extensively) in order to accomplish what I want to, but if it isn't even possible, then of course I don't wish to bother with it.

Basically the next step in building this mod is to use scripting, if possible, to make it so that bearing Dwemer artifacts in view of guards earns one a bounty, much like theft and murder. For example, I waltz into Caldera covered in the Dwemer armor I just got done collecting, and as soon as the guards notice, they charge and try to throw my butt in jail.

Given what I've seen modders do with scripting, I don't imagine this is beyond the scope, but I can't know for sure, so I put it to the experts here.

Thanks in advance.

Well I can't specifically help you with your problem but I can direct you to the proper recourse to solve your problem.

I am new to modding in and of itself and am making my first mod which has a lot of scripting in it and Morrowind Scripting for Dummies V.9 has really helped me out with this, here is a link:

http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=6083

Follow the tutorial given at the beginning of the document, it really does explain a lot, then when/if you need further help first do a search for what you need in MWSD (Morrowind Scripting for dummies) then if you still can't find it post here.

I hope this helps!

I think this is a good idea; it's always bothered me that anyone will happily buy Dwemer artifacts from you.

These may not be quite the same as what you were thinking, but these mods may interest you:
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=7075
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=3840

The "HasItemEquipped" function can tell you whether or not the player is wearing anything Dwarven (but you'd have to test for each possible item, and I'm not sure if it would work for player-enchanted items). I don't know how you can find out if a guard can see the player though.

The HasItemEquipped function is definately the best way to go about this. The only other alternative is to put a script on existing Dwemer items and this is a bad, bad idea cos it would screw with many mods and really annoy people ingame (cant stack scripted items).

If you put the dialogue checks in 'underneath' the Crime greetings for Guards, this would work best.

Edit: could also make it for Ebony, Diamonds and Glass (all claimed by the Empire, or most atleast), Imperial-type armor's if you arent in the Legion and Limeware.


and skooma and moonsugar and.. etc

Shaddow: Yeah, I've read through that a little bit. Should come in handy for other ideas if I ever get around to implementing them.

Danjb: I've seen those two mods before, and I want to incorporate their aspects as well.

I'll look into this "HasItemEquipped" method, hopefully I can get it to work to my standards. I don't know that I'll actually make this mod available to the public, I've never done that before, as most of my modding work has been to very personal preference, such as positioning Golden Saints near Seyda Neen (all equipped with Daedric and Glass items), or giving Duke Vedam Dren the Ebony Mail and a custom Ebony Scimitar.

Psycholex: From what I understand, trading in Diamond and Glass and Ebony armor/weapons isn't really illegal, since the Great Houses have been funding their operations with mining all of them for centuries. The way I see it, dealing in Dwemer artifacts should be treated differently because they're artifacts, not common sources of income like mining for shiny things, the Empire has a duty to protect them in some way. Granted, I disagree with claiming ownership over someone else's history, essentially, but that's beside the point. Illegalizing Dwemer items presents a fun challenge, at least it does to me, especially coupled with something else I've already significantly altered: stats. The weapons now do way more damage, and the armor now protects more than Ebony, and both can withstand way more of a beating than anything else, to reflect the fact that despite their significant age, this stuff is still around, and still useful. Everything Dwemer-related is also now considerably more valuable, including limeware.

Currently I'm in the process of combing through the game, removing Dwemer items from various places it really shouldn't be (like the Census and Excise Office, and Venim Manor), to further reflect its illegal nature and create a greater level of scarcity. Basically when I'm done the only places any of it will be found is smugglers' hideouts and the ruins, which I also plan to enhance the danger factor of (stuff like putting Advanced Steam Centurions from Tribunal into the ruins of Vvardenfell and making the Dwemer spectres a force to be reckoned with). I think I'd also like to incorporate that giant Dwemer Golem someone made, with credit of course, should I actually submit this to Planet Elder Scrolls or something. I haven't decided on that yet, I want to get the mod working properly first. It's going to take months, most likely, given I have other things to do as well.

Well, sounds like you're off to a good start so far

Sounds good but remember to clean the mod, It sounds like you are actually entering each cell and removing Dwemer things if they are there but if you enter a cell that doesn't have one then leave, it still edits the cell.

Right. Is there another way to remove items from specific cells without going into them? Because I'm trying to be strategic about this. For example, in a place like Tel Branora, where Imperial presence is nonexistent, it makes sense that certain NPCs of obvious means would be in possession of certain Dwemer artifacts (determined and specifically placed by me), but finding a random Dwemer item in a container, at any level, in such a place, or anywhere besides caves and ruins, is something I don't want.

I'm probably going to have to do several versions of this before I get it all right, most particularly to resolve a problem I noticed earlier as I was playing a new file: I had Sandman101's Dwemer Armor Replacer mod running, which I thought would be okay since my mod only alters the stats, but low and behold I wander into the Ebonheart Grand Council Chambers, and that Dunmer is standing there in the vanilla Dwemer armor.

Regarding cells, I don't think cleaning will be a problem in the way that Shaddow is suggesting; I'm sure you're not literally entering every cell in the game to check for Dwemer armour. Well, you certainly shouldn't be, as you can right-click on the object ID in the list and click "Info", and it will tell you everywhere it's located, as well as which NPCs have it. It will also tell you if the object is used by any levelled lists, which is what you want to look at in order to ensure that it doesn't appear randomly in the game world; you can look at where these levelled lists are used and edit or remove them accordingly. Nonetheless, obviously cleaning your mod is essential as "dirty references" are very hard to avoid.

Regarding the armour replacer mod, you will have to merge the changes from your mod and that one, otherwise whichever mod loads last will override the other. http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Utilities.Detail&id=78 can do this for you, or you can do it manually; just set the armour models to the ones used by the replacer.

Hope this helps,

- Danjb

I actually kind of was, since I didn't know that. Thanks for saving me some time.



Ah, that's easily fixed then. Thank you.