[BETA] Solstheim Castle: a cover version

Post » Mon Jun 03, 2013 3:59 am

What?

User avatar
Lily Evans
 
Posts: 3401
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 11:10 am

Post » Mon Jun 03, 2013 5:58 am

Presumably he means that you are the only person who gets the thumbnail-only view. Everyone else sees a mid-sized picture in the regular view, and a full-screen view when clicking through as my linked pics in the 8th May post.

User avatar
Philip Lyon
 
Posts: 3297
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:08 am

Post » Sun Jun 02, 2013 7:21 pm

Your link in the 8th May post is the one I used for the second screen shot in mt 9th May post. :tongue:

However, It seems to be an issue with Chrome. I opened the link using Explorer and it was fine. :thumbsup:

User avatar
Budgie
 
Posts: 3518
Joined: Sat Oct 14, 2006 2:26 pm

Post » Sun Jun 02, 2013 9:58 pm

Glad you got to the bottom of it.

Just an update: I've been working on the floating 'Varldshav Village'. I've made Davie's Locker (a tavern aboard the boat - not quite as upmarket as Korana's original, but times being what they are and all that!), and there's a dormitory for the rest of the inhabitants. I'll now finish off the on-deck market.

I've also made a balcony on the castle, which replaces the deck area in Korana's mod: a place for watching the world go by. It's a sort of outdoor-indoor room, half of it under shelter, with the firepit (as in Korana's mod) and plenty of seating. The unsheltered part has a staircase, at the top of which is an observation point overlooking the sea. There's also a little mini roof-garden bit.

Following that, I'll have to make the courtyard housing the stables, smith and other buildings.

User avatar
Tanya
 
Posts: 3358
Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2007 6:01 am

Post » Sun Jun 02, 2013 9:10 pm

I havent played MW in such a long time and most especially havent played Koranas mods even longer but I do have a few questions.

Koranas castle faced West (again if I remember correctly) and had a large courtyard built around it, one gate facing the docks and one gate opening to the north. Are you looking about expanding northwards because I always thought it was rather unnecessary.
Also considering the amount of NPCs in that mod (a pirate captain comes to mind) will you be adding them as well?

User avatar
Marcin Tomkow
 
Posts: 3399
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 12:31 pm

Post » Mon Jun 03, 2013 1:29 am

As I explained earlier in the thread, the "footprint" of the mod was too big to be viable - Bethesda have added in an extra island (Horker Island) and a Dwemer ruin where Solstheim Castle should be, so it's actually impossible to have it in the right place. It's now slightly northeast of its proper location, just beyond the invisible barriers (which you have to switch off in the .ini).

There is still one gate opening the docks and one the opposite side, but they now lead directly to the castle with (almost) no surrounding land, just like the real life castle, Bodiam. Instead of the expanse of land surrounding the castle, there will now be a small interior-as-exterior courtyard, and the "village" is now aboard a ship.

Since Skyrim is 200 years after Morrowind, there won't be the same NPCs as in the original mod. The captain's chamber is now a nursery, and there will be a different Khajiit maid (perhaps the original's grand-daughter?). There will be plenty of NPCs in the castle, but I will add these in last.

User avatar
Vicky Keeler
 
Posts: 3427
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:03 am

Post » Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:22 pm

Your player homes are always the best. The Royal Pavilion is amazing :D

I'm definitely looking forward to this :)

User avatar
Hayley O'Gara
 
Posts: 3465
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 2:53 am

Post » Mon Jun 03, 2013 5:25 am

Thanks!

Uhhh ... I kind of went back on myself: I realised that it wouldn't be Solstheim Castle without Ripplewood Grove. So I've built it in an interior-as-exterior cell - the courtyard is considerably smaller than in Korana's mod, and uses the Dawnguard castle courtyard piece. Instead of completely surrounding the castle, you step off the boat onto a bridge and then directly into the castle. You then exit the castle through the kitchen to the courtyard (leading to barracks, guard towers, etc.) and then through another exit in the courtyard to Ripplewood Grove, which is now walled in by the same courtyard tilepiece. Again, it's smaller but keeps the general idea of the place. There is, of course, Brondolf Barrow, if you'd like to pay your respects to the previous owner.

Again, I'm keeping the quest out of it, on the assumption that you're either the 200-year-old owner who solved the riddle in Korana's mod, or their heir.

User avatar
Victor Oropeza
 
Posts: 3362
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 4:23 pm

Post » Mon Jun 03, 2013 6:31 am

As a slight concession to questing, I've put a non-respawning undead foe in the secret dungeon bit. It just didn't seem right not to have one, and the lighting should be a dead giveaway that it's a "danger zone" before you get anywhere near the fight.

I've added in a small new room - the cellar (now part of the South Wall) has a little room leading off it that is your treasury - it is filled with gold and glittery things and ingots, etc. The barred door can only be opened with the key, which is hidden somewhere in the castle.

Talking of hidden, I did finally find the sort of 'hidden door' I'd been looking for all along - a section of wall that opens out - so there are three such hidden entrances: one to the upper study (no longer part of the master suite, so the lady of the house can also enjoy it); one to the vampire quarters and finally to the secret necromancer's dungeon.

As an additional easter egg (and to keep my interest going in this very long-term project), I've decided to make most of the NPCs resemble characters from Game of Thrones. This will inevitably be with varying degrees of success due to the limitations of the CK (the resemblance to Jaime is tenuous at best, and the kids are generic, though in the editor Danaerys looks absolutely spot on - haven't seen her in game yet). Obviously I'm not calling them Game of Thrones names, because that would be too distracting, but it can be a bit of fun if you're a fan of the show working out who each is supposed to be.

User avatar
Gracie Dugdale
 
Posts: 3397
Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:02 pm

Post » Mon Jun 03, 2013 3:49 am

That sounds very exciting indeed. :clap: It sparks memories of the undead boss in the bowels of Battlehorn castle form Oblivion.

Your talented efforts are greatly appreciated. :thumbsup:

User avatar
Michelle davies
 
Posts: 3509
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2006 3:59 am

Post » Mon Jun 03, 2013 7:35 am

I'm going to upload this as a beta this morning: the castle is functionally complete, though I still need to add all the NPCs (only half-a-dozen or so are currently included), optimize the cells, finalise some of the navmeshes, etc. etc. The NPCs only have generic packages, if at all, so all that needs to be done - in other words, there's still a mountain of work to do.

Meanwhile, you can be running amok and letting me know what needs fixing, any glitches or errors that need fixing, etc.

User avatar
!beef
 
Posts: 3497
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2006 4:41 pm

Post » Mon Jun 03, 2013 4:12 am

Beta uploaded: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/36786//?

User avatar
LADONA
 
Posts: 3290
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:52 am

Post » Mon Jun 03, 2013 9:09 am

:bunny: :bunny:

User avatar
NIloufar Emporio
 
Posts: 3366
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:18 pm

Post » Mon Jun 03, 2013 12:48 am

Well Done!

User avatar
Ashley Tamen
 
Posts: 3477
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:17 am

Previous

Return to V - Skyrim