Ok, my original idea was to place weapons equal to the abilities of Keening and Sundering in all the other weapon types as well. (So I could still RP other weapon but not be losing out on some of the best stuff.) However, I don't want to just drop them somewhere, I'm not comfortable enough yet to implement a long enough quest to be worthy of them, and to be honest, I don't want to have 6 super powerful artifacts floating around the world. It's not my intention to completely throw the balance off, just to have some expanded RP choices. So, my revised idea is to implement a power mage type NPC with the power to "exchange" Keening or Sundering for a weapon in another form. I'd like to make some requirements - having a certain number of something, or a base weapon of the type you want plus some high level soulgems and a crapload of money.. etc.

My questions are:

Could that be worked to be in line with the world and it's lore?
Is it simple to create a dialog setup to do it?
And if yes to both the previous questions: Should the stats on the new weapons be exactly the same as Keening/Sundering or should they come with their own unique stats and enchantments?

well, you could attach a script to keening and sunder to change types on some kind of variable, so instead of having to go through the trouble of wondering if it's lore compliant and placing them all over the place you can simply switch it on the fly for personal use. This removes any non lore friendly content from the game itself while still having that choice.


however you'd have to go in and change the scripts on everything so that the weapons would actually work.

Could just turn Keening into an axe or long sword to cover those skills. Something like this: http://i468.photobucket.com/albums/rr50/Alaisiagae/Mod%20Screenshot%20MW/Misc/art_keening_axe.jpg | http://i468.photobucket.com/albums/rr50/Alaisiagae/Mod%20Screenshot%20MW/Misc/art_keening_lsword.jpg

Have a script check which weapon skill is higher, and morph/swap Keening to the appropriate weapon. Assuming such a thing can be done - I don't know.

As for blunt - that's what Sunder is there for.

EDIT: As for lore - eh, why not. It isn't exactly fair to axe and long blade users that they get stuck with two awesome weapons with which they can't hit a paralyzed scrib. It's a gameplay mechanic thing - and so I don't see why it would be terribly lore-bad to compensate for the gameplay mechanic.

ALTERNATIVELY, you can keep the same appearance (sunder as a short blade mesh) but change what type of weapon the game thinks it is (AxeOneWide, for example) and thus what skill it depends on. So, it can look like a sword but use your axe skill, or spear skill, or whatever. Oh, forgot about spear (that skill tends to get shafted in terms of artifacts - har har, I made a pun).

EDIT2: http://i468.photobucket.com/albums/rr50/Alaisiagae/Mod%20Screenshot%20MW/Misc/art_keening_spear.jpg

EDIT3: links will not work 'cause I moved them to a different album on my Photobucket. :frog:

Thank you for doing this! It will mean I can actually use MY weapon skills and not have to just display them in a house anymore. I wish you luck. I don't know enough lore to help out with your question, but again all the best to you.

Umm.. I haven't learned how to make meshes yet or how to do scripting. This is my first "mod" and I just loaded the CS for the first time 2 weeks ago. I guess I should have stated that in the first post. I'd rather the player have the choice of what to do with the artifacts and not have the game decide for them. Hence, get the original artifacts then have the choice of learning those new skills or exchanging them for another weapon type. I understand how to make NPCs and add dialog, so I figured there had to be a way to add dialog that removed Keening/Sunder (haha I just looked back and saw I typed "sundering" in my first post...), along with whatever else the NPC demanded as "payment", and then add the new weapon to the player's inventory.

As for meshes... are they terribly hard to make? Is that what you posted Alaisiagae? Because I really love - LOVE - the look of those and the idea of transforming the original look into other weapons. I had checked info on the one program talked about - the $3000 3DMax or whatever - and didn't bother reading anymore into meshes. I'm aware there are other programs that are free, but I went into learning dialog instead last week. I also know there are plenty of tutorials, so I won't ask any how-to questions. (I kind of knew I'd have to make unique meshes if I ever released this to others, but it sounds far more complicated then what I'm ready to tackle right off the bat.) But, if it's not really difficult to grasp - I'll give it a go.

I'm hoping to make a spear Argonian actually viable with only the limitation of boots - not crappy weapons too.

I'll do my best Maholix - but like I stated, this is my first go around with the CS. I'm learning as I go.. slowly. lol

I appreciate the feedback - you guys rock!

I just used Nifskope to copy-paste/tweak vanilla meshes and edit UV maps and textures. Nifskope is freeware, and it's a modeling program like Blender, but is nonetheless really useful and pretty easy to use to make simple and easy edits to meshes.

If you want to use the weapons I made/tweaked http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1093818-relz-keening-varieties-resource/.

lol, it's okay I totally understand. I actually have a condition that forces me to have to relearn the CS almost every time I use it. Anyways, you sound like your off to a great start. The CS has a habit of handing people some humble pie from time to time, but it keeps you on your toes and spices things up some. Welcome to the forums and to modding. You started with a great idea, and I'll lend my support when I can.

Nice to see a new modder, especially interested in dialogue. I mod for so long and still never dared to cobble with that :spotted owl:

It's very nice idea actually, it would be cool to have like collectors or something that are up for trade. Well here I go, see a single idea and start to expand it like it's my own
But how about having like petitions or something, certain amount of collectors that are looking for certain items (or few of them) and are willing to offer the player a small list of other "artifacts" to choose from?

That's fantastic, Alaisiagae! It looks like everyone else loves them too - no surprise, they look awesome! I will be absolutely positively sure to give you mass kudos if I can pop this little mod out. Of course, I need to figure out how to use your meshes in the first place... we've been busy celebrating this weekend so I haven't had time to read up on how to make weapons and add them to the game.

I'm going to start tonight with writing dialog - on paper lol - then attempt to do the simple stuff first. (Make the NPC, set another topic to be added after you receive Keening or Sunder so you know who to talk to, etc.) I'll be honest, I'm scared and yet kind of excited. lol When I first begin to draw this up, I never expected to release this, but now I really want to. I just hope I can do it!

I have one last question - at least for now. lol I'm figuring I should make new meshes for both options? Meaning - if you choose to surrender Keening in short blade form for a spear - it would use your mesh Alaisiagae. BUT, if someone surrenders Sunder instead for a spear, it'll have to look different.. shouldn't it? Ugh.. I have a feeling this isn't going to be a quick creation.

And Chaka - I like the idea of collector's but that's ALOOOOOOT more dialog and the likes and I haven't even tried writing it for a single NPC yet. lol Maybe a bit down the road.

Well, off to read about meshes and check out that program as well as Blender. I'm so not artistic so let's hope for the best. lol

I'm gonna try to make this work as well, and see if it'll actually run everything correctly. I'm not going to make it as complex as having to go to someone else to change the weapon, but rather giving the player the ability to change the weapon on a whim.

Attach keening to the end of a pole and, boom, you've got a spear. That'd be cool.