So lately I've been thinking a lot about game depth. How, there are certain circumstances that no matter how open and sandbox-like Morrowind is, it seems like there are times when I feel something else should happen, or that you should be able to do something on a universal level. I feel that if a bunch of these sorts of small things were added, together they will make the Morrowind world even more deep and immersive than it already is. Making the Morrowind world more dynamic as a whole.

I'm just wondering if anyone has ever had that one moment in Morrowind when they were like, even though it's in the bounds of Morrowind's reality, why can't I do this, or why won't this happen? I'm looking for non-combat related ideas, since I feel Fliggerty probably has that pretty well covered with his up and coming Better Battles mod. This is a sort of Better Non-Battles mod(s). (I may just bunch together the really small ones, and leave the rest stand-alone at this point.)

What I have so far as to things I want to implement....

Guards that randomly check the player for Drugs and Stolen Goods.

The ability to offer items as bribes rather than Gold. (This has probably been done, but I want to do it in my own way. )

Lockbashing. (Probably seperate, but falls under the general concept of depth-adding.)

Many simple small things not worth mentioning on their own in this thread. (Fire damage from Lava, for instance. )

Definately going to check into those spawn things Alaisiagae mentioned, I can't imagine it would be to difficult either. (With MWSE, I wouldn't have to add a script to any creatures either, which could definately be handy in avoiding conflicts.)

Almsivi Intervention, Divine Intervention, and Recall spells which effect another NPC. In addition to the originals, these are just special versions. Although with one caveat, the player will be teleported with them. (So as to not unbalance matters.)

That's my list for now, there are many ideas, but these are the ones I am quite sure are possible.

It's hard to think of things that haven't been down before - like weighted money or not being able to swim in heavy armor

I'd like a little script that was attached to the innkeepers script so that if you have stayed with them before they could say different greetings to you like - Welcome back %PCName are you looking to stay again? Or if you have finished the stay they could ask you if you enjoyed it or not

one thing i'd like to see changed is to find a way to more sneakily way to kill off some people as an assassin. like the first mark. you can't do anything but walk up and kill him. i'd like to see something like bribe the bartender to hand him a poisoned matze, or something like that.

Something that makes people respond somehow when you've got a weapon out. I mean, I can pull out a Daedric Battle Axe and raise it over my head... and then get 5 disposition knocked off with no other repercussions.

I'll post more if I think of them. It's important to sift carefully through ideas in a compilation, because something someone doesn't like could ruin it for them. Oh, and be sure to release an non-MWSE for those of us whose computers don't play nice with it... :whistling:

Having just read one of redwoodtreesprites posts it triggered one issue I've long been bothered by - a DB assassin appears in a room and no one comes to your aid or even reacts - this is especially annoying if you are sleeping in your factions beds eg joining the blades aand sleeping in Balmora none of them blink an eye when I'm attacked ditto if I join the mages guild and sleep downstairs you'd think there could be a neat little global that recognises if you are under attack and your faction could come to your aid.

Yay, ideas! Keep them coming!


Interesting idea, and I'd imagine it would be easy enough to implement. My only concern would be avoiding conflicts with mods such as Improved Inns and Beds for Rent, which I really like. (It would be pretty simple to patch them, though. )


I think this would go against the Morag Tong honor policies and such, as then the assassin isn't actually the one who is killing the mark. (Not to mention, it's not very honorable. xD)


I'll definitely be making a modular version, as this would be my concern also. I'll be sure to clearly mark which ones are MWSE and which are non-MWSE in the readme. Generally speaking, I'm only including things that interest me, as anything else I really wouldn't have too much interest in modding anyways.


Definately going to look into this! :goodjob: (Although, once again, many potential conflicts. xD)

You might want to look into Fliggerty's http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=6006 mod to get an idea of how that's scripted using MWSE. The mod makes guard type NPCs come to your aid when attacked by hostile NPCs. IIRC the hostile needs to initiate combat and land a successful blow on the player within sight of a guard type for the scripts to trigger.


[edit] added linky
from the readme:

Thanks for the link Tetchy! I recall seeing that mod before, but I hadn't even thought about it relating to this. xD And looking at the script, I think it would be pretty simple to adapt that kind of script to members of the player's faction. I think I'll send a message to Fligg to see if he minds.

I was just grumbling about that a few days ago. There I am minding my business getting ready for a good nights sleep when out of no where a DB assasin pops out of nowhere and my mages guild buddies just stand there gawking. Sheesh!

In regards to the faction members helping out the PC... Actually it looks like NPC behavior is going to be be a component Fliggerty's Better Battles mod, and so I'd imagine that this would likely be a feature after actually reading the thread on GHF. :deal:

This is supposed to become more of a Better Non-Battles, anyway. xD Tomorrow, I'll compile a list of what I have so far to show what I mean more clearly.

Maybe Fliggerty will take care of this, but it's always annoyed me that NPCs not involved in a battle keep walking around as if nothing was going on. I don't know how many times I've gotten a bounty because some idiot who should have been cowering in a corner walked into the path of my blade while I was slugging it out with someone else.

He already did, check this out: http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=6639

Climbing - is http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=357 already situationally universal?

On Self to On Target - some spell effects are restricted to On Self. Any way to hack them to make them applicable to targets? Ex: Almsivi Intervention, Divine Intervention, Sun Damage

AoE (Area of Effect) Buffs - example: Calm Creature 45pts in 30 ft on Self Constant Effect. I PMed Fliggerty about this a few months ago, and he said it might be possible with MWSE. Other spell effects that would make interesting AoE buffs: Frenzy, Demoralize, Soul Trap, Disintegrate Armor/Weapon, Drain Health/Magicka/Fatigue etc. Beneficial spells (eg Restore Health) would have more applications when used in conjunction with companion mods and friendly NPC parties.

Unequipped Items Can Do Things - not sure if this really needs MWSE, but the idea is more items like the Lucky Coin the Avatar of Talos gives you. Inventory items that give you a buff. Other applications: http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/959089-ideawipz-whetstone-and-bow-string-wax/page__p__13853217__fromsearch__1&#entry13853217

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1027403-ideareq-disease-shaders/page__p__14871411__fromsearch__1&#entry14871411 to simulate the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Disease of some diseases.

When your Enchanted Weapon/Armor health gets low, there's a chance that the soul will escape: http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1084066-ideareqz-soulgem-souls-escape/page__p__15795892__fromsearch__1&#entry15795892.

And, of course, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1013141-reqideacast-on-strike-for-bows/page__p__14654020__fromsearch__1&#entry14654020 for bows.

EDIT:
- Goblins stop spawning in Old Mournhold once you complete the associated TB quest
- Dark Brotherhood stop spawning when you kill their leader. Can replace them with random bandits, or cave-dwelling creatures, or nothing
- Ash Creatures and Blighted creatures stop spawning once Dagoth Ur is destroyed. Blighted creature spawns replaced with non-blighted versions.

One of the things I would love to see, is most probably a scripting nightmare.

I would love to see a set (approximately 25 or so) of companion share companions that had global quest related knowledge. Think of it as a savant, with the added extra of knowledge of the terrain of both the land and the tombs. For instance:

You pick up a Dunmer companion at a tavern, who agrees to travel with you. When you come across a nice huge stronghold or den, like Mamea, they offer scripted whispers during your sneaking around such as "Hey, if you take the entry to the right, we can ambush them from the back!" Or, "Take the left door, that leads to a heap of treasure!" Not to totally ruin adventure on one's own, as afterall, a companion is voluntary. But a facet that shows that some of them are as well traveled as the player character can be. It reminds me of how Emma scripted many of her companions to have variables when they come to a town, and how this kicks in new dialogue or in Ingred's case, she sneezes a lot when she comes to Solstheim. Now imagine it in an adventuring set, where your companion offers helpful tidbits about your places, or how to deal with certain NPC's that many here find difficult.

Another instance, you come across a den and the way is blocked by a gorge. You could engage the levitation spell or if your acrobatics are high just hazard the jump. But a companion dialogue box kicks in with a "Hey, don't be a Guar's ass, take this jump potion! Are you crazy? That's lava down there!" I know it can be done, because it reminded me of when you take (again, another of her great companions) Emma's Laura Craft to the Dome Home, and when you are about to comment on Meira's dancing, Laura immediately throws up a dialogue box telling you "Sorry, we've got to go now!". Or you are going to mistakenly use a freezing or poison arrow on a creature that is resistant, and they pipe in "Errm, you DO know they are resistant to that don't you?...Use your throwing daggers unless I can have them?"

It naturally won't appeal to those that play Morrowind like a WOW or NeverWinter, preferring to run and hack from point A to point B, but those that enjoy the journey as well as the quest would like the interaction or the helpful hint of things that both the game, and the large Morrowind Prophecies books don't offer.

Static interaction is always great, and some here are really giving us some fantastic pieces like the LGNPC team, xstarfirex, Debi, pluto and others. I just wish I could see it expanded to those that we carry along for the adventure. Would be gold if they could recogonize new loot, and make gentle demands such as "Hey, don't skimp, I want that Emerald!"

Like I said, a scripting nightmare for sure.

I sure hope Fliggerty took into consideration that some NPCS can't come to help.. I mean what if the other guy has a jink blade or something? Well there went the enchanter and a quest giver. It's a complexed issue.



If the blight stops, then so should the blight storms, and frankly, the blight would more taper off because dead or not, some remaining creatures would still have the sickness.

The replacing of the DB with another attacker reminds me of something that has always bothered me.. how come I can be mondo influential, (master of many factions, richer than a leader of a town, roaming around in expensive clothes) and I never get attacked or anything. Your rep can go pretty high and people see you roaming around, but no one ever thinks to try and take that fame from you? Surely the DB aren't the only ones who'd want you dead.

Now I can excuse no attacks happening before you go to mornhold, but after you tell the guards, cuz word would get around and people would consider you a walking dead man, but before you tell a guard, or after a long time of surviving attacks, people would start up anyway. And along the same lines.. I can lay out all sorts of gear in my homes, but even leaving the door unlocked, I never find someone trying to steal anything.. would be nice if, should I leave a place unlocked, there is a chance to catch a thief in the act of stealing stuff.. (say your items are missing and he has them on him or w/e)

In short, why are there no real signs of my fame and wealth? I don't really feel very famous..

So many great ideas, guys. ^.^

@Alaisiagae: Love just about all your ideas. xD Not sure yet which ones are possible though. I'll look into it.

@Erik: Interesting idea certainly, but way too complex for the scope this mod intends for. It does make me think about other ideas though. ^.^ The concept of dynamic NPC interactions is something I do want to work on.

@ Maholix: I'll need to think about these ideas, and to how they would be scripted/implemented properly.

For now I updated the original post with a hopefully better description, and a list of what I have thus far.

Sneak skill affects footstep volume

Make it so you don't determine travel schedules. When you hire a ship, you shouldn't just leave. It should make you wait to morning or an hour or something, and if you don't get there in time, your out of luck.

That's an interesting idea. It makes perfect sense, though. However... I suppose there could be the option of paying extra to get direct service. Regular fee - 6gp, silt strider leaves every two hours. Can't wait? Express/immediate shipping for 24gp. Or something like that.

@Maholix: I'm not sure if there's a mod like that already made for TESIII. However, I recall several mods like that for TESIV - for example: http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=6536.

Possible TESIII implementation (???):
Units that attack you
- depends on reputation
- depends on faction. Factions with greatest negative disposition modifiers (eg. -2) will send hostile faction-appropriate units to beat you up (not kill - at least, not until you are Nerevarine and Too Important To Kill) and take your money. Reputation number determines number and/or frequency of sent units. Can throw in a random morag tong assassin (DB if the player is in the Morag Tong faction) to simulate some random dude trying to off you for killing his smuggler kingpin brother in a random cave.

That's an interesting idea. It makes perfect sense, though. However... I suppose there could be the option of paying extra to get direct service. Regular fee - 6gp, silt strider leaves every two hours. Can't wait? Express/immediate shipping for 24gp. Or something like that

i like your idea Alaisiagae. appeal to their greedy side

wow... i was gonna make some things like these as i've always felt like morrowind can get quite static. :shakehead: i never found that for oblivion (i prefer morrowind by far btw) for some reason so i've been making up ideas of my own:

random bar fights and street fights: i've always wanted to be walking along and suddenly get caught in the middle of a fight ie: guards attacking crimanls criminals. crimanls, drunks, thiefs, weirdos attacking me or any group really having a fight.

people comunicating: i knwo this one would be really hard but i loved the way people talked to each other in oblivion. (not trying to sound pro oblivion.

people saying rumors: imagine walking down a street and you hear a person mumble something like "i hear faroghts pestering people about a ring agian." which means faragoths got a something to do about a ring (which we oblviously know.)

thats all i can think of at the moment,

p.s: Boethiah: i tried doing that once but never could (lack of scripting knowledge) :ahhh:

ya know, if we are going to do realism with the travel, I have input about something.. and although it might not something be for this mod, it's food for thought and may help even if it isn't.

"shipping" is only that by name. No one actually ships anything, despite mentioning they do in some quests and the wilds being too dangerous to have the traveling merchants be the main suppliers especially considering a more viable trade route is by water. It surrounds MW on all sides, and though there are signs the waters can be dangerous (via ship wrecks) it would be faster and far less dangerous than using land travel overall.

So again why no real shipments? Seems odd you can't talk to certain people and place orders to come in by boat or something in X number of days.

I think that a lot of these seem like great ideas, but I'm particularly fond of the initial idea you mentioned (Fire Damage based lava damage). Someone with dominion over Fire should be able to take a soak in the lava if they really want to =)

I thought the same thing. Then I found the mod "Import Business" by Psycholex, in which you can place orders of different types of items and get them a few days after. Didn't have the chance to test it yet though.

i'd like to see the occasional bandit attack on the stiltstriders enroute. with the option to help fend them off.

That's a pretty cool idea, I'll think about it.