Best player-homes or areas

[ErianDragonborn]

Hey!

I am busy creating a new area for Skyrim, and I was wondering: what features do you like about player-homes or areas? What can't be missed? And what should absolutely not be done?

As for my preference:

It has to have a certain theme or something that combines everything together.
I do like loads of decoration, as long as it is logical for the decoration to be there. (So no random stuff all over the place)
And a story about the place is nice too, but not necessary.

So, what do you think? You may give examples of vanilla or modded areas of course!

[TheBawb]

Well, I have been working on a custom player home myself as part of my own mod.

Most of the features you will want are oriented around the "theme" of your mod. for example, mine is a Hobbit hole so the features I included are:

 

1.A hearhfire-style style buildable hobbit home, where the player digs out and builds up his home.

 

2. LOTR weapon displays

 

3. Craftable paintings

 

Etc

 

Now I don't know the theme of your area but as a general rule

 

There should be displays for unique items that are found while exploring skyrim (like dragon masks or dragon claws.

 

The player should feel as if he has "earned" the player home, so making it buildable or as a reward at the end of a quest is a good idea

 

And it should have plenty of idle markers laying around, for those who use MHIYH or any spouse/ children can live anywhere mod

 

Besides that, good luck and happy modding.

When you complete it post another forum or send me a PM I'd love to see it

[Valkasha]

What I like in player homes: Some sort of quest to obtain it, preferably somewhat challenging. No building materials or gold required, that's just time consuming not challenging.

Beauty > usefulness but I think the basics should be there: smithing stuff, alchemy stuff, enchanting stuff, storage. Also, don't leave it too empty and don't make the rooms too large, a cozy home with lots of interesting ornaments (preferably custom made to keep it interesting) The interior also shouldn't be too large or else lighting becomes difficult.

[TWarrior]

i like realistic player homes. i dont want castles three times the size of whiterun.

[reindeer51]

i like realistic player homes. i dont want castles three times the size of whiterun.

 

Same for me. I never see the realism in having castles as homes, because it barely makes sense. The only castles there actually are in this game are each City Hold's Jarl residence, nothing else.

So how can there be another large castle(s), fully furnished and completey empty just left in the middle of the world for the player's taking? Who built it? Who kept it clean and tidied until you arrived? And how can it be completely devoid of anyone then? I can see why Bethesda went with the "build-your-own-home" route for Hearthfire instead.