delfofthebla

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll look into the forgotten realms Phylacteries. For now, it has been decided to have the Lich model just be a basic skeleton model. The modeler working on the Lich model does not have much time available to him, so creating a whole new Lich model with his own special set of armor, would be far too time consuming. (He also has to create several other models for the mod, so we're kind of stretched thin here.) It's possible we will end up making something along these lines after the first version of the mod is rolled out, but for now, the model is going to be pretty basic. Unfortunately, the issue is not getting their skin pale and decayed looking (as that could be done with a simple retexture, as you describe). Rather, the issue is getting them to look like their "target host" in the first place. I do believe it is possible to accomplish this, but I have not yet found a way. If I cannot find a way to do it, I will have to rely on SKSE in order to make it work. That is a pretty good idea, and it would certainly be fun to play as. However, the mod is now at a stage where adding any more Liches would require a little "too" much work to do. It's possible that I could add another, similar to the one you describe, after the mod has been released, but for now, it is only planned to have the three in the main post. (And as I've said before, I've been sprucing up #1 and #3 lately, so they will definitely be more interesting upon release, compared to how they are now.)

Yes, it is planned to have the Lich's appearance differ for each type. The Traditional Lich will have a standard Skeletal Lich model, and the Vampiric Lich will use the same general model, but with a slightly different appearance. The Vampiric Lich is actually undergoing some pretty big changes that I haven't discussed here yet. Once I get everything laid out, I plan to update the main post with the changes, and I will reveal the model description then. As far as The Phylactery Bound Lich is concerned, to be honest, the situation is a little unclear. I'd prefer for him to have an appearance similar to the last host he possessed, but perhaps having him look a little pale or decayed. However, accomplishing this would be somewhat difficult. I haven't fully discussed it with the modeler yet, so I'm not too sure what the final product will be. I'm also relying on SKSE to release in order for me to perfect the host swapping process, so I really don't know how things will work out for him yet.

A couple of us have already gone over the story a bit, and have a general theme/outline in place. However, if you'd be able to work with that and improve upon it (if you felt it needed it), then we would appreciate the help. I'll PM you the full situation in a bit, and if you still desire to join, we'd love to have you.

Great! We'd love to have you on the team. I'll send you a PM in a bit so we can get started sorting things out.

From the bethsoft forum. I wanted add my 2 cents and didn't want to have to set up a new account. Is it possible to make the Lich model have some flesh rather than just a skeleton? Make it a bit zombie like? If not I think the bandages look is OK. I probably should have posted that over here as well, sorry about that. Of course, it would not be impossible, but the direction we have been working towards so far has been a skeletal model, and I personally would prefer it to be that way.

Updated 05-03-2012 I am a member of the development team, "Creative Onslaught", and we are currently recruiting new members. While we have several mod ideas piled up, we're currently devoting all of our time and effort towards a single project. That project is called True Lichdom, and I have written up several WIP posts discussing the mod since the CK was released. Nexus Forum [WIP] Thread #1 (Current Nexus Thread) Bethesda Forum [WIP] Thread #2 (Current Bethesda Thread) Bethesda Forum [WIP] Thread #1 Bethesda Forum [Pre-Wip]Thread The goal of the mod is to essentially just integrate a few playable Lich forms into the game. We are doing this by creating a full length questline, a custom player model, and several entirely new gameplay concepts. The rough list of required tasks needing completed are as follows: 1) A full questline with voiced dialogue. 2) Several dungeons and interior cells. 2) A new custom player model, possibly with its own unique animations. 3) New Gameplay mechanics, possibly requiring custom spell effects and animations. Since the initial thread was posted, the mod concept has been well received. The team is working on the mod as often as we can, and several areas are making great progress. However, some areas have made little to no progress at all. Quite frankly, the scope of the project is just so much larger than I had originally thought it would be, and progress is too slow. For that reason, I am requesting assistance with the mod. I have some teaser screenshots of a few interior cells that we've created. I do want to point however, that these only show a mere fraction of the work that has been completed on the mod. Screenshots We've recruited a few members since I originally made this post, but we still very much need people with the following positions: Quest Designers, Dungeon/Interior Designers, Modelers, Texture Artists, and even Voice Actors--we need it all. Voice actors are not something we are too worried about presently, as the mod has not reached the stage at which we are ready to add them, but they will indeed be needed at some point. If you are willing to help complete the following, please post here or PM me. I should also be able to give any additional info desired, so please let me know. Modeler/Texture Artist The modeling situation is rather complicated. Currently, all models are being modeled and textured by one person. We have a few assets already designed, created, and textured, but many are still being completed. Due to our situation, we are even deciding to cut a few corners for the initial release of the mod. If we had an extra modeler or two, I dare say the scope of the mod would change rather drastically. Due to this, we could really use anyone who proficiently do any of the following: 1) Design, create, and alter custom armor meshes. 2) Create UV maps and color textures for various meshes. 3) Design and Create custom spell effects that can be used either as standard projectiles, or as static animated meshes within the game. Animator The Lich model will currently be using default player animations. However, if we were able to recruit an animator, we would like to create a new unique set of animations for the mode. We could use someone who can do any of the following: 1) Design, create, and implement new character animations Dungeon/Interior Design The mod is going to have several custom dungeons and interiors included within the mod. We need someone who can do any of the following: 1) Design and build several custom dungeons that match the theme of traditional Bethesda built Skyrim dungeons. 2) Design and build several custom interior cells that would be used as pieces of the questline. 3) Connect any designed dungeons to the Tamriel worldspace. Quest Design The current team is already hard at work writing up a questline. What we need is someone who can do any of the following: 1) Take a written questline and implement all quest objectives, quest chains, and quest rewards within the Creation Kit. 2) Take written dialogue and assign it to the appropriate actors during the appropriate situations. 3) Take a written scene and implement it into the quest as a scripted Story Event. I have a progress tracker within my WIP threads if you are curious about the full progress regarding the mod. Though it is a little bit outdated and undescriptive in some areas. If you are interested in helping with the mod, or would like more information either post here, or send me a PM. Thanks.

It's not to say that they aren't good liche types, it's just personally I like the idea of having to constantly acquire a new host, I've always been into that sort of game play I suppose. I would probably try them all, the Vampiric Lich also sounds like it could be fun. I think the true lich would be a bit too plain for me though! Understandable, and quite frankly, I'm the same way. It seems most people that are drawn to the Lich concept have a particular fondness for the Body swapping/soul attached to an object aspects. The Vampiric Lich is getting a bit of a boost in his overall featureset, but he still will have the same "feel" as he does now. The Traditional Lich however, will have some special things in store for him to make the experience more entertaining. He is undoubtedly the least gameplay changing out of the three though.

Yes that seems to be the favorite from what I've noticed over in the Bethesda forums. Though the other two Liches are getting some feature reworks/additions to bring them up to the level of quality that the Phylactery Lich has. I'll be updating the main post with info once I've ironed out a few more details, so you may yet be interested in the others as well!

I considered having Liches be allies with all undead. However, undead take up a majority of the enemies in Skyrim, so I felt like that wasn't a good decision to make. As of right now, there are no changes between Liches and Undead.

Yep. Have been working on it just about every day since the day the creation kit came out, and I plan to continue to do so until it is released. :) Do you have an approximate release date yet? :biggrin: This is exciting :thumbsup: Sorry, I don't. A lot of progress has been made on the mod, but there are areas that I haven't even begun to work on yet. I want it to be as perfect as it possibly can be before the release, so I'm not cutting any corners.

Yep. Have been working on it just about every day since the day the creation kit came out, and I plan to continue to do so until it is released. :)

The player is made essential the moment he is transformed into a Phylactery Bound Lich. I then run code when he enters the bleedout event. In the early stages of the mod, I had originally tried to manipulate the players "real" death, but that proved to be really buggy and near impossible to do. I could bring him back to life and restore his UI, but I just couldn't properly restore the camera. No matter what I tried it just wouldn't work. For this reason I decided to make him essential instead. It's much more reliable, but it does lack the "definitive death" impression that a ragdolling corpse would have.

Reserved.

[DISCONTINUED] This is a Creative Onslaught Project Introduction I've always found Vampirism and Werewolf... ism, to be very enjoyable concepts within the Elder Scrolls games. The idea of giving ones character a whole new "state of being" has always been interesting to me. There's just something appealing about it that I can't really explain. The notion of playing as a "cursed existence" that is also given untold power is just so very, very fun for me as a player. While the Elder Scrolls does allow you to do this to some extent, Bethesda has been a bit flaky about the whole thing. I personally only played from Morrowind onwards, so I did not get the chance to experience the Werebear, but we haven't gotten to see it since. In Oblivion, we could not even become a Werewolf, and in Skyrim, both the Werewolf and Vampire states have very questionable aspects to them. I'm a big fan of the concepts, but I've felt the whole thing is simply lacking; both in terms quantity, as well as quality. There's just so much untapped potential in each of the concepts available, and the lore is plentiful enough to bring many more as well. While I could create a mod to "fix up" the states that are already within the game, I've decided instead to create one of the untapped concepts I mention. Liches are one of these concepts. We have always seen Liches within the Elder Scrolls games, but never once have we been allowed to obtain the state of Lichdom for ourselves. Moreover, the Liches we see are nothing like the Liches described within the lore surrounding them. I always wondered, "Why are these Liches so weak and uninteresting? Why can't I become a Lich myself?" And in Skyrim, "Just where the hell are all the Liches?" It seems odd that they were so plentiful in Oblivion, but they are almost non-existent within Skyrim. Yes, the Dragon Priests are Liches, but they're servants of dragons, not sorcerers hungry with power. Not to mention they appear just as mindless as the ones in Oblivion. Two of my favorite Morrowind mods, "The Illuminated Order" and "Lichcraft", allowed you to actually transform yourself into a Lich. The experiences these mods gave my Morrowind playthroughs were simply outstanding, and I had more fun playing with those than I ever did in the traditional game. It's because of this that I've decided I'm going to try and replicate that experience once more. I'm doing this for myself, as well as all of the other Skyrim players out there. That, is what this project is all about. What will the mod contain? There are two primary features I plan to include within this mod. Playable Lich Forms - I plan to add multiple playable Lich forms, each carrying their own strengths and weaknesses.A Full Length Quest - A full length quest will be included, and during the course of your progression you will unlock the ability to become one of the three Lich forms available.Quest Details I mentioned Illuminated Order in the Introduction. Players that have actually had the pleasure to play the mod will vouch for just how amazing the questline was. For all the Illuminated Order fans out there, I'd first like to warn you not to get too excited. While I do plan to try and make the questline as fun and memorable as possible, I have a hard time seeing me topping T.I.O. in regards to that. However, that doesn't mean I won't be trying! I will be taking a similar theme in the sense that you will be joining a "secret guild" of sorts, so perhaps that's something to look forward to. My specialization is in scripting, not story writing, so I've been working with another modder to help put the whole thing together. While I do not have any specific details just yet, rest assured we've been working on the story whenever possible, so even without me posting anything here, progress is being made on this. I just want to ensure it's in a good enough state to publicize before I do so. Lich Details Liches are intelligent sorcerers, typically Necromancers, which chose to sacrifice their mortality in exchange for an eternal existence. They are often pompous or arrogant individuals that view those around them to be weak and inferior. A person that transcends into Lichdom is no longer bound by the tedious grips of their mortality. They do not eat, they do not drink, they do not sleep, and they do not age. They are, by nature, a cursed existence. They are dead, but at the same time, immortal. They assume a state of Eternal Death. There are three different types of Liches that this mod will allow you to play as. The Traditional Lich, the Phylactery Bound Lich, and the Vampiric Lich. Each one should bring an interesting and different style of play for each type of player, while also staying as immersive and true to the game lore as possible. You will learn just how these Liches come to be, as well as the traits of their existences throughout the questline. However, for the sake of building hype and garnering feedback, I will list specific feature details for each Lich below. Global Lich Traits and Features Brief Description: Individual skills and features may differ between each Lich, but all Liches will still carry these traits in addition to the ones listed below their respective sections. People Fear You -You're a walking corpse after all, and you can expect people to not take too kindly to that. People won't talk to you, they will run away, and most will actually attack you on sight. Naturally, you can expect guards to be out for your blood for showing your face near them.Disguising Your True Form -In order to get around the fact that everyone wants you dead, you will be given an ability that will "disguise" your true form. This ability will work as a toggle, and will toggle your appearance between your true form and your disguised form. While active however, it will drain your Magicka at a constant rate. (This continues even while conversing with other NPC's.) The amount of time that you can actually spend in town is limited by how long your Magicka reserves last you.Companions Tweaks -Right now I'm thinking about flat-out disabling companions. After all, who in their right mind would willingly protect a Lich with their lives? Not many I'd wager. I might add some sort of undead companion system or something, but that is honestly not something I think I need to add. If I do decide to do so, it's at the bottom of the priority list. Lich # 1 - Traditional Lich Brief Description: The Traditional Lich is considered the "perfect" or "true" Lich. This Lich escapes his mortality in every way shape and form. He requires no "upkeep" to maintain his existence, and suffers only one actual weakness. Complete Feature, Strength, and Weakness List: Complete Immunity to Disease, Poison, and Paralysis.50% Increased Resistance to Frost25% Increased Resistance to Magic.25% Increased Resistance to Shock.Complete Vulnerability to Fire. (-100% Resistance)Magicka Fortified by 250.Magicka Regeneration Fortified by 20% Lich # 2 - Phylactery Bound Lich Brief Description: A key component in the transcendence into Lichdom is the artifact known as the "Phylactery". The Phylactery is used as a temporary catalyst to contain the Lich's soul during his transcendence into Lichdom. The Phylactery Bound Lich however, choses to permanently bind his soul to his Phylactery. Due to this "incomplete" transformation, he does not receive the full benefits of a true Lich, but in turn, he has gained the ability to escape even the death of his own body. Complete Feature, Strength, and Weakness List: Complete Immunity to Disease, Poison, and Paralysis.Complete Vulnerability to Fire. (-100% Resistance)Magicka Fortified by 300.Magicka Regeneration Fortified by 30%Max Health decays with each passing day.Max Stamina decays with each passing day.No Passive Health RegenerationHost swapping -Upon transforming into this Lich, your body is now just an animated worthless corpse. It matters not which body you are controlling, as long as you actually have one to control. Your skills are retained within your Phylactery, and they are relayed to the host via its power. -You are able to swap hosts at will, so long as you have a proper NPC corpse as your target. You "acquire" the durability of the host you choose. The stronger foe you slay, the stronger you yourself can become.Immortality -Physical death is not the end for the Lich. Your Phylactery carries your soul. Unless that is destroyed, you cannot die. The player has the option of carrying his Phylactery with him, or leaving it at a designated location. If the player is not carrying his Phylactery, upon death he will be transported back to his Phylactery's location and will restore his remains over time. If the player is carrying his Phylactery, he has three possible options: 1) Lie and wait until he restores his body. 2) Attempt to make his killer his new host. 3) Use his Magicka to conjure himself into a "Spirit Form". Dying in spirit form will result in a real death.A concept I want to capture with this Lich is that you are no longer the character you created at the start of the game. You have no true body, and thus, no 'character'. You are dead, and the only fragment of your pitiful existence remaining is your soul. The Phylactery, which contains your soul, is now your true body, and it is the body that you now have to protect. You have no need to protect your physical one, for it is now nothing more than an animated corpse. Lich # 3 - Vampiric Lich Brief Description: The Vampiric Lich is a bit of an interesting one. Some would call him a hybrid, others, an incomplete failure. But make no mistake; this Lich is neither a Vampire, nor a failure. He is a true Lich, down to his very core. Unlike his other Lich brethren however, he must feed in order to survive. Indeed, the most basic function of life that Liches try to escape, the Vampiric Lich must still perform. While this could be called a curse that no would-be Lich would ever desire, it is also, in a way, a blessing—for no other Lich can be quite as powerful as he. Complete Feature, Strength, and Weakness List: Complete Immunity to Disease, Poison, and Paralysis.50% Increased Resistance to Frost25% Increased Resistance to Magic.Complete Vulnerability to Fire. (-100% Resistance)Magicka Fortified by 200.New Ability: Devour Soul -Devour Soul will be a "finishing move" that will only work on living NPC's that are below 10% health. It will also not work on targets that are currently "soul tapped". If these conditions are met, the ability instantly kills the target, and you will consume their soul. -The System will work as follows The player will be forced to absorb at least 1 soul every two game weeks. If the Player does not do this, he will die.(I may make it so that near the end of the two weeks you will grow progressively weaker.) Upon feeding on a soul, he will gain a "Soul Power" effect. The first level of Soul Power will temporarily boost the Lich's Destruction Damage, Magicka Regeneration, and Maximum Magicka by a small amount. If the Player has recently absorbed a soul, and then proceeds to absorb another soul, his Soul Power level is increased by one, and the effects are enhanced even further. The Soul Power buff timer will reset and accumulate upon doing so. Upon reaching the second "level" of Soul Power, he will also take a Max Health Reduction for the duration of the buff. At level two or higher, he will also succumb to a "Soul Overload" effect after the buff duration expires. The Soul Power effect can be stacked and repeated up to 5 times, with the buffs and debuffs increasing in power for every level. Soul Overload will last twice as long as the total duration of the Soul Power buff. Soul Overload will Retain half of the Max Health reduction that the Soul Power state gave. Soul Overload will reduce Destruction Damage, Magicka Regeneration, and Maximum Magicka by the same amounts the Soul Power buff granted. The more souls you're "popping souls" for power, the longer (and weaker) you're going to suffer from bone-crushing weakness. (Pun intended.)The Vampiric Lich is a fragile and dangerous existence, but he is also the strongest. He is the perfect choice for one that is mad for power. He relies on the consumption of human souls to sustain his 'life', but he also has the ability to drastically increase his strength with each soul devoured. Doing so too often however causes severe side-effects that lower his power to the level of a mere child. The Vampiric Lich is the strongest, but he is also the weakest. I Don't Like the Way ______ Works, Will You Change It? Maybe! I'm trying to design each of the Liches in a way that will make them as immersive and enjoyable as possible for as many different types of players as I can. There are bound to be some conflicting interests, but it's for that very reason that I need as much feedback as I can get! From numbers to concepts, I'm willing to change any aspect of the mod based on the feedback I receive. Just let me know what you're thinking and we'll see if it's worth changing! How can you help? Want to help? Great! This is a rather large project with a pretty large scope, and I need all the help I can get! First and foremost, I need ideas and suggestions. Just speak your mind, whether it be quest ideas, feature tweaks, or Lich concepts—lemme have em! Most of this isn't completely set in stone, and I may change any of it depending on the feedback I receive.Lore scraping. So far I've had several people assist me with this, and it's been a big help. Any more is of course still welcomed though! My goal is to entwine each of my Liches with the Elder Scrolls lore as much as I can, while not being too constricted by it. For this reason, having a wide list of books that reference Mannimarco, Lichdom, and even Necromancy will be a huge help to the story development.Feel free to post any of the above here, or PM me if you'd prefer. What about Scripting, Writing, Texturing, and Moddeling? Scripting is actually my primary Forté, and I've pretty much finished most of the coding needed at this point. I've also gotten a few people on board already to assist with the writing, texturing, and modeling needs. It's possible that I have these areas all covered, but it's still a bit early to say. They've each had their own difficulties, and perhaps could use assistance as well! If you are one of the above and still wish to help, send me a PM and we'll see what we can work out. My primary goal is to release this as quickly as possible without sacrificing any quality after all. Do You Need Any Testers? As a matter of fact I do! I'm getting close to a stage where the Liches themselves are "complete" from a conceptual standpoint. Once I am comfortable with their functionality it boils down to just implementing all the models and playtesting their concepts. For now I've stopped accepting any more testers. I'll edit the main post if I feel I need any more. Thanks those who have volunteered so far! Naturally if you're wanting your first experience with the mod to be a pristine and immersive as possible, you won't want to do this, but if not, I'd love your assistance! A lot of these concepts can turn out too be too over/underwhelming based on the numbers I'm using, and I'd like to fine-tune them as much as possible before the real release. If you're interesting in helping me do this, please PM me for more info. Screenshots Phylactery Cell Inner Realm 1 (Landing Platform)Inner Realm 2 (Exit Orb)Inner Realm 3 (Workshop Area Entrance)Inner Realm 4Inner Realm 5 (Throne Room Entrance)Inner Realm 6 (Soul Chamber Entrance) Throne RoomThrone Room 1Throne Room 2Throne Room 3Throne Room 4Throne Room 5 (Shows Current Temporary Lich Model)Throne Room 6 Soul ChamberSoul Chamber 1Soul Chamber 2 Workshop AreaWorkshop Area 1 (Study Entrance)Workshop Area 2Workshop Area 3 (Library Entrance)Workshop Area 4 (Crafting Area Entrance)Workshop Area 5Workshop Area 6 (Storage Area Entrance)Workshop Area 7 Study Area 1Study Area 2Study Area 3 (Enchanter)Study Area 4 (Alchemy Table)Study Area 5Study Area 6 (Soul Hibernation Device) Library Area 1Library Area 2 Crafting Area 1 (Entrance)Crafting Area 2 (Tanning Bench - Complete with a Free Organ Table!)Crafting Area 3 (Forge)Crafting Area 4 (Grindstone)Crafting Area 5 (Workbench) Storage Area 1 (Entrance)Storage Area 2 (Close up on Weapons Chest) Videos Pending Progress Tracker Here I'll gauge my progress regarding specific features and goals, and try to keep you guys updated as often as possible. Overall Mod Progress: 58% General Lich Progress: 64% Abilities: 100% Phylactery: 60% Phylactery Model: 0% Phylactery Texture: 0% Phylactery Cell Models: 100% Phylactery Cell Textures: 100% Phylactery Cell Design: 100% Lich Hostility: 100% Disguise Spell: 100% Companion Tweaks: 0% Lich Model: 25% Models: 30% Textures: 20%Lich # 1 Progress: 33% Abilities: 100% Unannounced Feature 1: 0% Unannounced Feature 2: 0%Lich # 2 Progress: 91% Abilities: 100% Spells: 85% Spell Effects and Visuals: 40% Corpse Possession Spell: 100% Find Phylactery Spell: 100% Enter Phylactery Spell: 100% Phylactery Additions: 100% Extra Cells: 100% Soul Hibernation Device: 100% Immortality: 81% Body Aging: 100% Body Reconstruction: 100% Body Restoration: 100% Killer Possession: 85% Spirit Form: 100% Unannounced Feature: 0%Lich # 3 Progress: 78% Abilities: 100% Spells: 20% Spell Effects and Visuals: 0% Soul Devour Spell: 100% Unannounced Spell 1: 0% Unannounced Spell 2: 0% Unannounced Spell 3: 0% Soul Power State: 95% Soul Overload State 95%QuestLine: 24% Storyline Development: 55% Quest Development (In the CK): 10% Dungeon Development: 0% NPC/Character Development: 30%Other Threads Bethesda Forum [WIP] Thread #2 (Current Thread) Bethesda Forum [WIP] Thread #1 Bethesda Forum [Pre-Wip]Thread

The CK will not let you do what you are saying to do. It does not let you delete the headparts from the face data for each race manually.

I've been somewhat curious at how all of this works myself so I do hope you figure this out. My findings so far regarding the matter might be able to help you. The Vampire race equivalant of each race base has the original set as a MorphRace. What all the "Morph Race" morphs is a mystery to me, but I believe the face data is at least one of the aspects. If you go to the Character/Headpart section within the creation kit, you will see several faces and other face data listed. Since you mentioned a custom nord race I'd recommend looking at the "MaleHeadNord" object. On this object, you have Model, Tri, Race Morph, and Chargen Morph sections. Everything except the model is a ".tri" filetype, and quite frankly, I have no idea what they are for. I am thinking that these are the files that control the morph data for the race, and just what pieces of the face are "transferred" once you change them to a Vampire. Really there's a helluva lot more crap there, but that's a good place to start if you haven't looked there already. Quite frankly it's looking super complex and I'm not really willing to research it any further myself, so you're on your own from there. :P Good luck.

Glad you like the Lichdom idea. If you have any input regarding the features or details, feel free to drop by my thread and let me know what you're thinking. Regarding the FF7 mod though, I'm afraid I'd have to disagree with you there. I could see some diehard fans not really appreciating the idea behind the Tsurugi mod as much as others, but I really don't think we really have to worry about that. Malevolent has some pretty good ideas for the mod, and I think that anyone who even remotely enjoys Final Fantasy will be able to enjoy it. Hell, I'd dare say that even people who know nothing about it would be able to get some enjoyment out of it. My words are probably not very convincing, but I do think you should keep an open mind about the idea. Who knows, maybe it'll sound pretty sweet once you see the details released. :)