How to find an exterior cell to work in that is 'way up in the air'. . .

[kevinwrandolph]

Hello,

 

I want to do a 'player home' mod that is on a floating area up in the sky. I can't figure out how to do the initial part.

 

A thread where I started talking about the idea can be found here http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/2003179-flying-citadel-castle/

 

The basic idea is to work in a exterior cell up in the sky somewhere. Place a mountain top up there, but upside down. Then create a collision surface on which to build that actual home and so forth.

 

I have learned hot to place buildings and such in cells on the ground, but I can't figure out how to do such things 'up in the sky'. I'm hoping that it isn't too tough.

 

There is an existing mod ( abandoned in progress) that did it. But I'm sort of stuck. If someone would be so kind as to tell me how to track down a cell reference up in the sky, I would be very grateful!

 

I had one idea, but couldn't find a console command to do it. I was going to place a item up there in game, select it and hopefully run a console command that would return it's cell location info. It seemed like a simple idea, but I couldn't find a console command that returns the info.

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

edit: the existing mod can be found here I have no desire to 'copy' what they did, but the basic idea is the same.

Edited August 14, 2014 by kevinwrandolph

[mrpdean]

I don't think there is a console command that returns the cell of an object directly but you can do it using both the console and the CK.

 

Find the ideal location for your floating mountain in-game.

 

Try to stand directly under where you want your mountain to.

 

Next, look around for a static object such as a rock, tree, plant etc. It has to be an existing object. Won't work for dynamically created objects.

 

Open up the console and click on the object. This will give you its form id. Take note of it.

 

Now in the Ck select Find from the Edit menu (going off memory here so it might be called some slightly different)

 

Type in the form id that you got from the console and click find.

 

The result should appear under the Objects tab.

 

Double click it and it will take you directly to the object and in turn, to that exact cell.

 

There might be easier ways but thats how I would do it.

Edited August 14, 2014 by mrpdean

[kevinwrandolph]

Hello,

 

Thanks for the reply!

 

That gets me started, but does the individual cell extend way up into the sky or is it a fixed cube? That is something I wasn't sure of.

[mrpdean]

Cells are only laid out in a horizontal grid and each individual cell extends way up into the sky. There are no vertical cells in Skyrim.

 

I'm not sure if there is an upper limit to a cells height. I've not heard of one but presumably there is one before things start to get clipped by the sky dome etc.

 

I know that havok/physics starts to misbehave past a certain map size but I've no idea if that applies vertically as well. Though I think you have to go VERY high before that became a problem.

 

Interesting idea by the way. Will be following your progress :)

[kevinwrandolph]

Great! Thanks for the help!

 

Edit: It worked and I was able to find the area I want. I placed the mountain, scaled it down to a more manageable size. Rotated it upside down. Moved it up a bit, but not really all that high. But then Poof! I accidentally deselected it and it was gone. I looked down below and couldn't find it. I panned the camera around and couldn't find it.

 

I'm guessing that it is there, but perhaps I accidentally pushed it into another cell or something? Not sure. I will play with it more in the morning.

Edited August 14, 2014 by kevinwrandolph

[kevinwrandolph]

This thread is complete. Primary issue is resolved. Now to open a new thread for my new issue. My MountainPeak02 keeps vanishing on me. . .