Six Awesome Mod Ideas All for the Price of One!

[FireFlickerFlak]

Here's a list of some ideas for mods. Take them or leave them.

I put in a poll just to see how my play style matches up with the modding community.

 

1. Beggar Mod:

This ones not so much an idea as a general interest. I almost always play as a beggar character and would love any effort to make more stuff for this type of character. I could ask for specifics, but really anything would make me happy from quests, guilds, clothes, items, homes etc.

 

2. Weary Exiles:

I have seen mods that make animals behave more realistically, but still most bandits attack on sight. Rather than messing with that AI, I'd like it if a bunch of small camps were added to the map. When the player approaches the camp the NPCs will try to talk to him (similar to how a bandit walks to demand payment) and when they come close enough to talk the persuasion menu opens. If you can't get the disposition higher than 30 they attack, 30-50 and they give you some time to leave before they come and talk to you again but now with an even lower initial disposition, 50-80 they tolerate you as long as you don't touch their stuff, 80+ they treat you like one of their own. If you by default already have 50+ disposition the campers don't initiate dialogue but you still can. The campers should not all be the same so one type of character might be on good terms with one type of camper but not with others, none of them will attack on sight though (already too much of that going on.)

 

3. Armor Tweak:

A tweak that removes "armor rating" damage reduction and instead makes it so armor only protects the segment of the body it covers. Helmets reduce headshot damage, cuirass reduces torso damage, etc. I've seen some locational damage mods, but haven't seen this yet.

 

4. Fatigue Damage First:

I like the hand to hand system where fatigue goes and then health goes and would like it applied to more element of the game for two reasons:

For realism, I like to think of loss of health as only serious injuries, rather than bruises, minor cuts, etc. so hits to an armored body, blocked attacks, etc. should rarely reduce my health (the way I look at it).

For gameplay, epic battles would be possible without potion guzzling since fatigue recharges naturally and (sorta) realistically.

For this to work the collapse at less than 0 fatigue would have to be turned off somehow or combat would be too frustrating.

Obviously, health and fatigue values would have to be adjusted to the new system. In general, I think less health and more fatigue would be needed.

 

5. Rarer Magic:

I'll be brief with this one since I doubt anyone has or wants to make this, but I'd like a overhaul-ish mod that makes the oblivion world more mundane and closer to a midieval environment. More bears in the woods, less ogres, less spell casting enemies, more bandit gangs. This could come in two different styles, I'd be happy with both:

No Magic: Kinda self explanatory. Not exactly what I'm looking for but could be fun to try if someone has/wants to make it.

Rare Magic: Much harder to find/obtain/use. More rewarding/powerful as well. Mages guild would be more secretive and exclusive, perhaps only using magic when you get to the university.

 

6. Spawning Traps:

It would be cool if someone could figure out a way to create traps that spawn to simulate a well planned bandit ambush. They always say give me your money or else but I always have the option to run away and I almost always see them coming. One idea of a trap would be a pit covered with leaves. When you walk over that area, it collapses and you fall in. Then maybe there are bandits waiting in there already guarding the door out or maybe they spawn above you. Either way they start the "give me or else..." dialogue after you fall in. Another possibility is a physical net that can be cut off or something, although a realistic looking net would probably be really hard to make... I don't know, just more/better/unique ambushes in general.

 

Thats all for now, thought I had more than just 6...

Anyway, thanks guys for all your great work!

Edited January 8, 2011 by FireFlickerFlak

[Lanceor]

I think no-one has answered as your ideas sound easy in theory, but are difficult or impractical to implement. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm shooting down many of your ideas but I'm giving an honest assessment of each of them.

 

1. Beggar mod: A sprawling slum where everyone lives in abject poverty would make an interesting part of a bigger mod. The area would be rampant with crime and the NPC's living there would do almost anything for a few coins.

 

But on its own a beggar mod for the player would be self-defeating. Clever beggars learn to steal stuff or otherwise find income so they don't stay beggars for long. Those with no money can't afford a buyable home and I wouldn't want to play a quest to steal cardboard and corrugated iron to build a hovel (helping an NPC achieve this might be a good side-quest though). There are many retextured clothing mods out there, many of which give a torn, worn or dirty look. Perhaps some of these would fit the bill.

 

2. Bandits already behave that way in the game... kind of. I guess it could be scripted so that certain hostile NPC's will always talk to you before attacking. But most players would either use their spells/skills to achieve 100 disposition or would kill the bandits anyway, making such a mod's effect on the game minimal.

 

3. Locational damage: This would almost be a whole new combat system - each body part's health would have to be tracked separately. You'd also have to create the effects of crippling a body part which would mean lots of new animations if it were to look realistic. I doubt it would be doable as described but the mod Adrenaline-Fueled Combat would replicate some of the effects.

 

4. Fatigue Damage - this would be realistic in a boxing match with boxing gloves... but a hit by a battle axe certainly can't be rested off in 60 seconds. Your idea that more damage taken = less strength has a lot of merit though.

 

5. Rare Magic: You're right - this would be a complete overhaul. The current spell system would have to be replaced with something else and every spell using NPC would have to be adjusted for balance.

 

6. Pit traps: This wouldn't be too hard to script and a mesh for "leaves covering a pit" with no collision data wouldn't be hard either. Each trap would have to be placed by hand though - no chance of it spawning randomly. I'll see if I can use this idea in a future mod.

 

Hope that gives some insights!