Her Clockwork Heart

[CTRLALTDETH]

Has anyone here heard of the song

, from the small time steampunk band known as Vernian Process?

It's about a brilliant inventor and his ill fated lover. Just as they were to marry she died. But he wanted to be with her forever so he used his great technological prowess to bring her back to life.

It's brings up issues like how hard it is to let go of a loved one, as well as the moral issues of playing god.

 

 

It gave me a rough idea for a large mod, something of a monumental task (I understand if no one wants to make it, because it's a big job), but done right and it can be a great story.

I know nothing of mods, but I think some people might have fun building/playing a companion romance mod, in where you and your companion, go on many typical adventures, eventually stumbling upon long lost Dwemer ruins near the border into Morrowind. Perhaps you find it unintentionally, like you are doing a unrelated quest in a nearby cave, get stuck in a cave-in, then find the ruins while looking for a way out. Maybe you even meet her for the first time in there, up to the modder really.

It will be filled with typical Dwemer and steampunk themed items (oh boy custom meshes and textures everywhere). Perhaps you might find some schematics for (a) dwemer weapon(s). After gathering components from the ruins you get to build said item (this lets the player feel involved, and will add closure later in the story). Now if you (the modder) make it so you need some form of power core (I don't know some sort of steam compressor tech, no need to go into detail unless you want to) to make this weapon it will add depth later on (you will see why).

 

You two later escape now armed with knowledge of this place, and some sweet gear.

As the mod progresses the feelings between the PC and companion grow. But at it's peak, she grows ill and dies. Remembering something you saw back in those ruins that fateful night, you bring her body to the cold, yet familiar, ruins, and begin the process of returning her to life.

Notes and instructions on this procedure should point out the obvious moral issue, giving the player the choice to leave, letting her rest, and ending the story.

If the player decides to go through with the plan, they will begin to gather the needed materials, just like when building the weapon. the last item being one of those power cores, after a long search the player will be notified that there are no more. So now the player has to decide between their sweet unique steam weapon, or the companion. This choice can let gear greed end the story at this point.

 

Assuming the player brings said companion to life, the mod continues (maybe give her a unique body, keep her essential attractiveness maybe a glass panel showing cogs where her heart was, or at least make her more pale, like a corpse), she will be somewhat different, more cold, distant. Still madly in love with the PC mind you, but also sad, these feelings will be hidden at first but become stronger, and more noticeable over time. Until eventually the PC will ask her, or she will confront the PC, about her changes. She will say the she feels empty and hollow. Numbed even. She will say that the player is her only light in the world now, but even that light feels faded when compared to before. The player now is faced with a difficult choice ending in three results:

1. find a way to make her happy again (god knows how, but it would be a happy ending...then again do we need a happy ending? leave the player feeling sad, and they will want to play it again, assuming it's made well)

2. keep her alive for your own sake just as she is (got to work on that ending, needs some weight on this action, else it feels meaningless. Maybe she will grow to hate the player for keeping her this way, eventually becoming detached and emotionless, but a stronger fighter than before. Just a fighting, silent, puppet. Killing everything that made her who she was)

3. Tell her you love her, say you are sorry and then grant her peace.

 

 

As for the dialog, or any of the mod building, I am useless, I have no artistic talent or imagination. So really make this mod, and take all the credit, besides pointing out the song that inspired it.

 

 

And you have to give her a nice Victorian dress, with a corset, perhaps with a touch of Gothic inspiration (after a touch of google i found some inspiration). other than that specific detail, I leave you to explore you're own imagination.

Even if it doesn't get made, I am interested in hearing what you (yes you) have to think on this partial concept.

Edited June 29, 2011 by CTRLALTDETH

[Telyn]

This is a mod I would want to play, very literary. I am a big fan of quest mods with a strong storyline and different possible endings. The themes are pretty universal literary themes. I am one of the apparent minority of people that think games can be art. I would like to see more people try consciously to make mods that are based around classic dramatic themes. Mods like this one do get a fair amount of attention. If nobody else comes forward wanting to make this mod, I would urge you to try to make it yourself and get help from others when you get stuck. There are some very nice modders' resources that include dwemer technology available.

[CTRLALTDETH]

This is a mod I would want to play, very literary. I am a big fan of quest mods with a strong storyline and different possible endings. The themes are pretty universal literary themes. I am one of the apparent minority of people that think games can be art. I would like to see more people try consciously to make mods that are based around classic dramatic themes. Mods like this one do get a fair amount of attention. If nobody else comes forward wanting to make this mod, I would urge you to try to make it yourself and get help from others when you get stuck. There are some very nice modders' resources that include dwemer technology available.

 

Yeah i thought about making it, but i'm not very artistic, and im a horrible writer, for this mod to work i feel it would need a good script. As well as more detail and thought in the story. i know a few amateur writers but they are far to busy, and i dont talk to them enough to convince them to write a story for a mod, that might not get made, for a game they dont play.

 

The only modding experience i have is i changed the face of an mod added NPC and that took me hours.

 

But im glad you like the concept.

Edited June 29, 2011 by CTRLALTDETH

[Telyn]

I think you underestimate your writing ability. You drew me into the story just by describing it. You have a way with adjectives. :)

[CTRLALTDETH]

I think you underestimate your writing ability. You drew me into the story just by describing it. You have a way with adjectives. :)

 

Explaining something, and finding some pretty words, is very different than using words to paint a character. I have a hard time writing in a way that fits character personalities, besides my own... additionally all i wrote was a basic scenario, to make that detailed enough for an entire mod is something i can't do, seeing as the story would be a good 3-4 hours long at least. That and i didn't come up with this story, i heard it somewhere else and applied it to the elder scrolls world by adding the word 'dwemer'.

i'm flattered by your confidence, but in all honesty i didn't do all to much, nor do i have the capability or attention span to even figure out how to make this mod work.

My only hope is that my minimal writing skills were enough to interest the right people for this job, because i'd rather not have this mod, than have it done badly, with my shoddy execution.

i entrust the intellectual rights to my imagination (what little of this i imagined) for this project, to the greatest community of modders out there. i will participate in the potential creation of this mod by monitoring this thread, answering questions for, brainstorming, and encouraging, anyone interested in this as their project.

[MarkInMKUK]

I certainly like the idea of the mod - it adds a new twist to the usual steampunkish additions

 

From your three ending scenarios, you could make the first option start an additional quest loosely based on the Tin Man in Wizard of Oz, searching for a "heart". Maybe the "heart" is found to be a way of using a Varla stone, maybe with additional enchantments found on a mysterious scroll somewhere unexpected.

 

For the second option, the "soulless puppet", you might want to add an option which turns down the "Frankenstein" road, where the companion eventually turns on it's creator (unless the creator is seen to be actively trying to improve the companion's lot by working towards the above restoration quest).

 

And have you no faith in the healing power of love? Depending on the choices made in dialogue, if you are showing you TRULY love the companion (as opposed to wanting a handy bed partner), maybe the realisation that you love him/her will cause something to change in the artificial heart ...

 

BTW - if you like the concept of a Clockwork Lady, the somewhat steampunkish direct-to-DVD Sherlock Holmes film has one in it, who displays unending loyalty.

[CTRLALTDETH]

I certainly like the idea of the mod - it adds a new twist to the usual steampunkish additions

 

From your three ending scenarios, you could make the first option start an additional quest loosely based on the Tin Man in Wizard of Oz, searching for a "heart". Maybe the "heart" is found to be a way of using a Varla stone, maybe with additional enchantments found on a mysterious scroll somewhere unexpected.

 

For the second option, the "soulless puppet", you might want to add an option which turns down the "Frankenstein" road, where the companion eventually turns on it's creator (unless the creator is seen to be actively trying to improve the companion's lot by working towards the above restoration quest).

 

And have you no faith in the healing power of love? Depending on the choices made in dialogue, if you are showing you TRULY love the companion (as opposed to wanting a handy bed partner), maybe the realisation that you love him/her will cause something to change in the artificial heart ...

 

BTW - if you like the concept of a Clockwork Lady, the somewhat steampunkish direct-to-DVD Sherlock Holmes film has one in it, who displays unending loyalty.

 

 

I like the cut of your jib. Excellent depth and feeling in these additional concepts.

[WarRatsG]

This mod has potential. I love the sound of it, plus everyone loves quest-based mods. You drew me into the story with a 2 paragraph description :L

 

Definitely something I will watch :)

[CTRLALTDETH]

This mod has potential. I love the sound of it, plus everyone loves quest-based mods. You drew me into the story with a 2 paragraph description :L

 

Definitely something I will watch :)

 

I'm glad that my flavorful vocabulary succeeded in enrapturing you, I also see that you have made a mod request for an adaptive, self improving weapon. looks to be an interesting task.

Hope someone steps up to bat, in producing these potentially great additions to this site.

 

 

Seeing as you are so imaginative with weapon concepts, do you perhaps have an inkling in regards to the weapon in my story? designing a weapon that clearly has a steam powered source is an interesting task for oblivion, would be easier were this fallout.

 

I was hoping to get several potential weapons. to suit different play styles. Giving the playing the choice of what one they'd get.

 

I was Inspired by other weapons, contained in different games on this site.

I thought perhaps a crossbow based off of the one seen in dragon age two (we would need to add the oblivion crossbow mod for this), a fast firing crossbow with little, to no draw time.

Perhaps animated gauntlets that improve hand to hand capabilities. similar to the 'power fist' of fallout 3...only a glove instead of a fist weapon, you know, because there are no fist weapons. (edit here i found a dwemer inspired gauntlet on the nexus, just change the stats to make them hand to hand friendly, maybe steam can shoot out when you punch someone.)

 

Now i just need a sword or a mace.

perhaps a hammer, and the head of said mace can expand on contact, doing great damage, with a knockdown on crit ablility.

Swords will be hard unless we go with just a seeming normal sword, only with the blade cloaked in a thick cloud of steam, adding fire damage. Then poisons can be added, not to the blade, but to the steam compartment, making the poison last longer, and making them stronger.

Edited June 30, 2011 by CTRLALTDETH

[CTRLALTDETH]

After spending more time on these forums I've noticed that larger insurmountable mods get brushed aside, and people virtually line up to work on the smaller ones.

It's a shame really as it's the larger mods that are more likely to be remembered for years. Could it be that oblivion is losing people due to the upcoming Skyrim release?

I to am exited for Skyrim but it seems to be themed in a particular direction (Norse), much more heavily so than Oblivion. A good story mod would need to fit in with that overall theme (for example i can't see a bad ass viking as the MC of this story)

I think that's why there aren't as many story mods for fallout, to narrow a niche for most stories.

Perhaps I need to wait for Skyrim to come out, and see if someone will then incorporate this story into it anyways...Or I could learn from scratch how to mod, but by the time I'd be done It would be superfluous as Skyrim would be out by then.

 

...It seems I picked a bad time to come up with a task like this one, I am slowly beginning to feel defeat. And excepting it.

But I sure won't complain if it gets done.