[WIP] PaladinRider's 'The Island'

[PaladinRider]

EDIT:

The Proof of concept is available now on both Steam and the Nexus. Be warned, there is no way to return to skyrim without the help of console codes. It is largely incomplete but I'm just looking for some early feedback.

 

Please let me know if it installed without a hitch and any bugs (there are lots!) you may encounter..

 

I hope everything is included.

 

PaladinRider - The Island NEXUS LINK

 

 

 

 

If you walk north of Dawnstar along the shoreline you'll come across this man and his heavily laden ship. He offers you a unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to board his ship ferrying passengers to the Summerset Isles, with the promises of treasure and riches. This seven day round trip is too good to pass up, he says.

 

Pictures are in the spoiler tags - in many cases the lighting is off and darker then it should be.

 

 

 

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/429236_10150592641624405_506814404_9038938_58486750_n.jpg

 

 

One small catch he mentions - he doesn't want any of his passengers causing trouble on his ship so he confiscates everybody's equipment, promising to return it upon arrival.

 

Midway there he claims that you've arrived. Something seems fishy so he takes you to the main deck where some of the passengers are not happy,

 

 

 

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/419989_10150592641839405_506814404_9038941_1569905893_n.jpg

 

 

 

The captain's ploy is revealed. He never intended to bring the passengers the Summerset Isles, instead robbed you blind. After one of the soon-to-be marooned refuses to row to shore, the Captain orders the crew to advance. One of the crewmembers strikes you across your unarmoured head.

 

You awake in the midst of a heated discussion amongst the marooned passengers on the island. Tensions are high.

 

 

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/420493_10150592641914405_506814404_9038942_1306098912_n.jpg

 

 

 

It is up to you to resolve the group and unite them to ensure your survival. You take the role as the leader of the group and waste no time in survival. With nothing but a simple bow, an axe, and a sword you must rally the marooned if you want to survive this strange island.

 

 

 

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/427038_10150592642004405_506814404_9038944_1256409164_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/422734_10150592642154405_506814404_9038947_46703819_n.jpg

 

 

Through careful delegation of tasks to collect and manage resources, you will not only thrive on this island of plentiful resource, but you will establish your very own village.

 

Eventually you'll establish a mining industry, fishing operation, a logging mill, farming, apiary, and many more. You'll be required to collect stone, wood, food, and to build supplies and buildings. When your small village has grown vast, the decision to build a lighthouse will bring amazing results. Way off in the distance, merchant ships will recognize your beacon as a safe haven for trade. They will come bearing many goods, asking for a nights stay and a plate full of fresh meat and vegetables.

This trade establishment has the opportunity to turn your small village into a vast port city of wealth.

 

The island itself holds many secrets and you'll find yourself an enemy, the Ra Gada tribe, who will relentlessly harass their new foreigners.

 

On a personal level, you'll be required to your duties as the Jarl or Count of the village. Such duties range from the mundane to the exciting. You'll have to resolve differences amongst the citizens, stem the growth of crime and root out the evil. Your city may be become a haven for pirates, or a place of nobility dependent upon your actions.

 

You'll have to keep your citizens happy, a seemingly relentless and endless task. Which deity will you worship? Talos? Stendarr? Azura?

 

You'll soon catch wind of the ship captain's whereabouts - the man who marooned you. Will there be hell to pay? Or will you be merciful? Regardless you'll find yourself in possession of a nice ship to travel to Skyrim and back on a whim.

 

Your new adventure awaits.

 

 

 

Other notes:

 

 

LOD problems are being worked out

Some neat features will include a totally personal player-built castle build into one of the nearby mountains.

A mine can be constructed in the larger mountain and it will be expanded into 5 stages. After the 5th stage, your miners will break into a large cavern, containing a nice little secret that old-time TES players should recognize.

The Ra Gada is the remnants of an ancient tribe of redguard warriors who settled on the island in the 1st era. They were left behind and had no way to leave the island. Since the last 3 eras their dialect has changed so much that they don't speak any recognizable language to the player.

 

Progress so far is about 15% of a releasable product. As with my previous mod for NV, I tend to release a playable mod and consistently expand upon it.

At this point there are a few quests and cinematics that will place you and the other passengers on the island. So far (AI Package/Navmesh issues aside) you can send NPCs to hunt, fish, cut wood. They begin to build their buildings in your absence. There are no building animations or it is otherwise very difficult or time consuming to do. So while you explore, they build a farmhouse, a logging mill, fishing dock, tents, and an inn. Not all at once of course. The process is rather slow, and you'll occasionally be asked to pitch in. Now actually chopping wood has a purpose - to further build your city! Collecting fish and hunting with Thom likewise.

 

 

 

 

Quick list of buildings that will be available to build, marked with an asterisk if already implemented and available

 

 

Fishery*

Docks* + Dock Expansion*

Lighthouse

Stone Walls

Castle (expandable beginning with a small keep in the mountains)

Lumbermill* (windmill powered)

mine (5 stages of expansion, each stage revealing better ores. A nice surprise deep inside the mountain when you've fully expanded it)

guard towers*

farm* (several stages including livestock farm)

smithy

weaponsmith

apiary

inn* (three different inns)a

brothel

guard tower

various guilds can be built - thieves guild, dark brotherhood, etc.

roads* (improves efficiency in resource gathering)

fletcher and archery range

several various merchants

shipping offices (necessary for trade)

taverns

civil offices

house of lords

temples and places of worship for a deity (/ies) of choosing

apothecary

 

 

 

These are just a few of the buildings not including separate residences. Down the road I will be introducing a unique Radiant-Quest like system involving your Jarl's chair. By sitting down in your chair a random citizen or aide will approach to discuss an issue that needs resolving. Most often these will be trivial and mundance such as "So and so stole my chickens!". You'll be required to come to a justified (or not) solution between them. Somebody may ask that you build a school for so their children can get a better education. Executions will be available for the more tyrant ruler. Chopping blocks and the like can be built to instil fear, and opposite to the spectrum, gardens and beautifications can be built to make your citizens happier. Come people may complain to the presence of gangs or otherwise unwelcome types of people. You may be required to better police your town.

 

Hopefully I'll be able to throw in the odd festival, where your city is donned with decorations and everyone gets drunk. A successful ruler may find that his/her citizens built a structure in your honour - be it a statue or a great hall for drinking festivities.

 

Bethsoft Thread

 

Progress until release of first version ███████████████

Edited April 22, 2012 by PaladinRider

[mjy]

looks great if u can pull it off, a lot of work there i think, good luck, will check this out for sure

[NeighborlyNinja]

Really cool if you can pull this off! :dance: I'll download for sure, provided you make it good and unnecessarily long to prolong the lifespan of the experience. :thumbsup:

[PaladinRider]

That's the plan. You'll have some time to kill near the beginning of the mod - you can pick up an axe and cut wood to expedite the building process and help out your fellow man. You can explore the island but without a decent sword and armour you'll find yourself very vulnerable. It's not a very safe island!

[HeroSushi]

this looks amazing

 

I hope there will be peaceful ways of dealing with the natives

[PaladinRider]

At the moment I've no plans for a peaceful resolution with the natives. They will be inherently hostile and non-english speaking so there will be no communication medium between the two of you. You will be involved with them deeply though I have some interesting plans and ideas regarding the tribe.

[tnu]

Looking forward too it mo chara. I've been looking for this type of mod since the CK first came out. Remember, if you need testers you have my email man.

[Luckylewis]

Looks very intesting, I hope you can pull it off. I love islands, and I really hoped the northern coast of Skyrim was a little more interesting. Anyway, this far away island looks great, love the idea of building your own village and fending off a hostile native tribe.

[Korodic]

interesting as always PR. I'd be interested in helping after I finish my mod, assuming you'd even want it.

[PaladinRider]

I wouldn't mind beta testers and the like. When time comes I could use help with finding good voice actors since there will be a lot of NPCs. That won't be for a while though.