Who Would Be Interested In A "ReBuilt Helgen" Mod

[269091]

Well, I would definately being interested in that mod - and also in participating making it.

 

My basic idea was - not too far from some things mentioned above already:

 

Player could get quest from Falkreath Yarl to clear the ruins from bandits (or similar task) and will in return get the chance to buy Helgen for a certain amount of money, or better buy tax rights and rule it as thane of Falkreath (In the name of the Yarl).

 

He could then have to gather workforce (Sorli the Builder + team!?) to rebuild it. Then recruit NPCs to move in and open businesses (Shadr in Riften is always talking about opening a stable for instance, also the smith assistant in Markarth doesn't seem to be too happy there, also spouse could open the shop there for real). Each business established could bring a certain amount of interest (similar to spouse's businesses).

 

Player could reside in Helgen Keep (renovated and fitted as player home (either complete or with buyable upgrades).

 

All desired businesses founded -> quest finished.

 

This is a very basic outline and would - of course - have to be refined.

 

As for the alternate start issue: I would basically go for Vanilla in first place: Alduin destroys Helgen! Building up from here everything could be finished (buildings, interiors, NPCs like merchants and others, a cart driver etc etc). So it would end up with a mod working for vanilla - not compatible with any mods for alternate endings.

 

Afterwards another, a pre-destroyed Helgen could be created, strongly based on what it looks like now, just by adding some NPCs/ mechants and interiors. To function correctly all additions just will have to be linked to the respective enablemarkers that let intact Helgen vanish and ruined Helgen appear.

 

So it would not matter if the main quest is disabled. Whenever the stage where Helgen is destroyed will be passed the event will occur. If this never will happen, the original Helgen (with some improvements) will stay in place and the rebuild quest will never be started.

 

Still there are two problems:

 

1. What to do with the Imperials in Helgen in case during civ war Falkreath goes to the Stormcloaks. I would not opt for a "battle for Helgen" (though its possible) as that would probably be too much of a hassle to create. Instead they could be just disabled by markers as soon as the Falkreath imperial stronghold (was it Fort Sungard??) is cleared - the same way the Yarl just changes.

 

2. Most of the buildings of pre-destroyed Helgen are linked to the same enable parents as the respective ruins and rubble piles - just with setting to opposite state. But we would probably in many cases want both of them to disappear. By using the enable parents we only would be able to switch either the vanila pre-destroyed Helgen on, or by switching it off, activating the ruined Helgen. Probably we could get around this issue by using the vanilla pre-destroyed elements in both the pre-destroyed AND the rebuilt Helgen.

 

So basically the process of rebuilding would finally mean to swith the vanilla pre-destroyed Helgen back on (thus switching the ruins off). If we then want items to disappear, we would have to unlnk them from their current parents, link them to new ones, that are themselves liinked to the original ones - so we get rid of all the opposite state settings.

 

In the main quest they would be switched off by their enableparents, and for the rebuild (after beings swithced on to get rid of the ruins we would be able to switch them off again separately. But this technique will work for big items like walls, towers and houses. using it for details is - of course - possible in theory, but inpractise it will be too much micro managmment - and a never ending source for errors.

 

What do you think?

 

BTW - about me/ what could I contribute: I am a Graphics Designer, so I am quite good in PS tasks, I am quite good with the CK (as long as it doesn't come to scripting). Basic knowlwge in Nifskope and ABSOLUTELY useless when it comes to 3D software (like Blender, max etc.).

[bbb]

There is a rebuilt project still active.

Helgen Rebuilt Project

[chuckmccaw]

But it would be the same for alternative starts, just there'd be a gap of time between the old mostly useless Helgen and the fixed Helgen

 

The problem with that, Chuck, is that it's possible to "jumpstart" the Main Quest in alternate starts that don't begin with Helgen destroyed. Having your new Helgen in place may play havoc with the Main Quest in this case. I don't know this for sure, since I'm not sure of exactly what events that take place in Helgen may be triggers within the Main Quest. All you have to do is to check for the stage of the Main Quest and make sure it's at least at Stage 10 of MQ102, since at that point Helgen has been destroyed and Alduin is on his way to revive Mirmulnir for the eventual showdown at the Western Watchtower in MQ104.

 

Remember than an alternate start that doesn't enable the Main Quest will leave Helgen untouched by the dragon attack, which doesn't occur until sometime before Stage 30 of MQ101. I don't know the exact stage since the wiki only documents a few of them from 30 to 900, but there are 18 stages before Stage 30. I'm sure one of those is when Alduin appears during the cinematic intro to the game. Stage 900 marks your exit from Helgen and at that point it's already destroyed, but there are 63 stages before that in which the initial Helgen can be replaced by the destroyed Helgen. I'm guessing it actually happens at stage 900. You'd have to go into the CK and examine the quest stages to sort all this out.

 

Ok, no my point is my mod would change Helgen regardless of it being fixed or not, but yes having it automatically destroyed would easy things up