Your thoughts on a community mod

[Tamb0]

I was thinking that it would be a lot of fun to go into a game and meet a lot of characters ingame that are actually the avatar of the folks in the moding community, both here and on the Bethesda forums.

The idea is simple. Everone interested, downloads a worldspace map (.esm master) and a blank .esp. They then open these in the CK and lay claim to 1 cell (x,y) in the map plus an additional secondary cell (x,y).

 

This would be based on a first come, first served basis. If your claim has already been take by someone else, you'll receive an email telling you to use your secondary x,y cell, or if that's not available, to pick another.

 

Once you recieve confirmation, you can start work on your own home, exterior and interior. Of course, it doesnt have to be a house, it could be a mine, a cave, a dungeon,...anything you want.

 

Two things that must be present are

1. An avatar representing yourself. To this you can add your own dialog, armour, and possibly your own quest.

2. A message must be created with your name, and attached to the entrance / entrances of your mod.

 

Other Info

 

The plan so far is to include 4, 5 or possibly 6 cities. These too, would be partly claimed (not a whole cell) and your chosen town/city dwelling/shop/blacksmith/mansion area would be given to you. This would probably result in having to duplicate your avatar so that the player meets you in the cities and out in the wilds. You would be neighbours with other folk who want to participate.

 

It could even be possible for some folk to get together and collectively create small hamlets,...if they so choose.

 

The possibilities are endless, just use your imagination.

 

Of course every persons avatar would be marked as essential, so you wouldn't be killed off.

 

The thing i think that would be really funny, is picking other peoples locks and 'exploring' their property. Again, you could set numerous deadly traps inside to prevent the player from doing this.

 

Obviously, there would have to be some guidelines put in place. It's just a storybook at the moment, but depending on the interest, it might make it to the production table.

 

Another point, this isn't going to be a short term project. I think we're looking at a year minimum, so there would be no hurry to get thing done, or abandon your current project for the time being. All getting done at a leisurely pace.

 

What are your thoughts on all of this ?

 

Here's what folk think over on the Bethesda forum -

Bethesda Forum modding community thoughts

 

Here's some screenshots taken in the CK, of the Worldspace -

 

From the top

Medium angle

Low angle

 

This is the bare worldspace, with the base textures put down. The area you see with the little yellow squares is a 15x15 cell area, just to give you a rough idea of the size. The main mountain ridges you see, define the border of the worldspace, although this could be changed, to use the area to the South West, if needed.

 

It looks a lot better ingame,...trust me.

Edited June 20, 2012 by Tamb0

[pwnedbyscope]

This sounds like a really cool idea, and i would love to add my own character to it, however to avoid chaos, i think it would be a good idea to create the ground work first the cities with all the houses and spots to be filled, then open it up for people to reserve a spot and create it themselves which would be sent back to you, to be incorporated into the whole deal

[tetradite]

My heart says:

"I love this idea"

 

My brain says:

"What's the point"

and "It won't work"

 

I don't want that to sound as negative as it probably does - I for one would get a great deal of enjoyment out of participating in the build, but I just don't see what the end purpose is, beyond just seeing what the worldspace ends up looking like when it's community generated, which isn't really much of a payoff for the work involved.

 

It only starts to have a real point if quests can be added, but how do you setup a quest when you only have access to one cell?

 

Again, I love the idea as an idea, it's just lacking purpose.

[pwnedbyscope]

I dont think something like this would really need a purpose, other than it would allow for anyone to create and add to a mod, that would otherwise be overlooked, and allow a player experience a near limitless amount of new content

[Tamb0]

...i think it would be a good idea to create the ground work first the cities with all the houses and spots to be filled, then open it up for people to reserve a spot...

 

I know what your trying to say, but there's not really any point in doing that, if there's not a lot of folk interested. If enough folk are willing to spend a little time to help create it, then there would be rough city boundaries put in place on the map they receive.

 

The cities themselves would be added at a later date and the folk who are participating would would be asked to choose where they want their city dwelling, then those choices would be added accordingly. Obviously the exact location would be moved a little, to accomodate the other building in the area.

[pwnedbyscope]

I think I misunderstood, would people create characters with the descriptions of who what were and why, and you make them or would they make them in the ck then give to you?

[tetradite]

I dont think something like this would really need a purpose, other than it would allow for anyone to create and add to a mod, that would otherwise be overlooked, and allow a player experience a near limitless amount of new content

 

But what is there to actually experience, that's what I have trouble with. You'd just be wandering around looking at people's houses, with absolutely nothing to do.

 

I think you need to at least give people (say) 2 cells that are NOT next to each other, then everyone could at least potentially add a quest, or add a home and a dungeon. Then it starts to get interesting.

 

How about if everyone got two cells, but one HAD to be something other than a player home - a dungeon, a puzzle, something to do. If everyone could add a home, a quest and a dungeon/cave/mine whatever then it starts to get interesting.

 

I really really do like the basic idea, I know it may not sound like it.

[Tamb0]

 

It only starts to have a real point if quests can be added, but how do you setup a quest when you only have access to one cell?

 

The point is, initially, populate the world first. Quests have no meaning in a huge empty worldspace. The worldspace has over 6000 cells for people to use. There's never going to be that amount of folk interested.

 

I reckon, if approx 200 hundred people are willing to join, then other possibilities open up. Remember, some folk might not like the idea of making interiors and they just want to add a hut in the middle of nowhere. Those very same people might love making quests. With the 5800 cell that are at their disposal, there's plenty of room for their quests. It has to be controlled though.

 

Again, if there's only 200 folk, then the land allocation can go up, so that they can build their own 'whatever' on another piece of land that they've applied for.

 

Remember, when it's finished, it will be similar to a DLC. Everybody will be able to download the Worldspace and add their own custom mods, specifically for that worldspace. Thay won't be restricted to using Tamriel as a setting.

 

It's very early doors, but I'm sure some folk will want to get more involved, than just making a house. Once the place starts to populate, then those folk can put their ideas forward and possibly / probably help with the whole orginising thing.

 

We'll just take it one step at a time.

 

I dont think something like this would really need a purpose, other than it would allow for anyone to create and add to a mod, that would otherwise be overlooked, and allow a player experience a near limitless amount of new content

 

As tetradite says, it probably does need some sort of content.

 

The whole point is to add another worldspace, outside of Tamriel, that opens up new possibilities for modders. Lets face it, Tamriel worlspace is a little congested at the moment as it is. A new vast worldspace gives hundred / thousand of people a clear area to work in,...after the initial worldspace is released to the public.

 

The worldspace is already created, it's just too big for me to try and populate it on my own. With the help of others, it becomes a community project and the community can contribute as little, or as much as they want. Initially, this will be only 1 cell, but will go up, depending on the amount of folk interested.

 

Some folk might just want to add a little farm, just so their name is included in the mod. That's fine. If they don't want extra space, then their extra space can be given to the folk that need more.

 

I think I misunderstood, would people create characters with the descriptions of who what were and why, and you make them or would they make them in the ck then give to you?

Each person would create their own character how they want that character to be. Nothing to do with me. the only stipulation would be, that the character has their forum name,...not their game name.

[tetradite]

Gotcha. On that basis, I'm all for it.

 

 

Some other issues to think about/discuss:

 

- Control of climate/vegetation etc

Any rules here? I think something is needed to keep the world "realistic" i.e not changing from desert to ice fields every couple of cells.

 

- Control of arcetecture/style in cities

Similar to above, do you desire a mismash free for all or would something be in place to at least somewhat unify appearances within each city? Less important than climate/vegetation as if this one ends up an utter mismash it'll only strain your eyes rather than credibility!

 

- Just vanilla content or will including custom meshes/textures ok?

If custom is permitted you'd need to think about whether to limit the res/polys etc or not to keep it runable on lower end systems.

 

 

Not asking you for answers to these questions, just throwing out as many spanners as I can before you set the gears in motion ;)

[jet4571]

Wow lots of reading there...

 

Umm Op only thing i have to say is it will not look good. too many styles and too few restrictions. Can add anything you want and it will look like donkey dung in your mouth from a view through a mirror. especially 1 cell at a time considering when i add a cabin there atleast 2 cells affected

 

1. Limitations on what can be added in the exterior is the way to go.

2. limited numbers of exterior slots available. (An open world city is best)

3. interior requires the first room to fit the exterior theme.

4. first 5 modders joining get to choose the city theme for vanilla buildings.

 

So with those four guidelines, someone design a village or city that can use the easy buildings to add (farmhouses galore lol, so include districts) in limited amounts. say 20 for that village or small city. that person plops and drops the buildings and adds some foliage and does the ground textures and levels. then offers modders to do the rest(minus 1 place that the first five did not choose) allowing the first 5 to choose the exterior building theme.

 

Once building theme is set the first 5 can start work on interiors. while the one who started the project changes out all the buildings to fit the theme and adjust the exterior to fit. Now he/she gets to begin there interior.

 

Other's join and claim an unclaimed building, PM (not email) and building assigned to them. they can do whatever inside but only have the exteriors "yard" to work with.

 

exterior Navmesh is the sole job of the person incharge of the mod.

 

Merging 20 mods ... asking for failure.