Settlements Expanded Project

[Doedel]

Hello!

 

While it has been talked about in a dozen or more threads, I do not believe there has been a dedicated attempt to make place in which efforts to expand various settlements throughout the Wastes can be consolidated. That said, I'd like to propose the creation of a Settlements Expanded Project, a community-based endeavour to expand various settlements throughout the D.C. Wastelands.

 

That said, I've posted the start of my Arefu Expanded project (http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=922214) which, among other things, will enlarge Arefu, add more population, more structures, homes and families, as well as a shop and a bar, to make Arefu a proper "town" and not just "three families hiding on an overpass".

 

The ultimate goal would be to create one large Settlements Expanded mod package which will contain expansions for most/all major settlements in Fallout 3. I don't want to get in over my head but it would be nice to assemble a "team" of "expanders" (lol!) who can work in conjunction with one another, sharing ideas, designs, even quests and easter eggs with one another.

 

That said, any such project would have to follow a set of loose rules so as not to degrade the original product. For instance, it'd be a shame to see things like having a "super-shop" open up in Big Town with a gajillion things to sell that it shouldn't ever have. It's really just common sense; to follow the "spirit" of the target settlement, that is all. For instance, game-wise, Arefu is supposed to be a half-abandoned town under "siege" from the Family in which many/most residents have fled. I intend to keep it that way, atleast to a degree - most of the additions will be abandoned, empty houses and structures. However, again in line with the "spirit" of the town, once the Family quest is completed, residents can be scripted to come back and Arefu can lead a "full" life once again. Similarly, Canterbury Commons is, game-wise, not supposed to have any "shops", the town relying on trade caravans for the most part for its supplies, so any expansion into Canterbury should either not include any further shops (besides the restaurant) or any such shops should be limited.

 

Greyditch as well, while it can be expanded, shouldn't be populated thanks to the "problems" they're having there. Even after said quest is completed, in-game dialogue asserts that the town remains all but abandoned and empty save for a couple of occupants.

 

So there you have it, my "idea". To be honest, this sort of mod-work is one of the simplest kinds. When I first started out with Morrowind's Construction Set (and then Oblivion's), adding objects, structures, terrain and such was the first thing I learned, so really anybody with half a brain could contribute in one way or another. The harder part comes with creating NPCs, settlers and such, particularly those with dialogue (especially unique dialogue). For instance, I'm fully capable of doing the former but I've had little experience with the latter.

 

So if you'd like to help make this a reality, post here! If there are enough people (even a handful) who'd like to try and make this a reality I will probably look into starting a dedicated website. And for those who would be interested in working on expanding a settlement but are afraid of being "confined" and "bossed around" by others, don't worry; once you "claim" a settlement to expand you'll have basically complete control over what you want to do with it (so long as it complies with the common-sensical "don't be too daft" statement above). It'd be nicer to have mutual co-operation rather than some heirarchical team of leaders and subordinates.

 

Okay enough with that: Here's a list of the various settlements that can/should/might be expanded (post if you want to include a settlement not on this list). Beside the settlement name will be a proposition for how/why it should be expanded:

 

Megaton - I don't really think this needs expansion. Megaton is fairly well done; besides, with its ability to be destroyed, a lot of effort going into it would be wasted. IMO its better to leave as-is.

Arefu - Add more homes, structures, a shop, a bar to the top of the overpass and the underside (http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=922214); goal is to make it approximately 1/2 as large as Megaton. Most residents will only "come back" to town once Family quest is completed.

Big Town - Add more/larger buildings? A small shop?

Girdershade - Two damned people living in this supposed "town"?! Puh-lease! Add more!

Canterbury Commons - Contains plenty of large multi-story apartments and other structures.

Greyditch - Make more buildings enterable, but no new people?

Tenpenny Towers - Add a small "refugee camp" in nearby neighbourhoods, made up of people wanting to get into the towers? Also, the tower itself is enormous with about 15 or so stories visibly being used (lights in the windows) and yet only a couple of floors are accessible. Would be cool to flesh out the inside of the tower more (inside swimming pool!)

Citadel - Maybe open up more of the Pentagon.

Paradise Falls - A few people have shown interest in expanding PF. IMO it's perfect as-is but if anyone wants to expand it, be my guest...

Rivet City - 90% of this enormous city is inaccessible/inexplicably not present. Services-wise it has everything you need; shops, bar, etc, but adding more "exploration space" would be cool, as well as a lot more citizens (at the moment there appears to be more Guards than actual citizens, and its population doesn't seem much larger than Megatons')

Underworld - Seems rather small for a "Ghoul City". Given its sanctuary nature, I'd like to see more refugees; perhaps even a small refugee tent city in the Entrance area, and more space inside the Musuem itself.

 

There are also various other locations, small neighbourhoods containing one or two accessible buildings, which could house more; Springvale, for instance, which already has one resident, could possibly be expanded slightly (perhaps made up of refugees seeking entrance into Megaton, or on the flipside, of Megaton refugees).

 

If you'd like to help out, post here, or preferably in the thread over on the Bethesda forums: http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=922234

[brukmann]

I think you've been spot on with everything i've read so far. That EinWolf guy was being a complete douche and you shouldn't have been so nice about his asinine comment. That's why i'm posting here instead of the Bethsoft forums; seems like fewer naysayers.

 

Just wanted to show my support. Let's hope that CS comes soon.

[sumyungai]

Good idea, but I was wondering, is it possible to expand the overall size of the map?

[Doedel]

Yes it's possible.. I think. That's outside the scope of this idea tbh, this is just to increase the current settlements and their populations.

 

And thanks brukman...

[Skree000]

instead of expanding the total size of the world map, a better solution would be to make say... a tunnel that leads into a new map. That way you wouldnt have to worry about messing up the existing heightmap and stuff that 'thesda made

[sumyungai]

Hey... Whatever works. I was just thinking that if you expanded the towns and all that, it might help to expand / extend the entire map to maintain the sparse wasteland effect.

[Triumph675]

I`m in.

 

The cities in Fallout 3 are a joke. Besides Megaton, there's what a maximum of 2-3 quests in them. I`m already running around and writing up ideas for adding depth to each city and fleshing out quest ideas.

 

I`m a die hard fallout fan, and have based all of my ideas on that mindset, similar to yours of keeping everything realistic. Here are some ideas I've got going on.

 

Arefu - I was thinking of adding Ghouls that live underneath the overpass. The humans of Arefu accept them, they are just "lower class"

- Adding more people that come back after peacefully ending the vampire problem

- A shopkeeper and say a room for you to sleep in

 

Big Town - I like the feel of how they are bunkered down, maybe give them some more low end firepower with more random supermutant/raider attacks

 

Paradise Falls - Quests involving a grab for power if you choose to kill the "mayor"...Cant think of his name

- Should be more of a hub for evil players

 

Rivet City - This is a joke, More quests More quests more quests

 

I've got tons of ideas, but no exp in the oblivion creator. So hopefully the mighty geck comes out soon, I need some hands on time to see the limitations.

 

I've got a bunch of quests fleshed out. I'd rather keep them unique, but if I`ll trade ideas with who ever.

[asonofashadow]

I want to create a Babylon type city of sex, music, drugs, and technology with a dark steampunk feel. Call it something like Rank or Flesh City. It will be a place where you can run into all kinds of people from different "factions", a kind of place where crime goes down and cops might not be around.

 

I am also going to figure out a way to have the city in such a place that it will not affect any game cells or quest. Via a random event that will allow a fast travel to gateway of sorts to the area. So at least the first time in you feel like you actually went there first. Random NPC introduction like that annoying lady who gives you useless crap in Megaton. I suppose I should start sketching it out huh XD

[ElricVonRabenfels]

I could work on Greyditch, as soon as the CS is released.

Haven't used the construction kit for over a year, so it'll be a nice start without too many quests/dialogues needed.

 

So yeah, basicly I'm in.

[asonofashadow]

Well I know Rivet City is ripe for the expansion too. It would be quite awesome to expand that whole area actually turn it into a port, River City gets ran over by pirates n stuff.