Deepen Meadows - Arfodin Cavern

[TheImperialDragon]

Arfodin
STATUS: Open.

Tileset: Moldcave
Number of levels: 1
Cells: DeepenMeadowsCavernArfodinInterior
Number of enemies: None
Exterior cell coordinates: (15, -19)

You'll need the 3.17 version of the ESM or higher to mod this location. Download the latest version here.

This cave is one of the few in the mod that won't have any enemies. This is because of the feeling of safety we want around Deepen Meadows' village. It is still expected, however, that there will be other types of challenges, and that the dungeon will maintain the player's interest. Scripting would be a very handy skill to have.



[title]How should I go about modding the layout?[/title]
First, you’ll want to find Razorwing’s moldcave tileset under Static->ST->Dungeons->Moldcave. Please do not use Oblivion’s generic cave set - we want our entire landmass, dungeons included, to look less like Cyrodiil and more like Morrowind.

Now that you’ve found the tileset, drag the StRwMoldcaveSmTunnelExitNatural piece into the Render window and move it to coordinates 2048, 2048, 4800. That is going to be the dungeon’s starting point. Have two ramp pieces (under Static->ST->Dungeons->Moldcave->SmallTunnel) leading down from the entrance before modding the main part of your dungeon. Feel free to separate these ramp pieces with a few ordinary small tunnel pieces.

Now that you’re a bit farther underground, you can mod the dungeon layout to your liking. If you want to have water in your dungeon, you may change the cell’s settings. If you aren’t sure about how to use the moldcave tileset or where to find certain pieces, feel free to post your questions here in this thread.

In order to make the cave look interesting, you should place several static rock objects (Static->ST->Dungeons->Moldcave->Rocks). I personally, as a player, would like a cave better if it had at least three of these objects per tileset piece placed, but you can probably get away with one per tileset piece placed*. The main idea is to make sure there are enough objects to hold the player's interest. You can also use vines (Static->ST->Flora->Ambient->BitterCoast), cobwebs (Static->ST->Dungeons->Misc), and flora-type mushrooms (Violet Copringus, Luminous Russula, Mooncap, or Drogo Mushroom all found under Flora->ST->Flora->Shroom) in your cave.

The SoluthisLoc001 cells show how a good moldcave dungeon should look, so feel free to look at those if you need some ideas about how your dungeon should look.

*These numbers were rough estimates and may be subject to change later on.

[title]How should I handle loot and challenges?[/title]
Since there are no enemies in this cave (unless I approve an exception), there will need to be other types of challenges. These can include scripted puzzles, traps, and physical obstacles such as rocky areas that can be climbed.

Any loot should be at least a bit difficult to get to, whether it's an obstacle or a trap. There can be hidden gold, long-lost weapons and armor, and maybe a dead adventurer too (though be sure that it's obvious he/she didn't die in combat).

[title]How should I light the cave? [/title]
The idea behind this cave is that it is mostly natural and hasn't really been used by anybody yet. You'll probably want to place some glowing crystals (Activator->ST->Dungeons->Misc) or some Luminous Russula mushrooms (Flora->ST->Flora->Shroom->BitterCoast) and manually place lightbulb lights. You should also have a few ambient lightbulb lights placed where they are needed. I started a set of ambient lights which you can use; they are ID’d StIdMoldCaveAmb####. Try to have all lights guide the player through the dungeon. Try not to have more than 22 lights in a single dungeon cell.

[title]Anything else?[/title]
Add a pathgrid to the cave. Playtest the entire dungeon and make any necessary corrections before submitting it for review.

[Pride]

I'd quite like to claim this one.
I intend it to be the dwelling of an old hermit, full of strange and interesting items.
Just one thing; would it be ok for me to create a room, using Dwemer pieces, somewhere in the cave as the hermit's home?

Pride

[sandor]

Originally posted by Pride
I'd quite like to claim this one.
I intend it to be the dwelling of an old hermit, full of strange and interesting items.
Just one thing; would it be ok for me to create a room, using Dwemer pieces, somewhere in the cave as the hermit's home?

Pride

Have fun!

IMO creating a room with the Dwemer tileset isn't a good idea.
The main issue, why is it on that location?

[Deeza]

It might be alright if it was the only accessible part of a larger collapsed ruin. But I don't know if you were going to have any Dwemer ruins outside the main one at Dumac.

[sandor]

Originally posted by Deeza
It might be alright if it was the only accessible part of a larger collapsed ruin.

I agree, it depends on the storyline.
In any case it's TID's claim so let's see what he thinks.

[TheImperialDragon]

I kind of agree it's a strange location for a dwemer ruin, or even a daedric ruin. Deepen Meadows is for the most part supposed to be untouched by civilization (particularly those as advanced as the Dwemer)... Could you elaborate on your idea a bit more?

What we could do alternatively is make a room out of wooden shack pieces... so you make the walls and floor out of SACarrow's shack tileset (a walkway model), and clutter it with whatever you need. Could this fit with your idea?

And a third option could be setting up a cave somewhere else in the land.

All in all though, a hermit with all sorts of strange things sounds interesting, and I'm certainly looking forward to seeing what it looks like! :goodjob:

[Pride]

I mainly chose to have the room as a dwemer one on the basis that it would be unusual, almost alien, somewhat like the hermit himself. It would be no problem for me to change it, though I'd prefer the replacement keeps that same sort of mystery.
I'd be ok with moving the location if it can't be adjusted to fit with the current region. Some type of tomb or Velothi dungeon might work.
The hermit was intended to be a very mysterious chap, one who would talk in hints and riddles while never actually revealing his past life in any real detail. As such I hadn't really thought of how he came by a dwemer room in such a location; although it could have been some form of safehouse, an isolated lab, a small section of a colony of sorts, or perhaps either the hermit or someone before him shaped the physical appearance of the room by unknown (perhaps magical) means in an attempt to emulate the dwemer style of building.
Thoughts?

Pride

[Deeza]

I believe that there have been so many eruptions and earthquakes since the demise of the Dwemer that most of their cities have been completely buried or destroyed. I suspect it's not uncommon for miners to end up breaking through into dead-end corridors or collapsed sections. For a real world example, think of how difficult it is to build a new subway in a 2500-year old city like Rome.

[TheImperialDragon]

Originally posted by Pride
I mainly chose to have the room as a dwemer one on the basis that it would be unusual, almost alien, somewhat like the hermit himself. It would be no problem for me to change it, though I'd prefer the replacement keeps that same sort of mystery.

Read the rest of the post before changing it , but you could use parasol mushrooms underground, glowing crystals, light effects, Redoran or Common Tileset, and so on. Just a few ideas.

Originally posted by Pride
I'd be ok with moving the location if it can't be adjusted to fit with the current region. Some type of tomb or Velothi dungeon might work.

We could move it to the east side of the region, using one of those dungeons instead of this one. That would put it on the border with the Dumac region, where Dwemer might not be so uncommon.

Originally posted by Pride
The hermit was intended to be a very mysterious chap, one who would talk in hints and riddles while never actually revealing his past life in any real detail. As such I hadn't really thought of how he came by a dwemer room in such a location; although it could have been some form of safehouse, an isolated lab, a small section of a colony of sorts, or perhaps either the hermit or someone before him shaped the physical appearance of the room by unknown (perhaps magical) means in an attempt to emulate the dwemer style of building.

The latter option would work with the current location. :yes:

Feel free to start btw, I'm eager to see what this ends up looking like.

Originally posted by Deeza
I believe that there have been so many eruptions and earthquakes since the demise of the Dwemer that most of their cities have been completely buried or destroyed. I suspect it's not uncommon for miners to end up breaking through into dead-end corridors or collapsed sections. For a real world example, think of how difficult it is to build a new subway in a 2500-year old city like Rome.

True, but I still think Dwemer in the middle of the region is a bit out of place with the 'spirit' of what Deepen Meadows is supposed to be, unless it's done carefully (closer proximity to Dumac would make more sense). I wouldn't be opposed to the other ideas that were suggested though. =)

[Anastassia]

I must say I really liked the idea of the dwemer room within the hermit's cave, and, well, I can think of some ways to give it sense or logic.

Also I must say that I know very little about TES lore, but I believe the deepen meadows were there in the days of the dwemer, and even if they had no cities or facilities in that land, they could surely have had outposts to watch their borders, and the hermits room would be one of those now buried by the passing of time, or pherhaps it could be a buried dwemer pod of some kind, like the remnants of some dwemer machine's cabin or something like that.

But wathever, why must everything must be perfectly logical and explainable? Nirn is supposed to be a magical world where many crazy things are beyond what human mind can fathom, yes?

Anyway, that's my opinion, I hope it helps to sway TID's iron resolve on sticking to the original plan igh:, not that it is a bad thing though...