Hey guys i was looking into creating a total conversion mod with the CK. However i wanted to know if i did go through with this, could i use a heightmap to generate terrain(such as cliffs, hills, mountains, valleys etc etc) or would i have to sculpt it all by hand using the landscape tools in the CK?

Also, i just completed a basic tutorial on navigating the CK, creating and editing interiors, claiming and editing existing exterior world cells and linking interiors and exteriors, but was wondering where i should start for a total conversion mod? Should i just use flatten out the whole of Tamriel?(which would create loads more work in deleting dungeons and trees and rocks and probably cause all sorts of errors because of missing references and what not) Or is there a better way to do it, maybe by creating an entirely new world or something?

Just so you guys know, i am quite experienced at modding, however i have no prior experience using the CK or modding any of the other Elder Scrolls games.

Thanks in advance for any help,
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You could use the heightmap editor to shape the terrain, but much of the mountain and cliff stuff are actually meshes that you place in the world, and you can't really generate those and make it look good, so that would all have to be hand done.

Also, on account of you being new here I would warn you that a total conversion would take thousands of hours and is just an immense amount of work, so if you actually want to complete this, I severely recommend looking at things from a more realistic perspective. (Unless you're just here to have fun and don't care; and I'm not trying to be a downer, just helpful )

Yeah i understand i will most likely not finish this, but i dont care, i just enjoy editing and creating new things. I have always been like this, from the first game i ever played(MotorCross madness), and every game i have ever played after that i have just liked creating and being imaginative. Whenever i would get a new Age of Empires game or RTS game the first thing i would do is tryout the level editor/mission creator. Whenever i got a new sports game the first thing i would do is make a new player or team. Ive just always been like that and i dont think that will ever change. I have tackled many TC mods over many different games, and have only ever come close to finishing one haha, so i really dont mind at all if i do finish or do not. Also im looking at possibly getting into game design as a future career, so anything i do create will contribute to my portfolio, so even if i dont finish, i have not wasted my time.

And yes i had a feeling the cliffs and mountains would be meshes, so i was prepared to do this by hand, which i dont mind doing. So i could atleast use the heightmap editor for like rolling hills and plains and riverbeds right? If so is there any tutorials on using the height map editor that are a must watch?

And i still need to know how to go about implementing this new world?

Thanks Alex,
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I recommend L3DT if you want to create a big new worldspace. I think thekarithian posted a tutorial on the CK wiki about it.

I created this heightmap with it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMb3jn1m7QE

May be you can help Mesogea mod wich is also a total conversion , has already an enormous landscape done and will surely need a lot of help ... Unless of course you are more focused on your personal vision ....

Yeah i was considering using World Machine or Terragen2, but L3DT looks nice too. Might have to do a bit of research and find out which is the best one to use.

The way i see it at the moment is;

1) Create a landscape in one of the above mentioned 3rd party programs
2) Export the heightmap of that landscape and import it into Skyrim/CK using the Heightmap Editor
3) Customize and tweak the heightmap using the CK's landscape editing tools

Is that how one would go about creating a new, very large terrain in a skyrim mod?

And no at the moment i am not interested in working on any other mods.

Thanks for your help,
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Scrap the CK tools , are just bugged useless and not working ...

Use Worldmachine if you want a deep control in the features you want in your map , Use Photoshop for a base point to use in worldmachine and for fixes later in the map ...

For a more realistic but , limited and not much controllable erosion and flows use terragen ...
I do not know L3DT ...


Once done you will need to use Tesannwyn , impot and export several times in CK to see the right level of water and height , ( proper one is needed to generate proper sea lods levels in Oscape )

then you will need to use Oscape and lots of tweaking for lods etc ....

So be prepared that you will have to face a huge amount of work and Learn a lot of things to get close ot have a workflow in world building in Skyrim ...

this is why I suggested to may be help someone that has already a landmass produced ....


Also consider that :

A total conversion Requires you to make all things from scratch , or at least reuse minimal stuff , you need to make a lot of scritping and quests by scratch , create new items and armors and so on and on ....

almust impossible task for one single person ...

I realized when Created DUNE for Oblivion...

I suggest L3DT, I made a post documenting all the data (horizontal scale, exporting/importing method) you need to pinpoint exactly how big and high you want everything to be, you'll know exactly what the sea level will be etc. Both Middle Earth and Mesogea were created in L3DT.

http://www.bundysoft.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=514&p=8632&hilit=skyrim#p8632

Seems lacking any peculiar erosion and Flow detailing tough or am I wrong?

I used mostly worldmachine and Photoshop for My Issgard and Atmora regions...

I thought you could create your new worldspace in the CK, then just import your heightmap from L3DT or worldmachine or whatever you use into this worldspace you just created?

Thanks for the help so far,
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