So, I'm new to the Creation Kit and pretty much totally lost. I've done a little modding in the past for some older games over the last few years, but it was more text-based work: altering variables in text files, or editing things in tables, that sort of thing. But I'm pretty lost when it comes to how to handle anything with making or editing landscapes in this thing. Did the basic "build a dungeon, decorate it, and attach it to Skyrim" tutorial which was ok I guess. Though trying to build caves with the 45 degree snap-to feature turned off is just absolute hell.

I'm willing to work at that, and get better, but I'd prefer to add anything I end up building to an entirely new landmass as opposed to over-cluttering Skyrim itself which has plenty of dungeons and ruins and towns already. I'm realistic here. I'm not going to succeed in any sort of "one man rebuilds Tamriel" thing (though if someone else succeeds... I'll play it, and besides unless I get into uploading new graphic models Morrowind is gonna look awfully... Nordic). But, realistically, maybe I could build an island, put a city on it, add some dungeons and ruins and whatnot to this new island. My own mini-Solstheim, or something like that.

I know the Creation Kit wiki is a work in progress. A lot of it is still either missing, or is nothing more than the most basic "this is what this button does, but explained in a way that only makes sense to experienced modders and isn't written in actual English that would help a new person". That will, hopefully, be cleaned up over time. I'm just impatient and would like to actually get going on this.

So, some questions, some of which are probably dumb, but that's where we all start I guess:

1)- How do I actually make a new landmass to begin with? I only understand how to make an interior setting like a dungeon, not an exterior cell (or cells, in this case).

2)- How hard is it to edit a new landmass in terms of giving it some real shape? Hills, mountains, a river or two etc. I've never done this before and haven't got into what tools we really have available. Don't know anything about landscape editing tools and wouldn't mind some pointers. Or a full blown "let's create some landscape" tutorial, if there is one and I missed it.

3)- If I make this landmass how do I make it part of the "world" and connect it to Skyrim? Do I have to add this new land to the existing Tamriel worldspace or is it going to be a whole new worldspace? I'm not talking about how do you walk there in game (there's code for Carts in there somewhere that I assume can easily enough be made into a boat to a new island), I mean actually making it part of the physical game world and not something totally seperate, like Sovengarde.

4)- If I do this I'd also like the minimap to be able to follow me into this new region so you have a proper map, is that possible? I know right now that even if you disable Skyrim's "border" either through the console or the CK and go outside Skyrim, the minimap can't follow you.

I'm willing to do the work, and I feel like I could have some fun with this program if I ever figure it out. I just feel like I need a tutor. I suspect a lot probably do!

Thanks to anyone willing to help me get going. I figure I will fiddle with making one island as a start. If that takes me less than three thousand years, maybe I will think bigger down the road. But one thing at a time.

http://www.creationkit.com/Category:Tutorials

Theres actually a long list of beginner tutorials.

Edit: And if you head over to the CK section here on the forums theres some info too http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1343653-creation-kit-video-tutorials-merged/

None of the official tutorials are about building a new landmass and adding it to Skyrim. Those tools barely came up in anything I went through, if they came up at all.

I will have to look though some of the unofficial ones, but I would much prefer something text based to video. Really, really would prefer that.

Sorry to the mods if I had this in the wrong folder to start with.