I've pretty much re-written the story a few times over. Here's how it stands now.


I'll break it down into sections for readability.

Act 1
A man named Captain Teach can be approached on the docks near his ship. He informs you that he's ferrying passengers all of who are heading to the Summerset Isles. If you agree, you will pay the fare for a seven day "vacation"and board his ship. He also takes your weapons because "he doesn't want any trouble on his ship with the many other passengers". His ship, his rules.

You are awoken by Captain Teach and a few of his armed crew members. He states that they've arrived in the Summerset Isles and to head to the main deck. Up above the other passengers are there causing a commotion. They sense trickery, and the armed crewmembers turn hostile, knocking you out.

When you come to, you find yourself on the beach of a foreign island and the other passengers stand about arguing with one another. It is your job to rise up and rally this band of simple citizens to survive and start your new beginnings.

The only person they will listen to is you. It is your job to ensure the survival of the petty peasants and turn a simple settlement into a bustling port city. You'll be harrowed at every turn by the hostile natives - Ra Gada who've been cut off from society since the First Era.

Act 2
You will have to decide what is required for survival and the well-being of your citizens. They will build anything you desire but everything comes at a cost. Your job is to maintain balance to keep everyone happy. Once you have a steady supply of the basic resources, you can distribute wood to build specific buildings. Some of the people in your group will decide to build their own shops. The buildings you can build will mostly be civil buildings vital to the town.


The focus of this mod will be the micro-management when you assume the position as Jarl. You will

Mmmm. This is something I could get into. I always loved Giligan's Island. (I keed, I keed!!) Looks likea very ambitious project. Good luck with it. I really want to see it.

It is very ambitious. For this reason it will remain in beta for a very long time.. I've broken it down into acts and progress will be slow! I will probably start with the southernmost tip of the island where the shipwreck will end up and where the city will start and go by each act. It will be done mostly alone but I will eventually enlist some people to help me - out of necessity!

This does look like an interesting idea. Keep an eye on this site where larger projects are being hosted. You may be able to find help there.

http://www.darkcreations.org/forums/

The Beyond Skyrim and Hosted Projects forums will have more specific information to what you are working on.

Thanks Ysne58 I will check it out. It seems like those forums are for the specific projects underway with those teams involved, is that the case?

The Hosted Projects forum is. The Beyond Skyrim also links to their wiki, which I believe includes modders resources. It is a way for you contact other modders. You might also want to hook up with TESAlliance.

http://tesalliance.org/forums/

They have all kinds of resources and do offer some hosting of mods.

Thanks for that. I led a mod team for my first project for New Vegas. This time around I'm thinking of going lone wolf - not to say I haven't required the help of the mod forums and other modders. The other forums should definitely help me when I'm stuck

I'm also looking for a concept artist to render the city. I have a very poor sketch of what I'd like to see but I want to see if anyone else can produce a better layout of the city. I've posted it on the nexus here - http://www.thenexusforums.com/index.php?/topic/516818-looking-for-concept-artist/

Your welcome. I wish you the best of luck with this. I am available for testing when you get to that point.

PaladinRider - yes we offer project hosting. Have a look at our http://www.darkcreations.org/ for details and conditions. Most of the project forums are private, so as a regular member you won't see much. But if you are a member of a hosted project or we are hosting your project, then there is a general hosted project forum that has some useful information.

Our project hosting is most useful to teams because they get their own forums and download area for exchanging files. If we can help you, feel free to send a PM to myself or Xae.

Ysne - thanks for suggesting Dark Creations

I had already registered before you posted Andalay, and I was surprised to find that you are from Ontario as well. I will have to introduce myself on Dark Creations.

Not to bump, but does anyone have any input? Lore-wise?

I've got some rough plans of the city and the buildings you'll be able to construct. The castle will be on an elevated cliff close to the water - there will hopefully be 5 stages to the castle that you can build/expand. You'll start small with a single keep that doesn't require a lot of stone and has minimum upkeep costs. Each successive stage will expand the castle by about 3 times. At the fifth stage, you'll have your own massive castle with many wings.

As well, I haven't seen any lighthouse models in vanilla skyrim but I hope that there is so the player will be able to build one - as a result merchant ships will come by the island much more often so you can increase your trading.

Perhaps the player can also choose to build a wizard's tower, complete with necessary amenities.

I'd love to introduce many different ways to rule this city, so you can be a kindhearted Jarl or a ruthless tyrant.

Updated the OP. I've rewritten the story and so far this is the beginning and general idea, without giving away too much information.

Just patiently waiting for the CK

Just wondering, why Summerset? That's where the Thalmer is located, so that may not be the best place for you to go.

You don't end up actually going to Summerset.. the ship captain claims that's where he's going to take you. You end up on a foreign island way off the coast, no Thalmer there.

Right, so you've rewritten the OP since you asked this...also, I'm far from an expert on lore. What strikes me, though, is that "Jarl" seems an odd title to use, especially if the island you're stranded on is in fact Herne. Saying that you are Jarl of an island is basically claiming the island as subject to rule by the High King/Queen of Skyrim. (Even that is a bit iffy, since technically "Jarl" is a title granted by a King, not something you can claim for yourself.) But the bigger issues are 1) if my PC isn't from Skyrim, why would I claim an island I find for Skyrim, and 2) if the island is Herne, or in that general area, such a claim would be contested by Hammerfell or High Rock--there's no way Skyrim could sustain a claim on a land so far away. (And indeed if the Imperials still control Skyrim at the time the claim is made, it could be taken as an act of war against independent Hammerfell.)

So given how political a game Skyrim is, some expanded sense of where the island is and what taking control of it means in the larger political fabric of the times would be good--either working through what being Jarl would mean, or giving the PC the choice of in whose name to claim the island, options which could have different repercussions.

Also, while I appreciate it being open-ended to facilitate role-playing, it would be nice if there was some notion of why different PCs might want to go to the Summerset Isles, e.g., the heart of the human-hating Aldmeri Dominion.

Those political details aside, the basic idea--Sim Island!--sounds like a lot of fun, and I like several of the specific ideas you've mentioned.


There are, I've seen http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Other_Places#Lighthouses.

I've made several changes and actually decided against using the island of Herne. It will resemble it in some respects but I haven't given the island a name, and I'm debating whether I actually will. It will be in the general area. Herne and nearby islands were established by the redguard called the Ra Gada in the First Era. I'm going to tight-rope on the lore a little bit and claim that some of the Ra Gada also occupied or somehow found themselves on the nearby island. So the title of the thread definitely is misleading because the island that you'll be marooned on will be occupied by Ra Gada who've been isolated since the 1st Era (it is now the 4th Era if I'm not mistaken).
I am also purposely keeping the majority of it vague.

I only call the player the Jarl, because I'm assuming that most of the passengers and the player itself will be coming from Skyrim. Therefore they will likely be bringing over their customs, much like England establishes English customs to her colonies. I also need something to call the player much like most of the main quest the player is referred to as the Dragonborn. I'm planning on voice acting it and I cannot account for player names, so a title is necessary.

The main idea of the mod is to place the player in a key role where they will have to make a lot of decisions. It will be somewhat like a sim, but I'm going to make it more quest-based and cinematic so to say. You will have to collect resources to build and expand much like RTS games (I love and played a lot of Empire Earth, Age of Empires, so there may be some distant elements from these games, obviously in first person). To my knowledge, a strategy game such as AoE has never been attempted in first person.

EDIT: I've since seen Solitude Lighthouse and I'll be using that, unless I can find a more fitting lighthouse.

Fair enough, that makes sense.

As I wrote, it sounds like the mod will be a lot of fun--good luck with the project!

I love this idea first off this is pretty close to the idea i had myself. So i have a few questions and a few ideas for you. First off when you settle down to make your settlement is the city you make going to have giant walls? I had a idea of the player having to buy a plot of land to start a city so in your new story would the island have natives that you buy land from to make your city ? and if so would you be able to buy a small, medium, large plot of land just a idea. I love the idea of being able to expand the city as you go so i have another question once the city is all upgraded which im assuming would take a long time do you think that introducing a quest line of starting a uprising against the thalmor would be possiable but only once you have the city done all the way. Last but not least for right now the buildings that you are going to be able to build or have the people build are there going to be different models of each building? Like well there be a option of maybe 2 or 3 different castles and if you did do the idea of different plots of land maybe if you have small plot only can have small castles. I know that's alot lol but just wanting your opinion on it all

I like your idea. I hope there will be much wilderness and you have to discover a lot before you are going to built a city. Maybe I can explain: andydalum likes to have a city early i think - not far after landing on the island. But i would prefer a few steps before: First project: you have to protect the group and you have to find food and clear water to drink for the group, then you have to built up a camp (maybe with some stuff from the ship or wood from old barrels which where washed up from the ocean). Second step: discover the wilderness, search for useful things and maybe meet natives. And step three in my point of view could be the idea of andydalum.

The original concept I have of the city will indeed have walls and a castle that you will build to defend from the natives. The city is a port city, so will be on the edge of the island. You won't buy the land from the natives you'll be forced to 'steal' land so to survive. You are unaware of the natives' presence until after you've built a small settlement. They will attack and that will prompt you to create defenses. No Thalmor will likely to be involved since this is an isolated island in the ocean. The only conflicts will be between you and the ship captain who marooned you, you and the hostile natives, and one dragon that's still in the planning stages.
There will be a lot of civil dutys you must solve. People will be coming to the Jarl with all their mundane problems - ie: So and so stole from me! Or my wife is very ill! Why do we not have an apothecary. There will be a series of minor disputes you must solve - I want to capture as much as possible of being a Jarl. You'll have to manage the imports and exports of resources in order to build anything and maintain the city.

I doubt there will be different models of the buildings to build - hopefully excepting the castle. The castle I'm planning on really tailoring to the player. If I can find some modders resources to use I'd love to give the opportunity to expand the castle wing by wing - much like my New Vegas mod.

I think you're thinking of the city being in Skyrim which the whole plot of land thing would make a little more sense.

Edit:


First arriving: you will deal with a minor dispute amongst the marooned. You are only left with a simple bow, a wood axe, and a sword. You will use the sword for the minor dispute, you give the bow to the hunter of the group, and the axe to the lumberjack. You tell them to go and do their thing. Thom, the hunter, invites you along to scout the island. It won't be a comprehensive scouting, but it'll take you to a few points and Thom will discover the first "strange gem" on the island. (More on the strange gem later). This will take the player away from the group and when you return you'll find a few houses already built.

As realistic as I want to be, in the essence of practicality, some buildings will occasionally just appear out of thin air - you'll have to use your imagination

Are you going to eventually have guards to the city ? and well they have there own unique armor style like the other cities ?

Of course I'll have guards, and Yes I have plans for some unique armour!

I've already delved into the Kit since about 2 hours after it was released. I don't have a whole lot of time as I'm in the midst of midterms but it's still coming along. I broke ground on the island - since there's no heightmap, the island will be 100% created by hand.

I'll be using the scene editors so anyone who played my last mod should expect a much more quest-oriented mod this time around, hopefully!

Lol was more wondering about the armor but good to know about at least having guards. So you making the island by hand that should be interesting. I know that skyrim is meant to be a open world game but have you thought about making the island explored threw quest? Like making you do a quest to discover a part of the island that way while they are discovering new parts to the island they have more incentive to explore more than they might if they were just walking threw just to walk threw it. Another few random questions do you plan on having any new creatures or enemies on the island that we haven't seen before? This is very random thought to but have you ever thought about making a ship grave yard kind of close to shore to explore ? Just thought since you end up ship wrecked might be a cool little addition

If I understand what you mean, yes. A quest will take you to the island in the first place. You'll somewhat be given free rein to explore but via a quest, you will specifically scout the island with the hunter Thom. He won't take you very far, but far enough to discover something quite unique. You'll take it back to the group to see some tents erected and some food ready.

You'll be able to explore parts of the island but I don't want you to stray too far too early in the game. If you do, you'll run into some big baddies and possibly the hostile natives who'll whup your ass. (Remember you have no weapons/armour. I'm thinking about introducing a strange presence on the island to stop you from using powerful magic)

I think I'm going to recommend that you be no more than level 10 for this mod so it's better balanced.

The island itself is actually a volcano formation. There's enough flat land to be an island but there's also a huge mountain in the middle (which is the tip of the volcano). You will eventually build a mine at the base of the mountain and you'll be able to explore deep into the mountain and eventually discover a shocking surprise. This is all done via quests but very similar to the style of my New Vegas mod (pay some gold, expand the mine).

I was talking to dogtown1 who's the author of "MoMod" which is introducing a ton of unique creatures. I'll be asking him if I can use them in my mod.
There's almost definitely going to be one shipwreck - I'm considering making the shipwreck a part of the Ra'Gada village.

I've red your story and it's nice.
But I think you should let the player have 2-3 days in the ship as you travel, in which you get to know the passengers, and gain their thrust, so when you end up in the beach they'll have reason to, and not believe you just because. It would also help you build a more intricate quest line.