Once Lost Games in Trouble

I’ve mentioned Once Lost Games on this blog before. It was supposedly the spiritual successor to Daggerfall. Made by the old crowd that actually made Daggerfall back in the day; Julian LeFay, Ted Peterson and those guys. The team was put together by YouTuber IndigoGaming. I was really excited for the project and was on their Discord server, although it was mostly useless nonsense on there.

Well, seems the game’s not going to happen. IndigoGaming left and published this article about the project.

In short, complete lack of leadership, minimal commitment from team members, unrealistic expectations and unpleasant political debates seemed to plague the team leading to nothing being done and a foul atmosphere.

The article is so damning that I’ve stopped monitoring the project entirely and have personally lost all hope in it. The guys that are left, are still going on with it. I do hope they can salvage the project, create something great and prove me wrong. But for now, it’s goodbye.

Some More Virus Modding

I published another small mod for Morrowind. Castlehill House is a small player house just outside Caldera. Nothing fancy, nothing extra, just made to look mostly vanilla with a few small twists. I’ve been using it in my own games, so why not publish it.

Tamriel Imports also got a few updates with extra versions of the .esp. One version removes the Creeper and the Talking Mudcrab from the game and also reduces the merchant’s money to 20.000. The other version keeps Creeper and The Mudcrab, but removes all their money.

I’ve been writing a few quests for my old Lindum mod for Oblivion as well. I might release that soon.

Virus Modding

Due to the current Corona Madness, I seem to have a lot of free time. So I’ve taken to modding again.

First up is a small mod for Morrowind, actually. I haven’t modded Morrowind since… well… forever. I’ve been playing it a lot though, so here is a small thing I’ve been thinking about for a long time.

This is for those who find Creeper and the Rich Mudcrab silly. Tamriel Imports adds a small shop outside Ebonheart where the trader is equipped with 50.000 Septims and a willingness to give great deals.

Keep your eyes on this space, because there might be more stuff appearing here in the near future.

Once Lost

I dunno, but this has the potential of being some of the biggest news in the Elder Scrolls community since the very creation of the series. And it doesn’t even have to do with the Elder Scrolls. Not directly.

Some time ago I published the two video interviews Indigo Gaming (Ian Phoenix) made on YouTube with Ted Peterson and Julian LeFay. I wholeheartedly recommend watching them for anyone interested in the history of the Elder Scrolls games. Peterson wrote much of Elder Scrolls lore up until Oblivion and LeFay was Project Leader for Daggerfall and is sometimes referred to as “The Father of Elder Scrolls”. LeFay left Bethesda during the development of Morrowind.

After Daggerfall, as we know, the series took a turn for something else and slowly left the CRPG genre behind. I’ve been on about this on my blog for years, how Bethesda slowly ripped out the RPG guts of the series to appeal to an ever larger mainstream audience. It’s a concern I share with many. Skyrim is great, it’s awesome (I have 2000 hours in it, ffs), but it’s not an RPG; it’s an action game with RPG elements, but it’s no more an RPG than Saints Row 2 to 4.

Now, Phoenix, Peterson and LeFay have gotten together and formed a company called OnceLost Games. They’re also joined by Vijay Lakhsman who was one of the early developers of Arena (Lead Designer no less) and Daggerfall. Their intent is to create a game they say is going to restore choice, consequence and roleplaying to RPG’s, a spiritual successor to Daggerfall if you will. Yes, friggin’ please!

It’s all kinda new still and we don’t know much. There’s a website, a Twitter Account a Discord Server and a YouTube channel, but not much material on there yet. Keep watching them. With these kind of people developing a game, I just say bring it on, boys!

A Small Patch for Lindum

I’ve added a small patch for Lindum Overhaul that fixes missing textures on the bathtubs for those who don’t have the Basic Hygiene mod.

I also noted that I’ve been working on the Lindum village mod for Oblivion to and from for five years since 2014. It’s rather impressive that the mod still holds my interest like that. Usually I release something, patch it to work as great as possible and then move on never to return. Lindum ended up being special in the regard that I very often return to do updates.

I also use Lindum in all my own playthroughs and it’s become my own little corner of Cyrodiil. It’s a very special place and a very special mod!

Modlist for my Oblivion LP

Following is a list of the mods installed for my Oblivion Let’s Play on YouTube. During the LP, the mods list varies, but very slightly. The installation is super stable, although a rather high number of mods.

For Textures

For NPC’s: Oblivion Character Overhaul and Seamless OCOv2
For landscape and buildings: Qarl’s Texture Pack III Redimized and Imperial City Retextured

Active Mods

Oblivion.esm
DibellasWatch.esm
All Natural Base.esm [Version 1.37]
Cobl Main.esm [Version 1.72]
CM Partners.esm
Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp [Version 3.5.5]
UOP Vampire Aging & Face Fix.esp [Version 1.0.0]
Oblivion Citadel Door Fix.esp
DLCShiveringIsles.esp
All Natural.esp [Version 1.37]
All Natural – SI.esp [Version 1.37]
Immersive Interiors.esp [Version 0.8.1]
Immersive Interiors – Bravil.esp
Immersive Interiors – Imperial City.esp [Version 1.5]
Immersive Interiors – Landscape Addon.esp
Water17R T1N v4.0.esp
1em_GiveAGift.esp [Version 1.2]
FOV Modifier.esp
DaggerfallBooks.esp
MeosPotionReplacer.esp
MorrowindBooks.esp
See You Sleep DLL.esp
Camping.esp
Simple Portable Tent.esp [Version 2.11]
Enhanced Economy.esp [Version 5.4.3]
DropLitTorchOBSE.esp [Version 2.4]
LODHEAD_FOR_ALL.esp
Lock Bash Omega.esp [Version 1.5]
Quest Log Manager.esp [Version 1.3.2]
DLCHorseArmor.esp
DLCOrrery.esp
DLCVileLair.esp
DLCMehrunesRazor.esp
DLCSpellTomes.esp
BWisteria.esp
CapesandCloaks.esp
KDCirclets.esp
Lockbreaker.esp
PocketGuideEmpire.esp
Simple Outfits Collection.esp
SomewhatRealisticSwords.esp
SpicyFoxVanillaArmorAddon.esp
Underworld Armor.esp
Command Mount.esp
PSMainQuestDelayer.esp
RealBanditsAndHighwaymen.esp
DLCThievesDen.esp
Cobl Glue.esp [Version 1.72]
Cobl Si.esp [Version 1.63]
Cobl Tweaks.esp [Version 1.44]
Alluring Wine Bottles.esp
KnightlyArmory.esp
AleswellHomeQuest.esp
AltVillageStart.esp
DibellasWatchAdditions.esp
delivery_job.esp [Version 1.2x]
Kvatch Rebuilt.esp [Version 3.0RC1]
Kvatch Rebuilt – No More Burned Ground.esp
Kvatch Rebuilt Weather Patch.esp
QOTW Season One.esp
QOTW Season Two.esp
QOTW Season Three.esp
QOTW Season Four.esp
ToiletMod.esp
Valenwood Improved.esp
Zira’s Clydesdale Horses.esp
DLCBattlehornCastle.esp
DLCFrostcrag.esp
DLCFrostcrag – Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.10]
Knights.esp
Oblivion Uncut.esp
DLCBattlehorn-OblivionUncut Patch.esp
ElsweyrAnequina.esp
ElsweyrValenwoodImprovedPatch.esp
OblivionUncut-ElsweyrAnequina Patch.esp
Tales of Cyrodiil.esp
EastbrinkCM.esp
xuldarkforest.esp [Version 2]
xulStendarrValley.esp [Version 2]
xulTheHeath.esp [Version 2]
xulEntiusGorge.esp [Version 2.0.1]
xulFallenleafEverglade.esp [Version 2]
Valenwood Improved – Fallenleaf Everglade EV – Patch.esp [Version 1.0]
xulColovianHighlands_EV.esp [Version 2]
xulChorrolHinterland.esp [Version 2]
xulBeachesOfCyrodiilLostCoast.esp [Version 2]
xulBravilBarrowfields.esp [Version 2]
xulAncientYews.esp [Version 2]
xulAncientRedwoods.esp [Version 2]
xulCloudtopMountains.esp [Version 2]
xulArriusCreek.esp [Version 2.0.0]
xulPatch_AY_AC.esp [Version 2]
xulRollingHills_EV.esp [Version 2]
xulPantherRiver.esp [Version 2]
xulRiverEthe.esp [Version 2.0.1]
Valenwood Improved – River Ethe EV – Patch.esp [Version 1.0]
xulBrenaRiverRavine.esp [Version 2]
xulImperialIsle.esp [Version 2]
xulBlackwoodForest.esp [Version 2]
xulCheydinhalFalls.esp [Version 2]
xulAspenWood.esp [Version 2]
xulSkingradOutskirts.esp [Version 2]
xulSnowdale.esp [Version 2]
xulCliffsOfAnvil.esp [Version 2]
xulJerallGlacier.esp [Version 2]
xulTheEasternPeaks.esp [Version 2]
Unique Landscapes.esp [Version Dummy]
Salmo the Baker, Cobl.esp [Version 3.08]
ULS OblivionUncut-EntiusGorge patch.esp
ULS LindumOverhaul-ChorrolHinterland Patch.esp
ULE OblivionUncut-ChorrolHinterland patch.esp
ULS OblivionUncut-AncientYews patch.esp
ULE KvatchRebuilt-CheydinhalFalls patch.esp [Version 2.0]
HUD Status Bars.esp [Version 5.3.2]
DS Storage Sacks.esp [Version 1.3]
EVE_ShiveringIslesEasterEggs.esp
Female Amulets.esp
GMArcheryRebalance.esp [Version 1.0]
Kyoma’s Journal Mod.esp [Version 3.2.1]
moremerchantmoneyv1.1.esp
PersuasionOverhaul.esp [Version 1.43]
Lover’s Comfort.esp
Basic Primary Needs.esp [Version 6.3]
Basic Personal Hygiene.esp [Version 3.0]
MidasSpells.esp
ZumbsLockpickingMod – OBSE.esp
Enhanced Grabbing.esp [Version 0.5]
Oblivion XP.esp
CTAddPose_v_1.esp
Proper Male and Female Sitting.esp
actors_in_charge.esp
77_Umpa_Animation.esp
EFGAddPose.esp
NaRae Pose – 01.esp
NaRae Pose – 01 Guide Book.esp
NaRae Pose – 02.esp
shinyEmotions.esp
Cazy Hairs.esp
CM Partners.esp
CMPartnersDecrashification.esp
Hidden_Elves.esp [Version 1.2]
CM Partners Special NPCs.esp
CM Partners NPC.esp
CM Partners More NPCs.esp
CM Partners Marker NPCs.esp
CM Partners Extra NPCs.esp
1em_Vilja.esp [Version 4.04]
ViljainAleswell.esp [Version 1.3]
1em_Vilja_Bruse_as_Clydesdale_horse_by_Xtudo.esp
Vsleepinjail.esp
EVE_KhajiitFix.esp
Oblivion_Character_Overhaul.esp [Version 2.0]
Oblivion Character Overhaul Hair Edition.esp
Kart Hair Replace v01.esp
1em_Vilja OCOv2 Alternative.esp
FixContDisappearBug.esp
VortexScreenshotUtilities.esp
DibellaCMParters.esp
OwnSmallEdits.esp
EPVerdantGrove.esp [Version dant]

Back to Morrowind

I’m in some kind of nostalgia period that’s been going on for more than six months now. First, I dove back into Oblivion, then Daggerfall and now I’m playing Morrowind. I haven’t played Morrowind for real for like ten years. I’m currently in the main quest where you have to convince the Ashlanders to accept you as the Nerevarine.

Is the game still as good as I remember it? Oh hell yeah. With a couple of strategically placed mods, it’s even better than it was back in, what, 2005.

But yeah, there are irritations too, irritations I’m actually very glad later instalments in the Elder Scrolls series got rid of. Like the Cliff Racers and Slaughterfish. And I thought I wouldn’t say it, but yeah, I’m glad they implemented Fast Travel.

Daggerfall Unity

So, if you haven’t already, you have to check out Daggerfall Unity right now. I’ve kept my eyes on this project for a long time, and it’s developed into quite something. It’s actually almost done. Most of the stuff that was in old Daggerfall has been ported over into the modern game engine Unity and it works splendidly well.

I’ve already put in a lot of hours replaying this classic of a game in Daggerfall Unity. Daggerfall was actually my first TES game, so the nostalgia factor is immense. You’ll need the public domain download of old Daggerfall which Bethesda released a couple of years ago (DaggerfallSetup), and then you’ll need to download Daggerfall Unity.

The screenshots were done using several mods, because the Daggerfall Unity project already has a thriving modding community. I can’t wait to see where that’s going.

Two Great Minds

I cannot help but think what the Elder Scrolls would look like today if these two guys had been left in charge. Here are two really interesting and recommended interviews with the minds behind Arena and Daggerfall, in effect, the designers of the Elder Scrolls series, Julian (Jensen) LeFay and Ted Peterson. The latter is the father of much of Elder Scrolls lore as seen in in-game books as well.

Imagine a game looking like Skyrim on ENB steroids with the immense depth, immersion and complexity of an upgraded Daggerfall. That’s what I think these two great minds would have created. There surely has to be a market for that!

 

Oblivion Let’s Play

Promised myself I would never Let’s Play an Elder Scrolls game, but here we go.