Posted by Kromey at 1:21pm Jan 16 '12Been discussing this with other modders on The [private] Forums, and have more-or-less settled on the location I will use: Robber's Gorge.
Those familiar with it know that it is a bandit encampment with wooden palisade walls, a few tents, and one or two wooden buildings. It sits directly on one of the province's main roads, where the road cuts through a narrow ravine; the bandits have built a simple bridge spanning this ravine with fortified positions on either side, as well as rock traps, and they use this camp to ambush traders and merchants coming along the road.
The new idea is now thus:
1) The Jarl in Morthal (capital of the hold in which Robber's Gorge resides) asks the player to stop the bandits harassing traders.
2) Once the camp's been cleared, the Jarl asks the player to take over that area to ensure safe trade; the "fort" is now entirely player-owned, and a few Hjaamarch guards move in to help ensure its safety.
3) A steward (or other appropriate title) spawns and, via conversation options, allows the player to purchase upgrades, such as stables, a blacksmith, an inn, etc.
I'm now envisioning this progressing through several stages:
(Stage 0: Bandit camp.)
Stage 1: Basic outpost.
Stage 2: Fort.
Stage 3: Trading post.
Stage 4: Town.
Stage 5: Hold?
Each stage (except 0) has a certain set of upgrades that can be purchased for it. Once all the upgrades have been bought, it progresses to the next stage, and new upgrades become available.
For example, at Stage 1, the player might be able to purchase a blacksmith, a guard barracks, and a stable. Once all of these are bought, the outpost becomes a fort, and new upgrades become available: improved walls, a lookout tower, an inn. Again, it automatically advances to the next stage once all these upgrades have been bought. Rinse and repeat.
As it progresses, more NPCs begin to spawn; for example, more guards once you have a barracks, a blacksmith once you have the smithy, a couple new archers with the lookout tower, etc. These NPCs might have quests for the player, such as clearing out a new bandit camp that has just been set up a little south of the bridge you now guard and is harassing the traders you're supposed to protect. Some of these quests could involve the player taking over new places, expanding their influence, and perhaps leading up to establishing a brand new hold.
Those familiar with it know that it is a bandit encampment with wooden palisade walls, a few tents, and one or two wooden buildings. It sits directly on one of the province's main roads, where the road cuts through a narrow ravine; the bandits have built a simple bridge spanning this ravine with fortified positions on either side, as well as rock traps, and they use this camp to ambush traders and merchants coming along the road.
The new idea is now thus:
1) The Jarl in Morthal (capital of the hold in which Robber's Gorge resides) asks the player to stop the bandits harassing traders.
2) Once the camp's been cleared, the Jarl asks the player to take over that area to ensure safe trade; the "fort" is now entirely player-owned, and a few Hjaamarch guards move in to help ensure its safety.
3) A steward (or other appropriate title) spawns and, via conversation options, allows the player to purchase upgrades, such as stables, a blacksmith, an inn, etc.
I'm now envisioning this progressing through several stages:
(Stage 0: Bandit camp.)
Stage 1: Basic outpost.
Stage 2: Fort.
Stage 3: Trading post.
Stage 4: Town.
Stage 5: Hold?
Each stage (except 0) has a certain set of upgrades that can be purchased for it. Once all the upgrades have been bought, it progresses to the next stage, and new upgrades become available.
For example, at Stage 1, the player might be able to purchase a blacksmith, a guard barracks, and a stable. Once all of these are bought, the outpost becomes a fort, and new upgrades become available: improved walls, a lookout tower, an inn. Again, it automatically advances to the next stage once all these upgrades have been bought. Rinse and repeat.
As it progresses, more NPCs begin to spawn; for example, more guards once you have a barracks, a blacksmith once you have the smithy, a couple new archers with the lookout tower, etc. These NPCs might have quests for the player, such as clearing out a new bandit camp that has just been set up a little south of the bridge you now guard and is harassing the traders you're supposed to protect. Some of these quests could involve the player taking over new places, expanding their influence, and perhaps leading up to establishing a brand new hold.
Player fort update - Kromey