Bringing Opensource to skyrim

[TheDagonator]

Hello most venerated ones of the OpenMW develop team. Noble is your cause and great is the struggle which you have overcome.

However I want to learn about opensource, not for morrowind but for Skyrim because theres' mods I really like that can only be played on skyrim. Honestly I feel more that there should be a OpenTamriel than an Openmw or and open Skyrim, solely because there are great mods for all of those games. However I don't know if that would be even possible. I certainly don't know the feasibility of even having an openskyrim. However I want to at least try, as such can you guys point me on where to start?

[DestinedToDie]

Hi and welcome.

Start by working on OpenMW. I say this because Skyrim is just a more complicated modified version of the original Morrowind engine. They went from Morrowind -> Oblivion -> Fallout 3 -> Skyrim on the same engine. So, likewise, if you want an OpenSky, you first need the groundwork that we've made in OpenMW, as well as some that we've yet to make.

Here's a video of Skyrim on OpenMW.

From our FAQ:

"Post 1.0 Wishlist:

Additional platform support: Android, FreeBSD (and variants), iOS, Raspberry Pi and more.
Allow much greater modability: change game rules, create new spell effects, etc. through scripting.
Debugging support via OpenMW-CS for content.
Plugins for OpenMW-CS, such as Terrain import, export and generation.
Improved game mechanics and combat.
Improved the interface and journal system.
Multiplayer support, at least some form of co-op."

So. From these things you probably want:

1. Much greater moddability (ie dehardcoding of stats, spells, skills). I think this would allow you to better replicate Skyrim's skill and leveling system.
2. Improved game mechanics and combat. Skyrim-like combat?
3. Improved interface and journal system. Unless you want to play Skyrim with Morrowind Journal.

Now, we are still not in 1.0. We've discussed what exactly is needed to reach 1.0 so that we can start working on these post 1.0 goals. There are 2 main things.

1. Shadows.
2. OpenMW-CS terrain editing.

So I suggest to you that you pick 1. Since shadows are present in Skyrim as well and you need them anyway, I'd go for those. But dehardcoding process won't take place before OpenMW-CS is fully functional, so someone needs to do terrain editing at some point for us to start dehardcoding (which you need for Skyrim). These are complex tasks btw, so don't be afraid to take on a simple bug or two first to become more familiar with the codebase.

In time, OpenMW will bring itself to Skyrim.

[Pherim]

See also this thread.

[TheDagonator]

Hi and welcome.

Start by working on OpenMW. I say this because Skyrim is just a more complicated modified version of the original Morrowind engine. They went from Morrowind -> Oblivion -> Fallout 3 -> Skyrim on the same engine. So, likewise, if you want an OpenSky, you first need the groundwork that we've made in OpenMW, as well as some that we've yet to make.

Here's a video of Skyrim on OpenMW.

From our FAQ:

"Post 1.0 Wishlist:

Additional platform support: Android, FreeBSD (and variants), iOS, Raspberry Pi and more.
Allow much greater modability: change game rules, create new spell effects, etc. through scripting.
Debugging support via OpenMW-CS for content.
Plugins for OpenMW-CS, such as Terrain import, export and generation.
Improved game mechanics and combat.
Improved the interface and journal system.
Multiplayer support, at least some form of co-op."

So. From these things you probably want:

1. Much greater moddability (ie dehardcoding of stats, spells, skills). I think this would allow you to better replicate Skyrim's skill and leveling system.
2. Improved game mechanics and combat. Skyrim-like combat?
3. Improved interface and journal system. Unless you want to play Skyrim with Morrowind Journal.

Now, we are still not in 1.0. We've discussed what exactly is needed to reach 1.0 so that we can start working on these post 1.0 goals. There are 2 main things.

1. Shadows.
2. OpenMW-CS terrain editing.

So I suggest to you that you pick 1. Since shadows are present in Skyrim as well and you need them anyway, I'd go for those. But dehardcoding process won't take place before OpenMW-CS is fully functional, so someone needs to do terrain editing at some point for us to start dehardcoding (which you need for Skyrim). These are complex tasks btw, so don't be afraid to take on a simple bug or two first to become more familiar with the codebase.

In time, OpenMW will bring itself to Skyrim.

Actually of those things only 3 really applies to me.

One of my main interest for wanting to do this is to change skyrim's interface, its equipment slots (adding more to them, even more than morrowind had) Capes and scarves, and maybeee even left and right greaves and boots. Also making skyrim's leveling system, skills just like morrowind would be great. Also want to bring back the classes, the birth signs, and the racial abilities. My aim really isn't to bring an open skyrim so much as it is to delete everything that makes skyrim skyrim and make it to almost everything that made morrowind morrowind. As for the combat system, really I'd be cool with an Oblivion style combat. Dual wielding is a little over rated (as well as highly unrealistic) and if I remember right in oblivion you could cast spells while holding a sword and a shield instead of sacrificing the shield for a free hand for a spell. In that way i believe that made oblivion's combat system more diversified than skyrim's. However I haven't played oblivion in quite a long time. I had it for the PC but I think I lost that case a while ago. Nope! just in a box from when I moved. Now if my computer can actually download it... (my computer has problems reading discs)

But I suppose you could say if I think oblivion's combat system was more diversified than skyrim then yes I believe it would be an improvement. I mean basically I hate all aspects of skyrim. But I REALLY love the mods they have for it.

If helping with the OpenMW CS brings makes it so that its quicker to get skyrim dehardcoded then count me in for that.

Definitely one of the main driving forces for me is my urge to bring a morrowind like player-npc interaction to skyrim. Something that I don't think is possible without dehardcoding it. Simply because Skyrim doesn't have a 'intimidate' 'taunt' 'bribe' or 'admire' unless its under very specific circumstances set up by the developers.

Really I don't even want skyrim to be skyrim I greatly prefer the era of Uriel Septim.

I don't think I could even list to you all the things I don't like about skyrim, there are so numerous that they are probably beyond counting for me. I mean sure there's mods that fix some of those problems but not ALL of those problems. Lack of equipment slots, lack of customization, no classes, no birthsigns, the voice acting, lack of interaction with the environment, it tells you when containers are empty even BEFORE you look into it, definitely that lockpicking sequence (its breaks the immersion of the game), the kill scenes when it forces your camera into third person view, the voice acting (each character in morrowind had a unique voice that YOU gave them), the plot line really really sucked, the lack of culture, the overall emptiness of the game, the quests, skyrim's version of Maiq the Liar, the large open dungeons and caves. Morrowind's caves could be large as well but they genuinely felt like they could be natural or that someone dug them out. And did I mention the voice acting? The 'new' dwemer architecture, the falmer, (rather okay with the reichlings), the fact that there's dragons that actively fly about in the sky destroying villages and cities, closed cities, lack of levitation. Lack of mobile alchemy, I mean an alchemy station... really?

Some characters in SKyrim don't even have the dialogue option, you just click on them and they say something, like a doll. It absolutely fails in player npc interaction. Seriously I would not mind trying to rebuild skyrim from scratch.

Oh and while I'd be at it I could even add copper and silver coins to the game! make gold coins exceedingly valuable and make them part of your inventory like they were in morrowind.

See also this thread.

I will certainly look into it.

[DestinedToDie]

Capes and scarves, and maybeee even left and right greaves and boots.

This is something I'd like to see, and a part of the dehardcoding I believe. Right now we have skills (spear, long blade, etc) and corresponding weapon types. Would be really nice to be able to make my own weapon type and a corresponding skill for it. As well as extra body armor slots.

[TheDagonator]

Capes and scarves, and maybeee even left and right greaves and boots.

This is something I'd like to see, and a part of the dehardcoding I believe. Right now we have skills (spear, long blade, etc) and corresponding weapon types. Would be really nice to be able to make my own weapon type and a corresponding skill for it. As well as extra body armor slots.

Its more possible than you might think, for the grieves at least, iff there's a cod piece just have that as an extension of the cuirass. While we're on that note perhaps we should also mention backpacks. and equipable underwear, and maybe an expansion to jewelry to admit ear rings into the realm of enchantment, and dare I say... three rings? Which MGSO already does except the ring is a on use and not a constant effect which is still quite useful for things like the Vampiric Ring.

But regardless, do you have any good tutorials from which I may start?

[DestinedToDie]

We have a developer checklist for what you need to do to get started.

We also have started documenting our code.

Other than that, you'll need to figure stuff out on your own. If you get stumped on a particular problem, let us know.

[Pherim]

Really I don't even want skyrim to be skyrim I greatly prefer the era of Uriel Septim.

Sounds like you might be interested in Skyrim: Home of the Nords from Project Tamriel.

But... what exactly would you like to keep at all from the original Skyrim?

[TheDagonator]

Really I don't even want skyrim to be skyrim I greatly prefer the era of Uriel Septim.

Sounds like you might be interested in Skyrim: Home of the Nords from Project Tamriel.

But... what exactly would you like to keep at all from the original Skyrim?

From the original Skyrim? There's the character creation, so you know I'd keep that. Some of the creatures (not all of them) and the Reichlings, Maybe the trees and the Flora as well, even though really the trees aren't the greatest. Come to think of it the flora isn't even all that inspiring... its a far cry from Morrowinds Coda flowers and Luminous Russulas. But you know it'd make good for aesthetics somewhat... except for the trees... well I mean the GRASS would still make for good aesthetics. Really loving the werewolf so I'd keep the werewolf... don't care much for werebears... I suppose that's about it? I mean Skyrim is so uninspiring I wouldn't even take their rocks... well I suppose that's kind of unfair, I mean they MIGHT look good with a retexture. I mean there's a 5% chance that would actually make them salvageable.

I say that because of this mod

It might not be of rocks, but it just adds soooo much more flavor to the bland and boring vanilla white. Honestly you know I probably should have just mentioned the things I'd actually keep from Skyrim, It would have been a much shorter list.

And I thought about joining the project tamriel team but the mods for skyrim make me want to make that game playable. I could download all the mods I could ever want for skyrim and that STILL wouldn't fix skyrim enough for me, so I figure why not fix skyrim myself? No one else is stepping up to the plate. SKywind doesn't look like its going to be able to recreate the morrowind experience and even if they tried the Skyrim engine literally prevents them from doing so. So they're not bringing Morrowind to Skyrim, they're bringing Skyrim to Morrowind.

The most appealing thing besides the mods for skyrim would probably have to be the ragdoll physics.

We have a developer checklist for what you need to do to get started.

We also have started documenting our code.

Other than that, you'll need to figure stuff out on your own. If you get stumped on a particular problem, let us know.

Well thank you for at least pointing me in this direction, I suppose I must... walk this part of the path alone...

[psi29a]

Well thank you for at least pointing me in this direction, I suppose I must... walk this part of the path alone...

Have an itch? Scratch it.