I applaud what you are doing. It is very ambitious but the whole vampire element is something I have always felt was really wrong in the game. The idea that vampires are cannibalistic I think is erroneous. We're talking about very old and very sophisticated beings who I do not think would live in the squalor that the castle is in the original game. I am very sorry about your experience with the chapel that must be very discouraging. But aside from my sympathy let me add that there may something worthwhile in it. When you think about it, a chapel to Mara is perhaps a little anachronistic for vampires. But it is also an opportunity to demonstrate that Valerica and Serana are definitely different from stereotypical vampires, placing a high value on family and close personal relationships. It also opens up a Decision tree for the continuing relationship between Serana and the Dovakin (regardless of gender or race ); will Dovakin give up being a werewolf and if so will vampirism be the future (voluntarily) and how would dragonblood mix with vampires would there be an impossibility for the Dovakin to be wholly vampire and what would the possibilities be for offspring. If the Dovakin does not become a vampire what will their relationship choices be" Friends, Lovers? Would the Dovakin blood give Serana new abilities, could the Dovakin gain new powers as well, if immune to vampirism or not. Lots of possibilities. But the castle itself I think is first step. I would make sure all the blood spatter is removed, it is the blood that the vampires need, they would not spill it on the floor and everywhere else. I envision the residents as being very wealthy and somewhat fastidious so they will be dressed well, have excellent furnishings, an extensive library, crystal and china the best of what can be obtained in terms of weapons etc. There would be more light in the castle, sunlight is the enemy but candles, fireplaces are not a danger. Perhaps the Dwemer lights could be used as well. High on the list should be the rebirth of the garden which was a favorite of Valerica and Serana. But I would think that some music would also be really good. A bard that plays a lot of lute music (or classical or flamenco guitar tracks) would be a great addition. I also think that the vampires should have a new set of powers that make them really physically and sexually attractive to others that would be like magical powers and escalate with level and be used to lure receptive targets into allowing the vampire to enslave them or feed on them or convert them or all of the above ( though to avoid internal squabbles maybe make other vampires immune). I have gone on more than I intended but I really like where you are headed with this. I have avoided playing a vampire simply because I did not like the castle nor did I care for the way the game presented vampires. I think there should be a way to present that there vampires that basically good they just need blood to exist and then there are vampires who have essentially "gone over to the dark side". It would humanize them a bit more and they are basically human. I am not a modder but if I were this is an area that I would work on.
Gosh, this was such an ambitious mod, I do hope you release the chapel as a standalone building (if thats a thing you even feel like doing) perhaps utilizing dawngaurd aspects. Your chapel was so beautiful. It'd be neato if you created a volkihar inspired player home instead of effecting the castle itself (just based on the problems you described). I totally sympathize with putting hours of work into a mod only to have to rip it out. Its pretty heartbreaking. I just wanted to offer some encouragement. <3
It's been a while since I came here, and I'd completely forgotten about the castle as I've been busy with other stuff, will eventually get back to working on it though.
I get what you mean, but clearly messing around with that dungeon is not a good idea, so I'm just gonna leave off for now, and maybe return when I'm more experienced (this is the second mod I've ever made for anything ever, the Serana Fixed mod being the first). For now it seems that the best option is to make my own castle from scratch, using Castle Volkihar as a template. And yes, I will be adding my chapel to it, I spent a good 12 hours working on it so you can bet I'm not gonna just throw it away.
Let me preface what I'm about to suggest by saying I know NOTHING about modding, so I don't know if this would even work or not.
Would placing the temple elsewhere, and adding two new doors to the dungeon before and after the real existing temple fix the CTD issue? Essentially, you would bypass the real temple by inserting a new door (loading area) that would transport the player to your temple, but it would just feel like you went through any other door. If that doesn't make sense, let me know, and I'll try and elaborate more. Like I said, I know zilch about modding, so this might not even matter.
And if my suggestion isn't viable, what about FulkNerra's? That seems like a good suggestion.
Lastly, I really hope you're able to continue working on this. Such a great idea. Good luck.
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- Dala
It would be so great to see it finished!
Would placing the temple elsewhere, and adding two new doors to the dungeon before and after the real existing temple fix the CTD issue? Essentially, you would bypass the real temple by inserting a new door (loading area) that would transport the player to your temple, but it would just feel like you went through any other door. If that doesn't make sense, let me know, and I'll try and elaborate more. Like I said, I know zilch about modding, so this might not even matter.
And if my suggestion isn't viable, what about FulkNerra's? That seems like a good suggestion.
Lastly, I really hope you're able to continue working on this. Such a great idea. Good luck.