I will probably not work too much on this mod for a while, I wish to focus my efforts on a team project, like Beyond Skyrim, to gain some team experience. I will write a main quest sometime in the future! I also started to study for Mechanical Engineering this year, so I'm also preoccupied with that.
If you have found any issues / bugs or have suggestions, then please let me know!
Hey, still loving this mod! The fact that Balmora now looks like a true hub of the game never gets old. I was wondering if there are any planned updates for the future? I would like to make a few adjustments (mainly compatibility with Graht Swamp Trees, and maybe take on a Balmora Waterworks mashup), but don't want to go to crazy if there's a chance you might come back to this.
How does this mod conflict with Graht Swamp Trees? I'm interested in using both and this is the first time I've heard mention of issues between the two.
It's not a huge deal, but ABE expands Hla Oad as well as Balmora. One of the new Hla Oad shacks has a giant Graht tree going straight through it. You can almost head cannon around it, as you can still access all interiors, but it looks very awkward. And it's hard to move the tree from Graht's perspective, since that particular tree is connected to the bridge network above.
it's a beautiful and amazing mod, everything is fully functional. it is pleasing to the eyes and makes your heart grow stronger when you walk these streets and visit the buildings and trade with merchants.
First. Amazing mod! (pun?), i made an Hlaalu character today. This expansion was able to keep me in and around balmora the whole (irl) day without me getting bored.
It made balmora feel like a good introduction to Hlaalu (it was in vanilla, but now it's more so), with the crime investigation quests, as well as the sewers. The new districts are beautiful in their execution. Making use of the caldera slope and the hills surrounding balmora to make the districts of high social or economical importance elevated above the rest of the city. As well as the slum like place down behind the southern wall. With the deeper sewers for the homeless and thieves. All creates the sense that the higher you physically go in balmora, the more important the people you see will be. The elevation differences with the districts was there in vanilla balmora, but this mod elevates it, now showing the disparity of classes within house hlaalu citizens in a clearer way. Not to mention the beautiful view you get when you reach the high places.
Little details i love is the way the upper strip of the labor district uses blue lanterns. At night It contrasts with the yellow lanterns in the lower section. The calm blue lights and empty street feels like a nice place to have a calm walk. While you can look down at the noisy busy lower street with venders and costumers. The yellow lights and venders of the lower street creates a lively and mini outdoor city fair like scene. I also love the night venders that appear in another alleyway in the commercial district. I didn't know mods could add changes in game depending on time. I think it should be done more often, to give day and night in a town/city their own feel.
So far, there is not any fake buildings. I hate fake building when people mod elder scrolls games. if there are any, it is too few to notice.
With me getting 20-30 fps instead of my usual 30-180 frames in non city areas. It is the same to how any other large city hits my frame rate. Besides, i think any loss in frame rates is worth the price for a great mod.
I have not been to the improved Hla Oad yet, as my character has not had an excuse to yet. But, i assume it will be just as great!
Second. my only critique is that there is a constant creaking noise In the whole city (only outdoors). i assume it is from the wooden structures added on the Odai channel. It is not mod ruining as i am able to ignore it mostly when i turn down the "effects" volume. but it is still annoying.
Third. You said you wanted to work on beyond skyrim? With how well you made this expansion, i do hope you can be able to help with designing and building the cities!
Hey, I also noticed the "West Guard Tower South" has a roof exit, but not a hatch door to get back in! :o Also, I spotted a depreciated asset on the upper floor of the Hlaalu Council Manor. Still loving the mod!
I took a screenie but I'm not sure how to post it in comments. It's just a large red technical box on a floating shelf on the uppermost room of the Hlaalu Council Manor that says "Asset Depreciated." I think this usually happens when a mod is dependent on an .esm mod that is then edited, but ABE is not dependent on any such mod, aside from those of the original game, so I'm not sure what the cause for this might be. A conflict on my end, perhaps? Though I've never seen this before.
Edit: The objects in question are books. Some, but not all of the ones on that floating shelf.
Could someone help me please? I can't seem to be able to get the mod installed properly. No matter where I place it in the load order, I still see the old Balmora. I tried also to hunt for other mods modifying the same world cells, but with 130 mods it's like playing whack a mole. Is there a simple method to get it loaded I'm missing?
Edit: I'm so lost. I reduced my mod list to just ABE & Better Bodies stuff, and ABE still doesn't load. The distant land textures did get created with MGE, though... My mod list: https://imgur.com/a/7ymVV49
Edit 2: Succeeded. Vortex sucks! Despite marking the mod as "enabled", it didn't enable it.
For my own playthough, yes. There tends to be a lot of NPCs around the canal area, so I'm looking to remove some of them to see if it'll improve my FPS at all.
258 comments
I also started to study for Mechanical Engineering this year, so I'm also preoccupied with that.
If you have found any issues / bugs or have suggestions, then please let me know!
Thanks!
It made balmora feel like a good introduction to Hlaalu (it was in vanilla, but now it's more so), with the crime investigation quests, as well as the sewers.
The new districts are beautiful in their execution. Making use of the caldera slope and the hills surrounding balmora to make the districts of high social or economical importance elevated above the rest of the city. As well as the slum like place down behind the southern wall. With the deeper sewers for the homeless and thieves. All creates the sense that the higher you physically go in balmora, the more important the people you see will be. The elevation differences with the districts was there in vanilla balmora, but this mod elevates it, now showing the disparity of classes within house hlaalu citizens in a clearer way.
Not to mention the beautiful view you get when you reach the high places.
Little details i love is the way the upper strip of the labor district uses blue lanterns. At night It contrasts with the yellow lanterns in the lower section. The calm blue lights and empty street feels like a nice place to have a calm walk. While you can look down at the noisy busy lower street with venders and costumers. The yellow lights and venders of the lower street creates a lively and mini outdoor city fair like scene.
I also love the night venders that appear in another alleyway in the commercial district. I didn't know mods could add changes in game depending on time. I think it should be done more often, to give day and night in a town/city their own feel.
So far, there is not any fake buildings. I hate fake building when people mod elder scrolls games. if there are any, it is too few to notice.
With me getting 20-30 fps instead of my usual 30-180 frames in non city areas. It is the same to how any other large city hits my frame rate. Besides, i think any loss in frame rates is worth the price for a great mod.
I have not been to the improved Hla Oad yet, as my character has not had an excuse to yet. But, i assume it will be just as great!
Second. my only critique is that there is a constant creaking noise In the whole city (only outdoors). i assume it is from the wooden structures added on the Odai channel. It is not mod ruining as i am able to ignore it mostly when i turn down the "effects" volume. but it is still annoying.
Third. You said you wanted to work on beyond skyrim? With how well you made this expansion, i do hope you can be able to help with designing and building the cities!
Also, I spotted a depreciated asset on the upper floor of the Hlaalu Council Manor.
Still loving the mod!
Edit: The objects in question are books. Some, but not all of the ones on that floating shelf.
Edit: I'm so lost. I reduced my mod list to just ABE & Better Bodies stuff, and ABE still doesn't load. The distant land textures did get created with MGE, though... My mod list:
https://imgur.com/a/7ymVV49
Edit 2: Succeeded. Vortex sucks! Despite marking the mod as "enabled", it didn't enable it.