Disclaimer: This map mod was originally not intended for release and I am very hesitant to do so. I am not a professional modder. At best I would describe myself as an armature 3D Modeler who knows a few technical workings of Texturing. I am also a perfectionist in personality. I know my limitations and don't like to show any of my work that isn't "Perfect". I also don't want to "Put myself out there" and interact with the public in any capacity. The world is not a nice place. And... I don't want to be Mr. Tech Support on something that could have many problems. (This guy sounds like a Jerk) However, like my "Small" Selene Re-Sculpt mod. This map mod slowly then rather quickly snowballed out of control. After a few months work started in January 2023. Using VR I could walk the city streets in my creation. I then realized there may be something of true value in it that others may enjoy. Even with it's many shortcomings. So... If your the adventurous type willing to take a risk on my first map mod for Skyrim. Than be my guest and have a go.

What is it? Simply put. It is a Open World Semi-Modernday City. Consisting of a 7 x 6 rectangular block grid. I approached each block as if playing Sim City Classic. I tried to constrain buildings in each block to what looked like either Residential, Commercial, or Industrial. The "Underworld" consists of maintenance tunnels and sewers in a similar but scaled down grid under the city. Because of it's smaller grid size. Players may want to use it as an alternative to fast travel teleporting. Or... maybe you just like sneaking around in dark places? Speaking of, there is also a working subway system with 4 stations placed on the edges of the map. It was inspired (Like Many Things) by the subway in MS Full. I just expanded on the idea. If you can't figure it out. Check the Images section for an illustration on how to use it.

It would have taken a lifetime to create the needed assets. If I could even do so. So, I asked and was granted permission to use another city mod Modern Scrolls Full as a Modders Resource. As needed, I also created assets myself. Unfortunately, for the sake of time. Many had to be what I would consider quick Garbage Tier or Place Holder items. The Cargo Ship is an example of that. There are a few mid-level efforts like the antique motor boat. Lastly a small number of items I put a high-level of effort into. Something like the Death Dealer Silver Shurikens. At best comparable to PS2 or PS3 era assets. The assets pulled in from MS Full also range in fidelity wildly and look like they too are a decade or two old. That said, I am VERY GRATEFUL to have access to them. This mod could never have existed without them. Steam reports I have put 1000 hrs into Creation Kit. I would guess I put 100s more into modeling and texturing. However, I am sure 1000s more were put into the assets pulled into create and in the creating of MS Full itself. Huge CREDITS to all those in the chain that lead to my being able to create this mod. Thankyou!

Current Status: Beta v1.2 is essentially finished and ready for upload. EXCEPT... for one Big Roadblock. I very much want to have the Population NPC refresh cycle to be functional. This would allow players to save and level up their characters without having to kill everyone and leave the city for 10 days to get fresh NPCs. I am guessing all that would be needed is two simple scripts. First script applied to the LeveledCharacters/Actors placed throughout the city. It would spawn in an additional one every Shyrim Hour. Second script applied to a Door/Trigger that deletes an actor when it interacts with the Door/Trigger. If possible, I am guessing these scripts would be simple to write. I have spent many hours searching forums and such for a direct solution. I have spent many more looking for Tutorial Videos that could teach a noob like myself basic Skyrim scripting. I have found neither. If someone is able to point me in the right direction or can help directly. It would be much appreciated.

Guns: There are 20+ various rifles, pistols, and SMGs included with this mod. All of which are based on Skyrim's crossbow. Single Shot, Semi-Auto, and Full-Auto. Dynamic Animation Replacer - DAR is required for the animations to function properly. Not all seem to have 1st person animations. I don't know for sure. I don't have the Desktop version of Skyrim to test them. Only VR edition. There are two different versions of some of the pistols. Action Style and Tactical animated. The Tactical style had bugged walk animations so I swapped in a different walk set. It looks a little funky but works better. I also could not figure out how "Concealed Carry" works in Skyrim.  Rifles, Shotguns, and especially Pistols look very odd. When stuck on the backs of NPCs like crossbows. Therefore, there are no Cops or Thugs with guns. Yet?

Thanks and Credits to Mirci33 for letting me use their Modern Weapons mod for models and textures.
Also Wretched89 for open permissions on their FO4 - HK USP .45
Apologies. The Walther P99 seen in the screen shots is NOT included. I messaged the creator. The message system indicated the message as having been read. They didn't message back. I must assume it was "No" unfortunately.

Population: There are 30 spawn points placed around the city where NPCs can spawn in. They are randomly pulled from a level list of 23 NPCs, 4 from each human race, 4 Cops, 2 Thugs, and 1 Werewolf. There are also a sprinkling of various Food Merchants around the city. Convenience Store clerks sell food, bandages, and there are free Electric Torches/Flashlights on the counter in front of them. (Flashlights are Buggy and can be confusing but, I left them in because they are cool when they work.) Unfortunately, even with 30+ NPCs dispersed around the city. It is so big. The city still seems empty. Also Skyrim's idea of randomization well... Isn't. In places like the Hospital. You will often find 2 or 3 clones close together. NPCs also quite often don't spawn in where they were placed. This sometimes leads to happy accidents and you'll see NPCs in places where you may not have before. However, it can also lead to NPCs panicking and walking straight towards their proper spawn point. Getting stuck on any and everything in front of them. They also may spawn on top of buildings and get stuck or jump to their DOOM!

The Thugs and Werewolves do not level with the player. Thugs are Lv5 and Werewolves are Lv50. I wanted the Thugs only to be a mild threat early on and pathetically weak as the player powers up. Conversely, I wanted the Werewolves to be Brutally Overpowering until the player has powered up. But still eventually surpassable when the player heavily powers up. Unfortunately I couldn't figure out how to make transforming Werewolf NPCs. So they just spawn in as Beast Form.

I also wanted the NPCs to make one loop of their patrol route. De-spawn by entering a door or some other trigger. Then a fresh randomized NPC to spawn in. Taking their place. Unfortunately I could not figure out how to do this. Or if it is even possible. I believe this to be the Single Most Important aspect of this mod that needs to be working. If someone could point me to a tutorial. I would be grateful. As it is, the first time you enter the open city. Any NPC that spawns in is permanent until they are killed and you leave for 10 days. Far from ideal. I suggest you make a save BEFORE entering the city if you want to do the Batman style patrolling at night thing. Restarts before reloading the save are also sometimes required to get fresh NPCs. Sorry.

NavMesh: I took an unconventional approach to NavMeshing the open city. By hand I laid down a uniform grid. Basically, like a fishnet over the entire city floor. Then I stretched that net up over each building. (Took a very long time) This allowed two things. #1 I could Flatten the mesh. Swap out buildings. Then stretch it over the new ones WITHOUT deleting mesh and placing new. All the tutorials I watched warned over and over. "Never delete NavMesh in the open world. It will break the game!" Never said why though. I am guessing it breaks quests that point to specific numbered polys in the mesh? Whatever the reason. Weather it was necessary or not. It was part of the reason for this approach. #2 NavMesh stretched from High to Low areas tricks NPCs into thinking they can walk down and they will jump off almost anything from any height. Great for Super Heroes, Sidekicks, or Villains alike to show off their stuff. It requires a No Fall Damage mod of some sort though. And... they still scream in pain. Also sometimes NPCs ignore the "Preferred Paths" I have set up and they try walking through buildings. Among other problems. Ohh well. Good or bad. I have done this thing.

ENB Settings: Sorry, I don't have any ENB settings to share. I found it too complicated to get running and looking good in VR. Also the performance hit was too high for my already stressed system to handle.

I brought this up to give myself an opportunity for Disclosure. Most of the Interior Cell screenshots have High Brightness and Contrast adjustments. Also mild Saturation and Color Cast adjustments. All done in post. If you want to replicate that look. You will need a utility like ENB. The Exterior shots are mostly untouched.

Permissions and BETA status: For the time being. Permissions are closed to all mods for the city. This is for two reasons. #1 Technically I don't know if the map is in a state where quests will even function in it. This is my first Skyrim map and I really don't know what is required to make a map fully functional so that it can be used for quests. #2 I don't know if I am done adding content to the map. I feel for the moment, I don't have anything big to add in mind. However, that may change after comments start rolling in. I would hate to have someone else's work broken by some big change I may make. Or conversely have my own work made pointless by something someone else is working on at the same time. That is, if anyone is even interested in modding the city.

It's an odd request but... If someone who is well versed in map modding and a name I can verify will check if the map is good to go. (Other than the odd NavMesh) Then message me with the "Green Light". That would help speed opening permissions up and be much appreciated. Once open, if some were to add Radiant Quests like Missives. Perhaps handed out from NPCs like Dawnguard's Gunmar. I believe that would be the Second Biggest improvement that could be made to the city's playability.

Backstory: Why did you make this? Why is it called "Underworld" ? Removed IMPASSIONED statement about the Tragic state of the Entertainment Industry.
I Snapped! I decided I was going to try and make what I wanted myself. I am certainly not a professional game dev. I lack the skill and resources. BUT, I do have something so many in the entertainment industry don't have today. A love for the source material. Hopefully that is enough for... Something?

That... doesn't really answer the question. Why is it called "Underworld" ?!? Well, Selene was with me when I snapped and was a main contributor to it. Several of the interior cells take inspiration from the film. Batman fights criminal members of it. And it's a good generic name for a map depicting a dark place to role-play as a hero or villain in it. Hopefully that explains it. (The City still has Day/Night cycles. I just fast forward the day and 99% of my time has been spent at night.)

Installation:
#1 First install Dynamic Animation Replacer - DAR
#2 Second install Modern Scrolls Full. It is a HARD REQUIREMENT! It is also a Multi-Part Install.
Follow the instructions carefully to get it up and running. I would also suggest you visit it first to make sure it is working.
#3 Third install Underworld City after it in your load order.

Karlov Manor Integration: (Optional)
Karlov Manor 4.0 is a HARD REQUIREMENT! Grab it over on LL.
#1 First place KM4 after Underworld City in you load order.
#2 Second place my Optional Download after KM4.
The Main house has been set to "NoResetZone". So it should be safe to use as a Player Home. All other sub-rooms and travel locations Will Still Reset!
(NPCs are mostly in Vanilla Skyrim clothes. You will need to dress them to your liking. Check Images Tab to see what else it adds.)

Recommended Mods:
Pull Mastery This mod attempts to simulate Grapple Hook Swinging and/or Spiderman's web slinging. It seems to be a mod of the Whirlwind Sprint power?
It's not really like swinging but it's a cool way to get around the city as whatever Hero/Villain you imagine to be.

How to get there: There are two ways. #1 I placed a small dock with an Antique Motor Boat north of the Solitude Lighthouse. If you have Karlov Manor installed. It's next to the bridge. If you don't. The dock is still there on the deserted shore. Interact with the boat's Steering Wheel to travel to Underworld City.
#2 MS Full places a porthole near Pelagia Farm to travel there. I placed a trap door on the ground next to the porthole to take you to Underworld City.

Credits:
Daisy - Modern Scrolls Original
gg77, Sinius, and Unknown - Modern Scrolls Full and Resources
Many others listed above and in the Images.
Darkfox127 - The vast majority of the Tutorials I watched were theirs. BIG Thanks!
Alter Native - Karlov Manor and Cyber Club
SMIM - Various Assets

Freeuse Audio:
Stylish Night Blues - The_Mountain
Arcade Ambience - Andy Hofle
--Night Club--
Groovy Sport Trap - Anton_Vlasov
Trailer Sport Stylish - Anton_Vlasov
Action Stylish Rock Dedication - AlexGrohl
Drop It - Coma Media
(Club Music is stored in "Data\Music\Club" and is labeled simply as Track1, 2, 3, Ect. Easy to change to whatever you like.)

Possible other credits I have forgotten or missed. Let me know if you are one of them and think you should be here.