Such mixed feelings about this. I love the size of it, and the style/design, and I LOVE the see-thru windows. Not to mention it's not overdone, like 99% of the other castles/keep mods. No trophy rooms with 1000 mannequins and display cases. No underground lairs with magic glowing floaty mushroom/jellyfish creatures. No god items. No ridiculous opulence. It seems like a place that would actually exist someplace at some time in the real world. But on the other hand, it's so incredibly inconveniently located. I did as you suggested and fast traveled to it first and then set about finding my way down to Dragon Bridge. Followed what looked like a path right in front of the main gate, but nope, it dead ends at the flat spot above just in front. Then went to find the horse area, and glimpsed a what looked like a trail leading down, backtracked, and found not a trail, but a very steep hill that led down to the path. Followed the path down, and it just leads to the river and some crabs, so nope, no luck there. Went back up, and figured I'd just head straight towards Dragon Bridge through the bush, had to navigate around a massive fallen pine that couldn't have been positioned any better to block my way down, and then came upon a Forsworn camp, and since I have the increased enemy spawns X3, there were about twelve of them, and I got killed. Went back with four strong followers, massacred the Forsworn camp, and then finally made it down to dragon bridge after navigating hills and rocks that would be incredibly dangerous if they existed in the real world. That retired imperial officer who lived there before must have been a shut-in because there is no practical coming and going to that place. If someone with the skills just included a path up to the castle (and maybe evict the forsworn camp if it's not related to any quests) we'd be in business. I'm so sad, but I'm going to have to delete this one despite how great it is on the inside.
Hi, your concerns are spot on. I tried making a road of sorts, at least a bridge. But could not get the navmesh right so followers would use it. Perhaps I'll try again one day. Thank you for your comment.
In the description I state that Castle Strunmah is perhaps a bit dated, being uploaded in 2012. But I've been thinking that, with the see-through windows, it was technologically advanced. Perhaps it is still so.
SPH1, Thanks for this port to SE,had a question,do you have permission to alter anything inside the castle,one thing always I wanted changed was the library, those common bookshelves look so wrong. Any way to replace them with the Noble open bookshelves?
Hi! I don't recall changing anything inside the house and never intended to. It is just so beautiful and perfect as is. All I really added were a few things outside: containers, chopping block and the horse and items around the horse.
As for permission in general, IronDusk33 did Castle Strunmah Redone for Skyrim at about the same time as I did my original tweaks. (IronDusk33's was a massive change., which I think took away much of the inside beauty.)
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/60599/
IronDusk33's site has the general go ahead:
Author's instructions "I private messaged yevic1992 for permission, and he said it is alright to do anything with his original mod, so long as he is credited as the original author of the mod."
With that, I am "contemplating" doing more outside work, perhaps turning the sealed door on the South rampart into something. (Actually, I made the door so one can get up on the rampart. It was originally sealed.) Would also like to do something with the towers. Don't know if it will come to be, though....
Okay, MAYBE even the bookshelves.
The big problem with the original mod (and what I recall IronDusk33 also experiencing) was the frame rate loss when inside. I don't play with a FPS counter. If the game seems to be playing okay, then it is. But I did sense a loss in the original mod. It apparently had something to do with how the "inside" of the house is really "outside" and perhaps more things. I wanted to see if SE and the supposed better engine could help. I think it did! My character runs around much better...going by the seat-of-my-pants experience. If I sense no problem; then there is none. :)
Hey SPH!, using my ENB's fps counter I was getting an avg. 45 inside the castle. a few spots it dipped to 40 and maxed out to 50 in others.Yea I noticed to that the music plays randomly, the streets of Whiterun would play inside. I use the personalized music mod and have a lot of Vindsvept's themes set in the castle folder. I used the SSE. TESv tool opened Strunmah up,checked the music setting,changed it to the castle preference,but that didn't seem to work.I used this mod back in LE days. I always liked the small but noble size of the castle,not oversized,just right feel,the exterior walkways to view Solitude and the interior windows were the best parts,but the downside I thought was.. the crazy backroom area,where you've added the horse,how did anyone safely get there?? and the towers outside looked jigsaw puzzled to the walls,gaps showing and interior towers steps you can't access? And as I said last time... the study.. why put common bookshelves (they look so out of place) in a castle that represents nobility ! Thanks again though for the port.
Thanks for the info. I'm going to say that that has to be better than what it was on original Skyrim. My self-built PC can't really handle an ENB (or so I think). I assume an ENB might make things worse FPS wise.
Pretty good, I'd say. I have no issues to date with it on SE.
Try Mythical Ages Weather and Lighting Mod. I used it on my last PC it was mid powered. MA has light settings that work really well like an ENB. Use your keyboard for magic,then the Powers tab (2nd to the right) you should see Mythical Ages presets in your powers list ,select it then close and hit your (powers) key,there's 7 settings to choose from,it for me was like having an ENB without any framerate loss. OH btw if your a facebook user I'm the admin https://www.facebook.com/groups/317896198743311/ join up :)
Yes, I very recently tried Mythical Ages and liked it very much, so much so that I was going to use it. But what killed it for me was out side Whiterun at night the lights from the city/Dragonsreach did not shine. Building way too dark. I posted at the Mythical Ages forum.
Thanks re Facebook. I'm not a great user but will take a look. In the meantime, I want to do more Youtube vids, and am thinking of my several house mods.
I just uploaded yevic1992's original Castle Strunmah mod, without my tweaks in case some may prefer that. All I did was unpack the BSA file into a Scripts folder so the mod will run on SE.
Without my tweaks there will be no:
- Outside containers in the crafting area - No wood chopping block - No door leading to the rampart (it is sealed) - No horse around back or the items therein...or the steps making it easier to access that area.
Do not know if I forgot anything.
Yet the place is playable in the original and one can add/drop items as one wishes...or mod one's self.
You can swap the esp files to see the difference. But SAVE FIRST!
Hi! Two bedrooms. In original Skyrim (Oldrim but often I think the Bestrim) I recall that with multiple followers and AFT, Vilja regularly slept in the master bedroom. Followers in the second room often two per bed. I cannot recall and should probably look, but I think I had a sleeping mark at the end of the main table. Had more than a few followers in the home. Place is originally pretty well navmeshed.
I've learned that it is pretty easy to test, then discard mods. Just do a prior save.
In fact, on PC I have spare/backup Data folders just in case. Some renamed with different mods when not in use. Like one for Requiem in Bestrim. I've been intending doing a youtube vid on that. Folder/Data management.
Why not give it a test try? Should be nothing to lose.
13 comments
Thanks for this port to SE,had a question,do you have permission to alter anything inside the castle,one thing always I wanted changed was the library, those common bookshelves look so wrong. Any way to replace them with the Noble open bookshelves?
As for permission in general, IronDusk33 did Castle Strunmah Redone for Skyrim at about the same time as I did my original tweaks. (IronDusk33's was a massive change., which I think took away much of the inside beauty.)
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/60599/
IronDusk33's site has the general go ahead:
Author's instructions
"I private messaged yevic1992 for permission, and he said it is alright to do anything with his original mod, so long as he is credited as the original author of the mod."
With that, I am "contemplating" doing more outside work, perhaps turning the sealed door on the South rampart into something. (Actually, I made the door so one can get up on the rampart. It was originally sealed.) Would also like to do something with the towers. Don't know if it will come to be, though....
Okay, MAYBE even the bookshelves.
The big problem with the original mod (and what I recall IronDusk33 also experiencing) was the frame rate loss when inside. I don't play with a FPS counter. If the game seems to be playing okay, then it is. But I did sense a loss in the original mod. It apparently had something to do with how the "inside" of the house is really "outside" and perhaps more things. I wanted to see if SE and the supposed better engine could help. I think it did! My character runs around much better...going by the seat-of-my-pants experience. If I sense no problem; then there is none. :)
using my ENB's fps counter I was getting an avg. 45 inside the castle. a few spots it dipped to 40 and maxed out to 50 in others.Yea I noticed to that the music plays randomly, the streets of Whiterun would play inside. I use the personalized music mod and have a lot of Vindsvept's themes set in the castle folder. I used the SSE. TESv tool opened Strunmah up,checked the music setting,changed it to the castle preference,but that didn't seem to work.I used this mod back in LE days. I always liked the small but noble size of the castle,not oversized,just right feel,the exterior walkways to view Solitude and the interior windows were the best parts,but the downside I thought was.. the crazy backroom area,where you've added the horse,how did anyone safely get there?? and the towers outside looked jigsaw puzzled to the walls,gaps showing and interior towers steps you can't access? And as I said last time... the study.. why put common bookshelves (they look so out of place) in a castle that represents nobility ! Thanks again though for the port.
Pretty good, I'd say. I have no issues to date with it on SE.
OH btw if your a facebook user I'm the admin https://www.facebook.com/groups/317896198743311/ join up :)
Thanks re Facebook. I'm not a great user but will take a look. In the meantime, I want to do more Youtube vids, and am thinking of my several house mods.
Without my tweaks there will be no:
- Outside containers in the crafting area
- No wood chopping block
- No door leading to the rampart (it is sealed)
- No horse around back or the items therein...or the steps making it easier to access that area.
Do not know if I forgot anything.
Yet the place is playable in the original and one can add/drop items as one wishes...or mod one's self.
You can swap the esp files to see the difference. But SAVE FIRST!
Enjoy!
SPH1
I've learned that it is pretty easy to test, then discard mods. Just do a prior save.
In fact, on PC I have spare/backup Data folders just in case. Some renamed with different mods when not in use. Like one for Requiem in Bestrim. I've been intending doing a youtube vid on that. Folder/Data management.
Why not give it a test try? Should be nothing to lose.