during my rather long egress from this site, I've very recently created a purely conceptual game mod for TES V: Skyrim. While the mod itself may not actually be created (the game is already 4 years old and by the time I have a team that can make a mod of this scale it might not be too popular anymore), It is at least an interesting concept (interesting enough to make me HOPE it gets made).
the mod in question is a total-conversion mod known as Dhasius: Blades to the Sky. While D:BS builds off the engine of Skyrim, it features somewhat significant changes to the combat, inventory, and magic systems and a higher emphasis on narrative and a plot that actually affects the setting. I'll elaborate on the gameplay a bit later; the immediate paragraph below will be dedicated to the setting.
D:BS's setting is difficult to define on the "high-low/heroic-dark" fantasy axis, though it is a setting in which magic is not uncommon and the technology is advanced to the point of resembling early-renaissance/late medieval technology. What makes my mod unique is the aesthetic: D:BS has a very distinct Balkan vibe to it's setting and landscape. However, this vibe is composed of a combination of Paleo-Balkan, Medieval Balkan/Medieval Slavic, 1300-1400 Russian, and renaissance central European/Austrian/Balkan/Ottoman cultural aesthetics. The game world is about the size of TES IV: Oblivion's though it has about as much content as Skyrim. Magic in the game is handled very uniquely compared to to other games: Magic in this setting is used exclusively from an enchanted object known as a medium (like an amulet or a ring); people focus their thoughts or emotions while in contact or proximity to a medium in order to use magic. As a result, anyone in this setting can use magic. in addition, there are no supernatural creatures in this game (there are magic constructs, which aren't truly alive and are analogous to robots, however).
For the gameplay, there come significant changes to the combat, inventory, and magic systems with the addition of a new system: Memory.
COMBAT: combat in D:BS is similar to Skyrim's only in terms of engine; for the most part it builds off of Skyrim's system, though there are significant differences, including:
- Damage types: there are 4 predominant types of weapon damage (slash, strike, pierce, firearm), and 6 primary types of magic damage (heat, spark, force, life, abyss, void, arcane), though the reverse system with magic results in 12 total magic damage types. each weapon or spell may deal one or more of these damage types, and armor may be weak to or resist any of these types.
- light and heavy attacks: unlike Skyrim, there are two different keys used for attacking: light, which deal lower damage, but actually builds adrenaline when used and can be used repeatedly, and heavy, which deal more damage and can be charged, but lower adrenaline.
- counterattacks: by preforming a shield bash or an attack at a predetermined time while aimed at a certain part of an opponent's body will result in a counterattack, which forces an opponent away from the player character or deals heavy damage. counterattacks can only be performed in front of the player while in first-person mode, but are easier to perform. while in third person, counterattacks can be performed in any direction.
- camera perspective: the mod actually changes the combat capabilities available to the player dependent on when they are currently using first or third-person camera. first person allows for the precision targeting of weakpoints, and third person allows for more spatial awareness and more options when it comes to turning attacks.
MAGIC: as mentioned above, Magic in D:BS is tied directly to equipment. an amulet or ring enchanted with a particular element or school of magic allows player characters to access that element or school. In addition, spells and magic are separated in the sense that a spell takes on the element of the currently equipped medium;, though one still needs a medium to cast a spell at all; spells are merely attack patterns and their properties are dependent on the medium.
INVENTORY: the inventory system has been massively overhauled. players can only equip one item to a particular slot at once and cannot carry any more equipment beyond what is already equipped; the player must go to a storage to change equipment. items are also greatly limited in carry capacity as well.
MEMORY: the new system replaces the expansive inventories found in the Elder Scrolls series, though instead of storing equipment and items, memory stores weapon techniques and magic spells. going into the memory menu will allow players to change spells and weapon stances.
ADRENALINE: forsaking a standard Mana/Stamina System, D:BS features an adrenaline system used for both melee combat and magic. adrenaline builds as players use light attacks from either weapons or magic and then can be spent to execute more powerful attacks.
Story: D:BS takes place in a world known as Ourinys, and takes place on a continent equivalent to Europe (the exact area is, rather obviously based off Eastern Europe). the plot itself is about a settler (the player character) in a Balkan-like region who is caught in a town when it is attacked by a surprisingly organized band of marauding criminals. During the raid, the settler manages to kill one of the bandits and discovers that the raid was plotted in response two a large empire (one that is based off the Ottoman empire, which ruled the real Balkans during the renaissance) transporting goods through that town as part of a proxy war organized by a Catholic Church-like entity against all not under it's control; the church is also revealed to have organized the raid with the help of a massive criminal conspiracy headed by a mysterious individual known as the "Bandit King".
So, what do you think? It's still in the very early stages of planning (I literally just created it this morning), though I've heard from a few people that the world and gameplay are very thought out for this point.
