quest The Trappings of Fate

[ShadowDraggon]

Great to see something from part 2, now i'm even more hyped  

Spoiler

The Worldspace seems decently big, so I'm guessing that this won't be the first room, and that part 2 might be around twice as long maybe? I definitly like the asthetic with the glowing mushrooms.

Keep up the good work, and don't rush it.   

[Frayed]

Update v1.1.1 (2023/01/22 (derp)) (2023/01/30):

• Switched out customized contraptions for DD standard ones. Should make quest start more reliable.
• Added a short delay between triggerbox hits and the activating item being disabled, to hopefully fix a possible CTD (mainly in VR, but also SE).
• Small changes to quest start to improve robustness.
• Reworked internal mechanics of harness puzzle to not rely on semi-deprecated / prone-to-change DD vibrate mechanics. Should make harness puzzle much more robust.
  (As a side effect, this eliminates the harness events triggering early, which was intended but confusing, it's no great loss.)
• Fixed hint blindfold missing a devious device keyword.
• Swapped dremora altar to a different mesh that fits the story better.

 

@Allen Harris This patch has changes intended to fix the VR crashes. Please try them out and let me know ? I actually had it CTD on me on SE, too, though only sporadically. But it doesn't now, so I think I got the bug.

@Pornucopia @slayedigneel @abc1010 Quest start bug where you couldn't move should be fixed again in this version.

 

@ShadowDraggon

Spoiler

Thanks! It'll be in a bigger space for sure, and I'm having a blast designing the areas. I suspect it'll end up being longer than part 1, too, but it's too early to tell by how much.

 

Edited January 31, 2023 by Frayed

[DayTri]

58 minutes ago, Frayed said:

Update v1.1.1 (2023/01/22):

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is 8 days later than you think it is

[Allen Harris]

1 hour ago, Frayed said:

Update v1.1.1 (2023/01/22):

• Switched out customized contraptions for DD standard ones. Should make quest start more reliable.
• Added a short delay between triggerbox hits and the activating item being disabled, to hopefully fix a possible CTD (mainly in VR, but also SE).
• Small changes to quest start to improve robustness.
• Reworked internal mechanics of harness puzzle to not rely on semi-deprecated / prone-to-change DD vibrate mechanics. Should make harness puzzle much more robust.
  (As a side effect, this eliminates the harness events triggering early, which was intended but confusing, it's no great loss.)
• Fixed hint blindfold missing a devious device keyword.
• Swapped dremora altar to a different mesh that fits the story better.

 

@Allen Harris This patch has changes intended to fix the VR crashes. Please try them out and let me know ? I actually had it CTD on me on SE, too, though only sporadically. But it doesn't now, so I think I got the bug.

@Pornucopia @slayedigneel @abc1010 Quest start bug where you couldn't move should be fixed again in this version.

 

@ShadowDraggon

  Reveal hidden contents

Thanks! It'll be in a bigger space for sure, and I'm having a blast designing the areas. I suspect it'll end up being longer than part 1, too, but it's too early to tell by how much.

 

Thanks! I can confirm that sticking the key into the wall doesn't crash now.

HOWEVER...when I try to elicit a clue from the orb, I get transported into the next room, then nothing happens. If I TCL back into the room, I figure out how to get the hood off - then I get the key to the door (Yes, I'm being deliberately vague to avoid spoilers). When I try to put the key into the cell door, it crashes again.

So it looks like the whole "sticking a thing in a thing" (*snicker*) will crash wherever you have it.

I do want to say thank you so far; it's interesting and clever enough that it's making me anxious to be able to play the full lot lol

[Tsunamilawl]

I have a slight problem

 

Spoiler

I'm dragging the falcon key into the indented wall, but nothing happens. It doesn't latch on.

 

[Frayed]

18 hours ago, DayTri said:

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is 8 days later than you think it is

 

This is why I shouldn't post updates late at night. ?‍♂️

 

18 hours ago, Allen Harris said:

Thanks! I can confirm that sticking the key into the wall doesn't crash now.

HOWEVER...when I try to elicit a clue from the orb, I get transported into the next room, then nothing happens. If I TCL back into the room, I figure out how to get the hood off - then I get the key to the door (Yes, I'm being deliberately vague to avoid spoilers). When I try to put the key into the cell door, it crashes again.

So it looks like the whole "sticking a thing in a thing" (*snicker*) will crash wherever you have it.

I do want to say thank you so far; it's interesting and clever enough that it's making me anxious to be able to play the full lot lol

 

Ah, right. I fixed two cases where I used that mechanic, but I did miss the door. That does mean the fix works, though. I'll go through the mod to check if I got all cases this time (this time not super late at night), then post another update.

 

13 hours ago, Tsunamilawl said:

I have a slight problem

 

  Reveal hidden contents

I'm dragging the falcon key into the indented wall, but nothing happens. It doesn't latch on.

 

 

Is this on a new save, or did you update? And if you updated, did you do so after you started the quest (received the note) or before?

Edited January 31, 2023 by Frayed

[Tsunamilawl]

I originally did it after updating on an old save and ran into the issue.

I started a fresh new game and ran into the same issue again. I didn't encounter this issue in previous versions oddly.

[Zaflis]

Part 2 couldn't come sooner ?  After finishing current content with new game with 1.1.1 update here's few points:

- If you use generic DD, i assume you want player to be able to struggle out of them and not rely on device keys? If you play with Unforgiving Devices (UD) the basic struggling needs both stamina and in some cases mana, but especially stamina. The blindfold had DD struggling but bell collar was using UD. It wasn't difficult or harmful device though so that little bit didn't matter. What can be potentially big issue is that mana drain spell permanently on you.

 

- When i was going for a hint one point (this was after first door was open), it said to use a pole. I used the one in starting room but the orb wouldn't give me a hint, still asking if i want a hint yes/no. So later on i figured there is actually a second pole in the other room. It was too well hidden... and orb didn't specify which. At that point i thought i broke the hint system but it started working after a couple completed tasks.

 

The end situation:

Spoiler

At the point where second door was open and i was free to leave I had all devices off of me except piercings. The hint said they are impossible to remove and i trust that.

I could never open the strongbox in the water nor the left side bookcase, so no idea what's in them. I did examine every device i got off me.

 

The mittens got me stumped for a longer while, i came to forums for clues.

 

So the clue for bookcase was about colors, probably some green banner. I looked all over the place for anything green but couldn't find anything, aside from the tentacle pillar which was only used for removing harness.

 

I also imagined the fish key would have gone to the water, but it had a different purpose afterall.

 

Oh there was also a long wait after dremora had sex. At some point then i was able to click him to start conversation and it proceeded.

 

About crashes with SE 1.5.97, i have never crashed during my playthrough, not even once. Including this mod content.

 

Must add that if you can think of a way to make puzzles procedurally it would make it more fun for you too as mod developer. In strict quest oriented way this is only really "fun" on the first time, it is not really infinitely repeatable. And if you do this you can involve other people in the project because there isn't much to spoil in games that play differently for everyone.

 

Checking through "last secrets of the mod"

Spoiler

The left side bookcase is opened with "Green Owl Key", which is gotten from strongbox in pool. That strongbox needs "Blue Tadpole Key", which i have no idea where it is. I just opened it with console "unlock".

What you'll find in the bookcase is

Spoiler

Just another hint book apparently for the green tentacle crystal. It's nothing vital to know but some lore.

 

Edited January 31, 2023 by Zaflis

[neckmop]

7 hours ago, Tsunamilawl said:

I originally did it after updating on an old save and ran into the issue.

I started a fresh new game and ran into the same issue again. I didn't encounter this issue in previous versions oddly.

 

I also did some testing and discovered that it was fixed if I overwrote the relevant scripts with those from the previous version, even if I was already in the puzzle room.

[yayepicyay]

So I am at the part where I need to 

Spoiler

Lock myself in the pilory then have sex with the dremora. Afterwards he dispells the barrier but 1) doesn't let me out and 2) the talk option remains so I can't use the default DD contraption interact press to attempt to struggle out. Based on his dialogue I assume he doesn't plan on releasing me but I don't seem to have any other options. I have tried reloading it three times with same results. My only other idea is to wait an arbitrary amount of time for him to come back but I feel I have waited several minutes already and don't want to wait any longer without an actual indication that is what I should do. Any advice?

 

[yayepicyay]

32 minutes ago, yayepicyay said:

So I am at the part where I need to 

  Reveal hidden contents

Lock myself in the pilory then have sex with the dremora. Afterwards he dispells the barrier but 1) doesn't let me out and 2) the talk option remains so I can't use the default DD contraption interact press to attempt to struggle out. Based on his dialogue I assume he doesn't plan on releasing me but I don't seem to have any other options. I have tried reloading it three times with same results. My only other idea is to wait an arbitrary amount of time for him to come back but I feel I have waited several minutes already and don't want to wait any longer without an actual indication that is what I should do. Any advice?

 

Spoiler

So I read the comments again (missed it the first time) and saw someone asking a similar question. When I went to follow the steps which included typing a console command containing the letter e, for some reason when I pressed e while in console menu, the device interact menu came up. A few tries of this and I got free. I was playing on controller so that may have something to do with why a function was triggered while in console mode, which I thought wasn't supposed to happen. 

Solved and now done with quest.

Feedback:

Spoiler

I echo what others have said about the platforming for the leg restraint removal being hard. I would often get up there and fall down. I honestly thought the moon had nothing to do with the solution for that because "there is no way to make it up there within the time limit" Maybe instead make it so when you pile the objects a promt says you knock the thing down and it stays on the ground where you don't have to precision jump in Skyrim.

 

[PolskiHusarz20]

On 1/31/2023 at 6:04 AM, Tsunamilawl said:

I have a slight problem

 

  Hide contents

I'm dragging the falcon key into the indented wall, but nothing happens. It doesn't latch on.

 

I have the same issue. After I updated the mod and loaded existing save (nothing fancy, I was still sitting in alternate start dungeon) I went to play this guest again and I cannot put the key in the hole.

[philyb]

Wonderful mod.

[Viri1]

Found this mod a few hours ago. Well done! I'll be checking in every once in a while, I'm hyped for the continuation.

 

Found the puzzle a bit hard, honestly, but I never had a lot of patience for puzzle games. I'd say the difficulty is high, but acceptible. Maybe some hints could be made clearer, we are already paying a price for them. The writing seemed fine, I laughed at the callback to that one quest!

 

I played it on LE, no real issues. Here's hoping it stays that way.

 

 

Edited February 8, 2023 by Viri1
More thorough review

[philyb]

Just wanna give a more thorough review.

 

Well written, though I'd honestly like to know a little bit more with the main villain and their motives specfically for you even if it was just flavour text. Loved that exploration was rewarded. Really appreciated that it knows about your previous choices with Barbas and the dialogue reflects it. I liked that there were multiple endings, I could escape or I could fuck it up somewhere and end up being re-captured for the second part. Though the deal with the Daedra where you let him fuck you later didn't work for me and the dialogue kept looping, but it was fun to let him fuck I guess. I look forward to the second part and I hope this gets a story resolution rather than seeing feature creep. I'd like to have seen the quest timed to a certain degree, maybe you get a fail state or game over after a certain hours of not escaping? She mocks you then locks you in forever.

 

My only complaint is that it took a while to understand how the puzzles worked, which were great once you knew that physically moving them around worked. I'd also say that sometimes you have to be very precise with how you can some of the stuff, which can make you feel like you shouldn't actually get it yet - like the key on the outside.

 

[GeryBy01]

Hello!

 

i cannot figure out what to do after i got the armbonder off. Got stuck early i know ?. I try to stuck the key from the armbinder to the wall but that didn’t work. Can anyone help me pls ?

[Frayed]

On 1/31/2023 at 9:43 PM, Zaflis said:

Part 2 couldn't come sooner ?  After finishing current content with new game with 1.1.1 update here's few points:

- If you use generic DD, i assume you want player to be able to struggle out of them and not rely on device keys? If you play with Unforgiving Devices (UD) the basic struggling needs both stamina and in some cases mana, but especially stamina. The blindfold had DD struggling but bell collar was using UD. It wasn't difficult or harmful device though so that little bit didn't matter. What can be potentially big issue is that mana drain spell permanently on you.

 

- When i was going for a hint one point (this was after first door was open), it said to use a pole. I used the one in starting room but the orb wouldn't give me a hint, still asking if i want a hint yes/no. So later on i figured there is actually a second pole in the other room. It was too well hidden... and orb didn't specify which. At that point i thought i broke the hint system but it started working after a couple completed tasks.

 

The end situation:

  Reveal hidden contents

At the point where second door was open and i was free to leave I had all devices off of me except piercings. The hint said they are impossible to remove and i trust that.

I could never open the strongbox in the water nor the left side bookcase, so no idea what's in them. I did examine every device i got off me.

 

The mittens got me stumped for a longer while, i came to forums for clues.

 

So the clue for bookcase was about colors, probably some green banner. I looked all over the place for anything green but couldn't find anything, aside from the tentacle pillar which was only used for removing harness.

 

I also imagined the fish key would have gone to the water, but it had a different purpose afterall.

 

Oh there was also a long wait after dremora had sex. At some point then i was able to click him to start conversation and it proceeded.

 

About crashes with SE 1.5.97, i have never crashed during my playthrough, not even once. Including this mod content.

 

Must add that if you can think of a way to make puzzles procedurally it would make it more fun for you too as mod developer. In strict quest oriented way this is only really "fun" on the first time, it is not really infinitely repeatable. And if you do this you can involve other people in the project because there isn't much to spoil in games that play differently for everyone.

 

Checking through "last secrets of the mod"

  Reveal hidden contents

The left side bookcase is opened with "Green Owl Key", which is gotten from strongbox in pool. That strongbox needs "Blue Tadpole Key", which i have no idea where it is. I just opened it with console "unlock".

What you'll find in the bookcase is

  Reveal hidden contents

Just another hint book apparently for the green tentacle crystal. It's nothing vital to know but some lore.

 

 

Spoiler

The devices involved in the hints (the blindfold and bell collar) are standard DD devices. They don't interfere with anything else in the quest and should be okay to use with whatever DD/UD settings you prefer.

 

I found which hint dialogue you mentioned and it's indeed a bit ambiguous. Changed for next patch.

 

Regarding procedural puzzles: It has its place and it would be fun, but I don't believe they can come close to the same quality as handcrafted. Perhaps in the far future I'd try my hand at it, but not for Trappings. Would love to see someone else do it, though, maybe as some kind of defeat / death alternative mod.

 

19 hours ago, philyb said:

Just wanna give a more thorough review.

 

Well written, though I'd honestly like to know a little bit more with the main villain and their motives specfically for you even if it was just flavour text. Loved that exploration was rewarded. Really appreciated that it knows about your previous choices with Barbas and the dialogue reflects it. I liked that there were multiple endings, I could escape or I could fuck it up somewhere and end up being re-captured for the second part. Though the deal with the Daedra where you let him fuck you later didn't work for me and the dialogue kept looping, but it was fun to let him fuck I guess. I look forward to the second part and I hope this gets a story resolution rather than seeing feature creep. I'd like to have seen the quest timed to a certain degree, maybe you get a fail state or game over after a certain hours of not escaping? She mocks you then locks you in forever.

 

My only complaint is that it took a while to understand how the puzzles worked, which were great once you knew that physically moving them around worked. I'd also say that sometimes you have to be very precise with how you can some of the stuff, which can make you feel like you shouldn't actually get it yet - like the key on the outside.

 

 

Thank you ? Both for the praise and for the bug report on that dremora dialogue - I had a look and it seems I forgot to add a dialogue link for that option, will be fixed in the next version.

 

This first part is light on exposition on purpose - second part will be more on the nose. Fail states ("bad endings") is something I played with a little early in the design, but I wasn't really good enough with CK at that point to get something that worked well and I liked. Might give it another try, though. Especially in this genre they can be made quite fun.

 

A puzzle that takes a while to understand, but is great when you do I would just label "a good puzzle" ? the precision thing can be improved, it's usually just a matter of moving some hitboxes and making some things bigger or smaller. Literally a few seconds work in CK, I just need to know where to do it.

 

1 hour ago, GeryBy01 said:

Hello!

 

i cannot figure out what to do after i got the armbonder off. Got stuck early i know ?. I try to stuck the key from the armbinder to the wall but that didn’t work. Can anyone help me pls ?

 

If moving the key to the wall (something indented) doesn't do anything, you might have the same issue some people reported earlier. I changed something there last patch to fix a CTD in VR, but this seems to have broken something else for some people. Next patch (soon) will have some changes that will hopefully allow me to have both issues fixed.

 

Also @Tsunamilawl @PolskiHusarz20 and @neckmop, for now you can try to replace this script in [Trappings mod folder]/scripts:

FraySomethingIndentedScript.pex

Let me know if that works.

[GeryBy01]

I tried the script file. same issue. I'm supposed to rub the falcon key to the indented wall ? Should i start the mod from the beggining ? 

I'm playing on LE btw. 

 

Thx for the fast reply

 

[PolskiHusarz20]

Thx for support but the updated script didn't work. The key still doesn't want to get where it should be.

[Tsunamilawl]

I used the FraySomethingIndentedScript.pex file from version 1.1.0 and replaced the one from 1.1.1 a few days ago and it worked.

[philyb]

I think the puzzle is just, it is just unusual for the Skyrim engine. Which isn't a bad thing, but considering how finnicky Skyrim can be (especially with a large load order) I was unsure if I'd broken something or if I was actually supposed to do something. I think a spoiler guide would be nice for this reason - I completely understand you want people to follow hints and do it themselves, but its the thing with Skyrim's engine. I also had the right idea about some puzzles, wrong execution. For example, the Garygoyle I thought I could use the rug at first and cover it. Then I tried to use a basket, but I was supposed to use a bucket etc etc. Which lead to me wondering if it was the engine or not.

 

Not really the fault of the mod though.

[GeryBy01]

13 hours ago, Tsunamilawl said:

I used the FraySomethingIndentedScript.pex file from version 1.1.0 and replaced the one from 1.1.1 a few days ago and it worked.

This worked for me as well. I managed to get to the other room but i am completly clueless of what to do now. Am i suppose to cook some sort of potion ?

[ETSubmariner]

I've tried this a dozen different times. I hate it. I wanted to like it even a little, certainly a dozen times. The constant self-sexual animations ruin the experience by stopping me dead. Can't do anything. Just watch. Ugh.

[Frayed]

@GeryBy01@Tsunamilawl@PolskiHusarz20@neckmop Try this one.

 

FraySomethingIndentedScript.pex

 

I can't reproduce your issues, so I can't test whether my changes fix your issues. If you'd like to help me out, please try this both on an existing save and on a completely new game and let me know if it works. You can start the quest quickly from character creation with the console commands "player.setlevel 9" and "coc dragonbridgefourshieldstavern". From there, walk outside, get the letter from the courier and proceed as normal.

Edited February 11, 2023 by Frayed

[PolskiHusarz20]

15 hours ago, Frayed said:

@GeryBy01@Tsunamilawl@PolskiHusarz20@neckmop Try this one.

 

FraySomethingIndentedScript.pex 2.45 kB · 0 downloads

 

I can't reproduce your issues, so I can't test whether my changes fix your issues. If you'd like to help me out, please try this both on an existing save and on a completely new game and let me know if it works. You can start the quest quickly from character creation with the console commands "player.setlevel 9" and "coc dragonbridgefourshieldstavern". From there, walk outside, get the letter from the courier and proceed as normal.

Sorry, I can't help anymore with that, recently I deleted all previous saves and on new ones that issue is doesn't occur.