Content Consumer's Alternate Starts

[theuglyamerican]

 

First, after several partial and complete installations of Skyrim and many mods (mostly the animation mods, which for some reason kept installing weird and crashing the game for me) I have gotten this to work and I have had a BLAST exploring the various permutations. Awesome job, and thank you!

 

Second, I was wondering if it would be possible to have non-SD versions of some of the slavery starts that now require it. The idea of a Dragonborn rising from being a captive breeder to the savior of Nirn is pretty powerful, not to mention that I really like the idea of the (non-Blackreach) Falmer and animal starts, but SD really isn't my cup of tea (for all that it's a great mod). I don't know how plausible it is to strip SD out or if the whole thing depends upon that framework, but consider this an official "ask." 

 

I have to say, being a 1st-level nobody escaping from captors has really boosted my enjoyment of the game back to where it was when I first started in...2011? Is it that long ago???? Good Lord, this game has legs, and it's because of the mod community. Thank you again!

 

*unnecessary wall of text removed*

 

I wrote a big long explanation for why SD+ is required for these scenarios, mechanically or thematically, but it really doesn't matter. Long story short, SD+ is required for these because the only other way to do it would be to completely rework them, and create my own slavery framework besides. For example, I could completely get rid of the Drelas scenario, make an entirely new one in an entirely new location with a new house and everything, along with a complete slavery scenario that would essentially mimic SD+ functionality anyway, or I could simply get rid of SD+ as a requirement and let the vanilla game take over, which would instantly kill the player on start. Anise and the Orc are about the same. Creature slaves have all had their SD+ requirement removed - it's now an optional extra. All other scenarios that have SD+ as a requirement (falmer, kin slave, etc) are that way because they're basically entry points into scenarios that require SD+ functionality - they simply won't work without it.

 

If you look at all of the "slave" scenarios, they either require SD+ or some other framework/quest mod, such as Maria Eden or Slaverun. Thematically this is necessary - picture the Orc slave scenario without SD+ for example, and it just turns into a "you start the game somewhere in Skyrim with limited equipment standing next to some Orc dude." Not really a slave scenario at all, just a general starting scenario.

 

That said, you can attempt to bypass this requirement by using the following console command:

set ccas_mod_sdplus to 1

Before speaking to the Mara statue. The SD+ options should pop up as if you had SD+ installed. I can't guarantee it will work well though. For example, without SD+ Drelas will be instantly hostile to the player and try to kill you. I *think* you can just turn around and walk right out the door and he won't follow you, but then it's still not really a slavery scenario, because... you're just starting at Drelas's cottage, no real slavery involved. You can't say you "escaped" your master, just because he's too damn lazy to walk out the door.

 

Anyway, believe it or not, this wall of text is quite a bit shorter than the other. I think I write too much.

 

 

 

p.s. What version of the mod are you using? There shouldn't be any Blackreach content left in with v13, unless I messed something up.

Thanks for the reply! I appreciate it a lot, and I figured it was something like that. I do run with Simple Slavery and Defeat, so I'm cool with the slavery aspect. I'll even install DD when I get to the appropriate spot so I can play Devious Cidhna, even though DD keeps making me crash. But SD keeps killing all the NPCs with gargoyles (seriously, it killed the whole Bannered Mare once except for me and Uthgerd); it feels like if you have SD running, you're playing SD, not Skyrim. Like, that's all you're doing is dealing with SD. SD is also very unstable for me, though I'm not sure how much of that is DD and how much is SD itself, I just know that I cut my crashes down when I pulled it. 

 

I'm running the latest version. The Blackreach starts I'm referring to come from Death Alternative Alternate Srat Addon (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/61788/?). There are a couple starts I could play in there that deal with the Falmer, but A) I always play with Realistic Lighting Overhaul so I can't  see anything in Blackreach without knowing light spells, and   I want to get to the main game faster than those starts allow. They look really cool, though. 

 

[Content Consumer]

 

Thanks for the reply! I appreciate it a lot, and I figured it was something like that. I do run with Simple Slavery and Defeat, so I'm cool with the slavery aspect. I'll even install DD when I get to the appropriate spot so I can play Devious Cidhna, even though DD keeps making me crash. But SD keeps killing all the NPCs with gargoyles (seriously, it killed the whole Bannered Mare once except for me and Uthgerd); it feels like if you have SD running, you're playing SD, not Skyrim. Like, that's all you're doing is dealing with SD. SD is also very unstable for me, though I'm not sure how much of that is DD and how much is SD itself, I just know that I cut my crashes down when I pulled it. 

 

I'm running the latest version. The Blackreach starts I'm referring to come from Death Alternative Alternate Srat Addon (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/61788/?). There are a couple starts I could play in there that deal with the Falmer, but A) I always play with Realistic Lighting Overhaul so I can't  see anything in Blackreach without knowing light spells, and   I want to get to the main game faster than those starts allow. They look really cool, though. 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh! The gargoyle issue! That's not actually the fault of SD+, that's my fault. 

You might be running an older version of SD Addons. Try this update:

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/24042-sd-sanguine-debauchery-enhanced-2017-03-04/page-677?do=findComment&comment=1822724

That should fix the problem with a gargoyle popping in everywhere.

[theuglyamerican]

 

 

 

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh! The gargoyle issue! That's not actually the fault of SD+, that's my fault. 

You might be running an older version of SD Addons. Try this update:

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/24042-sd-sanguine-debauchery-enhanced-2017-03-04/page-677?do=findComment&comment=1822724

That should fix the problem with a gargoyle popping in everywhere.

 

 

No kidding? I assumed it was just what SD did, like he kept sending monsters after you to kill ya. 

[Content Consumer]

 

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh! The gargoyle issue! That's not actually the fault of SD+, that's my fault. 

You might be running an older version of SD Addons. Try this update:

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/24042-sd-sanguine-debauchery-enhanced-2017-03-04/page-677?do=findComment&comment=1822724

That should fix the problem with a gargoyle popping in everywhere.

 

 

No kidding? I assumed it was just what SD did, like he kept sending monsters after you to kill ya. 

 

 

Not at all. SD+ is actually very unintrusive (at least for me) - I can play for many hours without even noticing it's there, until I get defeated and enslaved or something.

The gargoyle was a bug I left in an older version of SD Addons, fixed with v7.

[theuglyamerican]

 

 

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh! The gargoyle issue! That's not actually the fault of SD+, that's my fault. 

You might be running an older version of SD Addons. Try this update:

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/24042-sd-sanguine-debauchery-enhanced-2017-03-04/page-677?do=findComment&comment=1822724

That should fix the problem with a gargoyle popping in everywhere.

 

 

No kidding? I assumed it was just what SD did, like he kept sending monsters after you to kill ya. 

 

 

Not at all. SD+ is actually very unintrusive (at least for me) - I can play for many hours without even noticing it's there, until I get defeated and enslaved or something.

The gargoyle was a bug I left in an older version of SD Addons, fixed with v7.

 

No fooling? Well I'll give it another shot then. Hopefully I will find the whole experience more stable -- I'll make sure I have the very latest files of everything, which no doubt will help a lot. 

[Iyeru]

Would you consider adding a start where you're the guy stuck in fellglow keep's dungeon instead of that other guy? And you'll have to explain to an adventurer how to solve the lock puzzle or something?

[Content Consumer]

Would you consider adding a start where you're the guy stuck in fellglow keep's dungeon instead of that other guy? And you'll have to explain to an adventurer how to solve the lock puzzle or something?

 

Intriguing notion. I wouldn't use Fellglow Keep exactly (because of vanilla conflicts), but I could make up either a completely new scenario or I can duplicate the keep and try to mimic it. Will go nicely alongside the "escape from Helgen" bit, I think.

 

I'll add it to my to-do list, but it probably won't happen any time soon.

[bicobus]

Yeah, AFAIK we're still waiting for trapped in rubber.

[Content Consumer]

Yeah, AFAIK we're still waiting for trapped in rubber.

 

Ugh, depending on how things go, maybe sooner, maybe later.

 

Maybe sooner: While there aren't any major bugs that require an immediate release, there are enough minor ones that maybe it's justified.

 

Maybe later: I just stripped out the Bandit Honeypot scenario and changed it to the new one, but now the new navmeshes are causing all of my NPCs to fall through the ground. Which is fine if what you're looking for is the magic act of Gerast the Amazing Disappearing Bandit and her Group of Incorporeal Raiders, but not so great for actual play.

And the few times I manage to get the NPCs to stay above ground, three of them keep trying to use the same idle marker despite the fact that they're all assigned to different markers.

 

So... progress?

[leprechaun99]

 

 

I do have the dark tale sentence and i have both the dialogue mods u said. My problem is when I do for example the beeing female start. the khajit that im suppose to talk to dosent have the dialogue needed to progress and im stuck there.

 

 

That's a bug in the current version. To get around it, use this console command:

 

set ccas_bfstage to 0

 

That should fix it.

More info and a permanent script fix for new games

 

Thank you for this. I was combing over  the install order and everything trying to figure out why just this specific scenario wasn't working for me. Awesome mod, and I'm looking forward to more updates when you get around to them.

 

 

I do have the dark tale sentence and i have both the dialogue mods u said. My problem is when I do for example the beeing female start. the khajit that im suppose to talk to dosent have the dialogue needed to progress and im stuck there.

 

 

That's a bug in the current version. To get around it, use this console command:

 

set ccas_bfstage to 0

 

That should fix it.

More info and a permanent script fix for new games

 

Thank you for this. I was combing over  the install order and everything trying to figure out why just this specific scenario wasn't working for me. Awesome mod, and I'm looking forward to more updates when you get around to them.

 

Edit: Not sure why it doubled it in the same post like that. Sorry.

[DeepBlueFrog]

@CC

 

In the Beeing Female start in Solstheim, I don't have any new topics with the blacksmith.

Did you mean the player needs to talk to him about the vanilla quest about the pickaxe? or am I supposed to see a missing topic from CCAS itself?

[Content Consumer]

@CC

 

In the Beeing Female start in Solstheim, I don't have any new topics with the blacksmith.

Did you mean the player needs to talk to him about the vanilla quest about the pickaxe? or am I supposed to see a missing topic from CCAS itself?

 

Um. That bug I thought I fixed, but hell if I know.

It's from CCAS, not the vanilla quest. IIRC you can bypass that part by setting the ccas_bfstage variable to 3 (makes it think you've already gotten the pickaxes), then go back to the dig and talk to Gaev.

 

I'll take a look at it, I must have mixed up quest stages and global variables again. Dammit. 

[DeepBlueFrog]

 

@CC

 

In the Beeing Female start in Solstheim, I don't have any new topics with the blacksmith.

Did you mean the player needs to talk to him about the vanilla quest about the pickaxe? or am I supposed to see a missing topic from CCAS itself?

Um. That bug I thought I fixed, but hell if I know.

It's from CCAS, not the vanilla quest. IIRC you can bypass that part by setting the ccas_bfstage variable to 3 (makes it think you've already gotten the pickaxes), then go back to the dig and talk to Gaev.

 

I'll take a look at it, I must have mixed up quest stages and global variables again. Dammit.

Hold off your horses.

 

I may or may not have the latest version installed.

 

Edit: Yep.. that was it. I reinstalled the latest files and started a new game - the topics are showing up now.

 

The midwife is a nice touch Beeing Female should have at least one by default, the Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun would be a good fit. or maybe Mara's Temple. Or Markarth. I will have to steal that idea for the Sisterhood.

[DeepBlueFrog]

So I got into a situation where the cave in happened BEFORE I could talk to Gaev after fetching the pickaxes.

 

3 = After talking to Glover and getting the tools, before talking to Gaev for the second time.
999 = After talking to Gaev for the second time, after the cave-in in the mine.

 

My bf_stage in that context is 3.

 

I also saw there is a separate download for v14 but the main download page is still at v13.

 

Am I missing something?

[Content Consumer]

So I got into a situation where the cave in happened BEFORE I could talk to Gaev after fetching the pickaxes.

 

3 = After talking to Glover and getting the tools, before talking to Gaev for the second time.

999 = After talking to Gaev for the second time, after the cave-in in the mine.

 

My bf_stage in that context is 3.

 

I also saw there is a separate download for v14 but the main download page is still at v13.

 

Am I missing something?

 

That whole Expectant Mother scenario is a cluster of problems, actually. Starting from the fact that the interior cell itself is a copied, then deleted, then recopied version of a vanilla (Dawnguard actually) cell that has itself since been deleted and recopied. Basically, I'm shocked that any quests can interact with the weirdness going on in there. There are some errors that I can't manage to fix via xedit too.

 

And the quest was poorly designed too. It originally used a mixture of globals and quest stages to advance, and I kept on getting them mixed up, advancing different parts at different times.

 

So I'm not surprised things are happening out of sequence. I should really just strip it out entirely and restart.

 

Anyway, I'm not sure where the v14 is coming from. AFAIK I haven't released anything like that, though there are a couple of script patches in the support thread.

[DeepBlueFrog]

I reloaded a previous save and this time, he was in the cave when I went in. 

 

The ground he is walking on is made of rocks and not necessarily a flat surface, it is possible he would drop through the ground at times.

 

About the start with the Forsworn, you could set this quest stage to 60 and 70 when the game starts. That would probably set Fjorta in the same cell, ready to be saved when you make your escape.

 

http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:The_Heart_of_Dibella

[Content Consumer]

I reloaded a previous save and this time, he was in the cave when I went in. 

 

The ground he is walking on is made of rocks and not necessarily a flat surface, it is possible he would drop through the ground at times.

 

About the start with the Forsworn, you could set this quest stage to 60 and 70 when the game starts. That would probably set Fjorta in the same cell, ready to be saved when you make your escape.

 

http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:The_Heart_of_Dibella

 

Come to think of it, I don't think I even ever gave it a navmesh.

 

I'm planning on eventually redoing that scenario completely. I haven't really made plans for it yet - not much, anyway - but it's probably going to end up a mini-mod like the Bandit Honeypot one.

[Content Consumer]

I've decided to start public beta testing, in the hopes that feedback (both positive and negative ) will help get me off my ass and finish some important stuff.

 

If anyone is interested in testing the next version of CCAS, and other minimods that go along with it, like the new Ponygirl Farm and Bandit Honeypot scenarios, let me know and I'll add you to the thread.

[Feliks]

I'll volunteer to test, I've spent most my time in game lately within 20 minutes of leaving that damn cell anyways.

[Kumos]

I'll definitely beta test! Love your start mod, been checking the page waiting for an update

[Content Consumer]

I'll volunteer to test, I've spent most my time in game lately within 20 minutes of leaving that damn cell anyways.

 

 

I'll definitely beta test! Love your start mod, been checking the page waiting for an update

 

 

Thanks, guys. Added you both.

[Morferous]

I would love to take part to this. Ponygirl Farm is something I had planned of making, but RL got in to way. It would be really nice to see what you have done with that idea.
 

[Content Consumer]

I would love to take part to this. Ponygirl Farm is something I had planned of making, but RL got in to way. It would be really nice to see what you have done with that idea.

 

 

Not much, yet. Basically just the buildings, a bit of dialogue, and the quest framework, and the dialogue and quest framework are extremely skeletal.

[chaimhewast]

I've been meaning to try out Mod Organizer's profile system, feel free to count me in if you need more testers.

[Content Consumer]

I've been meaning to try out Mod Organizer's profile system, feel free to count me in if you need more testers.

 

Sure thing.