The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Monthly Modder: EasierRider
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
This month we’re digging into dungeoncraft with EasierRider and discussing how he balances interesting worldbuilding with fun gameplay.
Dungeons are a staple of The Elder Scrolls, and EasierRider (Bethesda.net, Nexus) has produced two incredible dungeon mods and used the same skillset to make a wonderfully detailed settlement beneath Stendarr’s Beacon. We asked him about his process and modding in general.
You do a lot of environmental storytelling in your mods. Which aspects of the Vigilants of Stendarr did you want to draw out when you expanded Stendarr’s Beacon?
Environmental storytelling is the way to go if you don’t want to do voice acting! Plus, I like writing. For Stendarr’s Beacon, I wanted to explore the darker side of the Vigilants. Some of their dialogue definitely has an edge to it — especially the whole “drag you to the light” business. They also have a running theme of misfortune and general haplessness that was fun to drawn on. After losing their hall in Dawnguard, I felt that they needed a new, proper home.
Expanding the Beacon seemed like a natural choice, especially since it originally had no interior areas. Given the Vigil’s paranoid, bunker-mentality, it seemed fitting that they would keep most of their operations underground. The library and reliquary were definitely the most fun to build. The Vigil has to store all of those confiscated daedric artifacts somewhere! I really liked the idea that the Vigil doesn’t acquire knowledge as much as they hoard it.
What are your favorite dungeons from Skyrim?
Good question! Ustengav is one of my all-time favorites. I love the way it gives you little sneak-previews of the main chamber. Bleak Falls Barrow is also a classic. I think my favorite though has to be Arkngthamz. Excellent use of vertical space and wonderful atmosphere!
What’s it like making mods for the PlayStation 4?
I’ve found that modding for PS4 isn’t actually all that different from other platforms (at least in Creation Kit). I play and design on PC, and since I don’t use custom assets, everything ports over very easily. Though I’ve never played on the PS4, I enjoy making content for those that do. The Skyrim PS4 community has always been very friendly, and their support has been a major reason why I keep modding.
What is your favorite part of modding?
I absolutely love level design (no surprise there). Building dungeons is a lot of fun, especially during the detailing phase. Navmeshing is a chore, for sure, but the actual construction is always rewarding. I start by identifying the dungeon’s purpose, usually based on something that I think Skyrim could use (such as a lava cave or an orcish crypt).
After that, I start thinking about gameplay, mapping out how the player will navigate this new space in a way that is fun, interesting, and consistent with the dungeon’s purpose. Next, I start building the bones of the dungeon — its underlying geology, soils and hydrology. I begin to age the dungeon, showing the effects of weathering on its original topography. I think about its history. Skyrim is an old place, and most of its caves have been occupied by different peoples at different times. I start to build a mental timeline of the dungeon’s history that determines which architectural elements will predate others, and how they will have been modified over the years.
Lastly, I think about the dungeon’s current occupants: the flora, fauna and other inhabitants (and how they all interact). A dungeon’s history strongly influences the development and composition of the different plant communities that occupy it. For example: Does the structure of this cave support the growth of trees? Is there sufficient light and water for them to grow? Given the cave’s history, would they have even been allowed to grow? If the cave has been re-occupied, would these trees have been logged? If so, how recently?
It’s very easy to go down these kinds of procedural rabbit-holes when designing dungeons. Fortunately, the number of assets that are available for me to use puts a natural limit on how much of this history can realistically be communicated. It’s also important to learn when to make allowances for gameplay and optimization.
After all, there’s little point in pursuing realism if it makes your dungeon unplayable or unappealing.
Do you have any new projects on the horizon?
Yes! In between updates for my existing mods, I’ve been working on a major Forgotten Vale expansion over the last few years. It still needs a lot of work, but is so far on track for release early next year. I’ve also been toying around with the idea of a making a “reading material” mod that would add more custom books to the game, as well as a minor Labyrinthian overhaul. No timeline on those projects; they’re still in the conceptual phase.
Would you like to give a shout out to any modders for their assistance over the years?
Ruhadre for sure. I’m normally a bit of a hermit, but they were very kind to reach out to me and offer collaboration on a compatibility patch for Stendarr’s Beacon. It was a nice project, and we ended up producing a major update for a mod that I never thought I would work on again. We were also able to release the mod for PC Special Edition, Xbox One, and PS4 for the first time!
