Monthly Modder: LeianneG

LeianneG is known for her finely decorated homes, which tend to include some customization options and even the ability to swap the stylings and functions of entire rooms. Her homes also come with new crafting options, useful at home or out adventuring. If you’re looking to have a fine meal after a long day on the road, or to take one with you, these homes have what you need!

Mod authors have made a wonderful variety of player homes. Any tips on standing out?

When authors make homes that they themselves would like to use in the game, that often makes a home special to others as well. And that mod will always stand out!

You can feel the difference when you enter a home in the game that is made to be truly enjoyed. As there are so many players with so many different preferences, this leaves a lot of room for variety.

Your homes are known for their customization, how do you plan out multiple versions of the same house?

With the game offering so many options for play style (with companions, solo or as parents to adopted children), the homes need to be as flexible as possible. Usually I start with something that my character would enjoy; whether it’s a specific location, particular options like additional trophy displays, or a different size of home. Once it’s in the process of being built, I like to consider what other components I might incorporate that my character or other people's characters might appreciate. Those options might include a space for children that can be activated or not, a room for companions, an indoor garden or a place to display collectibles. As I'm always interested in comfort and convenience, the large garden areas and various "homey" options have been a focal point for my mods.

Are you working on anything at the moment?

There are two projects that I'm working on at the moment with a third in the wings. I would like to get Glenview finished and there is a mod I'm working on that will allow the player to find out their origins. Bethesda created a wonderful intro where the player can truly be whomever they please; it has always intrigued me to find out "who" my character really is, where they came from and their family history. Thus far, I've managed to make the origin discovery quest applicable to any race in the game, and it's different for each race. So that will be a little while before it's finished.

The third is to possibly create a realtor in Skyrim who might be able to find the "perfect" home for the player's character, out of the many thousands of homes available. Whether I will succeed in creating this remains to be seen, as it offers quite a few interesting challenges!

What is your favorite part of modding?

The ability (with sufficient determination) to create absolutely anything! I've created quests, homes, characters, an entire village with alternating open market merchants, horses and functional furniture. There are limitless possibilities available with the Creation Kit!

Other than your own, any mods you'd like to recommend?

There are so many talented and wonderful mod authors! Having said that, I will not play a game without "Alternate Start - Live Another Life" by Arthmoor (PC, Xbox, Nexus). Matthiaswaggs' marvelous "Name Your Horse" is a must have for me (Nexus), as well as "Inigo" by Gary Hesketh (PC, Xbox, Nexus). And of course, Elianora (Bethesda.net, Nexus) has contributed a great many fabulous home options and should not be overlooked by players!