My First Skyrim Mod

The new game in the Elder Scrolls series, Skyrim, has been a fabulous success since it’s release a few weeks ago. A true RPG, it is set in the frozen world of Skyrim, home of the Nords. You play as a person who is ‘Dragon Born’ with the ability to generate a range of magical shouts, in an effort to thwart the return of the deadly dragons.

This isn’t a review, as there are a bunch of those on the internet better than I can create. I just wanted to share with you my first game mod for Skyrim. If you’re unfamiliar with mods, or a (HA!) CONSOLE player, then let me explain.

Many PC games have the ability to be modified in various ways. Talented people (and sometimes the game companies themselves) come up with various bits of software which allow a person to extract and modify the game’s files. From simple texture replacers to full blown new worlds and quest lines, mods allow the game to live on well after the original stories have been told.

Personally, I like mods of two categories. First I like fun mods. Importing bits and pieces from other worlds and environments to give myself a bit of a laugh, and just because I can do it. Secondly I like adding things to the world that make my characters life easier. Often in games you have an inventory of items, which you collect over time. You have a weight limit usually, or a ‘slot’ limit, but you can carry items which don’t show on your character’s body at all. You can steal a giant golden urn and it fits in your back pocket… or somewhere. So, I enjoy making things like backpacks to put my stuff in. It just seems more natural to me that way.

Anyway, the first bit of tinkering I’ve done for Skyrim is in the fun category, and it adds in a shield styled after Captain America’s famous red, white and blue shield.

Not a great deal can be done with modding yet, until the creators release some software to allow adding in of additional items. From what I’ve (briefly) read it should be coming some time in January.

Captain America's Shield for Skyrim

Game Mods – New Section

I’ve added a new section to this WordPress Blog, called Game Mods.  It’s going to contain the majority of my mods from my old days of playing Elder Scrolls IV™ and Fallout 3™, as well as any other games I happen to come up with along the way.   Most of these are scavenged from my backups and may not have read-me files.  I don’t think they have any missing files, but I can’t be certain. I’m reasonably sure they don’t, but the disclaimer is there.

In other life I was fairly involved with making modifications and add-ons for TES Oblivion™, but grew tired of the constant whining of members of the community over what are essentially free toys for them to use.  Not all people sided with the negative, and a lot of people were great and very supportive.  For me, the final straw and the reason I removed myself from the Oblivion scene was the stupidity and malevolence of the Bethesda forum moderators and one in particular who seemed to have issues with my work.  I could explain further, but those people aren’t worth the time.

I ask that you don’t redistribute my mods on other forums or sites, and that you respect my wishes not to be contacted about them.   They are in my past and I have no desire to work on them again.

JQ - Assassin Quest