[Sky] About Villages - what to include?

[dolphin66th]

hi all.  I've been working on a village expansion based around the ruins at Alftand (not really important, just a bit of background).

I think my mod is nearly finished but it feels like it's missing something.  What would you want to see in a village mod to make it stand out from a million other mods out there?

So far I have:

-a general goods merchant

-an alchemy shop (the alchemist offers a random misc quest)

-an Inn, complete with bard and server

-a spell vendor (in the inn)

-a Jarl's hall, with Jarl, Steward, and cleaner/servant (the Jarl offers a kill the giant quest)

-a blacksmith (in the Jarl's hall)

-an enchanting trainer (in the Jarl's hall, the court wizard)

-a couple of NPC houses

-miners that will buy any ore you've dug up

-a small playerhouse with buyable upgrades you can purchase from the Jarl's steward.

 

All NPCs are voiced or mostly voiced, and will offer bits of random chit chat.  But it still feels like something is missing.  Suggestions are welcome.

 

[oldladyonthemoon]

It's already too much, in my opinion; what you did here is a city, not a village. As a city, it looks good!

Unfortunately, there can be only one Jarl in each hold, the Jarls being the equivalent of our ancient kings. Unless you make your Jarl a dissident, a rebel, of some kind...

Edited November 28, 2016 by ladyonthemoon

[garnet18]

Making a village is very tempting and exciting. Giving the content to the place is a headache. In your case you have everything, and maybe a bit too much. IMHO, there must be something unique in this place that I want to visit often, a special rare item that vendor have more frequently than in vanilla shop or a vendor with more money (not to much), not the usual inn and tavern in farmhouse design .

The good thing are voiced NPCs, I'd like to hear the good chat.

The rebel Jarl ( illegitimate son of bla, bla...), a bit of background story. Just only an example.

Much details in landscaping and interiors. And if you are skilled for questing and dialogs it can be a very interesting place.

Good work .

[agerweb]

I would say as a rule of thumb you need more normal houses than there are shops etc.

[grond]

Why did they settle there? Good land? Do the ruins provide something that would bring settlers? Villages and towns grow around something. Decide what that is, then you'll know what to include. And you'll discover stories you'll want to tell, too.

[dolphin66th]

Thanks for the feedback everyone!  You've definitely given me some things to consider as I finish up this mod!