Martigen's Monster Mod

From Oblivion Mod Wiki

Author:	Martigen
Thread(s):	[1]
Version:	1.71
Last Updated:	12-21-2006
Download(s):	Full version: Planet Elder Scrolls, Planet Elder Scrolls (OMOD Compatible), ElricM, FileFront, Oblivion Files Upgrade from previous version: Planet Elder Scrolls, ElricM, FileFront, TES Nexus, Oblivion Files

Over 90 new and diverse creatures and NPCs added to the realm of Tamriel
All original and new creatures/NPCs spawn unique with a different size
All original and new creatures/NPCs spawn unqiue with modified stats
All original and new creatures/NPCs spawn unique with their own combat AI
All original and new creatures/NPCs spawn unique with their own loot
All original and new creatures/NPCs interact with over 25 new factions
And much much more! See below for full feature list.

The variety in MMM is almost limitless. Each creature and NPC, both original and new, spawns with (in defined ranges) a randomised size; randomised adjustments to stats (such as strength, agility, health, fatigue, magic, willpower, and intelligence) all particular to their class; as well as range-randomised confidence; agression; and even combat fighting styles. No more clones of creatures or NPCs where each one is identical, with MMM every encounter is different because every creature -- even those of the same race -- is uniquely different.

More than this, the stat adjustments are broken into two sections -- health, magic, strength, fatigue and confidence are affected by the same value that determines size -- so smaller creatures are generally weaker too and, in turn, less confident. Stats like agility, speed, and agression are randomised based on and applied against the core stats. Speed is an important one here -- now you will see herds of deer running away at different speeds, or hoards of goblins charging towards you and fighting with you at different speeds. In conjuction with size, stat, and aggression changes as well as the fleeing and behviour code these changes adds a ton of life to the creatures of Tamriel.

Additionally, the advanced fleeing code works not just with the player, but other creatures and NPCs as well. You'll see a wolf starting a fight with a Bandit, and then running for its life. Or goblins swarming a Troll, and then pelting when the tide turns against them. In fact, very few mods allow for anything more than NPCs than can flee, but MMM adds carefully adapted code to all sorts of creatures and NPC types, particular to their class or nature (so for eg, Dremora never flee and nor do Bosses).

Finally, MMM is the first mod to tie a creature's confidence and aggression into faction interactions -- usually, setting faction ratings creates static behaviour (if a creature has a big enough negative reaction to another faction, it will always attack), with MMM creatures spawn with an adjustment to their aggression and confidence within a defined range, and when combined with the faction ratings, creates a vast diversity of behaviour. For example, a Big Cat might not always be hungry, and so might not always chase prey. Or a spawning Ogre that has a faction relationship towards wolves as enemies may be ambivalent towards a nearby wolf, while another spawned Ogre attacks it outright. Moreover, the changes scale in accordance with a creature's size and stats with bigger, more confident creatures more likely to start a fight with those in factions they just tolerate (as opposed to outright war or friendship). Additionally, more primal creatures may attack their own kind, such as Wolves or Trolls or Minotaurs. It's a low percentage, but again based around factions and aggression. If a highly aggressive Wolf spawns, it'll be highly aggressive not only to other factions but its own kind, and could well turn on them in a fight.

The most important change the faction system brings -- the player is no longer the centre of the universe. No more will you have three different creatures all attacking you at once and ignoring eachother. Now, fights will be all-in brawls between you and the fighting factions you've stumbled upon.

[edit] Key Features

MMM does much more than add over 90 completely new and unique creature and NPC types. It also adds to all creatures and NPCs in the game both original and new:

Advanced fleeing code for NPCs based on level and health
Advanced wilderness behaviour for animals and creatures
Advanced inter-faction behaviour for creatures and NPCs (see 'Factions' below)
Advanced combat behaviour based on Lyrondor’s combat Behaviour mod
Advanced plugin system with optional plugins to tailor the mod to your playstyle
New and more rewarding loot drops for all creatures and NPCs
New and versatile optional crafting system
The ability to encounter new creatures up to level 40 in the game, and be challenged to level 50+
Statically scaled levelling -- meet creatures and NPCs more powerful than you, and less powerful than you, regardless of your level as you level.

Additionally, you'll also get to see:

The ability for 'bad' NPCs to feign death, to try and flee
Undead that resurrects in front of you when you least it expect it!
Undead that ressurects after time, to create new encounters as you leave a dungeons
Levelled guards in cities, with legion military ranks
Patrol guards for roads, which include females
New ingredients on animals, including pelts and meats and much more
Giants in the form of giant humanoids and giant Ogres
Resized races for greater diversity in Tamriel's inhabitants
Nords and Orcs bulkier (aka Bulkier Nords and Orcs mod)
The player no longer being the center of the universe -- the world happens around you sometimes, with or without your interaction, creating a realistic and thriving experience.

And on top of all this, a passionate attention to detail -- unique creatures and NPCs each designed with a purpose, style, back story, AI, loot, abilities, ingredients, faction behaviour and more. Plus animals that can be afraid, aggressive, or tame and behave accordingly, bosses that are bigger, Spriggans that may cause a storm when they die, furs and meats on Barbarians, Marauders that like their drinks, petty loot on Bandits, Smugglers carrying their cargo, new regional armors on patrolling guards, corpses that stay around longer so you can loot them and much much more.

[edit] Faction System

The creature faction design is one of the most advanced to date:

The system is based off the creatures temperament towards other factions, and is tied in with an individual creature's aggression and confidence made possible by the stat adjustments each creautre and NPC spawns with. In other words, values are set not based around racial relations, but to what degree a creature would attack or avoid members of another faction. For example, Ogres might be happy to mix it up with Goblins but Goblins, while recognising Ogres as a threat, are set to generally not initiate combat with these foes much larger than them -- why start a fight you could lose?

The tight integration of a creature's aggression with factions creates a highly versatile and fluid system almost limitless in behaviour. By way of example, take a simple scenario of a Minotaur stumbling upon a boar. If the minotaur spawned with a lower aggression level, its faction relationship to the boar might cause it to be ambivalent towards the boar, and not attack it. If the same minotaur spawned with a higher aggression level, its faction relationship to the boar would cause it to attack the boar on sight.

This is different from other mods that alter factions because without aggression scaling, the behaviour is static and always predictable -- the minotaur will always attack. With MMM, faction relationships are flexible and are as individual as the creatures themselves. More over, the relationships still allow for outright enemies and friendships, regardless of aggression, in addition to the fluid system of unique creatures and their particular bias. For example, this allows 'Dire' (diseased) animals to be more aggressive and trigger fights with factions normal animals wouldn't. Including attacking their own kind.

Another example -- a pack of wolves might spawn where some of them chase after nearby deer while others don't and, when paired with stat adjustments and fleeing code as the player approaches, a whole range of behaviour can be seen from something simple as a group of wolves. The variances in creature speed mean a wolf might catch up and kill a deer, or a deer outrun a wolf. Add to this how these wolves interact with more than 22 other factions they might come across while chasing or fleeing, and with each wolf having individual size, stats, and its own predeliction to fight, and even in this small microcosm example there's a wide variety of behaviours and outcomes simply not present in vanilla Oblivion.

Additionally, some creatures are capable of attacking their own kind -- this is particularly important for creatures like Wolves, Ogres, Trolls, Big Cats and more that don't have perfect relationships with their own race (Cats and Wolves especially are territorial). Though rare, if spawned with a high enough aggression they'll not only be more inclined to initate combat with other factions, but also their own kind.

Finally, some creatures antagonised by a player are more likely to attack other creatures, too.