Using GenMod

Output File Name

Put the pathname of the ESP file you wish to create. Warning: If you specify the name of an existing ESP file, the generator will overwrite that file when you press the Generate button. Use the "..." button to open a Save As File Dialog, which will let you navigate to the directory where you want the ESP file to be generated. Typically, this is the "Data Files" directory under your Morrowind directory.

Interior Cell Name

Choose a name for the interior cell you will create. Warning: Each interior cell in the game must have a unique name.

Architecture

These controls determine what Tile Sets and Layouts you can choose from. Cave layouts use tile sets that look more like the insides of caves. Room tile sets look more like the insides of houses or buildings. When you switch between Cave and Room architecture, the Tile Set and Layout lists will re-populate with different options.

When Add Platforms is checked, GenMod adds flat wooden floors here and there inside cave layouts. If you decide to add large pieces of furniture such as beds, dressers, and tables, you will want to keep Add Platforms turned on, as the sloping cave floors make it difficult to place furniture without platforms.

Tile Set

Select the architectural style for your cell. By default, GenMod supports most of the standard Morrowind tile sets. You can customize GenMod so that it supports more tile sets.

Layout

Select the way you want your cell to look. The Layout controls the number of rooms, doors, hallways, and stairs. You can customize GenMod so that it supports additional layouts.

Furniture

This controls the contents of the room, including Containers, Furniture, Rugs, and Tapestries. You can customize GenMod so that it offers more types of containers, furniture, and content themes.

Inhabitants

This controls what Creatures will be placed into the cell. You can customize GenMod so that it offers more creatures and creature themes.

Treasure

This controls placement of items the player can pick up and walk off with, including Armor, Weapons, Gold, Ingredients, and so forth. Note: GenMod only puts treasure into newly-created containers. If your Furniture theme does not include any containers, GenMod will not be able to add treasure to the generated cell. You can customize GenMod so that it offers more treasure and treasure themes.

Main File

If you are customizing GenMod, you may want to use a simplified ESM file while you work, to speed up the work of debugging your new tile sets, layouts, and themes. A sample simplified ESM file (Simple.ESM) is provided with GenMod along with a corresponding simplified XML file (SimpleData.XML). Be warned that this ESM file does not contain enough information for it to load into the game. It will, however, load into the TES Construction Set. (And it will load very quickly.)

To use Simple.esm, (a) click the "Use Custom ESM" checkbox. (b) Enter Simple.esm into the "ESM File Name" edit control. (c) Enter the size of Simple.esm into the "ESM File Size" edit control. If you add information into Simple.esm, you can recompute its size by viewing its Properties dialog in Windows. Currently, the file size is 67152. Place Simple.ESM into your Morrowind/Data Files directory if you wish to use it. (d) Make sure the "Simplified Output" checkbox is checked. Simple.esm doesn't have all of the different treasure or creature information, so you need to also use the SimpleData.xml file, which is what happens when you select "Simplified Output."

Morrowind.esm Size: It appears that Bethesda will be changing the size of the Morrowind.esm from time-to-time when they issue a patch. Each MOD file contains the size of the ESM file that it is dependent on. So, to avoid warning messages when you load your MOD files, make sure the the number in this edit control matches size of the Morrowind.esm file you are using.

Simplified Output

If you use Simple.esm as your custom main ESM file, you must also check this checkbox. Simple.esm doesn't have all of the treasure or creature information that is in Morrowind.esm. A separate XML file, SimpleData.xml, is provided which lists only the treasure and creatures that are in Simple.esm. When you check the "Simplified Output" checkbox, you are really telling GenMod to use SimpleData.xml rather than the normal GenModData.xml.

Note that if you've added new layouts or treasure styles to GenModData.xml, you won't see them listed if you check this option. You can also add new layouts and styles to SimpleData.xml, for debugging, but be aware that some treasure items, creatures, etc., that you reference by UniqueName may not exist in Simple.esm.

Random Generation

Random generation is only available for Room-based Architecture. If you have the Cave radio button checked, random generation will be disabled. (We hope to support cave-based generation in the next version of GenMod.)

Number of Levels: Controls how many interior cells GenMod will create. Each of the interior cells will be connected via teleporting doors and will be numbered sequentially. If your Interior Cell Name is "Despair" and you enter 5 in Number of Levels, GenMod will create five interior cells, starting with "Despair, Level 1" and ending with "Despair, Level 5." Level 1 will have a teleporting door that leads to level 2. Level 2 will have teleporting doors that lead to levels 1 and 3. The maximum value for Number of Levels is 25.

Level Size: This controls how many rooms or sub-layouts will appear on each level. If you prefer smaller levels, choose Tiny or Small. If you prefer larger levels, choose Medium or Large. If you want a variety of sizes, choose Random.

Room Spacing: This controls how much space appears between rooms or sub-layouts that are adjacent. To reduce the amount of corridor space in the level, choose Tight or Semi-tight. To increase the amount of corridor space, choose Semi-loose or Loose. If you want a variety of spacings, choose Random.

Random TileSets: Select this option if you want the generator to choose tile sets for you. The generator will switch tiles sets periodically if you are generating more than one level in your dungeon, so that the first level of the dungeon may use the Hlaalu tile set while the last level of the dungeon uses the Daederoth tile set. If this is not what you want, uncheck this option.

Random Furniture: Select this option if you want the generator to choose the Furniture theme. If this option is checked, the generator will periodically switch furniture themes if you are generating more than one level in your dungeon.

Random Inhabitants: Select this option if you want the generator to choose the Inhabitant / Creature theme. If this option is checked, the generator will periodically switch inhabitant themes if you are generating more than one level in your dungeon.

Random Treasure: Select this option if you want the generator to choose the Treasure theme. If this option is checked, the generator will periodically switch treasure themes if you are generating more than one level in your dungeon.

Player Level: Specify how difficult you want the dungeon to be. If you want a "beginner" dungeon, choose a Min/Max player level of 1 to 5, for example. for an "advanced" dungeon, put in 15 to 20. --This option controls the type of inhabitants and the richness of the treasure that the generator adds to the level. (If both Random Treasure and Random Inhabitants are unchecked, then Player Level has no effect on what GenMod generates.)

Generate

Once you have made your selections, press this button to create your ESP mod file.