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Akula’s Secret Grotto

Shadow_Akula
Shadow_Akula
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I gave twitch streaming and YT vids a second go after the disaster of Shadowfall overlook (which I will redo when I update a bit more), and well I think my Grotto video faired better:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mm9vRt_9eXE

Please tell me what you guys think?
Also bear in mind it is still a Work in Progress and I am aiming for it to have a heavy militaristic vibe.

Answers to a couple of questions people may ask:
How many ballistas are there?

50. There are 50 ballistas so far and plans for catapults and trebuchets to be added in a few places.

What are those stone buildings?

The two buildings built from stone slabs are meant to be a kind of bunker or projectile shelter for non-combat personnel

What’s that little 1 person camp and cave there for?

That is a camp I built for a guildmate of mine :smile:

Any further questions please feel free to ask and I shall answer :)
Thanks for reading this thread and watching my video

S.A.96

Update I
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0b10emILlxI

Scroll down in this thread to get a run down of what’s new with update I :smile:

Update II
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=noEZZMxYyQA

Update III
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dPUMDxncv-g

Update IV
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qVuAHouOlzw

Changes posted below :smile:
Edited by Shadow_Akula on April 9, 2019 2:23AM
  • Shadow_Akula
    Shadow_Akula
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    No feedback yet? :(
  • NoTimeToWait
    NoTimeToWait
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    It feels like you need some screenshots in your post. Not everyone likes to watch YT videos, and it seems that screenshots will support you original text descriptions a lot. Just put them under spoiler
  • NordSwordnBoard
    NordSwordnBoard
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    Ha! I put oils in some of the same exact places. I wanted mine to be a privateer den with a writ from the Ebonheart Navy to plunder Elf shipping. So, Initially it looks abandoned, but once you're committed to entering the cove you get ambushed and sunk like the rest.

    I also have a bonfire on that stretch of sand. BTW, where you have a bunch of ramps to get up to the upper area at 7:06 - I used just two wooden platforms to get up there. If you walk along the wall from the sunken ship towards the ocean, you will be able to place them in the gulley and have them be less prominent. Involves some hopping to get up there like in COAII, but item efficiency is key.
    Fear is the Mindkiller
  • Shadow_Akula
    Shadow_Akula
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    It feels like you need some screenshots in your post. Not everyone likes to watch YT videos, and it seems that screenshots will support you original text descriptions a lot. Just put them under spoiler

    I’d love to do screenshots but my Xbox DVR is currently full so no good screenshots until I get an external drive unfortunately...
    Ha! I put oils in some of the same exact places. I wanted mine to be a privateer den with a writ from the Ebonheart Navy to plunder Elf shipping. So, Initially it looks abandoned, but once you're committed to entering the cove you get ambushed and sunk like the rest.

    I also have a bonfire on that stretch of sand. BTW, where you have a bunch of ramps to get up to the upper area at 7:06 - I used just two wooden platforms to get up there. If you walk along the wall from the sunken ship towards the ocean, you will be able to place them in the gulley and have them be less prominent. Involves some hopping to get up there like in COAII, but item efficiency is key.

    Similar idea going on here except less abandoned looking and Daggerfall Covenant
    The bonfires make good warning fires, if only one could actually see the flames from them from far away.... but then again I suppose that would eliminate the need for a fire chain....

    Interesting information about the planks, thank you, I’ll keep this in mind should I need to reduce the item count or if I get bored of the coral walkways :smile:
  • Gargath
    Gargath
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    No feedback yet? :(

    Because you asked... it's more than 32 minutes of your wandering over rather empty house :). Use furnitures to the max available, make some original composition or just fill these empty areas with something special.

    Also better would be a shorter video pointing just to the most important areas. 32 minutes for a house presentation without screenshots is probably 10 times too long, nobody will waste so much time if they can play it instead.

    PS. focusing on so many ballistas is not the best idea imho, unless this was an idea. This place could be named as Secret Grotto of the Sieges :).
    Edited by Gargath on October 18, 2018 11:42AM
    PC EU (PL): 14 characters. ESO player since 06.08.2015. Farkas finest quote: "Some people don't think I'm smart. Those people get my fist. But you, I like."
  • Shadow_Akula
    Shadow_Akula
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    Gargath wrote: »
    No feedback yet? :(

    Because you asked... it's more than 32 minutes of your wandering over rather empty house :). Use furnitures to the max available, make some original composition or just fill these empty areas with something special.

    Also better would be a shorter video pointing just to the most important areas. 32 minutes for a house presentation without screenshots is probably 10 times too long, nobody will waste so much time if they can play it instead.

    PS. focusing on so many ballistas is not the best idea imho, unless this was an idea. This place could be named as Secret Grotto of the Sieges :).
    Thanks for the feedback, I will work on improving

    I did say it is still a W.i.P, so I plan on doing a lot more and posting updates every now and then. Also the theme is heavily militarised.... it’s meant to kinda feel like a forward operating base

    I find it difficult see how I can make it shorter since I think every part of it is important, but I can try to spend less time in a few areas, as for when I do updated videos they will mostly just be of what’s new and where the new stuff is.
    Also I currently don’t have any editing software so I’m waiting until I can find some decent software that I like to edit (I know you can cut bits out on twitch and stuff but I feel I need editing software that does a bit more than just cutting pieces out)

    As I also stated to another user asking for screenshots, at this time I cannot due to my Xbox DVR being full, however the next time I post a video of this house (with a lot more updates) I should have an external drive and screenshots should be available :smile:

    Thanks
    SA96

    :smile:
  • Shadow_Akula
    Shadow_Akula
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    Update I
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0b10emILlxI

    Run down of changes:
    2nd deck or wooden armor added to the ships centre section,
    Added wooden fortifications to one of the outer coral shelves (to protect my soldiers!)
    Added stone and coral fortifications (to protect my siege crews!)
    Shifted a few columns (again turned into fortifications to protect siege crews)

    Again apologies for no screenshots yet, need an external drive for my Xbox 1 and won’t have one until the new year...
    As for length I tried to make it as short as possible without any editing (still looking for some editing software) could probably skip the last 2 minutes or so I think...

    Let me know what you think of the changes/additions :)

    S.A.96
    P.s. updated the original post to include the update
  • Shadow_Akula
    Shadow_Akula
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    Update II:
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=noEZZMxYyQA

    Changes:
    Shifted some crates to create smaller supply caches near critical defensive positions,
    Added more cover and set traps near the secret hideaway,
    19 Catapults added (skipped some in the video cause you don’t need to see all of them)
    Murkmire stuff added (some furnishings I split with my other home hence why the single hull felluca isn’t seen anywhere, also 2 of the smaller felluca’s I purchased from the furnishing tab you only get 1 of each felluca from the Deepmire pack).

    Run down of what the Murkmire furnishings represent, 3 small felluca’s are supply runners to the defence points, the big one is a supply runner to other friendly outposts nearby. Gravestakes near the staircase, Argonian elite soldiers who fell in battle.
    Sithis Shrines next to the clockwork/dwarven goods, “Rescued Art” (Stolen Treasure!).
    I’ve scattered the lights from the pack all over the place too.

    Again I’ve tried to keep this one as small as possible but I got a bit sidetracked towards the end (basically when I go up the southern hill (if you guys can see the compass?) basically the hill with the fire with the wooden planks next to it, skip to when I’m in the water heading back to the main ship)

    As per my thread showing my other house Screenshots coming soon (January 2019 at the latest)

    Any questions, comments or critism? please feel free to ask, comment and criticise :smile:

    S.A.96
  • Shadow_Akula
    Shadow_Akula
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    Update III
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dPUMDxncv-g

    This update is a full video this time, and if I got the link right it’ll be my edited version (my first attempt at editing)

    What’s new:
    Trebuchets,
    Ramps (replaced old coral shelves)
    Shifted my craft tables and training dummies over from my overlook house to this one
    Got a merchant and banker now too :smile:
    Other changes are mostly small things

    Enjoy the vid and don’t forget to give me some feedback on what I can improve house-wise or editing-wise :smile:

    S.A.96

    P.s. unfortunately this may be the last update video for my Grotto house as I fear ZoS will never give us weapon furnishings and that’s what I’m waiting for to add the finishing touches

    Edit: for the curious, there are around 570-575 furnishings used in this house so far, as previously mentioned I’d like to save the last 125-130 spots until zos provides us with weapon furnishings but that will not happen so I keep these spots empty, leaving the house unfinished forever.
    Edited by Shadow_Akula on January 16, 2019 5:42PM
  • Shadow_Akula
    Shadow_Akula
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    Update: at this moment in time there’s no new video however I have changed a few thing around and have new planned additions, figured I’d mention a few changes and planned additions before creating a video when the changes have been implemented.

    Changes:
    •The stone block walls of the large safe room/siege bunker have been replaced by 3 long Alinor walls (this helped cut down my piece count)

    •Added a few pets to liven up some places

    •Shifted the Assistants and Dummies around

    •Shifted some supplies and looted goods.... uh I mean rescued goods around

    •Added quick rest areas (14 khajit fur beds scattered in pairs around the place, giving a total 30 bed spaces when added to the bedding already in house between ship crew and base army) for the imaginary army using this place as a base.


    Planned:
    •I’m going to do the Precursor quest on all characters and use the resulting dummies to help create an illusion of an army with Factotum/Clockwork technology (stopping at 10 precursors for this house, plan on shifting any others I earn to my overlook to form a Royal Guard in the throne room) (2 down 8 more to go for this house

    •Adding in a small pile flagpoles as spears since it’s the only affordable thing that’s close to a weapon that isn’t a woodcutters axe or a tiny knife

    •Continue finding ways to reduce/remove unnecessary items while maintaining a look close to that which I already have achieved.

    •Waiting for ZoS to actually listen and give the players weapon and armor furnishings.

    As I said in my Psijic Villa post; Akula’s High Hall update II coming soon (will be posted under the relevant thread once it is ready)


    Thanks for reading

    S.A.96
  • FurySevenSix
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    Very cool set up, thanks for sharing, cant wait to see how it progresses more in the future. :smile:
  • Shadow_Akula
    Shadow_Akula
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    Very cool set up, thanks for sharing, cant wait to see how it progresses more in the future. :smile:

    Thanks :smile:
    Unfortunately all I can do until zos decides to listen to the community who would like weapon and armor furnishings, I will only be adding in minor things and swapping out a few small details in this house as listed in my previous post, there’s probably only 1 vid left to make of this house once those changes are made... (same issue with my Daggerfall Overlook house)

    But that does not mean the end of Shadow’s housing threads :smile: Please keep an eye out for my other housing threads, I’m currently working on the Psijic Villa (theme for this is I guess just a normal Mansion that looks lived in, if that can be called a theme?) and Hakkvild’s High Hall (trying to go for a Viking theme, specifically in the main hall).

    S.A.96
  • Shadow_Akula
    Shadow_Akula
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    Update IV:
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qVuAHouOlzw

    Fully fortified the beaches (the gaps I’ve left are intentional for supply runners, in the event of an attack the shield walls would form in these spots, archers behind the barricades)

    Decorated the ruined ships at last (down to the depths with the AD and EP!)

    Cool little shrine/ritual place added

    These are the most relevant changes (I have changed it a little more since the video)

    Total item count at the moment is
    650/700 with 26/110 (110?)collectibles, and 10/10 special collectibles.

    Hope you enjoy the video

    S.A.96
  • Zypheran
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    Interesting. I didn't know about that area up in the cliff on the right hand side of the Grotto entrance.... that wins an insightful.
    Thanks for sharing
    All my housing builds are available on YouTube
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3oJ_cxuu01HmWZJZ6KK6g?view_as=subscriber
    I am happy to share the EHT save files for most of my builds.
  • Shadow_Akula
    Shadow_Akula
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    Zypheran wrote: »
    Interesting. I didn't know about that area up in the cliff on the right hand side of the Grotto entrance.... that wins an insightful.
    Thanks for sharing

    Yes there’s a lot of hidden areas in this house, you can even get up to most of the high waterfalls at the back of the Grotto if you choose (I built just under half way up to one of the tallest ones just to use the top of some ruins next to it)

    The thing with this house is the roof of the cave is the height limit I think... Idk for sure though, but you can definitely build quite high as I found when I used some platforms when I blocked up the roof high above the ruins

    Thanks for watching the vid :smile:
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