Future

This page will discuss future development of Atmospheric Loading Screens. All plans are subject to change.

 

A more up to date and potentially more informative description of the future of ALS can be viewed at my Mindmeister mind map.

 

Future Theme Packs Mod Replacers Original Text + Mod Compatibility Patch(es) Alternate UI Retextures New ESPs - Lore? Relevant/Themed? Mix? More Loading Screens More Varied Loading Screens

 

Theme Packs

Progress: 4 completed, more underway.

 

I have begun creating a series of "theme packs" for ALS that replace certain sets of similarly themed loading screens with a new background and frame texture made using textures related to that theme. Each released theme pack is updated as necessary as relevant loading screens are added to the original ALS package.

 

The following packs have been completed so far.

 

• Theme Pack 1 - "The Lost Spires" Spires (6 screens)
• Theme Pack 2 - Oblivion Realms (8 screens)
• Theme Pack 3 - Ayleid Ruins (32 screens)
• Theme Pack 4 - Shivering Isles (134 screens divided into 8 subthemes)

 

Future planned themes include the following.

 

• "The Lost Spires" Grottos
• "The Lost Spires" Archeology Guild
• Nature/Forest
• Winter/Ice/Snow
• Forts
• Caves
• Each City
• Water

 

Mod Replacers

Progress: Planning and preparation only.

 

Some mods (usually quest mods) include their own loading screens. These usually tend to be originally made in vanilla style, and only converted to Dark UI as an afterthought, if at all.

 

Most of these mods also tend to have unique and interesting environments that I would love to have screenshots of for my own loading screens. As I amass a good sized amount of screenshots from each mod, I hope to be able to create specialized, optional replacers (with permission, of course) to replace the vanilla or "basic" Dark UI-conversion screens of those mods. The new screens would be designed for Dark UI, similar in style to the rest of the ALS screens, etc.

 

Below is a list of mods I am considering for this.

 

• The Lost Spires
• Malevolent
• Bartholm?

 

Original Text + Mod Compatibility Patch(es)

Progress: Planning and awareness only.

 

Rarely, mods may alter the original Bethesda loading screen text to reflect changes they make. The Wrye Bash tags on the ESPs (specifically, the Original Text ESP) do not offer a full solution to this issue as, for example, the Original Text ESP actually contains 3 or 4 additional copies of each of the original loading screens, while the tags will only result in the text on the original loading screens being made consistent.

 

Eventually, I hope to release some compatibility patches to address the issue more completely.

 

As of right now, the only mod I am aware of that changes default loading screen text is OOO.

 

Alternate UI Retextures

Progress: Luchaire's UIs done for ALS 2.90 by Ismelda Lasombra

 

Ismelda Lasombra has retextured all of my loading screens up to version 2.90 for each of Luchaire's DarN UI retextures. Thanks Ismelda!

Someone, or perhaps me, at some point, may eventually retexture the screens for the vanilla UI.

 

New ESPs - Lore? Relevant/Themed? Mix?

Progress: None

 

I (or others) may eventually create new ESPs with different text and/or loading locations. Current plans include lore-based text, a relevant/themed ESP (see Trollf's first two loading screen mods), and a mix of two or more of the currently available ESPs.

 

Anyone is welcome to create alternative or edited ESPs with different text and/or different loading locations. No explicit permission is necessary for this purpose, as long as credit is given, but please contact me if you do so so I can see what is being done. Anyone willing to create ESPs to be included with Atmospheric Loading Screens should visit the Contributions page.

 

More Loading Screens

Progress: Constant

 

I will of course be continuing to add new loading screens as time, motivation, and contributions permit. Although quantity is no substitute for quality, the goal is to continually increase the number of loading screens available to increase variety and reduce repetition. Anyone willing to contribute screenshots (or completed loading screens) should visit the Contributions page.

 

More Varied Loading Screens

Progress: Steady

 

I am also striving to make use of a larger variety of loading screens. I have recently expanded and revised the list of screenshots I am looking for to include areas that are underrepresented. For example, I may have over 100 Ayleid ruin screens, but only 8 from inside Oblivion realms. There are probably over 1000 screens based in Cyrodiil or related areas, and maybe only around 100 from the Shivering Isles. Some mods have quite a few loading screens representing them; others have none. Anyone willing to contribute screenshots (or completed loading screens) should visit the Contributions page.