Immersive College of Winterhold
An overhaul of the buildings and inhabitants of the College of Winterhold.
Installation
The mod comes with an automated installer and scripted MCM maintenance system, and you can install at any point during the College quest-line.
1: Always back-up your current save before [un]installing or updating any mod!
2: If you are a new user and have items in the vanilla College, remove them before installing.
If you are updating from any version earlier than V6, empty all College mannequins before updating.
3. Ensure all required files are installed and active. If you don’t like the SkyUI menus you can use this mod, which reverts them to vanilla but lets you keep the MCM menu.
4. Install the latest version of the mod using Mod Organizer or equivalent.
5. Run LOOT!
6. Generate distant terrain using TES5LODGen (simple) or DynDoLOD (customizable).
7. Load up and enjoy!
8. Select any naked characters in the console and type: resetinventory. See FAQ section for any other minor issues or feel free to drop a comment.
9. Optional step for updating users: if you have updated, make a save then exit the game. All unused scripts from the old version will be orphaned, ready to be removed from your save by the Save Game Script Cleaner. Kudos to Hadoram!
Compatibility
This mod is compatible with, but not dependent on, the following mods* by default or by virtue of a compatibility patch:
All re-textures of the College and College items.
Aemer’s Refuge Continued
Apachii SkyHair
Apophysis Dragon Priest Masks
Bring Out Your Dead
Cloaks of Skyrim
College of Winterhold – NPC Improvement
College of Winterhold Shop Fixes
Cutting Room Floor
DynDOLOD
ELnFX
Expanded Towns & Cities
Expanded Winterhold Destruction Ruins
Follower Commentary Overhaul
Forgotten Magic Redone
Immersive Content – Realistic Outdoor Lights
Interesting NPCs
Inconsequential NPCs
JK’s Skyrim
Live Another Life
Opulent Outfits
Ordinator – Perks of Skyrim
Qaxes Winterhold Rebuild
Real Shelter Full Release
Realistic Lighting Overhaul
Relighting Skyrim
Requiem
Rustic Windows
Skyrim Distance Overhaul
Skyrim Project Optimization
Skyrim Redone
Skyrim Scroll Crafting
Spell Crafting Mod
Ultimate Follower Overhaul
The Midden: Expanded
*That a mod is not on this list is no reason to believe it is incompatible! These mods are listed because they could conceivably edit the College. If you are unsure then ask the comments section or, better yet, perform a test and drop a comment with your results. Remember: conflicting does not always mean incompatible – most conflicts can be resolved by tweaking load order.
Features
Overview: removal or organisation of generic clutter from interior and exterior locations. All interior cells now have transparent windows, allowing you to see the sky and surroundings from inside. All cells featuring re-positioned objects have had navmeshes reworked and tested both in and out of combat. Just-in-time (JIT) lighting has been introduced to all suitable cells, improving performance and eliminating flickering associated with over-lighting individual meshes. ESPs have been cleaned using automatic and manual xEdit cleaning.
Inhabitants: Each character will now scale better with the player, with access to a suite of spells and perks. Characters now attend morning classes in the Hall of the Elements, from which you can also gain experience. Now the Mages of Winterhold really do “gladly share knowledge amongst themselves”. Faculty will sell miscellaneous enchanting supplies; a new character sells alchemical supplies. You also now have the option of allowing Tolfdir to take on the role of Arch-Mage, if you feel undeserving of your position. This can be renegotiated at any time through dialogue or through the MCM menu. All characters will assemble in the Hall of the Elements for meals either at noon after practice and/ or at 6 p.m.
Hall of Countenance: There are now magical experiments going on and research underway. Lots of new objects and modder’s resources have been used to increase immersion.
Hall of Attainment: More personalised dormitories and tidier object positioning. A cooking area has been added for users of survival mods and a room previously filled with clutter has been cleared for compatibility with the Spell Crafting Mod. A new basement floor has been added, catering mostly to alchemists, but also includes a bathroom suitable for users of Bathing in Skyrim.
The Arcanaeum: In vanilla this was more a private collection of books than a provincial library. More bookshelves (with player-fillable bookshelves for spare skill books/ spell tomes), map areas (with a topographic map under construction) and artefacts for teaching/ research. A new mezzanine floor has been added and loaded with resources!
Hall of the Elements: A new mezzanine floor plus minor improvements. Location of new morning classes and practice sessions for all members of the College from which you may gain experience, but only up to the level that character would be able to train you privately (this can be uncapped in the MCM menu). College members will assemble here for meals after practice sessions and/ or in the evening.
Arch-Mage’s Quarters: Improved workstations, new cooking area and a desk for the Master of the College. Clutter has been cleared to make way for bookshelves, plaques, mannequins and racks for items. Plants have been relocated to the Lustratorium (see below). This cell now hosts a working clock, able to chime at midday, tell you the time, day of the week and month of the year at a glance. Clock ticking can be disabled in the MCM menu. A Harry Potter inspired ‘pensieve’ allows the Arch-Mage to scry upon the College members or Skyrim’s jarls (see video). The containers are scripted for optional automated storage of different categories of items; automated retrieval of alchemy and enchanting resources for workstations throughout Skyrim is also available. Auto-containers and auto-workbenches can be toggled at any time through the MCM menu.
College Sanctuary: I always found it strange that the most powerful and sought-after items in Skyrim (such as Daedric artefacts) were simply dumped in a box in the middle of Whiterun and left unprotected. The sanctuary is my answer to this: a new room for the College atop the main tower and accessible only by teleportation. The room becomes accessible after quest-line completion and contains scripted displays for important artefacts you might find on your travels! LOD for the Sanctuary can be toggled via the MCM menu.
The Midden: Starting point for the new Fall of Winterhold dungeon and quest, which will begin upon entering the Midden if you have completed the College quest-line and Dragon Rising from the main quest-line. The quest & dungeon can be disabled via the MCM menu at any point, but it cannot be reactivated once disabled. Smithing facilities can now be accessed in the Midden, so you no longer have to travel in order to smith or craft. Added an Oblivion-style black soul gem altar, which will allow you to darken empty grand soul gems after midnight.
Courtyard & Bridge: Once you become Arch-Mage, you can activate the second focal point on the bridge to repair it (or ‘bewitch’ it again). Navmeshes have been cut back so characters actually use the paths and dragon markers have been adjusted. Added more snowdrifts and light effects to the walls and and more wind to the bridge. The frontmost tower has been converted to an astronomy area with telescopes.
Lustratorium and Subterrarium: the College’s botanical collections are now housed in the Lustratorium, The building has two wings: an ‘alpine’ wing with flora from cooler climates; and a ‘tropical’ wing, with those from warmer ones. These are connected by a network of underground tunnels, the Subterrarium. A new, fully voiced alchemist has been added who will tend the collections. LOD for the Lustratorium can be toggled via the MCM menu.
