For anyone wondering how to install (Steam) - just open game folder -> open "OblivionRemastered" and paste installed mod ("Content" folder). Then copy-paste the name of .esp [" FrostcraigSpireReturn.esp "] file into Plugins.txt (both in Oblivion Remastered > Oblivion Remastered > Content > Dev > ObvData > Data.
First of all - gj and thx for creating this mod. It does increase the immersion and fits perfectly for home base such as this one.
That being said I wonder if you'd be willing to create a version that requires a bit more... dedication from the player :D
1) For such a powerful spell (teleportation is not an easy task after all!) would you consider making it actually require Journeyman Conjuration? Alternatively while it could remain as Apprentice level spell, (let's say the Spire itself manages most of the energies required to cast it) the re-summon back to the original space seems like something Expert-level Conjuration mage feat - makes being able to cast that much more gratifying.
2) Instead of adding it to the player character by default maybe include it in Mystic Emporium offer alongside the rest of the Spire's upgrade? It'd make it less invasive, especially for new playthroughs and again - make you actually have to work for it. For such an advanced feature I think price of ~1k gold seems fair.
Cheers!
EDIT: Also a question - I assume that should I recall myself to the Spire, then travel somewhere else and recall myself once more, the re-summon would update to the location from which I've used the recall for the first time right? Conversly until that time the re-summon will remain active, allowing me to use it whenever I want (once) as long as I dont teleport back to the Spire before I use it? Would it be possible to make the re-summon spell be removed on cast OR after ingame 6h or so hours, whichever comes first?
EDIT2: Also another suggestion for the spell names:
Yes, the re-summon point is moved to where you use the "unsummon self" spell. The re-summon point is actually an invisible creature with no model, which is also disabled. When you use "unsummon self" I move it to where the player is, and then I move the player to the spire. When you use "summon self back" I move the player to this invisible creature and then return the invisible creature to the spire. So if you don't use summon self back and use unsummon self again, the creature will move from wherever it was left to the new point of use. Essentially, only the last place you used "unsummon self" counts.
The re-summon spell IS removed on cast. In fact if it wasn't because it is kinda hard I would like to remove it if you use any of the teleporters of the spire or go too far from the spire... but that is kinda hard with how modding is now. So I settled for removing it on cast. Just to clarify, using the re-summon spell outside of the spire is not intended. The lore idea is that the spire itself is keeping the "tunnel" it opened to summon you to itself and it is the spire which returns you back to where you were, this is the reason for the low cost, the spire is doing most of the work, in my ideal world instead of having a spell to go back, you would have an additional teleport circle in the spire that takes you back, but I could not figure that out.
That's extremely smart way to make it work, nice ;)
Sure, eventually when more tools become available making a dedicated teleport plate would be even better - maybe somewhere in the living area though?
That being said how do you feel about making the spell (or at least the Summon Self Back) require higher conjuration skill and adding it to the Mystic Emporium offer to be bough instead of just adding it for free to the player from the get go?
I will think about it, honestly I rather try to crack how to do the return plate. If I accomplish that then I could just sell the deed to the return plate in the emporium, and after purchasing it and interacting with it, the return plate is the one that "gives you the spell" to teleport to the spire, maybe with a little text explaining that the spell is a rather simple spell that summons a "bounded sprite anchor" from the spire, and then the spire summons the summoner of this anchor sprite back to itself. Using the sprite to maintain an active tunnel through Oblivion. This would clarify that it is the tower itself doing it and actually include what is actually happening under the hood as a in-game explanation that kind of makes some sense. Some people added new houses already so it must be possible to add visible stuff to the map without crashing.
I was hoping someone would make a mod like this, so thanks! To fix the issue with being able to return to locations other than Frostcrag Spire, I would suggest using two different creatures. One that stays permanently at Frostcrag Spire to mark the spire's summon point, and another that acts as a marker for the player's return position. That way you can teleport the return marker to the player, then teleport the player to the static marker at Frostcrag Spire. To return to your last position, teleport the player to the return marker, and then teleport the return marker to the Frostcrag Spire marker. That way the return marker will always be single use, and after being used, the player is only able to return to Frostcrag Spire.
As for purchasing a teleporter from the Mystic Emporium, there are a couple of good options. Either way, you'll want to place the teleporter in the world at Frostcrag Spire, and ensure that it's disabled by default. I would suggest making it a static object, along with an activator, so that the return spell can be replaced with a static teleporter at Frostcrag Spire, preventing the player from returning to their last location if they're not at the spire.
With the teleporter set up, you can go about purchasing it in two ways. First, you could use an item with a script, such as a note that has a script attached to it when read. That script can enable the teleporter that was disabled by default, and add the spell to bring the player to the spire to their spell list. The second option is to use a quest, with the item to purchase the teleporter being set as a quest objective. The quest can then trigger a script to enable the teleporter, and add the spell. If using a quest, you'll want to make sure that it's an unmarked quest, which runs in the background.
I already am using two markers, one is the creature that I teleport around to mark the point of return of the player, and the other is a simple static xmarker that doesn't move and marks the spire, I use this marker as a point to both teleport the player and the moving marker creature to the spire depending on which spell, realistically I don't need to return the creature marker to the spire and could leave it where it last was until it is needed again as the return spell is autoremoved and you only get it back after the creature is moved... But I rather not leave trash that doesn't need to be there.
The reason why I use a creature and not an xmarker as the moving marker is because Oblivion's system is kinda dumb and doesn't expect xmarkers to change worldspace, so for example if you returned to the spire from an Oblivion gate, saved the game, closed the game and later loaded that save and used the return spell, then you would teleport to those coodinates... but in the tamriel worldspace instead of that oblivion gate, because Oblivion doesn't seem to save the changes in worldspace of xmarkers as it expect them to be static and unmoving. So I used a creature instead of an xmarker for the moving marker because the game does save correctly where creatures and NPCs are as those are more likely to move.
That's perfectly reasonable! I've been too lazy to set up modding tools thus far, so I hadn't actually looked at your exact implementation. Sounds like it's already set up nicely, so just setting up the static teleporter should be all you need to make it work how you wanted. It's been a long time since I've modded oblivion, but I believe the teleporters in the Archmage's Tower at the Arcane University are using scripts instead of doors. You can probably modify one of those for your own purposes, if you want to add their visual effects.
Whenever you do finish the update, would you mind making a version where the spell to return to Frostcrag Spire is a greater power? It feels appropriate to give the tower a bit of time to recharge the portal, and it's a nice bit of balancing to prevent having effectively infinite inventory space by constantly dropping things in the tower, I think. If you don't want to, that's fine, I'll probably just grab xEdit, and do it myself at some point!
My fears with the static teleporter pad is map editing with a thing that is visible. Since this Oblivion uses a dual system I kind of did not want to mess around with visible stuff and wanted the core functionality working. I don't know if it would "just work" or additional messing would be required.
And sure, I could make different versions. Honestly I was thinking on creating a version balanced on the other end. That you need some kind of resource to use the return to your position pad, but with the teleport to spire being cheap and reusable. I don't want to limit people's escape from jail card as all that would get me is them pressing T and waiting 24 seconds grumpy when they want to do that. I also like the idea of using this to quickly jump between cities, and more specifically magic guilds as it works well with the already existing telepads in frostcrag.
Maybe make it consume gold to return to the other side? Or items? Maybe you need charges and each time you use it to return you consume a charge and to recharge it you have to use one of each atronach salts and 5 daedra hearts to put 5 charges in there.
Honestly I take suggestions, I still will have a cheaty easy version but for the balance version as I said I rather balance it around the returning part rather than the teleporting to the spire part. Teleporting to the spire is more of an alternative to fast travel complementing it with the telepads already in frostcrag plus an easy way to escape dungeons without having to backtrack trough boring empty dungeons. The "returning back" is what allows you to essentially use the chests at the spire as infinite inventory.
The unreal engine wrapper is actually what made me think of the archmage's teleporters. From what I've seen here on the Nexus, it seems like scripts can be replaced, and new objects can be added to the world so long as they only use vanilla assets. As I said before, I haven't messed with it yet, though, so there might be some complications I'm not aware of!
I agree with the teleport to Frostcrag being fine on is own, making it a greater power is just easier than limiting the return trip. I would much rather the resource cost, if you want to script it! I'd avoid Daedra hearts though, since I remember in the original, those became pretty rare after completing the main quest, since you lose access to Oblivion Gates. Varla Stones would be thematically appropriate, but run into the some problem on a more serious scale, since there are a limited number in the game. Maybe filled Grand Soul Gems? They're fairly expensive to buy, and at least somewhat rare to find. Each level of soul is also a separate item, so you can make sure they have grand souls in them.
I'm not sure how how possible it is to add entirely new items that only use vanilla assets currently, but if it's an option, you could also use a custom item that has to be recharged by visiting a certain number of Ayleid Wells. It could even be the item you have to buy in order to use the teleporter in the first place, similar to how the Magetallow Candles work with the Spellmaking, and Enchanting altars.
Soul gems is the first thing I though off, but I kind of already did that on a mod I created for Skyrim, and it was a pretty miserable experience to script that, and the papyrus in Skyrim were a bit more usable than the ones in Oblivion.
If I manage to use soul gems I see no reason to use only grand gems, I could use any gem and just charge different amounts, instead of small numbers like individual charges, it could be a matter where one return cost 1000 "soul power" and soul gems recharge this like this:
I know those are not the values for enchanting, but I did so on rarity, petty, lesser and common are not only easy to find, they are easy to fill, so they don't give you a full travel, but by burning several you can still use it. Then it is one the greater/grand/black that the number skyrocket, the greater ones are still kind of common and not that hard to fill so you get one travel and a half, so if you burn 2 of them you get 3 travels. Grand soul gems are rare and harder to fill unless it is endgame, so you get 5 whole charges, and black soul gems are even rarer, tho not so hard to fill, but since those are rare and kind of illegal I made them even more valuable so being evil is rewarded, so 10k points.
I could also implement a custom soul trap spell that instead of trapping the soul on a soul gem, sends the soul directly to the tower, but just 50 points per enemy and doesn't matter the enemy type. This leaves a way to slowly recharge it that doesn't consume soul gems but still takes effort, active effort. You would need to soul trap 20 enemies for a single go back, so maybe usable once per dungeon if one is industrious and uses this special spell on all enemies.
I could also add a limit of 15.000 max accumulated points so it requires to top it off from time to time and make it so you can only charge it using the special soul trap when you have less than 5.000 points.
Maybe to enable the go back feature at all you will require to do a quest that requires you to use 3 empty grand soul gems and a daedra heart to enable the travel back functionality, this cost would represent the "battery" where these points are accumulated.
Ingredients to charge the spire energy for the trip back actually sounds like a fantastic idea honestly. I agree that limiting the recall to the spire to 1 use per day is counter-intuitive to the fantasy this mod goes for - it should stay relatively affordable and easy to use.
I like the idea of inactive teleporter pad that you can reactivate to serve as a conduit for the trip back. You have basically two ways about it: 1) Create new one dedicated to that purpose 2) Actually make use of the one that was initially designed for the Kvatch Mage's guild.
Second option sounds fun to me as that makes you tinker and modify the Spire yourself to your needs AND as a resourceful mage probably would - use what you have to serve your needs. Either way I think purchasing an item that allows you to reactivate and calibrate already visible and existing teleporter pad to hold the connection and allow you to return to the place of origin would be the best course of action (and probably easiest to implement without much issue).
As for the recharge mechanism - personally I think the best way about it would be to include both passive recharge time AND ability to manually recharge the Spire. Considering it's basically a strong enchantment that needs a fuel the souls from the soulgems seem to be thematically the most appropiate - I don't think I'd rely on any kind of alchemical ingredients for that. Also keep in mind that goes in nicely with the fact that you can actually use the Vault Guardians to fill up empty soul gems with up to the Grand level souls, depending on player level. It will still cost you to recharge the Spire multiple times BUT it will not become a tedium. TLDR my suggestion is as follows:
- Spire itself is capable of recharging its power to allow 1 return trip a day for free - Should the owner want to make more than just 1 trip back to the place from which they recalled to the Spire, it should cost: 1 Black Soul OR 3 Grand Souls OR 6 Greater Souls. Souls lesser than Greater should be considered too weak to be able to feed the spell/enchantment. That way it limits its power in the early game and also will probably be easier to implement than actual charge where you'd have to make some sort of custom menu to charge it up etc. Simply whenever the player interacts with the teleporter pad for the 2nd time a day the pop-up menu would allow the player to chose either of the 3 options (should he have the soulgems) or back out entirerly.
In response to Lyoko, using soul gems to charge the teleporter seems like a good idea, if hard to script as you said. With OBSE not currently extending Papyrus, I don't know for sure if it would even be possible without writing your own plugin.
I think your values seem reasonable on soul charge, but for balancing reasons, I disagree with black soul gems being worth double. Not only can you remove lower level souls from a Grand Soul Gem by converting it into a black one, it's generally in your best interest to convert them anyway, as the easiest source of grand souls is humanoid NPCs. I would suggest either leaving them the same, or maybe giving one extra teleport for the black gems to make up for requiring some effort to obtain.
For a one time cost to activate the teleporter, I do actually think that a Varla Stone is reasonable as the basis of the power source instead of grand soul gems. They're able to fully recharge every item in your inventory, so they clearly have a lot of power, and I think it's reasonable enough to say that it's powering the enchantment in the teleporter itself. While there are a limited number of them in the game, it's unlikely that a player will have used them all up, it's much more likely that if they've explored enough for that to be a risk, they'll just have a stockpile of the already.
Another option would be a sigil stone, which we already know are used to stabilize the oblivion gates, so that dremora can teleport through. Very similar to summoning, or a teleporter. The only reasons I'd be hesitant with sigil stones are that there are so many different sigil stone items, and it's pretty easy to remove them from the game entirely by just completing the main quest, and either using them, or throwing them away. If you rush the main quest, you don't really need to close all that many gates. You could add a quest to obtain a sigil stone, which would solve the problem, but I don't know if it's currently feasible to be making even simple quests.
Technically, Azura's Star would also make sense to use, given that it's the only reusable soul gem in the game, but taking that away from the player just feels bad.
As for the custom soul trap spell, it's a good idea, though unfortunate that it would probably have to be a script effect, and thus not available for custom spellmaking. Maybe include some damage in the spell, and have a dagger with the same custom soul trap effect, if scripted weapons are possible? I find switching to a dedicated soul trap spell constantly is very inconvenient, and it's a lot better to just apply it at the same time as your damage.
I was looking for mark and recall found this mod instead. I was going to mark this exact location anyways! Its so nice to have most of the QOL mods from the OG.
If I wanted to only use the unsummon spell but not the resummon spell would that mess with things to much? basically just want to role play that the drop off points can bring you back to the spire.
Installed and the spells showed up with [NL] tags in tutorial dungeon and I could warp out and back. But than after I left the tutorial dungeon the spells disappeared.
Yeah, the NL tag is something I can't do anything about it. Some mods that have text that already exist somewhere else in the game can solve it by substituting their text with a reference to that, but I can't because the name of the spells is new and we still don't know how to edit the strings file.
What you said about the tutorial dungeon is... interesting... I did not test that far... I will see what I can do, all I can recommend for now is to install it after you exit the sewer.
I love the idea of this mod. Combining this with a no fast travel mod, it's gonna feel a little bit like I'm back in morrowind again. Thanks for uploading it, I appreciate it.
Also, I agree on a summoning plate in the spire being the best option. Hopefully it's possible and not an immense task
I know it doesn't make sense *thematically* with this mod, but I would love to see teleportation to all of the DLC homes, even if it isn't necessarily a "recall" function to where you initially were.
Maybe a Spell in each city's mages guild that you can buy, that teleports you to that city's Mages guild specifically. When you buy a home you get a spell for that house specifically. I think that could work. You have to find your way to the city first, then you can always teleport around. Not sure where you could put the spell for the Imperial City.
Could you make it add at discovering tower or tomes at tower or purchasable at mystic empourim for people with multiple characters that dont all use the tower?
56 comments
Then copy-paste the name of .esp [" FrostcraigSpireReturn.esp "] file into Plugins.txt (both in Oblivion Remastered > Oblivion Remastered > Content > Dev > ObvData > Data.
Thank you for this amazing mod, it's great.
That being said I wonder if you'd be willing to create a version that requires a bit more... dedication from the player :D
1) For such a powerful spell (teleportation is not an easy task after all!) would you consider making it actually require Journeyman Conjuration? Alternatively while it could remain as Apprentice level spell, (let's say the Spire itself manages most of the energies required to cast it) the re-summon back to the original space seems like something Expert-level Conjuration mage feat - makes being able to cast that much more gratifying.
2) Instead of adding it to the player character by default maybe include it in Mystic Emporium offer alongside the rest of the Spire's upgrade? It'd make it less invasive, especially for new playthroughs and again - make you actually have to work for it. For such an advanced feature I think price of ~1k gold seems fair.
Cheers!
EDIT: Also a question - I assume that should I recall myself to the Spire, then travel somewhere else and recall myself once more, the re-summon would update to the location from which I've used the recall for the first time right? Conversly until that time the re-summon will remain active, allowing me to use it whenever I want (once) as long as I dont teleport back to the Spire before I use it? Would it be possible to make the re-summon spell be removed on cast OR after ingame 6h or so hours, whichever comes first?
EDIT2: Also another suggestion for the spell names:
Unsummon Self -> Frostcrag Recall
Summon Self Back -> Frostcrag Disapparition
Maybe it just me but it'd make more sense :P
The re-summon point is actually an invisible creature with no model, which is also disabled. When you use "unsummon self" I move it to where the player is, and then I move the player to the spire. When you use "summon self back" I move the player to this invisible creature and then return the invisible creature to the spire. So if you don't use summon self back and use unsummon self again, the creature will move from wherever it was left to the new point of use. Essentially, only the last place you used "unsummon self" counts.
The re-summon spell IS removed on cast. In fact if it wasn't because it is kinda hard I would like to remove it if you use any of the teleporters of the spire or go too far from the spire... but that is kinda hard with how modding is now. So I settled for removing it on cast. Just to clarify, using the re-summon spell outside of the spire is not intended. The lore idea is that the spire itself is keeping the "tunnel" it opened to summon you to itself and it is the spire which returns you back to where you were, this is the reason for the low cost, the spire is doing most of the work, in my ideal world instead of having a spell to go back, you would have an additional teleport circle in the spire that takes you back, but I could not figure that out.
Sure, eventually when more tools become available making a dedicated teleport plate would be even better - maybe somewhere in the living area though?
That being said how do you feel about making the spell (or at least the Summon Self Back) require higher conjuration skill and adding it to the Mystic Emporium offer to be bough instead of just adding it for free to the player from the get go?
This would clarify that it is the tower itself doing it and actually include what is actually happening under the hood as a in-game explanation that kind of makes some sense. Some people added new houses already so it must be possible to add visible stuff to the map without crashing.
As for purchasing a teleporter from the Mystic Emporium, there are a couple of good options. Either way, you'll want to place the teleporter in the world at Frostcrag Spire, and ensure that it's disabled by default. I would suggest making it a static object, along with an activator, so that the return spell can be replaced with a static teleporter at Frostcrag Spire, preventing the player from returning to their last location if they're not at the spire.
With the teleporter set up, you can go about purchasing it in two ways. First, you could use an item with a script, such as a note that has a script attached to it when read. That script can enable the teleporter that was disabled by default, and add the spell to bring the player to the spire to their spell list. The second option is to use a quest, with the item to purchase the teleporter being set as a quest objective. The quest can then trigger a script to enable the teleporter, and add the spell. If using a quest, you'll want to make sure that it's an unmarked quest, which runs in the background.
I already am using two markers, one is the creature that I teleport around to mark the point of return of the player, and the other is a simple static xmarker that doesn't move and marks the spire, I use this marker as a point to both teleport the player and the moving marker creature to the spire depending on which spell, realistically I don't need to return the creature marker to the spire and could leave it where it last was until it is needed again as the return spell is autoremoved and you only get it back after the creature is moved... But I rather not leave trash that doesn't need to be there.
The reason why I use a creature and not an xmarker as the moving marker is because Oblivion's system is kinda dumb and doesn't expect xmarkers to change worldspace, so for example if you returned to the spire from an Oblivion gate, saved the game, closed the game and later loaded that save and used the return spell, then you would teleport to those coodinates... but in the tamriel worldspace instead of that oblivion gate, because Oblivion doesn't seem to save the changes in worldspace of xmarkers as it expect them to be static and unmoving. So I used a creature instead of an xmarker for the moving marker because the game does save correctly where creatures and NPCs are as those are more likely to move.
Whenever you do finish the update, would you mind making a version where the spell to return to Frostcrag Spire is a greater power? It feels appropriate to give the tower a bit of time to recharge the portal, and it's a nice bit of balancing to prevent having effectively infinite inventory space by constantly dropping things in the tower, I think. If you don't want to, that's fine, I'll probably just grab xEdit, and do it myself at some point!
And sure, I could make different versions. Honestly I was thinking on creating a version balanced on the other end. That you need some kind of resource to use the return to your position pad, but with the teleport to spire being cheap and reusable. I don't want to limit people's escape from jail card as all that would get me is them pressing T and waiting 24 seconds grumpy when they want to do that. I also like the idea of using this to quickly jump between cities, and more specifically magic guilds as it works well with the already existing telepads in frostcrag.
Maybe make it consume gold to return to the other side? Or items? Maybe you need charges and each time you use it to return you consume a charge and to recharge it you have to use one of each atronach salts and 5 daedra hearts to put 5 charges in there.
Honestly I take suggestions, I still will have a cheaty easy version but for the balance version as I said I rather balance it around the returning part rather than the teleporting to the spire part. Teleporting to the spire is more of an alternative to fast travel complementing it with the telepads already in frostcrag plus an easy way to escape dungeons without having to backtrack trough boring empty dungeons. The "returning back" is what allows you to essentially use the chests at the spire as infinite inventory.
I agree with the teleport to Frostcrag being fine on is own, making it a greater power is just easier than limiting the return trip. I would much rather the resource cost, if you want to script it! I'd avoid Daedra hearts though, since I remember in the original, those became pretty rare after completing the main quest, since you lose access to Oblivion Gates. Varla Stones would be thematically appropriate, but run into the some problem on a more serious scale, since there are a limited number in the game. Maybe filled Grand Soul Gems? They're fairly expensive to buy, and at least somewhat rare to find. Each level of soul is also a separate item, so you can make sure they have grand souls in them.
I'm not sure how how possible it is to add entirely new items that only use vanilla assets currently, but if it's an option, you could also use a custom item that has to be recharged by visiting a certain number of Ayleid Wells. It could even be the item you have to buy in order to use the teleporter in the first place, similar to how the Magetallow Candles work with the Spellmaking, and Enchanting altars.
If I manage to use soul gems I see no reason to use only grand gems, I could use any gem and just charge different amounts, instead of small numbers like individual charges, it could be a matter where one return cost 1000 "soul power" and soul gems recharge this like this:
Black soul gem -> 10.000 points (10 travels back)
Grand soul gem -> 5.000 points (5 travels back)
Greater soul gem -> 1.500 points (1 and a half travel backs)
Common soul gem -> 500 points (1/2 travel back)
Lesser Soul Gem -> 250 points (1/4 travel backs)
Petty Soul Gem -> 100 points (1/10 travel backs)
I know those are not the values for enchanting, but I did so on rarity, petty, lesser and common are not only easy to find, they are easy to fill, so they don't give you a full travel, but by burning several you can still use it. Then it is one the greater/grand/black that the number skyrocket, the greater ones are still kind of common and not that hard to fill so you get one travel and a half, so if you burn 2 of them you get 3 travels. Grand soul gems are rare and harder to fill unless it is endgame, so you get 5 whole charges, and black soul gems are even rarer, tho not so hard to fill, but since those are rare and kind of illegal I made them even more valuable so being evil is rewarded, so 10k points.
I could also implement a custom soul trap spell that instead of trapping the soul on a soul gem, sends the soul directly to the tower, but just 50 points per enemy and doesn't matter the enemy type. This leaves a way to slowly recharge it that doesn't consume soul gems but still takes effort, active effort. You would need to soul trap 20 enemies for a single go back, so maybe usable once per dungeon if one is industrious and uses this special spell on all enemies.
I could also add a limit of 15.000 max accumulated points so it requires to top it off from time to time and make it so you can only charge it using the special soul trap when you have less than 5.000 points.
Maybe to enable the go back feature at all you will require to do a quest that requires you to use 3 empty grand soul gems and a daedra heart to enable the travel back functionality, this cost would represent the "battery" where these points are accumulated.
What do you think?
I like the idea of inactive teleporter pad that you can reactivate to serve as a conduit for the trip back. You have basically two ways about it:
1) Create new one dedicated to that purpose
2) Actually make use of the one that was initially designed for the Kvatch Mage's guild.
Second option sounds fun to me as that makes you tinker and modify the Spire yourself to your needs AND as a resourceful mage probably would - use what you have to serve your needs. Either way I think purchasing an item that allows you to reactivate and calibrate already visible and existing teleporter pad to hold the connection and allow you to return to the place of origin would be the best course of action (and probably easiest to implement without much issue).
As for the recharge mechanism - personally I think the best way about it would be to include both passive recharge time AND ability to manually recharge the Spire. Considering it's basically a strong enchantment that needs a fuel the souls from the soulgems seem to be thematically the most appropiate - I don't think I'd rely on any kind of alchemical ingredients for that. Also keep in mind that goes in nicely with the fact that you can actually use the Vault Guardians to fill up empty soul gems with up to the Grand level souls, depending on player level. It will still cost you to recharge the Spire multiple times BUT it will not become a tedium. TLDR my suggestion is as follows:
- Spire itself is capable of recharging its power to allow 1 return trip a day for free
- Should the owner want to make more than just 1 trip back to the place from which they recalled to the Spire, it should cost: 1 Black Soul OR 3 Grand Souls OR 6 Greater Souls. Souls lesser than Greater should be considered too weak to be able to feed the spell/enchantment. That way it limits its power in the early game and also will probably be easier to implement than actual charge where you'd have to make some sort of custom menu to charge it up etc. Simply whenever the player interacts with the teleporter pad for the 2nd time a day the pop-up menu would allow the player to chose either of the 3 options (should he have the soulgems) or back out entirerly.
I think your values seem reasonable on soul charge, but for balancing reasons, I disagree with black soul gems being worth double. Not only can you remove lower level souls from a Grand Soul Gem by converting it into a black one, it's generally in your best interest to convert them anyway, as the easiest source of grand souls is humanoid NPCs. I would suggest either leaving them the same, or maybe giving one extra teleport for the black gems to make up for requiring some effort to obtain.
For a one time cost to activate the teleporter, I do actually think that a Varla Stone is reasonable as the basis of the power source instead of grand soul gems. They're able to fully recharge every item in your inventory, so they clearly have a lot of power, and I think it's reasonable enough to say that it's powering the enchantment in the teleporter itself. While there are a limited number of them in the game, it's unlikely that a player will have used them all up, it's much more likely that if they've explored enough for that to be a risk, they'll just have a stockpile of the already.
Another option would be a sigil stone, which we already know are used to stabilize the oblivion gates, so that dremora can teleport through. Very similar to summoning, or a teleporter. The only reasons I'd be hesitant with sigil stones are that there are so many different sigil stone items, and it's pretty easy to remove them from the game entirely by just completing the main quest, and either using them, or throwing them away. If you rush the main quest, you don't really need to close all that many gates. You could add a quest to obtain a sigil stone, which would solve the problem, but I don't know if it's currently feasible to be making even simple quests.
Technically, Azura's Star would also make sense to use, given that it's the only reusable soul gem in the game, but taking that away from the player just feels bad.
As for the custom soul trap spell, it's a good idea, though unfortunate that it would probably have to be a script effect, and thus not available for custom spellmaking. Maybe include some damage in the spell, and have a dagger with the same custom soul trap effect, if scripted weapons are possible? I find switching to a dedicated soul trap spell constantly is very inconvenient, and it's a lot better to just apply it at the same time as your damage.
Works Perfectly :-)
Endorsed And Kudos Sent.
What you said about the tutorial dungeon is... interesting... I did not test that far... I will see what I can do, all I can recommend for now is to install it after you exit the sewer.
Deleting the esp, saving, then re-adding the esp worked for me as a workaround.
Also, I agree on a summoning plate in the spire being the best option. Hopefully it's possible and not an immense task
Would love to start a no fast travel playthrough.