And… The Mod Preview Drops
It's one thing to talk about a mod in progress. It's another thing entirely to finally be able to show some of it.
So here is a preview of Quest 2 of Shadows of the Old World: Beneath the Surface. This is where things get real. Where you meet members of the Underground, where your new friend Reggie takes you deeper into their world, and where you see Gloria.
We’re still in progress, but this is the actual mod, running in-game, with voices, idles, design, and more finally coming together.
Behind the Quest
Making this happen was a true team effort.
After a year of Narrative Design, Script Writing, Level Design, and Voice Acting, we’re proud to show off one quest of Shadows Of The Old World.
This project is my baby, and it’s true that I wear a lot of hats. But this particular quest needed special handling. (That’s a polite way of saying I wrote myself into a bit of a corner).
That's where XV-Versus came in. He graciously took the mod while I was having surgery and followed my script. As I recovered, we spent hours in Discord chat going over the implementation steps as he completed them. We were also lucky to have llama (the author of Heather Casdin, the essential Fallout 4 companion mod) in our Implementation channel. Her tips and suggestions helped us both stay grounded as the quest came together. XV’s incredible skill and patience made this scene actually work.
The location itself is built on Pesky's amazing foundational work—he created the Hub from nothing by my notes, and designed the custom shack build kit especially for this mod. These last weeks, I jumped in to add clutter, lighting, and a bit of environmental storytelling to help the quest come together.
Next, the characters needed faces and hair. That's where radbeetle came in, giving each NPC their distinct look and personality.
And they needed outfits. We've been so lucky to have several contributors of armor and clothing that give the Underground their unique aesthetic. You’ll also see assets of several other contributors, without whom, the unique vibe of the Underground would not be possible.
Implementing each aspect of all these things was a bear. There were a lot of challenges. NPCs that wouldn't stay where they were supposed to, missing audio, and that damn Deathclaw at the Slog. At one point, we had a missing floor (don't ask.) But here's the thing: It just works.
The characters are where they're supposed to be. The voices sound good. The environment feels lived-in. The scene flows.
This is Quest 2. This is where you start to understand what the Underground really is. Where you see the people who've survived the Directorate's experiments, who've built something in the shadows, who are fighting back in their own way.
And this is where we see Gloria needing your help. Not as a victim. Not as someone who needs saving. But as someone with a plan, a purpose, and people who trust her.
This scene sets up everything that follows. And I'm proud of how it turned out.
Modding truly does take a village, and I’m lucky to have assembled one.
What's next
We're deep in development. More scenes are being built. More locations are coming together.
And sometime next year, you'll get to play it yourself.
Come on back for updates, ya hear?
Or if you’d like, join us in Discord: https://discord.gg/9BDWne66UN
