How Livable is Balmora? │ Urban Planning of Morrowind ep. 1

[@Leloreth]

Love it when KZbin serves both of my niche interests at the same time. urban planning videos and Morrowind. Thanks for this this was great.

[@myknZgaming]

@Leloreth niche interest twins! So happy you enjoyed

[@babur320]

I am another person getting delight from this smashup between two of my disparate but delightful interests. :)

[@drewcummings2453]

I decided to start playing Morrowind mostly on a whim on what seemingly was the very day this video was posted, and im so happy i have enough context to understand how absolutely hilarious this video is now

[@myknZgaming]

@@drewcummings2453 Great timing!

[@raybuscus8257]

Omg, I already love this concept, reminds me a lot of AnyAustin's series on documenting the unemployment rate of Skyrim's cities! XD I am very much looking forward to your analysis of Vvardenfel's urban planning!

[@DrarayneThelas]

Hello!! I can say myself, Vvardenfell and Balmora is still livable even after Red Mountain!! Especially with all my pillows, it’s quite the comfy city.

[@myknZgaming]

Good to know!!

[@slurmworm666]

Drarayne Thelas is a pillar of the Balmora community

[@connorodum6710]

I hope your rats are doing well

[@DrarayneThelas]

@@connorodum6710 *RATS?!* No, not me. I paid the fighters guild to help me with my rat problem. I have a niece, Arvena, in Anvil, on the west end of Cyrodiil. She LOVES rats 🤢 🤮

[@miajoy9937]

MORROWIND!!!! really specific Morrowind video!! This is even more fun than the analysis of Morrowind's rivers!! (Im so obsessed with this game)

[@yellowbutterfly6796]

i love this, the concept presentation, and humor. i hope you continue this series! i also had to pause the video for a while after 36:35 for laughing at the idea you planned on going the extra mile for the job especially as esteemed imo as an urban planner with paying off the guards for any crimes on the job. gonna get that intel no matter what, that's for sure!

[@myknZgaming]

@yellowbutterfly6796 Haha thanks so much!! Happy to hear I'm on the right track

[@DNA-i8q]

This is such a fun idea, and I can't wait for the next episode. Congrats on a good job for a first video, btw!

[@myknZgaming]

Thanks!!

[@thimganhayden115]

Love it! "Should be fun, at least for me." LOL

[@hi90s]

Dude. Long time TES fan, even longer time anthropology/sociology fan. Excellent video, immediate follow.

[@thinbl0od55]

odai river? never heard of it. but we do have the ol' odai slough!

[@Avaliareborn]

I love this unique little niche of videos the Morrowind fandom has on here

[@abqjackal_beard241]

I am unbelievably excited for this series, instantly subscribed

[@myknZgaming]

Awesome, thanks!! Happy to have you here for the ride!

[@sam_wilds]

I'm down for some urban planning videos. Subbed!

[@Nailclippins]

for wheelchairs and stairs. levitation magic or potions is quite widespread and cheap in vaardenfell. it would provide a convenient, albeit slow, mode of transportation for disabled people. or maybe feather effects could help people walk in spite of their disabilities. Or maybe since necromancy is legal, maybe a paralyzed person could animate their legs? or maybe the availability of shrines that will cure all ills just makes it so people are generally healthy..

[@AlphaGarg]

These are actually really good points - the only reason Yagrum is the way he is is because he has corprus, after all, and that disease is one with no known cure as of 3E 427 (it's also the only reason he's still flesh and bone rather than a spectre, but asides aside). I think there'd be some sort of economic, racial, or religious disparity in terms of those solutions though. Potions are very expensive in 3E Vvardenfell compared to, say, 4E Skyrim or Solstheim (which is also curiously when Levitation was outlawed by the Empire, hmmmm), so poor people, freed slaves, etc would have a hard time getting their hands on that. Similar factors would also make it difficult to use temple services, outside of Imperial cult shrines and *maybe* Hlaalu temples. And personal magic is of course dependent on resting, race, and genetics/chance. Hell, according to Daggerfall and Redguard, some people straight up can't use magic, and according to Morrowind and Skyrim, Nords are very wary of magic and might not want to use it. A homeless person would be especially incapable of using such magic to get around, given the need to rest and the illegality of resting within cities outside of beds.

[@Iggy_Dogg]

hell yes over-analyzing morrowind I am always down for that

[@mattieglover2356]

This was wonderful, very interesting, thank you.

[@DrarayneThelas]

I just realized you started everything with morrowind. This is my favorite game!! If you plan on going on with the morrowind cities, I’m all here for it ❤❤

[@nelsllendofan494]

Thank you for taking the time to make it. Such a joy.

[@myknZgaming]

@nelsllendofan494 omg thank you for watching it!

[@AaronMDubya]

No further questions, subscribed

[@Superszyga]

Thank you for great video!

[@obamabiden]

another sort of weird morrowind-specific form of zoning/housing terms are the guild houses (and hlaalu manor, which despite its name, is basically a guilhouse of sorts) as they're both commercial spaces with the services prvided there, but also seem to be the medium-term residences of the local guild staff/house retainers

[@ErenMortel]

looking forward to this channel!

[@proskub5039]

Proletarian X did a remake of Balmora and coincidentally fixed both the lack of lights and a guardrail near the river! And a boat on the river too.

[@reptilejesus829]

I literally thought the other day "making a city planning video about morrowind would be funny" (I study city planning)... this is so awesome. Very cool.

[@Triads297]

Yay interesting i watch/listen to this while im working and it helps

[@monstrousmoss]

this is the exact intersection of my somewhat-niche interests that I needed

[@loopymoomoo1]

if you needed a wheelchair in morrowind you could live on levitation spells and just float around lmao 20:20

[@mechaknightdx5066]

I feel like the magic that is available to the public could very well be a factor in terms of city design. (It definitely is for the Telvanni wizards) Knowing how to cast levitate, telekinesis, or night eye would go a long way in improving the daily life of it's practitioners but could unfortunately be required for some to get by.

[@myknZgaming]

@@mechaknightdx5066 Didn't consider, Night Eye, good point

[@lagelinnarsson1347]

Considering the scale of handcrafted game settings like Morrowind, I wonder if there are any where intra-city public transport even makes sense. Pokemon cities have bike rentals, or are they stores? Love this, very thorough!

[@lagelinnarsson1347]

Lumiose City has a goat shuttle!!

[@myknZgaming]

@@lagelinnarsson1347 omg hilarious!

[@sub-jec-tiv]

@@lagelinnarsson1347greatest shuttle of all time

[@Twisted_Logic]

There actually is one city with intra-city public transport on Vvardenfell. I'll leave the series to get there first, though

[@Rasengangstarr]

Awesome concept and video, love how niche and nerdy this is! Instant sub.

[@tylerkessler4021]

Cool to see women get passionate for Morrowind 👍🏼

[@hjelsethak]

Instantly subscribed!

[@myknZgaming]

Thanks, cheers!

[@crowapples]

Hell yes urban planning

[@sub-jec-tiv]

I’d love to hear about how you feel about Vivec. It’s surely unfriendly and confusing to outsiders. However, it is possible that the confusing almost red-tape feel of Vivec is an expression of the culture there. It’s unfriendly to outsiders, and it’s all about the temple; the secular spaces get kind of shoved into boxes, unfriendly to visitors… at least that’s what I wondered about when i’ve played. The easy comment is, “it’s a badly designed city.” But, is it? Or is it just an expression of the culture? Which is purposely xenophobic, like Morrowind itself. Once I learned where everything was, I had a unique feeling, of feeling like a local. For this reason, after many years, I actually kind of like Vivec! 😂

[@myknZgaming]

@sub-jec-tiv Love this perspective! Really well put, especially how it's hostile in a similar way to morrowind itself. I totally agree about the satisfaction of learning your way around too. I'm looking forward to making the vivec video for sure👍

[@tHiNk413]

Does anybody actually tell you about the Levitation you can get at the Temple? Like, all the Dunmer know it, all of them use it and they secretly chuckle at the stupid N'Wah walking around or using his own Mana to levitate...

[@nickoliekeyov746]

@tHiNk413 The only way you’d know is if you join the temple and then ask for duties in which case you’re told to make pilgrimage to the seven graces, and the easiest / closest grace just so happens to be the levitation one. I find it interesting though that even 'The Pilgrim's Path' specifies that homemade levitation potions don’t work, only ones obtained through shops or conveniently at the temple itself. That’s probably a gameplay limitation but I can also see it being a case of the temple obligating foreigners to buy-in to their religion to navigate the city

[@TheSpectralForce]

hey this was really cool

[@Noaartetc]

The Morrowind time is 6 times faster than ours, so the time to traverse the city should be multiplied. And seeing that you're an expert parcourer, you should go a bit easy on a common not-acrobat people and add a couple minutes. 😊 And wow, Council club, huh. I wonder what interesting information that guy in a fort got for you. 🤗 Also would you adress the lack of infrastructure for kids and lack of children in general. Also all Argonians are trans in a way, if I remember correctly. So nbd, probably) Very chaotic inspection ❤❤❤

[@gamesthatiplay9083]

I would think the #1 priority would be food and water. It's on a river yes, there's an egg mine... but it's not one of your criteria. There aren't any farms in the region, but there are some in Vanderfall, but no stilt striders to get them to town. Must be a lot of window gardens. Nearby resources to construct the city, there's plenty of stone in a mountain region, but it's incredible a mere 93 people could create such a village. Village being a population term. Another factor is why the city exists. It's not really a port despite being on a river in a hub area. There's a stilt strider, but no guars or boats.. There's a fortress nearby, but there's no off duty soldiers there. No real entertainment businesses beyond pubs. Lots of pubs for a mere 93, but I guess that's ancient life, not everyone had a method to cook food in their home. Another issue is the sewage. Where's it going? Into the river with the drinking water? Guess it doesn't matter in a village of 93 people compared to San Francisco which is currently having an issue. No lighting around the waterfront? You're gonna have a lot of people night drowning. You discuss accessibility, where's the ladder to get out of the water? It's just a pit to drown in. I can understand no ladders for defensive purposes, but no life saving measures to fish people out of the river?

[@SheWhoHathCATS]

aw heck yeah i love morrowind

[@TheLulzomar]

The algorithm doesn’t let me down!

[@YamaDrahma]

Tell me.... about these "other things" your budget covers? :)

[@myknZgaming]

@@YamaDrahma💰👮‍♂️...🤫

[@Kaia-LiniFox]

This video is so nice and chill :3; more cities please ? From any of the games :3

[@deathmetaldahlia]

we see morrowind and civil engineering, we click. we are definitely a morrowind household and love the any austin vids too, lol! love your first vid and can't wait to see more video game town breakdowns, as they're inspiring for game dev world building!

[@myknZgaming]

Love it, thanks for joining the ride!

[@obamabiden]

oh yeah this is what I'm talking about

[@depressoegglet]

Yes! I love this, its so nice to see someone with really niche interests like me!😊😊 Also, if you are ever going to do oblivion please try doing one on New Sheoth.

[@myknZgaming]

Oh I'd love that! Thanks for the input!

[@septimus9764]

If you ever run out of cities for content get Tamriel Rebuilt and check out the upcoming Anvil mod. Seriously good job

[@apfelfreund6859]

About the transportation options: the numbers are not important. The destinations and their connections are way more important to consider. Especially since Morrowind has a whole transportation system with different routes and connections where you have to change. You can find a good map online. Maybe it helps for future cities

[@myknZgaming]

Great point, thanks!

[@damienvalentine5043]

Because of the way transport providers are coded in Morrowind, they can only connect to a maximum of four destinations. Obviously some providers only have two or three connections. This limit is never justified in-game, but it may be helpful for calculating scores in the "Transit" category. Oh yeah! At 19:00, you mention wheelchairs. One of the NPCs in *Redguard* uses some kind of motorized Dwemer wheelchair/unicycle. So the Empire isn't totally unfamiliar with the concept of mobility aids...though I suspect the Dwemer machine may effectively be one-of-a-kind.

[@gearfordragnavar1361]

Honestly I think you did a good job on this. There were a few things I disagree with, but overall I think you did a relatively well thought out review. I'm glad I clicked on it. Also, love your voice; it's so nice!

[@WeNeverHadForever]

a collab with AnyAustin when?!

[@Spacecoke]

I never knew walkability was even a word. Isn't it usually called accessibility?

[@myknZgaming]

@Spacecoke It's often used nowadays to describe how pedestrian friendly a neighborhood or city is! Since so many American cities are car-centric.

[@kritorys514]

Oh my Almalexia, this is one of my favorite Morrowind analysis videos ever (and I've watched many). "Parkour" is the perfect way to describe traveling within Balmora. The juxtaposition of that modern terminology with Morrowind's Morrowindness is conceptual hhilarity. Kudos 👏

[@myknZgaming]

@kritorys514 Wow big praise thanks so much!!

[@giallosubmarine5223]

Oh wow, KZbin algorithm really does know me.

[@SteinGauslaaStrindhaug]

Love this! Can't wait for more

[@TheDudiest3Dude]

You should do this with Cyberpunk

[@frederikklarname149]

I'm still at the start of this video but I'm definitely in for the ride. Thanks!

[@myknZgaming]

@frederikklarname149 hey thanks! Cheers!

[@frederikklarname149]

@@myknZgaming And I did watch till the end - great work! I'm looking forward to seeing the next episode, especially when you get to Ald'ruhn, but any and every town, really. Morrwind's people and places are such game feel forces. I prefer Morrowind's townsfolk and NPCs in general to those of it's successors. The vast, wiki-like dialogue system animates these characters so much more than bland and basic routines. Not seeing NPCs do a lot actually enhances my imagination. I believe in such a lore-rich fantasy world we shouldn't demystify everything. (Analysis of urban planning does not fall under demystification, though! On the contrary, I find it to be a pretty imaginative exercise! :) )

[@myknZgaming]

@@frederikklarname149 Awesome points you made here, I totally agree!

[@RisingXAbove]

Lmaoooo I love this.

[@fenrir7878]

If I want to get an easement or a variance to ensure Silt Rider access to my residence, which clan will be best take up my plea?

[@myknZgaming]

@fenrir7878 oh yeah, that'll be Hlaalu for sure

[@adamhahn6634]

I'm a Morrowind but case, so this might be a selfish request, but please grow your channel with a 'Major Cities of Morrowind' series!

[@myknZgaming]

I'm planning on doing this with all the major towns!

[@Nikotheleepic]

>walkable cities 'hough

[@SupahTrunks7]

I absolutely love this concept! Subscribing to see more of morrowind examined. I think another thing to mention with the disability access is that a disabled person may still be versed in magic or alchemy that (or able to purchase scrolls and potions from vendors) that provide effects that allow for easier access such as levitation potions to reach services such as the silt strider with ease. especially since the height a silt strider stands at doesn’t make building a ramp a very easy infrastructure to implement when it would have to be either far too steep for a wheelchair user to ascend without a levitation potion to stop backsliding, or a very very long twisting ramp to allow a better incline for such a height. That being said I think the reason we don’t see much in the way of wheelchairs in morrowind is possibly that it is NOT the favored method of transportation for vardenfellians with mobility issues. Given how much the rugged terrain has influenced Dunmeri culture I can see them preferring use service animals like Guar and Aliit as mounts (perhaps with a chair like saddle that allows support). On earth we don’t have rideable domestic animals in the size range for city living that would be able to carry full grown adults so it’s not an option we have here but IS an option in Tamriel. Plus being bipedal animals would make the stairs much less of an issue since they wouldn’t have the issue of being able to go up but not down that many ungulates on earth have.

[@myknZgaming]

@@SupahTrunks7 Excellent points here! The mount idea is one I hadn't considered, I'll definitely be rethinking accessibility in the coming videos! Thanks for joining the ride❤️🙌

[@KatM711]

We should let her cook.

[@thanganbabp5570]

love to see you doing something fun as a way to learn

[@AP2brolic]

Dope video

[@Twisted_Logic]

City planning may not be a particular interest of mine, but I'm always interested in unique, niche Morrowind videos. Especially well-produced ones. Other than Vivec, obviously, I'm really interested in what you have to say about Sadrith Mora, especially with regards to accesssibility. It's probably the least accessible city on Vvardenfell, with even able-bodied people unable to get around if they're not skilled in alchemy or alteration magic.

[@8bitstargazer]

God i cant wait till i can move out of the urban hell that is vivec.

[@machogarf6884]

Heck yeah

[@CodeAndGin]

On accessibility in regard to mobility, despite the legal ban on levitation in the Empire, potions of rising force are readily available from most alchemists. Perhaps these potions are used as a mobility aid by Vvardenfellan people?

[@myknZgaming]

@CodeAndGin Good point! I've also been considering that

[@Twisted_Logic]

The ban on levitation actually has an exception for the province Morrowind due to its importance to their native culture. I was actually thinking the same thing as well, though I imagine constant use of rising force potions might get expensive. Perhaps amulets with a weak levitation and/or feather enchantment?

[@CodeAndGin]

@@Twisted_Logic reusable enchantments do make more sense. The wealthiest of course can afford golden saint souls to have constant levitation enchants too (I always make a constant effect 7pt levitate ring for traversal with the boots of blinding speed lol)

[@Twisted_Logic]

@@CodeAndGin I was acually meaning a cast on use enchantment, since they're much cheaper. Something like 5pts for 5s that'd only be used a few times a day as needed and would naturally recharge itself as the owner slept. The rest of the assistance would probably be provided by crutches and/or a family member depending on the severity of the disability

[@CodeAndGin]

@@Twisted_Logic No no i get you, thats what i meant by "reusable enchantments", i was only mentioning constant effect as another option for the extremely wealthy

[@ZemiousKatarn]

Watched this with my partner, had to hop on to my account to subscribe as well. Welcome in. Looking forward to more!

[@myknZgaming]

Thanks so much!!

[@victoriaj2129]

Instant subscribe

[@grevehans]

Love these videos. They work equally well wether you try to sleep or are active! Looking forward to discussions on accessibility of the Telvanni-cities 😆

[@myknZgaming]

Thanks!!

[@Tommysimonsen]

I think Balmora is the only city I newer was called the N word in. N'wah.

[@kylecargill1248]

this is cute

[@povilzem]

If higher alphabet letter means worse grade, I fully expect Vivec to get a V for mobility. Maybe even a V-.

[@Comeonnowskip]

This is awesome

[@myknZgaming]

Thanks!❤

[@YamaDrahma]

Morrowind has cities? 20 houses is a city?

[@defectivegorilla]

This feels like a community college course via Zoom.

[@myknZgaming]

Lol, that's part of the vibe I was going for!

[@Sebastian_Niedermeier]

I like the idea, but I disagree with your methodology. Let me elaborate. Video game cities are represantative expressions of what they are not identical entities. Has Balmora 96 citiciesn (I'll trust you on the count without checking) - yes, but not literally. It's a vibrant local capital and seat of political power, that has proximity to the imperial mining town of Pelagiad, the agricutural Ascadian Isles regions, and support a mayor military installation with Fort Moonmoth - while maintaining trade. 96 people don't make sense for that because that's just litteral, they represant way morr and you can feel it. If you go literal: Vivec is a hole bunch of lonely people living in a way too large a superstructure, instead of an overcrowded capital city with a diverse populous and an seedy underbelly. Pelagiad is a fort and a hostel, instead of an important military town seated on a crossroad that provides stability for the hole region. Suran is a bikini bar and five traders, instead of a seedy moloch and trading hub for a quarter of Vvardenfell. And lastly Seyda Neen - it's not five shacks and a trader. It's a port city, connected by land and sea, with governmental border installations that handles mainland trade and migration, and also has a local fishing industry, as well as a more upper class central town with shopping aquaintances - so yeah that's the first proper city you ventured into. I think you should adjust this factor. Your qualitative arguments are very solid nonetheless. Just saying the hole could be better. Addendum: Regarding your diversity rating. There's really two possible stories that could have played out here and I'm not lore savvy enough to judge. In the first you have this powerful city with it's guilds, markets and political institutions that pushes the poor to the outskirts on the other side of the river. In the second you find a sleepy fishing and kwama egg mining town that was promoted to the state of regional capital by house Hlaalu taking up residence and attracting guilds and commerce on the other side of the river, without gentrifying the original poorer population on the opposite river bank and instead including them in the newly constructed town walls as full citicens. Well that's two almost contradictory outlooks on the city...

[@myknZgaming]

@Sebastian_Niedermeier Thanks for the comment! You are absolutely right in that these cities are abstract representations, which is something I was definitely aware of going into this. I talked about it at one point but may have cut most of that section where I discuss it explicitly. In any case, that fact does make certain assessments harder, but that goes hand in hand with all the aspects that make analyzing a video game city hard. For example, the people don't act like real people either and thus don't respond to spaces in the same way. In the end, I'm trying to strike a balance of what is physically there and what it represents. I tend to focus more on the former, because I personally find that more tangible and entertaining. Your addendum on the diversity section is awesome by the way, I love it! Those are super interesting interpretations that really add texture to Balmora whichever way you look at it. Great input, thanks for sharing!

[@Sebastian_Niedermeier]

@myknZgaming No need to thank me, I literally jumped at the opportunity to Nerd out about Morrowind for a bit 😅. And since I've recently come to appreciate qualitative analysis way more than quantitative methods (they really tend to obscure more than they uncover and mislead into a false sense of objectivity), this comment was what resulted. PS: I'm perfectly convinced there is a "History of Balmora" book in-game that says exactly what it canonically is. But I find it more interesting to listen to what the design says. Funningly enough the point you raised about sadly all facades looking the same would also solve the question which side old-town is 😅

[@myknZgaming]

@@Sebastian_Niedermeier Ahh very cool! I know Morrowind has great lore material through books, but I've never actually been much of a lore person, so the design speaking for itself is kinda doing the heavy lifting for me here lol! Again, urban planning is so intertwined with history and politics that a person with a head for serious lore could really dig deep here. I'll keep an eye out for that book though, or ones on any other cities as I travel. Cheers!

[@luisostasuc8135]

Tbf, the PC is a literal outlander who is unlikely to have read the book first. This video and its perspective reflects that, and reacting to what you physically see is the default. Slight tangent, there's a concept called "affordance theory" that says that we first encounter the world in how it "affords" us access, how objects can be manipulated, how safe a space feels for a certain activity, etc. I learned about the name of it recently, but it seems like your approach has a good understanding of that 🙂

[@myknZgaming]

@luisostasuc8135 Oh neat! I'm unfamiliar with that term but I'm gonna look it up now since it sounds right up my alley!

[@IonutzLOL]

I don't know how the algoritm chose this, but it's exactly THE niche. Thank you!!

[@OptimalFBax]

This is why the Internet was invented.

[@keyboardlizard9096]

This rules

[@myknZgaming]

Hey thanks!

[@IchKomentiereNur123]

mobility impaired people probably use levitation or other magical solutions, which should be accounted for city design in Vvardenfell especially when you cover Telvanni towns

[@Sebastian_Niedermeier]

I disagree. The magic teaching monopol of the Mages Guild and Telvanni makes this a completely classist issue. This is reflected in Telvanni architecture, which completely disregards non-magic-user as not worth of consideration to begin with. I believe this framing fits the Telvanni and Vvardenfell better than a meriocratic view where everybody could magic - they can't, folks in power don't care.

[@AnotherGeekOnTheWall]

Why do we need to care about walkability? You can fly, can't you?

[@madvulcan8964]

2:22 I think that’s just plain zoning or district planing nothing more.

[@13thprotector64]

This is clearly similar if not just copying those other videos involving census and employment that were made a while back. I'm not against you having your own take on it, it's arguably a good thing that more people do this sort of thing. I hope you do more of Vvardenfell and even go into Tamriel Rebuilt.

[@myknZgaming]

@13thprotector64 Yes, I assume you mean AnyAustin. Those videos were an inspiration for this series which I do credit him and Angel Akitosh for in the video! Thanks, I'm definitely doing more Vvardenfell!

[@13thprotector64]

@myknZgaming indeed indeed. Let's see how good you can do bringing bureaucracy to Vvardenfell and the greater Morrowind. Might I suggest either Ebonhart or Pelagiad next?

[@arcanelore0]

it's fine clothier :) not clother. Sorry, seem to be feeling pedantic

[@dogevanzandt2889]

Really dislike people that look like you because you hate people like me.

[@myknZgaming]

@@dogevanzandt2889 Interesting!

[@jhonproctor6926]

What are you gay?

[@myknZgaming]

@@jhonproctor6926 oh yeah, urban planning is mega gay

[@A.Odara.23]

I love the morrowind lesbian fandom

[@myknZgaming]

@A.Odara.23 not a lesbian but agreed nonetheless!🙌❤️