I'm not sure if this thread should go here, but it seemed most appropriate. Sorry if I'm in the wrong place.

So, I'm making this desert mod, and I decided to make my own architecture for it. The problem is, I'm terrible at designing buildings; they all look boxy to me. All I've really managed is a sort of rounded pyramid, which doesn't quite seem like a good home for anyone :s I'm going for all three classes of architecture, and what I've designed so far is sort of a polished marble architecture. I plan on decorating this with painted bricks and such. I have nothing to show for these buildings as all the designs so far are still in my head. I'm wondering if anyone has an idea of what a middle or lower-class house might look like in the desert. All I've managed to whip up so far is a sort of adobe-like design for lower-class buildings.

P.S. I don't use original Morrowind lore in my mods, so I don't have any limits regarding that. Thanks for any help I might get

I would think softer edges on buildings and a weathered look from sandstorrms and wind.

Try this set by LadyE and Proudfoot:
http://www.mediafire.com/?inykzomzzqr

Thanks, I didn't think of the sandstorm effect.

I've been mulling over using Reiyomant (Sandworm) hide and bone for lower-class building materials, but since the Reiyomants are so tough, it would require most of the village to kill one, and they would only get a single yurt, if that much. Lone buildings might need something different. There are also the highly-armored versions, Sylomants, which could be used for chieftan's huts or something.

Rts - that mod is up on PES now, along with quite a few of Lady E's other mods. I still have many more to upload though!



Search PES for the desert architure mod - its out there somewhere, and is a really good resource.

What would lower-class people live in in the desert? Well, depends on where you are and what kind of lifestyle they live. If they're nomadic, probably animal-hide tents or yurts. If they're settled, probably some sort of adobe or mud-brick structure. If there are mountains or limestone/sandstone structures available, caves are another possibility.

this tile set may give you some thoughts
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=7496

Hm...caves seem like a good idea. I was thinking about an adobe-type architecture for my middle class. Maybe I could use something a bit more decorated for the middle-class and make the lower-class buildings more weathered and simple. The lower classes of people are mostly tribal factions, so using a combination of different living areas for separate tribes would work out.


This is something like what I was thinking for the middle classes. It definitely helps me visualize what I'm going for here.

Thank you everyone for your posts!

You know, you could do worse than look at the Fremen architecture in Dune. Mostly caves, but with adobe walls. I'd actually like to see a cavern set with walls. I did an imperial mine that was sort of this, but not quite. An adobe version might rock. Sort of like the dunmer tombs, but with more exposed stone and stalactites - maybe even pools.

I've got models from one of the Star Wars planets that are supposed to be desert based. Mos Isly, I think. I went in and pulled all the tech stuff off of them way back one day when I was bored, and they don't actually look too bad. I'm sure I downloaded them from someplace free (because I'm getting really cheap in my old age), so, if you want to take a look at them, I can go through my files and see if I can find them again. Problem is they aren't mapped, textured, etc. I seem to remember them being like building block buildings that you can stack or re-size however you might want to. Let me know as soon as you get a chance, since I'm going back to college tomorrow and am going to have a pretty busy schedule for the next two years or so. :hehe:

Hmmm, for some reason, I can't edit my last post, so yeah, I'm double posting. Sorry. Anyway, I went through my files and found the "unteched" Mos Esly buildings. They look like this:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly19.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly18.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly17.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly14.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly13.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly11.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly10.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly9.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly8.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly5.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly4.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly1.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Skinjack/mosesly20.jpg

Keep in mind that these models each have multiple parts (some up to two dozen or so), so they would probably be pretty easy for someone to map. Of course, that leaves interiors, etc., but most of the buildings are laid out pretty simply. Anyway, all I'm doing is offering the models to whomever may want to play with them. If I really have to, I could probably track down where I got them from to make sure there are no permission problems.

Ewww. Sorry. I just took a look at those pics, and the rendering is horrible.

Okay, I've got some of the lower-class buildings worked out. Skinjack, I think something like this would work well for my middle-class, although I don't want to just take a bunch of already-existing models and throw them in (which is why I'm not using the mods people are pointing out), but thanks. These pictures did give me some ideas that I could adapt for what I'm thinking.

I could post some pictures of my progress if I knew how...do I need a link to photobucket/some other site?

If someone could turn these into usable models for MW, that would be pure aceness. Unfortunately I don't have the competency (or the programs, since my computer decided to commit suicide the other day) to do it myself... but pleeeease somebody take up this offer.

You can try downgrading http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=11589.

TextureFreak's http://www.elricm.com/Mods/Hosted/TextureFreak/texturefreak_modpacks.htm#Hlaalu_Desertpack.