whats the tower for? if its the great crystal tower, i wouldnt do it, id get a custom mesh to use, and a more crystal appearance, like on obelisks of order

Oh i forgot to say. No I wasn't going to use it for the crystal tower. That would be a major let-down. i was just going to use it for the lighthouse at Alinor.

had to comment on this, because its wrong. http://www.elderscrolls.com/tenth_anniv/tenth_anniv-morrowind.htm, but that was never publicized. later on it featured all of morrowind and used a battlespire engine (the first morrowind screenshots are from this era). TES4 was always going to be set in Cyrodiil. By the time any trademarks were made the decision was set in stone.

As for summurset, make it cool. the altmer are nothing like tolkein elves, and they should not use the horribly generic art noveau inspired buildings everyone thinks of when you say "elf." Thats boring, and therefore wrong. summurset is a place of unrivaled imagination, so get creative please.

anyways, i've told you my views plenty of times. good luck.

Interesting pice of info.
And yes, A lot of picture think Tolkien wen they think Altmer. But your right, it should be cool. It should be unique. I think this is pretty cool though. http://ps3media.gamespy.com/ps3/image/article/734/734529/white-knight-story-20060922010244476.jpg
And yes, I know your views. :/ But thank you.

SOunds great, really looking forward to it. I imagine you'll have it finished before we hear of anything regarding TESV. Just sayin.

Sorry I was a bit hazy about my memories of it but I do remember that Summerset Isle was originally supposed to be the 4th game after they switched to Morrowind for the third game. I can't remember whether it was a forum post or an interview but I know it was soon after Morrowind came out.

Perhaps http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=14295 would be a valuable asset if I gain permission to use it.

Although I have no skill at modding, I promise to be one of the very first to DL this!

Amazing! we could use somone with your feats!
Well atleast i have fans. But as I posted at the Nexus forums, Im at a standstill until I get ideas on how to retex the Telvanni tileset or a recruit a modeler.

I like the castle you found Googlepox :thumbsup:
I don't think there are many modeler out there, the few that exists probably is working on big projects.
So, I think your alternative is to learn how to make models or place vanilla buildings and resources as placeholders and hope that people like mr_siika drops by now and then.



@Lady Nerevar

I consider you to be the master of lore, but I was wondering what's wrong going with elvish architecture, since no one knows how altmer building looks like.
It makes it a lot easier I think for the modder if they had a style to go after.
"Place of unrivaled imagination", something like this then:

- http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs42/f/2009/161/5/b/Elven_Architecture_for_David_by_Elthenstorm.jpg

Could you find a concept art of what you imagine altmer strucers looks like?

Yo.

After playing with the Height map for Summerset. I've been really thinking on the Island and. well you should ponder something

The Scale of the Isle is quite small. Cloudrest cannot exceed the size of Cyrodil without looking silly. Couple that with how the city is built atop not only the mountain but also Ruins....
I just down;t think ANY of the OB or Morrowind's meshes can be used. By necessity the archetype has to be vertical.

What I'd propose is add into the architecture floating platforms. That Crystal-like-Law not even touch the ground.


I'm hesitant to say more though. I'm moving forward with my own Mod in Summerset. I would offer to join this group, but I'm afraid it might more resemble the Black Marshes Mod(shudder) then the Hammerfall of which Lady N is working on.

Convince me you guys are doing more the plopping buildings on a neat island, that you really diving into Alteri culture as a source. And and you'll have me with whatever you need.

Not that I are on any team, but I`m curious on what skills you have khalvin8. Do you make models,scripts, textures?

Floating cities:

- http://troisphereproductions.com/images/concept/NOW%20WORLD%20FLOATING%20CITY%204.jpg
- http://mattgaser.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/floating-garden.jpg
- http://www.freakygaming.com/gallery/strategy_games/heroes_of_might_and_magic_5/hovering_sky_city.jpg
- http://frankkoehl.com/wp-content/gallery/wow-images/floating-city-dalaran.jpg


@Googlepox

When/ if you get some modelers, you should drop by www.tamriel-rebuilt.org and go to the art section and ask for some consept art (they are incredibly talented).

We do actually have information on elven architecture in the http://www.imperial-library.info/pge/aldmeridominion.shtml. Alinor is described as "made from glass or insect wings," and as "a hypnotic swirl of ramparts and impossibly high towers, designed to catch the light of the sun and break it to its component colors, which lies draqed across its stones until you are thankful for nightfall." None of this matches the traditional art noveau Rivendel or Lorien. Some of the art linked does have a similar vibe (namely in that it is tall and uses towers), but it is still rather cliche.

A huge tenant of lore is "boring and therefore wrong." Ever since Daggerfall TES has been going away from DnD and Tolkein and developing its own societies. The Dark Elves don't live underground, don't like S&M, and aren't Chaotic Evil. The Redguards conquered Hammerfell in what is a brilliant reversal of imperialism. The wood elves are not tree dwelling hippies but savage cannibals. In a universe which is bent on breaking stereotype, presenting the Altmer as equivalent to the Quendi just doesn't make sense.

What is most important to consider is environment and society. The first dictates what materials are available (deserts have less wood, and hence use mud bricks, etc.). The second decides how those materials are used in architecture. The Altmer are a proud race who detest the boundaries of Nirn. They believe in a return to their original godhood, and to achieve this they undertake a sort of controlled evolution. There is no chance in their society, nor in their architecture. Everything is mathematically precise, designed to be nothing less than perfect. Even their animals are genetically engineered. Generic elves are, in general, in touch with the natural world and not intent on tampering with it. It doesn't make sense that two societies which exist in different environs and have completely different outlooks on the world would use the same type of architecture.

Modders are creative world builders, right? So why not use some of that creativity to break free from the standard and create a look that is both fitting to the Altmer and unique to them?


TR is a mod, not a place to request things.

I know this, but I`m not sure Myzel and the other artists drop by the oblivion forum very often.

Edit*
Scratch that sentence because I just remember your concepts drawings Lady Nerevar, and you are very skilled.

I know that you are a very busy person, but if you got time someday, could you draw a picture on how you belive summerset architecture would look like :angel:

By the way, I can't seem to remember seeing any concept art of Summerset at tamriel-rebuilt, do you know of any?
If there are, is it only for the tamriel-rebuilt project or could it be used for this?

Wouldn't this be appropriate for Summerset?

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/kotaku/2009/08/ff14_02.jpg
http://snowskadi.deviantart.com/art/White-Tower-69872081
http://alexiuss.deviantart.com/art/Solaris-Autumn-83142441

Wow Seigfried, the first one is really beautiful! That would look amazing in Summerset Isles.

yes, but asking them at TR is not appropriate. if you want to get in touch with a specific artist the best way is to send them a PM. As a general rule, the art of TR is open to all, as long as proper credit is given (both to the project and to the artist).

I don't remember TR doing any Sumurset concepts, as its never been a priority. I don't remember seeing any from the community at large either, probably because it is such a difficult land to wrap your mind around.

Thanks for the compliments. My art at TR is many years old, I've improved a lot since then.

Great concepts. If only I could model, but I can only model some things in Sketchup and export them to Blender, but there's no "hull" script to give them collision.

Come up with some architecture and PM it to me. I'll need a every important profile including a top down view and anything you guys want.
Buildings, general Archt Statics, Clutter, anything.

As for Concept. This is my predominate http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4HdopWKcWh0/SsdVE7tk8fI/AAAAAAAACqk/e5MfWLIxLSM/s400/concept-22.jpg.

Not for the building so much as the idea. There is only one reason any one would build a City on the precipice of a waterfall and that is to proclaim a statement of Power. I also imagine the Altmer easily capable of taming the the forces of creation into support 'small' platforms and bridges. They could thus build literally cross cliff faces.

Eight is a great number for architecture and has a lot of symbolize in the TES universe. An eight sided building is really two square spaces forced to overlap. Simple with the CE and I think spectacularly beautiful.
Force, Power, Transformation, Beauty. hardly like the nature loving Quindi of Tolkein at all really.

I can imagine geometrically aligned octagonal spires faced with a layer of glass clinging to cliffs and ledges. Spindly walkways and octagonal discs floating with a lazy hum of pure magicka. Colorful banners flap in the sea breezes declaring each honored clans trade. Sculptures of perfection slowly orbiting the flotilla gardens.

And far below the 'city' the lowest castes struggle with their lives living in paper shacks(think medieval japan, not sure why but I think it would blend nicely.) They are constantly reminded their position in their culture every time they look up. The Farms and Dock workers. All the Altmer not skilled in craft the ideal of perfection or whose work my mar the atmosphere of the upper classes. (An aside, It is not a stretch to think the lower castes migh live in vast carved/natural caves if no flat land lies close to a specific city.

But at least they are not like the slow-witted foreigners. Usurping imperial fools,

.... amazing.
Really, that made me sit in awe.

khalvin8: i like where its going, though feel free to take it up another notch

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KmBxWLoILIw/SaXO5n2wY_I/AAAAAAAAAkw/YTvxmvWX_Us/s400/glass+window+reflection+on+wall.JPG is what http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Light_through_glass.jpg when http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Light_through_glass05.jpg sumurset, and http://100musicalfootsteps.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/fractal-art-alfred-laing-spiral-fantasy.jpg is http://www.nicewallpapers.info/pics/3d/fractal/fractal_162.jpg http://aleksandarrodic.com/renderman/images/broccoli.jpg. Seemingly random but in truth exact beyond knowing, a formula telling the biogenesis of each bloodline into time immemorial. The structure of each building is a story onto itself, and a skilled observer will know everything about the inhabitants long before their first meeting.

And how on Akatosh's green Nirn will somone manage to model that?

skill and a lot of time? when thinking about the practical implementations of such architecture i believe it is important to break the rules. there are a lot of properties in models that are used very sparingly to create specific effects (eg. the reflection of glass windows), these same properties can be turned up or mixed with different textures to create something that transcends the idea of a specific material. Texture work will also be very important, I do not believe the altmer should use readily identifiable (and therefore mundane) materials. Notice how many morrowind textures were a mystery, while all oblivion texture are recognizable as real.

I'll second that

Hmm... SO just modeling the basic shape is the "easy" part, while figuring out the right forumula to the texture properties is what it all comes down to. Wow. If this project could achieve that, it would be...amazing.