Arnesian Jungle Development

[Ibsen's Ghost]

I will submit more detailed ideas on this region in this post later but for the time being, here's something I'd like to add to our 'wanted models' list: rock spires and rock stacks.

We can use some of the mania rocks although it tends to happen that mania rocks do not automatically generate using the region editor due to the way that SI was set up (mostly by hand). Also, some of the rock stack models remain a little small for what I intend to do with them. Nevertheless, they can be scaled up but this still leaves us with the fact that small models are recognised as small models by the LOD and, as such, will look look like they suddenly 'jump' into view even if enlarged. Can we solve this problem?

Anyway, we may need some of our own rock spires and rock stacks so I found some pics that should help to give you an idea of what I mean. Most of these rocks will be needed for the heart of the jungle but some can be used along the Hankaj Coast. This basically means that everything along or near the Arnesian (Morrowind) border will feature such rocks...they may even stretch further South along the East coast...

Oh, and I'd like to do some kind of 'hanging rock settlement' such as shown here: http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/10/...world.html .

I've been height mapping the Western section of this region lately in order to get the transition right between this region and the Vudai Marshes.

[Xae]

I'm very keen on the lower two pictures on the left, particularly the one on the right (next to the Kyle Hammons picture). Especially if there could be a huge vertical scar somewhere with a village built on the walls of the rock (just like the Eloi village in the film The Time Machine, incidentally the sequence that has one of my all-time favourite film soundtrack pieces). I'm sure there are many other examples. In any case, stuff like this by virtue of being made for Oblivion gets a nice novelty mark-up and literally screams trailer fly-through material.

Is there not a 'visible from afar' check-box for individual objects in the CS?

[Ibsen's Ghost]

I'm not sure. I might try checking that out then...

[Koniption]

How soon do you need these rock models? And how many variations do you think you need?

As for the rock settlements, I can make some rock models with spaces indented into them, to place buildings on [ either vertically (hanging off rock side), or horizontally (like reg. houses) ].

If anyone else is willing to take on this modeling job, be my guest. I know mr.siika has done rock models before; maybe you should inquire with him and a few others first, before having this fall back on me.

Koniption

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Aye, that's a point. I still haven't contacted mr_siika about the Helstrom pyramid as SG said he'd like to have a little more time to work on his own stuff. Nevertheless, rocks like these are unique enough to possibly appeal to mr_siika.

I may need the rock models for Arnesian Jungle region generation. At the moment, I think that may be a way off and there's also the possibility that many of them (if not, all) are likely to be hand-placed anyway. I'm guessing they won't be needed for a while but definitely needed for the beta anyway....

[Deeza]

I think you should take a look at mr siika's existing rock meshes (if you haven't already). TOYB also has a fair amount of experience at making rock meshes and might be able to give advice at the least.

Another thing we'll need to bear in mind is that this region is occupied by Great House Dres, and there should be some evidence of this (roads carved through the jungle, trees cut down to make plantations, etc.). A lot of the settlements will use Phitt's Dunmer house models as well, not to mention the Ashlander huts.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Aye, I plan on making a few flat areas for distributing the new jungle palms from Senten...and I haven't forgotten about the Ashlander huts. I'm hoping to use a small amount of them in the North-West jungle claim if I find an appropriate setting. Most of the Dunmer stuff will appear in the Easternmost sections, however.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

About five cells away from the Wamasus Hills now....

[Deeza]

Remember that the Dunmer villages will replace the Arena village names in this region. So you should have locations for all the villages already if you want to put any in. I have already made translations of all the names into Dunmeris. They're in the "Extra Argonian Villages" thread.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

This is a quick update and an indication of possible future developments (it's just me thinking aloud, basically):

The adjacent mini-region of the Wamasus Hills is fully height-mapped whereas the Arnesian Jungle itself needs adjusting in the Eastern half of the region. At present, Arnesia is very mountainous to the West but will flatten out to the East.

As for the resources, we have plenty of great-looking new palms but we're lacking a really good jungle tree. Senten's old ones from the Naga-Cradle should give way to something like those attached in the pic. They're very similar but I would tend to think that morcroft (if he's available for the task) would do a more convincing job. I would, however, like to have a more stretched-out canopy so maybe this might be achieved with an alternate model.

The second pic demonstrates in greater detail a typical rainforest structure. Note that the emergent layer and canopy would ideally cover the land. Yet the understory and shrub layer is what I'd also like to focus on. As most of the palm trees will be used close to settlements, we need a perfect plant for these areas. KP's elephant plant was instrumental in creating the Naga-Cradle but I'd really like to go with the 'banana leaf' (see pics 3 and 4).

The advantage of the banana leaf is that it has a central trunk that branches upwards and out. Therefore, if the leaves are just higher than head-height then there are two advantages. One is that clipping with the ground is very unlikely unless on severe slopes. The second is that the sense of immersion is enhanced by a double canopy.

Banana leaf plants were absolutely everywhere in the Thai jungle I went to and they looked great! :goodjob:

Additionally, extra-large ferns that similarly stand high off the ground (preferably at a slightly different level than the other two) would complete the effect.

As for flora, I think this is pretty much accounted for...I'd like to bring in some of KP's unused pieces and draft in a few of those from other regions.

I believe I should be okay with textures too...