Game Plan for the Alpha 1.0 Release

[Ja-Kha'jay]

Progress towards the Public Alpha 1.0 Release is pretty good. We still want to get this out before Skyrim.

This release is not just a dead-end, part-finished TES-4 mod. Whilst we appreciate that the days of Oblivion modding are numbered, this alpha is our concept art and prototype for the TES-5 version. It allows us to carry out the design work for the worldspace and to place and showcase the many unique models we are creating to populate it. We will carry the heightmap over to the next generation, and will be keeping the overall landscape and architectural design.

If you are not already in the team and want to help out then the more modders we have the better we can make the TES-4 version, and you can join in with the preparation for the TES-5 version.

The key actions in progress for the Alpha 1.0 release are:

City Walls:
Riverhold - Morcroft
Senchal - TOYB
Torval - TOYB / Kyoushu
all other city walls are complete

Far nifs - Morcroft

Roads - Morcroft
Temples - Morcroft
about 2/3 of the roads and temple exteriors are already complete

Locations:
Topal - TOYB

General:
Various misc locations like camps, dungeon entrances, etc
We also have a few interiors in progress, and a few more available

Quests:
"Entry to Elsweyr" quest - TOYB

Other:
Trailer - TOYB

Morcroft Darkes
17th Sept 2011

Previous OP contents:
Due to the recent revamp of the heightmap, We've decided to restart the version numbering too. So here we go: a game plan for the Alpha 1.0 release

1. Complete the new heightmap :check:

2. Construct a new resource file and folders :check:

3. Package the lot for Region Generation :check:

4. Region Generation :check:

(Final review by core team in progress)

Ongoing work:

5. Modelling new architecture etc

I'll try to update this often, if I forget, kick me and I'll do it, lol.

[Last Updated for progress: Morcroft Darkes 2011-09-17]

[Ja-Kha'jay]

Alrighty guys, sorry there haven't been any updates for a few days. RL got in the way. Anyway I've been working on the heightmap again, as I was not entirely happy with it. In the mean time, check the concept art forums, i've put up one for dune

[morcroft]

Good to see TOYB getting the MQ outline up here - which reminds me, I've been meaning to raise the subject of the overall project strategy.

Seems to me that breaking the mod down into attainable target regions is the only way to go; supporting the MQ as it goes. So do we create a beta region, and how does the Alpha 1.0 release fit in?

I wonder if we should create a rough-cut of the whole country, including region-gen, with the intention of completely clearing and re-generating each region as we come to it. Does this cause problems? It would allow the developers / alpha / beta players to wander around freely, while we focus on each region as required to support the MQ.

The advantage to that would be that we can add assets into the region gen later rather than having to have the entire resource set available up front. Of course we could leave the whole country blank except the beta region but I think we'd miss out on being able to get the feel of the place.

The draft plan could then be:

1. Alpha 1.0 release as detailed in OP by Ja-Kha'jay. Region generation is only prototype, though.
2. Beta 1.0 release - Senchal & Tenmar Forest to support The Main Quest - Chapter I: Introduction
3. Beta 2.0 release - support for The Main Quest - Chapter II: Rebel

etc.

How does this sound?

[Deeza]

We actually have most of the assets for the region generation already. No need to re-do it later. That's just a case of fine landscape detailing, which does not require redoing the generation.

[morcroft]

Originally posted by Deeza
We actually have most of the assets for the region generation already.

That's what you think!

I keep adding stuff: notably I'm retexing the grasses so they fit the savanah better, I'm adding new landscape terrain types for the badlands, because I'm sick of nothing but sand. I've retexed the whole rock set for the badlands. I want to add termite mounds instead of rocks for the savannah. I want to add some unique trees for the forest to use in addition to the Valenwood trees. We still need more dryland shrubs.

If we just use the existing assets then the mod will not look terribly distinctive and I think we should aim for a landscape that is utterly unlike anything else in the community. What would Black Marsh look like now if the regions were generated before Koniption's and my more recent models were added?

This is all broad brush stuff that I think would be nightmarish to do later without region generation. I'll try and get as much of what I want done in advance of region gen but I really think if we try and aim for final generation of the whole country at the outset then either we won't have time to build up the assets or the "fine landscaping" will be more like a total manual rebuild.

[The Old Ye Bard]

I completely agree with Morcroft, we're only going to get one shot at region gen, so it's better to spend abit more time in preparation than to rush into it, Valenwood definetly needs atleast new trees (2-3) for the generation (the stuff we have so far isn't really suited for mainland Valenwood (which is illustrated in the PGE like this), we also need some high-quality trees and flora for the Tenmar Forrest/Southern Forrests (similar to that of the Indonesian Rainforrest), not to mention a fair amount of other stuff.

You've probably got the best idea atm of what specifically is needed Morcroft, perhaps you should write up a checklist of new stuff we need? I could possibly help with some retexes and some new models here-and-there.

[morcroft]

I'll have a think about that list - but you're right, I need to be more organised!

Do we only get one shot at region gen, though? Obviously we have one final shot before we actually start landscaping, but is it practical to do a first cut generation of everything then clear each region out and regenerate when we're ready to do it properly? Does that cause problems? Does it have benefits?

[The Old Ye Bard]

It causes lots of problems because you're left with all of the references afterwards. Obviously you can do tests swatches of each region in a test world space, just to check if the region gen settings are correct, but you can't re-region gen the heightmap without going back to a previous version of the height map to avoid the build-up of references.

[morcroft]

OK - sounds ugly, you're right. We need to work out an order of progress then so we get everybody's effort coordinated.

[The Old Ye Bard]

Originally posted by morcroft
OK - sounds ugly, you're right. We need to work out an order of progress then so we get everybody's effort coordinated.

Well firstly Ja-Kha'jay needs to finish off the coastline of the Height Map, then I'm to export the height map to .raw/.bmp for import into the CS, then it's depedant on the resource file being finished, and for Sceluk and Deeza to handle the Region Gen.

Also MSN Morcroft!