Looking for a heightmapper for ST

[Razorwing]

FLESH is doing our heightmap

ESF Thread

We're looking for a person interested in creating a heightmap for the Silgrad Tower mod project. You need to be skilled in the arts of creating heightmaps and have the time and energy to dedicate yourself to the job, since the background of our project means the lands we want to bring back already existed once. The job is made easier if you happen to have access to The Elder Scrolls III although it's not really a requirement since we have enough information that isn't in game form for it to be possible anyway.

Being skilled in creating heightmaps is the most important criteria, as we would need you to make judgement calls and advise us as much as we would need to advise you.

>> Here is our concept map.

Notes.
? Vvardenfell is only shown on the map for reference, it's not part of the heightmap job.
? Each yellow square on the map represents a block of 12x12 exterior Oblivion cells, not one cell. There's also an alternative page if you would rather have a quad grid.
The map is a mixture of work by Tempered (Silgrad Area), Prometheus (Morrowind mainland) and of course Bethesda (Vvardenfell).

The full concept map for the Silgrad Area may be worth viewing as it explains what the color codes mean. Don't put any thought into the grid lines along the sides of that full map though, they don't mean anything; it's the joint concept map that is accurate. The color codes are mostly of relevance when it comes to trees, plants and rocks - and we're not quite there yet, as other jobs have had to been prioritized in our teams' modelling department. More variations of that Silgrad concept map can be found here.

Generating the models that go on the surface of the heightmap would come at a later date, after those models have been completed. That includes towns and villages, which you shouldn't worry about - their graphics on the map isn't to scale. They'll be set up later on by the modders on the team. So, the job is strictly for a heightmap at this point, but we would very much like to continue working with you as the flora- and rock models become completed.

While the trees and rocks remain to be done, the color codes on the Silgrad map can still give valuable tips on what the nature of the terrain should be.
- Light grey is the 'Velothi Mountains', a vast mountain chain along Morrowind's border. Tall, cragged peaks should be commonplace
- Light Brown is the Reich Parkeep / Reich Hills region, which is dominated by soft rolling hills
- Green is our own Bitter Coast region, and is a relatively flat landscape with a lot of pools of water of varying sizes.
- The other areas have their special character too, but not the kind that would be apparant from a heightmapping perspective.
- Please create the heightmap for the area north of the Silgrad Area (which we call the 'Blacklight Area') according to Prom's underlying concept map.

Apart from that;
- The heightmap should have it's own, fresh worldspace. It should absolutely not be in the same worldspace as "Tamriel".
- Anything beyond the border to Skyrim should not be part of the heightmap. Please close it off with mountain peaks. (Our modders will modify the few mountain passes afterward)
- Silgrad doesn't currently plan to extend much further south than in Tempered's colored concept map, but it would be cool if you included the areas down to Karthor Dale as on the concept map anyway so that it's possible to travel back and forth at all points of the coasts of the mainland and Vvardenfell.
- Please situate it so that the northwest area of the concept map winds up fairly close to the absolute northwest edge of the available space of the heightmap, but not too close since we might need that buffer in the future.

You may find the utilities Fractal terrain and GeoControl helpful. GeoControl is an easy-to-use program that can allow you to generate, design, and edit terrain, and it is highly recommended that you use this program for this task. It's available as a 31-day trial, and more information can be found on cajomi.de.

Again, we have to stress how important it is that you who are interested in taking up the job is very skilled with creating heightmaps, and able to think for yourself as your work progresses - while communicating your progress regulgarly in a forum thread.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask - and thanks in advance!

[KuKulzA]

Razorwing, would it help if I provided a sort of concept map for Vvardenfell?
Because our Vvardenfell will be slightly different, with a taller Red Mt., and large ashlands, with the Gash and Ascadian isles being narrower.... but not extreme, only slightly smaller. So do you think i should make one?

[Axen]

I'm already more than likely doing Vvardenfell's heightmap. However, for Vvardenfell, I have to wait for GeoControl v2 for two reasons:
1) Seamless heightmap combining. It can only do heightmaps of up to 4096x4096 (4 quads) in resolution (technical reason: RAM), and Vvardenfell will take up more than that. So, I'd have to work on the heightmap in 4096x4096 chunks, and that means seams... hence why I need seamless combining.
2) More filters. I want dunes for the northern Ashlands and lava cracks in the Molag Amur. As well as a spiffy river system, so the Odai river will not just go from being a long puddle to a river, but from a long puddle to an awesome river.

However, for ST, IF it takes up no more than 4x4 quads, it can be done with GeoControl v1.

[KuKulzA]

Originally posted by Axen
2) More filters. I want dunes for the northern Ashlands and lava cracks in the Molag Amur. As well as a spiffy river system, so the Odai river will not just go from being a long puddle to a river, but from a long puddle to an awesome river.

I agree with those... and while we're at it... we should discuss landmass back at Vvardenfell...
also since you are as of now Vvar heightmapper, me and you need to keep in close contact :yes:

[Razorwing]

Hmm... hmm hmm... *thinks*

I take it your question was answered by Axen's volounteering, KuKulzA? I'm sure you guys can discuss the finer details of Vvardenfell's landmass directly. =)

Would it work from a technical viewpoint if Axen created the Vvardenfell landmass and someone else the ST landmass and then their works be merged into one esm? Or maybe the TES4 PU would short out from such a massive operation? Not that I wouldn't want you Axen to create the ST landmass, but from an objective viewpoint it'd be better to have two guys working on it rather than one, letting both of them pay more attention to their respective lands. I imagine Vvardenfell would be a helluva lot of work in itself because players know every nook and cranny of it.

Not sure how many cells make up a quad, but to round off a number ST would be about 130,000 cells.

[Axen]

Originally posted by Razorwing
Not sure how many cells make up a quad, but to round off a number ST would be about 130,000 cells.

31x31. Um, are you sure your math is right?

[Razorwing]

Originally posted by Axen

Originally posted by Razorwing
Not sure how many cells make up a quad, but to round off a number ST would be about 130,000 cells.

31x31. Um, are you sure your math is right?

Yup. 30x30 grids on the concept, 144 cells per grid.

[TheImperialDragon]

I might do a quad or two using the Heightmap editor. It'd be nice if we had a map (sorry, I didn't mean "nap", lol) so we know where is where and stuff. I think the 0 cells on the X axis would be good for the division between Silgrad and Vvardenfell. Silgrad being more or less west of there and Vvardenfell east.

[Razorwing]

Originally posted by TheImperialDragon
I might do a quad or two using the Heightmap editor. It'd be nice if we had a map (sorry, I didn't mean "nap", lol) so we know where is where and stuff. I think the 0 cells on the X axis would be good for the division between Silgrad and Vvardenfell. Silgrad being more or less west of there and Vvardenfell east.

We have a rather good concept map.

[TheImperialDragon]

Originally posted by Razorwing

Originally posted by TheImperialDragon
I might do a quad or two using the Heightmap editor. It'd be nice if we had a map (sorry, I didn't mean "nap", lol) so we know where is where and stuff. I think the 0 cells on the X axis would be good for the division between Silgrad and Vvardenfell. Silgrad being more or less west of there and Vvardenfell east.

We have a rather good concept map.

In MW cells I'm guessing? I'll help Axen if he wants me to do a small chunk of land somewhere.


BTW: I meant quads, but I guess that map will do.