SHRAC07 "Steadhelm Region Area Claim" [Revised]

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Progress Report

Landscaping & Height Editing - Done except for a few more islands in the sea area and the next cave.
Terrain Texturing - Partly done in particular areas such as around the fort and ruins and mostly complete for three quarters of the claim.
Main features (with map markers) - One Fort (as yet unnamed), One Cave (Angel's Tear Cave) and One Ruin (Rammoch Ruins). At least one more cave to come.
Flora & Flying Objects - Almost three quarters of the claim is now done but I can see I missed some trees and flying objects. Not many more flyers left to correct. It's mainly polishing things up now.
Enemies & Pathgridding - Nothing done.
Vertex Shading - Partly done.

The pictures show:

* A new complete waterfall with trees and adornments.
* The new downhill stream.
* The textured swampland with islands and flora.
* A much more attractive Fort with all the trimmings.
* The circular path now with trees replaced.
* An 'error' I may need help with - I want to use this door to Angel's Tear Cave but whatever I choose, it always seems to be an animated door that opens outwards. However, it seems to be the perfect shape and style. Any suggestions?

[Terje]

I dont know if i should post this here but looks very nice....your damn good

[sandor]

I agree it looks very nice!

[Ibsen's Ghost]

It's always a pleasure to get compliments, Terje! Thanks a lot, both of you. It's been hard work but I'm getting there and there is a noticeable improvement since my first landscape, I think.

Talking progress, I now have about 20 cells left to sort out before I do my final sweep by checking the texturing and vertex shading. That includes adding one last cave in the South West area. Once this is done then it's on to the enemies and pathgridding which doesn't take too long at all.

I'm trying to get this finished ASAP because I know I'll have very little time when I start my new job next week.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Phew! Done at last. I'm uploading this .esp so far in the hope that SACarrow can help me with the texturing problems that we spoke about. It's more or less a 'release candidate' with only minor tweaking left to do. This includes fixing any path-gridding that's gone astray and getting the bloody textures to do what I want them to do, plus making sure that no grass is peeking through objects in major areas. I may also need to do a little vertex shading on the main locations but it's all just polishing off from now on, I think...I hope.

Here's the file: http://files.filefront.com/SHRAC07+Candi...einfo.html

[sandor]

Thanks.
I'll try to review the file during the weekend.

---

blue[/HR]

Originally written by Ibsen's Ghost
The quads method just doesn't work because the way of working it out i.e. bottom-right is SE quad, does not correspond with the way that any normal human being works it out. In fact, I can see no logical system being employed at all.

Make sure you look to the 'North' and the quads will correspond e.g. bottom-right is the SE quad.


Resuming.

• Go to the cell you want to edit (press 'B' for the grid).
  
• Select e.g. a rock and press 'T'.
  
• Press 'H' and select a texture (using right-click).
  
• Press 'I'.
  
• Delete the second largest texture for the bottom right part of the cell (quad 2) and you'll see it disappear in the SE quad of the cell.

FYI
You can't delete the texture with highest percentage, replacing is possible.
The max. number of textures is 9 per quad.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Thanks, Sandor! I believe I've finally got it sorted. I think the problem was that I moved once having pressed 'T' in order to face north. Everything seems to be okay now though.

The vertex shading is now complete and I've fixed the path-gridding. Thankfully, I've managed to sort out the textures as well. Hopefully, there will be no grass peeking through the waterfall and the new cave, as happened on my last run-through.

The locations are also now more developed with clear signs of Steadhelm militia activity in the new Fort (which I've named 'Morning Star Bastion') and the new cave (called 'Doussu Pali Cave') is designed with a trench and has a nearby raft with a Dunmer overhang, perfect for a hermit, exile or outlaw.

Small worries and ideas:

* I can't seem to get rid of the grass around Doussu but then again I kind of like the way it pokes through the wooden steps as it fits the general dishevelled look.

* I just can't get rid of the seam in the downhill stream. I've put plenty of rocks and logs in the way but I can't do that at every section or it'll just look wrong.

* I'd like to add lillies to the pools and perhaps something else at some later date in order to make it look a little more like 'Fallenleaf Everglades' which I've been looking at recently. Once this claim is confirmed then is it okay if I submit a tiny .esp with the modifications?

I'll PM you with the final edit of this claim, Sandor. Then I'll start posting dungeon claims. Please take note that modifications have been made to my earlier claim (SHRAC08) as discussed previously. This .esp should solve those problems.

All done in a little over two weeks :banana: . I'm quite proud of myself...but I won't be doing anything quite so doggedly any time soon.

[Razorwing]

Nice work IG :goodjob:

I think Texian and GodHugh's water assets would be a good addition. They look very inventive! The readme said they can be used in any Oblivion mod, so I added them to the next BSA and sent you a copy of the folder structure & prepped files. I went ahead and added the guys to the website's credit list.

Originally posted by Ibsen's Ghost
I'd like to add lillies to the pools [...]

If sandor's ok with it, could you add Azura's Hands as well? They're just our brand of lily pads.

[sandor]

Originally posted by Razorwing

If sandor's ok with it, could you add Azura's Hands as well? They're just our brand of lily pads.

That's a good idea.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Excellent! I shall do that. Plus I just checked out the water meshes in the CS and they look perfect for my downhill stream. I will leave the esp as it is for now (I'll be busy for a while) then when I return I'll replace the texture with Texians. That should get rid of the visible seam problem.

Hopefully, I'll have time to take up another claim soon and will be able to try these out. In the meantime, I'm still thinking about my star-o'-death idea that I mentioned in the thread for claim 8. It will involve using sentry trees for bandits to attack from. Their station needs to have a low enough railing for them not to jump down and a high enough railing for the PC to be able to pick them off with an arrow from the ground. I'm basically trying to maximise the possibilities for an outdoors ambush.

I guess I could slap together some planks of wood but I'd like to look at my options. At the moment, I don't have time to check this out now but I was going to check out some of the following and see what I could beg, borrow or steal (with permission, of course ).

These three look interesting prospects:

* Solace - http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=9962
* Hunter's Haven - http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/Vi...il&id=1003
* Aezarka's Native Tileset - http://www.oblivionsrealestate.com/Modde...cture.html