Sheogorad Landscaping discussion

Submitted by firewolx on

Hey everyone, I'm new here and wish to add something to this wonderful project. In the next weeks I will focus on improving Sheogorad and building upon previous landscapers' work. In order to keep this a bit organized I've created a new and fresh thread regarding Sheogorad. 

I've used the spreadsheet made by happychappy in the hub thread as a template for Sheogorad, but I've made it a bit more detailed so we can distinguish between land, islands and water. The spreadsheet can be found in the link below. Should you want editing rights, then send me a PM with your e-mail then I will add you as an editor.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hl17U__8T1U-mFLdDwk46K3xafFoxf3gIaPDZKUTdAM/edit?usp=sharing

I haven't played the original Morrowind myself though. So before I actually start changing everything in Sheogorad, I need some advice or suggestions regarding the themes surrounding Sheogorad. Some key concepts and questions regarding Sheogorad: 

  1. Keep the hills hilly. I don't think we want to make every hill into a rock formation. Rock formations often look more detailed, but if every hill starts turning into a rock formation then everything on Morrowind will look and feel the same. Any tips on how I can make hills look more detailed, without adding a million rocks?
  2. Keep the large menhirs of which there are thousands in the region. The problem is that there are only two menhir models in the game, which will result in the menhirs looking very repetitive. I've heard someone is working on new models/textures for menhirs? In that case I will populate the islands with different static forms of the same old model, and then later we can change some of these static forms to the new models when they are finished.
  3. The land's main town is supposedly primarily inhabited by Nords, who claim that they have lived here for longer than the Chimer. Do we want to include some Nord architecture on the island? Or would that be lore unfriendly and too much deviation from the original Morrowind experience?
  4. The land has to stay mystical and feel like a largely uninhabited place. 
  5. What's the overal climate in this region? Is it supposed to be warm here? The weather table suggests that it's cloudy 40% of the time, never snows and only clear 15% of the time. 
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Last edited by grumpycat on 14 Mar 2014 - 23:12.

 

  1. For the hills, I would suggest adding more grass and flora to cover barren areas, if the hills are too steep to see the 3d grass, softening the terrain a bit can help.
  2. It would be cool also with the menhirs, depending on what resources are available, to have bigger ones over the water that you can stand on (as well as the smaller ones), with grass on the top like this​:[External image][External image]
  3. I'm not really sure about the Nordic architecture, it might take away from the mystical feel of the area. A possibility certainly though.
  4. It's far enough north where it would normally be cold, but I think that it's proximity to Red Mountain keeps it warm.
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Well if we do run with this sort of theme there is a bunch of assets added already that will help serve the purpose and can find the references in this thread : http://morroblivion.com/forums/skyrim/skywind-development/3805?page=6#comment-37113

My only concern with this is that it more of a tropical look, and the latitude is the same as Solstheim and Skyrim which is cold. Volcanoes don't make areas warm.

I'm not sure how long the Nords have populated Sheogorad for? Imperials have only been there for 5 years.

 

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Those resources look like they would be perfect to use in Sheogard. A tropical look can still be avoided, the climate and air could be cold, just without snow.

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As quick a test I replaced some of the standard menhirs with some better looking ones. There wasn't a lot of thought put into where and how big the new menhirs would be, so it still feels a bit off. Just wanted to show the difference between old menhirs vs new ones. The new menhirs will probably have to be a bit smaller but that can be changed later. 

Here's how the new menhirs look:

http://imgur.com/a/R6kVT#3

EDIT: I just realized one part of the new menhir has to be below water, and one part above... or am I wrong?

 

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firewolx

As quick a test I replaced some of the standard menhirs with some better looking ones. There wasn't a lot of thought put into where and how big the new menhirs would be, so it still feels a bit off. Just wanted to show the difference between old menhirs vs new ones. The new menhirs will probably have to be a bit smaller but that can be changed later. 

Here's how the new menhirs look:

http://imgur.com/a/R6kVT#3

EDIT: I just realized one part of the new menhir has to be below water, and one part above... or am I wrong?

 

You're correct! See the thinner part of the menhirs? It's where ocean water would have eroded the rock after years and years of intemperate crashing. You'd have to lower them considerably. Also the rock formations on the islands wouldn't look like that at all since they wouldn't have been battered as much.

 

I'd inspire myself from coastal Thailand when looking at Sheogorath.  

[External image]

[External image]

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Tajnarasha

 

 

You're correct! See the thinner part of the menhirs? It's where ocean water would have eroded the rock after years and years of intemperate crashing. You'd have to lower them considerably. Also the rock formations on the islands wouldn't look like that at all since they wouldn't have been battered as much.

 

I'd inspire myself from coastal Thailand when looking at Sheogorath.  

 

Alright thanks for the confirmation!

There seems to be some disagreement whether sheogorad should represent a more tropical area like you suggest, or a more northern island climate like some others suggest. 

EDIT: Completed my first pass through the northwestern island and going to bed now. 

Here's the album: http://imgur.com/a/EiYm2#1

I changed the menhirs to how they should be, added some clutter to the shack, added some plants to make the island more lifelier and detailed, added some moss to stones near the water and put some clams/mushrooms spread over the island. Any suggestions for what I should change further?

 

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firewolx

Tajnarasha

 

 

You're correct! See the thinner part of the menhirs? It's where ocean water would have eroded the rock after years and years of intemperate crashing. You'd have to lower them considerably. Also the rock formations on the islands wouldn't look like that at all since they wouldn't have been battered as much.

 

I'd inspire myself from coastal Thailand when looking at Sheogorath.  

 

Alright thanks for the confirmation!

There seems to be some disagreement whether sheogorad should represent a more tropical area like you suggest, or a more northern island climate like some others suggest. 

 

I was referring to the geological formations more than the  climate. If anything I'm all for Sheogorath to have an overall colder feel to it than the rest of Morrowind

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There is also the pillars used under morrowind\landscape\molagamur\ma_pillar01.nif

I've used quite a few of these in Molag Amur and the Ashlands, but with some other rocks, and moss hanging off of these, it would also be great for the water. 

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Just make it bigger. Sheogorad and Bittercoast are most original and memorable regions in Vvardenfell limits.

> My only concern with this is that it more of a tropical look, and the latitude is the same as Solstheim and Skyrim which is cold.
> just without snow
= Autumn thematic suits to mushrooms precisely. You would be use some trees from the Rift.

P.S. excuse me if wording is'nt right.

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