Molag Amur/RM asset tests

Current authors of this are Erik and myself, he can upload his work here later on.

Current methods/textures/tests done so far.

Hardened sharp magma flow.
-fresh lava deposit overlay
Lava pitted ash cinder
-directional version overlay

Tachylite ashland hollows:

Crusted Volcanic rock (filler)

Obsidian crystal formations and resource:

Current texture sets and mesh textures not including eriks and eloths
1. Hardened shard flow magma.
1b. fresh magma overlay (alpha)
2. Lava pitted cinder.
2b. Directional version overlay (alpha)
3. Ash cinder soil.
4. dark volcanic crusted rock.
5. Obsidian (black geode)*
6. Ashland Tachylite.
7. Ribbon Magma.

These images have been brightened.
*black geode (obsidian) comes from super heated ebony being cooled rapidly

And the crowning glory:
https://youtu.be/YK7FqVk7T1w

Keep this thread for tech discussions of how to get the best out of the engine and the different assets we can do, and NOT concepts/lore bollocks.

Yeah, basically what Squally posted. ^

Don't usually post but wow oh

Don't usually post but wow oh wow that lava is amazing. Nice job Rav [External image]

It would be great if when the player stepped on it they would take damage or if you used a frost spell it would temporally let you walk on it(permitting you can actually do that).

Not sure about that obsidian.

Not sure about that obsidian. Obsidian doesn't form crystals like that naturally. "Obsidian is mineral-like, but not a true mineral because as a glass it is not crystalline; in addition, its composition is too complex to comprise a single mineral. It is sometimes classified as a mineraloid. Though obsidian is usually dark in color similar to mafic rocks such as basalt, obsidian's composition is extremely felsic. Obsidian consists mainly of SiO₂ (silicon dioxide), usually 70% or more. Crystalline rocks with obsidian's composition include granite and rhyolite. Because obsidian is metastable at the Earth's surface (over time the glass becomes fine-grained mineral crystals), no obsidian has been found that is older than Cretaceous age. This breakdown of obsidian is accelerated by the presence of water." ~ Wikipedia
[External image]

Yep. It need unique/new name

Yep. It need unique/new name close to gem naming. Black geode is nice example.
It will be great to see caverns full of these.

Will keep crystal formations

Will keep crystal formations to a minimum, but this is vvaardenfell, ebony isnt real, black geode isnt obsidian like in RL. artistic lisence. blablabla

Now I'm sure this region

Now I'm sure this region could be one of the best looking in game :)

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Some notes about rocks. Indigenous rocks change colors quite fast due to age, so to differ them, the only thing is changing color and brightness. Below are examples of very fresh rock and grandpa one.

pictures

[External image]

So it is simple way to multiply some assets here by adding some variety in colors.

From oldest to youngest.

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One thing would be cool for crystals. Add sth like example below. I don't know how ppl call it.

It could be probably the same asset, just smaller one with some deformations.

> black geode is'nt obsidian

> black geode is'nt obsidian like in RL. artistic [license]. blablabla
= obsidian crystals would be sounds like Bethesda's malachite as ore of volcanic glass.
= I really think that completely new naming would be better.

> I don't know how ppl call it.
= This is relevant to nucleation. In case of water this is called frosting.

References, that can be relevant

[External image]
[External image]
[External image]
[External image]
[External image]

There is possibility to create really different "biome" from crystals in deep caves.
Combination of black/darkpurple and white crystals can look good.

BLUE LAVA

As game already have sulfurous Caldera assets, would be nice to make recolored version of lava - with color of burning sulfur as some volcanoes on Sumatra and Iceland. However, wide rivers of such lava can suit only caves, some thin springs of it can be good there. Also i wonder why such beautiful sulfurous assets as used around Caldera not used around Molag Amur.

[External image]

More References

[External image]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf2YdbQElik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ-yGJIT-hA

I think that sulphur stuff

I think that sulphur stuff should be an unique thing for one region. We really don't want to overuse it. I'd limit it to Caldera, and I'd be fine with a blue lava river in Caldera's mines, but it needs to be used scarcely in order to be special.

I am agree, partially. Such

I am agree, partially. Such awesomes mustnt be used often in exteriors.
But they can be hidden in several caves (like that ship in cave of Oblivion).

Lukkar mentioned good idea to use sulfurous set (as used in Caldera) around volcanic zone in Sheogorad (around Mzuleft).

That would be great,

That would be great, recolored lava flows would look a lot nicer than the default blue fire, and I agree that it should either be limited to the Caldera crater to make it unique (like the Kawah Ijen caldera it is based on), or at least be very rare outside of the caldera. Another thing that could be nice for any volcanic region is fumoroles:

[External image]

These could function as craters and 'fume stacks' with the sulfur material applied in the Creation Kit. The fumes could perhaps use the default billowing smoke effect, although it may need to be scaled up, and retextured to give a yellow tint.

[External image]

Edit: actually, I'd say the fume stacks could be a Molag Amur thing while the larger funoroles are unique to Caldera

If you really want sth

If you really want sth special you can just add variation of black "lava" like in Ol Doinyo Lengai in Africa. Then you get third type.

[External image]

And video for it.

But if you want to implement sth like that I see it only in Sheo. Just retexturing several thing. Too much everything everywhere is not good thing. Any volunteers :P?

Technically this is a mud.

Technically, this is a mud. Molten carbonates.

Really dirty test at a droop

Really dirty test at a droop/draping lava, Have to go somewhere so ill just put this here for now.

[External image]

also another really dirty test texture for the smaller rocks listed here https://trello.com/c/kFliOgOK/163-volcanic-rock-grass

[External image]

Vvardenfell Volcanology

Vvardenfell Volcanology Association - NPCs near lava flows who tell you about the unique properties of the different types of lava.

Perhaps instead of the natrocarbonatite flow, it could be explained that the black flow is black because of the molten ebony in it. Maybe with a faint glow of deep red, instead of the standard orange lava?

Imperial Geological Society?

TheComfyCushion
Vvardenfell Volcanology Association - NPCs near lava flows who tell you about the unique properties of the different types of lava.

Imperial Geological Society? There's the Imperial Geographical Society and the Imperial Archeological Society, but geological isn't actually mentioned in the lore. Maybe someone sent by a university or Julianos chantry. Or there could just be a book instead about it written by any of the above.

I hope this isn't getting too off topic, so to get the discussion back on track, here's a video reference for lava meeting water, this could occur on the coast Molag Amur makes with Zafirbel Bay.

Better image regarding What I

Better image regarding What I am making

[External image]

Edit

New texture, this time an Overlay draping lava that has hardened

[External image]

Ok was asked to post this

Ok was asked to post this here, this is the Cooled Volcanic bomb low poly with spec and normal maps (600) tris can reduce more if necessary etc and ready if people want it.

I made another thing, this

I made another thing, this thing is some sort of Volcano type shoot, that maybe spews smoke or something, Dunno if itll be useful, needs new textures as does my above model, is low poly (500 or so Tris), waddya think

> Vvardenfell Volcanology

> Vvardenfell Volcanology Association - NPCs near lava flows who tell you about the unique properties of the different types of lava.

That comes naturally when some folk are living in such volcanic world. There is cliché that eskimo have great number of words for snow states, and there is true that aborigenal folks have great classification of living things. Also in Bloodmoon there is East Empire Company, and player is making first quest for them in field of geology for sure. Would be very nice to have such high-abstract (and true) parallels with real geology, If even vanilla is full of it.

@Fitted Mushroom : are your volcanic bombs colored? I think they need some ash on them.

Yeah they have just a

Yeah they have just a standard black rock texture off Google cause I suck at making textures, could anyone provide me with a texture which I could modify with the ao map and curvature map for the rock as well as produce a new specular map?

ok doing some sulphur now.

ok doing some sulphur now. the texture themselves are good, but the model was done so quickly its full of errors.

textures: dry crystaline/power sulphur
glossy sulphure terrace mound texture
silt deposit wave texture (needs work)

I managed to make my own

I managed to make my own textures and have re rendered the cooled volcanic bomb and I personally think its looking great, let me know what you think [External image]

@FittedMushroom

It looks cool but texture look a bit too monochromatic (pure black) I've done small overpainting for you.

Try to differ values and add some slightly colors (browns. reds, oranges) also differ cracks from smaller to bigger. You can do aspirate with my concept and make layered-cracked-egg type too.

I'm looking forward on your work ;)

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Ravanna
ok doing some sulphur now. the texture themselves are good, but the model was done so quickly its full of errors.

Is this asset for Lake Nabia? Maybe it could be a bit more reddish if not.

@FittedMushroom

Double post.

Still working on the base

Still working on the base textures before we begin modeling as We are waiting on Alex to give us a Thumbs up for our workflow (Getting the overlays to work properly is a hassle according to Ravanna)

However enjoy yet another Lava texture. this one is a larger PaHoeHoe flow. Which will branch off into smaller sections and into the flat ground. this particular one is old and worn.

[External image]

I can't wait to get my hands

I can't wait to get my hands on these, I would make suggestions, but you seem to have everything I wanted covered. Keep up the good work I guess...

Thanks. Rav and I have not

Thanks. Rav and I have not started the modeling process for these yet. However Alex just gave me the thumbs up to start producing assets as he has got the importing workflow sorted out (See his screenshot here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/j6sk54pm4okubui/2015-03-30_00002.jpg?dl=0)

For the large part I will be making a lot of these meshes while Ravanna does more R&D on awesome things like Sulphur pools.

Ok some more renders of such

Ok some more renders of such Volcano Bomb, made it more brown an have more color variations, ones slightly darker ones lighter let me know which u prefer. Also did a quick test adding lava to them to make em more hot, dunno how I feel about, was a quick test so dont expect extreme quality from the lava.

Take your pick...

Feedback is very much appreciated :)

First is obviously is the

First is obviously is the best there. If you want to make it hot - you could make hot zones of it more red (different colors but in not so wide diapason as on your last pic), and submerged in surface of model. Look on first pics by Ravanna in this thread as better reference.

Pic

[External image]

Also you can make variant with glassy/obsidiany surface.

Pic

[External image]

Ok I think the normal texture

Ok I think the normal texture for the rock looks good and I'm happy with it, so if someone could tell me where to send the files to it would be much appreciated [External image], here is some renders of the hot one.

Some hot ones

and some glossy ones

Nice work boys. Well I might

Nice work boys. Well I might as well get my sticky fingers into the mix and request a lava flow cave tileset.

I'll give full details but as a minimum there will be;

hallway, an up slope, a down slope, corner, twist, "door" frame, dead end

Let me know if you can work it into your work flow?

Ok some updates.

Ok some updates.
Between Erik and I so much initial content (ie. the textures and test meshes) have been done i'm getting confused.
so after this post i'm gonna start focusing on final assets for the pass 1 stuff, such as huge rocks.

Heres the atlas of new textures.
I think about 70% of the textures needed are done now.

from top-down left-right.
1. molag amur roads.
2. rocky ash cinder
3. block basalt
4. shard basalt.
5. Tar
6. Tar Mud
7. Sediment Pool minerals
8. Sulphur pool terrace
9. Sulphur crystals
10. sulphur water desposit
11. rocky sulphur
12. sulphur sand clumps.

Tar pics and sulphur rock grass:

this is a skyrim mesh with new textures, i would have to edit it more.

Test burning sulphur:
needs help from aleh and grumpy:

another important asset:
ash on water.
When ash covers water it turns it acidic, so we have a lot of nasty harmful water areas. found mostly in molag amur and sheogorad.

The 2 main rock types for molag amur

and some bonus pics:

dried ribbon magma:

Flat lava:

Road mesh molag amur:
has additional layer of 3d stones.

Yes i've been a busy girl.

*faints.

Sulfur is going to be awesome

Sulfur is going to be awesome. But what is tar? Molten sulfur? Or some kind of asphalt?

Lovin it.

Suggestions: I really want a more detailed "rock grass" for the edges of the mountains.

So I was thinking that what you have in the road mesh is the sort of thing we are after. It would be painted as a texture with grass around the edges of mountains. We could make more of these type of meshes and hand place them, but obviously more work for landscapers, but not out of the question.

Maybe have them more sharp rocks so they look different to walked on, weathered stone, as these are more freshly fallen bits of rock? I really, really , really, really want these for landscaping, it been something I've wanted for Skywind for ages.
[External image]

I can't wait to get my hands

I can't wait to get my hands on these :)

Stage 1, the largest mountain

Stage 1, the largest mountain pieces release to eloth a month ago.
Stage 2 released to eloth this week.

Stage 2 consists of:
15 lava vents
9 lava cliffs
7 medium shard basalt rocks
14 medium block basalt rocks
14 ground models, (skyrim retextures)

Stage 1 and 2 are more than sufficient to get a lot of RM/MA done.
its about 80 assets, you have no excuses NOT to get under way.

Stage 3 will be tar and sulphur.
Stage 4 will be animating lava and burning trees.

I will need alehs help.

Hip hip... !!!

(No subject)

[External image]

I'm beginning to pass this

I'm beginning to pass this stuff off to others to finish, so vita will be taking some more assets from me to finish animating lava. Best person for the job. he will post himself, he's being a tease, so it may be a few days.

so I've expanded a few sections of stage 2. Stage 3 was sulphur and tar, leave that for another 3 weeks and I will need another artist to help me finish that.
stage 4 was lava and burning trees, hopefully we get that out in a week.
some screens:

lava drain

burning pillow lava

Ancient Magma Roads (can form bridges)

cooled ribbon magma

Pillow lavas

and the bonus ball:
The texture for the remains of ancient dwemer roads:

nice...

More dried lava stuff? :D I

More dried lava stuff? :D I already used upscaled versions of the 3 meshes that are already in the game for the area right behind ghostgate but it get's abit repetitive with only 3(2) variants to form the actual roads, so these will be perfect. I don't see though how they could form a bridge, the pieces would just fall down, no? Let me know when you finish those dwemer road assets :)

Lava streams: will they be modular or a set like the dried streams?