[Morden]

WSG#13 Hammerfell Flora: Rihad Region.

For a list of known lore ingredients check Orix's post at the bottom of this thread:

http://www.tamriel-rebuilt.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15085


Those are know, but I think we can all agree we need to create our own. Real world plants can be used if it fits the climate type, but we should also create our own.

He is a picture of the Rihad region:



When we develope this region it will probably be in our best interest to use terrain textures and general flora simlar to what was used in Anvil.. mostly because we still lack a capable method of getting models into the game and they are geographically close to eachother. However, we can make this region type our own by changing the lay of the land, and using our plants to compliment what has already been established.

Screens of Anvil region:




You can either draw a full landscape using these pictures, and new plants, for inspiration... or you can submit a single flora concepts like these examples I made:



Thanks to Orix for suggesting this week's WSG, and I hope lots of people will try it... we've never done flora before.

[Haplo]

Show us the penis plant.

[Macar]

Once again you push me into unfamiliar territory! Oh well, it forces me to grow as an artist . I've never drawn plants before... must go do some research.

What's the penis plant !?

[Orix]

Something Morden showed us on IRC. You should have seen it!

[Morden]

It was the result of poor planning on my part... and it turned out looking like something it shouldn't have... I added branches, but it really failed to cover anything up.

[Andres Indoril]

Well, here is a concept... A really freaky type of a cacti...

[Silverwood]

it looks alot like the aloe vera plant.

[the Bard]

Naw, aloe vera is more like a plain simple bush of thick leafs with tiny spikes, alot different, although I must say I don't exactly know what to think of this... I think the stalk is a bit to thin while the thing on top should be heavy 'cause it would probably have to hold alot of water.

[sirwootalot123]

Do you think retextures would work? also, we can easily make our own land textures.

[ENIGMA*]

well here is a concept from me.......

it's not really on the ingreadients list... i don't think....

Anyway this is Bittercup, an extreamly rare Fungi. Bittercup has a misterious property that has yet to be determined...

[Eyeball88]

Speculation:

Temperate grasslands are more lush than the desert regions or dry grasslands. Things like your traditional cactus wouldn't be very prevalent in these areas. From my understanding of Rihad, based on that map, this area will not be very dry or arid, and will in fact receive a fair amount of rain. So while it might have a lot of lighter coloured grasses (similar to the yellow greens around Anvil) it will not quite be desert or even dry grassland.

For an idea of what I picture, I'll use the Okanagan valley. I think Morden will be familiar with some of this kind of scenery. Plants like the Lupin are a nice addition. You can still have some very beautiful blooms, fragile flowers, etc. They wouldn't need to grow "hardier" until deeper into HF.

Also, I'd like to see some coastal plants in this area, it's one thing you didn't see in Oblivion, if nobody minds doing that kind of stuff. The thicker grasses, slightly blue in colour, that are sharp enough to cut your finger if you aren't careful, and the tiny bushes that grow in clumps close to the ground to avoid the winds.

Anyway these are mostly "real-world counterparts" that I've listed. The area that I picture when I look at that map is similar to an area I spent some of time in (living across Canada, I've lived in the mountains, higher in the north where 5 feet of snow is "common," in dry prairies and moist wetlands, and now in the boreal rainforests.)

[Morden]

Temperate grasslands is a good description of the non-mountain Rihad area. Lutemoth is also from British Columbia so he should have a good idea of what you're talking about with the pictures too. Kamloops (grassy but way too dry).. the lower Fraser (too wet)... Kelowna and the Okanagan valley is an interesting medium...orchard region.

[knightmare]

ok i think im going to draw up some stuff tonight and officially join the concept artist club

[Eyeball88]

The first picture I posted is meant to be a little more on the dry side, but it's definitely an image I see when I think of the other parts of Hammerfell.

I don't have any way to draw at this time (no scanner or tablet for drawing on) but I'd be glad to offer any other inspiration I can on flowers, and the coastal plants too.

What are the chances of coral reefs in this? We were doing some work on one for Vvardenfel but people didn't think a colourful reef fit the grey shores of Morrowind. Think of the kelp forests we could make in this, though!

[CleverClothe]

Kelp forests would be cool (especially since it is another excuse for more fish!).

[Eyeball88]

I was hoping to see more than just "Slaughterfish" in Oblivion. Actually, I only went underwater once to explore, I was so disappointed I never went back. It seems even Morrowind had more diverse waterlife. (Though the giant slaughterfish in one of the quest caves made me squeal like a girl.)

[Lutemoth]

Bethesda has never been one to diversify water-life in any of the elderscrolls series (slaughterfish, dreugh, slaughterfish, dreugh), so I wouldn't know what to say would blend in with the Bethesda scene.

If Rihad's anything like Kelowna and such, Then us in the Lower Mainland are in business! I'll try to have something up by tomorrow

[Graff]

Am I one the right lines with these photos, or are we thinking something different?

[Anonymous]

Hehe graff Ive been ranting about heathlands and moorlands like in your second picture on the map thread

Im drawing a type of reed for the river.

[Nomadic1]

[Andres Indoril]

[Anonymous]

A strange reed for the river. I took inspiration from the reeds around the nile, but I made it a sort of sail-like thing. The small drawings show the seed cycle...seeds grow on the sail, grow their fluffy sails, detatch and blow away.

[ENIGMA*]

interesting it kinda reminds me of a Dandelion.....

well in a tall reed form...

[Anonymous]

[Macar]

I hate "helcopters"! They get eeeeeverywhere.

I'm sorry, that's not really relivant.

[Anonymous]

Hehe i meant the sail membrane bit would be whats left.

Ya know, thats where itching power is from, inside those seed casings. The fibres...thats itching powder.

[ENIGMA*]

really? And they make you itch? I never noticed...

We have abunch of those around here...

though ther not out this time of year...


but when they come

[Lutemoth]

A couple quick ones before I give it another go. A few of these might vary from the steppes to the delta's edge, depending on how water dependant they look:

The trees shown in image three grow quite fast, as they are used to a flood-plain region. The branches that support their deciduous foliage are very thin, and develop in thick tufts to attain sunlight.

I'm guessing in order to have a good variety of flora to support the Rihad region, we'll need.. What, a dozen plant-types? How many would you say?

[Eyeball88]

The Rihad region itself isn't too large, nor is it so far from Anvil that a few of the plants of that region couldn't be brought over, in my opinion.

Very nice concepts, though

[Silverwood]

[Anonymous]

I'm guessing that acess to speed tree in the CS is a no go?
I'll put my head on some plants and rocks although I'm guessing the rocks that come with Oblvion will be suitable since they are not so distinct and won't be as obviously retail recylcing.

[Coltzero]

In a lush area like this one, as showed in the images of the wine gardens, i think there should also be a lot of berry's in the wild, not just in yards.[/img]

[Coltzero]

http://img299.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ginkoplant8oo.jpg

After some research a found the Ginko plant to be a tree instead. Nevertheless, the design can be used for a diffrent plant name ofcourse.

geek notice: the Ginko is said to be the transfering stage from needle tree to your average garden tree.

[Coltzero]

The mytical sage, concept 1. im not happy with the leaves. this would be the flower folded. unfolding it would release an awment of colors and swirling thingies.. your opiniions and suggestions for making this plant a truely special plant?

i dont think this plant is neccesarly for the Rihad region, but im sure it could be encountered here, if the plant exists at all!

[Silverwood]

basically the same design as my capicious black-thorn. Never-the-less, a triple post. Instead of reposting, edit your old one if no comments have been made.

Good job on the other plants, i believe the ginko is already in game tho, but the could be another plant...

[Coltzero]

sorry for triple posting, but after you've seen the topic and there's a new update in the same post, the thread doesn't get highlighted. hence the triple posting.

as for your capious black thorn - i dunno, i haven't seen it. like i said, this is just one of the concepts. i'll add some more today.

[Kontgatantics]

http://img134.imageshack.us/my.php?image=inquisitiontree8bd.jpg

I don't really have a name for the tree really. I thought of a couple but thought they were ... unfit.

Another piece of flora... decided to draw a flower this time.



Again i never had a name for this really as I'm not too good with names.

Just thought I would do some concept art just to get into the swing of things.

[Macar]

Nice K, that's some of the most reigon appropriate flora I've seen yet. I wish you hadn't drawn it on lined paper, though >

[Haplo]

Nice tree, Kont!

Morden, I was serious ya know. Don't make me start chanting.

[Sload]

I'll join! We can have a sit in.

Also, I like the idea of a kelp forest, and they mean kelp on the beach. Some pictures of what Tamrielic Kelp would be awesome.