[FCG] Dres Architectural Functional Sketches

Post by **Haplo** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:45 pm

Concept

Dres architecture bears a strong resemblance to Velothi, both to suggest the atavistic nature of Dres culture and to convenience modders in replacing current Velothi cities. It will not be possible to search and replace Velothi buildings with Dres copies, but they will be roughly similar in design.

Dres cities will prominently feature cantons, but they won't be quite as boring as the ones in Vivec, where the city was entirely contained inside. Instead they will be similar to [url=http://www.imperial-library.info/gallery/mw_TAoM_p20.jpg]the original concept art for Vivec[/url], with cantons covered in buildings. Most Dres, however, live in plantations, which will not feature cantons, though they are in the same architecture style.

Dres is distinct from Velothi in its more intimidating and unwelcoming nature. It features a darker color scheme of grays and dark browns, as well as higher roofs and taller walls.

Part I: Modular Buildings

For the first round of requests, we are dealing with the main whole of the set: regular buildings. Manors and house buildings will be in a slightly different, Upper-Class style, and will not be modular.

[url=http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/3639/dreshousinglineup1copypi7.jpg]Use this image for reference.[/url] Some examples in it will not be made.

Regular Dres exterior architecture, though, is mildly modular. Each footprint (square, 2:3, L-shape, T-shape) features a "ground floor" model, which has no roof. A variety of second floor models, ranging from normal second floors to balconies and flat roofs, complete each building. The corners that you see in many of these images will be separate models, which can be added as the modder sees fit. This way, more variety can be created with less pieces.

Thus, we are requesting functional art. If you don't know the difference between functional art, functional art is intended to be modeled from, which is rather unlike normal art. For good examples, see [url=http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/4638/mchouse4mq6.jpg]these[/url] [url=http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/8951/goldmoorbasisucly3.jpg]two[/url] images. Top floors may require functional art from above as well.

We're looking for one person whose willing to draw all of the following images, so that they're consistent. The walls should be at an angle of between 81 and 84 degrees.

Ground Floor pieces ("footprints")
Square building. - About twice as wide at the base as each floor is tall.
2:3 ratio building. - The short side is about twice as wide at the base as each floor is tall, the long side, obviously, three times. Though these will be the most similar to the buildings Turelio drew, they will be wider.
L-shaped building. - A 2:3 ratio building with a 1:2 wing on one side. You could also think of it as a 2:2 building with 1:2 wings on two adjacent sides, or a 3:3 building with a 1:1 corner cut out of it.
T-shaped building. - A 2:3 ratio building with a 1:2 wing on either side. This and the L shape should be self explanatory.

2:3 with stairway. - This would share top floor pieces with the square building. Though there would be a 2x2 second floor, there would also be a wing containing an exterior stairway. See some Hlaalu buildings for an example.
L-shaped with covered porch. - This would share top floor pieces with the L-shaped building. Instead of a wing, it would have a 1:2 porch, with columns supporting the second floor piece. This hopefully makes sense.
L-shaped with stairway. - This would share top floor pieces with the 2:3 building. A stairway instead of a wing.

Top Floor pieces needed for every footprint
Second floor, basic. - Just a second floor, image 9 provides the best examples.
Second floor with attic. - See images 1, 2, 5, and 7 in the referenced art. It should be similar to 2, but instead of windows they are just indents, as can be found on Hlaalu guard towers. There should be no line between the second floor and attic, unlike 1 and 5, and it should angle outward, unlike 7. The attic is about half as tall as a normal floor, maybe less. There will be no interior difference between a building with an attic and one with two normal floors.
Roof. - just a roof to make 1 floor buildings. This probably does not need to be drawn, but it will need to be modeled.

Top Floor pieces for square footprint
Tower. - This second floor extends twice as high as a normal second floor, making the building three floors tall in all. No border between the second and third floor, unlike the first and second.

Top Floor pieces for 2:3 footprint
Balcony. - Features a square 2:2 second floor, with a walled balcony in the remaining 1/3rd of the building.

Top Floor pieces for L-shaped footprint
Balcony. - A 2:3 second floor, with a walled balcony over the L-shape's wing.
Roof with 2nd floor access. - A normal roof, but where the wing would be, a small second floor, just large enough for stairs and a doorjamb leading to the roof.

Top Floor pieces for T-shaped footprint
Balcony. - For the T-shaped footprint, the second floor stretches across the "bar" on the T, making a 2:4 second floor, with a walled balcony is over the bottom part of the T.

Column pieces
1-floor columns. As seen in buildings 7, and 8, these go up 1 floor and then end.
2-floor columns. As seen in image 3. Not like 6, with points.

Interior columns. As you should have noticed in the image, these columns wrap around the corners of the building at the top. In the event that two buildings are merged together for whatever reason, a column will be needed with a 270 degree concave angle. A version of this is only needed for the above two columns.
Attic columns. As seen in image 2. Not like 5, with points.
Tower columns. Not pictured, must go up 3 floors for the 2:2 tower model.

Part II - Misc Statics

These are some of the miscellaneous additional non-building, non-canton statics that will be needed to make a complete set. Because they have not been completely conceptualized, concepts should be drawn by various people until one is agreed upon.

Doorjamb. - Turelio has drawn some examples, for inspiration.
Door.
Wall. - (end, corner, straight, arch) Unlike Turelio's example, this should be simple. No spikes or ornate designs. It should be the same height as a single floor.
Window - Feel free to experiment with diamond and triangle shaped windows.
Stairs. - (straight only)
Pylon. - [url=http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/4945/dresancestralpylon1.jpg]Pylon[/url].
Footbridge. - (end, straight, sloped)
Docks. (end, straight, could be the same as footbridge)

That's it for now. Rest assured that once these are done, there are still many pieces needed to complete Dres architecture. Please restrict art and discussion to the topics presented.

Turelio's images:
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/3639/dreshousinglineup1copypi7.jpg
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/7979/drescantonlineup1copyav7.jpg
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/9748/drescouncilhouse1.jpg
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/8040/drescanton1.jpg
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/8708/drescanton2.jpg
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/5272/twodrestowers1copyhw4.jpg
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/4945/dresancestralpylon1.jpg
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/1353/richhouseconcept1c.jpg
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/8964/dresslavewall1.jpg
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/8272/tearconcept1.jpg

Key:
artwork has been supplied
model has been supplied

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:02 am

Just to clarify this in advance: We need a single person to draw all of the modular building parts. If you are interested, please post in this thread and I'll hand the assignment to the first poster of whom I'm confident he can handle it. (This might be the first concept art claim in history.)

The misc statics are a free for all, just like any FCG.

Obagovo · Post by **Obagovo** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:30 am

Footprint for "square building":

[url=http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/3028/dresfootprintsquare.jpg/][img]http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/3028/dresfootprintsquare.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:51 am

This is exactly the sort of thing we're looking for but there's a few problems.

I'm not sure how familiar you are with modeling, but the modeler will literally be tracing these images to make the mesh. For that reason, they have to be drafted with perfect angles and measurements, not just sketched approximately. The lines in your images are noticeably not parallel.

Also, I'm not sure exactly where the disconnect is, but that is not a square building. It looks like you drew the building in Turelio's original drawing, which is not actually going to be modeled because its too long.

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:48 pm

Obagovo, does your posting mean that you are willing to draw the entire modular set? If so, I'll happily give you the job, I was already hoping you'd be interested.

But as Sload said, do pay very close attention to the measurements. Using graph paper will make this job a lot easier.

Adanorcil · Post by **Adanorcil** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:54 pm

I'm not sure how familiar you are with modeling, but the modeler will literally be tracing these images to make the mesh. For that reason, they have to be drafted with perfect angles and measurements, not just sketched approximately. The lines in your images are noticeably not parallel.

While I agree with this in principle, you shouldn't overestimate the use of orthogonal sketches, or at least not in this case. Only an utterly clueless modeler would be so stupid as to literally trace the lines of such a sketch to the point of imitating non-parallel lines. Furthermore, it is usually more difficult to make crooked lines than straight lines in a modeling application in the first place.

It doesn't take a scientist to see that these buildings are pretty simple in geometrical terms. They aren't complex three-dimensional shapes that in a professional environment would require orthogonal sketches. Anyone with the most basic understanding of geometry and a little experience should be able to model these buildings, even without orthogonal sketches. (Provided, of course, that there is an other sufficiently clear sketch available.)

So while I certainly would applaud the usage of orthogonal sketches (quality can only improve, I suppose), I'd say we shouldn't stare ourselves blind on the details. Perfect orthogonal sketches are in this case certainly not the most crucial thing. The only thing that is needed, however, is an idea of size, so that all parts can line up nicely.

Obagovo · Post by **Obagovo** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:35 am

Myzel wrote:Obagovo, does your posting mean that you are willing to draw the entire modular set? If so, I'll happily give you the job, I was already hoping you'd be interested.

But as Sload said, do pay very close attention to the measurements. Using graph paper will make this job a lot easier.

I'd be happy to do the modular set. Also, I did manage to find some graph paper lying around. Here's the same image above but with graphs.

[url=http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/6709/dresfootprint2x1.jpg/][img]http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/6709/dresfootprint2x1.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Chin Music · Post by **Chin Music** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:23 am

I miss Turelio.

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:28 am

Obagovo wrote: I'd be happy to do the modular set. Also, I did manage to find some graph paper lying around. Here's the same image above but with graphs.

Great! I'm looking forward to your work.

Chin Music wrote:I miss Turelio.

Of course we do, he's a good artist. But you probably didn't realize that the context in which you're posting this makes it a bit inappropriate and insulting to Obagovo who has just shown great willingness to continue on Turelio's work.

Chin Music · Post by **Chin Music** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:58 am

I meant no disrespect.

Obagovo · Post by **Obagovo** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:22 am

None taken.

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:21 pm

While Obagovo works on the modular houses, I'm taking a shot at some of the misc stuff. Here's a window lineup.

[url=http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/5557/trdreswindowsy.jpg][img]http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/5557/trdreswindowsy.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:56 pm

F is my favorite, but I also like B, D, and E.

Thrignar Fraxix · Post by **Thrignar Fraxix** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:15 pm

I like D because it is imposing

jonarus_drakus · Post by **jonarus_drakus** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:06 am

"E" and "F" seem the most apropriate to me. "E" especialy as it kinda looks like a shield, and i can see a dres guard shield being a bonemold trim around a blue artistic like centre (where the glass would be in the case of the window). I am a big fan of 'thematicaly' linking things together like this.

Of course, my opinion only here...

JD

Katze · Post by **Katze** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:19 am

E is probably my favourite, I like the 3-cornered design, and having the wide end at the top feels more intimidating to me than in D

Post by **Haplo** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:18 am

Perhaps you could try to superimpose the windows image on top of the functional architecture done by obagovo to get a better idea of how it will look; then we could see which ones we like best.

brianbusby · Post by **brianbusby** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:40 pm

Heres a functional of a possible pylon. I'm not sure if the banner above the head is un-dresish, but I feel like something has to go there:
[url=http://img28.imageshack.us/i/pylonr.jpg/][img]http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/746/pylonr.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:06 pm

Nice concept. The face needs some more designing though. It should look as though it's a natural part of the pylon's shape and architecture, not a face in the middle of an empty space.
Or maybe it could even be a dunmeri fresco, like the temple shrines. I'm leaning towards relief though. Since the mouth will be a hole, so that we can use them as trash bins.

Thrignar Fraxix · Post by **Thrignar Fraxix** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:27 pm

Myzel wrote:Since the mouth will be a hole, so that we can use them as trash bins.

Are you kidding? if not, I'd love to see the discussion for this tidbit.

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:09 pm

Yes, I'm kidding.

I think Sload wants ghosts to come out of them or something.

Chin Music · Post by **Chin Music** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:17 pm

To be honest the entire concept looks completely out of place to me. Like a tesla coil on an alien spaceship or something.

And as for using them as bins, besides the fact that they don't exist anywhere else in the game, what purpose would it serve? Just making them containers and putting worthless junk in them?

While I'm commenting I'll say that I like window E in Myzel's lineup.

Thrignar Fraxix · Post by **Thrignar Fraxix** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:29 pm

That can't possibly have been a ninja, please read all posts before responding.

The only thing I find out of place is that bit on the top.

brianbusby · Post by **brianbusby** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 8:28 pm

Okay so I took Myzel's advice and tried to make the face fit into the pylon and I found it looked better if I shaded the whole thing. Sorry Chin Music, I don't really no what to tell you, if it's not good enough obviously they won't use it but if you think something should be changed in some way just say so. And to Thrignar, I can take off the top thingy if you want but I feel something needs to go there, maybe a half dome? Any suggestions?
[url=http://img94.imageshack.us/i/basreliefpylon.jpg/][img]http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/530/basreliefpylon.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 8:30 pm

They're like the pylons of the ghostfence, they poor soulstuff.

The face needs to be much more prominent. Its the whole point of the object, not some additional thing attached to it. The column is built to support the face, the face isn't attached to the column.

brianbusby · Post by **brianbusby** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 7:20 pm

Okay so I tried to make the face much more prominent and I based the pylon around it. If this doesn't work I have another idea though :
Unshaded[url=http://img210.imageshack.us/i/pylon2.jpg/][img]http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/5880/pylon2.th.jpg[/img][/url] Shaded[url=http://img11.imageshack.us/i/pylon2basrelief.jpg/][img]http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/6647/pylon2basrelief.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Katze · Post by **Katze** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 7:25 pm

Don't we already have a good design for the ancestral pylons, in the original post? This one really doesn't fit the simple, clean look that the rest of the Dres set so far has.

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 9:15 pm

The original concept is nice but has no open mouth and it doesn't have very interesting features. Brianbusby: When I said the face needed more designing, I meant to say that the face itself needs a better design and not the shape of the pylon. It needs to look dunmeri and must fit naturally with the pylon's shape. It should also fit with the rest of the architecture, of course.

I would say: stick with the pylon shape, play with it's architectural features, make the face look better.

Obagovo · Post by **Obagovo** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:13 pm

3x2 footprint:

[url=http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/8995/dresfootprint3x2.jpg/][img]http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/8995/dresfootprint3x2.th.jpg[/img][/url]

3 variants of a L footprint based on Haplo's suggestions:
[url=http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/1026/dresfootprintla.jpg/][img]http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/1026/dresfootprintla.th.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/8245/dresfootprintlb.jpg/][img]http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/8245/dresfootprintlb.th.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2397/dresfootprintlc.jpg/][img]http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2397/dresfootprintlc.th.jpg[/img][/url]

T footprint. I apologize for the lack of a side view as I ran out of space keeping everything to scale. Fortunately, I think the side view of the first L footprint would work as a substitute:
[url=http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/9361/dresfootprintt.jpg/][img]http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/9361/dresfootprintt.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:50 pm

Good work.

Menotex · Post by **Menotex** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:00 pm

[img]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/Rush3266/DresArchProto.jpg[/img]

It is scaled to the unit measures in you concept. Its the fist L variant.

Seems very plain to me, I thin the corner pieces could raise higher then the wall. Like this:

[img]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/Rush3266/DresArchProto2.jpg[/img]
Give them a dark granite texture to contrast the plaster walls.

Anything that will make them look less Hlaalu.

Bloodthirsty Crustacean · Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:13 pm

Shouldn't the walls themselves be a touch angled? Good to see some enthusiasm.

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:26 pm

Yes, they should. Also take into account the fact that there will be modular second floors to be placed on the ground footprints.

Menotex · Post by **Menotex** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 8:46 pm

[img]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/Rush3266/DresArchProto3.jpg[/img]

The walls now match the angle of the Corner Pieces.
I went ahead and threw up a draft of a second and third floor.
:sans walls. Only that one corner is correct by the way.

Shouldn't the Third floor be two/thirds as a tall as the first ans second right?
In the wip it is half. But that's not hard to adjust.
I should mention I'm not offering anything other then a draft rendering of What Obagovo has as concept.

One other note. That build is 2/3 at 5 units. Obagovo roughly drew his concept at 6 units. meaning 12/15 units square.
So that draft is a bit small perimeter-wise.

Obagovo, If you could Concept the stairway. and the Second and Third Story wall, I'll draft those up for you too.

Looking now that its coming together. Good Work Obagovo.

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:25 pm

I should mention I'm not offering anything other then a draft rendering of What Obagovo has as concept.

I understand, but I'd still like to get rid of any misunderstandings that may be here. The buildings should have a trapezoid shape, so the walls should have a lower angle than they appear to have in those renders (at least from the view point in those screens). Also, the second floors will be the top floors, and they will be separately designed pieces, not the same as the footprints/ground floors.

cire992 · Post by **cire992** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:51 pm

I know it sounds inane, but I think angling the walls more really adds a lot of personality to the buildings.

Chin Music · Post by **Chin Music** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 11:40 pm

Awesome. Just awesome.

Yeti · Post by **Yeti** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 4:00 am

I agree with Chin, that does look awesome cire

Menotex · Post by **Menotex** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 4:04 am

The walls should be at an angle of between 81 and 84 degrees.

Gotcha.

Post by **Haplo** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:18 am

Menotex wrote:
The walls should be at an angle of between 81 and 84 degrees.
Gotcha.

Note that requirements are subject to change based on how models actual look; if we decide that, for example, 81-84 degree walls look like shit, then we'll change it. Also note that the Dres Architecture Set will have a claim in the Models section, and will be available to all competent modelers (who knew cire992 could model so well?), so don't get ahead of yourself posting models here Menotex. IIRC you also just claimed a UC set for Hammerfell.