Morrowind Creatures

Post by **Haplo** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 7:25 pm

So nice to see you again, LTS

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 8:48 pm

Lighter Than Some wrote:[url=http://img130.imageshack.us/i/nixhoundmountcopy.png/][img]http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/5685/nixhoundmountcopy.th.png[/img][/url][url=http://img138.imageshack.us/i/nixhoundmountcopy2.png/][img]http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3103/nixhoundmountcopy2.th.png[/img][/url]

<3

Lighter Than Some · Post by **Lighter Than Some** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 9:01 pm

Likewise

[url=http://img705.imageshack.us/i/longleggedvelkspeedycop.png/][img]http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/9232/longleggedvelkspeedycop.th.png[/img][/url]

Long legged Velk is not amused -_-

Is there anywhere that I can actually find a description or a picture or is the velk just something that popped up in lore somewhere?

Sorry they're sketchy, working on speed painting.

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 7:34 am

Nixmount: It would be better if it was differentiated from the hound a bit more. [url=http://www.imperial-library.info/gallery/mw_TAoM_p43.jpg]Try the original nix concept for inspiration.[/url]

Velk: Don't really like the eyes and it looks a bit too much like a mangey dog. Interesting concept though.

There's nothing about what the velk looks like.

Katze · Post by **Katze** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 7:40 am

I like the anteater-like head and leg configuration on Lighter's Velk. Perhaps elements from Myzel's could be incorporated into it? More arthropod-y body, the large bushy underside, etc

Also, the addition of the red spines to the neck and legs of the nix mount look quite good, you could try accentuating them, along with making the folds of the skin more pronounced like in the original nix hound concept.

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 7:04 pm

Velk concepts
1[url=http://img187.imageshack.us/i/velk1.png/][img]http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/2487/velk1.th.png[/img][/url]
2[url=http://img187.imageshack.us/i/velk2.png/][img]http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3272/velk2.th.png[/img][/url]
3[url=http://img187.imageshack.us/i/velk3.png/][img]http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3285/velk3.th.png[/img][/url]
4[url=http://img187.imageshack.us/i/velk4.png/][img]http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/7646/velk4.th.png[/img][/url]

Lighter Than Some · Post by **Lighter Than Some** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 5:33 pm

I'll come up with some more variations tonight or tomorrow. I've got to do christmas shopping most of today.

Nalin:

I like the legs and wasp-like body build. I imagined them up on tippy toe, too. 1,3,and 4 make them feel almost billy goat like. 2 reminds me of a very large 4 legged ant though.

Sload:

I see what you mean by looking too dog-ish. Its the leg style mostly I think. Going to try leaf-insect influences maybe. Or just very skinny legs like a daddy long legs.. but not nearly that long. Or maybe. I dunno. What is it in particular about the eyes? The size, the pupil, the position or all of the above? Tried smaller eyes but it made the creature look predatory.

Cathartis:

Wasn't sure if the Nixhound was covered in chitin or thick skin from looking at the in-game model. The original concept Sload sent definitely cleared that up though.

Myzel:

I'll try and push it further from dog. Trying to avoid horse though.

Bloodthirsty Crustacean · Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:14 pm

I personally am a huge fan of Myzel's velk's head. It's very distinctive, and looks really 'Morrowind'.

The eye-stalk thing of Lighters' looks a bit too 'goofy', and brings back memories of Jar-Jar Binks. Not that that's a bad thing (for me, anyway!), but it doesn't look like it'd be man enough to survive for long in Morrowind, as opposed to the swamps of Naboo.

Simultaneously, Nalin's looks too waspish and sleek to be a tame herd animal, it looks like an insect cheetah!

One thing about the general current direction which I somewhat 'dislike' is that I quite like the idea, as presented in the Skeleton Man source, of these velk being exported by rich Imperial prelates as pets. The current designs look too 'goaty' and hairily 'unpleasant' to seem an attractive 'pet-cessory'. I personally almost saw the velk more as an egret/crane like creature (but obviously not a bird) than anything else. Obviously if people are less interested in that (largely irrelevant) detail, or believe 'ugly is in' this season, then this doesn't matter.

parus · Post by **parus** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:27 pm

Velk. Been talking to Nalin on IRC - did crappy paintover on one of his, cos I couldn't see the thing walking or moving. Didn't want to change the design at all, just tweak the structure so it's slightly more feasable. I accidentally left out the small sets of claw things from the underside view. And it doesn't seem too herd-animal anymore either. Oops.

Ignore my drawings, I've not done concept stuff for years and even then it wasn't creatures.

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:33 pm

To make one thing clear: I never intended to draw a Velk. But if people see a Velk in it, that's fine with me all the same.
My point: this discussion is leaning a little too much towards 'I like this one better than this one' while none of these creature concepts actually excludes the others.

In fact, "long-legged Velk" is nothing more than a name that can be attached to whatever the hell we want. There is close to zero lore on it. It is nothing more than a sketchy reference in a single source.

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:06 pm

I think Nalin's velk looks a bit vicious for a gazelle.

Yeti · Post by **Yeti** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:41 am

Here's my take on the Long-Legged Velk: [url]http://s771.photobucket.com/albums/xx352/TR_Yeti/?action=view&current=029.jpg[/url]

Sorry about the poor quality of the picture

My camera is very very very cheap.

This is my first concept art so please go easy on me

brianbusby · Post by **brianbusby** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 2:26 am

I like all the takes on the Velk, to Yeti, yours is a cool concept, maybe just some more detail...but I'm definitely not one to make the call. Heres a concept I did for it, tried to capture the gazelle legs/body too:
[url=http://img515.imageshack.us/i/velkxccopy.jpg/][img]http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/1927/velkxccopy.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Yeti · Post by **Yeti** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 3:31 am

Your drawing is very nice brianbusby. It certainly is much more professional than mine

(though I think I did a pretty good job considering I used colored pencil and haven't put any of my drawings on a computer before)

However I don't think your concept of the Velk fits Morrowind's atmosphere; where the majority of critters are insectiod and reptoid. The Velk should fit in with other Morrowind creatures after all, so a insect-like creature with gazelle-like features is the basic idea.

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:34 am

Sload wrote:I think Nalin's velk looks a bit vicious for a gazelle.

I think it looks cute.

Maybe we could use it for some other morrowind creature - I especially like what parus did with it in his version of it. It looks vicious there - I was going for a more Bambi/insect look. Let's make these legs longer though in all the velk concepts.

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 7:23 am

I want to add that parus's concept added a lot of functionality that concepts often don't have. It's a lot easier to imagine a creature if you can see how it would move.

RelinQ · Post by **RelinQ** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:26 pm

Hmm, I didn't realise the Velk is a gazelle, but I do quite like Nalin's/Parus's drawings

What I'm thinking of is like a Thompson Gazelle cross with that concept. so the current concept but sorta... bulk the whole body of the velk up more, so it looks more like a mammal than an insect.

Adanorcil · Post by **Adanorcil** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 3:33 pm

Hmm, I didn't realise the Velk is a gazelle, but I do quite like Nalin's/Parus's drawings

What I'm thinking of is like a Thompson Gazelle cross with that concept. so the current concept but sorta... bulk the whole body of the velk up more, so it looks more like a mammal than an insect.

By gazelle, RelinQ, we mean the metaphorical sense of a skittish, lithe herd animal, not the literal sense.

parus · Post by **parus** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:54 pm

Moved this design on slightly, again not wanting to deviate too far from Nalin's original concepts. I tried to make it "nicer" and less of a predator.

I see this version as a nectar/liquid feeder, more of a slower herd-feeding animal. There's a long tongue/tube thing that coils under the "snout" leading to a crop/mouth under the head which feeds into a loose flappy gullet that hangs under the neck. I kept the fungal growth things from the back of the body/head which could lead to collectable items in gameplay etc... A possible symbiotic relationship with the velk maybe. I got rid of the small claw things, cos I couldn't make them functional.

Body has a semi-flexible semi-chitinous shell protecting softer underparts with organs in, etc. Legs have the same. I don't see it moving as fast as in the last sketch I did, perhaps more hulking or knuckling-along-slowly-yet-purposefully than the sprinty-scuttle-leaping-death that the last did.

Again, ignore the drawing quality. And the over-long post.

Edit, oh, and the rear legs are slightly too small in the central drawing here.

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 7:31 pm

Adanorcil wrote:By gazelle...we mean the metaphorical sense of a skittish, lithe herd animal, not the literal sense.

I was literally going for gazelle crossed with insect for my first concepts there (though those concepts didn't really convey that). I'll keep the general shape of my concept but sort out the legs and make it look less aggressive, That and give it a coating of very short fur. Awwww.

A bit like this;
[url=http://img515.imageshack.us/i/bambivelk.png/][img]http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/1517/bambivelk.th.png[/img][/url]

The pose is a nod to Walt Disney

Monkey Man · Post by **Monkey Man** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:20 am

Yeti wrote: This is my first concept art so please go easy on me

here is my take on this, do more concept art like I have been telling you for about a year now.

Lighter Than Some · Post by **Lighter Than Some** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:31 am

[url=http://img709.imageshack.us/i/longleggedvelknectardri.png/][img]http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/7369/longleggedvelknectardri.th.png[/img][/url]

I haven't gotten around to revising the nixmount yet. Maybe tomorrow.

I imagine its dangling furry stuff to be kinda like what you'd see on those really hairy caterpillars. Silky almost.

Btw, Nalin. Are you using Corel Painter?

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:44 am

nalin and lighter both come back at the same time. what luck!

Adanorcil · Post by **Adanorcil** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 1:03 am

Ok, folks absolutely great work in this thread. There's a great creative vibe here, and we are going to try and keep this up.

Now then, I believe it's to use what he have from the concepts and combine it a little.

This is our consensus on the long-legged velk:

- It is a skittish animal, presumably lives in a herd.
- It has some fur.
- It should be able to run fast and look like it is built for that.

So let's try and make a final concept here. So far, I believe Myzel's original sketch comes closes to the idea of the velk with regard to looks, whereas Lighter's creature two posts above this one is the closest with regard to anatomy.

Here's you guy's little assignment for the day. Take the overall look of Myzel's original (the fur, the shell and the head) and combine it with the anatomy of Lighter's (the long, spindly legs, the skinny build).

One final idea: instead of the strider mandibles, the velk could have small sickle-like mandibles under its mouth, which allows it to cut crass by swinging its head left and right. This can be incorporated in the concept.

Go, team, go!

As to the other concepts: there's some really great work in here. Morrowind can always use some other arthropod creatures. Keep it coming as long as your creative juices are flowing. You might just discover a creature we didn't know before.

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 1:41 am

i like shells and bushy fur

Yeti · Post by **Yeti** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 4:58 am

Nice concept LTS

I really like the legs you put on it, and the shape of the body.

Post by **Haplo** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 6:39 am

For skittish and able to run fast, you could check out "Kevin" the bird from the movie "UP"

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 11:28 am

Lighter Than Some wrote:[url=http://img709.imageshack.us/i/longleggedvelknectardri.png/][img]http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/7369/longleggedvelknectardri.th.png[/img][/url]

This is pretty much what I had in my head when I first imagined how a velk should look - Minus the eyes. I don't see it as having eyes rather markings that look like eyes almost (as in Myzels earlier concept).

Lighter wrote:I imagine its dangling furry stuff to be kinda like what you'd see on those really hairy caterpillars. Silky almost.

And slightly translucent (alpha mapped that way)

Lighter wrote:Btw, Nalin. Are you using Corel Painter?

No, I use Photoshop. Never got the hang of Painter. Never really gave it a chance either though! :/ One day.

Lighter Than Some · Post by **Lighter Than Some** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 4:51 pm

Cool. Looks like thats the current goal then. New eyes. Haha. Personally like them as is, makes it look docile. Also draws a little more attention to its head. But eh. Lets go for it.

If we gave it marked eyes then we might have to add some sort of lightly spotty pattern to its hide or you risk it looking out of place.

I need to get back into modeling and texturing. Last time I touched that I was doing texture mods for halo pc. Alpha=best friend.

Photoshop 7 here. Want to try painter though. Maybe after Christmas. Excellent texture in your work for photoshop btw.

RelinQ · Post by **RelinQ** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 6:51 am

7 is good, I switch between that and CS3 when I draw random things. Although 7 seems to crash less so I use that more.

Anyway I like the concept so far, but I have my doubts about the head. It looks a little flat and weak.

By weak I mean, The head is sort of small for a heard animal and heard animals usually tend to have something on their head to sort of challenges their opponents, whether they are a friendly creature or not.

Also I'd like to just keep a slight reminder that in game, the head of a creature/npc/whatever is usually the main focus when looking at that something.

It is possible you could just leave it as is, and make one slightly modified with extra "head detail" for the oppisite gender. Idk, Im just throw out some ideas here.

Lighter Than Some · Post by **Lighter Than Some** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 2:52 pm

Guess could try for some sort of frillies. Maybe even just more of those ridges like on its back might cut it. I'll see what pops in my head during anthropology this morning. Will upload a few hours from now.

Bloodthirsty Crustacean · Thu Dec 10, 2009 3:17 pm

Ada had some ideas up above about what the next stage should be. Dunno if people have missed them, but maybe worth bringing this up again:

Adanorcil wrote:So let's try and make a final concept here. So far, I believe Myzel's original sketch comes closes to the idea of the velk with regard to looks, whereas Lighter's creature two posts above this one is the closest with regard to anatomy.

Here's you guy's little assignment for the day. Take the overall look of Myzel's original (the fur, the shell and the head) and combine it with the anatomy of Lighter's (the long, spindly legs, the skinny build).

One final idea: instead of the strider mandibles, the velk could have small sickle-like mandibles under its mouth, which allows it to cut crass by swinging its head left and right. This can be incorporated in the concept.

Go, team, go!

Lighter Than Some · Post by **Lighter Than Some** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 5:42 pm

Didn't miss just didn't have an opinion on it yet.

Tried the chitin but it didn't suit. Idk might be just me. It makes it look too insectoid. Was trying to avoid leaning too close to any one influence so that it remains indistinguishable. As for the sickle mandibles I think it would look out of place as well as inefficient. I can image maybe the males having tusk like mandibles.

Also forgot. Put it in my thread but not this one. The crop down there at the base of its neck is only blue in males. Females its just the same as the rest of its body, brown but semi translucent.

Top left to counterclockwise: Nose ridges, Cranium ridges, Antennae, jaw fur, cheek fur, tusks. Role of the jaw or cheek fur would be to collect pollen, kinda like a honey bee.
[url=http://img709.imageshack.us/i/velkheads.png/][img]http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/6425/velkheads.th.png[/img][/url]

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 4:44 pm

So let's try and make a final concept here. So far, I believe Myzel's original sketch comes closes to the idea of the velk with regard to looks, whereas Lighter's creature two posts above this one is the closest with regard to anatomy.

Here's you guy's little assignment for the day. Take the overall look of Myzel's original (the fur, the shell and the head) and combine it with the anatomy of Lighter's (the long, spindly legs, the skinny build).

One final idea: instead of the strider mandibles, the velk could have small sickle-like mandibles under its mouth, which allows it to cut crass by swinging its head left and right. This can be incorporated in the concept.

Go, team, go!

Well, alright then. Here's a quick sketch of a hybrid of mine and Lighter's. Lighter, I have to say the anatomy of your creature is briliant.

[url=http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4310/morrowindcritter2.jpg][img]http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4310/morrowindcritter2.th.jpg[/img][/url]

For the record, I think both our original concepts look better, but this one has something about it as well. Still, while not really suitable for a Velk I think it would be a waste not to use Lighter's awesome nectar-drinker

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:55 pm

Myzel wrote:...while not really suitable for a Velk I think it would be a waste not to use Lighter's awesome nectar-drinker

As far as I'm concerned Lighters Velk is what a Velk looks like. No-one has said that concept is not suitable for a Velk. Adanorcil offered suggestions based on his opinion and based on what he wanted it looks like you pulled it off nicely in your newest concept.

It's in conflict with this though:

This is our consensus on the long-legged velk:

- It is a skittish animal, presumably lives in a herd.
- It has some fur.
- It should be able to run fast and look like it is built for that.

Creatures that run fast and are built for running fast wouldn't need a shell to protect them as they'd already be over the other side of Red Mountain before a Kagouti tried to eat them.

Bloodthirsty Crustacean · Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:03 pm

Nix-hounds are pretty fast. They both have shells, and are predators.

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:30 pm

Not as fast as Velk though - or they'd eat them - shell slows 'em down, you see

Lighter Than Some · Post by **Lighter Than Some** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 9:03 pm

Agree with Myzel. I really liked his creature before we squished them together. They were both built with different ideas in mind. As Myzel said back on page two he wasn't really shooting for Velk with his in the first round.

Thanks for the complement Myzel. Your original sketch would make for an interesting creature. Maybe even a nymph stage of the mighty Siltstriders who's exoskeletons you find all over the place.

From the looks of the original Nixhound concept that Sload posted the Nixhound's armor looks more like really thick wrinkly skin, like on a rhino but with a reptilian twist.

Creatures built for speed can't afford extra baggage. The difference with the Nixhound is that it doesn't need to worry about being eaten. It is a predator already. In the game they hunt in groups so can assume that it's not outrunning it's prey like a cheetah but using strength and cunning.

Speaking of the Nix. I'll try and revise the mount today. I haven't had time to touch it until now.

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 9:04 pm

Nalin wrote: As far as I'm concerned Lighters Velk is what a Velk looks like. No-one has said that concept is not suitable for a Velk. Adanorcil offered suggestions based on his opinion and based on what he wanted..

Well, I just said it, didn't I?

Seriously though, you're right. We're all basing everything here on our own opinions, including me, Ada and you. I'm not opposed to attaching the name 'Velk' to Lighter's creature. I am hoping a modeler is interested in making both our creatures.
I am opposed to using arguments like these, though:

It's in conflict with this though:
...

There is no conflict, because such realism does not apply to Morrowind. Shells don't slow it down because models don't have weight. As long as it looks like it can move quickly and does so, no player is going to say 'hey, it has a shell! how can it move that fast?'

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 9:33 pm

Nalin wrote:As far as I'm concerned Lighters Velk is what a Velk looks like. No-one has said that concept is not suitable for a Velk. Adanorcil offered suggestions based on his opinion and based on what he wanted it looks like you pulled it off nicely in your newest concept.

Look at the words under Adanorcil's name. Myzel's too.