[FCG] Morrowind creatures

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 6:59 pm

It's about time I organize this properly.
The creature thread is a mess, so I will formulate a clearer mission statement here. We need new creatures that fit with the original wildlife of morrowind in style and feeling. They will almost certainly be anthropods or reptilian creatures. We also need to have several existing TR creatures redesigned. Already produced concepts will be added to this post. This is mostly a cleanup of the creature thread, and doesn't actually include any new requests.

requested redesigns of existing TR creatures:

- Swamp Troll (no further concepts needed)
[url=http://img232.imageshack.us/i/swamptroll2.jpg/][img]http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/875/swamptroll2.th.jpg[/img][/url][url=http://img199.imageshack.us/i/swamptrollcopy.png/][img]http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/7899/swamptrollcopy.th.png[/img][/url]

- Vermai

- Cephalopod

New creatures requested:

- Long-legged Velk
[url=http://img709.imageshack.us/i/longleggedvelknectardri.png/][img]http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/7369/longleggedvelknectardri.th.png[/img][/url][url=http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4310/morrowindcritter2.jpg][img]http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4310/morrowindcritter2.th.jpg[/img][/url][url=http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/1517/bambivelk.png][img]http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/2487/velk1.th.png[/img][/url]

- Tiger Guar (a retexture probably)

- Nix Mount
[url=http://img138.imageshack.us/i/nixhoundmountcopy2.png/][img]http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3103/nixhoundmountcopy2.th.png[/img][/url][url=http://img168.imageshack.us/i/nixmountcopy.png/][img]http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/6329/nixmountcopy.th.png[/img][/url]

- Possibly some other Nix creatures. But don't overdo it.

Other related concepts:
[url=http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/9092/morrowindcreaturecolor2.jpg][img]http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/9092/morrowindcreaturecolor2.th.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/9381/morrowindcreaturecolor.jpg][img]http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/9381/morrowindcreaturecolor.th.jpg[/img][/url]

David House · Post by **David House** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 2:32 am

Lighter then some drew a really nice troll, not colored, but very nice in the morrowind creatures thread, might wanna put that on the troll selection,

brianbusby · Post by **brianbusby** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 6:55 pm

I don't know if the Velk topic ever closed so sorry if I'm disturbing progress... I just drew this the other day to be an insectoid-ungulateish herd animal, kind of a tough combination but I guess you could view it as anything. I think it fits Morrowind better than my red cat monster but having been on this site for months now I know its probably not good enough for anything anyways

[url=http://img203.imageshack.us/i/scan0003qw.jpg/][img]http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/8784/scan0003qw.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Lighter Than Some · Post by **Lighter Than Some** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:10 pm

It's never about the skill. It's about the idea.

Skill just helps communicate the details is all.

Six legs is interesting. Idk if you've ever read the Barsoom series. Reminds me of a creature from there almost. It's front legs look too short to run well though. I think the velk is suppose to be sort of like the deer in oblivion, skittish and numerous.

Question about the Cephalopod, Myzel. Are we talking about something similar to Siltstriders in nature, does it have a description in lore or is this a free for all with just a nudge in which ecological nitch it fills? Ditto to the Vermai. I'm relatively new compared to most of you

Worsas · Post by **Worsas** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:42 pm

Hey Myzel,
you had that other drawing of a Swamp Troll at the beginning. Didn't you? It would be nice to have that drawing too here listed. Just for sake of it.

I like your drawings btw. I don't know, though, why you wanted to make another Swamp Troll. I hope there're no issues with me or sort of. :S

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:19 pm

Right! I totally forgot to add that the swamp troll needs no further concepts. My mistake. I only included it in the list for the sake of completion.

The Cephalopod is a squid type creature, as the name implies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalopod
There is a cephalopod helmet in vanilla morrowind, so let it inspire you.

The Vermai has made an appearance in Battlespire and Redguard I believe. It's a daedra of some kind. If you ask me you can pretty much ignore the appearance of them in those games, because if I were Bethesda's design team I would redesign it as well. They are some sort of agile humanoid reptilians with long arms.

Nice concept Brianbusby. It doesn't say 'Velk' to me, but we've all seen how subjective that view is.

It looks a little vicious for a docile animal though, and the anatomy of the legs looks impractical with only one joint.

Lighter Than Some · Post by **Lighter Than Some** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:41 pm

Ooohh! Lol I'd forgotten about that one. It was one of my favs but beast races couldn't wear it. Haha. I'll see what I come up with for that one.

Morthank0914 · Post by **Morthank0914** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 2:46 am

I'm not even close to artist status, but I tried to draw this bird creature called a Hackwing. It resides in argonia(as noted in the 2nd book of "The Argonian Account") and could make a decent border creature for morrowind. I wish I could draw better.

If someone can do do a better job than I can (I'm sure they could), it be awesome to see it drawn better.

................Sorry Myzel, my bad. Got rid of the eyesore.

David House · Post by **David House** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 2:50 am

Morthank0914 wrote:I'm not even close to artist status, but I tried to draw this bird creature called a Hackwing. It resides in argonia(as noted in the 2nd book of "The Argonian Account") and could make a decent border creature for morrowind. I wish I could draw better.

If someone can do do a better job than I can (I'm sure they could), it be awesome to see it drawn better.

I'm probably going to model this because so far its the less complicated creature here and I'm a lazy bastard

Euron · Post by **Euron** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 4:25 am

Should the Cephalapod (sp?) be a land animal, or aquatic? Seems aquatic based on the redguard beastiary...

Bloodthirsty Crustacean · Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:06 am

David, please don't just model random creatures. If you actually have skills, please reserve them for things we will actually use.

Morthank, if you want to throw up art ideas of your own, rather than contribute to the more specific goals of this thread, it would be a better idea to start up your own Concept Art thread.

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:19 am

Euron wrote:Should the Cephalapod (sp?) be a land animal, or aquatic? Seems aquatic based on the redguard beastiary...

Aquatic, yeah, think "squid-octopus-morrowindfantasystyle"

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:59 am

Bloodthirsty Crustacean wrote:David, please don't just model random creatures. If you actually have skills, please reserve them for things we will actually use.

Morthank, if you want to throw up art ideas of your own, rather than contribute to the more specific goals of this thread, it would be a better idea to start up your own Concept Art thread.

I second what BC said, on both topics.

The hackwing isn't what was asked for in this thread, since it doesn't fit with the nature and aesthetic of morrowind wildlife.

Morthank0914 · Post by **Morthank0914** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 5:54 am

Ok this is my view on the newer cephalopod. It may unfortunatelly, in my view point, look like the one modeled already. But slightly different. Just comment and tell me how poorly I did and Myzel again sorry for posting that "Bird". Just hope this isn't as bad as the other...

blackbird · Post by **blackbird** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 3:37 pm

Here is an interesting site, with an interesting creature:
http://crimegorilla.8m.com/index/2d_Gallery.htm
The other creature is a Nix hound with different colors.

Shapeshiftr · Post by **Shapeshiftr** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 12:23 am

I knew I've seen that face before...I'm pretty sure that was Monkey's avatar, right? Where did you find this site?

Katze · Post by **Katze** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 12:27 am

That site is one of MK's personal ones, presumably long abandoned. Not all of the art there is Morrowind-related, however.

Bloodthirsty Crustacean · Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:20 am

Morthank, your cephalopod is a decent sketch, but a) looks too much like the one already in existence and b) like the one already in existence looks too much like 'the Cephalopod helm with hastily welded-on tentacles coming out of the back'.

Without the 'mane' of tentacles it might make for something less 'clunky', but perhaps it could be made even more original? I dunno.

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:19 pm

I wrote:Aquatic, yeah, think "squid-octopus-morrowindfantasystyle"

or maybe not

[url=http://img402.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cephalopod.png][img]http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/572/cephalopod.th.png[/img][/url]

Katze · Post by **Katze** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:55 pm

Ooooh, like a Nautilus. I like that!

That thing even looks like it could use those spindly legs on land, making for a frankly freakishly scary creature to battle.

Euron · Post by **Euron** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 6:56 am

Ah, yeah Nalin I like that. I've got something very similar in the works, I'll post when I have access to a scanner.

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 9:57 am

Cathartis wrote:Ooooh, like a Nautilus. I like that!

That thing even looks like it could use those spindly legs on land, making for a frankly freakishly scary creature to battle.

It'd have to drag it's rounded bit around then without the water helping it, could look a bit dumb? I don't know, I imagine it as staying underwater - crawling around the sea bed.

I'll clean this up and colour it soon, then I'll repost it along with some other stuff I've been working on.

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:38 am

Great idea Nalin.

I'd say you should change the legs into tentacles though. Atm it's all anthropod and no cephalopod.

I'll post my own squidfish sea monster while I'm at it.
[url=http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/5020/trcephalopod.jpg][img]http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/5020/trcephalopod.th.jpg[/img][/url]

brianbusby · Post by **brianbusby** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 12:18 am

Wow, great pictures Nalin and Myzel, heres was an idea I had, guess it looks a little bit like Myzels....
[url=http://img8.imageshack.us/i/scan0001ti.jpg/][img]http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/378/scan0001ti.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Feriluce · Post by **Feriluce** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 4:27 pm

that looks like a cross between a wormthing an octopus and a shark

brianbusby · Post by **brianbusby** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 9:37 pm

haha I can't tell if thats good or bad

Euron · Post by **Euron** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 6:30 am

I should have a working scanner to post some stuff by sunday to add to this little squid party.

In the meantime I've been working on some other stuff and I have a question hopefully someone can answer. Does the Vermai actually need a conceptual redesign, or just to be remodeled/animated? It's just that what a Vermai looks like is pretty set in stone based on both Redgaurd and Battlespire, so I mean we could sit here drawing them and make them look cool, or maybe even add a few little tweaks to make the design a little more original but in the end a Vermai is a Vermai and it makes more sense for whoever is doing the mesh and tex to do that. Unless the plan is to come up with a completely new kind of Vermai...

Edit: Just re-read Myzel's post near the top. Full redesign, CHECK.

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 9:41 am

What I actually should have said: Naturally it is best if the Vermai resembles the beasts from the old games a little, so that it's still recognizable as a Vermai. But it can be completely redesigned, in the same way a clannfear or daedroth looks completely different in oblivion than it did in morrowind. So in short, take as much freedom as you can while still keeping it recognizable as a Vermai.

Euron · Post by **Euron** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:27 pm

Ok here's two things

The first is a cephalopod, just a single image as an idea. It might be a bit much, but have a look.

[url=http://s866.photobucket.com/albums/ab221/EuronCrowseye/?action=view&current=cephalopod.jpg][img]http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab221/EuronCrowseye/th_cephalopod.jpg[/img][/url]

The second is a series of ideas for a vermai which I'm quite happy with so far.

[url=http://s866.photobucket.com/albums/ab221/EuronCrowseye/?action=view&current=vermai.jpg][img]http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab221/EuronCrowseye/th_vermai.jpg[/img][/url]

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:51 pm

I really like the Cephalopod sketch, I had an idea of basically coating the frame of the cephalopod helm that came with Morrowind in a blubbery jelly so as to not be too constrained by the helm when designing the creature. The helm could be a dried out creature that has been shrunk and tailored to look the way it does, rather than it actually looking like the creature.

Euron · Post by **Euron** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 7:22 am

I actually just threw that helm plate looking bit on at the end, I'm not really happy with how it looks.

I've been thinking about it though, and does it actually say anywhere that the helm is made from the creature itself? Or could it be that it's just inspired by it. Because it's always looked to me like the helm is bonemold meant to look like the squid.....

(FYI, my throat is now open and ready for y'all to jump down it regarding this opinion)

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:52 am

I can't find anywhere that it states that the Cephalopod helm is made from Cephalopod aside from the obvious point that usually in Morrowind if an item of armour is made from a creature then it bears that creatures name. So, going off that, It's a bit of a Cephalopod. Which also happens to be way cooler than bonemold that looks like a Cephalopod.

Myzel · Post by **Myzel** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:01 am

Nothing says anything about the helmet. But there is really nothing that suggests that the Cephalopod helm is bonemold. For starters, it is light armor, not medium, and it doesn't really look like bonemold either. I'd say it's closer to chitin.

I really like your concepts though. Your squid looks good.
The Vermai looks cool too, especially the face. You stayed closer to the original than I consider necessary though

.
I'm a little worried though that it's main strengths are in the details, and the details probably are lost in a model for Morrowind. It's general shape and anatomy, and really it's general 'feel', are a little awkward, just like the model we have now.

Euron · Post by **Euron** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:14 pm

I have to admit, I've never seen the current Vermai model, and yeah, I did stick fairly close to the original battlespire version, in the body shape at least. Could definitely move further away from that, but could you explain what exactly the problem is with the model currently? and maybe post a pic? just so i/we all have an idea of what needs fixing. I've got a few other ideas to try, but I'd like to know if I'm on the right track.

I see what you mean about the details getting lost in a morrowind model for sure, I don't know why I didn't think of it before.

Nalin · Post by **Nalin** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 5:29 pm

You could always take a look at the [url=http://www.imperial-library.info/bestiaries/redguard_large_vermai-1.jpg]redguard interpretation of vermai[/url] for a different slant on them - though they do look a little like [url=http://www.imperial-library.info/bestiaries/morrowind_large_corprusashghoul-1.jpg]Ash Ghouls[/url] with those faces.

Jewellery or adornments of any kind aren't fitting for Vermai as they are wild brutes incapable of thinking, let alone dressing themselves.

Post by **Haplo** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:48 pm

Nalin wrote:[url=http://www.imperial-library.info/bestiaries/redguard_large_vermai-1.jpg/]redguard interpretation of vermai[/url]

Quoted for FOUR OH FOUR ness.

Andres Indoril · Post by **Andres Indoril** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 4:46 am

Remove the slash after .jpg, then it works.

Or if you are lazy enough...

[url=http://www.imperial-library.info/bestiaries/redguard_large_vermai-1.jpg]Vermai,[/url] and [url=http://www.imperial-library.info/bestiaries/morrowind_large_corprusashghoul-1.jpg]ash ghoul.[/url]

Euron · Post by **Euron** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 6:38 am

Yeah, I've seen that redgaurd one as well. Bloody ugly thing, and looks like it probably moves pretty awkwardly. Would still like to see the one modeled for TR though, and hear exactly what folks think is wrong with it. If it's just a problem with how it moves, that could just be a matter of better animation. The way I picture the one from battlespire (and subsequently mine) moving doesn't look awkward at all. I imagine it being very quick, agile, and predatory, with almost birdlike mannerisms, hence the velociraptor description. However, I see that if animated poorly it could end up looking like a bad zombie.

As far as the clothes and jewelery goes, fair enough. I just figured since it was a redesign I'd try it out, but it's not important and doesn't need to stay.

I'm doing up another one that's further from the humanoid design right now but probably won't have a chance to post until sunday. In the meantime any more feedback, or info on the existing model would be greatly appreciated.

Katze · Post by **Katze** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 8:23 am

The existing Vermai and its horrible animations (and disappearing bodyparts, at least in-game) are easily seen if you find it in the CS and look at it in the preview window.

For some reason I feel that the Vermai is too much like the Hunger at the moment, would be nice to differentiate it somewhat considering they have very different themes.

Euron · Post by **Euron** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 8:39 am

I thought it seemed a lot like the hunger too, it kept coming out like one every time I started drawing it. Gonna work on that.