Concepts Wanted: House Dres Settlements

10Kaziem · Post by **10Kaziem** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 6:51 pm

We are going to be working on Dres lands eventually, and would like to start collecting concepts on how House Dres settlements might look, from the biggest cities down to the smallest farms and tents. Have ideas for how a house, a street, a farm, a bug nest, salt mine, or anything else might look? Post it here!

Note that we want both art and written contributions. House Dres has not been fully fleshed out as a faction, though a good start has been made [url=http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/old_forum/viewtopic.php?t=24033]here[/url]. We also have the start of an excellent tileset [url=http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/old_forum/viewtopic.php?t=19973]here[/url], but it's rather bare-bones.

Not · Post by **Not** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 7:05 pm

Figured I'd post here as well. Listen up people! This is it! We have a lot of the Dres models for the exterior set already made. Right now, we're just going to see what else we can use to help create a more unique and immersive environment.

That being said, we need concept art for:

Hexagonal shaped strongholds I'm thinking similar but still pretty different from Vivec cantons. Again, these will be hexagonal in shape.
Council Houses This is going to be an unique building.
Temples We wanna see if we can't come up with an unique temple model for Dres (more on this later.)
An arena model? This one is sort of up in the air, not sure if how this would even be implemented, but it never hurts to draw!
Trade Houses your every day trade shop
Manor Houses We could use a couple of these as well. Nothing over the top, but definitely a thought.
Guard Towers Right now we sort of already have a model concept for this, but more concept art revolving around more towers couldn't hurt either!

Now with all that being said, the sooner you guys can post your art, the quicker we can get to modeling. We're trying to get all these models completed and ready to be used in-game sometime between March and June. So get drawing! The sooner you guys do this the sooner we can start finally working on the Dres lands!

EJRS · Post by **EJRS** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 7:11 pm

Reposting my short summary of my vision of house Dres and their lands from earlier topics, for easier overview:
[spoiler]
My two cents on the Dres, also posted in the architecture thread:

-House Dres is based around a coalition of smaller, largely autonomous Clans.

-The territory of House Dres consists mainly of plains, stretching out across the vast valleys between steep mesas and spire-like peaks. The plains are made fertile thanks to ash blown up into the atmosphere from the volcano of Vvardenfel and carried down by the (red, could be achived by scripting?) rains that fall over Deshaan(currently Red Mountain is the only volcano, but I know there was a suggestion around to expand volcanic activity in TRs Morrowind, which does seem proper and logical).

-Dotting the landscape are numerous great plantations, manned by legions of slaves, making use of the unique circumstances to grow native food-crops such as saltrice and marshmerrow.

-Gazing out across the landscape form atop the peaks are the great spire-complexes of the Dres clans, standing atop fortified platforms built into the rock, great banners proclaiming ancestry and wealth flapping in the wind. From platforms built into the sides of the towers and carved out from the cliffsides, swarms of Dres - dignitaries, overseers and couriers - take flight, mounted on the backs of the signature creature of the House, the skyrender. Occasionally one can see a fleet of sloadships docked at the Dres skyports.

-Honeycombing the peaks beneath the spires are systems of tunnels and pits, housing great rearing pits and slave-manned manufactories within their bowels. At the foot of each peak, huge gates open up into undergound bazaars, from where caravans of silt striders venture forth under the watchful eye of their airborne masters.

-Inhabiting the plains between the peaks are clans of savage tribal Dunmer, living symbiotically with the skyrenders native to the landscape. Each family follows the movements of their symbiote swarm, carving out dwellings in the huge, bulbous hives spun by the renders, caring for the queen of the swarm and rearing the young. These tribes maintain frequent trade relationships with the Dres, who trade crops and commodieties in return for expertly trained riding-beasts. Occasionally, the savage fighters of the tribes find employment with the Dres Clans as mercenaries. [/spoiler]

Not · Post by **Not** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 7:29 pm

Oh! I almost forgot! Fauna is important too! If you guys can come up with unique fauna, that'd be great!

10Kaziem · Post by **10Kaziem** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 9:23 pm

We had an impromptu skype meeting today about what Dres is. The notes from that meeting (which are, at the moment, very disorganized) are here: LINK

Post by **Gnomey** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 9:55 pm

You'll find the recording at the bottom of the first post [url=http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/old_forum/viewtopic.php?p=330739#330739]here[/url].

10Kaziem · Post by **10Kaziem** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 4:51 pm

Quick sketches inspired by the meeting:

[url=http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r791/10kaziem/Tamriel%20Rebuilt/Concept%20Sketches/DresArch_zpskc5ruvdf.jpg][img]http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r791/10kaziem/Tamriel%20Rebuilt/Thumbnails/DresArchThumb_zpssbobtmcc.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r791/10kaziem/Tamriel%20Rebuilt/Concept%20Art/dresarch2_zpskc67rrta.jpg][img]http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r791/10kaziem/Tamriel%20Rebuilt/Thumbnails/dresarch2Thumb_zpsjvge2ahm.jpg[/img][/url]

Edit: as a note, we could also use concepts for wells and water pumping equipment, mills, slave powered machinery, etc.

Not · Post by **Not** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 6:17 pm

Kaziem asked me to make a list of some useful links of CA that we're planning on either making into models or seriously considering it.

[url=http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/old_forum/viewtopic.php?p=312759#312759]Here[/url] [url=http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/old_forum/viewtopic.php?p=322453#322453]are[/url] [url=http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/old_forum/viewtopic.php?p=328798#328798]some[/url] [url=http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/old_forum/viewtopic.php?p=285250#285250]useful[/url] [url=http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/old_forum/viewtopic.php?p=285252#285252]links.[/url]

I'll post more as I find more of them. Unfortunately, most of the CA are links to imageshack and photobucket that no longer work, so I don't know what to do about that.

Post by **Gnomey** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 8:18 pm

Hm, I'm still not entirely sold on the planter idea. I feel as though gardens will tend to undercut the foreboding, unfriendly nature of the Dres. What if they use ashpits instead of planters? A few bones from valued ancestors, maybe a few ash plants. If we want to go crazy we could maybe aim for a bit of a rock garden aesthetic.

10Kaziem · Post by **10Kaziem** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 8:30 pm

Gardens don't have to be friendly, though that's a good point. They could easily be rock gardens or salt gardens or something like that. Depending on how they are modeled, the gardens could lend odd, hairy or tentacled silhouettes to the buildings.

Also, the Dres are agricultural, so they might have something like that around, more or less.

Dormichigan64 · Post by **Dormichigan64** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:08 pm

Some ideas:

I think it'd be nice if we focus on height in Dres architecture. So... like tall buildings to not only make it look unique from the other styles, but also to stay off of the muddy, gross ground. We should also consider water, because floods might be a problem in some areas.

Some other, miscellaneous ideas are:

- oval doors, 'cause why not
- maybe some faces/helmet looking sculptures on the sides of buildings. That would look cool, wouldn't it?

Not · Post by **Not** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 8:23 pm

Dormichigan64 wrote:Some other, miscellaneous ideas are:

- oval doors, 'cause why not
- maybe some faces/helmet looking sculptures on the sides of buildings. That would look cool, wouldn't it?

Both of those things have already been modeled and are ready to be put in game. So there's that.

Rats · Post by **Rats** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:26 pm

Here's how I've always imagined the great slave pits of Tear would look:

[spoiler][url=http://s1273.photobucket.com/user/rats_tr/media/betmeriwells_zpsxa2zstoe.png.html][img]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/rats_tr/betmeriwells_zpsxa2zstoe.png[/img][/url][/spoiler]

It's basically a giant well, large enough to house dozens and dozens of slaves. The deeper one descends, the grittier it gets.

In my mind the Dres architecture is three things:
* brutalist, like an East German parking garage
* cyberpunk-ish
* stark contrast between the high-rising cantons and the abysmally deep slave pits

Not · Post by **Not** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 10:06 pm

Rat's your input is fantastic as always. I like that concept. I think that's perfect for the slave pits.

Judging from this, I take it all we need is some retexturing? I think we should make some retextures of what you have to emphasize the filth at the bottom, but I don't know. Either way, that's a really great concept.

Ironed Maidens · Post by **Ironed Maidens** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:04 pm

I like that idea, though why not have the slave pits be hexagon shaped as well?

10Kaziem · Post by **10Kaziem** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 10:58 pm

New sketch detailing my idea for modular exterior sets, so we can build awesome cities. This should be based and styled entirely off of the existing tileset.

[url=http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r791/10kaziem/Tamriel%20Rebuilt/Concept%20Art/dresarch3_zpsupbeskdf.jpg][img]http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r791/10kaziem/Tamriel%20Rebuilt/Thumbnails/dresarch3Thumb_zps60pxcahx.jpg[/img][/url]

Rats · Post by **Rats** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 12:06 pm

Ironed Maidens wrote:I like that idea, though why not have the slave pits be hexagon shaped as well?

The real reason is that it's easier to work with a square shape. The other real reason would be that in House Dres symbolism the hexagon is considered a piece of sacred geometry. Its six corners symbolize not only the three Good Daedra and the three Tribunal gods, but more importantly the six Houses of the Chimer. The square with its four corners, on the other hand, is the shape of the House of Troubles, where beasts and outlanders--e.g. slaves--belong to.

Not wrote:Judging from this, I take it all we need is some retexturing? I think we should make some retextures of what you have to emphasize the filth at the bottom, but I don't know. Either way, that's a really great concept.

I cobbled this mock-up together using the "TR_ex_red_platform_XX" and the "TR_ex_red_stairs" and some Velothi models. Maybe retexturing them is enough, it'd sure save us some time.

Also: made some textures for new Dres-y doormats
[img]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/rats_tr/tr_dres_rug01_zpsidfjrkmf.png[/img]
[img]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/rats_tr/tr_dres_rug02_zps8x5ypewx.png[/img]
[img]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/rats_tr/tr_dres_rug03_zpsqo605jaa.png[/img]

Ironed Maidens · Post by **Ironed Maidens** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 12:17 pm

Makes sense to me, though I think a new model of for them would be more beneficial, perhaps a retexture could still work.

Also, I fucking love those door mats Rats. Seriously, very MK-ish.

10Kaziem · Post by **10Kaziem** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 2:36 pm

Those doormats are great! I like the hexagon shape ideas, though weren't we going with the idea that the main houses would be square in cross section? That's what our half-completed tileset is doing right now. The cantons are hexagonal, of course.

If the symbolism is that important I can't imagine the Dres building their houses as square shapes.

Rats · Post by **Rats** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 3:00 pm

The cantons and their juxtaposition with the pits (sort of anti-cantons) is where the symbolism is the most meaningful, IMO. Individual houses can be squares

EJRS · Post by **EJRS** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 4:09 pm

I must say, I envision Dres radically differently from the directions currently being discussed.

When it comes to the arhcitecture, I imagine a more towering, menacing, otherwordly, spiky, insectoid style. Organic shapes rather than straight lines.

Think Gaudi...
[spoiler]
[img]http://untappedcities.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/gaudi.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.mrfs.net/trips/2003/Spain/Barcelona_Gaudi/nativity_facade.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.europe-autos.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/gaudi-arc2.jpg[/img]
[img]http://images.travelpod.com/tw_slides/ta00/c8e/c74/gaudi-building-6-barcelona.jpg[/img][/spoiler]
...with a bit of Cappadocia...
[spoiler]
[img]http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/84/153484-004-0E9C6B26.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.turkeytour.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/cappadocia-columns.jpg[/img][/spoiler]
...and a pinch of termite mound...
[spoiler]
[img]http://media.treehugger.com/assets/images/2011/10/termite20mounds.jpg[/img][/spoiler]
...sprinkled with a fair helping of the outlandishness of Philippe Druillet and Jean Giraud with a touch of John Blanche.

I think such a style would better express the Dres as well as Dunmer character, home in on something that really set TES3 apart and would look radically unlike anything seen in the more run-of-the-mill fantasy settings.

Rats · Post by **Rats** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 7:51 pm

EJRS, for the Skyrender nests and the more rural Dres areas those are some great inspiration!

Meanwhile, here are some proposals for Ground Textures (Main Road, Dirt Road, Rock surfaces 1-3, Salt surfaces 1-3):

[img]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/rats_tr/rats_deshaan_road01_zps6dw2408j.png[/img] [img]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/rats_tr/rats_deshaan_road02_zpsb250fbfk.png[/img] [img]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/rats_tr/rats_deshaan_rock01_zpsbgqf2qel.png[/img] [img]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/rats_tr/rats_deshaan_rock02_zpsr8okafma.png[/img] [img]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/rats_tr/rats_deshaan_rock03_zpss9qllejq.png[/img] [img]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/rats_tr/rats_deshaan_salt01_zpsj4jknshy.png[/img][img]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/rats_tr/rats_deshaan_salt02_zpsskusltgz.png[/img][img]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/rats_tr/rats_deshaan_salt03_zpslnikicky.png[/img]

Ironed Maidens · Post by **Ironed Maidens** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 8:20 pm

EJRS wrote:I must say, I envision Dres radically differently from the directions currently being discussed.

When it comes to the arhcitecture, I imagine a more towering, menacing, otherwordly, spiky, insectoid style. Organic shapes rather than straight lines.

Think Gaudi...
[spoiler]
[img]http://untappedcities.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/gaudi.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.mrfs.net/trips/2003/Spain/Barcelona_Gaudi/nativity_facade.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.europe-autos.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/gaudi-arc2.jpg[/img]
[img]http://images.travelpod.com/tw_slides/ta00/c8e/c74/gaudi-building-6-barcelona.jpg[/img][/spoiler]
...with a bit of Cappadocia...
[spoiler]
[img]http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/84/153484-004-0E9C6B26.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.turkeytour.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/cappadocia-columns.jpg[/img][/spoiler]
...and a pinch of termite mound...
[spoiler]
[img]http://media.treehugger.com/assets/images/2011/10/termite20mounds.jpg[/img][/spoiler]
...sprinkled with a fair helping of the outlandishness of Philippe Druillet and Jean Giraud with a touch of John Blanche.

I think such a style would better express the Dres as well as Dunmer character, home in on something that really set TES3 apart and would look radically unlike anything seen in the more run-of-the-mill fantasy settings.

I agree with this sentiment to a degree. With the Hexagonal cantons I don't see why there can't be types of SPECIAL buildings (like patriarchal or diplomatic buildings or even congressional manors) that have a look of the first and second Gaudi buildings sitting atop them.

That last Guadi image is basically already in the game in the form of OM ruins, though I seriously think we need more types of those buildings so that would be good inspiration for them.

The first Cappadocia picture is what I imagine the Velothi housing at the base of Almalexia (with the new envisioning) should look like; small rock structures cut out with the larger Indoril manors sitting atop them. But the Skyrender nests will also benefit for sure from these ideas. I like the idea of the 'Royal Cell' in the Termite hive. Perhaps that kind of name could be worked into a possible naming convention for the Dres, much like the Indoril have the Chapels of the Gardens.

There was some Russian modder who either released or was working on a model of the concept art hive (seen here http://images.uesp.net/f/f1/MW-concept-17.jpg). I wish I remember who it was, but maybe we could track him or her down and see if we can use that model for a few things in TR as well.

st.Veloth, The Repenting · Fri Jan 08, 2016 3:24 am

I just did some art for house dres actually, i'll post it tomorrow.
it consists of a concept for a house dres envoy.

in my view, the way house Dres works, is that you have multiple powerful corporations or city states that joined together to form the larger house Dres. in my opinion either 5 or 7 will do these are called the 7. these prefectures or whatever they are, are mostly self governed, much like house Telvanni. the main difference though, is that house Dres is more united, and has larger overarching laws, and a complicated contract system that keep said laws in place. as this system is a descendant of the old tribal/clan systems of the past, there is a lot of intrigue, and deceit involved. each clan has an envoy that they send to monthly great meetings, in which they discuss problems such as land rights, slave rights (who owns who), and religious practices (as the Dres are Daedra worshipers sanctioned by the temple). the city states (i will come up with a suitable name later) are in conflict, but not so much as to sanction open warfare. every year the leaders of each respective city state meet in Tear to discuss long-term planning, like china's 5 year plans but on a yearly scale. the leaders arrive in large parades and the ceremony is ritualistic, with each leader paying respects to the Daedra, and the Almsivi, along with their ancestors and the prophet Veloth. they all are wearing large intricate suits of ceremonial armor made of the shells of bugs.

i will write more on this later, but in the mean time, let me know what you think and like i said, expect some art tomorrow evening.

Matin Sanguine · Post by **Matin Sanguine** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 4:55 am

Ironed Maidens wrote:There was some Russian modder who either released or was working on a model of the concept art hive (seen here http://images.uesp.net/f/f1/MW-concept-17.jpg). I wish I remember who it was, but maybe we could track him or her down and see if we can use that model for a few things in TR as well.

You're in luck; not only do I know which modder you're talking about, but I can also point you to the post where the model in question was first brought up:

http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/old_forum/viewtopic.php?t=23955&highlight=

Considering that this was about three years ago, you may want to get in contact with them and see if they are still willing to let us use their model, and also check to see if there have been any updates etc. to said model(s) since that time (I can't say for sure whether or not the model presented in the thread was the final version).

However, the modder in that thread has been inactive on this forum for awhile, so you may want to try contacting them (the Resdayn Revival team) directly on their own forum.

PS: Note, we've already been given permission to use the resources in that thread under the conditions that modder gave us (mentioning the team in credits etc.), so feel free to use the stuff right out of the thread if you have difficulty getting in contact with the team.

FloorBelow · Post by **FloorBelow** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 1:00 pm

Not a developer, but I had some ideas for the Dres Strongholds:
[spoiler][img]http://i.imgur.com/viYn9dP.jpg[/img][/spoiler]
Buttresses spread outwards from the corners of the canton into the surrounding plain, which I think helps tie it to the landscape better, as well as creating a more interesting silhouette. Would be harder to find space for them on uneven ground, though.

The middle walkway helps make the structure appear more fortified, and fit with the tiered look I've seen in other Dres concepts, but I'm not entirely sure why the player would ever use it. Entrances to underworks/sewers in the canton itself, perhaps?

Aeven · Post by **Aeven** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 2:06 pm

That looks really cool! Are you a modeller who can make such things?

10Kaziem · Post by **10Kaziem** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 3:06 pm

That looks fantastic!

ihavefivehat · Post by **ihavefivehat** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 4:12 pm

That looks very cool, but it's making me wonder about the idea of hexagonal cantons. It's a nice idea symbolically but, won't Dres settlements feel very repetitive if they are all forced to fit inside of hexagons?

I think it would be more interesting if you had modular pieces which allowed you to create shapes that look like polygonal forts.

10Kaziem · Post by **10Kaziem** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 4:28 pm

Depending on our modeling skills, we could have slightly different hexagonal cantons for each. That link did have a lot of interesting shapes in it.

EJRS · Post by **EJRS** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 5:35 pm

ihavefivehat wrote:That looks very cool, but it's making me wonder about the idea of hexagonal cantons. It's a nice idea symbolically but, won't Dres settlements feel very repetitive if they are all forced to fit inside of hexagons?

I think it would be more interesting if you had modular pieces which allowed you to create shapes that look like polygonal forts.

I've been having the exact same thought. Making the canton pieces modular really shoudn't be much work, since it is all straight lines. The symbolism idea is, IMO, really weak, and I don't think it adds particularly much to anything. I'd rather see more broken-up, irregular structures with multiple vertical levels.

Think [url=http://cdn1.collective-evolution.com/assets/uploads/2014/06/yonaguni_maqueta2.gif]yonaguni[/url].

FloorBelow · Post by **FloorBelow** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 6:53 pm

I don't know. I feel like there should be enough ways to keep the strongholds distinct from one another whilst keeping the hexagonal shape. The cities within will all be different, of course, and the cantons should be at least partly modular so that you can have strongholds of various sizes.

On top of that you could have variations for each of the strongholds; kinda like this, perhaps? [spoiler][img]http://i.imgur.com/kyiwlDw.jpg[/img][/spoiler]
I also remember seeing someone suggest having different coloured glowy bits for each of the Dres families, kinda like cyberpunk corporations - that would be another good way to distinguish the different Dres settlements.

Aeven · Post by **Aeven** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 7:19 pm

Very, very nice!

Ironed Maidens · Post by **Ironed Maidens** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 7:39 pm

As I said last year:

It would give a use to the glowing signs too, each different layer of the cantons can be signified with a different mark to identify what kind of services/people are found there, so the player can easily know what to expect as they start climbing up the cantons. Maybe even a type of canvas system that connects some of the cantons together with some vine-like bridges or roots.

So the glowing signs would for sure be useful to numerous different degrees.

Rats · Post by **Rats** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 8:10 pm

FloorBelow, seriously. This is friggin' amazing stuff.

edit: maybe make some tall watchtowers with the same layout? A bit Isengard-esque? Please?

Not · Post by **Not** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 9:55 pm

I love floor's concepts, I think they're super amazing.

To the people that are worried about it becoming too mundane with the same cantons, we actually had a design for 3 different hexagonal cantons like [url=http://i.imgur.com/nbGCv00.jpg]these[/url] [url=http://i.imgur.com/bBYgd3u.png]here.[/url]

I also feel it's worth mentioning that not ALL Dres settlements will have these hexagonal cantons and there WILL be variations. Furthermore, there will also be multiple levels on some of them as well.

RyanS · Post by **RyanS** » Sat Jan 09, 2016 1:36 am

Those look incredible, FloorBelow. Dres is gonna be great!

I think the concepts Not has linked would be most useful for and probably exclusive to Tier 1 and 2 cities, while FloorBelow's concepts could act as the base clansteads for typical Dres settlements.

sasquatch2o · Post by **sasquatch2o** » Sat Jan 09, 2016 4:07 am

EJRS had some nice photos of cave dwellings reminiscent of an anthill.. But I think something slightly less organic would be better or a compromise of that with more going on around the base and underneath. I also like some components of kaziems's sketches..Not liking these latest at all though.. For one, the single entrance is a long set of stairs?? That is completely impractical. Visually this thing has no depth and if an interior to the city is added it will be boring as Vivec. The concept looks too similar to a colonial fortress designed to maximize canon conversate and deflect enemy projectiles.

Dres cities should be more functional at the base. Hollowed out and dug into or built up vertically. They hould be open as posible. Maybe holding pens and waistworks and canals come right into the underbelly of the dres cities. This way goods and slaves can be easily shipped and stored away from the commercial and residential upper areas.

More on pits and usable space under main city:

Slave pits could be two or three stories, open to the exterior at the top with a mixture of closed and open "interior spaces." a towering interior space open to exterior at the top.

Other deep cut outs would be in the in any manufacturing of shipping receiving areas. Again these could be 3 stories tall and open to the exterior both where canals enter uber the main hun and where light shines down from the suface. First floor (water level) should have canals and loading uploading dock for both small boats and guar carts. Second story should be for unloading and loading goods off striders. Third story would be smaller goods and consumables, things the city itself will be using. A large market might be found on upper level.

Bulk trade goods should be stored on lower two stories. These prob not even searchable for most part just like.. Walls of crates and barrels bout 10 20 feet high.. Such a pit would have cranes and ramps to move goods and people too to bottom as well as ramp around the periphery. Mine carts and tracks should also run from loading dock into city for storage. Also featured under the city should be areas for processing whatever stuff dres does.

Above the under-city would be the typical shops, taverns, communal outdoor spaces residences guild halls etc. Maybe these areas could be more organic with more geometric structures carved out of them?Consider ejrs's dres concept. Would like upper area to be multi-tiered though, for sure, with multiple paths and spaces for creative movement.

Should introduce more extreme height variation and higher concentration of dense meaningful city space that will make smart use of scenery and layout to reduce both seperate interiors and redundancy and both increase scale and quality of exploration. Functionality of city and character of dress should be considered.

I would like to see the city from the outside. How it functions and what it does should be apparent from the exterior. I want to realize what makes dres culture distinct from other houses from the exterior. And not just in cities and towns but across all their landscape. I'd like to see how they have made use of their native landscape and resources and how it influenced the design of their society and cities.

Not · Post by **Not** » Sat Jan 09, 2016 5:45 am

sasquatch2o wrote:For one, the single entrance is a long set of stairs?? That is completely impractical.

Actually if you look carefully, there are two entrances on that picture, though the other one is not in camera view and you can't really see it. Furthermore, it's very practical considering these were once strongholds used to fortify positions, so having a ton of entrances and being easily accessible from the outside would be plain stupid when you consider their original purpose.

Visually this thing has no depth and if an interior to the city is added it will be boring as Vivec. The concept looks too similar to a colonial fortress designed to maximize canon conversate and deflect enemy projectiles.

Considering this structure is massive enough to hold a small settlement of houses on top of itself demonstrated via the pictures above, I can only imagine how big the interior could (in theory) be. Also, considering what these strongholds were designed for in the first place; yes, they should deflect enemy projectiles, that's part of the reason they were built in the first place. As far as looking colonial or whatever, when they are properly textured, they'll look fine and look like Morrowind.

Slave pits could be two or three stories, open to the exterior at the top with a mixture of closed and open "interior spaces." a towering interior space open to exterior at the top.

Other deep cut outs would be in the in any manufacturing of shipping receiving areas. Again these could be 3 stories tall and open to the exterior both where canals enter uber the main hun and where light shines down from the suface. First floor (water level) should have canals and loading uploading dock for both small boats and guar carts. Second story should be for unloading and loading goods off striders. Third story would be smaller goods and consumables, things the city itself will be using. A large market might be found on upper level.

I'd like to reiterate here; slave pits won't be in every single holding. They're mostly situated in Dres Tyr (or Tear, pending final name.) I'm not sure if we'll have them in other places, we probably should, but I'm not the one to ask about that. My point is, not all cities are going to have slave pits and not all settlements are going to be used for shipping and receiving. You have some good ideas about the general layout for some cantons and I think they should be considered, but these will not be present in every settlement. The Dres lands are almost 1/2 the size of the rest of TR so it's going to have a lot of settlements and other things to consider. Strongholds won't be present in a lot of them, if not most of them.

I would like to see the city from the outside. How it functions and what it does should be apparent from the exterior. I want to realize what makes dres culture distinct from other houses from the exterior. And not just in cities and towns but across all their landscape. I'd like to see how they have made use of their native landscape and resources and how it influenced the design of their society and cities.

We have been working non stop to establish Dres lore and create unique environments that make it vastly different from the rest of Morrowind. We have Skyrender insects already modeled and animated, we're using some great resources that other modders have made to add more variety and we've had lengthy discussions surrounding their culture and way of life. The architecture and settlements will reflect that.

FloorBelow · Post by **FloorBelow** » Sat Jan 09, 2016 4:51 pm

Thanks for the feedback, people. I think sasquatch2o raises some interesting points, and there's definitely more that can be done to add to the exterior and outskirts of the stronghold. I like the idea of having canals and slave pits around the base of the structure, and I think it would be cool to have waterways cut into the sides of the canton.

At the same time, I'm not sure it would be a great idea to make the lower levels completely hollow, since I think it would diminish the solid, defensible kinda look. I do like the idea of the Dres Strongholds being these monumental stone platforms rising from the plains, almost like man-made mountains.
(I was thinking that originally they might have been settlements built on top of natural hills or embankments to avoid flooding, sort of like the first settlements in Rome. After that the walls will have been built up for defense, and then built up/hollowed out to create a proper fortress city.)

For the upper tiers, I had a couple of ideas: Either build houses for the poorer occupants directly into the canton walls, or make the walls slope inwards with buildings projecting out:
[spoiler][img]http://i.imgur.com/TBXXcg4.jpg[/img][/spoiler]
It's only a quick concept, and the scale on the buildings is a little too large, but I think it works quite well. Gives off a nice foreboding, brutalist vibe. I also tried adding buttresses inspired by the concepts Not posted, but I think they turned out a little too Vivec-ey. Need to try some more ideas.