Elven Architecture

Ideas and suggestions for game mechanics and rules.
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Keryn
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by Keryn »

From Canon Sources:

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Most buildings are constructed magically, using materials from the ground to "grow" them. Some are made from alabaster or glass. Stone buildings are usually crafted from a single piece of rock. Those made from wood have roofs of magically created bark or leaves. Otherwise roofs are typically made from crystal or gems, causing them to glitter in sunlight.

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Not from canon

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ElCadaver
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by ElCadaver »

The 'frrom canon' stuff is nice, and I will see what I can do, but I think that without extra placeables, that sort of stuff will be extremely difficult. The choice we have atm is take the stuff we have, and make as elvish looking as possible. an elven placeables pack would be nice though.
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t-ice
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by t-ice »

Blame OE's bad business sense (Or is that Atari or WoC?). I say had OE chosen elves (&drow) as the focus of the last expansion, as opposed to jungles and Yan-Ti, their sales would likely have looked quite different. You gotta provide the fans their service - and there is no yuan-ti cosplay, is there. (Actually, if there is, I'm not sure I want to know...)
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by paazin »

Wow this stuff looks awful.

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Looks straight out of the 70s
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Ithildur
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by Ithildur »

ElCadaver wrote:
Ithildur wrote:
ElCadaver wrote:Concept Rich elf Mansion/Apartment. Built quickly, so final version would be a lot more precise.


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O.o That's the best thing I've seen in a while as far as NWN2 buildings that would fit a modestly ambitious Sun Elven PC. Any way to add more spirally lines around the exterior? Perhaps more graceful curves/points on top rather than the somewhat wicked looking points currently showing?
The only twirly placeable I could find which might work was the stone tree, so I've been bending and moulding it to see how I can get it to look I'm hoping I can use it for carvings on elvish buildings, and an elven stone arbor.

The issue with some good placeables is tintability.. why can't they ALL be tintable!!
I'm going to have to poke around in the toolset a bit.

Also elven stone structures are grown/shaped organically and magically, so any brick-y look probably isn't ideal. But otherwise, that thing with a few tweaks could do pretty nicely for Aglaril someday if he ever gets his own tower or such.
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Brokenbone
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by Brokenbone »

I figure that "organic... growth" stuff is fluff. What spell does that, and if there is one, how long does it take? Can only really think of stuff like Stone Shape doing several cubit feet at a time, with a whole lot of castings.

Elves live plenty long, wouldn't be surprised if "growing" a tower took 20 years or more. Impractical for ALFA purposes.

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Heero
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by Heero »

Keryn wrote:From Canon Sources:

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The women in all these illustrations are all most certainly 1's. I find it sort of curious there are no men depicted, but I guess thats elf fanbois for ya - they just wanna draw elf maidens to fantasize over!
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Ithildur
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by Ithildur »

Brokenbone wrote:I figure that "organic... growth" stuff is fluff. What spell does that, and if there is one, how long does it take? Can only really think of stuff like Stone Shape doing several cubit feet at a time, with a whole lot of castings.

Elves live plenty long, wouldn't be surprised if "growing" a tower took 20 years or more. Impractical for ALFA purposes.

Hire some dwarves to git'ur done in a week.
It's really not healthy to ask questions like that in DnD. :)
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by danielmn »

Brokenbone wrote:I figure that "organic... growth" stuff is fluff. What spell does that, and if there is one, how long does it take? Can only really think of stuff like Stone Shape doing several cubit feet at a time, with a whole lot of castings.

Elves live plenty long, wouldn't be surprised if "growing" a tower took 20 years or more. Impractical for ALFA purposes.

Hire some dwarves to git'ur done in a week.
Spells for building:
Air walk/fly/levitate - tower building
Fabricate - Furnishings
Stone shape - stonework masonry
Telekinesis - tower work/tall building
Wall of Stone - walls and structures
Wood Shape - carpentry/woodworking.
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ElCadaver
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by ElCadaver »

Thread is getting a little derailed. As a normal human, I don't have any spells for building, unless you count "Summon 3DS Max", but that spell is too high lvl for me atm.
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by paazin »

ElCadaver wrote:Thread is getting a little derailed. As a normal human, I don't have any spells for building, unless you count "Summon 3DS Max", but that spell is too high lvl for me atm.

I'd say Cloud's pictures/suggestions would work well. Some of these are even in our haks, I think.
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ElCadaver
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by ElCadaver »

paazin wrote:
ElCadaver wrote:Thread is getting a little derailed. As a normal human, I don't have any spells for building, unless you count "Summon 3DS Max", but that spell is too high lvl for me atm.

I'd say Cloud's pictures/suggestions would work well. Some of these are even in our haks, I think.
Cloud, if possible, coupd you dump all your elven city work, or others you have access to in my builder folder on the TSM FTP. Then I can have a good look at how it's all done.

Where in the toolset do I find the big elf treehouse trees?
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CloudDancing
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by CloudDancing »

As a note as you get into interiors, nothing ruins a nice Elven outside like a standard looking human interior.

We have many caves tiles that can be turned into treehouse interiors with a flick of the wall texture model and color tints. You can even change the ceilings to really high by scrolling through the tile types by selecting the tile and using the arrow keys to see all the tile variations with the simple Caves "L" piece tile. Then our Boat/Ship interior pieces can be used to build rooms.

Also as a second note it REALLY helps Dms if you keep all your interiors and their floors for one village in one interior area. It speeds up games because you are not constantly waiting for people to load just to move around one Inn. And it keeps the area browser clean so its easier to find where you want to jump to.
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ElCadaver
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by ElCadaver »

Thanks cloud, but I don't do interiors. I just don't like it. I just redo exteriors and link them to existing interiors. I'm sure others can do this once the new area(s) are in though, if they choose. The elven tree houses will be eye candy, with maybe some walkable bridges, until someone decides to add interiors.
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I-KP
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Re: Elven Architecture

Post by I-KP »

Cloud_Dancing wrote:Also as a second note it REALLY helps Dms if you keep all your interiors and their floors for one village in one interior area. It speeds up games because you are not constantly waiting for people to load just to move around one Inn. And it keeps the area browser clean so its easier to find where you want to jump to.
Yeah, but some builders go way overboard and cramp in a dozen or so interiors into one area which ends up grinding like a fooker for players who don't have fast machines. Remember, the NWN2 engine is very poorly optimized and even fairly pokey machines can be hobbled by overbuilt areas - of which there are still several in ALFA. Another common mistake by clumping all interiors into one area is that if the interiors have foliage, which I expect Pointy interiors might, it’s easy to end up with far more than the recommended six or so unique seeds per area, which is another poorly optimized element of the NWN2 engine. Keeping all of the rooms/floors for an inn in one interior works, but all rooms for all interiors for the entire village/town doesn't. By all means make the DM’s life easier but please try to strike a balance between ease of use and end user performance.
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