I am looking for interiors builders.

[Heero]

Since I am the worst player in all of ALFA, I have switched focus to building the drow city of Sshamath. Really, its because I am currently not welcome to play what I want to play in the current areas represented on our current servers. Instead of constantly whining about this or that, or hoping someone else builds it for me, I am going to make a place for me to play. Build it and they will come, right?

Sshamath is a good drow city to add as it is not Lolthian so all - with the obvious exception of the darthiir, the surface elves, of course - are 'welcome' in the city. The city is ruled by a council of wizards, and the drow of the city do not make slaves of races that show an aptitude for the arcane. Itll be a good hub for all Underdark races, as well as (most) surface races if they so choose. It keeps the good ole drow scheming and politicking, but eliminates the noble, Lolthian priestess stuff which IMO limits RP choices and really shouldnt be a 'playable' sort of PC (though I am opening a the Lolthian temple as a faction w/ quests, but drow in Sshamath dont give two shits about Lolth and her priestesses as they do in other places).

Paazin has offered to incorporate this into the BG server. As some of you may know, there is already a small BG Underdark. Well, this will be added onto that, along with additional Underdark cavern areas and a subterranean OLM. I plan to make this semi-self sufficient ala TSM with statics and factions and adventure places (incorporating many of the ideas espoused by many of you on the forum over the past couple months), but more on that later...

I am going for a different focus for this than Sand with his NU. While Sand is gearing for a high(er) level adventure area with a few local PCs, I would like for ALFA to finally have a place for Underdarkers to play.

So what am I asking for?

Well, I am asking for people to step up and help me with interiors. If you are a wannabe Underdarker, even if you have NO experience with the toolset, I would appreciate your assistance. I am not asking for any scripting, conversations, quests, etc...I will handle all of that (or pass things off to experienced people who may or may not step up). What I am asking is for help with interiors, which is an easy, though very tedious with placeables, undertaking.

I had hoped to have this all done myself so that it would magically appear on BG one day, but, after quite a few proof-of-concepts, many weeks of trial and error with building, and about a week on the current build (which is coming along nice), I have come to the realization that I cant do it myself.

Coming are some screenshots from within the toolset of the city exterior in progress. Please bear in mind while looking that there is very little texturing completed, NO lighting completed (itll be pitch black with all point lighting, which will be frequent and heavy enough that even PCs with no lo/dark vision should be able to navigate), and few placeables. The exterior should be finished with everything by the end of next week at which time I will post in-game screens.















Pls hlp. K thx bai.

[Castano]

tip - limit your exterior areas to 16x16...it looks awesome BTW.

[Heero]

I know. This is 24x24, itll have to work. I couldnt fit what I wanted/needed onto 16x16, and doing 2 16x16 areas means Id have to duplicate a crapton of work on the un-traversable areas of each map to make it look consistent - thats a pain in the ass. So we will see.

[I-KP]

24x24 = bad doo-doo. I know your pain re cutting a large exterior in half, I've gone through that particular mangle, but it is worth doing as the performance benefits are significant (for everyone on the server). Compartmentalising large urban areas can work well, a la BG. It would be well worth the effort judging by what you've put together thus far. Take 16x16(x2) as an opportunity to put more lovely content in.

[Castano]

I know. This is 24x24, itll have to work. I couldnt fit what I wanted/needed onto 16x16, and doing 2 16x16 areas means Id have to duplicate a crapton of work on the un-traversable areas of each map to make it look consistent - thats a pain in the ass. So we will see.

24x24 will work.

MS has used larger areas for towns before....there are some trick I can show you to reduce lag/stuttering, when you are done with the final build of the town exterior chat me up.

[Blindhamsterman]

chat me up.

You're well in Heero!

[Hyme]

I will be willing to help once i finish the deep gnome interior. I think if it ok with Castano i would like to change the exterior to a more lore friendly look.

Deep gnome culture is largely defined by the environment in which they live. Deep gnome cities are usually centered in a single large cavern, surrounded by an interlocking set of tunnels and other caverns into which the city spreads. These cities are usually large, but not particularly so, often around around one thousand gnomes in number. Frequently cut off from all outside contact, even from other deep gnome cities, the inhabitants of these communities may never venture out of their havens, instead crowding together for protection. Population density is extremely high and most families share a single, small room for their living space, with children living with their parents until they themselves marry and have children

As a whole deep gnomes are a hard-working and deeply sullen people, but even the hardest-hearted deep gnome requires time to relax and let off steam. Deep gnomes' intense dedication and ability to survive under harsh conditions often shows up in such activities. Deep gnome architecture, for instance, is shaped largely by the conditions deep gnomes live in, with the oldest homes often carved directly out of the surrounding rock, the highest-ranking members of any one clan usually inhabiting large stalagmites while the lower-classed inhabit the surrounding cavern floors or walls

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Deep_gnome

Temples of the Deep Brother are constructed in natural caverns worn smooth by a centuries-long process of Callarduran's priests rubbing the rough stone with their bare hands. At the center of such subterranean chapels is a stalagmite altar raised from the stone floor by stone shape spells and inlaid with hundreds of tiny rubies. Suggestive of the Deep Brother's giant stone of controlling earth elementals, such solitary menhirs are said to house a great deal of magical power derived from the Elemental Plane of Earth, including the ability to animate itself as a 24-HD earth elemental should the temple ever come under attack.

http://www.nj-pbem.com/data/Gods/gnomeg ... rduran.htm

[Heero]

No one wishes to help? No one has any desire in Underdark PCs?

I am just about finished the exterior, but this is never gonna see implementation on a server if I have to build all this stuff on me own.

Am I wasting my time with this?

[Tegid]

I don't think you are wasting your time. I will play there. Already spoken with blindhamsterman about my new drow PC on the way...

[Heero]

Any interest in building?

[Hyme]

I said i would help once i finished the deep gnome town.

[Castano]

I will be willing to help once i finish the deep gnome interior. I think if it ok with Castano i would like to change the exterior to a more lore friendly look.

what you posted above - that would be a full fedged deep gnome city. The deep gnome city under MS was destroyed per canon (read the MS trilogy). what is left is this outpost of refugees with I created out of thin air so svirfs have a location - so it's not going to be a full fledged city thing with sprawling caverns and temples.

[Galadorn]

No one wishes to help? No one has any desire in Underdark PCs?

I am just about finished the exterior, but this is never gonna see implementation on a server if I have to build all this stuff on me own.

Am I wasting my time with this?

Patience. I think I heard someone say that once, oh yea, me!

((just a bit of "fun" sarcasm above Heero, no need to read anything beyond that out of it!))

You started this thread 7 days before the above post. When did you plan to have all of this 100% ready for full implementation? ...Like, 2 weeks from scratch to done?

I hope massive good luck and support come your way as your proposal seems just what the ALFA UD doctor ordered! Yay Heero! but eeeeeeeeasyy.... what's the RUSH? Congrats on the plan, what I saw below MS was BEAUTIFUL, so there's no worry about what you're doing ending up fantastic, cheers to you. I'm sure others will jump in and help soon.

yay!

[viigas]

it this gets going and the location is not on the other end of BG server seen from TSM maybe you should have a talk to Curm about possible connecting TSM lowroad (semi UD trade road).
I make use of some underground river to not be forced to build every damn area but as of now the lowroad stretch from Felbarr (lower felbarr) all the way to the dark coal mine just a stone throw from Hawks nest and with the upcoming orc quest me/curm plan to continue build the low road so it eventually reach the lower regions of Mithril hall along with 3 or 4 exits/entrances along the way...

We had a initial plan to hook it up to Sands north UD and Manthol Derith but it had been cool to have a underground route to port between servers.. smugglers and other likeminded shady folks might not wish to go by the surface roads...

as I said.. depending on youre location in BG have a talk to Curm if you please

Since I am the worst player in all of ALFA, I have switched focus to building the drow city of Sshamath. Really, its because I am currently not welcome to play what I want to play in the current areas represented on our current servers. Instead of constantly whining about this or that, or hoping someone else builds it for me, I am going to make a place for me to play. Build it and they will come, right?

Sshamath is a good drow city to add as it is not Lolthian so all - with the obvious exception of the darthiir, the surface elves, of course - are 'welcome' in the city. The city is ruled by a council of wizards, and the drow of the city do not make slaves of races that show an aptitude for the arcane. Itll be a good hub for all Underdark races, as well as (most) surface races if they so choose. It keeps the good ole drow scheming and politicking, but eliminates the noble, Lolthian priestess stuff which IMO limits RP choices and really shouldnt be a 'playable' sort of PC (though I am opening a the Lolthian temple as a faction w/ quests, but drow in Sshamath dont give two shits about Lolth and her priestesses as they do in other places).

Paazin has offered to incorporate this into the BG server. As some of you may know, there is already a small BG Underdark. Well, this will be added onto that, along with additional Underdark cavern areas and a subterranean OLM. I plan to make this semi-self sufficient ala TSM with statics and factions and adventure places (incorporating many of the ideas espoused by many of you on the forum over the past couple months), but more on that later...

I am going for a different focus for this than Sand with his NU. While Sand is gearing for a high(er) level adventure area with a few local PCs, I would like for ALFA to finally have a place for Underdarkers to play.

So what am I asking for?

Well, I am asking for people to step up and help me with interiors. If you are a wannabe Underdarker, even if you have NO experience with the toolset, I would appreciate your assistance. I am not asking for any scripting, conversations, quests, etc...I will handle all of that (or pass things off to experienced people who may or may not step up). What I am asking is for help with interiors, which is an easy, though very tedious with placeables, undertaking.

I had hoped to have this all done myself so that it would magically appear on BG one day, but, after quite a few proof-of-concepts, many weeks of trial and error with building, and about a week on the current build (which is coming along nice), I have come to the realization that I cant do it myself.

Coming are some screenshots from within the toolset of the city exterior in progress. Please bear in mind while looking that there is very little texturing completed, NO lighting completed (itll be pitch black with all point lighting, which will be frequent and heavy enough that even PCs with no lo/dark vision should be able to navigate), and few placeables. The exterior should be finished with everything by the end of next week at which time I will post in-game screens.















Pls hlp. K thx bai.

[Heero]

Just as an FYI, this is still being worked upon with progress being made. And I could still use any help any wish to offer.