Firewatch Castle Rebuilt

Stalker · Post by **Stalker** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 1:27 pm

I was toying around with FW castle and decided to rebuild it completly. Note that I still have the old version so don't worry about it.
I want to consult with you if I should revert to the old one or to continue to detail this, new one.
[url=http://img17.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fwcastlerebuilt29pr.jpg][img]http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/8910/fwcastlerebuilt29pr.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://img17.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fwcastlerebuilt39ho.jpg][img]http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/7571/fwcastlerebuilt39ho.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://img17.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fwcastlerebuilt1xk.jpg][img]http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/5250/fwcastlerebuilt1xk.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Arthmodeus · Post by **Arthmodeus** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 1:43 pm

Simply brilliant, Stalker.

I'm anxious to see the finished product.

Morden · Post by **Morden** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 3:11 pm

What was wrong with the old one?

Stalker · Post by **Stalker** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 3:18 pm

Nothing really (except for interior which will be redone completly). Although it abuses ex_imp_plat_01 a bit. It's not because I felt FW castle was bad, it's just because I wanted to do something different. Thus I saved the old castle as a separate file.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 4:43 pm

I like it, a bit more grand than before. Good work.

Post by **Haplo** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:03 pm

Stalker you suck. Get back to detailing original castle.

Stalker · Post by **Stalker** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:06 pm

Haplo wrote:Stalker you suck. Get back to detailing original castle.

Yay ! And now original opinion please :p

Post by **Haplo** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:10 pm

I was bribed to say that.

You take out that tower, and I'll kill you.

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:19 pm

What's so heavenly about the tower? I think it's ugly and should be shortened. You can't fit anything in it (contrary to the interior designer's belief).

If it's easier to get to key points in this tower, I like it. Ofcourse, I'd also like to see it in a non-retextured game because it'd look way different for me.

Post by **Haplo** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:20 pm

I think this tall tower is the coolest thing to come out of TR to date.

No one else has this tall tower. We do. No one else.

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:22 pm

We clearly think very different things are "cool" then, and I can't see a building ever being the coolest thing in TR for me.

Morden · Post by **Morden** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:55 pm

Firewatch Castle was fine before. Now it has to be completely redone on the inside.. NPCs and Interiors.

Randomly changing towns and castles shouldn't be done. Wasn't Firewatch Yinnie's project? Leave it be.

If a claim needs to be reworked because its incredibly ugly and non-functional, then so be it.. but making major changes to somebody's hard work, just because you can, isn't a decision to make lightly regarless of whether or not the original modders are still with the project.

Stalker · Post by **Stalker** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:58 pm

Morden wrote:Firewatch Castle was fine before. Now it has to be completely redone on the inside.. NPCs and Interiors.

It is being redone anyway.

Wasn't Firewatch Yinnie's project?

I know *sigh*

If a claim needs to be reworked because its incredibly ugly and non-functional, then so be it.. but making major changes to somebody's hard work, just because you can, isn't a decision to make lightly regarless of whether or not the original modders are still with the project.

As I said - I wanted opinions. I'm not forcing anything on anybody. If I'm said to continue with original castle - I will gladly will.

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:59 pm

Except that the interior already needs to be redone because it doesn't fit the exterior at all. And redoing NPCs...that goes without saying.

Gez · Post by **Gez** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 6:31 pm

Omicron wrote:What's so heavenly about the tower? I think it's ugly and should be shortened. You can't fit anything in it (contrary to the interior designer's belief).

Only way to make use of them is through trapdoors, otherwise the stairways eat up all the space...

The thing I reproach to that door is that it has too many arrow slits, it give a too repetitive look to it. Removing some of them; and, on a given floor, not putting them all at the same height (to reflect the stairway's spiral) would increase its verisimilitude.

Also, pairing it, through a bridge, with the shorter tower would make it more impressive and less repetitive.

Stalker · Post by **Stalker** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 6:37 pm

The tower is actually a lighthouse which is, at the same time, a defence tower. Hence the arrowslits. and I don't really have the place for another tower and I think it will look bad anyway. But I can try.

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 6:43 pm

Actually, it's not as bad in these screenshots. I think my biggest problem with it was that the palace was really low except for the tower, which sorta shot up outa nowhere.

Dexter · Post by **Dexter** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 6:51 pm

Stalker just send me the file for this new castle, and it really isn't all that different from Noir's version. A few interiors may have to be redone, but we expected that anyways, right? I think this new version has more logic to it than the old one, and will be easier to navigate.
Normally I would say no to redoing towns and cities, but these are very minor changes. Firewatch was never our best city in the first place, and these changes improve it vastly. This thread probably scared people, being called "Firewatch Castle Rebuilt". It would be better named "Firewatch Castle Fixed".

Stalker · Post by **Stalker** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 9:01 pm

[img]http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4918/fwsmile9sz.jpg[/img]

Hermit · Post by **Hermit** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 10:03 pm

One thing that can (and propably should) be done is adding original TR meshes ot some cities, most notably the already finished Redoran and Indoril cities. Though we also have some Imperial stuff added, and that could see some use in places like Firewatch, which were almost entirely made up of in-game and retextured objects. But we need to be careful with that, we can always add stuff or substitute gently, buit we shouldn't raze a mod to the ground just because we can.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 10:11 pm

Stalker wrote:[img]http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4918/fwsmile9sz.jpg[/img]

All right. That is a good tower. And it looks much better.
Nice job.
But, could we see it with out the original morrowind textures?

..........................................................................................................................................

Post by **Haplo** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 11:05 pm

Here's a screenshot of the normal textured version for all of you folks who want to see them.

Sorry about the error sign in one of them, I'm not sure what it is.

Xui'al · Post by **Xui'al** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 1:07 am

So where does this cross the line about not 'altering any of Bethesda's work?'

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 1:38 am

Xui'al wrote:So where does this cross the line about not 'altering any of Bethesda's work?'

No where, and I don't have a clue where you got that from.

Xui'al · Post by **Xui'al** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 1:54 am

The FAQ. That Tamriel Rebuilt isn't going to change the world built by Bethsoft. We aren't editing Vvardenfell, so why are we editing Firemoth region? ***No offense, the Bethsoft castle sucks and a redone version is certainly in order. I am just too inquisitive for my own good.***

Arthmodeus · Post by **Arthmodeus** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 2:02 am

FireWATCH. It's the city on Map 1.

Nomadic1 · Post by **Nomadic1** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 10:44 am

PLEEEEEEEEEEASE shorten that bloody tower, two or three levels. It just isn't right. It doesn't look right. It doesn't look stable. It is too tall to have a real purpose. If you need the tower, so be it. But make it shorter so it is bearable.

Stalker · Post by **Stalker** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 10:57 am

No, for the single reason that it should dominate over all other buildings and it's exactly 2 levels above the keep.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 11:06 am

That thin side tower would be unstable as all hell. Unless you use the excuse that it's kept up like that with magic, it would fall over in a light breeze.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 11:07 am

It is still structually unsound. It needs to be a bit wider or something.

Stalker · Post by **Stalker** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 11:12 am

Firewatch is full of mysteries like Fighter's Guild hall right beneath the sea. They must get some nasty leaks down there. But OK, I'll make it almost ex_imp_keep_01 wide. It sounds reasonable anyway.

Stalker · Post by **Stalker** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 11:36 am

[url=http://img133.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fwtower9em.jpg][img]http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/5333/fwtower9em.th.jpg[/img][/url]

It's .32 times wider now. The widest I can get w\o redoing the layout or severe texture stretching.

EDIT: -1 level now.

Gez · Post by **Gez** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:20 pm

Better now. It still could deserve some add-on to make it look prettier and more credible, maybe raising the small round tower on a couple of levels.

Nomadic1 · Post by **Nomadic1** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:41 pm

That is an improvement and a half

Stalker · Post by **Stalker** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 1:19 pm

Update:
[url=http://img133.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fwupdate1pj.jpg][img]http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/9825/fwupdate1pj.th.jpg[/img][/url]

presh · Post by **presh** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 4:29 pm

It looks much better.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 4:43 pm

Just for the record....if this is the new tower (i don't like it myself) then you should update the sceenshots in the main non-forum part of tamriel-rebuilt

Dexter · Post by **Dexter** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 5:00 pm

Honestly, I liked the tower better when it was skinny.
Let's not get too technical with architecture. Telvanni architecture is made of fungus, and because of the size, the interiors would be so clogged with spores that breathing would be impossible. And can you imagine how many people would have to work long and hard to get a single Redoran house to the point where it is hospitable?

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 5:09 pm

Yes thats true of the dunmer, but these are the Imperials. Stone and Mortar, not ancient crab shells and fungi. Sure they could have some magical thing holding it up but the problem is that it just doesnt look right. Why would they put the first magically enhanced tower in all morrowind in Firewatch?

kingfish · Post by **kingfish** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 5:12 pm

i don't really know firewatch, so it's hard to say what is better; though my opinion on rebuilding is: changing/overdoing shity claims [and we all know how many there are] is a good thing, but don't get too enthusiastic, or we will continue rebuilding rebuilded areas on and on.
you know, in every single project, there is a point when you have to stop redoing [making better] stuff even though that you could [and should], or you will find yourself running in circles.

anyway, an alternative way as how to make the tall tower [just an example]: -pic