[FCG] Mushroom forest & ash swamp

[Morthank0914]

I'm not the best artist, here's my take on a mushroom

[url=http://img15.imageshack.us/i/scan0001ru.jpg/][img]http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/6528/scan0001ru.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Looks alot like a tree...LOL.

[RelinQ]

Thats not to bad actaully, has some potential.

I would like to elaborate more on a specific species of Fungi, Aseroë Rubra:

Its originally an Australian Fungi and its quite unique so it think it has alot of potential as a shape to play around with and modified.

[img]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y286/Relinquished_kaos/aseroe_rubra.jpg[/img]

[Nalin]

Very cool looking fungus there RelinQ, we have to bear in mind though that if we're going to make a forest out of these then we going to have a very high polycount with the "tendrils" poking out there. Just something to think about when looking at fungi.

Alpha mapped areas could allow for more furry, hairy, viney bits - but they'd be flat surfaces - a mix of meshed vines and mapped vines could work though.

[Myzel]

Is this mushroom forest supposed to be all enchanted/pretty or kind of foreboding/Snow White sort of thing?

It's supposed to be a Morrowind sort of thing.

My head had the Avatar forests in it.

If I see one more reference to Avatar in this thread I'm going to delete it and start a new one.
Despite of what people may think, Morrowind has a vastly different aesthetic atmosphere from the glowing fairy forest in that movie.

[Jule]

One cool thing would be to attach some mushrooms on the shell of a mudcrab. To create a moving colony of mushrooms, so to speak.

[Haplo]

Avatar had some cool forests, I dunno what you're thinking. They were even cooler in IMAX 3D (bitches). It wasn't very fairytale to me. Did you see the movie, Myzel? I think I've seen it like 8 times now. At any rate, could the models for these new mushrooms be smaller? I hated how we could only make the vanilla mushrooms either "huge" or "big".

[blackbird]

I would vote against using glow maps on these mushrooms. It's a rather common thing to do, even more so since That Expensive CGI Movie made everyone and their dinner bioluminescent.

Any more direction on this?... other than mushroom trees which aren't like the parasols. This topic hasn't moved at all with the current info.

The idea would be that concept artists make that info up. Otherwise they're just drawing.

Here is something I found on the internet. I'm not sure how useful it will be:
http://www.killerplants.com/media/images/goodies/desktops/kp/kpPopAshSwamp1280.jpg

Blackbird, I hope you realize the "ash" in that URL refers to the trees, not the volcanic material.

1. Are we looking for something like azura coast's mushroom trees?
2. I was thinking about a region with very few rocks. There is no such region at Vvardenfell and TR morrowind, because it would be a dull place. What do you guys think about this?

1. Answered by Myzel.
2. If you have a good idea for it, try and show it. No one is going to be able to answer without knowing what you have in mind or what it would look like.

I know I'm late, but since almost everyone is talking i thought it wouldn't hurt to post my ideas.

Unfortunately i couldn't find a better pic on the internet. But the trees is what we should aim for. There is too much grass on that picture.

My thought about filling the space of the mushroom forest, (Othreleth woods or something like that) was using a lot of plants (containers and statics), but the combination of much trees and plants gives (some) lag. I guess there's no other option then using some rocks.

BTW: 2 questions: 1. How large and long will the mushrooms be? 2. Will there be normal trees (ai, bc or gl trees)?

[Nalin]

[url=http://img84.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shroomsketches.jpg][img]http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/8697/shroomsketches.th.jpg[/img][/url][url=http://img440.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shroomtrees.jpg][img]http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/8774/shroomtrees.th.jpg[/img][/url][url=http://img267.imageshack.us/my.php?image=luminousshrooms.jpg][img]http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3315/luminousshrooms.th.jpg[/img][/url]

1. Okay, so when I think Morrowind and mushroom Telvani happens! It took a while to try to steer away from that - the only thing "new" on this one is the thing in the middle. A possible new plant/fungus/container intended to be around hip height tall.

2. The first tree is pretty much not doable ingame due to bazillions of polys if we made a forest out of them. the second isn't very much of a movement away from the Emperor parasols but the rotting caps would make a nice "foliage" look to them.

3. Luminous fungi growing in the hollow "root" network under the forest.

[Aeven]

I like the alphamapped mushroom. I think those would look quite good with some bioluminescence underneath them.

[Myzel]

I think Morthank's tree looks pretty nice. I can see them work better on plains than in forests though.
Nalin, your shroomtrees are even cooler. I like the idea of those semi-transparent caps.

Personally I'm not too keen on overusing luminous plants. A few here and there may work, like on the bitter coast or as lights in underground tunnels.

[RelinQ]

I like those trees Nalin, If the first one can be made with relatively low polyies then maybe a few scarce ones could be added.

They'd certainly give some character to the area.

[greendogo]

Continuing on what I mentioned earlier about using ideas from Coral:
Tube Coral - Could be fungal undergrowth or made taller into tall mucksponge-like groups (taller, like bamboo):
[img]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/Greendogo/OHtube_sponges-1.jpg[/img][img]http://www.seasky.org/seagallery/assets/images/seapic01-14_se12.jpg[/img]
Other tube coral links:
[url=http://img6.travelblog.org/Photos/9636/378114/f/3529956-Organ-Pipe-Coral-1.jpg]Organ Pipe Coral[/url]
[url=http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/Greendogo/tubecoralgroup.jpg]Tube Coral Group[/url]
[url=http://www.designerstencils.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/largeview/E165.gif]Blue Tube Coral[/url]

Other types of "coral" - Could be used as fungus "bushes", underbrush or growths on larger trees/mushroom-trees or rocks:
[img]http://fotosa.ru/stock_photo/Corbis_RF/p_2614164.jpg[/img][img]http://www.seasky.org/seagallery/assets/images/seapic01-22_se33.jpg[/img]
Other non-tube coral links:
[url=http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/3/9/1236622717864/Corals-at-the-Great-Barri-001.jpg]Blue and white coral[/url]
[url=http://www.livingreefs.com/attachments/1384d1233958644-black-sun-polyp-tube-coral-blacks84_suncoral0608.jpg]Sun polyps[/url]
[url=http://funscubadiver.com/gallery/bonaire-scuba-photo/bonaire-flower-coral.jpg]Bonaire flower coral[/url]
[url=http://www.richard-seaman.com/Underwater/Australia/Coral/StubbyPurpleCoral.jpg]Stubby purple coral[/url]
[url=http://www.seattleyates.com/Coral%20green.jpg]Green Coral[/url]

I thought coral might be a good source of inspiration because they are fairly alien and might fit well in a "Mushroom Forest" and in that context could pass as fungus.

[Andres Indoril]

[url=http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/old_forum/viewtopic.php?p=287242#287242]Linky[/url] to the semi-related creature that I posted in my thread of artlike things.


If this specific post here was absolutely useless, then you have my apologies.

[Myzel]

Two sketches from me. Ash swamps haven't gotten much attention yet, so I'll begin with this:

[url=http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/9050/trswamp.jpg][img]http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/9050/trswamp.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Once a green and lush environment, this swamp has suffered from ashfall. Now green has turned to grey and flora is withering and dying. The only thing that still thrives is a white fungus which grows over everything and hangs from dead trees like cobwebs. Warm fumes rising from the bog create an everlasting mist and hint to volcanic activity deep below the surface.

Also, a few random mushrooms:

[url=http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/7640/trshrooms.jpg][img]http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/7640/trshrooms.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[RelinQ]

That first picture is awesome Myzel, It's like a Mushroom Mire.

It'd be really cool if we made something darking and gloomy like that but with odd and strange coloured fungi's around

[Aeven]

I really like those, Myzel!

[Praedator]

Although I really like the atmosphere in the first picture, something 'wrong' occurred to me. The mushroom has twigs under the junction of parasol to stem, what makes it look like a parasol tree, instead of mushroom. But maybe this is only because there are no textures applied to it.

However, I do really like the large mushroom in the second pic.

[Katze]

The first picture is of the Ash Swamp, so it doesnt necessarily have to be a mushroom.

Regardless, the big emperor parasol mushrooms found in the main game have splits in the trunk before reaching the cap, so it's absolutely fine. Morrowind doesn't always closely follow real-world biology, after all.

[Myzel]

Although I really like the atmosphere in the first picture, something 'wrong' occurred to me. The mushroom has twigs under the junction of parasol to stem, what makes it look like a parasol tree, instead of mushroom. But maybe this is only because there are no textures applied to it.

That was done on purpose. They are emperor parasols as found in Morrowind, but withering and dying.

[Kiteflyer61]

Where are the ash swamps located? I just wondered if they border the Armun Ashlands, and thus, were a transition between ashlands and a normal swamp that was being swallowed by the ash.

[Myzel]

More detailed parasols for the ash swamp.

[url=http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/23/trshroomsash2.jpg][img]http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/23/trshroomsash2.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/3848/trshroomsashb.jpg][img]http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/3848/trshroomsashb.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[Morden]

That was done on purpose. They are emperor parasols as found in Morrowind, but withering and dying.

It would be easy to alter the original meshes/textures to make them look like your concepts... and less modeling is always a plus.

[Sload]

<- Likes

[Worsas]

Out of mere curiosity: Will there be claims when you have decided for one of the concepts? Or will you wait for one of the modellers to start modelling in own initiative? Or will this be managed behind the scenes as with the Dres Tileset?

[Haplo]

Once Myzel has a list of specific concept art pieces the models should follow, I would like to open a claim for them.

[Myzel]

I'm working on a few more specific pieces such as fungus covered tree stump and log. I don't think many more concepts will be needed though.

Things of which I will not draw specific concepts but do need to be modeled are:
- The dead trees overgrown with white fungus. I think the concept is made pretty clear in my atmospheric sketch, and I think further detailing would be pretty redundant in this case. There are no doubt dead trees in the original game that can be retextured and covered with those fungus cobwebs.
- I believe there are some dark grey grasses in the original game. If not they may have to be modeled as well, otherwise we'll have little or no undergrowth.
- We might also want to use something like those bitter coast sludge pools, grey instead of green. But I assume the swamp will be as sea level so that there's pools of water around too.

[Praedator]

We might also want to use something like those bitter coast sludge pools, grey instead of green. But I assume the swamp will be as sea level so that there's pools of water around too.

Swamp trees/mushrooms with very 'hairy' and tall roots just above ground, like RL mangroves would be nice to my opinion. Maybe only for bordering the sludge pools. Stuff could be hidden underneath them.

[Myzel]

Swamp trees/mushrooms with very 'hairy' and tall roots just above ground, like RL mangroves would be nice to my opinion. Maybe only for bordering the sludge pools. Stuff could be hidden underneath them.

Not a bad idea. I don't want the swamp to look like a mangrove, but such roots may look nice on dead, twisted trees.

I'll try a few concepts if they don't look too out of place compared to the rest.

[Myzel]

A few more pieces for the swamp.

[url=http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/3315/trswamp1.jpg][img]http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/3315/trswamp1.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/9939/trswamp2.jpg][img]http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/9939/trswamp2.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[Taijan]

I'm not sure if anythings been decided on the mushroom forest, so far it seems like lots of ideas have been proposed but nothings concrete yet. I figure the ash swamp is coming along nicely with all of Myzel's sketches, so I tried out the forest. I took some of the ideas tossed around here and a few of my own for this sketch. I figure a forest is bound to have many different and unique mushroom species, but also some seen in vanilla Morrowind. I also think there might be mushrooms growing on other mushrooms, like Bungler's Bane on a mushroom tree. I like Nalin's mushroom bioluminescent trees so that'd be a nice addition.

[url=http://img297.imageshack.us/i/mushroomforest.jpg/][img]http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/6151/mushroomforest.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[Myzel]

Nice looking sketch Taijan, I like it. Like you say, so far no concrete decisions have come out of this thread regarding the mushroom forest. The ideas that have been tossed around don't really impact the general appearance of it either, I think. So far, all indications are that this will be a forest of many different mushrooms.

Another idea that has been mentioned in this thread was to have the forest actually be a single life form, maybe with a system of root tunnels underneath.
Nalin's drawing of telvanni-like mushrooms suits this idea quite well. However, having wild-growing telvanni-like mushrooms in a single location nowhere near Telvannis may look rather strange and makes little sense.

[RelinQ]

Wow that is a pretty cool sketch Taijan.

You know... assuming most of these trees stay rather solid (e.g no transparency) I reckon I could even model some if need be. One of the few things I can model is solid trees.

I keep reading things back and forth from both sides about emperor parasol mushrooms and telvanni mushrooms.
Could we make a list and start by ruling out what types of mushrooms/fungi we don't want to recreate?
Then at least others can start modelling or sketching up prototypes for models we do want.

Cheers

[Myzel]

What we have here is a collection of opinions, and opinions can vary widely.
But since you asked it that way: I think there is nothing we want to 'recreate'.

We don't want to recreate emperor parasols, because we already have them.

We don't want to recreate azura's coast shroomtrees, because we also have those.

We don't want to recreate telvanni mushrooms because we have those, and they would look out of place so far from Telvanni lands.

I would personally be happy if we would end up with a (coherent) set of new and unique mushrooms that go well with each other and also work when combined with existing morrowind statics (rocks, other mushrooms).
The more elaborate ideas that have been suggested in this thread (single organism, root tunnel system, dense jungle?) might also be cool, but I don't see them happening unless someone comes up with a range of suitable concepts that articulate these ideas into something we can actually look at.

[Adanorcil]

Another idea that has been mentioned in this thread was to have the forest actually be a single life form, maybe with a system of root tunnels underneath.

For reference, I want it to be made clear again that when I said we could think of the Othreleth forest as a single organism, I did not mean for that fact to be readily visible and especially not in an ostentatious sort of way. It was just a suggestion for people to think about, not a visual idea.

[Taijan]

We could make the forest partially a single organism, and it wouldn't be glaringly obvious. First off, I don't think a single organism forest should look like it's all connected. That would mean all the mushroom trees would look the same, and forests should have a crapload of different plant species. But there could be a root system that goes deep underground with many entrances throughout the forest. These entrances would have to be at the same mushroom tree species. This would allow for many different mushrooms to be on the surface. The biggest problem is that the only way I can imagine this looks like Shivering Isles root caves. I figure we want to make this forest completely original. I'd like to concept it but I think it needs more work.

Also, RelinQ, I envision all the mushroom trees as being solid.

[Adanorcil]

In a bored moment I had a crack at some flora for the Othreleth woods. I deliberately tried to get away from the toadstool shape.


[url=http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Vahiku/TamrielRebuilt/mushroomonesketch.jpg]Idea for a thin, omnipresent mushroom tree, similar to a birch tree or such.[/url]
[url=http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Vahiku/TamrielRebuilt/mushroomonecolor.jpg]The same, with a suggestion for a color scheme.[/url]

[url=http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Vahiku/TamrielRebuilt/mushroomtwosketch.jpg]Idea for a massive slow-growing mushroom tree.[/url]
[url=http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Vahiku/TamrielRebuilt/mushroomtwocolor.jpg]The same, with a suggestion for a color scheme.[/url]

[Katze]

I have no scanner to demonstrate my ideas at the moment, but has anyone considered having dead or dying trees completely overwhelmed by vinelike fungi wrapping around them? The tree covered in fungal vines could be one model, then the fruiting bodies could be another model (a natural container with ingredient) that can be added anywhere on the vines, increasing uniqueness. Many of these bodies would be high up enough that levitation would be required to harvest them.

As an alternate, having the fungi growing around and damaging the less well maintained buildings of any towns in the region could be interesting. I'm sure we all know about the damage creepers like ivy can do to old buildings in the real world.

[SamirA]

That first idea for flora you have Adanorcil is very nice I think. I think it works well with Morrowinds style and looks interesting froma gaming standpoint. I personally don't think the latter is as good but that first one is very nice and Morrowindy.

[Katze]

I like both of Ada's designs, and having a common appearance among the basic trees is a good idea (very much liking what looks like inspiration from chanterelle mushrooms, by the way).

Will we be wanting more small, ordinary-sized mushroom ideas too, as well as tree and shrub-sized ones?

[Yeti]

I love both of Adanorcil's designs. The colors are very nice and suitably different from other Morrowind plant life.