Drakarrin Holdfast - Completed Project

Lorelei · June 2016

So, I've a late office day today....i am playing truant this morning! Although, in all fairness, i have a 6:30pm appt tonight....so i get a little play this morning in trade. Anyway, here is the actual WIP Drakarrin Holdfast that I am using the two level staircase in that Loopysue was so kind as to tweak for me! It's most certainly a work in progress. I hope to have some definition of the Hold's walls tonight. Then i'll go back in and work on the interior....im not liking the wood tables. I may construct something in stone myself if i can't find an image im happy with...we'll see how it progresses. Any suggestions, critiques, images anyone would like to share....please do

https://www.dropbox.com/s/crveor7nb9p1fe6/new%20cave%20test%20steps.PNG?dl=0

Lorelei · June 2016

And....as you can see...i cannot for the life of me figure out how to place a pic that you can click on and have it link to my dropbox file!!!! TECH IDIOT.

Dogtag · June 2016

Looks good so far. Are you going to add any other interior buildings?

Lorelei · June 2016

Posted By: DogtagLooks good so far. Are you going to add any other interior buildings?

Yes, i think i'll add a stable and perhaps a small forge? I'm thinking that the two towers in the front will be barracks and the two in the back will lead to the dungeons. I might add a small walled garden for the family, as well. This is a Hold for members of a royal house in the elven region of Am-Tarsha. These elves live in an area where the famous "Red Drakewood" forests are...They are charged with guarding the region from invading beasties coming down from the mountains.

JimP · June 2016

Do you choose 'Format comments as' html at the bottom of each post you post an image link to ?

Lorelei · June 2016

Posted By: JimPDo you choose 'Format comments as' html at the bottom of each post you post an image link to ?

Yes. Well, technically, no. But it's checked off already when you post

I'm just an idiot.

JimP · June 2016

Okay, as long as its html, you should be able to post a link.

Loopysue · June 2016

I like the way you've moved the dais closer to the stairs, and made the layout of the interior furniture less rigidly regular

Lorelei · June 2016

So here's what i worked on last night, the crenelations of the outer walls, furnished the nursery (i'll add a more detailed pic below), added a barn

Lorelei · June 2016

It is located on the upper left corner behind the walls. I think i will also add a small chapel and/or a dovecote

Lorelei · June 2016

working on the interior

Loopysue · June 2016

Would the crenulations look a fraction better if the stone texture wasn't so... black-or-white-but-nothing-in-between? To me it kind of hides the overall structure of the crenulations, which must have taken you quite some time to create. I don't know (and please tell me to shut up in no uncertain terms if I'm making you frown).

I LOVE the barn - all the tiny animals - especially the chickens (lol). I like little details like that because it sparks the imagination into creating little stories to fit the scene. And that's the most gorgeous emerald you have chosen for the cushions on the seats in the hall.

The nursery is coming on as well. I like detail. There's more to look at when things are a bit untidy and lived in.

Just a suggestion, but the light shining in through the windows is very sharp edged. I thought you had thrown a whole load of tombstone-shaped scatter rugs around the place until I twigged as to what they were. lol. Would they look better with the tiniest bit of blur or edge fade?

Lorelei · June 2016

It's a symbol....not sure if i can blur them up...but you are right. As far as the crenelations, i think i may try to use a different fill for the walls. I agree. It just is very "stark" to me. I'll try a more muted stone fill to see it that works. It's actually a pretty easy fix.

Loopysue · June 2016

Ah ha! You could make things easier for yourself (because symbols won't blur that easily), by drawing the same shape as the symbol as a white polygon, then applying transparency to the sheet your new polygons are on, then adding the necessary edge fade.

You would have to draw your polygons larger than the symbols to allow for the edge fade.

Edge fade would be better than blur, because blur would also blur the underlying texture.

Please tell me if I'm talking Sue-speak and it doesn't make any sense

Lorelei · June 2016

totally makes sense.....i did that for my shadows on the outer walls (which i think i need to blur and make less opaque) since i didn't want an outerwall shadow cast inside. I'll work on it later tonight. I think i may need to do that with the crenelations too...as you can see the overlapping shadows of the wall and the crenelations i laid on top. Homemade shadows....fun times

Loopysue · June 2016

I don't have this software yet, so I'm thinking both blind and out loud, but would it be possible to make the actual window cast a very transparent shadow - but a white one, rather than a black one?

If it is possible, then you could make the windows quite literally let in the light

Lorelei · June 2016

Im pretty sure i could work that out with two different layers maybe? One for the light, and then one on top for the shadow of the window? like a curved side shadow perhaps? When i get at my desktop tonight i'll work on it

Loopysue · June 2016

Just like I'm talking blind, I can't see what your saying all that well. Lol. I shall await the outcome with interest

LadieStorm · June 2016

Lorelei, I have to ask you how did you do your walls?!? I am attempting to do something similar, with curving walls like this, and I'm falling short. Can you tell me how you made yours?

Lorelei · June 2016

The outer walls? I just used the Add Room in DD3 - I made 4 circular rooms with walls, then added the corridors with walls to connect them using the "B" command so they are open to each circular room. Does that make sense?

LadieStorm · June 2016

Wait... Your straight walls are straight...my eyes must be playing tricks on me, I thought they checked slightly.

How did you make your gate pieces on the end?

Lorelei · June 2016

I used the bevel tool and created the roofs myself and used the same fill as the castle walls

Lorelei · June 2016

Okay...first...i am TRYING again to post a clickable image....eek... next the updates on Drakarrin Holdfast. EDIT: OMG!! I finally did it! OneDrive seems to work for me. Yay! Click on the image for high res

woo hoo.

The Castle Walls and Holdfast

The Holdfast

Barn

Dovecote

Lorelei · June 2016

I am very excited i FINALLY figured out the hyperlinks!!!! Check out the high res image if you want to see the details for any critiques and/or suggestions!! Thanks!

The Hold and Gardens

Loopysue · June 2016

Oh wow! this is looking beeeautiful

I really like the adjustments you did to the window lighting as well. There's a lot of lovely detail all over the place. Its starting to become one of those maps that can absorb you - suck you in to details.

Are those black doves in the dove cote?

Lorelei · June 2016

Aww thank you!! Actually they are ravens....i didn't have anything the looked like a dove, all i had was this raven...so i guess its a Ravencote? Lol.

Loopysue · June 2016

I've just been looking online for a dove viewed from above, thinking it wouldn't be too difficult to draw one to fill an apparent hole in the library, but they are so over-associated with religion that you only ever get them from the side or below with their wings spread wide open... kind of... 'dove rampant' if you see what I mean. Can't really use any of them as a pattern for a simple dove symbol. Never mind. I think the idea of a ravencote is starting to grown on me anyway. Its unique (lol)

Lorelei · July 2016

Almost finished with Drakarrin Holdfast. Check the image hyperlink for the high resolution for details

The second floor is complete. It may seem sparsely furnished, but this IS a battlemap, after all and I do expect some interesting turn of events to occur within these walls as The Goonies (THEY choose their name...not me lol) help Clan Drakarrin defend against the evils spilling out from The Labyrinth mountain ranges. My players need plenty of room to win the day (we hope)! I'll be finishing up the first floor of the Hold, then to finish up the landscaping of the surrounding area. THAT is going to be a fun challenge....as I truly have NO ideas other than the forest is to be dotted increasingly north with red trees. It lies at the foot of the Red Drakewood....a red wood, red leaf tree that is only found in the realm of Am-Tarsha (realm of the elves on Forynth)

Loopysue · July 2016

Looking good Lorelei. You've done quite a bit with this since we last saw the whole picture. I especially like the way you've dropped a ton of little clues about things happening here with the way you have textured the grounds. I feel like there is a definite story to this now.

Lorelei · July 2016

Thank you! I'm back from a long holiday weekend, and took an extra day off to "decompress" - it was a camping/music festival which requires a full days rest at my age these days lol!! Anyway, i'm home today on a rainy morning with a cuppa and i'll be working on this off and on. I am really NOT happy with my background. I inadvertently deleted the previous one (i created it on PS) and this new one is tooooooo yellowish for me. I am going to work on getting some reds to blend with browns and greens and then somehow create a red tree forest of sorts behind this holdfast. Now MOST of that portion of the map is just for me....as i said, i expect some boss fights to occur in and immediately around the Hold....anything else is just puff

Shessar · July 2016

Beautifully done! I especially like how you've done the interior grounds.

I think my favorite so far is the Dovecote. Perfect!

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Drakarrin Holdfast - Completed Project

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