12-06-2010, 09:32 PM
We are finally getting towards the point where we have a decent selection of resources suitable for use in the region generation. We are making use of all the generally available modders' resources we want, but we could really do with more plants unique to Elsweyr. Obviously all the usual rights remain with the modeller, but we'd like our Elsweyr to have its own flora.
Mostly we just need unobtrusive filler plants. I'm also trying to base new plants on real world species - some of the more fanciful creations just don't look real. Admittedly, nor do some real-world species but that's nature for you.
Dryland plants:
NO CACTI! Sorry, but I have a personal aversion: we're not doing Elsweyr as stereotype "desert".
We need small, succulent or other arid condition plants for the badlands and the scrub regions. We'll use aloe vera - but new aloes would be great, as would any plants with pale tough leaves.
Grassland plants:
We need suitable plants to intersperse with the grasses - and to give people something to look at if they've switched the grass off! We have wet grassland, dry grassland and cool high-altitude heath/moorland.
Rainforest plants:
Always good to have more biodiversity in the forests. These should either be low-light adapted for the forest floor (only 5% of sunlight makes it through to the ground) - or else they should be part of the "understory layer" between about head-height and maybe 20 feet (6m) up. I pretty much have the canopy sorted with existing (and planned) speedtrees.
I really want dead trees - both erect and fallen. These are common in the forest and will give us something to place epiphytes onto. I'd expect them to be mossy.
I'd also forest fruits like Papaya.
For the rainforest in particular we need to keep the polycount down for individual models as it needs to be pretty dense in there.
Mostly we just need unobtrusive filler plants. I'm also trying to base new plants on real world species - some of the more fanciful creations just don't look real. Admittedly, nor do some real-world species but that's nature for you.
Dryland plants:
NO CACTI! Sorry, but I have a personal aversion: we're not doing Elsweyr as stereotype "desert".
We need small, succulent or other arid condition plants for the badlands and the scrub regions. We'll use aloe vera - but new aloes would be great, as would any plants with pale tough leaves.
Grassland plants:
We need suitable plants to intersperse with the grasses - and to give people something to look at if they've switched the grass off! We have wet grassland, dry grassland and cool high-altitude heath/moorland.
Rainforest plants:
Always good to have more biodiversity in the forests. These should either be low-light adapted for the forest floor (only 5% of sunlight makes it through to the ground) - or else they should be part of the "understory layer" between about head-height and maybe 20 feet (6m) up. I pretty much have the canopy sorted with existing (and planned) speedtrees.
I really want dead trees - both erect and fallen. These are common in the forest and will give us something to place epiphytes onto. I'd expect them to be mossy.
I'd also forest fruits like Papaya.
For the rainforest in particular we need to keep the polycount down for individual models as it needs to be pretty dense in there.