This document is a copy of the "Open jobs for modellers" post on Silgrad Tower's Forum. It was backed up on September 10th 2006 before I cleaned up the post.
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[align=right][font=Arial][url=http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=524962]ESF Thread[/url][/font][/align]

- If you want to check out how the models looked but don't have TES3, let me know and I'll send the old Morrowind Nifs (which can be opened by NifSkope and from there exported to .obj which can be imported into 3D Studio Max).
- If you pick up a job you'll be responsible for it throughout the process of creating Oblivion nifs. You can of course look for texture artists or other forms of assistance both inside the team and out. If you post your request on ESF it could also have the positive side-effect of spreading the word about our effort, and just might get a new team member interested in our mod, so that would be great.
- After you've decided to model one of these jobs please start up a new development thread at your earliest convenience so there's a separate place for news, discussion and feedback regarding your job.

[size=16][b]How to use reference material.[/b][/size]
Reference material usually comes in the form of nif files. To view them, you can use [url=http://niftools.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/NIF_File_Format_Library_and_Tools#NifSkope]NifSkope[/url], and if you set it up as the program to open nif files with you can doubleclick nif files to see how they looks, which is quite handy. To experience them threedimensionally, import them into 3D Studio Max using the [url=http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=149157&package_id=195073]nif importer[/url]. Odds are that if you're interested in modelling for Oblivion you already knew that, so I won't get into the specifics.

[size=16][b]Texture information.[/b][/size]
The following Morrowind retexture packs contain textures reminiscant of the ones that came with TES3. They're great to use to set up textures on Morrowindy objects, because they can be distributed with impunity. We've used them quite a bit, so do check the [i]textures\ST[/i] folder first to see if appropriate textures are already in use. Textures take up quite a bit of space, and while that doesn't hinder us creatively, it'd be silly to duplicate the same textures.

[url=http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=3853]Vibrant Morrowind 3.0[/url]
[url=http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=736]Morrowind Visual Pack[/url]
[url=http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=3821]Ultimate textures[/url]
[url=http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=3818]Ultimate Textures - Bloodmoon[/url]
[url=http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=3703]Magical Mournhold[/url]

[size=16][b]Tileset information.[/b][/size]
Before we can mod any location, a tileset is needed. If you've modelled for other games you may be more familiar with the term 'prefabs'; building blocks modelled so they can be snapped together in a Lego fashion to create large, seamless configurations of interior architecture. At the basic level, there are three categories of pieces, which I call 'corridor', 'room' and 'additional'.

[b]Corridor:[/b] hallway, 3way, 4way, corner, ramp, cap.
[b]Room:[/b] entrance, corner, wall, center, negative corner.
[b]Additional:[/b] doorjamb, door.

- Hallway is the same as a 2way.
- A ramp should elevate 128 points vertically for every 256 points horisontally.
- The entrance room-piece is the transition between corridor pieces and room pieces. The entrance has to line up with all the corridor pieces, while the room pieces only have to line up with each other.
- A doorjamb+door combination can be placed anywhere in a corridor to serve as transition between cells, or lock parts of the interior from the player, or be an entrance to a private room.
- A negative corner is a corner turned 'inside out', letting modders build rooms that are not square or rectangular. If you imagine a layout like the numerical keypad on your keyboard then you could have a room-wall at #1, a room-wall at #5 rotated 90 deg clockwise, and a negative corner at #4. It would be a nice extra.

Oblivion uses a snap-to-grid system based on points, which are the same kind of points as the ones in Max. An average NPC is 128 points high, for instance. A normal-sized tileset should be built on a 256 grid. That means that your tileset piece should be moveable exactly 256 points in four directions and be able to rotate in four 90-degree angles and still snap to other pieces. Not at each angle of course - can't put two hallways next to each other and turn one of them ninety degrees to the left and expect them to fit - but the angles it's supposed to snap on.

A tileset piece built in such an 256x256x256 block of imagined space will be about the height of a normal room like us modern-day people are accustomed to. Sometimes there are higher pieces. For instance the Velothi tileset in TES3 came in several sizes, from narrow corridors up to gargantuan 1024 point high halls. Usually only the height is affected, because the base area sizes are determined by how it's modded in the CS.

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1. Hlaalu Interior Tileset
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[font=Arial][i][url=http://files.filefront.com/HlaaluNifCollection7z/;5327623;;/fileinfo.html]Download nif collection[/url][/i][/font]

This is what's needed to mod locations in Silgrad 'City'. The exteriors exist and are in the mod, but there isn't any Hlaalu [b]interior[/b] tile set. If you played TES3, think of Balmora and you'll get the jist of it ([url=http://static.filefront.com/images/personal/r/Razorwing/43295/qlpmupqqkc.jpg]screenshot[/url]). Note that we already have custom Hlaalu textures in the mod, which are in the latest Reich Parkeep release.

Hlaalu is a Dunmer subculture, noted for being the subculture most open towards the Empire and for it's shrewd business sense. They're the strongest of all Dunmer Houses in terms of power, influence and wealth. Their architecture is a mixture of clay and wood, where the latter is mostly ornatory. It has a distinctive cubic feel to it, which can be traced back to the ancient Velothi culture. As you may know, Velothi featured both cubic and circular design elements, which developed into the more advanced cubic and circular design elements seen in Hlaalu and Redoran cultures.

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2. Dwemer
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[font=Arial][i][url=http://files.filefront.com/Dwemer_Nif_Collection/;5210826;;/fileinfo.html]Download nif collection[/url][/i][/font]

The Dwemer were an elven race that used to live in Morrowind, but went extinct under mysterious circumstances long ago. Ruins of their civilization are strewn across the Province, and attract many adventurers in search of antiques and artefacts. The Dwemer civilization was far more advanced than any other on Tamriel, past or present, and can be likened to a mixture of semi-industrial and futuristic. Many of their devices and machines run on steam power, while robots protect their installations. Think of early 1800's society with [url=http://mypage.bluewin.ch/robot-movie/ABCWarrior/DSC02980.jpg]crude robots[/url], populated by pointy-eared [url=http://www.civfanatics.com/civ1/cia/images/hammurabi2.gif]Hammurabi[/url] look-alikes.

The [url=http://files.filefront.com/Dwemer_Nif_Collection/;5210826;;/fileinfo.html]linked nif collection[/url] contains most everything from the Dwemer culture, from tileset to furniture to misc items, except for limeware (a kind of pottery made by the Dwemer).

[indent][/indent][b]2a. Dwemer Interior Tileset.[/b]
[i][color=indigo]Facecount suggestion:[/color] 2000 per tile.[/i]

Before we can mod Dwemer ruins, we need a tileset. There's a folder in the linked nif file archive called 'tribunal', which holds the Dwemer nifs from that expansion pack. They are purely extras, as it's the traditional (or Vvardenfell) style we're primarily looking for.

Screenshot of Dwemer architecture, Mournhold-style: [url=http://static.filefront.com/images/personal/r/Razorwing/43295/nluzniqcqf.jpg]-link-[/url]

Screenshot of Dwemer architecture, Vvardenfell-style: [url=http://static.filefront.com/images/personal/r/Razorwing/43295/nuxdtwhfrt.jpg]-link-[/url]

[indent][/indent][b]2b. Dwemer Exterior Architecture.[/b]
In the nif archive, these are the ones starting with "ex_...". Basically, the exterior architecture makes up the location of a ruin in our main game world. Most importantly are the entrance pieces that leads into the structure modded with the tileset, while the rest just look cool - which isn't a bad thing either.

[indent][/indent][b]2c. Dwemer Furniture, Items and other objects.[/b]
These are found all over the place in the archive. "contain_..." are barrels and other containers, "furn_..." are furniture, "in_..." has architectural details (beyond the tileset), and "misc_..." are trinkets, antiques and artefacts for adventurers to thieve.

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[b]3. Traditional Flora[/b] from [font=Arial][i]TES3: Morrowind: Tribunal[/i][/font] and [font=Arial][i]TES3: Morrowind: Bloodmoon[/i][/font].
Most of the plants from the main game have been made, but none from either expansion pack.
- [url=http://www.silgrad.com/wbb2/thread.php?postid=4494#post4494]Old reference post[/url], which might have useful info.

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[b]~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Morrowindy Trees
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You can use between 10,000 and 20,000 faces for a tree, 10,000 for a log or a knee/stump, and 2,000 for a small plant such as a fern.

[indent][/indent][b]4a. Bitter Coast trees & flora.[/b]
[font=Arial][i][url=http://files.filefront.com/TES3_Reference_BitterCoastTree/;5343020;;/fileinfo.html]Download reference files[/url][/i][/font]

The Bitter Coast is a salty, hostile swampland where none but the most hardy of plants can survive. The soil is useless for agriculture, and the few people who live here eek out a living as fishermen or hunters. If you played TES3 you'll remember it, since you started playing the game in a village on Vvardenfell's Bitter Coast. There's a Bitter Coast on the mainland as well, on our area's eastern coast, and these models will be seen a lot by players.

If you look in the archive you'll see that the trees are divided into three components; tree, moss and vine. We can't do it the same way Bethesda did in TES3 though, because this time trees are generated rather than handplaced and handmodded. So, when modelling the trees you would need to set up the moss and vines components on the tree models in 3D Studio Max and export them as singular models so they'll work with the generator function.

The reference archive contain all the models and textures we'd could use, but you're not required to do all of them. The less necessary ones are Flora_BC_Grass_01+02 and Flora_BC_Lilypad_01+02+03. Also, note that the archive probably contains more textures than is used on the models, as I thought it best to play on the safe side. In case you're wondering, the mushrooms have already been modelled and are in the mod, which is why they're not included in the archive. The slough fern (Flora_BC_Fern_01) hasn't been modelled, so it's included.

[indent][/indent][b]4b. Additional trees.[/b]
[font=Arial][i][url=http://files.filefront.com/TES3_Reference_AdditionalTrees/;5343162;;/fileinfo.html]Download reference files[/url][/i][/font]

The other five tree-yielding regions on Vvardenfell were: Ascadian Isles, Ashlands, Azura's Coast, Grazelands, and West Gash. Each one can be said to be a separate job; I just gathered them in one reference archive (and entry). For the Vvardenfell team they're of course equally important; for Silgrad Tower I think the important ones from the additional trees are Ascadian Isles and Grazelands.

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[b]5. Ingredient placement meshes[/b]
Some have been made already, and are in the latest version of the Reich Parkeep Alpha. We also need icons for all of them, current and future.


[b]6. Traditional TES3 ore containers[/b]
The ones that were in TES3 but didn't come with Oblivion. Ebony and glass deposits, for instance.


[color=silver][b]7. Traditional Dunmer beverage bottles[/b][/color]
[COLOR=red]--Hoss have claimed these--[/COLOR]
[color=silver]To hold our people's Sujamma, Shein, Flin, et cetera.[/color]


[b]8. Dunmer containers[/b]
Like chests, cupboards, armoires, desks, and others.
The ones we have are: barrel, basket, crate, covered pot, sack, and urn.


[b]9. Miscellanous Dunmer objects[/b]
[COLOR=red]--Treebiter is making a collection of redware items!--[/COLOR]
As good as everything from the "Misc" tab in the old CS, like muck shovels for instance. But don't forget that the old game kept many misc objects in the static tab, since nothing was havok'd. Often the latter type are found in [i]"Bethesda Softworks\Morrowind\Data Files\Meshes\f"[/i].

These are especially needed, as they stand for the bulk of Dunmer clutter (of the stuff that hasn't been recreated yet).
A) The "Misc_bowl_xxx" collection, [u]including[/u] "Misc_De_Bowl_01" [strike]as well as "Misc_Redware_Bowl" and "Misc_Redware_Bowl_01".[/strike]
[strike]B) The rest of the "Misc_Redware_XX" models.[/strike]
C) The "Misc_De_Goblet_##" collection.
D) "Misc_De_Basket_01"
E) "Misc_pot_XX" collection.

[b]10. Dunmer Lights[/b]
So far we have 3 paper lanterns, 3 candles, two streetlights, one floorlamp, and a Velothi brazier, which are all in the latest Reich Parkeep release. There were many more light sources in TES3 however, and many remain to be done.
- [url=http://www.silgrad.com/wbb2/thread.php?postid=12320#post12320]Old reference post[/url], which might have useful info.


[color=silver][b]11. 6th House paraphernalia[/b][/color]
[color=red]claimed by mmmpld[/color]
[color=silver]The Sixth House was destroyed in TES3, but their bases and equipment didn't vanish just because the followers ceased. One would still find Sixth House bases around our area, but they would be abandoned or occupied by other enemies. Mostly for pragmatic reasons since I think it would be very hard to create those enemies, but if we find ourselves able to rig and animate creatures later on I'm definitely not opposed to the idea of a full-blown Sixth House presence. They wouldn't be the revolutionary force they once was, but they could still be alive.[/color]


[b]12. Shacks[/b] (exteriors + interiors)
Poor Dunmer usually live in shacks, particularly in fishing villages. Anyone who's played TES3 would be familiar with them as half of Seyda Neen uses this style. It would be most useful to have three or four shacks in this design, and they only need one fixed interior model each. Plus a load-door.
[url=http://www.silgrad.com/wbb2/thread.php?threadid=3101&sid=]Discussion thread[/url]

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[b]~~~~~~~~~~~~~
13. Dunmer Strongholds
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[font=Arial][i][url=http://files.filefront.com/TES3_Reference_Stronghold7z/;5343203;;/fileinfo.html]Download reference files[/url][/i][/font]
Screenshots: [url=http://static.filefront.com/images/personal/r/Razorwing/43295/byygkndefe.jpg]Kogoruhn[/url] | [url=http://static.filefront.com/images/personal/r/Razorwing/43295/iszvrfqxnw.jpg]Marandus[/url] | [url=http://static.filefront.com/images/personal/r/Razorwing/43295/qgpvyghrjg.jpg]Falasmaryon[/url] | [url=http://static.filefront.com/images/personal/r/Razorwing/43295/ktxajfwkvw.jpg]Telasero[/url] | [url=http://static.filefront.com/images/personal/r/Razorwing/43295/nxjuwwwykk.jpg]Interior[/url]

The term [i]stronghold[/i] might make you think of the kind of strongholds the player could construct by pursuing quests for a Great House in TES3, but that's not what's being referred to here. Rather, it's referring to the kind of ancient Dunmer strongholds that were strewn across Vvardenfell. They were always great action romps and provided loads of fun, intense combat.

There's both an exterior and interior tileset. The exterior tileset is straightforward from a technical viewpoint, as it simply allows for different lengths, widths and on the upper levels, corners. It's meant to be ancient, so the simplicity is most likely intentional to give a sturdy, primitive, almost tribal impression. As interesting and distinctive as the exterior is, the [u]interior[/u] tileset isn't anything special, really. It didn't look very good. You're free to use your discretion in creating it, as long as it comes out looking like an ancient fortress made of stone and rusted metal.

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[b]14. Traditional Dunmer Armor and Weapons[/b]
Bonemold, netch leather and chitin are the armor types we need the most. As far as weapons go there is really just chitin, which on the other hand is really important since the Dunmer use these kinds of weapons a lot. There is reference material available for those weapons:
-> [url=http://www.silgrad.com/wbb2/thread.php?postid=38643#post38643]Chitin Weapon Collection;[/url] a modeller's reference


[b]15. Cheydinhal-ified Chorrol House + Dunmer Temple Robe[/b]
Please see [url=http://www.silgrad.com/wbb2/thread.php?postid=41109#post41109]TheImperialDragon's post[/url] further down in this thread for more information on these two modelling jobs.


[b]16. Daedric shrines.[/b]
The Daedric shrines in the Morrowind Province were built long ago, possibly by the Chimer (ancestors of the Dunmer). With the game "Oblivion" in mind you wouldn't think we'd need them, but the shrines seen in Morrowind are very different than anything seen in TES4 and would need to be custom-made. We need both exterior pieces as well as an interior tileset.


[color=silver][b]17. Morrowind book models.[/b]
[color=red]-We're allowed to use the ones phoenixamon plans to make. Thanks![/color]
[color=silver]We now have a full collection of the books featured in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, courtesy of Axen. They use placeholder models and textures at the moment, so it would be really cool to have special models and textures for them that allures to the original design. Appropriate textures can be found in retexture packs like Morrowind Visual Pack or Vibrant Morrowind or others, or created from scratch.[/color]


[b]19. Ebbedin Models[/b]

See [URL=http://www.silgrad.com/wbb2/thread.php?threadid=3101]this thread[/URL] for details.

[b]20. Silgrad Tower[/b]

See [URL=http://www.silgrad.com/wbb2/thread.php?threadid=3222]this thread[/URL] for a concept art drawing of the Tower. The base area should either fit into one cell, or the model be cut up. The former is the better idea. You can use 100,000 faces in total. Please use the existing Velothi door models as template for your doorjambs, i.e. make it so the existing doors fit into the holes you make.

[b][i]NOTE:[/i][/b]
The Silgrad Tower team as such doesn't have any strong need for models related to the Telvanni and Ashlander culture, however, the Vvardenfell team does. I don't feel it's my area to get involved in, so if you are interested in modelling objects from either culture, kindly check with KuKulzA what he judges would be needed.

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2006-07-22: Replaced #15, as I (Razorwing) have modelled Redoran shelves. The original, now outdated text:
[size=1][b]15. Redoran furniture[/b]
We need interpretations of these models for Reich Parkeep and other Dunmer settlements. They're found in [i]"Bethesda Softworks\Morrowind\Data Files\Meshes\f"[/i]. The three shelves are essentially the same model tweaked to different dimensions.

Furn_redoran_shelf1_01
Furn_redoran_shelf2_01
Furn_redoran_shelf_03[/size]

2006-08-25: Removed #18, which was "Dunmer bar counter". I made it.
[center][url=http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a177/SilgradTower/DunmerBarcounter.jpg][img]http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a177/SilgradTower/th_DunmerBarcounter.jpg[/img][/url][/center]
The model pieces can be [url=http://files.filefront.com/DunmerBarcounter7z/;5455585;;/fileinfo.html]checked out here[/url]. The original, now outdated text:

[size=1]When modding a Dunmer tavern for a TES3 mod, you'd use a small tileset to construct the counter. The original set consisted of six pieces, but that doesn't matter much. The important thing is that it looks reminiscant of Bethesda's Dunmer bar counters, and that it can be modded as long as the modder needs it to be. There should be a corner piece so it can be made into an L-shape and similar. Anything beyond that is gravy.
- [url=http://www.silgrad.com/gallery/albums/userpics/2006-07-22_DunmerBarTes3Reference.jpg]Reference image[/url].

Download reference files here: [url=http://files.filefront.com/DunmerBarTes3Reference7z/;5327580;;/fileinfo.html]mirror #1[/url] |  [url=http://rapidshare.de/files/26677200/DunmerBarTes3Reference.7z.html]mirror #2[/url].

 The archive contains the Morrowind nifs, the original textures, and a texture alternative from Vibrant Morrowind you can use on your models if you want.
- If you use 3D Studio Max you can import the nifs using the latest plugin release from the NifTools group.
- If you use Blender, open the nifs in NifSkope, and from there extract the .obj files, and import them in your program.[/size]