154 replies to this topic

[njm1983]

This little project is something I started a long time ago, and the original design used all the objects assaciated with the BFME moria campaign map. The design was very similar to M@tts if not identical, using his as the inspiration for my work. Ultimately the map had too many issues: Shelob could pass through all the impassable areas and build space was too limited. My new version is an 8 player map set in the great Dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf (the hall with all the columns). Heres some of the work Ive done so far... long ways to go yet.



I know the pic is really dark, Ive been messing with the global lighting to try and capture that inside the mountain darkness, I think it works pretty well right now but Im still willing to make changes if people have suggestions.

[Florisz]

That looks awesome and way too dark for my screen

[Námo]

Just a little spillover from my HD, from some notes on the occurrence of red rock in Middle-earth - this bit on the Misty Mountains and Moria. I don't know if it's useful for your mapping, but here it is:

... Red stone was mentioned near both Rivendell and Moria. In the Trollshaws the East Road cut through 'moist walls of red stone on its last leg, descending to the Ford of Bruinen [...] In the western part of the Trollshaws Thorin and company crossed a 'rushing red' river, indicative that it was carrying sediment from the red soil [...] Near Moria the Fellowship scrambled through a barren country of 'red stones' [...] In the mountain range itself, only Caradhras was noted as the 'Redhorn' while the other rock was described as gray. It seems unlikely that Caradhras, the tallest of the Mountains of Moria, would have been composed of the same red rock found in the foothills - especially as the other peaks were obviously of different material. One of two things may have accounted for its color: Its bedrock was a third rock type not present in either the foothills or the surrounding mountains, or its bedrock was not red at all but merely reflected rays of the rising sun.
One additional factor may shred light on the subject - mineralization. The lodes of mithril, an ore found nowhere else, were 'north towards Caradhras, and down to darkness'. Veins of precious ores normally result from repeated igneous intrusions into faults. If intrusions had occurred, extrusions might have also been present; and the Redhorn might have been an isolated peak of igneous rock, such as andesite porphyry, which is dull pink or red.

There is also some linguistic stuff on the Dimrill Dale, associating it to red rock ...

... so if you want to give parts of Moria a nice red glow, it's supported by the lore.

The most beautiful (cartographic) map of Moria, that I've come across, is the one made by the artist Daniel Reeve (calligrapher and cartographer):

... from his website:
Daniel Reeve is most well known for the calligraphy and cartography on the film trilogy of The Lord of the Rings, directed by Peter Jackson. As well as all the maps, books, scrolls, parchments and inscriptions in the movies themselves, Daniel’s work extended to the merchandising arm of the project with New Line Cinema, where he was responsible for much lettering and design, and of course the ubiquitous map of Middle-earth. Other projects to do with The Lord of the Rings included artwork for the games of Risk and Monopoly for Hasbro, Maps of Middle-earth and tengwar lettered trading cards for Decipher, titles and menus for Extended Edition DVDs, and maps for a computer game by Electronic Arts, to name a few.

Edited by Námo, 29 October 2009 - 10:15 PM.

[ttandchotmail]

Great work mate If you need any models give me a yell

[njm1983]

Thanks for the tips Námo, I always try and use reference material where possible. Currently Im trying to achieve the film look, by using a combination of lighting and textures I think Ill achieve it nicely. Im trying to stay with dark browns and dark dreys for the stone and floor hopefully I wont deviate too much from that.

ttandchotmail Im going to avoid any need for models at this time... I just wanna finish this map and Amon hen. After that Im not sure what my mapping status shall be, Ive got big responsibilities coming up and most likely will have to shelve my artistic work for BFME.

Heres an overhead look at my progress, I removed 2 players because the columns werent going to layout symmetrical on both x and y axis so the 2 players that would have split east and west would be centered but the columns wouldnt have been, so build space would have been off and blah blah... enjoy the overhead view though.

[Nazgûl]

So... it will feature the bridge, of Khazad-dûm?

[njm1983]

Ummm... No. The bridge doesn't lead to a side large enough for building on. In the film it crosses the chasm and leads to a stairway that takes a path out the eastern gate of moria. So my version of the great hall of dwarrowdelf has some chasms in it just for looks otherwise it's going to be a featureless map. In fotr I always felt that the hall was imeasurably vast, the goal is to try and capture that while having areas that have crumbled or split open due to neglect and the slow decay of time. I assume we just never saw them in the film because it was such a huge place.

[Nazgûl]

I see

[ttandchotmail]

No Worries mate

Great work in the new pic too

[Archon]

That is going to look SOOO sweet with RJCam

[Masterbadeend]

Tip: You can make objects (For example "ParticleSysProxy" found under Cinematics>System) and add a FX there with the map.ini, so you will have light coming out of those objects. You place some of those objects and (I think) it looks like you're underground while it's still not too dark .

[Hermoor]

That is not all of Moria is it? I got the impression moria was more cave like with sharp rocks coming out from everywhere. Deep holes in the ground leading down to giant underground oceans. You need to add some cliffs and stuff to it.

[njm1983]

Masterbadeend: map ini is probably one of my weaknesses when it comes to mapping, I have very little ability in that regard. I can get reflections on water and make it snow, that's about it though lol.

Hermoor: you have very good points regarding moria, when making a map it can be very difficult to capture certain aspects. For instance I wanted to have deep chasms in this map, achieved by using cliffs and a black texture at the bottom... seemingly bottomless, problem is shelob is coded to pass impassable terrain and it'd look real funny with her crossing theses chasms. So doing anything with imoassability had to go as a means of accomplishing things. Moria is very vast with multiple levels, halls and chambers all of varying dimensions. Wb just can't pull something like that off. I had to settle on something both recognizable and functional: hence why I chose dwarrowdelf most people who've seen fellowship of the ring remember the scene when they entered that great hall and saw rows upon rows of columns in every direction. Thanks for your comments keep em coming cause I always enjoy working with the community to achieve better maps.

[ttandchotmail]

That is not all of Moria is it? I got the impression moria was more cave like with sharp rocks coming out from everywhere. Deep holes in the ground leading down to giant underground oceans. You need to add some cliffs and stuff to it.

G'day Hermoor

You might not realise it yourself but when you go and tell people you should do this or it must have that you basically are slapping people in the face for there long, long, looooong hours of work they have put in.

All I'm saying is that making suggestions is much better and a lot more polite than telling people what to do which is exactly what your posts sound like. I'm sure you don't like being told what to do, but that is what a lot of your posts sound like.

You might not even be aware that your doing it. But as a suggestion I'd advise you to to keep this in mind when you post.

Edited by ttandchotmail, 01 November 2009 - 07:25 PM.

[Hermoor]

Lol everything I post are suggestions, maybe doesn't sound like it. Cuz english isn't my native language. I'll put it in the sig

[Sûlherokhh]

For instance I wanted to have deep chasms in this map, achieved by using cliffs and a black texture at the bottom... seemingly bottomless, problem is shelob is coded to pass impassable terrain and it'd look real funny with her crossing theses chasms. So doing anything with imoassability had to go as a means of accomplishing things.

If we manipulate locomotors via map.ini, we could remove Shelob's ability to pass impassable terrain just for this map for example with the following lines:

Object WildShelob

  LocomotorSet
	Locomotor = ShelobNonHillScalingLocomotor;------ I made this one just for you :-) Sûl
	Condition = SET_NORMAL
	Speed = 65;M_NORMAL_WILD_FAST_HORDE_SPEED
  End

End

Edited by Sûlherokhh, 01 November 2009 - 08:25 PM.

[njm1983]

Hmmm I may just take you up on that sul... Moria wouldn't feel right unless the pitfalls looked extremely deep. Now I just need to get the chasms to look good to me.

[Masterbadeend]

I'm sure Sûl can make a good map.ini. I can make my own weapons, and maybe new powers, but that's it.

[Jonasking]

Can I be youre lover NJM!?

[njm1983]

UMMMM... Im mildly disturbed by that Jonasking.


Heres an update... I think ive settled on lighting. And this is how much is done.