Guild Meeting Hall (old)

[Lontahv]

Ah ok, I've tried the old idea that I had for the guild-museum and the design looks really good--much better than before.







I think the pics are pretty easy to understand but, if you have problems understanding what a certain pic is showing, feel free to ask for more pics.

[Paradox]

There is an SDL Variable in Relto (Personal), named "guildAlliance".

Code: Select all

## Guild Alliance SDL
    VAR INT     guildAlliance[1] DEFAULT=0

Unfortunately, we don't know exactly what value matches to what guild...

[Kato]

I like it so far--but let's not get ahead of ourselves. A "Guild Museum" of letters, chatlogs, etc. is going to be a GIGANTIC thing to compile and maintain. Do we really want to do that for starters?

-Kato

[Lontahv]

Well, my plan was to have each journal internet-linked so, when someone uploads a chatlog it goes right to the journal. But, I think you're right Kato--I think we should just try to work on the link-in chambers for now. Also, cyan maybe has more chance of rejecting it if it's a kind of multi-tasking age. Ok, I'm kind of stumped--I need some concept for the link in chambers. I want it to look less link a rock-cave and more like a room. I haven't had very good luck so far. Do you like the idea of the stars that go up and up and then go to the link-ins?

[BAD]

My thoughts are that we should keep this age for one task.

Also I don't think it is a good idea to set it up for more than 5 guilds. I don't see Cyan giving anymore guilds official status in the near future. THings would get too complex and would lessen the importance of the originals.

Just my opinions......

[Lontahv]

I agree with you completely BAD.

[Lontahv]

Ok!! We're in luck!! I just was browsing though the blender export formats and saw an AUTODESK one--I tried it and then imported it into 3dmax and, it looks like the vertex-paint and textures are still there. Now it's easy for cyan to use our age. What WE can do is save it in 3dmax format using the demo(which I have, but time is running out on it. don't worry, someone else can save it in that format when the time comes).

[Nadnerb]

Well Lontahv, looks like you got your wish. I'm "on board" Shorah to everyone else working on the age.

I must say, I'm quite impressed by the design work being done on this age, and the concept is a good one. The interior design looks excellent, and I like Aloys' symmetrical design for the link in area. (later adopted in lontahv's model) Lighting and modeling the area looks like it will be very interesting. I can see the shiny inlays, spotlights, and dim theater under lighting lighting already. <crazy concept ideas> For a setting, possibly a hollowed out volcanic rock outcropping in a densely forested age? Such a design would have a dark cave-like interior for the meeting area, in keeping with the D'ni-ish theme, while the volcanic rock would be smooth and easy to sculpt and decorate for each guild. The windows on the outside edges of the spectator area as well as at the top of the central link in area would allow for a bit more natural feel, and provide an explanation for the non-powered light sources without using devices like firemarbles, which could be sunlight directed in from outside. (of course the entire building would be sealed, and the outside would simply be backdrop) </crazy concept ideas>

On the technical side, there may be some issues with the movable walls. While they serve a purpose, this age is intended as a meeting area, and the guilds already have private areas. Perhaps slightly less solid barriers? If you do keep the current idea, then how about controlling the walls? If you have a simple on/off control somewhere, (such as on the center stage) you make it easy for some goofball to run in and totally disrupt a meeting. I would suggest a control that requires a group of guild members to be present, such as a separate control in each guild area. They would have to be pressed semi-simultaneously by a member of each guild in order to change the wall state.

Also, the sight of all those bleachers makes me think of hundreds of explorers sitting down. Would we make them like the existing benches in uru? If we do, we should set them up so that they move the 3rd person camera to a good vantage point of the center of the age, and allow plenty of pan room so that people don't feel cramped while sitting. Along with imager controls, perhaps those speaking might be able to 'direct attention' to certain objects, by pointing or performing some action that would alter the camera settings of those sitting?

The concept works well with what Cyan seems to be pushing in terms of guilds, and it fits into a spot that is left open by the current setup, as we have private areas for each guild, but no guild-specific area for guild-system-wide meetings. It probably has a good chance of being accepted by Cyan because of that, though it may suffer from being so close to existing storyline. It would probably work best as "The Guild of Writers' gift to the Guild council". I also think this project will also serve as a good test of Cyan's willingness to accept fan works into their game.

As a final note, I hope you'll excuse me if I note a bit of hypocrisy in:
Lontahv: I just want to make this project "come from the fans" so there isn't this sense of favorotisum I want it to "come from the community"
when considering the fact that nobody except you (and now me) even knows about it, and the entire project is being done in a private area.

[Aloys]

I agree with you BAD about the 5 guilds focus, but the thing is we are not working for Cyan (at least not directly), but for the community. And regardless of Cyan's focus on that 5 guilds theme, there are some 'unofficial' guilds (Archivists, Linguists) that are more active than some official ones (Cartographers are virtually inactive right now). By 'limiting' the Age to the 5 official guilds I feel we don't serve the community as we should.
Also I just read the DRC's original announcement and it seems to hint at a possible expansion beyond those 5 guilds in the future.. I know it's slim but it is something.
That said going with a fixed number of 5 guilds will obviously make things easier. At least at first. And the Guilds' IC future is unclear, so I guess just to be safe we'll go with those 5 guilds..
However, when we make this project public we must mention that we chose to follow the DRC's 5 guilds direction, but we keep options open for the future.. In fact we should also mention that to Cyan when we'll show them the project.

Do you like the idea of the stars that go up and up and then go to the link-ins?

Assuming that you mean 'stairs' personally I like the idea. Making the whole place less flat can only make it more interesting. Just to make sure I fully understand the layout on your pics:
The room at the top with the dome structure is the link in chamber seen in your previous screenshot; it has stairs going down to the spectator ring, which in turn has stairs going down to the meeting room, and the lone room on the side would be the guild museum, right?

[BAD]

As it would take an almost complete redesign to incorporate more room for new guilds, we might as well wait for more to become official, and then expand this design.

I think it would be just as hard to do it then as it would be to do it now. It might be easier as the plugins and programs will become more refined.