Guild of Writers

To get the ball rolling on the concepts Lanen has laid out, here are a few styles of mangrove-like root styles.

(I haven't bothered to crop or clear up the photograph since I'm in a hurry to get to bed.)
So, which style(s) do you guys like? I really like Stairstep myself.

So, annnnybody else...?

Yeah, I agree with Ruvinka, stairstep and seamonster are the nicest. If we went though with stairstep, though, the modeller would have to be careful not to make it look too artificial, like it had been specially grown and moulded by people- I think that would take away from the japanese/nature look. If we chose the seamonster, you could have a pagoda supported by the roots of several mangroves, with the mangrove roots kind of growing up the pagoda. I think that this would lead to a feel of the building (and the ERC as a whole) being closely integrated with nature, fitting into its surroundings.

As an aside, does anything specific need modelling? I'd love to help out !

Personally I prefer the fractal and sea monster types mixed together. But people are right in saying that the stair step style looks most like the Japanese theme. I really like the sketches though! Its really exciting to see something I thought up drawn out on paper!

I agree with Lanen. I think the 'fractal monster' would look more natural.

Jennifer,
How about using all of them in different areas of the age?

For what it is worth Jen, I prefer "sea monster" and "fractal". Sea monster is the best as it is different from what we have seen before in Negilahn. plus it will fill out space quicker with the roots spread out like that. If space is a premium then you could possibly blend the two, with the main structure (trunk) as fractal and coming out with the sea monster roots, tapering down to nothing.

Szark

Alright, it seems like we are all more or less in consensus on "fractal monster" and "stairstep." And Sue, it might be possible to do them all in the end if it turns out we don't have any lag problems...For now, though, I think we should err on the side of safety, as I'd hate to think we might have to throw out somebody's hard work just to make the Age perform better.

ardent red--I think you have good idea about the pavilion; it's a Japanese garden tradition to have pavilions on little islands in ponds. I'll put that idea in as a possible addition for Phase II.

As an aside, does anything specific need modelling? I'd love to help out !

Cool! Well, how about "fractal monster?" I think we'd love to see that one reaching out of the water... (Just remember to keep that vertex count low.)

Agh, sorry about the wait- and I'm afraid to say that there are no mangroves yet!

You see, the computer kinda broke. ahem. Which means *sigh* I'm stuck with this shiny new mac (24", 4 GB RAM!)! woo! I'll take a while to relearn blender controls (the mouse on mac... is complicated), but then I will make the mangroves, I promise.

my apologies,
ar