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.
