Cyrodiil Creatures

Any province related discussion not fitting into other categories
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worsas
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Post by worsas »

Frankly, I don't think the idea of an imp-moth crossbreed is all that bad. I have not been looking at the nixad from that angle myself. But I agree with Infragris that both humanoids and large insectoids have their issues, if we want to set Cyrodiil clearly apart from Morrowind or other fantasy settings that have small humanoids galore without a need of an explanation for them.

Though, the real issue, maybe, is not that an explanation needs to be made for these, but that their addition needs to be meshed into the overall picture well and that all of these additions eat effort without being vital for the whole project. Creatures are much more troublesome than other things there. We already have so many other creatures on our list. If we are lucky enough that one can work on any of them, which of them should be worked on first? And why exactly should it be that odd imp or its nixad-spinoff? I'm a bit different in that I have never liked the imp as creature myself and would be happy to do without it altogether.

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Infragris
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Post by Infragris »

Wanted to bring up some things in regards to the fish names:
  • Chrysophant Fish: could we drop the "Fish" part? Just Chrysophant sounds better to me. Or maybe Chrysophantine.
  • Jewel Fish: in hindsight, this sound really generic. Does anyone have a better proposal?
  • Soldier Fish: kind of a combination of the previous two complaints. Could we rename this to a Legionnaire?

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worsas
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Post by worsas »

I have no problem about proposal 1, but proposal 3 sounds odd to me and Jewel Fish seems fine enough for a name. Both Jewel Fish and Soldier Fish... to me they fit right into the mood in their simplicity. But that might just be me.

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Infragris
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Post by Infragris »

I think it sounds a bit too simplistic and childish, and it doesn't feel very specific to Colovia (or any culture, really). It also feels out of place next tot the other names, Like Abecean Longfin and Fringed Leaper. Maybe another place where we can use the Colovian vocabulary?

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worsas
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Post by worsas »

I'm fine with whatever name you want to put forth for these fish. Just give your final name proposal so I can fix them in the data.

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Infragris
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Post by Infragris »

Question: are these fish going to be used only in Colovia? I think the nature of the Niben river and the surrounding wetlands justify a couple of unique Nibenese fish, but should we use them in addition to the current set, or have mutually exclusive groups? This might sound like it is not very important, but if we use the current set across the province they should have pan-Imperial names, not solely Colovian.

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worsas
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Post by worsas »

The jewel - and soldier - fish and the Abecean Longfin are all thought to be specific to the Abecean Sea. The fringed Leaper and the Crysophant are supposed to be freshwater fish found in the Nibenay.

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Infragris
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Post by Infragris »

Couple of random ideas based on the Colovian vocabulary:
  • Valgafish or Valga Fish (pale fish)
  • Heich-Fish (spear fish)
  • Stridfish (sea fish, could also refers to the Strid River and Strident Coast).
  • Kves-Fish (knife fish)
  • Fel-Fish (fearful fish)

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worsas
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Post by worsas »

All names except for Valgafish would work for the current soldier fish. But Stridfish sounds the best to me of these all.

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Infragris
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Post by Infragris »

How about Stridfish for the Jewel Fish, then? It's not very descriptive, but that's sort of Colovian in its own way. Then we can use Fel-Fish for the Soldier Fish.

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Saint_Jiub
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Post by Saint_Jiub »

I have a proposal for the ghosts, as I'm not too happy with the retextured ancestor ghosts we have going on right now. The rigging is giving me challenges, but I'd like to modify the ghosts in Undead - Arise from Death, which are set up to allow different clothing models to be rigged to the animations of the ancestor ghosts, to use some of our clothing/armor models. On the texture side, I'd modify the clothing textures to look appropriately decayed/ancient, as well as ghostly/transparent of course.

I have an idea for three variants:

Generic ghost - bare skull, wears the brown "monk" robe from vanilla.
Noble ghost - Wears one of the Colovian hats and the noble shirt with the brooch and scarf, and whichever pants/shoes look best.
Ghostly soldier - Wears full Legion kit - we could also do a possible boss variant with the silver or Templar armor.

What are peoples' thoughts?

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worsas
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Post by worsas »

Honestly, I think that the new ghosts are mostly fine and that there are many other assets that would actually need some work. Almost all of the Anvil assets (houses and walls) need to get a touchup in closer or more distant future. Really, it would be better to put anything except for new assets, the colovian armory and the anvil assets on the backburner right now.

Actually reading your post again and looking at the mentioned mod: Those ghosts are pretty much semi-transparent skeletons/npcs. I definitely disagree about turning our ghosts into something like that.

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Infragris
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Post by Infragris »

I'm afraid I have to agree with worsas on this. The new models would reduce the ghosts to floaty npc's, diminishing the visual variety of enemies. I also think it's important to keep ghosts as semi-abstract, ambiguous beings. I do agree that the ghost models need a touch-up: the skull texture does not really fit the mesh, for example. But it's not a priority. The division between normal, noble and soldier ghosts also doesn't seem very practical in terms of usage/leveled list contents. We already have a Colovian undead template in the "Living Mummy" (which needs a better name, tbh).

On a related note, I did want to propose some Legion-affiliated undead for modern Legion ruins, like those around Anvil. Specifically, I was thinking about skeletons wearing pieces of Legion armor. Uninspired, I know, but it makes sense from an in-game perspective and there's a ton of resources like that floating around.

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Saint_Jiub
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Post by Saint_Jiub »

Roger that.

There was an earlier request for a paintover for a bridled horse, ask and ye shall (eventually) receive:
Image

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worsas
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Post by worsas »

That looks cool and easy enough to model. I'll see about those variants sometime in the coming weeks, maybe earlier, maybe later.

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Melchior Dahrk
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Post by Melchior Dahrk »

I know you stopped talking about it but I was critiquing those fish names.

Stridfish is good
Fel-Fish is pretty horrendous IMO. Why not something like "Spearmouth", "Lancet", "Tapered Buccfish"

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Infragris
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Post by Infragris »

Spearmouth sounds good.

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LiquidHurlant
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Post by LiquidHurlant »

Sense Shivering Isles pretty well depicts the Cyrodiil that should have been, what if the imps and trolls were replaced by baliwogs and grummites? Doors of Oblivion contains models for both. The Elytra and Gnarls are pretty cool too, and would round out the creature variety really well.

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Post by millysoose »

As someone new to this forum, I don't know if I am in a position to propose a new creature. But I am going to do it anyway. If you played Waalx Animals and Creatures for Oblivion, you remember those vibrant Sun and Azura crabs along the shores of the Gold Coast. I think these would make a great fit in P:C.

Waalx forbid the use of his assets without permission, but the basic concepts could probably be recreated.

I've created a whole album of critters I encountered. Waalx's creatures are a mixed bag. Overhaul it made Cyrodil a very alien place at times. What you see here does not even begin to cover the actual scope of his mod. If you'd like to see more (especially big creatures), let me know.

http://imgur.com/a/k1iLl

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worsas
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Post by worsas »

You can propose whatever you have in mind. Feedback is always welcomed. At the moment creatures are a low-priority topic and I have no strong opinion on the creatures you posted. I don't know much about the process of transferring creatures from Oblivion to Morrowind and I haven't heard of a creature port from Oblivion yet either. As said, it seems relatively low in priority right now.

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worsas
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Post by worsas »

Image

Uploaded this to our internal section.

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Infragris
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Post by Infragris »

good horse, well done. Assets like these can play an important role for the fast travel network.

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Saint_Jiub
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Post by Saint_Jiub »

Rather than the current system of splitting up common/weird creatures, I've started thinking about organizing our bestiary by region instead, starting with the Gold Coast:

Domesticated
===================================
Appear at any Imperial settlements across Colovia

Cow/Bull
Horse
Goat
Donkey
Hawk-dog

Gold Coast/Gilded Foothills/Kvatchi Pass
===========================
Dry, arid scrublands, primarily consists of small omnivores and aquatic life with sparse packs of mid-size predators. Herds of wild horses can be found near fresh water sources, which draws the attention of larger wolf packs. The resource-parched stretches between major landmarks are dominated by the local goblin tribes, whose squabbles over territory only draw Imperial ire when they come too close to a population center.

Tantha
Rat
Wolf
Seagull
Horse
Lamia
Passive fish
Moon Crab
Slaughterfish
Goblin
Durzog

Colovian Highlands/Barrowlands
==============================
Vast savannah, with herds of mid-size/large herbavores ranging for grazelands and fresh water, stalked by the apex predators that rely on them for sustenance. Minotaur clans are primarily clustered around the ruins of Sancre Tor, but scouting and hunting parties can be found much further south than that.

Horse
Deer
Bull/Cow
Goat
Passive/ambient birds
Wolf
Mountain lion
Griffin
Minotaur

Does this seem like a logical way to go about it, and should I keep going?

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Infragris
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Post by Infragris »

That looks like the best way to go about it. One thing I would change is to put the Kvetchi/Kvatchi (what sounds best?) Pass in the Highlands category, since it's not really a coastline biome, and put the focus on domesticated herds of cattle (cows, goats, horses) in general. I do want to note that the upper parts of the Highlands are more rocky cliffscape than savannah, so herds (except for goats) would not be appropriate. I also don't think we should introduce the Durzog in Cyrodiil, except maybe in the Valus Mountains.

I like the idea of Minotaurs around the Tor, as long as we keep in mind that it's a barren and inhospitable region. This brings up an interesting point: cultural variation in the 'taur population. A wealthy and well-fed tribe in the eastern riverlands would look and behave different than an emaciated nomad tribe in the highlands.

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Post by Saint_Jiub »

OK, here's round two. Haven't quite covered the whole map, but made a decent chunk in it I think. I really think we should keep the durzogs in - there's no lore stating that they're actually native to Morrowind IIRC, and since the goblins in Tribunal were imported along with their Altmer handlers, it would make sense that durzogs would be found anywhere goblins are found. Plus, if not durzogs, what would we replace them with? I'd rather have something cool than nothing at all.

Water wolves as referenced below, btw, are a new addition that I'm proposing: giant river otters. Pack hunters who target the newt herds, basically the Nibenay's answer to Colovia's wolf packs. Also venerated as one of the totem animals, believed to guide the paper hako skiffs safely down the river to their final destination.

Domesticated (Colovian Settlements)
===================================
Cow/Bull
Horse
Goat
Donkey
Hawk-dog (pet)

Gold Coast/Gilded Foothills
===========================
Dry, arid scrublands, primarily consists of small omnivores and aquatic life with sparse packs of mid-size predators. Herds of wild horses can be found around sources of fresh water, which draws the attention of larger wolf packs. The resource-parched wastes between major landmarks are dominated by the goblin tribes, whose squabbles for territory only draw Imperial ire when they come too close to a population center.

Tantha
Rat
Wolf
Seagull
Horse
Lamia
Passive fish
Moon Crab
Slaughterfish
Dreugh
Land Dreugh
Goblin
Durzog

Colovian Highlands/Barrowlands/Kvatchi Pass
==============================
Vast savannah, with herds of mid-size/large herbavores ranging for grazelands and fresh water, stalked by the apex predators that rely on them for sustenance. Further north, the landscape transitions to rocky cliffs more suited to sure-footed and hardy goats and donkeys than herds of wild horses. Minotaur clans are primarily clustered around the ruins of Sancre Tor, but scavenging and hunting parties can be found far to the south and west, and are best avoided by adventurers lest their remains be added to the clan-treasures.

Horse
Deer
Bull/Cow
Goat
Wolf
Mountain lion
Griffin
Minotaur

West Weald
==========
This region shows the most Imperial influence on its landscape, leaving few untamed spaces for monsters to flourish. Packs of feral hawk-dogs, and disease-carrying rats and petty trolls are the worst nuisances on the surface, while the sewers have been all but overrun by one or two of the more ambitious goblin tribes.

Deer
Hawk-Dog
Rat
Petty Troll
Goblin
Durzog
Wolf

Massiquerran Mors
================
Beneath the shade of the great oaks, a vibrancy of life and biodiversity flourishes. Deer and small game abound, as well as larger predators, and while the fauna is rarely desperate enough to come after humans, the ever-vigilant presence of the forest's spriggans still makes hunting a risky venture. The southern minotaur clans are less hostile than their northern cousins, and will even engage in trade with clan-friends, though their trust is hard-earned.

Deer
Rat
Boar
Squirrel
Petty Troll
Wolf
Hawk-Dog
Bear
Spriggan
Minotaur

Domesticated (Nibenese settlements)
===================================
Newt
Wormtongue
Carnelian Snail
Ancestor Moth
Coutal (pet)*

*I'm proposing that we combine this with Revenant's Neofelis Cyrodii critter from the old forums.

Ruma Floodlands
===============
The marshes of Rumare are said to be the meeting point of Colovia and Nibenay, but the environment is decidedly Nibenese. Certain bold members of the Colovian fauna can still be found picking their way through the region's driest areas, as well as certain Nibenese predators willing to leave the shores, but the region's most successful wildlife are those adapted for both land and water.

Troll
Petty Troll
Deer
Wormtongue
Boar
Bullfrog
Wolf
Newt
Water Wolf

Ora Demergatur
==============
The flood of the eastern shore did more than wipe out the Imperial villages there, it also devastated the natural ecosystem there in ways that it may never fully recover from. The odd scavenger can be seen picking through the ruins, and stick-legged birds hunt for what few fish can survive in the murky waters, but little else can survive here.

Troll
Petty Troll
Rat
Mud Crab
Slaughterfish

Serican Mors/Valley of Altars
=============================
The dense jungle is home to more species of bird and moth than one could count in an Altmer's lifetime - however, the rivers draw still more diverse forms of life to their banks. Shy plant and insect eaters dart to and from the water's edge, mindful of the predators who stalk both the treeline and beneath the surface.

Passive birds
Wormtongue
Boar
Newt
Water Wolf
River-Drake
Moon Crab
Slaughterfish
Coutal
Spriggan
Will-o-wisp
Troll
Petty Troll

Serican Mors (Interior)
=======================
The usual chatter of bird and petty troll fades away the moment one crosses into the dominion of the tigers. It is known that the dragon-cats cultivate populations of certain prey animals, but a complete listing of the species here is made impossible by the strict prohibition against entering these woods without the express permission of both Emperor and Elder Council.

Tiger
Deer
Cow/Bull
Ancestor Moth

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Infragris
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Post by Infragris »

If the goblins were imported by Altmer, it would make sense for Durzog to be found in the Summerset Isles, not Cyrodiil. We've already replaced all goblin weapons and furniture statics for being too Morrowind-styled, so I don't see why the Durzog would be an exception just because it would be convenient to have an extra creature in the list (which already have more creatures in them than most vanilla lists). Tribunal features wild durzogs as well as trained ones, which implies that they are locally sourced. Besides, I don't think they fill a niche: with things like wolves, hawk-hounds, griffins and Land Dreugh, the market for quadruped aggressors is well-catered for.

I like the water-wolf concept, it fits well with the Niben riverlands environment and breaks the crab/reptile theme of most shore-based critters. Maybe something name it something like Marsh-Wolf or River-Wolf? The name doesn't feel right just yet. We would also have to take care that it does not look too otter-like, that might be weird.

Griffins should definitely be included, but maybe under a different name: Gryphon, Alphyn, Alce, or Keytongue are all traditional names for griffin-like creatures.

River Drakes: yes, definitely.

I always imagined Coutals looking like those wolf-hounds from Dishonored: hyena-like wolves with an almost crocodile-like face structure. We can take some inspiration from the old concept in fur patterns etc, but it shouldn't look too cat-like. According to their origin text, Kothringi nomads used them as mount, a bit like a Warg. The wild versions should be big enough to ride around on. Also, the same text makes mention of poisonous Gilas, which I am greatly in favor of including in the southern marshes.

Have you considered a kind of Echidna creature? As beaked mammals, they would the bird theme well. Maybe a low-level alternative for the rat.

Tantha, Wormtongue: are there concepts for these?

PS: we have a region discussion thread here. If you want to amends region names or descriptions, please bring it up here.

EDIT: we should also add snakes, I know of a couple of halfway decent models.

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R-Zero
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Post by R-Zero »

Infragris wrote:I always imagined Coutals looking like those wolf-hounds from Dishonored: hyena-like wolves with an almost crocodile-like face structure. We can take some inspiration from the old concept in fur patterns etc, but it shouldn't look too cat-like. According to their origin text, Kothringi nomads used them as mount, a bit like a Warg. The wild versions should be big enough to ride around on. Also, the same text makes mention of poisonous Gilas, which I am greatly in favor of including in the southern marshes.
If you're talking about Trans-Cyrodiil - Insurgency, weren't Coutals described as camel-like there?

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Infragris
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Post by Infragris »

It's been a while since I've looked at it, but I don't remember any explicit descriptions. It's supposed to live in the jungle, so there are certain assumptions we can make.

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R-Zero
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Post by R-Zero »

Just checked and they are:
Outside the city are numerous nomad camps. The nomads, the
Kothringi, are old­humans, wiry and mostly naked, shoulder
straps hanging with feathers and animal skins. Nearly all of
them carry spears or long, curved knives. A few carry
handcandles, but awkwardly. The Kothringi encampments are
tents made from Coutal hides, the same camel­like animals the
nomads use for transportation, milk, and meat. The nomads wash
themselves in the river, roughhouse on the banks, yell
obscenities at the Legionnaires on the city walls, and cook
their meals on large, reed­fed bonfires.
Then again, this text is not canonical so there's not much problem with changing what these animals would look like... But then why call them coutals in the first place?

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Infragris
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Post by Infragris »

Thanks for digging that up, that's a good piece of text for the deepwood tribes. So, we're talking about camel-hyena-cats who live in the jungle. Sounds good to me. Also, they produce milk: perhaps the tribals could make a kind of alcoholic ferment from that, like Mongolian Airag.

Can you see if the text says anything else about animal life or vegetation in weird-Cyrod (gilas)?

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