This thread is the result of an idea I've been tossing around lately. This run is an experiment - either people will show interest, or the project will wither and die.

TL;DR: We need your help to design Elven city tiles.

A selection of a few of the completed buildings:

Right now, we have a few modders doing a lot of work on big projects. Joining a project can feel like a big commitment. The individual modder can sometimes feel that he wants to do something, but don't really have the time to see a project to the finish line. He wants to contribute, but not sign away his soul. Enter the community project. Your participation and contributions are just as much as you want them to be. A community project is many modders doing small parts to form a greater whole. The intention is to push content to the end-user as soon as possible. Rather than a few modders doing work on mods over many months, a community project is intended to reach maturity within a week or two. Once the project is done, the mod becomes public property and anyone can use it in the future for anything they want to.

For the first community project, I thought we'd put an elf race in this fantasy game. More precisely, I thought we'd put something that LOOKS like elves in the game.

General outline for mod to meet release conditions:

- Elves play as Kingdom with Kingdom technology and Kingdom magic (no custom technology or magic planned at this stage). This will ensure that the mod stays viable after the community project is finished.

- Elves have unique unit textures - they will look like elves ( http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn195/summersong/Elemental/Gaediila_0_2106408875-24.png )

- Elves live in Elf cities. In this case, they are Sylvan or Wood elves, so city tiles should look like they were built inside a forest. See more info below. (examples: https://forums.elementalgame.com/396593 )

- Elves ride Elf mounts (a larger variety of horses, including white ones).

- Elves wield elf bows. They have kingdom stats, but look elven.

- (Additional outline, not required for release): Elves wield elf melee weapons. They have kingdom stats, but look elven.

- (Additional outline, not required for release): Elves wield elven armor and elven shields. They have kingdom stats, but look elven.

Nit-picking stuff: For this community project, I will be the moderator. Translated to reality, that means that if a situation appears where the community is split between two choices, I choose one. It also falls on me to make sure that tasks are not duplicated (update this thread), and that the project stays usable after the game is patched. In extreme cases, I may turn down contributions if they lack quality.

If you are interested in helping out, post in the thread what you intend to contribute with. You can also e-mail me at [email protected]

Required Tasks

Red means the task has not been assigned

Orange means the task has been assigned, and you should preferably choose something else to contribute with

Green means the task has been completed (and the files have reached me)

Note: You don't need my permission to start working on a tile. This is just so that if you want to take your time working on something, you can reserve that task so noone can steal it from under your feet.

XML framework (Heavenfall with ideas from Wintersong). The mod requires an XML framework to link everything together. Specifically, the framework should include a non-invasive way to link the buildings together, a raceconfig, and a racetype so that custom factions may use everything.

Unit Textures (Raven X). Both female and male elven skins need to be made, I strongly suggest that you adopt the skins from fallen units, as they fit the models with pointy ears. In particular eyes, eyebrows and mouths need to be cleared up to appear less goth.

Bow models (3dgrunge) 

Melee Weapon Models. In this area, anything is welcome.

(3dgrunge)

Extra assets:

New colours for apple trees and swamp trees

Example of completed buildings: http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/5113/elemental1285328784.jpg

City tiles. By far the largest part of the mod, and the part where we will need the most contributions. There is a HUGE freedom here for contributors to put their own flavour on buildings, but keep in mind that the theme you go by will not be reflected in all the other buildings.

There are two key words that I want to stress here. First, the elves live in the WOOD. That means their city should look like it could be part of a forest - elves are one with the forest, and all that. No cleared fields, no huge arenas for training. And please, try to mix the trees you use - both leaf trees and pine trees. Secondly, the elves live in a CITY. They do NOT live in tents, or miniscule huts on top of large trees. Buildings are absolutely okay.

I strongly recommend that you do NOT use a ground decal, for example something that makes the ground look beige or dusty. These decals have significant clipping issues in game, and frankly look off in a forest city.

I strongly suggest that you use LESS than thirty models in total. This is to make sure that the city can be viewed like any other city. In this area, I will be rather strict and may edit buildings.

Buildings MUST be built on the right amount of tiles. If a building requires 1 tile, it MUST use 1x1. If it requires 4 tiles, it MUST use the 2x2 format. Any building that doesn't follow this rule will be instantly rejected.

I must also insist that you provide TWO tiles for each building. The game can use a different tile while building something. I recommend that you first construct the final building and save. Then load, and remove some parts, add workers and ropes and whatnot, and save as something else.

I strongly suggest that you use the following colours when using the tile editor

While the colours may change for release, they will not change a lot.

City Cores (all are 4 tiles!):
Being Built (oddrheia)
Level 1 (oddrheia)
Level 2 (oddrheia)
Level 3 (oddrheia)
Level 4 (oddrheia)
Level 5 (oddrheia)

Regular Buildings:
Workshop (Heavenfall)
Watchtower (Jharii)
Study (Jharii)
Arcane Laboratory (Jharii)
Merchant (Novaburst)
Hut (crystlshake)
House (Kalin)
Barracks (Kalin)
Command post (Kalin)
War College (Kalin)
Market (Kalin)
School (4 tiles!) (jshores)
University (4 tiles!) (John_Hughes)
Trade Center (Kalin)
Bazaar (4 tiles!) (Kalin)
Pub (HooblaDan)
Inn (Kalin)
Great Theatre (oddrheia)
Town Hall (Heavenfall)
Palace (4 tiles!) (oddrheia)
Irrigation System (Heavenfall)
Guild Tribunal (Kalin)
Mining Guild (Kalin)
Smelter (oddrheia)
Blacksmith (oddrheia)
Farming Guild (crystlshake)
Granary (crystlshake)
Great Mill (4 tiles!) (oddrheia)
Construction Yard (Heavenfall)
Temple of Essence (oddrheia)
Monastery (Heavenfall)
Tower of Ereog (fairwater)
Abbey of Izil (4 tiles!) (oddrheia)
Missionary Hall (John_Hughes) 
Embassy (oddrheia)

Harbor (crystlshake)

Super-unique buildings
Mint of Ruvenna (4 tiles!) (oddrheia)
Hosten's Library (4 tiles!) (John_Hughes)
 
Wall buildings (the improvement built to make walls - these automatically upgrade)
Hedge Wall (oddrheia)
Fort (oddrheia)
Fortress (oddrheia)

City walls
Citywalls (level 0) (Heavenfall)
CityWalls_Hedge (level 1) (Heavenfall)
CityWalls_picket (level 2) (Heavenfall)
CityWalls_Advanced (level 3) (Heavenfall)

Shards (all these are 4 tiles):
Fire Shard (Kalin)
Water Shard (Djohaal)
Earth Shard (Djohaal)
Air Shard (Djohaal)

World Resources (all these are 4 tiles):
Iron Mine (John_Hughes)
Ventri Mine (John_Hughes)
Stone Quarry (John_Hughes)
Clay Quarry (John_Hughes)
Marble Quarry (Heavenfall)
Farm (Heavenfall)
Wheat Farm (crystlshake)
Apiary  (crystlshake)
Orchard (crystlshake)
Stable (crystlshake)
Crystal Foundry (Kalin)
Scenic View (oddrheia)
Refugee Camp (John_Hughes)
Oasis (John_Hughes)
Gold Mine (Heavenfall)
Lost Library (oddrheia)
Ancient Temple (oddrheia)
Lumbermill (be gentle!) (John_Hughes)

Diplomacy buildings
Shrill (Kalin)
Drath (Heavenfall)
Dragon (oddrheia)
Spider (oddrheia)

Contributions are mailed to [email protected] or uploaded and linked here in this thread.