Feature Article Feedback: The Art of Shavarath Series Part 1!

[Tolero]

Our developers and artists discuss the players’ impending trip to the Plan (http://i620.photobucket.com/albums/tt283/itsapuzzle/01101011.jpg?t=1243551681)e of Battle! Visit DDO.com (http://www.ddo.com) for a look behind the scenes at the conceptual art and story-telling of the Turbine team in this multi-part Dev Diary! This week’s feature: The Lands of Shavarath!

Read more about the Art of Shavarath (http://www.ddo.com/article/1028) and post your comments here!

[Ustice]

Cool stuff! Thanks. I look forward to seeing more of these.

[Hendrik]

I just have to say this to Jeff;

AMAZING WORK!

[ArkoHighStar]

wow, can we get those made into wallpaper

[Tolero]

wow, can we get those made into wallpaper

Already ahead of you on that one :D I come bearing wallpapers tomorrow. The concept art is just too sweet to not have wallpapers!

[Borror0]

The concept art is just too sweet to not have wallpapers!
QFT (plus some other stuff until Tolero removes the 'no shouting')

[Stormanne]

wow, can we get those made into wallpaper

Already done....at least on my machine.

[sjwalker1973]

Still no release date... *sigh*

I've been on this game since pre release and have seen many mods introduced. I just hope you do this justice.

[Oxvon]

Looks BA

[nbhs275]

nice art...but gotta say the delay tactics are getting a little tiresome.

[Memnir]

It looks frankly amazing. Jaw dropping concept art - as well as knowing that the three factions and lands of Shavarath will be represented. Consider my anticipation for Mod 9 multiplied on several fronts now - and I'm awaiting the next diary eagerly. I just hope that the next one will have a bit more "meat" to it. That's a small complaint, though.


Bravo, Devs. Bravo.




......http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn12/EnPsyane/applause.gif
.
.

[Belwaar]

:D:D:D Looks amazing guys! I can't wait!!! :D:D:D

[Tyrande]

Nice art.

Couple of questions:

1) Is that castle in the middle Amrath? Is that Yugoloth (Arcanaloth) territory where we start?

2) The southern area is Archonic with those white tombstones, the eastern area looks more lawful, so devils and the western area looks more chaotic, so demons? I saw the noxious fumes and smokes, but where are the whirling blades?

[Tyrande]

Also, the chasm barriers. They look passable by the Archons/demons/devils since they have wings. Are those passable by us too or is it by magic only? i.e. teleport, blink, etc.?

[Sirea]

wow, can we get those made into wallpaper

While we're at it, how about a new splash screen with some of this art featured with "Mod 9 coming soon!" :D

[Tyrande]

The cloud of stones that surrounds the white castle in the middle. They look like an asteroids belt. Those are floating around the castle because the castle has some kind of circular centrifugal force, i.e. universal gravity? or is it some other kind of magic?

[ArkoHighStar]

The cloud of stones that surrounds the white castle in the middle. They look like an asteroids belt. Those are floating around the castle because the castle has some kind of circular centrifugal force, i.e. universal gravity? or is it some other kind of magic?

If you looka at it cloesly it looks like the castle was ripped from the ground and half of it is floating above the ground held down by chains

[Tyrande]

If you looka at it cloesly it looks like the castle was ripped from the ground and half of it is floating above the ground held down by chains

True, but the rocks surrounding the castle aren't held down by chains, why didn't they get blown off?

[Mockduck]

Very nice looking concept art! Can't wait to see the concept turned to reality.

[Angelus_dead]

Shavarath is like nothing in our game. It is a place devoid of vegetation, and the sky is covered in a deep cloudy smoke created from thousands of years of fighting. Instead of trees, there are immense crooked spires of rock that give this place an otherworldly feel.
Ruins of Gianthold.
No vegatation- check.
Smoke covers sky- check.
Millenia of battle- check.
Spires of rock- check.
Otherworldly- double-check.

At least it doesn't rain daggers. And most likely, everything isn't purple.

[Gol]

Already ahead of you on that one :D I come bearing wallpapers tomorrow. The concept art is just too sweet to not have wallpapers!
Please don't insult us by giving us more 1024x768 "wallpaper". Go hi-res or don't bother.

[Gunga]

It does look a lot like Gianthold, as A_D has alluded to. Which is about as good as it can get. We need another GH win to make up for the Necro debacle we're still reeling from.

[smatt]

Very nice stuff! Thanks Tolero and all working on the new mod!

[I_Bob]

Very nice looking concept art! Can't wait to see the concept turned to reality.

Agreed!! This land looks rife with opportunity. Can't wait to explore. This, coupled with the rest of what I've read leads me to think mod 9 is going to be almost great... Just need to beef up the cleric capstone a bit and mod 9 will be awesome.

[kingfisher]

****ing A people that is what i am talking about. death, destruction, battle, war, all without going to new jersey.

[Wrustle]

While we're at it, how about a new splash screen with some of this art featured with "Mod 9 coming soon!" :D



Way ahead of ya there Sirea... been requesting that for a while now.


http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=173928

[Coldin]

*Loves Concept Art*

Can't wait to see more of it. And Tolero, how about setting this as the splashscreen? I think that will do wonders for getting people excited about Mod 9 again.

[Hatroq]

Ruins of Gianthold.
No vegatation- check.
Smoke covers sky- check.
Millenia of battle- check.
Spires of rock- check.
Otherworldly- double-check.

At least it doesn't rain daggers. And most likely, everything isn't purple.

QFT - I immeaditely thought the same thing.

[moorewr]

It looks frankly amazing. Jaw dropping concept art - as well as knowing that the three factions and lands of Shavarath will be represented. Consider my anticipation for Mod 9 multiplied on several fronts now - and I'm awaiting the next diary eagerly. I just hope that the next one will have a bit more "meat" to it. That's a small complaint, though.

Yeah, yeah.. until you find out it consists of three quests (one per faction) and a six-man raid...

I'll keep my fingers crossed. If they've done the content development needed for four new levels this could be simply amazing.

[Gratch]

Most triumphant concept art there.

Did you guys (Keeper/landscape artist types) get any new tech in the ddo engine to help you portray Shavarath? Such as the ceilings can be displayed as floors tech that LotRO got for Moria's caverns?

[BronwynnBane]

*Loves Concept Art*

Can't wait to see more of it. And Tolero, how about setting this as the splashscreen? I think that will do wonders for getting people excited about Mod 9 again.

I agree, not everyone reads the forums and this would give them a reason to. By the way awesome, I can't wait!

[Eladrin]

Millenia of battle- check.
The fighting in Gianthold is like a playground brawl compared to what's been going on in Shavarath since the beginning of time.

[Slink]

So, this means that since the art/ideas are in "concept" does that mean we can expect release sometime...hmmm...mid next year?

[Gunga]

The fighting in Gianthold is like a playground brawl compared to what's been going on in Shavarath since the beginning of time.

Nice to see you out and about.

[Hendrik]

So, this means that since the art/ideas are in "concept" does that mean we can expect release sometime...hmmm...mid next year?

MOD9 is a myth. What's REALLY happening is they are working on an paid expansion. Working title is "Forsaken Lands".


:D

[thatguy]

The fighting in Gianthold is like a playground brawl compared to what's been going on in Shavarath since the beginning of time.

Thanks for rubbing our collective noses in the fact that we can't play it yet! LoL

[Borror0]

The fighting in Gianthold is like a playground brawl compared to what's been going on in Shavarath since the beginning of time.
Prove it. Got screenshots?;)

[moorewr]

Prove it. Got screenshots?;)

Yeah, sure the devils, archons etc say they've been fighting since the beginning of time.. but have they kept records? Nooo!

[Borror0]

Yeah, sure the devils, archons etc say they've been fighting since the beginning of time.. but have they kept records? Nooo!
Exactly. Screenshot or it didn't happen.

[ArkoHighStar]

Yeah, sure the devils, archons etc say they've been fighting since the beginning of time.. but have they kept records? Nooo!

they all sit around having BBQ parties, until someone stumbles into their realm, then they stumble around and look like they are fighting to scare them away, then its back to the party

[DaveyCrockett]

Well, that art looks nice enough to make me climb out of my cave long enough to drool.

/back to cave

[Tolero]

Please don't insult us by giving us more 1024x768 "wallpaper". Go hi-res or don't bother.

Hey not all of us have the epic monitor of epicness, I need those 1024s for my alt boxes oO

... biggest I've got this one is 1920 x 1200

[Tyrande]

Hey not all of us have the epic monitor of epicness, I need those 1024s for my alt boxes oO

... biggest I've got this one is 1920 x 1200

1920x1200 should be good. Basically HDTV resolution support.

Fits my 28" and 52" LCD nicely.

[Venar]

I am probably on the wrong link, i see all kind of drooling and people in awe.
All i get on my link is ONE single drawing of some landscape that could come from any fantasy calandar...

[AnubisPrime]

Artwork is awesome!!!

[Borror0]

I am probably on the wrong link, i see all kind of drooling and people in awe.
All i get on my link is ONE single drawing of some landscape that could come from any fantasy calandar...
We are content starved.

[alchilito]

We are content starved.

Hang in there man mod 9 is coming (Soon tm)


The artwork looks astonishing, I hope you guys really hit a home run with mod 9 ...

[ArkoHighStar]

I am probably on the wrong link, i see all kind of drooling and people in awe.
All i get on my link is ONE single drawing of some landscape that could come from any fantasy calandar...

yes but it comes from our fantasy calendar:p

[GreenEye]

I understand that this is concept art, which is great! However, it could lead some (me at least) to believe that mod 9 is still being conceptualized and not close to being finished... What would be great to see is a screenie of the actual plane. If I saw an actual screenshot, I'd feel more comfortable with the idea that mod 9 isn't schedule for the fall. Concept art sorta' leads me to believe it's several months out.

[Lorichie]

I understand that this is concept art, which is great! However, it could lead some (me at least) to believe that mod 9 is still being conceptualized and not close to being finished... What would be great to see is a screenie of the actual plane. If I saw an actual screenshot, I'd feel more comfortable with the idea that mod 9 isn't schedule for the fall. Concept art sorta' leads me to believe it's several months out.

there are a couple, released not so long ago, one of an outdoor area, with what looks like a quest entrance, and one of someone fighting a harry-type-dude. both of which i saved, cleaned up and use for my backgrounds. links are out there, will look for it.

R

[ArkoHighStar]

I understand that this is concept art, which is great! However, it could lead some (me at least) to believe that mod 9 is still being conceptualized and not close to being finished... What would be great to see is a screenie of the actual plane. If I saw an actual screenshot, I'd feel more comfortable with the idea that mod 9 isn't schedule for the fall. Concept art sorta' leads me to believe it's several months out.

what you mean these?

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=174329

[GreenEye]

That's exactly more of what I'd like to see!

[Gorstag]

Just hope we do not have to go through two or three months of weekly shavarath updates before we are given a date for mod 9.

[Gol]

Hey not all of us have the epic monitor of epicness, I need those 1024s for my alt boxes oO

... biggest I've got this one is 1920 x 1200
That'll do :)

Thanks!

[Lorien_the_First_One]

MOD9 is a myth. What's REALLY happening is they are working on an paid expansion. Working title is "Forsaken Lands".


:D

Yup yup, preorder online now and be the first to get it!

[Voalkrynn2]

Cn we use these in encounters like that fireball machine on the boat in three barrel cove?:D

[Durack]

When I saw the art this popped into my minds eye.


Shavarath the Battleground, is a region ever gripped in the throes of war as three groups vie for control of the plane, a host of celestial archons, an infernal reginment of devils and a swarming horde of demons. Forever in a rough balance of power each of the three factions lay siege to one anothers fortresses only to loose their own holdings on other fortresses in the process. Beyond these fortresses the plain stretches infinitely, with low hills providing the only terrain feature. The plane is aligned by territory. Those areas held by the archons are mildly good and lawfully aligned while those areas held by devils are mildly evil and lawfully aligned and that held by the demons is mildly chaotic and evil aligned. Magic spells that mimic, create or enhance weapons as well as spells that excite hostile emotions are extended, while charms and pacifisms are impeded. Whirling blades travel the plane like flocks of birds seeking out non-native inhabitants and attacking them

Thanks for the sneak peek...

[Ustice]

Hang in there man mod 9 is coming (Soon tm)


The artwork looks astonishing, I hope you guys really hit a home run with mod 9 ...

It's going to be hard to beat the Gianthold for spectacle eye-candy goodness, but I like the over-all look. I can't wait to see more.

[Hendrik]

Yup yup, preorder online now and be the first to get it!

I am SO far ahead of everyone, I have mine ordered and am patiently waiting...
;)

[PhoenixFire31]

I am SO far ahead of everyone, I have mine ordered and am patiently waiting...
;)

Holding your breath and everything right? LOL :D

[Hendrik]

Holding your breath and everything right? LOL :D


Espically 'everything'....
;)

[juniorpfactors]

I am probably on the wrong link, i see all kind of drooling and people in awe.
All i get on my link is ONE single drawing of some landscape that could come from any fantasy calandar...

That is about the greatest comment ever.... sig worthy

jrp

[Aerniel]

ruins Of Gianthold.
No Vegatation- Check.there Is Vegitation In The Gh, Run Towards Madsone.


Spires Of Rock- Check. but There Arent Tombstones Are There? =p


>_>







<_<

[slashh]

This is great to see the artwork behind the game.

Would love to see more about the building of the game an backround about how the animation team work on the game an how ddo is built.

What kind of platforms are used for worlds etc etc.

Maybe some kind of video dev diary on the team an there roles an how they work to bring ddo to us.

As i am into 3d animation myself an would enjoy something along those lines as i don't see much in the way of discussion of the games mechanics.

[Yaga_Nub]

... as i don't see much in the way of discussion of the games mechanics.

We see discussions with the "game mechanics" every now and then. They're called devs.