Well, pre-production is getting underway at the Dance of the Dragons modding station, so I thought it would be beneficial to post some reference points for planning some designs.
The media presented below is not owned or made by me, but will give a general overview of the stylistic tone that we will be attempting to achieve in this project. They are from various places across the web, all related to the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. Descriptions will be included next to them. In no way am I formally affiliated with the creators or have any bearing on the creation or distribution of the artwork below. These are simply references, and I would not expect anyone to directly copy them without permission and acreditation.
Banners
-House Coat-Of-Arms Descriptions Here is a list of the house coat-of-arms for the defined ones in Westeros, as well decriptions for those that have been described. Much is left to the imagination, but many have made suiting matches. What I presume are the "canon" designs are usually in the back of the books, though only the house animal is shown.
-House Stark Here's an example of what the Stark House banner may look like.
-House Martell (probably my personal favorite)
-House Baratheon (except the crown would be absent, I do believe)
As I said, I do not want anyone copying these images. A lot can be taken from just the decriptions in the first link and creative freedom is mandatory here ;) Just have fun with your creations.
Locations
-King's Landing (From the HBO Series) Probably the most important city in the entire project, King's Landing is the seat of kings and the largest trading port in the south. Note that there are no gears, contrary to what that confusing (but awesome!) intro to the HBO series may lead you to believe. As grand as this city is though, the modelers for the show did a great deal of downiszing it to a mangable size to comprehend. I plan to make it even smaller, because the mod takes place in the past (and limitations).
-King's Landing Layout Map I love this map. It's got such a clear indication of how things are built and great buildings at that. That said, there wil be vast changes. For starters, anything northward of the Great Sept of Baelor (including the sept) will be eliminated to reduce the size. The city will still go over Visenya's Hill and go around the Dragonpit, and the Gate of the Gods will remain (near where the Great Sept is though). Lion's Gate, King's Gate, Old Gate, and Iron gate (bottom right) will be removed. More indepth ideas can be discussed.
-Lannisport and Casterly Rock Lannisport is the second major city in the mod, being the base for the rivaling Queen in this civil war. I don't expect anything on par with King's Landing in fully realized archetecture, because not even the BOOKS have fleshed out Lannisport. Mainly they refer to the looming stone giant behind it, Casterly Rock, and that still isn't done the justice of its importance.
-Winterfell (From the HBO Series) Winterfell is by far the most iconic area in the series, becoming a focal point of events since the very beginning. The proud castle fort is small, but busy, standing strong against the coming winter (see what I did there?).
-Sketching of Winterfell For the Opening Sequence As weird as the opening was, it gave a pretty good representation of what would be seen on screen. Winterfell is no exception, and the overhead shot is really nice for people who want to start designing.
-The Forge in Winterfell Just for a little added character, here's some idea of the exteriors. Less than lovely, right?
-The Wall in the North The Wall is also an important area, though Castle Black is not a city. Far from it. It will be one of the towns present, and there will be quests involving the wall (though you will not have the chance to take the black). It's basically a giant sheet of ice rising into the air, but it's the surroundings that are important.
-Castle Black, The Wall, and the Lift A wider view of Castle Black, and a gorgeous one at that. Also gives the impression of the very important lift and its extension.
-The Secluded Castle of Riverrun Unfortunately there are no fully decided on pictures of Riverrun as of yet, mostly because they have not reached there in the HBO series. In the coming year we'll most likely see it in full 3D, but until then we'll have to trust our imaginations.
-Riverrun Another Riverrun portrait.
-The Twins (From the HBO Series) This is the city of least importance, and I could cut it all together if it takes up too much space. The Twins is (are?) really interesting in its design though because it has settlements on either side which two towers over it. I really like what could come as a result from that.
-The Twins From Afar A better angle of The Twins to determine its length.
-The Inn at the Crossroads (HBO series) The Crossroads Inn (the Clanking Dragon) may not seem like much, but there is a great deal that happens there during the books and the story of the mod. Thus having a reference is always good, however paltry.
If I need just one 3D model out of this entire project, this is the necessary one. The Iron Throne is not only great to look at, but it's also symbolic of the struggles throughout the kingdom of Westeros. Forged from one thousand swords and said to kill those not fit to be king, this badass seat shows just why the rulers of this world are never at rest.
You can easily find many maps of Westeros, but this one is the most clear, I feel. Although alterations will be in order for it (primarily in the South), the overall layout will remain intact. Study the map well.
That should be all for now. Have you any questions or suggestions, feel free to PM me and I'll be glad to listen. Until next time,
Valar Morghulis
