Westeroscraft Texture Pack Megathread

[Emoticone11]

I'd argue to make various sets of timber frame blocks, so the blocks can be combined in a single building. With this I mean a limited amount of timber frame colour, while most of the variation is in the infill. We already have a fairly large "oak" set, with white daub, brown daub, brick, Reach stone and Oldtown stone.
My suggestion for another set would be black wood, with white daub, yellow daub and brick.

In addition we could think about combinations for specific regions, like we did with the Reach and Oldtown timber frame. The Westerlands for example could benefit from oak combinations with Lannisport stone, orange daub and yellow daub, while the Vale might benefit more from black wood combinations with light grey stone, light blue daub, red daub and orange daub. Kingslanding might have some houses still painted in the old colours of house Targaryen; black timber with a faded red plaster, colours which would also combine well with the darker palette of the Stormlands.

That sounds good - I like the idea of regional variants. I think a breakdown of proposed new sets/colors would be most useful at this point, since I'd like to quantify the number of new things to be added and organize them before I begin any work on it.

I'd like to make a case of introducing more timber frame variants. I don't think introducing new variants of timber frame would outdate existing builds. The projects you mentioned did a great job with timber frame patterns, which will not become any less good if different shapes are introduced. Projects are much more prone to be outdated (and are much harder to update if needed) with the introduction of a whole new range of nature blocks, updates to flower blocks or the introduction of river pebble.

I appreciate the follow-up, though I'm not really convinced. The way I think about adding more timber frame variants is that it increases the "resolution" of the patterns that we're able to create, when viewed as a capture of IRL examples (an analogy that I've used in the past). When looking at the regional variants like proposed above, it's sort of like looking at two different photos with the same resolution, but different color choices. It's not immediately clear which photo is better in this case; it just depends on what the photographer is trying to capture. By contrast, when looking at adding more timber variants, it's like looking at two different photos with the same colors/etc., but with one having a higher resolution than the other. In this case, people would generally think that the higher resolution picture is strictly better, even if the original photo was decently high quality.

It's not a huge deal if I just add the close studding variant (as Dutch said, it's more "all or nothing" anyways, so can be sort of a regional variant itself), but I think if all the timber shapes are added, any builds since will be higher resolution approximations of the IRL houses, such as the ones in the inspiration album you linked. Which has the benefit of letting us make more realistic things in itself (i.e. more artistic freedom), but I'm worried about the cost of making areas like Duskendale seem like the "lower resolution photo" in the example above in comparison. To me, that seems like a pretty big cost when looking at the amount of d&w builds on the server that would get suddenly deprecated based on that alone.

You're right that the nature blocks have done that to some extent, but my motives for shifting focus to nature updates a few years back was (in addition to our nature standards lagging way behind our building standards at the time) that the completion rate for nature/terraforming was far below the completion rate for settlements. The latter is around 60-65% last time I checked. I'm not sure what the completion rate for nature/terraforming is, but I'm going to guess it's far less than that, considering that the majority of the map is still default WorldPainter terrain and that people are only heavily focusing on the terraforming aspects of projects within the last few years (partially as a result of the nature revamps that happened). I think that terraforming, as well as smaller immersion projects in empty areas, will become relatively more important as our project gets closer to completion, which is why I've been a bit warmer to adding new nature blocks in general.

 

[DutchGuard]

Here's an idea for a regional colour variant which is near and dear to my heart: limewashed timbers.

The dark timbers and pale or white infill panels (the spaces between the timbers) are in large part a 19th century romantic view of the past. In the Victorian period, when brick and stone became the standard building materials, medieval timber frame buildings became part of the national nostalgia, and the the timber in these buildings was celebrated by picking them out in darker colours (often black) to contrast against the render infill panels. This aesthetic ideal might come from the fact that limewash needs to be re-applied annually or semi-annually to be effective, and many medieval buildings were neglected by the 19th century, leading to the ubiquitous darker appearance of timbers.

What has recently come to light (and by recently I mean in the last 30 years or so) is that most timber frame buildings were colour washed in their entirety, giving the facade a uniform appearance. This has been determined by scraping back paint layers in the wood grain. Let me say, as someone who has used coloured and uncoloured limewash, it runs like water, and they didn't have masking tape back in the medieval period! It gets absolutely everywhere. Timbers are special to us today because they represent an extinct building craft, back when they were built they were just a consequence of the building method and not given special treatment.

There are of course many examples where contrasting timbers and panels are historic, but the great majority have been altered from their original appearance to conform to 19th century beauty standards.

Below are a few examples where the original appearance of the building has been restored (in some cases, controversially).

Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, Epping Forest.

BEFORE:


AFTER:


Thaxted Guildhall, Thaxted, Essex

BEFORE:


AFTER:

 

[Kulmen]

Isn't this what's supposed to be represented with the fully whitewashed houses Dutch? I feel like especially if masking the wood is the intent, then this becomes too niche a material to justify a whole new set of blocks.

 

[DutchGuard]

Isn't this what's supposed to be represented with the fully whitewashed houses Dutch? I feel like especially if masking the wood is the intent, then this becomes too niche a material to justify a whole new set of blocks.

As far as I know, the intention was not to hide the timbers, the colouring is just a consequence of the limewashing process, which is a functional process rather than a decorative one (the lime is toxic to wood boring insects, and is also a form of weatherproofing). In my opinion, there is a fundamental difference in appearance between a pargetted building (fully rendered) and a timber framed one, even if they are the same colour. There are plenty of timber framed buildings which are fully rendered, which would have been an added expense to achieve a uniform surface finish.

Tham has even already made a colour set of blocks which look like limewashed timber (providing the infill is a similar tone)
Do what you will with the suggestion, but I thought it might be an interesting regional variant.

 

[DutchGuard]

Also an additional note for Thamus_Knoward and Emotione11 with regards to the close-studded block; it should appear as though all the studs are of a uniform thickness, not alternating thicknesses (as it appears above). I imagine this would just involve trimming the sides down a bit and widening the gaps, but not sure if that messes with anything else.

 

[Emoticone11]

Can we work out where on the map it would make sense for variants like fully limewashed timber, close-studded timber, etc. to be regional variants? That's important to work out beforehand so that any variants I add don't just get used haphazardly by whichever new projects want to kick off a new trend, and so that we can figure out a feasible update plan for any builders interested in helping with that (like Adorkabley ).

 

[SseriousBusiness]

I'd say Vale, northwestern riverlands and stormlands, maybe southern North? like bordering the neck? and the other southern neck border, with the vale/riverlands. Basically both areas bordering the neck to the north and south.

 

[DutchGuard]

Here's what I had in mind.

Close studding originated and is most commonly found in East Anglia, of which the best parallel is perhaps the southern Crownlands (around and in the Kingswood, which is currently mostly undeveloped) and northern Stormlands (north of Griffin's Roost, including Tarth (abandoned) and could include Storm's End sprawl when that eventually happens). It could expand further south into the Rainwood but that already has a specific style with a lot of builds.
Here's a quick map.


Limewash is a little trickier as it can be found anywhere that has timber framed buildings, and should therefore be limited on the server to an area based on aesthetic desires. It would make some sense to have it in areas of frequent bad weather, or large numbers of wood-boring insects from a functional perspective. Perhaps it could be defining D&W style for the Twins + sprawl? The proximity of the Neck and relative nearness of seaborne storms might necessitate it and also serve to portray the Frey lands as fairly bland and colourless, which would be in keeping with the canon "ugliness" of the castle.

 

[SseriousBusiness]

Hello I’m here to request (if possible) a variation for the wood cover block in spruce wood or northern wood (or all types to cover everything). Afaik this is a simple addition, just creating similar blocks to the already existing wood cover, with the existing wood textures. These are used for shutters or louvres (thank you Dutch for the info), ramps, chicken coops, wagons and a lot more so it could be useful in other colours besides oak. Thank you for reading

 

[Emoticone11]

Going to work on an update containing some of the stuff we've talked about:
- The five alternate terrainsets that have been made so far (alt reach, alt westerlands, alt dorne, and two alt stormlands), if people are satisfied with them.
- The ore block retextures
- Vertical and close-studding d&w
- More alt sets with timber color variants and infill color/texture variants (EStoop , when you get a chance would you mind putting together a more specific list of suggestions, ideally with suggested regions like Dutch gave above?)
- Pink red fork sandstone brick for Riverrun and Maidenpool (I guess SMP is working on this?)
- Wood window block to replace table windows
- Wood cover variants

Let me know if I missed anything that has previously been finalized. Also, Thamus_Knoward , would you be able to share your tiles with me? I tried to test your alt timber textures, but they seemed to be 50x50 in the image.

 

[CashBanks]

Basalt Brick Ornate Windows would be nice for Summerhall/Harrenhal/(Starry Sept mb)

 

[Margaery_Tyrell]

The etchings please for the Great Roads!

 

[DutchGuard]

Seconded the etchings and could you consider CashBanks Myrish carpet?

 

[CashBanks]

Seconded the etchings and could you consider CashBanks Myrish carpet?

Ship might've sailed on the carpet idea, would be nice but even I'll admit it might fall into the risky potential for outdating older builds category.

 

[Emoticone11]

I admittedly haven’t been following the road discussion threads at all, so this is the first time I’ve heard about these etching blocks. Assuming they’re specific for the great roads, I’m fine with adding them as soon as someone makes the textures and packages them up nicely for me.

I agree with Cash about the Myrish carpet; I could also easily see it becoming overused in every minor castle, high class house, etc. (look at northern carvings...)

 

[DutchGuard]

Aww well they are very pretty Cash, we're lucky to have even a glimpse of them. As for the etchings, Thamus_Knoward is still tweaking them to get the transparency right, but he might be able to get them done before you implement the rest of the above. Here is a preview (I hope he doesn't mine me showing them in an unfinished state)

 

[Margaery_Tyrell]

Can we also pleeeeeease have the Redwyne banner for the upcoming Arbor build?

 

[EStoop]

(EStoop , when you get a chance would you mind putting together a more specific list of suggestions, ideally with suggested regions like Dutch gave above?)

I suggest two main sets of Northern wood timber and Oak timber, both with largely the same infill that can be applied in multiple regions. Northern wood would be more common in Northern Westeros, whereas Oak would be more common in southern Westeros. I hesitate to draw an exact border between the use, since I think a combination of the two would look charming in middle Westeros.

I devided both sets into regular blocks and regional variants. Regular blocks can be used everywhere within the scope of the set, while regional variants are tied to a certain region or project. The colour combinations I suggest are both based on real life variants as well as combinations I think would result in a broader distinction between regions, since the northern wood regional variants are somewhat gloomyer/colder and the oak regional variants are warmer.

I came up with these combinations:

Northern wood set

• Regular blocks
  • White daub
  • Brown daub
  • Brick
• Regional variants
  • Yellow (Riverlands, Crownlands and Stormlands, possibly the North)
  • Mud red (Riverlands, Crownlands and Stormlands, possibly the North)
  • Light grey stone (Vale)
  • Arryn blue daub (Vale/Gulltown redo)

Oak set

• Regular blocks
  • White daub
  • Brown daub
  • Brick
• Regional variants
  • Yellow daub (Westerlands/Lannisport redo)
  • Orange daub (Westerlands/Lannisport redo)
  • Lannisport stone (Westerlands)
  • Reach stone (Mandervale)
  • Oldtown stone (Oldtown and environs)

Other

• Whitewashed (Trident and Mander)
  • Catelyn points out a village near the Inn at the Crossroads has "half a hundred white cottages". We also know the Inn of the Kneeling Man is partly made of whitewashed wood, as well as The Peach in Stoney Sept.
  • Similarily, buildings along the Mander are also noted to be whitewashed, though it’s not specified wether these are timbered or not.
• Red wood and white daub
  • Is currently used as a “rich vairiant” timber frame.

Minor exceptions to the regional limits should be possible in my opinion. For example, I can imagine house Webber painting timber frame parts of their castle in their house colours.

I tried to keep the number of timber frame combinations limited, but I think these combinations can be applied very broadly without introducing a carnaval of combinations. Most of the new timber frame blocks can be used next to eachother without making the differences too jarring. However, a case can be made to add more colour variations but I think that will result in chaos.

Edit 1 | Although an oak and green daub timber frame would work well in the Mandervale, I didn't include this block since most of the region has been finished.

Edit 2 | I'd like to suggest that whatever we end up adding, all infill should also be available as a block without the timber framing.

 

[Ric]

Can we also pleeeeeease have the Redwyne banner for the upcoming Arbor build?

If it's not too much, I think the Grafton banner would be nice to have too. All houses that owns cities (Hightower, Manderly, Lannister, Baratheon) have their banners already, so I guess it would be fitting. And with a GT redo for the future, we would have the chance of adding it in the city

 

[Emoticone11]

Yup I can add the two banners - thanks for the reminder.

Thanks for the list, EStoop . All of those variants sound reasonable. Just some clarifications:

- How would the yellow infill variant under the Northern wood set differ from the yellow daub infill variant in the Oak set? Or would they just be the same infill with different timber?

- Would the red clay block (or red plaster) be an appropriate infill for the "mud red" version under the Northern wood set?

- Do you think it's necessary to include a close-studding version for all of the new sets being proposed, since it seems like we're specifically aiming at a unique substyle for the southern crownlands/northern stormlands with that block? I think probably it should have the basic white/brown infills with both timber colors, and probably the whitewashed version as well, but do you think we need it in any of the other variants?