Custom Content Challenge: December 2013: Dark Sun

[Legacy_PLUSH HYENA of DOOM]

               "Cry 'Havoc!' and let slip the Mekillots of war!" (as Shakespeare so nearly said)...



Given that Mekillots are BIG and their riders are squitty, at least by comparison, in order to unnecessarily clutter up the thread some more, here's an additional picture of the rider... not that he's at all interesting. (Tried to give him Athas-esque bone spear and chitin plates on his armour). As the observant will notice, for the banners I've drawn something close to that "A"-like sigil from one of the banners in the Mekillot painting on the previous page. More or less. With additional stripes.
Because saddle type straps around the edges of all that bony armour proved not only difficult, hideously high poly and somewhat silly looking, I just settled for having the seat bolted directly into the Mekillot's armour... All complaints should be sent to the "Prevention of Cruelty to Athas Animals Association".



Also now sort of finished, a bit, nearly... mostly... is the promised Pack Mekillot...
SEE how it... well, it's got crates on it in a sort of frame thing because there's not much else I could do given all the armour plates. I don't know why they can't just use a decent flatbed trailer.



Even the least observant amongst you might instantly consider that the crates' position looks a little precarious and that any significant movement on behalf of the Mekillot might well distribute them all over the desert. Complaints should be sent to the "Prevention of Cruelty to Crates Association".
I first had netting (similar to the sides of the BioWare Forest Tileset bridge) all around the cargo frame. However, it looked completely rubbish, so I tore it all off again and have started experimenting with ropes and cane poles and other feeble rubbish. Like I said, ideally this needs work. It's just finding the time.

And don't forget, the Nightmare Beast IS still coming soon, along with one or two sinister denizens of Kragmorta and Giustenal...
               
               

               

                     Modifié par PLUSH HYENA of DOOM, 21 décembre 2013 - 09:39 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Shemsu-Heru]

               @PHOD - Amazing work with the Mekillots, thanks, for this!!!
Very nice banners, also I appreciate, your effort, in order to make the rider, suitable with the DS aesthetics; I also love the packed Mekillot....
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_PLUSH HYENA of DOOM]

               Anything I ought to know about the Dray beyond what's in the 2E Information, before I start hitting them with bricks?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tarot Redhand]

               Yaay! A nightmare beast... A Nightmare beast? Are you sure?... Run!!!!

TR
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shemsu-Heru]

               

PLUSH HYENA of DOOM wrote...

Anything I ought to know about the Dray beyond what's in the 2E Information, before I start hitting them with bricks?

The free downloadable manual "Terrors of Athas", from the official DS website, have some extra information about the Drays, and their 3E stats. But it don't have new pictures, about them, if that is what you are looking for. In the 4E Dragonborn race have replaced the Drays, but the are not the same in my opinion.

Dregoth created the Dray, in order to have a race of minions, who looks similar to the dragon-kings. So if you have problems to find Dray pictures, take some things from the Dragon-kings appearance could be a good idea...
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Shemsu-Heru, 21 décembre 2013 - 08:28 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Shemsu-Heru]

               

Some Dark Sun scimitars based on this picture:


               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Bluebomber4evr]

               I'm loving your weapons, Shemsu-Heru. Any thoughts about making some armor/clothing to go with them?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_PLUSH HYENA of DOOM]

               It's Big... It's Bad... It's Blue... and it's heading your way...

The Nightmare Beast looks just a little bit weird blue in a desert setting, but the Official Manual says it's blue and so blue it shall be.
Fifi and I have the Velociraptor more or less completely constructed now and so shall be commencing to paint it. So I'll likely be quiet for a while and the Nightmare Beast will remain unfinished until painting is done - it has some issues with its legs and its eye emitters have yet to be hit with bricks... However, I thought I'd give you this foretaste of its rubbish presence and confirm that, if nothing else, it's got BIG TEETH! And since that's more or less its only character trait (besides being blue), there's not much more to say...

Shem, thanks for the extra pointers on the Dray... I noticed quite a bit of art on the web which seemed to depict the Second Gen. Dray as tailless despite the Manual saying they had tails. Maybe that's 4E stuff... Anyway, I'll stick within what it says in the Manual plus one or two other illustrations I found which seem to match, which I think should be enough. The First Gen. Dray I've already got set up in gmax...
(And thanks for all these interesting new weapons too... (And yes, some nice new armour with bone plates and such would be good...))
               
               

               

                     Modifié par PLUSH HYENA of DOOM, 22 décembre 2013 - 04:33 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Shemsu-Heru]

               @Bluebomber4evr and PLUSH HYENA of DOOM:
Some DS armors would be great but take more time than weapons. I'm not sure if i have enough time for that until the challenge ends.

POHD That creature, looks like a true nightmare....
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tarot Redhand]

               @PHOD I would say that its size and the claws are also distinguishing features as well. Also to quote the (2ed) first ds mc (mc12) -

All nightmare beasts have similar skin coloration and texture. The skin of this creature is extremely thick and tough, very similar to that of an alligator or crocodile, but even more durable. Though usually a dark blue/grey in color, sometimes a beastÂ’s skin will be more purple.

So much stuff this month. I wonder if there is an independent DS hak (tilesets, scripts, etc.) to be got from this enthusiasm?

TR
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Tarot Redhand, 22 décembre 2013 - 03:28 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Shemsu-Heru]

               Just a question: Would be acceptable, use Morrowind models, and textures; like the Morrowind chitin armor, and bonemold armor. And convert into NWN files for this challenge?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_PLUSH HYENA of DOOM]

               Yes, absolutely!
At least as far as I'm concerned.

APPALLING BLUE DEATH PORCUPINE!

Um, that is to say, "The Nightmare Beast", and not a porcupine at all.
Still needs work; but it IS blue and it IS big (that "Drow" is Human phenotype).
The Beast in the manual picture had lumps and nodules more than spines, but having done piles of chunky lumps and nodules on the Earth Drake, I decided to increase the spike quotient on the Beast instead. Anyway, I suppose a Nightmare Beast that looks like a bloated, electric porcupine is probably better then no Nightmare Beast at all...

First Generation Dray more or less done.
Second Generation Dray in progress - with so far an Ordinary Citizen, a Priest and a Templar/Warrior, hopefully more variants if time allows. Also, their military elite, it says, are the feared Kalin Riders. Who ride Kalins? Like that Kalin creature I've already, by complete chance, created this month? Hm. Fifi, fetch me the Big Bug Be Saddled Kit!

Back to Velociraptor painting... eugh - and wiping green and beige acrylics off my mother's computer keyboard... damn...
               
               

               

                     Modifié par PLUSH HYENA of DOOM, 23 décembre 2013 - 04:08 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Mecheon]

               Just remember Kalin are surprisingly big ol' bugs. They're 12 feet long

May or may not see another critter from me. I've been eying the Wall Walkers and Fire Drake
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shemsu-Heru]

               I really sorry, but I'm afraid that I'm not going to try any armor piece; I'm a little tired, and not enough inspired to face that, especially  when the month is so close to finish......
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_PLUSH HYENA of DOOM]

               Don't blame you... You've already done lots of interesting new weapons, we're just being greedy wanting armour too!

Fifi and I have completed the Velociraptor and are just about to set out to deliver it to its new home. Assuming anyone lets us on a bus with a Velociraptor...
With that done, I shall be turning my attention to the First and Second Gen. Dray but, when they're done, I think, sadly, I'll have to stop tackling a completely new creature every six seconds and simply make sure all the ones I've already done are finished properly... although, there were still a couple of others on the list that I was examining... but time is running short.

Dray images when available.