In Progress Anorien

[rwyland]

~:~|~:~ Anorien Upgrade Continued ~:~|~:~
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Project Leader: @rwyland
Co-Leader: @draonic_slayer @aylalya
Project Staff: @barteldvn, @w0rldunder @Wyattrox03

Overall Progress and State

Approximate Overall Progress Percentage: 55%
Current State of Progress: Planning and Building

Introduction
Anorien as a project is in a weird position. After Oberanio stepped down as Designer, the project has been in a state of Limbo as people have waited for the Forest Update to release. However, as the dawn of the Forest Update looms on the horizon (Soon™), there is work to be done to get Anorien ready for the addition of Forests.

Additionally, the main building done in Anorien was back before the release of the Gondor/Human 3.0 packs and subsequent snapshots, (Take a look, there have been a lot of changes Gondor 3.0 Change Log) and with certain texture changes there is the need for remedial work to fix certain block changes. Moreso, as projects such as Pelennor Fields, Harlond and OsgoFields have finished, to such a high standard using a variety of new blocks/models and a new approach to laying out fields, looking back on some of the work that was completed could do with some reworking.



Background Lore
Anórien
History of Ithilien
Anórien Terrain & Lore Research v3.docx

• In Anorien there still lived (T.A. 2510) many people and their task was to protect the northern access from Calenardhon and also over Anduin at Cair Andros. To keep in contact with them the three oldest beacons (Amon Dîn, Dîn Eilenach and Min-Rimmon) were built and maintained, but the line of Mering Stream was fortified… (Unfinished Tales - Cirion and Eorl)
• Guard post at the beacons to provide message riders with new horses (RotK - Minas Tirith)

Legend:
Red: Settlements
Orange: Fortifications
Pink: Beacons
Yellow: Lumber Camps/Charcoal Burners
Green: Forests
Blue: Rivers
Purple: Fens/Marshes

Project Plan

Stage 0: Initial Village, Biome, and Planning: On Going - 75% Complete
We are going to restart by introducing a newer style of ruining. The initial village will replace Dol Calen’s current position. This will be followed by a new regional biome mix as well as initial planning for the next stages.

We will have a style guide of sorts for the abandoned/ruined Anorien houses over the village once it is in the main world.

For y’all who are looking to participate, work on your artist apps, or just want a new challenge, we recommend working on your Anorien styles both old and new.

Section 1: Southeast Half: Finished - 95% Complete - ETA February 2024
Since doing the same thing for several months is monotonous and boring, we will move next to the occupied sections of Anorien, Southeast of Dol Caranthan.
Here is a list of items we will begin with:
Update sizes of fields
Introduce new buildings and expand current villages
Add more connections throughout the area with new roads
Redo the mix of the main road to Dol Caranthan
Add a new port village and move/reorganize Dol Calen
Add smaller settlements such as lumber camps, villas, etc.
What is left:
Forests
Anduin River Bank (Cair Andros dependent)

Section 2: Dol Caranthan: On Going - 40% Completed - ETA April 2024
After some consideration, with how long some of the early stages have taken, I have chosen to break the project into smaller sections. Dol Caranthan and its surroundings are going to be its own stage.
Here is what we need to get done:
Update the Fields to be consistent with the newest style
Create concepts for a ruined/raided village
Plan out and build two new settlements. Both will be in a significantly more ruined state than current ones.
What is left:
Forests
finish raided/ruined village
rudo village
farm
fishing village
fens/deltas: figure out the commands and finish.

Section 3: Northwest Half: On Going - 15% Completed - ETA March/April 2024
Next we will go back to the more ruined areas and thus return to that style. Currently planned, we have 1 more ruined medium-sized settlement as well as a few smaller ones between Dol Caranthan and the Fenmarch.

Similar to past few stages, plots and jobs will be widely available to be run.
What is left:
Forests
fishing village abandoned: Planning
ruined village: redo fields, add buildings
fens/deltas: figure out the commands and finish.
Anduin bank veg
Ferian woods
Ruined forts

Section 4: Druidain Forest: Partially Started - 45% Completed - ETA February (Tombs), June/July (Druidain)
This region has more than just Gondorians living in it. We have a whole subculture living in the woods of the Druidain forests. This requires it to have its own stage so we can shift focus on a completely new style
Things that need completing:
Lore accurate building concepts.
Expanding the Valley behind Amon Din
Mountain Terrain updating to new styles
Tomb valley for Dol Caranthan
Mountain paths and statues
What is left:
Forests
Revamp druidain valley
Druidain forest
Grey woods

Stage 5 Auditing and Quality Control
After each stage, I will have either bart or one of the other designers come back through and jot down some notes on things that would improve those areas. We will address those issues once all building is done.

Stage 6: Vegetation and Forests: Partially Started (expect hard revamp) - 10% Completed - ETA Not Determined
Here we run into a bit of a problem, this step, being vital to fill out much of the empty spaces in the region, we will have to wait for either the full rp update or a partial release.

Once released, a new forest repository will be needed since we have 3 large forests from the lore that will need attention. Similar to past repositories, foremen will need to run jobs and plots as well as instruct how to operate the new tree system.

Concepts for tributary mixes, marshy mixes, and an Anduin vegetation mix will be needed as well.

Additional: Subprojects: On Going
Finally, Anorien has a few lore specific areas that allow for an opportunity for some independent projects. These will be given to artist/foremen who want them and can provide concept work for them before approval for full production.

Here is a list of subprojects that will be needed:
Anduin Forts (Rudolphius) Finished
Anorien Quarries (Wyatt) Finished
Dol Caranthan Tombs (Aylalya) WIP
Anduin Bank (Foolhardyfish/Stephen) Finished
Druidain Forest and Druidain Settlements Concepts
Firien Woods Concepts
Grey Woods (TBD)

Month by Month Goals:
January:
Finish fens/marshes
Finish bush and river jobs
Finish worker camp
Start on fishing village, raided village, rudo village
Start farm and woodcutters'(ruined/abandoned/rundown) planning


February:
Start planning abandoned village(revamp) and fishing village
Finish tombs
Work on section 3 farms
Work on section 2 villages
Finish farm and woodcutters'(ruined/abandoned/rundown)
Finish fishing villages
Finish ruin forts
Finish anduin bank (orruss)

March:
Work on section 2 villages
Finish abandoned village revamp
Start redoing white mountains, druidain valley, beacon hills

April:
Finish all human structures
Finish forests (except druidain)
Audit project

How to get Involved
Well if you got this far and are interested in building DM myself or w0rldunder on discord. If y'all wouldn't mind, providing a picture of a few Anorien style builds you have done on your own in your DM would help me quite a bit. It isn't necessary. If you are applying or thinking about applying for artist a few more builds on your app would also help.

Want Work:

Foremen/Jobs:
Road and Field walls in sections 2 & 3
Bush and Vegetation in all sections
Tree Jobs

Artists:
Larger Unplanned farms/agricultural estates
Woodcutters and charcoal burner camps
Individual farms already planned either on existing plots or not
Recently attacked village buildings north of Dol Caranthan

Non-builders:
Planned Farms on plots
Recently attacked village buildings north of Dol Caranthan
Jobs on roads and fields

 

[Wyattrox03]

Poggers

 

[rwyland]

Build Update:
I am happy to say things are progressing. The ruined village is now on map with final building in progress. Thank all y'all who worked on the road recently. Fields, ruined roads, the castle interior, and a few farm buildings are all that is left before the wait for vegetation.

The river forts are complete thanks to Rudo and are either on map or floating above where they are planned to go waiting on planning in those areas.

Planning for stage 1 is progressing quickly and nearly finished. Plots, and jobs are available for those who are interested. Dol Calen as been moved to its new location near Cair Andros with larger fields and farms planned out. The old villages have been reviewed with edits planned and fields replanned. Same goes for Dol Caranthan.

Note: Despite rumors, we will not be redoing Dol Caranthan's or Dol Calen's interiors. We may get rid of the disgusting leather mats but that is all.

I have put together a couple of step-by-step guides to the non-ruined Anorien style buildings. It is a work in progress and may get comments for each step to explain what is going on. Those can be found just north of /warp Osgiliath floating in the sky.

Note: I am going to try doing these updates every couple of weeks. One update here on this thread about halfway through the month and the normal one in the Times at the beginning of each month

Note: Also if you have any suggestions on the project, build or assets that will help y'all learn the style, or on things y'all would like updates on please let me know either here or over DM on discord.

 

[rwyland]

Build Update:

Alright all, I did say that the first update of each month would only be in the Times, but the Times isn't much of a place for lists or project post updates. So what is this update about.

Well I figured I would put a list of things available to people who are looking for work. Guess you could call it the "Want Work?" section.

Few rules about these:
Posts will show what work is avaiable to what ranks.

Nonbuilder ranks will need to send me small photo album or a warp to some of their work. This will help me sort out those who can be given work immediately and those who may need a bit more support. It will save me time from having to constantly give feedback to players, and save y'all time waiting for me since I have IRL commitments. Hint Anorien style builds are your best options

For those of y'all who need a bit more remediation, we do have a step by step tutorial on plotworld for the acceptable styles. This will be updated at some point this month with a text guide underneth each step.

For Builders, anything for Artists can also be done by foremen if y'all want more build work rather than jobs

On another note, we are looking for non Sindarin names for the villages that are in the area or will be. Looking for 5-8 names for towns.

 

[rwyland]

So it's Wednesday and I am late...oops. Anyhow I figured y'all would want to know what is what this month.

So what have we gotten done.
I am happy to say our wonderful foreman @Wyattrox03 has begun his quarries. After much negotiation, and a certain amount of bribery, he has finished one (which can be found just south of Dol Caranthan) and begun the next two (found west of DC).
Another foreman, Ayla, has also finished up the roads around the ruined village in the west part of Anorien, still working on a name for it.

Now what is currently being done.
Happy to say much of the fields around the ruin town and DC are being worked on. Wyatt has been pushing jobs out on those for the past few weeks.
Work on the two southern towns continues, with one being awfully close to finishing. We have also started finishing the edits to Dol Calen and a ruined smaller town between it and Dol Caranthan.

What is new
I am also happy to say Stephen and Fish have begun work on the Anduin where it meets Anorien, the Nindalf, and the Entwash.
Also w0rld has finished some edits to the terrain for a small village he is working on along the bank of the Anduin. He should be starting some structures soonish.

How can you help
Well we still have a number of buildings that need work
There will also be a number of jobs in the area to finish up the fields and roads
I would also suggest reaching out to Fish, Stephen, w0rld, or wyatt to see if they need help with any of their projects.

 

[rwyland]

Alrighty let's see if I remember how to do this. So I have been taking a bit of an impromptu break (helps having the excuse of work irl) but imma try to be online a bit more.


So let's discuss where we go from here. Imma be reaching out to all the people who have plots currently to get them wrapped up. Please finish that stuff ASAP don't just leave it. It is a pain and kinda boring for people to clean up your mess so finish yo stuff. Next imma be looking at new areas to open up and subprojects to start.

Got some news already about jobs becoming available so keep an eye out shortly.

Sadly @Wyattrox03 has abandoned us to the Euro's so may be a solid moment till he will redeem his inability to spell.

 

[rwyland]

So update time:
First need to brag about the progress @TheStephen and @FoolhardyFish are doing with the Anduin. After weeks of hard work and a number of hours of me begging, the transition section is now on the map. There is still plenty of work to do.
Thanks to @RogueScholar/@PacifistFighter the white mountains are getting a facelift. With that the valley for the Dol Caranthan tombs is nearing completion and that project can get started.

Now for the real talk, I have unfortunately had to replan the fields around most of the settlements. Things were too small and not flowing well. I am sorry to all of yall who have put hard work in all those jobs. Good news is I didn't redo all of them. So expect jobs for new fields in short order.

I have also begun work on a small village near the Osgiliath walls. If you want to help let me know.

Post Update: I have added a new Current Stage Planning Map if you would like to see. If you have any questions/critiques feel free to send them my way.

 

[rwyland]

It is that time of month again, let's do a bit of a recap, bragging, advertising and where are we going next.

So what's been going on in the past month?
Well thanks to Joske and Mershy we have a some major progress on fields and farmsteads. Dol Calen is almost finished. Thanks to greencaver the walls for the next two towns are good to go so expect jobs soon (tm). Wyatt has started up some orchards that are looking pretty good too. A few more small odds and ends and I think we will be ready to move on to finishing up the other small villages.

Rogue is nearing completion for a valley just south of Dol Caranthan, definitely worth a look. Ayla will be starting some tombs in there. Concepts have already started. A timeline has been set up so for the time-being expect lots of wool.
Stephen and Fish are nearing completion with their river transition. Thanks to many of you the block mixing is looking excellent and the river is finally after many months being filled in with water again.

On a final note, an Inn has been created in memory of our friend and long time player Dyno. It can be found along the main road just west Dol Caranthan.

So where are we going next?
Well first we will be finishing up the sections already started. I don't want to start too many new things at this time so fields, walls, and farmsteads are going to be the name of the game. With Dol Calen wrapping up, we have two small towns north of it that I want to focus on. One has had a rework of its layout and plots for interiors are actively being worked on. The other one, I still need to take a look at and rethink some layout designs. Surrounding farms are available since those plans are set. One of theses days we will need to set up names for the towns if they don't have them already.

What is available to y'all?
I got about 10 farmstead plots ready to be started. Most are white wool outlines already. If you are interested, shoot me a message on discord with screenshots of your builds (preferrable Anorien style) and we will get you one of those.
On top of that w0rld has his village he has been working on with 6ish buildings. So reach out to him if you want to help him. The style is a bit different to the rest of Anorien so check it out.
With Ayla starting up her valley, expect plots for tombs. I am expecting 50ish tombs around the valley that will need doing. Reach out to her on Discord if you are interested. Finally, we got a number of different jobs. Roads, fields, river mixing, tree building, etc. Joske, Fish, and Wyatt are your go-to's. Keep and eye out for their jobs, they will be trying to run a few of those a week.

I have also added a warp for Dol Calen and a warp for those interested in some of the style guides for the region. /warp AnorienProject

Post Update:
I am going to reduce the number of updates to once a month, to be in-line with the Times releasing. I got a lot of work irl so only can work on Anorien in short bursts. I'll be updating the post with available plots too. Please reach out if you want any work.

 

[rwyland]

Welp I forgot last month's update....my bad

What has been happening:
Progress on section 1 has been continuing smoothly. We are nearing the completion of all settlements in the area.
Stephen and Fish have wrapped up their work on the Anduin/Entwash delta. When Fish returns, he should finish up the last bits of vegetation.
Ayla has fully started on the tombs with quite decent progress thus far.
And World has practically completed his village outside of Osgiliath.

What is next?
Welp I am hitting a bit of a wall. So goal for now is finish the last bits of section 1 then pass it off to someone to do a quick Audit to insure quality. I am going to jump over the raided village for the time being till we get some promised plank textures and concepts can be made. Instead I will be working on replanning the fields around Dol Caranthan. Don't worry, I am very doubtful we will redo any buildings. The update will solely focus on the fields themselves to match the newer style. Section 2 calls for 2 other villages in states of disrepair so I will be moving to planning those after the fields are done.

What can y'all work on?
Well with the last few plots getting handed out, until those are done, I don't have a whole lot for y'all. Ayla will definitely accept volunteers for tombs and World will need people to build trees. When the field planning is done, expect a number of jobs on those. The raided and ruined villages will definitely have a number of plots available. I will see if we can run some jobs teaching those concepts for y'all.

Project Post Update:
I have edit the original post to resemble the current plan. New maps, progress update, and changes to the plan have been added. Please check it out.

 

[rwyland]

Sorry for the delay. It has been an extremely long week at work.

What has been happen?
We're closing in on the completion of section 1. Give it a week or two and we should be ready to start the audit for it.
Section 2 has seen quite a bit of work. Dol Caranthan has had its fields completely redone. We have tried to keep the original buildings intact as much as possible. The exterior detailing though is getting an update. So there are plenty of plots available. Jobs on the hedges and walls will be available too.
News in section 3: Thanks to Orruss, we have a replacement castle at the ruined village. Some updates will be done to its surroundings when we get to that area.
Section 4 is finishing the concept period for the tombs under our new designer. With Ayla's recent promotion, she will be taking up a Co-Lead position in the project. She is currently working on concepts for the oldest section and will be starting plots for them.

What is next?
With Section 1 coming to a close, we will have a project audit. I'll ask a few members of the build team to go through what we have already finished and provide feedback. Anything I think we can improve on from that feedback will be worked on after we finish all the sections.
Section 2 will continue onward. With the number of people grabbing plots, I will need to start planning out new areas west of Dol Caranthan. With the forest update inbound, the raided village, northeast of Dol Caranthan and already planned out, can soon receive concepts from some of the newer blocks.
Section 3 probably won't be touched for a bit. Even with the new Castle, I want to maintain our build focus as much as possible.
Section 4 will continue with Ayla's tombs.

What can y'all work on?
If you have access to the devpack for the forest update, I could use some forest concepts and ground mixes using the new blocks.
We still have plots available and will have more coming with new planning.
Jobs are also going to be available for roads, fields, and, if I can get a free foreman, build schools.

Project Post Update:
Much like last month, we got a new planning map. This time it isn't just a photo I took from my phone.

 

[rwyland]

Ok Happy New Years Y'all! Update time.

What has been going on? Let's talk progress on building. Dol Caranthan is in its final stages. Some final touches and we can call that complete along with all the minor builds around it. Best guess, we will be done sometime this week or next. Ayla is wrapping up the concepts for her tomb interiors and will have work for anyone who wants them.

What's new? We have also moved on to the rest of section 2, Rudolphius and Mershy (now free from Moria) have kindly agreed to help with the planning for the last half of the project. Rudo is finalizing the last bits of a village just west of Dol Caranthan and Mershy has begun planning on the final abandoned villages. We should have those ready to begin work soon. I have also begun working on vegetation for the rivers, fields, fens and marshes for the region. We will need some jobs ran on some of that because of the issues with texture variations. Swe and Drao have been doing some work on forest concepts that have been very promising.

What can you do? Next couple of weeks and months we will have building plots, farm plots, and small settlements to hand out. They will be a bit different since the idea is going to be the region is slowly being abandoned west to east. We are also going to need a whole bunch of trees. So Imma see if we can get some jobs running for those with the new system.

Project Post Update: I am going to do a couple of updates to the main post: updating the planning maps, providing a color key, update the section notes, provide an ETA for each sections, update the jobs and works section, and some minor housekeeping things. So keep and eye out.