Castle / Medieval Game Level Construction Set

(3dmedieval) #1

I’ve been working on a pretty enormous castle / dungeon / Medieval building set for a while. I came up with a system based on a 9’ x 9’ 3d grid. I created a huge variety of walls, windows, doors, columns etc which snap together using Blender vertex snapping. I’ve always wanted to make a Medieval adventure game. Some of you will remember Ayleth of Ravenswood. The fact is, I know zero about game dev, and I’m really OCD, to an almost crippling degree, so I can almost never finish anything. I decided to just focus on making parts people could assemble into game levels, or just walk-throughs.

I’m working on a site for the project. It will be under constant dev as I add more sets, but it is up and running with lots of images. The set is for sale on Turbosquid (link on the site).

A few of the many blocks in the foundation set:

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An openGL render of a tower creation set I’ll be publishing as an expansion pack. I love the 2.74 viewport AO and DOF!

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An interior OpenGL using blocks from the foundation set.

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(CG Sky) #2

this looks really cool, but I´m afraid I can´t afford the 60 dollars for it. I´m sure you put a lot of work into this and it´s ok if you want to sell it, but it may be a bummer for some people.
Actually I could really think of creating a small game (like a thief game) with this set.
I´ll be following this.

(3dmedieval) #3

Thanks. I’m basing the price on an earlier set I made, which sold about $1,200. worth, and continues to sell. I may drop the price to maybe $40 to get more people in the door, so to speak. I get 60% of whatever I sell it for on TS. I’d love to see someone make a game of it.

(Qareeb S Alhaqq) #4

very cool, I like your set… I’ll also be keeping an eye on this.

(3dmedieval) #5

BRS - Love that build anything game you’ve got going! Zero python as well. Pretty impressive. That intro swimming is really immersive. Pretty scary - feels like I’m in the water.

Thanks Hanzo.

(CG Sky) #6

Thanks for checking out my channel. You know where your set could be most awesome for? A thief like game. I´m actually working on a stealth game in that style right now with enemy AI and all that good stuff. :smiley:

(3dmedieval) #7

I had planned on giving out some free sets…I suppose I could give you this one with all the add ons I have and will develop. I’d LOVE to see a game made of these blocks. If you want it of course, and if it would work for what you are doing, which it looks like it would. In other words, want it?

(NID Graphics) #8

This is looking way cool! I’d love to see what a building game would be like with assets like this :slight_smile:

(3dmedieval) #9

There’s Medieval Engineers, but the graphics are lower quality. It’s a game under dev on Steam, and graphics are not the point of the game. Destructable environments and objects, in game building etc, so everything has to be simpler - more along the lines of late 90’s poly counts. I’m very interested to see what people make of this and the expansion sets.

(CG Sky) #10

Of course, if you give me that offer I can´t say no! I´ll see what fancy stuff I can come up with this.
You can send me a mail at [email protected]. Of course, we can try to give this set a bit more exposure if we use it in a small game, cause those assets simply look awesome. So if you´re interested, just write me a mail. I´d love to work on a small game with you :D.
Ps. I think we could maybe even do a building system, but I´m not completly sure about that.

(pqftgs) #11

I love these kind of sets. Would totally buy if I had a use in mind.
Very nicely done.

(3dmedieval) #12

tanks pqftgs.

BRS - Ok, I’ll start sending you stuff today. Need to get some work done this morning first. I’m pretty excited to see what someone other than myself builds with it. There are some rules, as in all kits. I’ll send some info along with the files.

(CG Sky) #13

Looking forward to that. :smiley:

(3dmedieval) #14

You should have the file. And working on watching some of your tutorial videos on your youtube channel.

Here’s a quick preview of what I’m doing with the Timber Framed Walls set. Same 9’x9’ set up. They can stack on top of stone wall in the other set, and be used interchangeably.

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(3dmedieval) #15

And some previews of the vaulting set, which I’m polishing up.

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(3dmedieval) #16

A few usage examples of a dungeon environment without any props. The bars are from a set of bars and grills I’ll be publishing soon. The texture channels are completely adjustable, so I just bumped up the mildew effect on the walls. Floor has an extra tiling straw png on it, to be published soon. I think it’s clear I’m having a bit too much fun with this stuff.

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(Shakedown) #17

Looks awesome. You make lovely game art!

(3dmedieval) #18

Thanks Shakedown. Good name by the way.

Question: I thought a lot about building this system, and all of the expansion packs. I wanted to make something that would:

  • Allow users to get very creative with what they are trying to build, as opposed to getting caught up in the rules of architecture and human proportions.

  • Be easy and quick to use for either finished projects or as simplified blocks for prototyping more complex environments.

  • Have limited repetition in environments created from blocks.

  • Look nice of course.

  • Work in terms of human proportions (windows at the correct height, doors wide and tall enough for a person to use, room height width and depths correct etc.)

  • Be non-specific enough to work for many types of environments - in other words, if you used Skyrim building blocks, everything you made would look like Skyrim, which was the game designer’s intention. Not so with this set.

  • Be very flexible - elements can be used in many ways.

  • Be easily expandable by myself or end users.

  • Have easy to mod textures and materials. Nothing is baked. Turn the stone wall pieces into plank walls easily for example. Or completely replace the textures.

I believe I accomplished those goals. I consider those the pros. However, there are some cons:

  • You need to follow the rules, and work on a 9’ x 9’ x 9’ grid for example. This allows the nice beam ceiling piece to be be given an array mod and instantly look good, or vaulted stone ceilings to work, walls to line up etc.
  • If you aren’t careful, environments can get repetitive. You need to get creative with the blocks, changing the location and size of fireplaces in rooms for example, or the placement of doors and windows. I have lots of props and clutter to publish, and hopefully end users will add their own project specific clutter, vary lighting etc.

I’ll be publishing a round tower set, with quarter-circle pieces you can interchange with each other for different window, door or arrow loop placements. These blocks are the same thickness as walls in the foundation set, so they snap together.

So, back to the question: Any suggestions? What would you want in terms of blocks? What’s your ideal set?

(BluePrintRandom) #19

I personally need a scifi future building kit, low poly baked atlas, and geometry.

somewhere between Idiocracy starbucks building and tron, with a side of fallout.

how do I pay you? Are you on the blender market?

(BluePrintRandom) #20

I personally need a scifi future building kit, low poly baked atlas, and geometry.

somewhere between Idiocracy starbucks building and tron, with a side of fallout.