Hey everyone 
My current project is to create an animation of a tribal village.
I want to make it as realistic as possible, but so far I’ve only really messed around with Blender.
Landscape created in terragen and imported as an .lwo.
Models are currently only low poly substitutes and will be replaced. For now I’m just trying to work out the layout of my village.
I know its early in the day yet, but any meaningful critique (or possibly random comments) would be much appreciated.
Welcome to BA. Like you mentioned still early in the process to crit much. What type of Tribe are you thinking off and from what time period?
Random comment: Two wrongs don’t make a right, but three lefts do.
Tribes living in hilly territory rarely build watchtowers, they simply send a watcher to the top of a nearby hill. In mountainous territory, they simply keep an eye on the passes.
Since mountainous land isn’t that good for grain crops, your tribes people will probably support themselves raising animals: sheep, goats or cattle, and tending garden plots of yams, potatoes or squash.
Raising animals requires enclosures to keep the animals (and the tribes people) safe at night, so villages tend to be build around corrals, where the houses form the perimeter.
Houses tend to be round, since you get more enclosed floor space for the least amount of building material and effort. There is usually a headman, who has either a slightly larger house, or more of them, sometimes arranged so there is a “private” compound where tribal business can be conducted without the damn animals wandering through.
Thanks for the quick responses 
This forum must be REALLY active (or did I just get lucky?)
DichotomyMatt: I’m still pretty open to ideas as I seem to change my mind every few hours lol
But currently it’s meant to be a relatively peaceful celtic-ish fantasy tribe. I’m not so sure about time periods, but its meant to be for a short animation I’m planning on doing to help me learn more 3d.
Orinoco: Thanks for all the comments 
Tribes living in hilly territory rarely build watchtowers, they simply send a watcher to the top of a nearby hill. In mountainous territory, they simply keep an eye on the passes.
The watchtowers are mainly to be used as early warning systems for incoming boats and used to fire flaming arrows from.
Do you think it might be more realistic if I altered it so they were tallish buildings (say functioning as guardhouses / armoury
Since mountainous land isn’t that good for grain crops, your tribes people will probably support themselves raising animals: sheep, goats or cattle, and tending garden plots of yams, potatoes or squash.
Good point, I really hadn’t thought of that. I’ll work on setting aside some land for the animals next. Just one question. Seeing as they’re village is situated in a valley, would grain be able to be grown? I mean is it to do with the soil or the altitude?
Raising animals requires enclosures to keep the animals (and the tribes people) safe at night, so villages tend to be build around corrals, where the houses form the perimeter.
Umm, what’s a corral? (Feels stupid)
Houses tend to be round, since you get more enclosed floor space for the least amount of building material and effort. There is usually a headman, who has either a slightly larger house, or more of them, sometimes arranged so there is a “private” compound where tribal business can be conducted without the damn animals wandering through.
Round houses make sense. I’ll start work on them soon (Just trying to get an idea of layout atm.)
I think I’ll probably put the leaders house towards the rear of the settlement on slightly higher ground.
I’m also considering modelling a temple, barracks, archery range, vinyard etc etc etc
When you start talking about armorys, guardhouses, temples, archery ranges, you’re moving out of tribal territory into civilization. Sounds a bit like Age of Empires.
Regarding the towers, the realistic thing would be for tribesmen to find a path to the top of the cliff overlooking the exposed bay and post a lookout there.
A corral is an enclosure (usually a fence of some kind) with animals inside.
Since this tribe lives right on the ocean (I assume ocean not lake), they could also fish. You could add a beach with a few primitive boats or canoes. Working off Orinoco’s idea of guards on the tops of the hills, you could add a rope bridge across the little beach area, so the guards could go from one hill to the other.
Not much progress yet as I’ve not had much time for 3d, but heres a little update.
The huts shown are the average villagers homes.
The burning tree was an idea I had for some kind of ‘holy site’ where they can commune with their deity.
So far, the celtic cross is merely a placeholder. I wanted a monument of some kind overlooking the sea. Will be made of metal (as its a precious commodity for this village) once I work out how to make a suitable material.
C&C welcome and appreciated
Attachments
So yeah, crits anyone?
I like it. Have you googled monuments for ideas to replace the cross? My main hint at the moment would be to make at least two versions of the villager hut for variation. It will help once the town hut, blacksmitthy (you mentioned metal, they need to work it somewhere) and other village buildings are in the mix. Hut rooves are quite shiny. Are they metal?
Also, the flat green is getting me a bit. Instead of some super detailed grass materital, some flowers or shrubs just to break it up a bit from being a ‘flat plane’ would be good.
http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/62/28/22572862.jpg
That sort of thing.
Another thought, being by the beach, would they cook the fish a) on the monument fire, b) in their homes (fire in wood hut…) or c) from a second smaller external fire. On the fire talk, the ground should be a bit blackend under the burning tree.
Good stuff though, keep it up!
You might want to look into Thatched roofs. The basket weave roofs don’t look like they would keep the rain out. Also remember to leave a whole in the center for smoke to escape from the files in the house or give them chimneys.
As for their Idol, why not use some sort of stylized fish or other animal?
Welcome from me too. I think you ought to bite the bullet and introduce some characters in there - they are usually a bit harder as you have to do clothes etc.
BenDansie: Thanks for your comments 
I see what you mean about the shiny roofs, I’ll try and fix that. I agree with the flowers / shrub idea, but as I have no idea how to do this I’ll probably model a few stylised flowers and spread them around with particles (I’m guessing that would work right?)
I was thinking about having several communal outdoor fires for cooking (never too much fire) for cooking / social gathering at night. Good point about the ground beneath the fire, but any suggestions about how I do that?
Oh yeah, and there will be variations in buildings, twill hopefully end up as a fair sized village
DichotomyMatt: Oops, forgot about chimneys lol. I’m loving the idea about using the stylised fish. I’ll probably go for that or possibly a Pisces symbol.
kbot: I’m planning on using this for a short animation, so there will be characters. Just not yet lol. Character modelling is HARD!!!
Any advice or links to tutorials about that would be appreciated though
models to download and use/study -
http://www.katorlegaz.com/3d_models/index.php - humans about half way down
http://e2-productions.com/repository/modules/PDdownloads/ - a few humans and humanoids.
Or - http://freefactory.org/posts/candy-for-everyone - Mancandy. This could be the villiage where they grouped together before taking over the Blender world. If you don’t know, Mancandy is a very well rigged basic character that was gifted to the community for learning purposes. Could be interesting
Modelling your own, yup. Hard. Been at CG for four years now and still learning humans. http://www.montagestudio.org/dvds/ - Blender specific, I’ve found (the second one) very helpful. Or, you could google search for ‘Joan of Arc’ tutorial. I think its for Max, but I know Blender users have adapted the general knowledge ok.
Progress on this has been extremely slow, partly due to starting work, but mostly because my pc got screwed up and I now have to use my sisters dinosaur pc.
So would anyone be able to render my scene for me please? And possibly just check my blend file to give me any tips?
If so could you recommend a site I can host blend files on?
Thanks
Found a site I could upload to so here’s the link…
http://www.mediafire.com/?3mmdzddbdjg
If anyone could help me out I’d really appreciate it
Hello
downloadiiiiiiiiiing…
really slow…
Thanks OTO
would you be able to pm me the image when rendered?
Hey man nice to see that my nagging you about getting blender paid off ha. Not looking too shabby at mo mate, you’re going well, better than my first projects anyway. Cant wait to see it finished
Thanks man
I’ve been messing about for a few months now and thought I’d try a more serious project.
Be sure to check back later because there may be a new update posted
re downloading…