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Hiliadan

Major
Jun 17, 2018
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tC|RUIN, an artist who worked on visuals for the Insectoid mod, has done a very nice visual for the Shadow Realm campaign banner, on the campaign selection screen:
1590527078CampaignButtons_Shadowelves2.jpg


This thread will list indications for him to try to draw images for the other campaign screens. No result guaranteed on his side, but as he said: "expect nothing but hope for everything".

So...

Technical specifications
Images need to be 2400x1500 .png files.
Examples are here: [folder where you set up AoW3]\Age of Wonders III\Content\Title\Campaign\Campaign Images. For instance CW-01-I-1.png

Images we need
There are 3 levels in the campaign and the third level has 3 possible options, so we have map 1, 2, 3A, 3B and 3C. For each map, we ideally need 1 starting screen and 1 ending screen. That means 10 images in total (or a minimum of 5 if we go only for starting screen).

Scenario 1 -Through the Shadow Gate

Werlac crosses the Shadow Gate and the player is Grevara, a Draconian Dreadnought, a Torchbearer of Commonwealth origin who is tasked with following Werlac.
Grevara is the Draconian on the left here (the characters, from left to right: Grevara, Sundren, Sydran, Werlac, Meandor):
1531691211Shadow%20Realm%20Expansion.JPG


For the starting screen, I'd suggest making a picture which illustrates the sentence I put in bold and underlined below, i.e. Grevara hearing Bormac mumbling about Orcs, but I kept other interesting options in the text below (taken from the campaign introductory screens):
It was common knowledge that Draconians do not become graduates of the Imperial Dreadnought Academies.

The official line is that Draconians simply do not have the interest or the aptitude for technology to become a full Dreadnought, and there is a spark of truth in that. My people have always preferred to make use of our natural strength and affinity for draconic flame over imitations comprised of chemicals and steel. But the truth was that we knew that there was no point in even trying.

For all the Commonwealth’s lip service towards equality between the races, it was one of the empire’s worst-kept secrets that some were certainly more equal than others. [...] It was well known that no Draconian would ever be accepted as a full Dreadnought. Some might be allowed to learn the basic skills of an engineer, in order to work in situations that were considered too unsafe to risk human or dwarf engineers, but we would never be allowed to join the ranks of the captains of the Commonwealth’s industries and armies.

[...]

During the latter stages of the war, a number of territories were claimed by the Torchbearers away from the regions where the main fighting was happening, which they used to set up havens for refugees fleeing the conflict. One of these was a mountainous region on the northern coast of Athla known as Rockholme, from which armies of the Shadowborn and the Elven Court had been driven out by Torchbearer armies led by Bormac, an ancient and apparently ageless dwarf who was quite likely the oldest Dreadnought in the world. After the negotiation of the truce between the two empires, Bormac returned to Rockholme to found a new academy – one which, true to the Torchbearer creed, would genuinely be open to all.

Although I’m sure I heard him muttering under his breath a few times about whether the Torchbearer creed was truly supposed to include Orcs when he didn’t think there were any students close enough to listen. But I wasn’t going to allow whatever ancient grudge Bormac was nursing to deny me my own opportunity. A fortunate thing, too, as it was only a few scant months after I’d completed my dissertation (a study on how Draconian engineers might be able to use their ability to influence flame to safely make use of more potent incendiaries than engineers of other races) before the fragile peace was shattered by the exposure of Merlin’s seals in Rockholme.

The first wave of attackers were the usual suspects – Shadowborn seeking to weaken Merlin’s warding by breaking the seals. With Bormac’s leadership, we beat them off with little difficulty, but worse was yet to come. While we had been occupied defending Rockholme, a Necromancer loyal to the revenant of Melenis, one of Meandor’s wives during the time when the Keepers and the Cult of Storms fought over the Valley of Wonders, had rampaged through the lands to the south, using the power of the seals he cracked open to fuel the creation of an ever-increasing horde of undead. Faced with the prospect of sharing the fate of our neighbours, Bormac made the decision that it was better to break the seals ourselves than to allow Melenis’ flunkies to claim their power and add us to their armies, waiting until the enemy had committed their full force before unleashing the power of the seals to cleanse them from Athla.

With the Rockholme seals destroyed, the enemy lost interest in us. Word from the Torchbearer spy network indicated that the forces of Melenis and the Shadowborn alike were converging on Sunbirth Citadel, so that’s where we, too, would march.

Here are images of Grevara:
A-Draconian-torchbearer-in-first-mission-on-surface-layer.jpg


And Bormac:
aow3i.jpg


For the ending screen, the player has basically vainquished the Shadowborn sbires and gone through a Shadow Gate located underground, in Melenis' old city where he has met Sydran and seen Werlac flee further in the Shadow Realm. He is entering Sydran's, the main Shadow Elf protagonist, seen in the screenshot above, city. I suggest to either represent Dreadnought troops entering the city populated with suspicious Shadow Elves (first sentence in bold and underline below), or the discussion between Grevara and Sydran (second sentence in bold and underline below).

For the soldiers under my command, entering the walls of the strange elven city represented a welcome relief from the fighting it had taken to make it this far. It was clear that they still did not entirely trust us, but were willing to put aside their suspicion to welcome those who had broken the siege.

As promised, I spent many hours in discussion with the commander of these Shadow Elves. He informed me that he was in fact one of the generals of Meandor’s army, and that this fortress was one of a ring of fortresses that was intended to protect Athla from the dangers deeper in the Shadow Realm – and also, as happened today, to prevent conspirators from within Athla from making contact with those dangers. He also told me of how his kind had been changed by their time in the Shadow Realm, adjusting to the conditions here and becoming one with the Shadows.

[...]

Over all our discussions, one question hung over our heads: where had Werlac escaped to.

We were just about to turn in for… whatever it was that passed for night in this realm when a messenger that Sydran had sent to a neighbouring fortress to ask for assistance against the siege arrived. The messenger reported that he had found the fortress abandoned – but strangely, there was no sign of a battle. Was this some new trick of Werlac’s, or had the entire garrison defected to the Shadowborn?

See Shadow Elves here:
4739820170130_AoW3_ShadowElves_racial-units.png

Their story: https://age-of-wonders-3.fandom.com...Shadow_Realm_Community_Expansion#Shadow_Elves
Their skin is pale, kind of blue-ish. They descend from Wood Elves and Dark Elves.
 
Scenario 2 - Shadowborn Threat
For the intro screen, I suggest we do something associated to the text of the first intro screen (there are always 2 intro screens), and it could be about the ritual followed by Dark Elves and Wood Elves to become Shadow Elves:
The Dark Elves have always had a close link with shadow. Even on Athla, this link lead some of their number to become creatures of shadow. While some believed them to no longer be truly Elves, they were often their most feared agents among the other races.

Sydran explained that when Meandor led them into the Shadow Realm, a sense of determination crossed over them, rejuvenating them from the “death of spirit” they had suffered on Athla. [...]. Sydran recounted that when he arrived, he was as dazed and disoriented by the swirling shadow of this place as the surface Elves who had come with them. But they did not reject the shadow. They absorbed it, and became one with it, and that gave them the strength to fight and survive against the threats that were closing on Athla. In time, they taught the art of embracing the shadow to their former kin, and became one people once more.
See also this explanation on the history of the Shadow Elves on the Wiki https://age-of-wonders-3.fandom.com..._story_of_the_Shadow_Elves_.28by_Draxynnic.29:
this gave the Dark Elves a head start in adapting to the Shadow World – some, in fact, had already learned to exchange their physical bodies with the essence of shadow, and arrived in the Shadow World already immune to the nausea and disorientation that strikes most mortals on arrival to that plane. While forfeiting their natural form was too much of a sacrifice for most, the Elves that were now stranded in the Shadow Realm devised a ritual to infuse themselves with enough shadow essence to inoculate themselves against the debilitating effects of the Shadow World.

This ritual, applied to Wood Elves and Dark Elves alike
The picture could show some kind of ritual with a Dark Elf & a Wood Elf going in, and one or two Shadow Elves stepping out, with some Shadow energy entering them during the ritual, or something like that.


For the ending screen, actually here, we probably need 3 images, because there are 3 different endings possible.
But it might make more sense to start with just one picture for now (which is more relevant for the 2->3A ending, but which can work for the others), do the pictures or 3A, 3B and 3C, and then come back to this later if you still have energy RUIN. ;)
So I'd suggest to draw something showing Sydran, Grevara and Meandor (the Shadow Elf Necromancer, displayed on the expansion's visual, the character most on the right; he was a key character in AoW:SM's campaign) reaching the Nexus Core.

Here is how it is described:
[...] Supposedly, when Merlin used the power of the Circle to seal the Shadow Gate, some of the power of the Wizard’s Circle punched through into the Shadow World. [...] This “nexus core”, as the legend calls it, would surely be a potent beacon for Werlac to summon the Wizard Kings back to Athla.

When we made camp for what passes for night in this realm, Sydran’s scouts began to return, seeming to coalesce from the shadows themselves. They reported seeing strange lights deeper in the Shadow Realm, and paths which had shifted that had been stable for decades.

The Nexus Core is fed by multiple nodes, from the 6 different elements: Air, Earth, Water, Fire, Creation, Destruction. As you can see on the picture below, there are arranged opposite to each other (Fire vs Water, Air vs Earth, Creation vs Destruction). The Nexus Core is a city and it is surrounded by Spelljammers, which hide and protect it.

Here is how it looks in game:
1607207734SRexpansion_scenario2_Nexus-Core.jpg
 
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Even if I'm expecting nothing, I can't wait!

Additional thoughts:

Scenario 1: As said in the text, and as it resorts through in-game dialogues, Grevara is a Torchbearer, a talented, successful, dignified, trusted and benevolent character. When Werlac cuts himself from the surface, the Torchbearers, the Commonwealth, and the Court send mix parties to any known Shadowborn place that might be linked to Werlac's cache. Grevara leads one of these parties, thus exclusively Draconian.
Ending screen: Her troops are soon seconded by Dwarves (mostly musketeers, I'd say), the rest depends on how the player fares, so better keep with these two races if an army entering a town is to be depicted. There should be golems obviously, but no tanks (they are locked).

Scenario 2: Shadow Realm is characterized by its evermoving mists and shadows. As I understand, the Shadow can be described as an original element, a mix of dark and nebulous frost and lightning that afflicts Athleans (except Draconians) with disorientation. Shadow Elves have managed to harness its power, both offensively and defensively; all can summon it on their weapons (or pure lightning), or in their hands. And in the background, there's the everlasting fight against the Shadow Demons.
Ending screen: Alternatively, the three ending choices could be depicted by the heroes arriving at the nexus core, confronted with unleashed, converging from afar (from the elemental nodes), merging and opposing elemental powers above their heads, forming the energy gate to Athla. Hence the nexus core could be depicted locally as a portal large enough to let a whole army through (at the center of Werlac's town?). The portal is formed already because Werlac just used it, but it's weakening already, being overpowered, and certainly, bits of void (impassable, solid Nothing or Shadow)) are forming around, because dimensional rift begin to form. The assembled army, in the background, is waiting for their leaders to make the right choice (Grevara, Sydran, Meandor, and Archon hero Paxanaria (like a knight)). Troops are a mix of Shadow Elves and some Draconians (flamers, crushers, elders). Though Meandor is the leader in this last scene, troops belong to Sydran, an Archdruid.
 
I have not yet time to think through any thoughts on previous.

Good job on previous pictures Ruins. I look forward to the colours coming to them.


However on future...

3A the story is mostly written by me, and in general, Drax has overlooked some parts but not everything.

The idea of the scenario is a civil war between the Imaniut and Birnhilda that's been turned against each other where Artica seemingly overlooks it from afar as a game. There is no script available yet how to demonstrate it, but the idea is: as soon one of them lose either it's Birnhilda or Imaniut. The winner will join Artica's side which has shown its dedication to her. The wizards here are Artica and Tempest. So to illustrate this, it would require both Frostlings in the war between each other where Artica is observing from afar and probably dragons flying in the air to sort of show Tempest. As Brisska is in winter territory, it should also be illustrated like this. If Ruin can do it, it would be certainly awesome.

3B is so far a scenario where the sea of fire must be acknowledged in a picture. In general, it's also the initial thought of the mission to discover the sea of fire where we are in Relekesh. I will probably dig out some image from Age of Wonders 2 to sort of show the inspiration of this. Also if a second picture is available, "dragon boneyard" see references from the past games. Might dig out this also.

Sea of Fire.png
Dragon Boneyard.png



3C
This is the fall of the United cities, the invasion of the Shadow Demons who will roam and destroy the Elves. The map is yet incomplete due to time constraints. However, the missions initiate with Grevara and will follow both Meandor, Sydran and Morrandir in a movie based script sequence were the a.i will move their units. So, in general, any illustrations that show invading shadow demons destroying the Elves. No Halflings in this scenario.
 
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Hello guys.

Glad to be in a position to aid the efforts.

The idea was to do old parchment "memories" drawings akin to the AOEII intro images.
at 1 min mark (Age of empires II HD - 1st Campaign (William Wallace)
In part due to nostalgia for that style
In part due to my limited availability at the moment

I do have questions: (to help me visualise the seen in my mind of what you guys picture Nexus Core to be like)
1 - Nexus Core is an area of magic with a huge Portal, visually the portals like one of those right?
wp4884757.jpg


2 - The Nexus Core is powered by mana nodes through means of (steam punk occult machines and contraptions) or by means of (magic rune stones and spells) ?

3 - SpellJammers are there to support the NexusCore operation or stability or to instead to suppress and keep it sealed?

4 - Are there any significant structures or artifacts that the portal is generate by (like In Star Gate Atlantis that needs a structure and power generators ets) or it is all magical? (like in the example picture)

Clarification will give me point of reference and help visualize how it looks like when (A hero reaches a Nexus Core)
Thank ya|
 
1- As per the in-game map, elemental nodes are very distant to the nexus core (as seen on the screenshot), so they shouldn't be visible from the town center, except for their emanations over head. The usual shadow gate device is lihe a podium with a vertical energetic animation on top of it (like a huge Star Trek teleporter, one hex wide). But here, it could be something special, like converging energies from 6 directions in the air (letting the designers to precise the idea). To me, if not a 3D pilar of energie, a 2D représentation like on the AoE2 screenshot could fit, but with inverted effects, the passage being opacified, and the surrounding (around the gate) being clear. Alternatively, like a rift to another dimension, and you could perceive a landscape through it (not detailed because we don't know the destination the player will choose).

2- Yes, it's pure elemental magic of different types coming from 6 different directions (emanating from the 6 elemental nodes), like the effect when someone summons a creature out of the void. According to in-game description, the idea is that the nexus core predates the gate. It was formed when Merlin shut down the original Shadow Gate. Part of his cosmic, multi-elemental, magic leaked through the Realm to this place and formed the elemental nodes and the nexus core (perhaps a node as well?). Meandor is said to have hidden the location from his own men for centuries. Now, the core has been excited, overpowered with mana flow by Werlac, destabilizing this part of the Realm, stirring up dimensional creatures, etc, in order to breach the veil between the worlds, thus forming a shadow gate.

3- As for me, given that the spelljammers are a few hexes away from the city, they don't have to be represented (like the elemental nodes).

4- There could be a structure for the nexus core already, with a central area where the gate will form, obelisks around, an hexagonal symmetry and perhaps like 6 "runic antennas" (greater obelisks?). I'd say not something very channeled because of the wild, elemental nature of the energy. It should inspire both a feeling of power and chaos. Text says that some elemental forces are mutually reinforcing, some others are struggling together, it's changing. I translated "nexus core" into "interconnection vortex" in my language. Also impending doom is palpable, because the characters already know they have but a few minutes or hours to use it before it collapses and they would loose so much time in reaching another gate, a fixed destination one, that the war would be lost.

If possible (but certainly not mandatory), 3 effects could be rendered in the air, because we have 3 possible paths to choose between : one single element, double force, and two dual elements. These are the trails let by Werlac and 6 mages (we may assume that the gate was used 3 or 4 times). As I understand, to use the portal, you have to tune the nexus core so that it attracts more of some elements and less of others, and this determines the destination location on Athla (strong air element determines a cold area). When you change the tuning, you change the direction, but trails of the former tunings and directions remain overhead for a while. The heroes must choose to which trail they want to tune the nexus core again. Two mages per trail, and Werlac where the player goes (don't count him) : Frost + Wind (air) / Fire + Death / Life + Earth (but I don't think elements are important, perhaps only where they come from on a hexagonal pattern?).
There might be other ways to represent the trails, however.

A monochrome drawing would fit the style of the cartoonish zoomed-out map.
 
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No Steampunk or Stargate Atlantis. This is not Imperial construction or Dreadnought references.

The Nexus core needs to be defined as it draws its power from the elevated realm. So naturally, the elemental colours should come from the sky. Not from the ground. It signals the way for the Wizards to be drawn from the elevated realm above the Shadow world. The Wizards are signalled to be summoned against the real world which is described in all endings of Scenario 2 as there are three different texts for each.

The whole point of the Nexus core as been elaborated on:
~ Meandor will also explain of a certain "drawing realm" which been elevated above the shadow realm where some of the wizards been residing including himself for a while.
Now it's been connected to the nexus core in control of Werlac where he managed to forward the power from the elevated realm directly on Athla. The thrones inside the elevated realm are sealed off from normal visitors, but Werlac managed to conduct the state of realm and abuse its powers. The elevated realm was connected with the core and he enriched the power even more by founding the 6 elemental nodes representing each sphere of the wizard. Fire/Water/Air/Earth/Sun (Creation)/Death (Destruction).

~ The nexus core, the steps after the elevated realm prevented him to directly summon the wizards in the shadow realm to the nexus core as the powers in the elevated realm where to strong. He needed to be on Athla, to strengthen the summoning power of the wizard in order to carry them through to Athla first by performing a sort of ritual, to create a signal to draw the wizards from the elevated realm.~


Inside the scenario 02 following can give clues what the Nexus core does:
~ Meandor will explain when arriving inside the "Elemental drawing realm" where they keep the images of "wizard outposts" safe from intruders by orders from Werlac. To establish a connection with Athla, the wizard realm where forward through the nexus core and then through the beacons on Athla built by cults.

The plan has already been initiated where Meandor "senses" the activation:
"The presence of the wizards has grown stronger since I was last in this realm. The Nexus Core has already been activated, and the energies leaking from it are spreading chaos across the surroundings. Before we can attempt to seize control of the Nexus Core, we must stabilise its energies."

Regardless of what people discussed earlier the summoning is already ongoing, this cuts the speculation from now on in the ending scenes of scenario 2:

"The core has been activated! The Wizard Kings are descending on Athla as we speak! Athla will be theirs for the taking, and there is nothing you can do now to stop us!"

"You’ve been saying that there is nothing we can do to stop you for months now. It’s getting tiring."

"Yes, there is still a way! Move against the core and claim it! We must identify the path through which their forces are most concentrated. Some of the nodes have been receiving more power from the core – if we choose wisely, we can confront the most dangerous of the invasion forces , and perhaps the rest can be contained once the main threat is gone."

"Some of the elemental nodes in the core are glowing more than the others."

"That is true, child of Tempest! The wizards who descended to Athla left trails of their passage. I see signs that Artica and Yaka have already descended to Athla. From the activity of the Air and Destruction nodes, I suspect Tempest and Nekron may also be on their way."

"If we are careful, we can divert the core to Athla as Werlac did and follow them through to attack from behind. The power of the Nexus Core should be enough for one last portal before its power goes down."

"I fear what Tempest might do to my people if he were to arrive in Ralikesh. Can we tell which way he has gone?

"His trail within the Air Node is clouded by Artica’s. I cannot tell in which direction he has gone. We should direct our pursuit through the Air or Fire node, as they seem to be more empowered by the core than the others."

"We could end up anywhere in Athla. Even in the middle of the ocean with no land to be seen. Are we sure about this?"

"I can anchor the Nexus Core so it will take us to one of the locations where its power has already been directed. We will not arrive exactly where the Wizard did, but we will at least be near enough to strike."

"At worst, we’ll arrive somewhere behind their lines where they won’t be expecting an attack. At best, we might be deposited right inside their defences and be able to catch them completely by surprise!"

"I admire your enthusiasm, but I cannot share your optimism. I fear that our position when we emerge will not be as favourable as you predict, especially if the portal starts to break down while we are in transit."

"Then we will put our faith in the guidance of the Allfather. Choose wisely. "



Essentially to define it as an object to illustrate this I would prefer a portal with some large conflux with the 6 colours pulling down from the sky against the "core" or "Shadow Gate". A city may not be representative of it. To not confuse, what I'm talking about now is the intro screen for scenario 2.

The description in the text states the following: This “nexus core”, as the legend calls it, would surely be a potent beacon for Werlac to summon the Wizard Kings back to Athla.

So, in general, a beacon with powers pulled down from the sky with nodes empowering it. As I, from my point of view the whole island in the shadow realm is a beacon to signalize and carry forward a signal for the wizards in the elevated realm to summon them onto the world of Athla. Don't ask me why it's like this, this my point of view and my understanding of the story. I do not define the story, as I visualize the text inside the level editor and set everything up from what's possible. So essentially if someone has a better understanding to visualize this, go ahead. If we need to alter some things inside the "core" area, we should do so in the level editor with things we have available. But do not take from granted that only end texts or intro texts are connected with each other. The "whole surrounding picture" is important and it most important to take in the THIRD-PERSON perspective in all screens that is done for this campaign and that is from Grevara.

I still believe that the story should have been completed and defined already when the campaign project started 3 years ago and should after 1 year at least have sorted out some of the biggest questions already. I don't understand how the story projection still is in development and the amount of text is compiled in the campaign leaving so many loose ends and yet people, including me, are progressing with speculations how the ideas for screen should be progressed.

As I stated before, I have provided templates to work on and it has been mandatory since the beginning to progress this campaign project with templates of texts. As long as we have uncompleted parts of the direction in the campaign with a clear starting point that is set against an ambitious goal. But, if we are we still working in the middle trying to define various things currently, we should not carry on any further with images in the campaign before even dialogues are completed.

So my main point is before we even consider "any" more pictures after scenario 2 with screens for the last scenarios connected with 3a, 3b and 3c. The story must be completed and its direction should be clear as even dialogues in the campaign are important for the view of screens.
 
Sorry, I totally forgot some feedback for the "army enter the city" image... I had noted it down to send it, but then lost the notes and forgot about it. Here we go:
- what is the beast near the flagbearer? We suggest to remove it as it's hard to identify what it is and also it's unlikely that Grevara has any animal or beast with her
- the flag could have the Torchbearer emblem, superposed with Grevara's coat of arm (see https://aow.triumph.net/wp-content/...hbearer-in-first-mission-on-surface-layer.jpg on the top right). Torchbearer:
Keeper_of_Peace.png


Regarding the new picture for the Nexus core, please find below some visuals of Meandor:
340

JuliaMeandor-625x468.jpg

1608672979SRexpansion_Meandor.jpg
 
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