Custom settlement visual inspiration collection point

[Rora Lion]

Hi folks. The basic idea here is to allow you to share with us and expecially with the valiant modders' team the visual stuff you've got about Middle Earth in the Third Age. Collecting it all here will give them ideas and inspiration about what to create, in an easy to consult way. Maps, Lore artwork, photos, drawings are appreciated.
Howhewer it must be said that KK's and DA' custom settlements are already done, and so Minas Tirith and so on are not subject to this thread unless genuinely wonderful ideas come out.

Here is the visual information collected so far:

Gondor

Ruins of the Amon Hen and Amon Lhaw at the falls of Rauros Gondorian architechture (Ludwigskirche München): Santorini Gondorian style tower Osgiliath Useful information about Osgiliath can be found Here: http://wiki.lindefirion.net/Osgiliath Osgiliath artwork by Alan Lee, the concept artist of PJ's Movies Gondorian Army camp between the ruined buildings of Osgiliath High tide Low tide Ruined Palace of Minalcar Rebuilt palace of Minalcar Forum of Turambar Dol Amroth Pelargir for visual information about Pelargir go to: http://wiki.lindefirion.net/ProjectPelargir

Northmen

Eriador Annuminas Bree & the Pranching Pony Wheatertop Hobbiton before and after the War of the Ring Edoras & Dunharrow Laketown of The Hobbit Laketown following sketches from Alan Lee and Tolkien himself Beorn's Halls and his house

Elves

Rivendell Caras Galadhon and Cerin Amroth Thranduil's Halls

Harad

Mordor

A site vith ineresting visual material about evil in middle earth: http://www.thelandofshadow.com/ Cirith Ungol The Morannon (the Black Gate) The Orodruin (the Crack of Doom)

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

The Goblin town where Bilbo found the One Ring in The Hobbit

[Belkar]

Nice idea! Some City maps

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Rora Lion]

That is preciseli what I was thinking about, Belkar. Here's a "Gondorian" tower for a gondorian settlement near the great river or a coastal settlement. Good for watchtower of barracks, too, and maybe for a watchtower in a port such as Pelargir or Dol Amroth.

[Belkar]

Also this site contains lots of visual information about Pelargir (but sadly the creator never finished the project)

http://wiki.lindefirion.net/ProjectPelargir

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Mappo]

That is preciseli what I was thinking about, Belkar. Here's a "Gondorian" tower for a gondorian settlement near the great river or a coastal settlement. Good for watchtower of barracks, too, and maybe for a watchtower in a port such as Pelargir or Dol Amroth.

Hi Rora, just out of curiosity your images come from Venice?
Ciao

[Rora Lion]

A Good half of Pelargir is there ... very nice ...
Since we are speaking of coastal cities, to texture artists here's some suggestions for buildings or roads or squares that have a side ending in the very sea. Hig and low tide's, and algae's, visual effect on gondor's marble.

[Gallus]

Dol Amroth

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Chief city and port in the fiefdom of Belfalas in southern Gondor. Dol Amroth was located on the coast of the Bay of Belfalas on a high promontory overlooking the inlet called Cobas Haven. The Blackroot River flowed into the inlet north of Dol Amroth, and the Elf-haven of Edhellond was located near the mouth of the river. Sea-walls protected Dol Amroth from the waves in the windy bay, and within the city were the tall Sea-ward Tower - Tirith Aear - and the castle of the Princes of Dol Amroth, who ruled Belfalas.

[Rora Lion]

Here are some samples for large door of buildings, maybe for the Northmen culture

[lolIsuck]

Belkar of what city is the fourth map?

[Dutch-Balrog]

Belkar of what city is the fourth map?

It's Osgiliath.

[illathid]

That's osgiliath.

EDIT: Ninja'd

[Rora Lion]

Does it exist any known map/artwork of Cair Andros?

[Belkar]

Well I found only these:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Also I found this site with some maps for BFME

http://rjrotwk.the3rdage.net/1_06/mapping/

[Rora Lion]

Is BfME a reliable source in your opinion? Sry never owned that. Is it a game for Tolkien purists or vice versa?

[Belkar]

Well I played it a long time ago and didn't really liked it as a strategy game but as i can remember it had a nice atmosphere. Anyways it's better than nothing

[Gallus]

Is BfME a reliable source in your opinion? Sry never owned that. Is it a game for Tolkien purists or vice versa?

it's better than nothing. if it isn't Tolkien's own drawing or a location from the movies it's not a reliable source.

[WelshManDan]

May I make a request as a modeller?

Osgiliath is really the most important settlement in terms of modelling, as the Film Locations are the the top of the list for priorities

[Belkar]

May I make a request as a modeller?

Osgiliath is really the most important settlement in terms of modelling, as the Film Locations are the the top of the list for priorities

In my opinion generic settlements (especially for Mordor) are the most important since an average player plays them most of the time.

[Rora Lion]

That about BfME wasn't a cricticism, just a question, having never seen it "in action" . Of course is better than nothing. I think that Osgiliath is in fact in the top ten of the most needed settlements, not only for it is a film location (and so "well documented") but for a great part of the fighting between Mordor and Gondor takes part there. Plus it is a capital, even if in ruins. But I don't think we're going to see it for a wile, as it should take a LOT of work starting from mere concept, and in plus of that there is the rebuilding osgiliath problem. Generic mordor settlements are almost as needed as Osgiliath, and not that hard. So ... any guy with Mordor stuff?

[Excellion]

That about BfME wasn't a cricticism, just a question, having never seen it "in action" . Of course is better than nothing.

BFME settlements are way to simple, and add nothing. Same for BFMEII cuz you actually build you own settlements. So, if 'tis to be considerated, better to use LoTR: Conquest to inspiration since 'tis the same source (EA) and you can walk in, for example, in Dol Guldur and see them from inside but don't expect much.

Since 'tis about city blueprints, better to consider some general ones IMHO. For example, for Pelargir, a port town, use Acre - Israel for inspiration (map from Assassin's Creed, for instance, suits better than a true one cuz 'tis smaller), and so on.

About Mordor cities I just imagine them as encampments with messy wooden palisades or mines and caves. Menmade Fortress like Durthang and Cirith Ungol are easy, but these "orc cities" are too hard to imagine.

What about cities from LOTR Online? Never played it, but I liked the screen of their Dol Guldur.