The setting of Castle Overlook

Tinkerbell · Post by **Tinkerbell** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:18 am

Xade wrote:a Nexus of magic energy which makes it weird.

Can we all stick to exactly those words to explain it? Just to keep things simple on the explanation front.

Tink

Xade · Post by **Xade** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 2:47 pm

no complaints here, be my guest if you want to use my saying; I'm kinda flattered that you like it so much

littlebeast · Post by **littlebeast** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 3:12 pm

Wheels wrote:OK here's the plan. Little Beast Builds a 3D sketch up Model which he distributes to the rest of us. No one has to draw the castle and I don't have to buy a battle axe.

I don't even HAVE a 3-d modeling program......

However, if you actually want me to, I'll totally design the exterior of the castle

Xade · Post by **Xade** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:59 pm

I would but I got a lot on my plate with the up and coming chapter 3, still got a few things to make for it then gotta set things up and THEN I can work on something extra. I guess I could use thisto design the outside. I also have an expansion pack for it as well. I need it for the Ruby Palace, however, I can always design a different, more mundane layout for castle Overlook. I have this texture as well, that I bought when it was on sale for .97 platinum price

it pays to be a member ^_^

If you do pile it on me, then I can make sure I get every angle that one would need

I havent played with it so I dont know what it can do but it promises to be pretty cool so...

Wheels · Post by **Wheels** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 6:33 pm

As many of you know I have been compleatly besotten with Google Sketch up. I have built 3D models of starships and fighters that I use in Magical Misfits. In the future I will be creating interiors of Wayward Wings for Dark Eyes story. While looking for some material in the Sketchup 3D warehouse I found 19 pages of 3D castle models! You can find them here. I propose that we choose one of the open source models as our castle. The model can be rotated 360 degrees so any angle can be represented. The Sketchup program is a free download. For those of you that don't want to bother downloading it we can make several 2D images for references for those who want to draw the edifice. I think this could be a real time saver for this project.

I beg all your pardons. There are 67 pages of Castle models. I'd love to hear what you all have to say.

Kallisti · Post by **Kallisti** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:00 am

Tinkerbell wrote:
Xade wrote:a Nexus of magic energy which makes it weird.
Can we all stick to exactly those words to explain it? Just to keep things simple on the explanation front.

I think Doctor Hubris should get to deliver some sort of grandiose techno-babble-oriented theory on what's causing the interior of the castle to unpredictably rearrange itself, including a couple of chalk boards and a laser pointer. Something along the lines of:

"... quantum space is folding in on itself due to a convergence of harmoinc wavelengths orbiting around a centrailzed singulairty point of rarified energy..."

Except much longer... at which time, someone else can hit him with the "So what you're saying is that the castle is weird because there's a Nexus of magic energy which makes it weird."

Tinkerbell · Post by **Tinkerbell** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 10:17 am

The problem with anyone offering a complex, technobabbly explanation is that if someone else for some reason needs to go into more detail about the workings of the castle, they're forced either to stick to the same technobabble (which they'll never get right, even if they get the chance to see it in advance), or contradict what's gone before, which requires a lot of hand-waving to explain away (the simple way to do it being to have a bunch of characters offer differing technobabbly explanations so that non-technobabbler characters can point out the contradictions and make the 'weird' quip, but there are problems with that approach to).

We could just rely on no-one reading the technobabble in detail, but given that this is the internet, we can expect three out of the four people (other than me) likely to be bothered by this sort of thing to do just that, and complain.

Tink

Kallisti · Post by **Kallisti** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 10:45 am

Well, the issue's going to have to come up - I know that if I was in a building that suddenly started re-arranging itself, I'd certainly be trying to figure out some method to the madness before long... and I'm not a renowned scientist, I'm just a guy.

I was thinking that we could just lampshade the whole affair by having Hubris propose increasingly bizarre theories as to what's going on (sentient room-shaped organizms moving of their own power, virtual reality constructs, billions of nanites creating and destroying rooms as they go, inverted cross-mapped portal system, the amish are behind it... I'm just not sure how) before finally admitting that he really has no idea, and that it's probably "magic or some crap".

That way, there's never really a concrete explaination, but at least we've acknowledged that the phenomena is something noteworthy, and that the internal inconsistencies are intentional instead of the artifact of carelessness.

Wheels · Post by **Wheels** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 4:33 pm

What if one of us did a strip that would be posted on the 2009 Halloween page with the afore mentioned castle explanation (Even if it's just bad ju ju) that the participants can link to. Specially the folk that only do one or two strips. It would giv the opportunity to do some forth wall breaking where the characters can speak directly to the reader go to www.hoganhasanax.com for a coplete explination of this castles hyjinks. Maybe have the toon reach out of the panel to point at the comments.

When I can come up for air I am going to post a couple of demos of these sketchup castles for everyone. I really think thats the way to go. ie:Here is a four view picture of the castle. The mall was a pain because we all interperted it differently even though we had a rough plan. With the changing inards gag no one has to post: Came I add a Hot Topic store to the plans please stuff we had with 2008. You want the dungeon in the highest tower go for it no prob when I get to the tower it can be the harem. When Joff gets there it can be the bar! Once again my two cents worth. (I probably owe you change.)

ghostrunner · Post by **ghostrunner** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:14 am

actually if its explained as a time space rift being created by the emergence of some great deity or force that will grant godlike power to the summoner, my charictors would be able to interact with others. if the castle and grounds were suddenly to aquire thier own extra demensional space we could toss aside explanations entirely. anyone gave a thought to the concept that the castle could be a good/bad guy? pulling itself outside time and space creating its own pocket demension with rules that are subject to change at whim? if its capable of self awareness it could be capable of self organization. sort of like the movie "cube" but with an intellegence behind it. just a thought

Tinkerbell · Post by **Tinkerbell** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 11:48 am

The multiple explanation way is probably the way to go. With so many creative minds involved, setting specific limits on the way the wackiness works isn't a great idea.

Tink

Wheels · Post by **Wheels** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 5:13 pm

What about giving the Castle a mind of it's own ala Girl Genius or is that to much stealing?

ghostrunner · Post by **ghostrunner** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:19 am

i can't see as its stealing, its a concept that doubtless others have pondered. such as sterling silver in magic kingdom- sold by terry brooks sans the movement capability.

littlebeast · Post by **littlebeast** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 4:13 am

Yeah, I'm thinking we're best off with the many different explanations idea.

As for the google sketch thingy, I didn't browse all the way through but I didn't see any castles in there that I really liked. However I'm going to try downloading it and making my own. Mwahahahaha.

Anyway, I'll get back to you on that.

Tinkerbell · Post by **Tinkerbell** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:34 am

Is giving the castle a mind of its own adding one too many elements into this? I mean, if someone's got a plot idea for which it would be useful, then go ahead, but just sticking it in there might feel a bit contrived.

Tink

littlebeast · Post by **littlebeast** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:29 pm

Tinkerbell wrote:Is giving the castle a mind of its own adding one too many elements into this? I mean, if someone's got a plot idea for which it would be useful, then go ahead, but just sticking it in there might feel a bit contrived.

Tink

Yeah, that's a bit much.

Anyway, I tried the google sketchup, but I could barely figure out how to make simple shapes (a cylinder took me a bit, and I couldn't even figure out a cone) so I think any castle designs here will be good ol' pencil and paper.

littlebeast · Post by **littlebeast** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 1:48 pm

Alright, I went into design mode, so here's a rough draft of Castle Overlook! I'd put it in the thread as an image, but it's rather huge. Anyway, tell me what you think

And remember, it is just a rough draft, so it's open to changes

One thing I'll say right off is I think I may have put the Japanese-style castle in too much of a focus position.

Kallisti · Post by **Kallisti** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:04 am

I was personally picturing something a little more... gothic horror... and a little less "Oh, look, this place has it's own Starbucks!" I mean, I can work with either, but somewhere between the skyscraper with a helipad and the monorail (ok, I don't *see* a monorail, but I bet it has one) I think we may have lost the point of it being a castle.

littlebeast · Post by **littlebeast** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:34 am

Kallisti wrote:I was personally picturing something a little more... gothic horror... and a little less "Oh, look, this place has it's own Starbucks!" I mean, I can work with either, but somewhere between the skyscraper with a helipad and the monorail (ok, I don't *see* a monorail, but I bet it has one) I think we may have lost the point of it being a castle.

I didn't draw a monorail. But it still might have one.

Yeah, I kind of drew that all in one fell swoop, and now that I'm looking at it again I don't like it either.

The skyscraper's got to go, you're right. I got carried away with the "all different architectural styles!". That and I was running out of different kinds of towers.
As for the landing strip, that was to have some reason for the lighthouse. But that's not necessary is it? I think those'll both be removed before the second draft.

I was trying for gothic at first (I dunno about the "horror") but I kind of got derailed.

Starting v2 RIGHT NOW.

Wheels · Post by **Wheels** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:35 am

I am not selling this particular castle so don't scream at me yet. I am just using it to illustrate what can be done with Sketchup. We can pick a building or build one from scratch or add to an existing model. Those willing to down load the program (FREE) can make pictures of the Castle from any angle. Those that don't can have detailed drawings to copy from!

Front view

Side View

Rear View

Overhead view.

Please let me all know what you think. There are tons of models to choose from. Lazy? Yup. Won't you join me in the work smarted not harder lounge?