RealSwords? Past, present, and future...
Posted: June 14th, 2007
Realswords started out of a personal need to see more blades in Oblivion. I already made some of them and was playing with them, when I had the idea to make more. A lot more. 50 I wanted to do!
But what started out as a couple of models (50) made like this for fun, will turn into the making of an armory designed by each races, factions, monsters, giving them abilities of their own, and putting a lot more personality and authenticity to the characters, as they will be recognized by what they wield and what they wear. As in a real world scenario, this make each race distinct by their own creations. They are not all using the same gears.
As the project grew-up and I started to release the first modules, that are in fact previews of what it's going to be, people started asking me to balance my blades to be used along more popular mods such as OOO. Not very much into the programing stuff myself, I have now the chance to get help of some great people to help me port what I did so it can be used within a MOBS based environment.
So now you are here in the place we exchange and talk about where the mod is going. Several more ideas came out, or will come out. I suggest you visit the team threads to read more about it.
My plan is to release each of theses modules:
- 1-10 'Race' modules (100 blades, 300 different models.)
- 11th Legendary Swords - remake of several legendary weapons of Tamriel, and some more, like the Atlantean and Father swords. (+/- 12 items)
- TCOS - The sum of RealSwords races modules, with a quest, and a detailed history of the race weaponry and their makers: The Chronicles Of Steel. Will features special versions of the items, and bonus items. And also a special FX that will make the weapons change forms according to their level of wear.
Thast it!
References:
When I started looking for references for this considerably big project, I was looking for models that could translate fantasy into realism, for historical reference and above all for simple beauty. No overdone bigger than life made-for-a-king weapons, but clean ones that look like everyday blades produced for regular folks in a fantasy world.
Thus one name has always been on top of any other: Jody Samson.
His work is THE reference I use for most part of this project. More than 60% of the swords in RealSwords are his designs, sometimes I modify them slightly or change the metal type, but I'm staying very close to what he did. I strongly suggest you visit his website and look at the many marvelous swords this artist did over his career. http://www.jodysamson.com/
Albion Armorer is a famous forge that does an awesome work of recreating historical blades in the finest possible way. Most of my blades, particularly those that are in Nord and Breton, are from their work and research. http://www.albion-swords.com/
Some references I use can't be traced at all to anyone as the weapons are older than anyone alive, as is the case for the African references I found.
Sadly, some references I found and I forgot to note who they were from, like in the case of the katanas blades photos I used. Some also are found as is, with no mention of the maker. Some like in the case of the DragonClaw in Orc, I found the real smith name only much after I released the blades models online.
Yet I try to be very precise and faithful to the ideas I borrow, and I will not pass it as my own ideas if they aren't.
Some swords are amalgam of different designs. And some are from comic books I cherish since I was a kid.
And lastly, some swords are completely from my imagination....
For more details about what and from whom, refer to the read me in each module for a list of the references I used.
But what started out as a couple of models (50) made like this for fun, will turn into the making of an armory designed by each races, factions, monsters, giving them abilities of their own, and putting a lot more personality and authenticity to the characters, as they will be recognized by what they wield and what they wear. As in a real world scenario, this make each race distinct by their own creations. They are not all using the same gears.
As the project grew-up and I started to release the first modules, that are in fact previews of what it's going to be, people started asking me to balance my blades to be used along more popular mods such as OOO. Not very much into the programing stuff myself, I have now the chance to get help of some great people to help me port what I did so it can be used within a MOBS based environment.
So now you are here in the place we exchange and talk about where the mod is going. Several more ideas came out, or will come out. I suggest you visit the team threads to read more about it.
My plan is to release each of theses modules:
- 1-10 'Race' modules (100 blades, 300 different models.)
- 11th Legendary Swords - remake of several legendary weapons of Tamriel, and some more, like the Atlantean and Father swords. (+/- 12 items)
- TCOS - The sum of RealSwords races modules, with a quest, and a detailed history of the race weaponry and their makers: The Chronicles Of Steel. Will features special versions of the items, and bonus items. And also a special FX that will make the weapons change forms according to their level of wear.
Thast it!
References:
When I started looking for references for this considerably big project, I was looking for models that could translate fantasy into realism, for historical reference and above all for simple beauty. No overdone bigger than life made-for-a-king weapons, but clean ones that look like everyday blades produced for regular folks in a fantasy world.
Thus one name has always been on top of any other: Jody Samson.
His work is THE reference I use for most part of this project. More than 60% of the swords in RealSwords are his designs, sometimes I modify them slightly or change the metal type, but I'm staying very close to what he did. I strongly suggest you visit his website and look at the many marvelous swords this artist did over his career. http://www.jodysamson.com/
Albion Armorer is a famous forge that does an awesome work of recreating historical blades in the finest possible way. Most of my blades, particularly those that are in Nord and Breton, are from their work and research. http://www.albion-swords.com/
Some references I use can't be traced at all to anyone as the weapons are older than anyone alive, as is the case for the African references I found.
Sadly, some references I found and I forgot to note who they were from, like in the case of the katanas blades photos I used. Some also are found as is, with no mention of the maker. Some like in the case of the DragonClaw in Orc, I found the real smith name only much after I released the blades models online.
Yet I try to be very precise and faithful to the ideas I borrow, and I will not pass it as my own ideas if they aren't.
Some swords are amalgam of different designs. And some are from comic books I cherish since I was a kid.
And lastly, some swords are completely from my imagination....
For more details about what and from whom, refer to the read me in each module for a list of the references I used.