Ducan's Castle Project

[Ducan IronWeaver]

I am currently working on a huge deco project at my castle. It is nowhere near being finished yet and wont be for awhile... Lots and lots and lots to do...
As I go along my deco journey I know that I will be needing help, opinions, and ideas. So instead of making a new post everytime I need help with something. I figure I would just make one post and constantly update it with pictures and questions that come up as I go along.
So all of you expert decorators, if you could please check this post from time to time it will be greatly appreciated..



So lets start off with the first picture.

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

The first opinion I need is the hand made steps up to the towers(the white and pink gozas).
Should I leave these as they are and just change the goza colors? Have it like steps built into the rocks.
Or should I go with raising up some rocks to cover the steps. They will still be useable just wont see the gozas. Would be kind of like you are walking up the rocks to get to the tower sections..






Here is a picture with part of the walkway consealed by rocks. Should i go this approach and do the rest of the steps this way?

 

[Lady Michelle]

The first opinion I need is the hand made steps up to the towers(the white and pink gozas).
Should I leave these as they are and just change the goza colors? Have it like steps built into the rocks.
Or should I go with raising up some rocks to cover the steps. They will still be useable just wont see the gozas. Would be kind of like you are walking up the rocks to get to the tower sections..
Here is a picture with part of the walkway consealed by rocks. Should i go this approach and do the rest of the steps this way?

The rocks you are using to cover the gozas you cannot walk on or threw. I use the high quality granite because you can walk on or threw them. For the steps you could use the dull copper granite so it blends the best with the rocks, or use the valorite granite and green plants to build a waterfall in the rocks.

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

What I did is instead of placeing the rocks directly onto where the gozas are. I place the rocks 1 or 2 tiles to the right of the gozas. Then I raise them up to cover the gozas. It covers the space up and still allows me to walk on the gozas..
Its a very nice technique, I used it on a part of my luna house aswell. I have a part of rocks that cover up a ladder on that house. It gives you the illusion the rocks are there but they dont block you and you get to walk thru them..

I do like the waterfall idea. I think maybe do a waterfall on the tower with the white/green gozas on it. Have the waterfall coming down 3 levels from the black gozas down to the tower then the tower down to the grass area on the right...
Just going to have to try and figure out how to do a waterfall with val ingots and cloth that looks good.

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

Did some more work this morning... What do you guys think so far?

 

[startle]

Love the concept, but perhaps a few too many rocks....

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

It will eventually have a snow cave on it and I will have some water as well. And might do a building or 2 also with the rubble walls. Some trees and more details..
There will be alot more going on eventually that will draw the eye from all of the rocks. Right now its mostly just 2 colors the rocks and the grass tiles. So the rocks really stick out at the moment.
Once i get some plants down and other deco items and more colors into it. I think its going to mesh really well. And with everything going on the rocks shouldn't stick out asmuch and hold your eyes on them.
Well that is what I am hoping anyway lol

 

[Laina]

I really like the roses through the rocks - that is very pretty!

 

[startle]

I really like the roses through the rocks - that is very pretty!

Oh yes... that's the effect you want.... Flowers, trees, rocks, ponds would be fantastic since you have soooooo much room....

 

[Kayhynn]

Very impressive work.

The only warning I have for you is if it lags anyone out that wanders into the area where your castle is, or someone complains to a GM, you can lose all your hard work. So just be careful!

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

I think I should be good with the lag. As of right now there is no lag really. When running around outside of it you dont lag at all and even inside so far. The lag that occurs currently is the 1st initial step into the castle. It lags for a lil as the design loads up after that there has been no lag so far.

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

Did some more work to this corner. I need some ideas on what to put in the corner behind the mushrooms. Anyone have some ideas?

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

Also trying to work on a waterfall in this corner.. Anyone know how to go about it? what materials to use and such. Or anyone have some pictures of examples of home made waterfalls?

 

[Irulia Darkaith]

Did some more work to this corner. I need some ideas on what to put in the corner behind the mushrooms. Anyone have some ideas?

I've always been partial to an ankh with some flowers - every home needs a shrine.

 

[Zynia]

The icsicle's are awesome on water falls... Cotton for the bubbles..

 

[Kayhynn]

If you can get the lava tiles the drop on some boss then dye them with tokuno dyes that might work, otherwise cloth cotton and valorite works well for waterfalls.

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

Cat you dye the following lava tiles? If u can then ya that would prob def work if i could get my hands on some

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

I wanted to cover up the snow area between my castle and the one next to it... Do you think the hedges work and look good?

 

[Laina]

I like the idea a lot of the hedges - it needs a splash of color though I think to break up the boxy-ness (is that a word? lol). Anyway just my 2 cents

 

[startle]

The hedges look fine... if it were me, I'd look to add some more flowers and plants to all the rocks...

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

Here is a update on the waterfall.. How do you guys think it looks so far? And any suggestions?

 

[DevilsOwn]

coming along nicely - only suggestion I would make is using the various available graphics for the valorite ores, mix them up a bit

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

Another picture update.. This is the back corner so far... The gozas next to the mountain of snow will most likely be tturned into blues gozas for water.. Then ontop of the water im going to place the white crystals(cant remember name off hand). The crystalls will give a broken ice effect on the water... Its slow going but it is getting there...


As always any ideas or opinions please post them here for me..

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

Not really a update to this corner.. Only new thing is my awesome new tree I been after for awhile and finally got my hands on one! Just had to show it off =)

 

[startle]

Is that all grass from the gifts? It's really coming along nicely, DI... The Yucca, the Bananna, flowers, vines and mushrooms are great... Find some more flowers and replace some of those darn rocks of yours.... I mean, I have a lot of them myself left over from the days of stealing them in Doom and because I just like them, like you - but I just think they're just a bit much, quantity wise.... It doesn't feel as natural as I think you can make it.... Do you raise plants?

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

Yes, those are all grass tiles from the gifts. I actually just got another 60ish of them. So I will be laying down some more soon.
I do grow my own plants. Usually I just grow them for seeds of renewel and cut them up for dyes. My next batch that I plant will be for the castle.
Their will be alot more flowers and plants eventually. I wanted to get down a nice foundation before I started adding the details in like plants, trees, and such..

I haven't been on much lately. So I haven't been doing much decoing these past few weeks.. I am going to try and get some more done this week.


Note:: Ignore the 2 tables and beehive. Not apart of the deco. I was playing with afew things seeing if i could create a beehive box that looked good.

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

Finally got my hands on some stalagmites and flowstones. Bought about 100 and sadly need a lot more still.
The inside is going to be turned into a big cave. This is what I have so far. I need to get my hands on more stalagmites..
In the corner where the display cases are. I am going to have steps leading upto the ice cave ontop..
I might try to do a winding staircase. Won't really know till I play with it tho.
The inside will eventually be loaded with geodes, gems, ore, granite all laying around. Some forges and anvils, I also have a few mining carts to place inside.
I have a bunch of the gold ingot minor artifacts. I will be using a good amount of those with a lot of gold ore.
The Sifter Trays fom the meer/juka artifact event. I only have 1 right now, but I plan on getting some more when I can find them. I'm going to make like a mining sluice box with the sifters.
Try to get a nice panning for gold set up going on.
The gozas will be changed to a different color to look like a cave floor.. maybe like a greyish color..

Its slow going but the castle is getting there one lockdown at a time...

 

[Irulia Darkaith]

Very ambitious...can't wait to see the final design!

 

[startle]

Wow! An amazing project... What shard is this again?

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

It is on Ice Island (right in front of the dungeon entrance *map in Pic*) and the shard is Catskills...

I ran out of the tall flowstone/stalagmites and trying to find more to buy. I have like another 25 or so of the smaller sizes to place down still.. Will prob work on that 2night..
Its been a bit slow going with lackof playtime and the ability to find enough of the main items I need. Grass tiles, stallagmites, rocks, and such ...

 

[MalagAste]

so ...... do you have anything at all "IN" your castle or are all your lockdowns being taken up by the project?????

 

[The Zog historian]

Ducan, you wouldn't happen to be related to this chap, would you?

http://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/08/chinese-professor-builds-mountain-villa.html

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

MalagAste:: Nothing inside is decoed yet, I just have some chests with items inside and some mannequins.
But yea I do have plenty of lockdown space left for the inside and the rest of the top.
I also still need to buy the extra storage space expansion for that account aswell.
I think High Seas adds more house storage to. If it does then I can also get more lockdown space by picking that up for that account..
So I think I should be good with lockdown space for what I want it tobe at the end...

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

@The Zog historian:: HAHAHAHAHA!!! I'm not related but damn that place is awesome and I want to visit it!
The Castle idea came from a house that I decorated to sell a few years back. It was one giant waterfall with a lil log cabin on top.(i'll post a picture)
That house I sold and really liked the idea and concept of it. I always had the idea to do something like that with the 1st castle I bought..

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

I need some opinions: What does everyone think of this color as the cave floor?

Its on the dark side and with the green tint and little green specks(Not sure if u can fully see in pic). I think it looks like a cave floor with moss on it..
Do I stick with this color?
If I change it. Then what color?
Do I us this color and also combine another color with it?


An opinions or tips are greatly appreciated!

PS.. Those few squares that are up to high will be fixed 2day..

 

[OvenBird]

Really enjoy the project. How's it going?

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

Its going slowly but getting there.. Just bought some more grass tiles. And also got a huge grass tile donation from a friend (30 grass tiles!!).
Need maybe another 80ish grass tiles to finish the grass foundation..
The blue cloth is where I am going to pull the water out to..

I also got some more rubble picnic benches. Need 2 more pcs for 3 sets of 3 benches. So looking at 5 more bench pcs total I need. (Looking 2 place 2 picnic benches so need 4 sets).

I worked on the waterfall in this picture. not sure if I should make it 2. Or close up the 2nd one I was starting (where the Blue Cotton is)
On top of the fall I laid down some of the white crystals to have it look like broken up ice on the water.


Still doing a lot of playing around and trying to buy more and more items for it. Some are a pain like the grass tiles and all the stalagmites/flowstones for the inside..
I also just bought a Em Event item on Atl to add to it. Its a helm named "Rage Mask Of The Abandoned Camper". Pretty neat name and got it at a decent price.
Its not on Cats yet but will get there from Atl eventually..

 

[OvenBird]

I think the second waterfall looks great. It's coming along really well!

 

[Kayhynn]

What shard are you on/ I may have grass/snow tiles for you.

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

I am on Catskills Kayhynn

 

[Kayhynn]

I dont think I have any there, but I'll check

 

[Minerva Foxglove]

I have atleast 100 grass tiles and 11 stalagmites large and small I could bring ower if it helps.

 

[BrianFreud]

Very nice.

I built something similar way back in the first year of AOS. Currently I'm working on something similar, but as an illusion house with 4 "connected" houses.

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

@Minerva Foxglove OMG!! That would help so so so much! Every bit counts its a very large space im trying to deco lol..


@brianfreud2 you are going to have to let me know when you are ready to show off the 4 connected houses. I love set ups like that, I had a 3 connected house awhile back. I cant wait to visit!
I would love it if I was able to get the castle to the left of me or the right of me. Or well be a bit greedy and aim for both hehe. If I could somehow make that happen and have 3 connected castles. WoW the possibilities!

 

[Minerva Foxglove]

My ICQ is 93 492 303 (Mim) I have a shield for Catsk so I can come ower any day from Europa.

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

Sounds great I am actually off of work 2morro and will ICQ to talk more..
I will need you to do a favor for me down the road tho . When I gather up more plant seeds.. I am going to get players that helped me along the way. To plant some seeds in New Magencia and grow some plants. When the plants are done they are labled with the players name that grew them(I know it used to believethey still do.WIll test it out soon). I am going to use these labeled plants to deco the castle with. I was trying to think of a way to show my appreciation to everyone who has helped. That's what I came up with so far.

 

[BrianFreud]

Yes players names still do label on those plants. We used it in a recent Chesapeake city deco event, if you take a look at Vesper in tram. it does take a bit of effort from each person though, which might work against your goal. Lol

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

I finished off the base of the water on top. Started to add in some plants and rubble to the lake..

 

[Ducan IronWeaver]

OPIONS NEEDED! OPIONS NEEDED!!!!
Have I got your attention now?!!
So I was looking at all the types of the high seas rare fishes. I saw that there are Giant Koi's. And thought it would be cool to have a little Koi pool somewhere..
Not sure if it fits in this spot or if I should move it somewhere else..


Let me know if this corner works.
Anything you would change/Improve?

This is what I have so far...




*Sorry for the open bags I always forget to close them..
**Also note that the ladder will be covered up..

 

[Ellie]

If you have done the under the sea quest to get into Gravewater Lake the corpser looking monsters there have realy small fishes in them.