Underworld visuals

Octo · Dec 17, 2012

So far we haven't seen anything from the underworld..what's your personal vision for how it should look? Would you want natural caves or 'man'-made caverns, or maybe underground fortresses and great kingdoms like Moria? Would you prefer it to be claustrophobic or vast epic open spaces and bottomless trenches?
Not sure how far you can go in a low fantasy setting.
Here's some concepts (not my own work) to get your juices flowing.

http://www.gamersireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Spider-lair.jpg

http://features.cgsociety.org/newgallerycrits/g76/294876/294876_1257800277_large.jpg

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080714044933/godofwar/images/8/80/Typhon's_Cavern.jpg

http://0.static.wix.com/media/3ee375_f906a3bfa88308e8e112fd8a72b3cc9e.jpg

http://www.robinolausson.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=113&g2_serialNumber=2

BrecMadak · Dec 17, 2012

first pic interested me a bit, it also reminds me the troublesome plagued Blighttown hehe.

Nightblaze1 · Dec 17, 2012

I really want a horror theme to it. I want the undergrounds to feel like the moment you first walk into the catacombs in Diablo 1. I want it to be dark and creepy with eerie sounds coming from the all sides! =)

However, I also would like it to be more open rather than linear passage ways, but definitely give off a horrifying and dreadful feeling. =)

Synalon · Dec 18, 2012

I'm not so bothered by the specific aesthetic so long as it's scary.

Komuflage · Dec 18, 2012

Personally I hope the underworld will follow different themes depending on section. Since from how I understand it, we probably will spend a lot of time in the underworld, and if this place would only go by a set theme it would get boring quite fast.

Mimel · Dec 22, 2012

All of your photos are nice. I am of the opinion that it should be a mixture of everything. I love passageways, cramped tunnels, stairways, dungeon-types, open caverns, cities within a vast cave, underground rivers and seas, volcanic areas, frozen areas.... I think the point is not to have the same style everywhere, but to illicit a common feeling that the underworld is quite different than the world above.

Pilluminati · Dec 22, 2012

I hope they won't be too cliché. I'd also love them to be believable. Not like hundreds of miles of random connected rooms with the same monotonous setting. Why would anyone build something as ridiculous as that? I really hope they will give the places some meaning.

Mimel · Dec 22, 2012

Pilluminati said:
I hope they won't be too cliché. I'd also love them to be believable. Not like hundreds of miles of random connected rooms with the same monotonous setting. Why would anyone build something as ridiculous as that? I really hope they will give the places some meaning.

Agreed. From the messages of the BM team, it is clear they want the world to not only be persistent, reactionary and have dynamic physics, but that it gives an immersion quality that smacks of reality. That is, low-fantasy with very few D&D-isque creatures lends itself to this. All of this leads to the underground making similar sense. If there are multiple factions, groups, races, what-have-you, underground, then each of these cultures would have different needs or reasons for creating their homes in a certain fashion. So, I think they should also be logical to the extent that Chaotic or evil creatures would be. It could also change as the groups interact or conquer one another. It allows the PCs to detect what group might be in the area after they've had experience with such before.

Cooper Holt · Dec 23, 2012

I'm not sure how I think it should be. Perhaps stone-brick walls, cobwebs, and eerie noises in some places, abandoned areas in others, and firey darkness in the "outside" areas?

the0thMonkey · Dec 23, 2012

I agree that setups (both overworld and underworld) should be believable and derived from necessity. I also like the idea of distinct styles, such as rudimentary caves/holes made by wildlife, grand stone architecture made by a certain race/culture, finely decorated chambers, etc. I think it would add to the ambiance and create a bit of variation.

walltar · Dec 24, 2012

Crystal caves ... don't forget crystal caves. Just not purple glowing ones ... make realistic ones. Like this!

Rascal · Jan 8, 2013

I would love to see natural caves, ancient ruins and even "modern" day dungeons

TigerBunnyHeart · Jan 9, 2013

Octo said:
So far we haven't seen anything from the underworld..what's your personal vision for how it should look? Would you want natural caves or 'man'-made caverns, or maybe underground fortresses and great kingdoms like Moria? Would you prefer it to be claustrophobic or vast epic open spaces and bottomless trenches?
Not sure how far you can go in a low fantasy setting.
Here's some concepts (not my own work) to get your juices flowing.

http://www.gamersireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Spider-lair.jpg

http://features.cgsociety.org/newgallerycrits/g76/294876/294876_1257800277_large.jpg

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080714044933/godofwar/images/8/80/Typhon's_Cavern.jpg

http://0.static.wix.com/media/3ee375_f906a3bfa88308e8e112fd8a72b3cc9e.jpg

http://www.robinolausson.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=113&g2_serialNumber=2

I think it well look like very hell-ish ! and epic like in the holey bible said ! what hell look like.