===[COMMITTED]=== Seleucid Structures

[LordGood]

Might as well get a jump on it!

I'm using the Persian texture pack atm, and it does not disappoint.

This the direction we want to take?

(That's a civic center draft)

and here's my defense of the usage architectural elements

from http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/architecture-i

Spoiler

"The spectacular temple at Kangāvar exemplifies the problems of identifying Seleucid architecture. The large structure with its great Ionic columns set on a high stone platform has been equated with a Greek temple..." -Sasanian dating but with greek influence

"Random finds of fragmentary Ionic bases and portions of pilasters suggest that classical, or classicizing, buildings also existed at Bīsotūn and at least three sites in Azerbaijan"

"A better indication of Greek architecture may be the presence of fired clay roofing tiles. These tiles are not characteristic of Iranian architectural practice in any period and thus may serve as clear indication of a strong Greek presence."

now, I used Carthaginian roof tiles because, frankly, they don't really need them. They work well with the Persian set too.

[BloodSpiller]

Wow cool! will you upload a video ? love your vids

[Lion.Kanzen]

hmmm, try with texture Greek? model looks great but texture... I don't know.

[LordGood]

Wow cool! will you upload a video ? love your vids

I haven't recorded since the fundraiser, I find that it slows me down a bit, but I'll start back up again, if anyone's interested

hmmm, try with texture Greek? model looks great but texture... I don't know.

I'd like to keep the stone local, it may look weird because I havent had much practice with the persian texture pack, and its a bit overwhelming, with all of the decal textures

but I hope I'll get the hang of it

[LordGood]

not the best screenshot, now was it?

eugh, those windows need to go away

[BloodSpiller]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Apamea_01.jpg

And -

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Apamea_02.jpg

http://www.hdwpapers.com/walls/cardo_maximus_apamea_syria_desktop_wallpaper-normal.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GTlmuE_yF5Q/TLIWCcI3BxI/AAAAAAAABHU/1a0fUpE97WU/s1600/Apamea+etc+131+_01.JPG

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apamea_(Syria)

http://ourvagabondreport.blogspot.co.il/2010/10/more-beautifully-stacked-rocks.html

Seleucid architecture is more greek then eastern.

Edited January 8, 2014 by BloodSpiller

[LordGood]

From what I understand, it's a spectrum between almost entirely hellenistic to the western empire, to entirely native in the eastern empire

Syria would have been closer to Greece than would be much of the rest of the empire

[Sighvatr]

I think the structures look great! I get really tired of looking at the same Roman/Carthaginian/Greek textures.

Edited January 8, 2014 by Sighvatr

[LordGood]

Some editing, if those red columns are what's putting you off, I can desaturate the textures.

like dis

[Lion.Kanzen]

Some editing, if those red columns are what's putting you off, I can desaturate the textures.

like dis

better, I was tell you, the models is perfect( almost perfect) the textures is where you need work.

[LordGood]

Desaturated the stone and brick

[Enrique]

I'd prefer a new whole texture, not just desaturating existing ones. We want the civs to feel unique. Desaturating and minimal editing would work for the three greek factions to diferentiate them even more, and it might be done in the future. Designing the main colors and look of a new civ is not an easy task and it envolves a lot of tries and iterations on the texture, and it's preferible not having a lot of finished structures due to the changing nature of the texture which would surely lead to UV remapping all the structures for that civ until the texture design is mature.

[LordGood]

the seleucids territory keeps itself within the persian empire; and the persian texture set is very dynamic. so far the celts keep their textures throughout, and the greeks. If textures imitate local stone then

why not the persians and seleucids?

[Sighvatr]

Those buildings look awesome too.

[Prodigal Son]

While they look interesting, I think Persian motifs on major buildings (and possibly the color scheme as well) wouldn't be accurate. While parts of the empire certainly maintained their old look/architecture, Seleucid-built towns and structures should have looked more Hellenistic. Not sure what's the best way to keep them different from Greek factions in this aspect and still have them look historically authentic. Maybe Hellenistic style (with minor eastern influences) for major and military buildings and a mix of Hellenistic and Eastern style (maybe as variants and not combined) on civic ones, like houses, storehouses, farmsteads, markets etc.

Edited January 9, 2014 by Prodigal Son

[Lion.Kanzen]

For now im thinking in that mixing, some building can be properly to give a idea, The Mausoleum at Halicsrnassus and Herod's Temple ,

But is missing some from Bactria and Babylon. .

[Enrique]

From my brief research and links in this thread it looks like there had more greek than persian influence.

Links from BloodSpiller and images I found from Apamea depict it looking closer to greek style:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GTlmuE_yF5Q/TLIWCcI3BxI/AAAAAAAABHU/1a0fUpE97WU/s1600/Apamea+etc+131+_01.JPG

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GTlmuE_yF5Q/TLIWKThGSLI/AAAAAAAABHY/gzmeE8XPvC4/s1600/Apamea+etc+082+_01.JPG

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GTlmuE_yF5Q/TLIWSqZZU-I/AAAAAAAABHc/cFJFMDzi0lk/s1600/Apamea+etc+103+_01.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Syria_Apamea.jpg

[LordGood]

The Apema is in Syria, much closer to greece than the further reaches of the empire. Greek influence reaches on a spectrum from heavy to none from west to east.

If we have the opportunity to make this civ less hellenistic then I say we should take it.

But persian motifs would definitely need changing. I don't like the idea of different style buildings within a faction, makes cities look like a mish-mash.

[Sighvatr]

The Ptolemaic buildings look a lot less hellenistic than the Seleucid examples here?

[BloodSpiller]

The Ptolemaic buildings look a lot less hellenistic than the Seleucid examples here?

In my opinion the ptolemaic buildings are perfect! I don't like hellenistic Egypt ! (Although it's not historically accurate).

[Enrique]

Well.. To be honest, I like the colors match in your last screenshot. We could try to make new textures approxmating the colors of that shot. However if I'm not mistaken the columns should be corinthian instead of ionic. And we might try to mimic the stone frames that can be seen in the reference pictures above. What do you think?

[LordGood]

I have my sources tucked into a spoiler in the original post, and encyclopedia Iranica's article states the usage of the Ionic order. That, and Ionic columns use a lot less polys than Corinthian If we want to keep it tied into the Macedonian set, then Corinthian works, too.

Stacked colonnades look like they could be fun too!

[LordGood]

I can just mess with Carthage until we have a texture pack ready ;P

haha

[Stan`]

Maybe you could make two variations of the building ?

[Enrique]

I can just mess with Carthage until we have a texture pack ready ;P

haha

I still think than making a new texture for Seleucids following the main colors that you achieved would be more appealing and will help feeling the civ more unique.