ACCEPTED Gemling Queen Dragon Claws (by Saerileth)

[Noobsayer]

Discussion thread:

Gemling Queen Dragon Claws by Saerileth

Wiki Link

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Texture and mesh replacement for the dragon claws. Improved Gemstone Claws is just a mesh replacer so this is more comprehensive. Could probably use a compare with both meshes, Not Really HD Claws n such.

Transparent version is in the works so worth keeping an eye on.

 

EDIT: And here are the compares here, too.

 

Compares, no ENB. Let me know if anybody wants more closeups or whatever.

 

 

Ruby > Diamond > Sapphire > Emerald > Glass > Glass Closeup

VANILLA

   

 

 

IMPROVED GEMSTONE CLAWS

   

 

 

GEMLING QUEEN

   

 

 

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Accepted for STEP 2.2.9 Core.

Edited May 31, 2014 by DoubleYou
WilliamImm: Fix author's name; DoubleYou: Spoiled compares, added boilerplate

[redirishlord]

These are beautiful, compatible with both Ruins Clutter Improved and ENBs, and performance friendly. A lore friendly improvement that gives a visual cue to the dragon claws, a must have.

Thanks for the tip Noobsayer, that's why I come here.

[CJ2311]

Much better than what Improved Gemstone Claws does, imo.

Instant addition for me.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

Looks pretty good to me. I'll be trying these out for sure. 

[Noobsayer]

She just updated these with a new solid version that looks better than the original in indoor lighting, AND a transparent version.

 

These went from "better than vanilla" to "plain gorgeous" imo.

[Ganda]

New version pretty awesome tbh. How "realistic" is the transparent version?

[DoYouEvenModBro]

I too would like to know people's thoughts on the transparent version. 

[Noobsayer]

Dunno, just had a chance to try the solid before work. Will check out the others tonight.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Noobsayer

[rootsrat]

It is absolutely amazing. I did try both versions and I like transparent more, however I think it is TOO transparent at the moment. I asked the author if he could make a less see-through version. I have also pointed them to this thread, so hopefully he'll come over, register and will be able to respond to any feedback you guys may have.

 

I would strongly advise to move this to testing. It's well worth it and I'm pretty sure it would get accepted.

[redirishlord]

I agree rootsrat, with everything except referring to her as "he" ;-)

You might also check out her Druids Den Collector's Edition, even if you aren't looking for a lair, its really well done & has very interesting sort & display features. Interesting for the technical and aesthetic details regardless of whether homes are appropriate for STEP inclusion.

Edited March 20, 2014 by redirishlord

[DoYouEvenModBro]

It is absolutely amazing. I did try both versions and I like transparent more, however I think it is TOO transparent at the moment. I asked the author if he could make a less see-through version. I have also pointed them to this thread, so hopefully he'll come over, register and will be able to respond to any feedback you guys may have.

 

I would strongly advise to move this to testing. It's well worth it and I'm pretty sure it would get accepted.

Mod author is a Woman ;-). Same girl who made the original CoT Snow Patch that was later integrated into Prod80's CoT Weather Patch. 

Edited March 9, 2014 by DoYouEvenModBro

[Noobsayer]

I agree rootsrat, with everything except referring to her as "he" ;-)

You might also check out her Druids Den Collector's Edition, even if you aren't looking for a lair, its really well done & has very interesting sort & display features. Interesting for the technical and aesthetic details regardless of whether homes are appropriate for STEP inclusion.

I'm a total magpie collector so I love love love this house. It's quest aware, too.

 

Most fun for me though is that when you store food and alchemy ingredients (and ore and scrolls and ... ) they show up artfully arranged on shelves. Super awesome display functions. So yes, highly recommend it. Not sure about super latest version but it did have a single navmesh conflict w/ Touring Carriages (just something to be aware of).

 

/offtopic

 

EDIT: ON topic, I prefer the solid version for now. I think they look great.

Edited March 9, 2014 by Noobsayer

[Ganda]

I don't know much about gems (nothing at all really xD) but are they supposed to be transparent or more opaque? Probably needed for a realistic touch for STEP :p

[Saerileth]

@rootsrat: Actually I've been reading along for quite a while. Thanks everyone for the kind words, I really appreciate the feedback. :)

 

As for the transparency of gemstones, it really depends on the purity of the stone and the craftmanship. A high quality, precision cut stone is highly reflective and very transparent, especially diamonds. Though I find it rather hard to believe that the ancient nords would have had the tools to cut one of the hardest stones known to mankind that smoothly, and where would they have found a pure diamond the size of my fist? On the other hand there's magic, so the question of realism is kind of moot. It just doesn't seem to fit the otherwise rather crude art in their burial sites.

 

A rough-cut stone would have toolmarks and impurities that catch the light and refract it, so the transparency would be much subtler. The stone would only pick up the background colour but distort any clear image. This is the way I have chosen to go with my replacer, it just feels much more natural to me and it gives me more interesting details to put into the textures. The problem is that Skyrim's engine does not really support real refractions, and I have not yet found a way to distort the image that passes throgh the claws. At the moment I am not very happy with the transparent version, it makes the gemstones look flat and cheap. It's still very much a work in progress, at the moment I'm experimenting with the subsurface layers used in the the glacier meshes to create a better illusion of depth. Skadi and Skysan seem to have found a way to implement pseudo-refractions (here and here), so I'm looking into that as well.

Edited March 9, 2014 by Saerileth

[Ganda]

Welcome to STEP :D

 

Mhmm, so you know the subject, amazing :p Personally I prefer the solid version but I'll be waiting to see the less transparent option you talked about!