looking for a very large ruin

[MarkInMKUK]

I think we've established that there's no obvious existing ruin you can use. Therefore you, or someone else, is going to have to create it from scratch. Time for some planning to define the scope of work.

 

First, draw a map of your proposed ruin.

 

Then work through your plot, marking on it all of the points you NEED to have accessible, and see just how much of it needs to be accessible, and how much can be "seen but inaccessible" or "totally inaccessible but there by implication".

 

If your mod planning is done well, you could probably get away with a map. and maybe 15-20% of the structure needing to be built, plus a large area which is enclosed by accessible parts but inaccessible (it's a ruin - think blocked passages and rubble , tree roots, gates that are jammed, etc.)

 

Think about how you would build it if you were filming it, and how many bits you would actually NEED to make to convey the entire impression. Also many cities or built structures are repetitive - how many identical-built houses does a typical town have, or how many identical office rooms in a tower block. Finally, think levels - several levels and having to move from one to the other can give the impression of a very extensive place, for the addition of very few extra cells.

 

Once you have your proposed plan broken down that way, look for parts which can be used to fulfil those required areas. How many "great halls" do you need, and can you "borrow" the layout of an existing ruin to get the great hall, maybe moving just entrances and exits to make it unique. Staircases are also very generic - see what you can re-use. Also bear in mind lower sections may be flooded, and have roaming slaughterfish, thus reducing access to those areas at first.

 

By breaking a massive job down into manageable bits, you can make the mod gradually, get people to play test it "as far as you can go", then expand the area in an update as you build more sections. You are far more likely to find modders who will make an individual custom area to fit a known map, as opposed to ones willing to spend months making a city-sized mod to a very vague overall plan.

 

Good luck!

Edited May 20, 2011 by MarkInMKUK