Premise • Base Map Depth + Script

 I decided it would be a good idea to figure out which area would be where.

Taking a method I've seen online for making DnD maps online, one being the Dice Method the other using Rice. I took Torn up sheets of paper and threw them into the air so they landed on my kitchen tiles which are 2ft squares, I did this 4 times for a collection of images.
I then edited these so you couldn't see the reflection in the tiles, and so it was only cut to the single tile, leaving the following images.

Editing these further I created a few filtered images, to give a little variation.

Some just added one more filter layer, but it still looked different enough.

I then took these 20 images into Substance painter and messed around with them, to see how I could start with my worlds topography.

So considering that this is oceanic swampland a certain point there will be water.

Being only a normal and height map gives a bit of a struggle to move to maya as it is a rather extreme change in geometry.

I took the height map and posturised it, so using this variant as a reference I started to sculpt the groundwork, in more specific concept art. Using black as the deepest and white as the highest.

this will result in something that looks diffrent to the rough image above, but it is a starting point.

After showing some friends this they commented on the mushrooms, so I did a little further designs.
Plants are added from here.

It was recommended to draw a design in a form of a slice, like a cake, this should also help with depth.

I will cut this into three versions of its depth and adjust each one to have the a low poly and higher poly format.

the higher one used for the shots where we are in the scene and the lower one when its not that scene, but its still slightly visible.

Script

The base ideas still match that of the ideas from sequencing.
There are going to be at least three scenes. Turtle, Multimouth, Strider. Named based on the other creature involved.

The script itself will need to be further developed.

Scene 1(Turtle) Version 1 Script

Narrator = N
Camera Motions = C
Visual motions = V

C
Start with a wide angle shot panning across the above water area

N
This environment looks peaceful, it’s rather damp but supports life.

This however may just be a façade, especially in the eyes of this creature.

C
Zooms in on sleeping Chubby squid

N
This is adipem polyporum, more commonly known as a gas bag or the chubby squid.

V
The sleeping chubby squid wakes up, burps some bubbles and dives into the water.

N
It is called a gas bag for a reason

C
cut to an underwater shot, wide angle showing the chubby squid swimming along.

N
This one is on the hunt for some food.
These creatures are Herbivores.

V
the chubby squid swims up to some sea grass.

C
Zooms in on the sea grass and chubby squid.

N
Plants are a great meal
…

V
chubby squid is adjusting itself to eat the sea grass in a comfortable way

N
but the bulk plants like this, hold many dangers.

V
Chubby squid is chewing on a single blade of grass.
behind the chubby squid some of the ‘grass’ being the tentacles of the ‘turtle’ slowly reach for the chubby squid

N
-silence-

V
the tentacles reach the chubby squid and it springs up, pulling the remains of the grass blade up with it.

N
This is a predator of the chubby squid, insidiis turturem, a species that looks like an Earthian turtle,

V+C
cut to A small clip of ‘turtle’ is visible, as the Narrator describes it

N
This ‘turtle’ is more like a puppet, the creature itself has a fake head, looking like a much less dangerous creature than it is.
You might notice that on its back what looks like a growth,

V+C
zooms in on the back of the ‘turtle’

N
This is not a growth, this is the main body of the creature, it feels for living things and grabs them and pulls them into its shell to digest.

V+C
cut back to the Chubby Squid escaping the ‘turtle’

N
despite its grotesque appearance, it is rather dim witted, it is unable to actually see and only relies on its sense of touch to find food.
Our Chubby squid friend can easily escape them in their youth, their front tentacles have enough force to propel them up and away from the danger.

V
the chubby squid is swimming and finishing off the blade of sea grass it had pulled up

N
The insidiis turturem is the least of their problems.

C
fades to black