So casting, quenching, sharpening, of course the actual forging part.

Hmm...

eyes picture closer

blows up the picture and makes notes

It looks awesome!!! <3 Can't wait to read that DJ Snipehunter

The thread title is complete click bait. I'm slightly irritated. I was expecting much more information. T_T

Regardless, I'm still quite happy with what I see.

The overall graphics are at a level I would be happy with for the full release.

• The lightning and shadows are good.

• The textures are good. Though the back wall behind the forge looks like a generic wall texture, as does the dirt/straw ground texture. Which isn't really a problem for me, but I know someone will try to find something to gripe about, and this could be it.

• The smithy design is good. It does have a flaw though. Those lanterns in the corner above the bellows are... largely useless. xD They should be above the grind wheel instead.

• I love love love the minor details the most though. The different shapes and sizes of rocks in the forge, and the grout. The water in the barrel is amazing as well. It's brown!!! I'm guessing/hoping this is because it's been stagnant a while and the blacksmith uses it for quenching. Both wooden blocks are amazing, the one under the anvil and the one next to the forge. You even have the pedal for the grind wheel, though it looks like there's nothing holding the grind wheel on...

Edit: I didn't mention the various tools such as the hammers and tongs as I thought they were obvious.

Posted By Caspian at 3/3/2018 2:06:14 AM

You are missing the subtle details of all the items used in blacksmithing. Those aren't decorations. :-)

can't forget the pizza cutter

Posted By Caspian at 6:06 PM - Fri Mar 02 2018

You are missing the subtle details of all the items used in blacksmithing. Those aren't decorations. :-)

Oh, don't worry. I am marking up this screenshot as we write.

The subtle details are great. They definitely help set the right atmosphere.

Posted By Fudgemuffinator at 6:28 PM - Fri Mar 02 2018

Edit: I didn't mention the various tools such as the hammers and tongs as I thought they were obvious.

Even the bellows way in the back attached to the forge! <3 the detail.

That's certainly not early iron age technology. It looks best-of-breed pre-industrial.

When Huntsmaster signs off on it, then I'll know its ready. I love his how-to guides!

I was wondering about the water in the barrel too. It's not dark enough to be oil. It certainly does not look like it came out of any well I'd want to drink from!

Posted By Juris Primus at 8:30 PM - Fri Mar 02 2018

When Huntsmaster signs off on it, then I'll know its ready. I love his how-to guides!

I was wondering about the water in the barrel too. It's not dark enough to be oil. It certainly does not look like it came out of any well I'd want to drink from!

Could be wine, or maybe some well-aged urine. ;-)

Ok, so after finishing dinner, zooming in on the image, and annotating it, here are some things I noticed and how I interpreted them:

1. Forge hearth, with bottom air blast. Charcoal or coal fueled, capable of melting iron in small quantities under the right conditions. Ash falls through the hearth for removal.
2. Bellows. An apprentice (or waterwheel) works the bellows to ensure a consistent flow of air to maintain the furnace heat. This one looks to have a lever attachment that would allow the smith to control the airflow.
3. Crucible steel or cast ingots. This is the input material for the smith on the forge.
4. Crucible tongs. The round shape allows the smith to lift and pour the crucible contents.
5. Crucible. Usually fireclay, but sometimes made of graphite.
6. Stone floor. Helpful for reducing the risk of fire from flying hot slag and scale.
7. Spike anvils and hammer. Not much reason to use these with the bigger anvils available, but perhaps the smith has made them for sale or trade. The stump provides a handy shock-absorbing mount to hammer in the spike.
8. Flat tongs. Used for manipulating flat stock during forging.
9. Stack of boards. Maybe this smithy makes iron-rimmed wheels, shields, or even buckets or barrels like those in the image?
10. Beaked anvils (left hand and right hand). (Just kidding about the handedness… wanted to see if you were paying attention).
11. Bucket. Could be for quenching forgings/cooling hot tools, or maybe it holds sand for seating or prepping casting molds.
12. Swage block. Featuring a graduated array of holes, this tool allows the smith to draw primitive round or shaped wire, and cap rod into rivets or nails. Cutout shapes on the perimeter allow primitive die-forging (by hitting the block with a hammer, you force the hot metal into the shape of the cutout).
13. Piece molds. These look like they’re designed to cast chisels, which would be strange (edged tools are normally forged, not cast, for reasons of strength and toughness). The horizontal lines are sprues, which allow for uniform distribution of metal in the casting.
14. Quench tank. Used for hardening steel of appropriate carbon content (or cooling hot tools). This one looks like it's filled with wine, not water, and it's a little far from the hearth for my tastes.
15. Whetstone. Used for grinding an edge onto a blade, or removing flashing and extra material from a casting.
16. Crates of raw materials. Could be billets of iron, charcoal fuel, flux/slag for refining or casting, or maybe hilts and scabbards for the production run of swords…

Missing from the concept art:

1. More tongs! Lots of different shapes and sizes are out there, all with their own uses.
2. Scale brush, for removing the oxidized hammerscale for welding or fine shaping.
3. Sand. Useful for seating molds, putting out fires, and more!
4. Fuller’s tools and other shaping tools like specialized hammers

Conclusions

This is a neat and tidy smithy, probably devoted primarily to foundry casting and perhaps crucible steel production along with small hardened steel tool forging rather than weapons or armor or other large items.

Another take: the smithy could still be under construction. Most tools are still crated, and producing new ones is an early focus. Lumber for cabinentry as yet unbuilt lies to one side.

Posted By Caspian at 9:03 PM - Fri Mar 02 2018

Posted By Huntsmaster at 8:54 PM - Fri Mar 02 2018

Posted By Juris Primus at 8:30 PM - Fri Mar 02 2018

When Huntsmaster signs off on it, then I'll know its ready. I love his how-to guides!

I was wondering about the water in the barrel too. It's not dark enough to be oil. It certainly does not look like it came out of any well I'd want to drink from!

Could be wine, or maybe some well-aged urine. ;-)

If that's the color of your urine (aged or otherwise)... I recommend seeing someone about it.

Have you ever aged urine? I'm not recommending it necessarily, but it's a good way to get ammonia for softening hides or making explosives. Also, I had an, um, interesting youth. ;-)