Dragon Age - building a module

A few weeks ago I started a project building a new add-in module for the game Dragon Age - Origins. The sudden ending of the main campaign in the game was to me an anti-climax, and left me wanting for more. Initially the DLC's were decent enough, but the fact that the world map is greyed out and none of the locations are available for free-roaming, made me decide to build my own module to tie into the main campaign.

I've designed the module to be added to the main-campaign and thus to be played at any given time, and it should also stay open after the main-campaign is over. Hopefully I might even find the time to build it into a larger campaign, and not just as the single-quest add-in which I am aiming for at the moment.

Building the locations, and setting the module up for the story and the quest is simple enough, but I've run into some issues. While I do dabble in modelling in 3D Studio, and I do believe I should be able to build simple models such as swords, I am currently not at the level where I can build complex models such as creatures. Therefore I wonder if there is someone out there skilled in 3D Studio that might be willing, and who might have the time to help me out. I need a white tiger, and personally I planned to modify a Mabari into a white tiger, but obviously you are free to decide how to attack the problem.

Here's a teaser shot of one of the locations in my module.

That's a view a little elevated from the starting position. It shows the local chantry, a windmill, a few other buildings as well as the looming presence of a very tall tower in the distance. There is a lot more obviously, such as a cave, a few lakes and rivers, and a high level wizard of ambiguous alignment (whose familiar is supposed to be a white tiger). Personally I find the toolkit to be simple in use and easy to learn; particularly when using the model preview function in tandem with the toolkit wiki which has a substantial overview of the model library available.

Needless to say (I imagine) I love this game. As far as I'm concerned it's the best RPG since Neverwinter Nights and Oblivion, and I deeply hope that support and further addition to the world will be made by the developers. However, the lack of an open-ended campaign and free-roam world upon the completion of the main campaign are let-downs. During my initial play-through I had several unfinished quests pending, and only went forward with the main campaign in order to gain a level quickly, and I thought that concidering the RPGs made lately this one would also allow for free roaming after the end.

Nevertheless, it's an excellent game - bordering on terrific - that everyone with a penchant for RPGs should have a go at. Regardless of the lack of the ability to roam freely after completing the main campaign, the game has tons of content, loads of NPCs and a crapload of items. It is well balanced, and the adventure(s) provide ample challenge for both the novice as well as the experienced gamer.

My own addition to the Dragon Age world will be designed as a high level (level 20+) campaign, and I hope to find the time and the oportunity to add to it further with the goal of turning it into a sort of world within the world module. Hopefully I manage to tie it into the main campaign seamlessly by introducing it by means of a travelling sage meeting the player party in camp. We shall have to wait and see.