General:Developer Spotlight—Lauren's Meticulously Carved Map of Tamriel

Originally published November 17, 2022. The original article can be found here. Questions are in bold.

We are joined by ZeniMax Online Studio's own Lauren McKenzie to show off an incredible creation of hers: a carved wooden map of Tamriel.

Hi Lauren! We're glad you could sit down and chat with us today about yourself and your custom-built map of Tamriel. To get us started, can you tell us how you first came to join us at ZOS?

I joined ZOS back in 2017, just a month after graduating from college. I was part of a group that was focused on women helping other women in the gaming industry and was put in touch with the team through them. Like many people here at ZOS, I'd been a fan of The Elder Scrolls Online for a long time and was so excited to even have the opportunity to interview!

Could you describe the work you do here on The Elder Scrolls Online?

I work as a Senior Environment Artist on the Biome team. I primarily focus on creating organic assets that are used around the world, like trees, rocks, waterfalls, skies, and so on. Flowers are my favorite to work on. The brighter and more colorful they are, the better!

What's it like working on an IP and brand as beloved as The Elder Scrolls?

It's incredible! I feel very lucky to be both a fan and a developer. It's been exciting to be a part of this IP as it's developed and to work on the look of the different environments found throughout ESO. I've had so many great interactions with fans outside of work. It is hugely motivating to listen to people geek out about things I get to help work on.

Let's talk about your incredible wooden map of Tamriel. How did this idea originate? Why make it out of wood?

I am a little bit obsessed with maps. I blame my dad, ha-ha! He crafted two large maps for me as a kid that I have hanging as part of my "map room" in my house, which as you may have surmised by the name, is filled with various kinds of maps. I pin my travels on some of them, I pin physical locations of books that I've read on another and have others that I just think look neat.

When I was told about the opportunity to participate in a ZOS internal Art Jam, it felt like making a map was the natural choice for me. I made it out of wood because I wanted it to be large and sturdy, and I wanted to highlight some of the topology that isn't always visible in a flat map.

Summerset and the map compass

Walk us through the process of pulling this build together. Were there any parts that were notably difficult to construct?

Sure! The first thing I did was design the map. Even though I had great reference, it had to be reworked by hand to make sure that all of it would cut well with my laser cutter and that I wouldn't have a million tiny islands that I would inevitably lose during the construction process.

I had to design each of the four layers by topology and cut it out of three different kinds of wood: walnut, cherry, and birch. After that it was just a matter of staining and assembling.

Honestly, the most difficult part was just the sheer size of the piece itself. My laser is really only designed to work on smaller projects, so it was a bit of a struggle to make this huge 40-inch map.

What did you use as a reference to craft such a detailed 3D map of Tamriel?

Working on ESO, I do have access to some internal maps, and even an incredible topological map of the entirety of Tamriel. That was an enormous help.

I will also admit to having the game open quite a bit to make sure cities were placed in their proper locations!

Lauren carefully designed and cut each part of Tamriel

Is there a single component or aspect of the map's construction that you are particularly proud of?

This is by far the largest piece I've ever created. Most of my other laser art is between eight-and-14 inches tall, and this is 40. The sheer scale was really cool to work with, though it presented many challenges that I didn't expect. It also took way longer than I thought to just glue all of the tiny pieces into their proper places.

How did your team react when you showed them the completed map? Where is it hanging now?

My team seemed really surprised! When we were told about the Art Jam, we were given three days to make whatever we wanted. I think they were expecting most of us to take it easy, relax, and kind of rejuvenate creativity. However, a lot of people made really amazing paintings and sculptures; one group even made ESO pet outfits. (Editor's Note: This feels like another Developer Spotlight opportunity!)

I don't talk about my laser work very much, so I think I caught them off guard when I showed it! The map is currently hanging in my home office, above my reading chair that the dog has commandeered 90% of the time.

Cyrodiil and Davon's Watch up close

Do you have any tips for our community who might wish to craft something similar?

My biggest advice is to take your time in the design process. Gather as much reference as you can, and then make a practice draft. There's nothing worse than rushing through to get to the fun part only to realize you need to go back and clean up your mistakes.

Are there any similar projects waiting beyond the horizon you're considering tackling? If yes, can you share a hint with us?

Holiday season is fast approaching, so there are quite a few gifts I'm planning to make. In all likelihood, my next personal piece will be something video game or D&D-related!

Thank you so much taking the time to sit down with us today to discuss this incredible project. There are so many creative Elder Scrolls fans out there, both inside our own studio and within the ESO community itself, so if you know of a member of the #ESOFam who deserves to have their work spotlighted, please share them with us via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!