A couple of questions about the workflow:

1. When I stake a claim, the only data files I need to load in the CS are oblivion.esm and hiboria.esm, correct?

2. Once I've created my .esp, are you going to merge to master or keep it as a separate plugin? (ie. how is all of this extra content going to fit in?)

3. If I make any changes to the landscape textures or mesh, you will have to update the LOD. How long is that going to take on your rig? (ie. should I avoid making changes if possible?)

4. What claims have YOU made? (ie. which cells should I avoid, and where should I start working to build on what you have already done, or are planning to do?)

I just downloaded the new files (took about an hour to download and install everything on my system) and thought I might get started on something.

Ok,

1. yes they are the only files you need.

2. Probably it can be merged to the master file, eventually, though it doesnt have to be. The only real stipulation is if you do update the landscape at all then it must go into the master file so the LOD can be updated. It wont stop play but will not be able to provide any LOD otherwise. There isnt really a problem with adding it to the master. Once youve finished your plugin and youre satisfied with it then we can merge it. You can even make several plugins then merge them all, then merge to the master.

3. Obviously less changes to the landscape are better but dont let it spoil your creativity. It takes about five to seven hours to update all of the LOD at the best definition on my rig, not even an overnight job really!

4. The only claim I have made is on the captial city because I can foresee it needing new models still. Its a place that keeps evolving and as other areas and regions are done there may need to be more changes to it! I will probably get to a point where I am sick of the smell of its canals and streets though. That is the one and only claim I have made so far. I am happy to fill in where others dont really want to go, sort of in the boring gaps.

If you spot somewhere you want to work, just claim the cells and we can block them off.

Would it be easier if I created two separate plugins: one for landscape changes and one for the statics/NPCs/quests, etc.? That way, the landscape changes could be merged to master and the quest/community/dungeon .esps could be left as separate plugins until they are finalized.

To be honest, I don't think I can avoid making some changes to the landscape to allow for fort/village/dungeon entrance locations, dirt trails and roads, and general 'beautification', but I see that as preliminary work that probably won't change much once the basic communities/quests/etc. are all laid out. The actual communities with their NPCs, AI, quests, scripts, etc., are likely to change quite a bit in the testing stage.

The problem is that one plugin cant really change another or link to it. Just go ahead and make your plugin with all the landscape, texture, npc etc changes you need. Once thats complete we can merge it to the master, then you can make other plugins as long as they dont clash with each other. Each plugin can then be merged. I wouldnt worry about making changes to the landscape in the least, every time I do a plugin I change it one way or another, the beauty is that when you merge landscapes they dont add or subtract anything from the master file size as they are only changing existing attributes ie:

Master file. 1.6GB

Plugin 2MB, including 1MB of landscape texture and form changes.

1.6GB + 2MB should equal 1.62 MB but it doesnt, it would make 1.61 because 1.6GB includes all landscape and 1MB of the plugin changed something that already existed so the merge facility just changed some existing attributes.

Ive made some enormous plugins of 50 or 60MB then merged them just to find the master file increase by barely a third of that because the land is the big space taker and is already done, the plugin just changed it.

Right. Forgot about plugins not modifying other plugins. Duh. Anyways, good to know about the landscaping. I started working on Ventara, so I guess I should make a formal claim. I'll do that once I've got the coordinates mapped out for the cells I want to cover. Mostly the town and maybe a cell or two around the perimeter.

Thats excellent, if you want to work on the whole of Ventara that will take some doing, but its easily possible. There are clothes already in the mod, look under armour, weapons etc, there are togas, cloaks, swords, shields etc.