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Icons, like ASCII but prettier.

Hand-drawn, like an old-timey sepia map.

Full graphics, like JRPGs with full-on sprites.

Same as the tileset ingame. Forests would use the tree sprite, mountains a rock sprite, etc.

Other. Please post your ideas/examples.

[Novaris]

The alternative is to take the remains overrides out of the overrides.txt. Its a minor setback but the new TWBT works then without crashes.

[dirty foot]

So it sounds like the fix here will be Meph making an update.

Does anyone know if that's a probability any time soon? The other graphics sets are great, but this one has always appealed to me most.

[Ziusudra]

Does anyone know if that's a probability any time soon?

Meph is busy drawing art for the DF Steam/itch.io release, so probably not until that is done.

[Meph]

My own fault for having some small mods, the big mod, the big tileset, and now the actual game release.

I occasionally come by and read everything, but never updated anything because I too am waiting for the Steam DF release. My own mistake for assuming it would be out already. ^^ I guess I should do some MasterworkDF and Meph tileset updates, although I'll have to redo everything once the SteamDF comes out anyway.

Than again, I learned a lot, so any future Meph tilesets would look much better than this old thing.

[Novaris]

Well, no, the change to remove the vermin I can do as well. Removing stuff is not as hard as adding or changing it. Once the 0.47.05 DFHack is stable and the LNP gets updated I will hijack the release and port Meph to the new version including the vermin change. I would need you guys to beta-test it as I never encountered the bug on my own, I just got a reproducable crash save.

[Meph]

The dwarves are still mostly from the official tileset, but this would be a first test look into the Meph tileset for the future DF. It's just imported sprites from the current tileset. Since I learned a lot working on the Steam release and it offers a lot more options, I can probably increase the quality by quite a bit.

I kinda want to make a new thread, just to show other tileset authors how to set up the spritesheets and what's new, but I don't know how much of this will change till the release. If there is interest for it, for sure.

[Novaris]

Just wow, looks like a totally different game....
Mind if I get a copy?

[Meph]

I'd give them out like candy.

But I think Kitfox would mind.

[forsaken1111]

I'd give them out like candy.

But I think Kitfox would mind.

Nah just call us beta testers. I'll submit bug reports when I find something.

[Novaris]

Bug #236: This pixel is to reddish for me

[Meph]

I know you guys are joking, but I'm in a bit of an ethical dilemma.

One the one hand, I'm one of the few people with access to the Steam version and I know exactly how it works. I have an unfair advantage over every other tileset maker. On the other hand, we (the bay12 community that doesn't buy the game on Steam) will need some form of tileset that uses the new updates. Usually authors borrow from another when they make a new tileset, but in this case the only one in existance would be the official Steam tileset, which can't be borrowed from for the free, classic DF release. And the tileset easily has 10k sprites, it's no longer 256 + creatures. Not many people will have time to create something that large.

I feel like I'm booting out other tileset authors. It's MasterworkDF all over again, back when it was popular.

In addition to that I'd be directly competing with Toady. If he releases the game with a 32x tileset for $20 on Steam, and I release a 32x tileset at the same time for Classic DF for $0, that's controversial to say the least.

[Novaris]

At least to the last part I don't agree. It was his decision to offer the classic DF for free while selling it on Steam even though he knew about MasterworkDF, all the tilesets that are out there, DFHack and the rather active modding community. Its not a far stretch to come to the idea that someone would buy the Steam version, rip the tileset out of it and hack some of the tiles together to make a mod for the classic version.

Also, you are not competing with him, you work for him. And if you don't make a tileset for the classic version, somebody else will. Especially if the game gets more attention once the graphical release is out. Just don't try to be the first one But helping the community and contributing actively was and is the spirit of this game so in my humble opinion you are following the spirit of the game and its developers when you offer your skills and knowledge about the tileset system for both the steam and non-steam version to the community.

[Shonai_Dweller]

Its not a far stretch to come to the idea that someone would buy the Steam version, rip the tileset out of it and hack some of the tiles together to make a mod for the classic version.

This specifically is illegal and has been mentioned many times by Kitfox.

Not related to Mephs ethical dilemma of course. Mephset doesn't use any elements of Steam set. The only way to solve that is to give tileset makers advanced copies of the game (or some version of the game they can use to test). But, well, that's probably got problems.

Maybe include tileset makers in any closed testing which takes place? Someone's gotta stress-test the new graphics code.

[jecowa]

The dwarves are still mostly from the official tileset, but this would be a first test look into the Meph tileset for the future DF. It's just imported sprites from the current tileset. Since I learned a lot working on the Steam release and it offers a lot more options, I can probably increase the quality by quite a bit.

I kinda want to make a new thread, just to show other tileset authors how to set up the spritesheets and what's new, but I don't know how much of this will change till the release. If there is interest for it, for sure.

Spoiler: screenshot (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: screenshot (click to show/hide)

Seeing the screenshot at full resolution looks a lot nicer than the scaled-down one from your reddit post.

I know you guys are joking, but I'm in a bit of an ethical dilemma.

One the one hand, I'm one of the few people with access to the Steam version and I know exactly how it works. I have an unfair advantage over every other tileset maker. On the other hand, we (the bay12 community that doesn't buy the game on Steam) will need some form of tileset that uses the new updates. Usually authors borrow from another when they make a new tileset, but in this case the only one in existance would be the official Steam tileset, which can't be borrowed from for the free, classic DF release. And the tileset easily has 10k sprites, it's no longer 256 + creatures. Not many people will have time to create something that large.

I feel like I'm booting out other tileset authors. It's MasterworkDF all over again, back when it was popular.

In addition to that I'd be directly competing with Toady. If he releases the game with a 32x tileset for $20 on Steam, and I release a 32x tileset at the same time for Classic DF for $0, that's controversial to say the least.

Maybe it'd be good to let the Steam Dwarf Fortress be the only version uses the latest graphics features for a while. I think the old system used by Phoebus/Spacefox/Ironforge/Mayday graphics will still work in the new version (excluding the TWBT stuff). Existing tilesets can maybe just use a main tilesheet and creature graphics at first.

I don't think you should worry about having an advantage over other tileset authors. I'm worried more about competing with the Steam version.

[Shonai_Dweller]

I was thinking about suggesting the same thing (restrict MephSet to Steam Workshop at first). But then that puts Meph in confrontation with the "why are you forcing me to install Steam to use your tileset" crowd, who then branch off into the "why are you trying to divide the community with locked off content in Steam" crowd. Etc...

Maybe best just to not worry about it. People use Mephset because they like it. People will use something better when it comes along. I don't think offering an alternative tileset is really "competing" with Toady. He's going out of his way to provide the means to add mods to his game after all.

The Big Wait is when the 2nd Golden Age of Modding begins (according to the forum prophets). Lots of time until then.