Loving the stuff in the thread, I'm really looking forward to DF's Steam release.
I recently saw a game called Stone Shard on steam and its art reminded me of a high definition DF with multi-tile creature support and while Toady has yet to really start on the artistic rewrite, focusing on doing post release bug first before really diving into the art I can't help but wonder how extreme the rewrite is going to be, I was going to ask in FotF but previous post there about the official tileset have been redirected here.
I'll Lime green them just cause and sorry if they been answered already but I checked the OP and there is nothing there.
OK a spent over a hour and went though the whole damn thread, maybe add some more of the Information spread though out the thread into the OP? Anyway, while I am late to the party I'll still voice my opinions on some of the things discussed.
Creature Sprites:
I personally am in favour of the "realistic" depiction with the actual clothes and items a character is wearing/holding to be depicted, I don't think professions or nobles need to be identifiable at a glance as their profession or as nobles because you don't issue orders directly to your dwarves, you don't need to find the broker so that you can tell them to go trade, you do that at the trading deport and if you do need to find a specific dwarf it will most likely be faster from units/nobles screen then searching the fortress manually.
Also I think that it is really great for adventure mode, having your adventurer holding a sword and shield while they really wielding a great axe in both hands is less then ideal, plus dressing up you character is a staple of RPG's, everyone I know like seeing that shiny new armour on their character.
If profession are needed I would support the idea of an option/setting of choosing whether the game takes clothing colours from the material RAWs or from professions, aka depict what they actually wearing but players choose in options to present either the clothes real RAW colours or profession colours, since DF classic will still use professions colours I can't see why DF premium couldn't do it as an option, but maybe its more work then its worth.
Do you think action/position based variants will be possible? examples being standing and prone sprites or dancing, singing and playing an instrument sprites?I ask because I just watched a LP of a game called Stone Shard and it looks kind of like how I imagined a high definition DF tileset would look in adventure mode, I'll post a link to the store page and trailer from it and link few images from the steam store page directly.
- Stoneshard store page-
-trailer-
-images-
In that last two images with the inventory/character sheet and conversation block it has a little portrait of the characters (not procedural),
I had a suggestion in the suggestion forums back in December about making a paper doll portrait system converting DF's current text text descriptor into artistic composites, I ultimately dropped the subject because it does seem a bit resource intensive funding wise for a first pass.
Shonai did suggest I come here and ask you guys then but I figured it was really up to Toady as to whether it would get done and didn't bother.
Now after reading though the whole thread and seeing how you guys are in effect consultants on all things art I feel I should ask, both for your opinion and because, truthfully if the idea appeals to you, you might take it to Toady in house circumventing the suggestion forums processes altogether
As the contracted artists how feasible/realistic is such a thing as procedural constructed facial portraits based upon the preexisting descriptors for fortress mode description screens and adventure mode conversations?Map Tiles:
I'm in favour of the full graphical maps over the "parchment" ones for world gen and legend but I could see something like Stone Shards parchment map for adventure mode.
I find the stripe good/evil thing a bit off putting, as someone else mentioned it looks like a "restricted area" warning, which while not completely inaccuracy doesn't mesh well with the rest of the map IMHO, would fit more with parchment maps then full graphical ones, I vote in favour of either something like the "fog" idea or just using the current colouring scheme, light blue for good, purple for evil, not ideal but IMHO better then stripes.
What is the reasoning behind choosing 32x32 bit art/tiles for in-game?
Is the only reason for 16x16 bit ones from maps to fit more map on screen at once? I personally would prefer 32x32 map tiles and have to scroll around.
Will it be possible to mod in larger Tilesets like say 64x64 or 128x128 for the truly committed?
Would/could it be possible for DF to switch between tilesets of different sizes depending upon zoom/scroll level? might make it possible to "expand" the official tileset after launch with higher definition tiles, provided DF sells really well.