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[Vordak]

People, an earnest request.
When you quote someone else's pics or just posting big pics - then hide them under spoilers. To multi-level quotes - is same request.
Thread begins to look like a garbage, it is difficult to read.

[Starver]

@Clinodev, but also before: Amphibians of that kind tend to be naturally flatter[1] when being be inconspicuous and inflate themselves (sometimes fatally!) when trying to look threatening/more-trouble-than-it's-worth.


@Iä! RIAKTOR!, more specifically: It's hard to know what fantasy beasts might look like in a fantasy world. The same with the GCS. The 'rules' for aposematism may develop differently (assuming 'honest signalling') or its mechanism for blending in (assuming 'dazzle camouflage' as the reason) if it isn't a pure mating display like I almost already linked, before.

In-game, I rather always assumed that it's more or less a 'perception filter' that lets it go unseen. Perhaps cephalopod-like chromatophores carefully controlled just like they do it, but of course even more impressive, and capable of fooling dwarven infravision[2] right until it is too late. But who knows what's in Toady's head.



@Vordak, but more aimed at those Vordak was aiming at: Don't be afraid to edit down a quote of chaff, to leave just the wheat you're most interested in responding to, also. Add "[...]"s in if you don't want to look like you're trying to change meaning by an invisible blue-pencil.

In fact, if you can spare the time, close a quote after a point, comment on what was just quoted, and re-open (does not need repeated "=attribution-link" bit) to bring up the next point, if that makes things clearer and allows easier editing in follow-ups to you. I tend to do that by just clicking in a "[quote][/quote]" pair into the quote then shift the "/" from the usual closer into the usual opener, then put my new words between them.

Anyway, as I didn't quote anybody (because there wasn't much that would be left after chopping it down) I'm trying the "@"ed method. Unreadable in a different way.



[1] Though not as flat as they become when dealing with traffic.

[2] Firstly, the one thing Toady hasn't meticulously modelled is the need for illumination (beyond bringing sightlines up slughtly shorter outside of daylight times/places) and a GCS cannot rely on light in its GC, even the bioluminescent sort as not all of its haunts are replete with plant/fungi that might be prime candidates for supplying that. Thus every non-blind(ed) creature must have an infravision-like ability, atop their daylight-seeing ability, to which a GCS must have a viable counter. And it must work in daylight (or backlit by magma?) also...  Clever girl!

[Superdorf]

The nice thing about quoting-and-snipping-- it leaves neat little URLs people can click on to jump to the post you're replying to. Very convenient!

[Shonai_Dweller]

@starver Ha ha, you made the case for messy quote trees anyway. Please no-one do this. Or at least link to the original post if you do. This is a thread for gathering information that might be useful to developers and artists to reference later, not a bunch of private conversations.

[Dishmab]

I notice you guys have made plant seeds. im wondering how the plant sprites are coming along. underground plants will be fun, also eagerly awaiting hemp plants.

[Cruxador]

@Iä! RIAKTOR!, more specifically: It's hard to know what fantasy beasts might look like in a fantasy world. The same with the GCS. The 'rules' for aposematism may develop differently (assuming 'honest signalling') or its mechanism for blending in (assuming 'dazzle camouflage' as the reason) if it isn't a pure mating display like I almost already linked, before.

In-game, I rather always assumed that it's more or less a 'perception filter' that lets it go unseen. Perhaps cephalopod-like chromatophores carefully controlled just like they do it, but of course even more impressive, and capable of fooling dwarven infravision[2] right until it is too late. But who knows what's in Toady's head.

Since you're not being specific about what you're referring to but only to whom, I can only guess, but I don't see anythign by Riaktor which relates to aposematism, camouflage, or chromatophores. I took the GCS suggestion as purely aesthetic; that it will look interesting if displayed that way and (implicitly) that it will call back to the real creature, which adds another layer of value to the sprite. Since its appearance would probably be irrelevant to its lifestyle given the low-light environment, might as well give it an appearance which makes the sprite better in another way. I think it's a good suggestion, although I don't know if Mike/Meph can do it well, or indeed if they'd be willing to consider revisiting something they've moved on from.

[MoltenIdol]

I Think the brown recluse spider looking thingy is a Really good Idea.
It triggers my "oh hell naw" reaction way harder.
Also looks more like something youd find deep underground

The red and black spider is a bit on the cartoony side, and Also pretty edgy. Is it a redback? Black widow?

Is a GCS Even poisinous?
Is See them more like Really fast hunting spiders, relying on speed and web, not poison.

Seems like Brown is a pretty common color for hunting spiders.

[Bumber]

Is a GCS Even poisinous?
Is See them more like Really fast hunting spiders, relying on speed and web, not poison.

GCS has paralytic venom.

[GandalfTheGreyt3791]

Here an older mock-up with shading. Does that help with brain switching?

Yeah the slopes are kinda trippy but if its anything like your other graphic set Then im sure it will be epic

[Superdorf]

Hey, welcome!

Spoiler: Ramps have come a long way since that image. (click to show/hide)

[Iä! RIAKTOR!]

Whats about cave plants?

[PatrikLundell]

Whats about cave plants?

They'll be done at some point, of course, but the artists have a huge amount of stuff to produce tiles for, and I assume they follow some kind of schedule rather than jumping around randomly among the tiles (although that would definitely be less tedious for me, had I had any hint of artistic ability to actually do it). I expect Toady to show them off when done (as it seems he needs something for his Steam posts that Clinodev cross posts for us).

[Iä! RIAKTOR!]

Whats about cave plants?

They'll be done at some point, of course, but the artists have a huge amount of stuff to produce tiles for, and I assume they follow some kind of schedule rather than jumping around randomly among the tiles (although that would definitely be less tedious for me, had I had any hint of artistic ability to actually do it). I expect Toady to show them off when done (as it seems he needs something for his Steam posts that Clinodev cross posts for us).

In vanilla DF even grass looks different. Cave plants must be done properly.

[MoltenIdol]

GCS has paralytic venom.
[/quote]

If im not mistaken, i think both redbacks and black widows have nerve venom. Either way, If the GCS's paralyzing venom doesn't actually kill you, i guess its more a way incapacitating the prey before killing/eating it.
That makes me feel like the hunting spider theme is more appropriate.
Plus, they throw their web, like some hunting spiders.
Also, hunting spiders are WAYYY more creepy because they come running at you, instead of waiting in their web.
As far as im aware, the GCS also charges like the hunting spider.
So the hunting spider look also conveys the behaviour of the GCS better.

Besides that, the "very venomous spider" look, is just
a bit basic.

Brown hunting spider = a lot more interesting visually, with the camo pattern(IMO)/fits the aesthetic better (IMO)/conveys its behaviour way better.

PS: I can understand if you dont want to redo a sprite.

[Shonai_Dweller]

Whats about cave plants?

They'll be done at some point, of course, but the artists have a huge amount of stuff to produce tiles for, and I assume they follow some kind of schedule rather than jumping around randomly among the tiles (although that would definitely be less tedious for me, had I had any hint of artistic ability to actually do it). I expect Toady to show them off when done (as it seems he needs something for his Steam posts that Clinodev cross posts for us).

In vanilla DF even grass looks different. Cave plants must be done properly.

Tilesets are moddable, all the new effects will be moddable. Many tileset makers, even Meph, will have their own version once the release is out. Or just draw cave plants "properly" yourself if don't agree with any of the the artists' version.

But really, complaining about a piece of art before it's even been drawn isn't likely to achieve anything meaningful, don't you think?