Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

That's right

That is right

[frumpton]

Can I get a shot of some of my beasts in the program so I can see what I need to adjust? Looking at those dwarves makes me think some of the animals are a bit flat (among other problems).

Best case scenario; Solifuge makes art for the entire thing 

[jonask84]

hop on IRC (#dfhack @ freenode.net) and I'll see what I can do

[CobaltKobold]

adventure support? It seems like it would be more useful there, particularly with nasty twisty caves, and much easier +/- z viewing.

Though, then you need to consider how to render vis/nonvis.

[jonask84]

I've tried out adventure mode, which kinda works actually. Only wish we had some way to link the view to the cursor....

[Footkerchief]

I've tried out adventure mode, which kinda works actually. Only wish we had some way to link the view to the cursor....

I'm pretty sure the open-source, real-time visualizer Lifevis has this feature.  Might be worth checking how Mithaldu accomplished it.

[IDreamOfGiniCoefficient]

Well, the real question is: What are we attempting? Multiple facings for creatures or just one sprite for each? Multiple sprites obviously increases difficulty with hand drawn artwork - especially because the creatures have to be recognizably the same from different angles. If we're only doing one sprite per creature at this stage, then Solifuge's animal sprites seemed to have the most sensible design: in profile with the head turned to face the viewer. The main thing is to keep a unified feel. We should attempt to stick to similar palettes and keep the dimensions consistent. Any depth to the creatures at this point could be taken care of by ensuring that the highlights are consistently coming from one point relative to each sprite, but that doesn't seem too important right now.

If the designers have any guidelines for this stuff, I'd be happy to follow it- otherwise I don't think it makes too much difference in the end.

The isometric thing has been done before, and the effect of shading consistent between the landscape and creatures is either ignored, as in the case of UO, or it doesn't have that much immediate visual impact in any case. (Diablo 2)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[jonask84]

I couldnt agree more. A consistent look and feel is very important. So, as stated earlier, noone get offended if something doesnt make it in, or gets replaced, we're just striving for a consistent look. And there is full support for alternative tile-sets anyway

Edit: also, Footkerchief, I will have a look at that, thanks

[The13thRonin]

Any word on when the next update will be?

[Lord Nightmare]

Saturday. see first post in the thread.

LN

[DennyTom]

I couldnt agree more. A consistent look and feel is very important. So, as stated earlier, noone get offended if something doesnt make it in, or gets replaced, we're just striving for a consistent look. And there is full support for alternative tile-sets anyway

Edit: also, Footkerchief, I will have a look at that, thanks

I agree also - one sprite per animal but please change direction where are creatures facing for some of them. It would be very weird if every single animal was looking to the right.

[strich]

I couldnt agree more. A consistent look and feel is very important. So, as stated earlier, noone get offended if something doesnt make it in, or gets replaced, we're just striving for a consistent look. And there is full support for alternative tile-sets anyway

Edit: also, Footkerchief, I will have a look at that, thanks

I agree also - one sprite per animal but please change direction where are creatures facing for some of them. It would be very weird if every single animal was looking to the right.

Some simple logic should be able to flip the image to the left and right directions no problems.

But for the record - 3D for the win.

[LegoLord]

So hypothetically, there could just be five seperate images of each creature, with the east/west/north/south and diagonal facings being flipped? (flipping wouldn't work for towards-the-screen or away-from-the-screen, though)

[strich]

IMO you either do 1 sprite per creature or you go all out and do simple 3D iso. I really think it is a waste of time doing some complex in-between 2D system. It'd be less work in the long run.

[Neruz]

The usual trick is to do 5 sprites (facing top, facing top-right, facing right, facing bottom-right and facing bottom) and then mirror the 'right' sprites when the critter is facing left.

[LegoLord]

IMO you either do 1 sprite per creature or you go all out and do simple 3D iso. I really think it is a waste of time doing some complex in-between 2D system. It'd be less work in the long run.

If you ask me, it doesn't look right to see a dwarf walking backwards.  And real time does seem to be something people want this in.