AoD - first 3D screen

Vault Dweller · Aug 21, 2005

Here is the first screen which is basically a 3D test. Opinions, unnecessary harsh criticism, paybacks for something are welcome!

http://img400.imageshack.us/my.php?image=camp2bj.jpg

Edit:

Same place, different zoom and camera.

http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=camp29sk.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=camp31ua.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=camp49oo.jpg

Sandelfron · Aug 21, 2005

Not bad for a solo effort - what's it coded in?

Whipporowill · Aug 21, 2005

Looks promising, I'm sure the graphics will improve during time.

Jora · Aug 21, 2005

The previous screens looked much better. They had style, that's just ugly. Everything seems to be made of legos.

callehe · Aug 21, 2005

Looks ok, though I'd prefer 2d.

VD, you said earilier that the animations were made in 3d? Well, The character models on this pic doesnt look nearly as good as those animation pics, how come?

Looking forward to the game though, 2d as well as 3d .-.

Atrokkus · Aug 21, 2005

They do look kinda cartoonish. You need to rework the palette. Make it a bit less flashy and stuff. Add a realistic feel.
Other than that, I think you are moving in the right direction.
Keep up the good work, just try to get rid of cartoonery.

Visbhume · Aug 21, 2005

Looks cool. I don't mind the cartoony feel at all.

Niektory · Aug 21, 2005

Yeah, definitely too cartoonish. It may be just lack of more advanced lighting though.
What viewpoint will the game have?

Atrokkus · Aug 21, 2005

What viewpoint will the game have?

FIRST PERSON LAWL!

Man, that's one weird question, don't you think?

Vault Dweller · Aug 21, 2005

Sandelfron said:
Not bad for a solo effort - what's it coded in?

Not really a solo effort. Torque Engine http://www.garagegames.com/

Whippo said:
Looks promising, I'm sure the graphics will improve during time.

I'm sure. What bothers you now though? That doesn't imply that I think that the graphics are awesome, but I need to know what you liked, what you didn't like. In details.

Jora said:
The previous screens looked much better. They had style, that's just ugly. Everything seems to be made of legos.

I guess this statement is a proof that you can't please everyone. Anyway, again, can you be more specific, what style did you refer to?

callehe said:
VD, you said earilier that the animations were made in 3d? Well, The character models on this pic doesnt look nearly as good as those animation pics, how come?

Less polys. Keep in mind the size though. I'll post a screen with a zoom level corresponding to the normal size shortly.

mEtaLL1x said:
They do look kinda cartoonish. You need to rework the palette. Make it a bit less flashy and stuff. Add a realistic feel.

More details? What's less flashy?

Vishbhume said:
Looks cool. I don't mind the cartoony feel at all.

Thank God, someone actually likes it.

Atrokkus · Aug 21, 2005

Hey! I didn't say it was bad or something!
I just wanted to point out that it's a bit cartoonish.

Sandelfron · Aug 21, 2005

The graphics as they are look 'unfinished' but would be a good place to work from.

Adding more texture maps would help (e.g. the armour, whilst a good model,
could do with grains, dents, subtle designs and colours). I'd also increase the
poly count on the treestumps and barrels.

That engine does look good for prototyping games, though personally I'd
prefer to code everything up myself. Since the scripting language claims
to be C style, this would make it an even more valuable prototyping tool.

Whipporowill · Aug 21, 2005

Vault Dweller said:
Whippo said:

Looks promising, I'm sure the graphics will improve during time.

Click to expand...

I'm sure. What bothers you now though? That doesn't imply that I think that the graphics are awesome, but I need to know what you liked, what you didn't like. In details.

There wasn't anything I disliked per se... more I can imagine it will be polished and changed around a bit - as you say it's a first test. Characters might be a bit blocky and bulbous, and everything seems a bit too rounded, but that's probably the cartoony part people keep referring to - I don't find it too horrible, as having a 3d engine will allow things like this scenario, where instead of standing around in a circle, we will actually have sitting people et c. Looks less realistic, but more lifelike sort of...

Jora · Aug 21, 2005

Vault Dweller said:
Anyway, again, can you be more specific, what style did you refer to?

What I meant is that the new screen feels bland and yes, cartoony in a bad way. The level of detail in the tavern shot was much higher and the animated avatars (and the avatars in the screenshot) looked more natural than these.
I also prefer the fixed camera angle of 2D isometric games to the Dungeon Siege/Prelude to Darkness type of 3D games.

Human Shield · Aug 21, 2005

It looks alright but same as I worried about going 3D, it looks plastic'y, cartoony, and blocky. Going to need to see a overhead view that is zoomed out far enough like the 2D screenshots, then dialog mite be reasonable to zoom in on.

The sprites looked cooler, better color pallette and the helmets provided a dark-comic look of shadowed eyes. Don't know if you can get the same style with 3D.

I made this:

Vault Dweller · Aug 21, 2005

Thanks for the picture, HS. Appreciate your help and efforts. The graphics are unpolished, unlike the 2D avatars you've seen. This screen is a test, nothing more. All I'm asking here is whether or not you see the promise. The rest would be developed, improved, and polished.

Atrokkus · Aug 21, 2005

That's great. Wish you luck.

So, are the story/dialogs etc finished? Or you do gfx and other stuff simultaneously?
Just how long is it going to take, approximately?

Vault Dweller · Aug 21, 2005

mEtaLL1x said:
That's great. Wish you luck.

Thanks

So, are the story/dialogs etc finished?

Yes.

Just how long is it going to take, approximately?

Hard to say at this point. Until we have a final look/style, I can't say anything other than next year.

corvax · Aug 21, 2005

Meh. Previous character models were much better looking (more detailed). I guess this can be solved by working on more poly counts. Same goes for tents and barrels. As people mentioned earlier, things look blocky and cartoony but the promise is there. Not sure if the overall change to 3d, considering how much work it needs, would be worth it i.e. whether the game would be able to compete visually with other 3d RPGs.

Niektory · Aug 21, 2005

mEtaLL1x: I mean the angle and distance.

If you keep the camera the way it was in the 2D version (zoomed out) lack of detail won't be visible at all. I think it's worth the effort, after some work it will look much better than in 2D.

Atrokkus · Aug 21, 2005

Bah, we're starting to talk like graphic whores !

^_^ Well, I'm an artist myself, so I kinda tend to be critical in this aspect, but still - in RPG I value other things more.

Dregur · Aug 21, 2005

Actually, you know what the screens remind of? Silent Storm in that same cartoony look. I mean, if it looks this good just during a test phase, I think it could look great. Just higher-rez textures or something.

-The Grinman :D

dipdipdip · Aug 21, 2005

I don't mind the new look myself.

xemous · Aug 21, 2005

It looks way better than that 2d crap. Are you going to lock the camera and zoom level VD, or allow the user to free form zoom in and rotate.

If it was me I would lock, then I'd have to think more about object placement and level design and such.

Psilon · Aug 21, 2005

Well, without any kind of visible interface, expect comments solely on the graphics.

I don't have any real problems with the models themselves, but the textures need a bit more contrast. Right now everything looks a bit too plastic; I see where the Lego comments are coming from. Some of those breastplates remind me of the 16-color era, in fact, since only about 2 or 3 shades of gray seem to be involved.

One thing I really suggest you do is turn on shadowing. Torque's got shadow functionality built in--check the samples--and that should be sufficient. Right now, though, it looks like the tents are just hovering over the grass. In fact, I thought the middle tent had some sort of Z-buffering problem before my eyes figured out the proper depths. The shadows don't have to be anything particularly elaborate, but they provide a good location cue.

AoD - first 3D screen

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