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New graphics - any requests?

Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:42 pm
by Hemisphere
Hi,

I'm new here, but I've been lurking the boards for a while, and I've generally been following this project with some interest :) I've spoken with a couple of the team (Moorfox and Nitram) and I'm going to be arranging to make some new graphics for Illarion!

I'm no wonder-wizard of course, but I get by ;)

Obviously there are a LOT of graphics that fall under the "could be better" category, and this is something I'd like to address eventually, but what I'm most interested to know right now is what would be considered "really not good enough", and especially "things we've wanted for a long time that wouldn't require much/any additional coding to impliment"

I've noticed a lot of suggestions shot down on this forum due to the lack of active artists, but it would be best if we can start a fresh list here!

So, if there's anything relating to graphics you'd really like fixed, updated, changed, or added, just write it here. I'll start to compile a list, and begin work asap on the most popular requests.

I won't be making anything animated at this point, and although that's not something I would rule out in the future, I'd like if the requests remain statics for now (animated environment art like a trap door, or an opening chest, is okay. A dragon, on the other hand, is not ;))

In cases where a piece of old artwork will be replaced with a new one, I'll first run a poll to see if people generally prefer the new to the old. Hopefully that will be acceptable.

I am of course only human (well, perhaps not of course in these parts ;)), so there will be times when I'll work on a few things, and others when I'm not making anything, but I'll try and make time for all of the more pressing and popular requests.

I've been sent a pack of Illarion's graphics by Nilram, so I should know roughly all the graphics in the game, but if I'm not sure I'll post an image first for clarification.

Looking forward to hearing all your suggestions :)

Hemisphere

Edit: I just noticed I put this in the wrong forum - it was intended for the "suggestions" forum. If a moderator wants to move it there, that'd be fine :)

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5515/pixel3.jpg (an example of some of my previous work, so you know roughly what to expect, but this is quite old actually, I've improved somewhat since this was made)

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:08 am
by Juliana D'cheyne
Skirts to go in the same slot as trousers and different color dresses along with articles to wear on the head besides helmet or sloppy hat such as caps, combs, ribbons, feather (though I think there is already a graphic for feather). Bandages, clean and blood soaked would be a good addition. A cape with a hood has been mentioned before also. Anything you can make however would be very much appreciated!

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:21 am
by Vern Kron
A farmer's straw hat! I can't believe we don't have this, and I have always wanted it.

Perhaps some fencing would be nice...

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:24 am
by AlexRose
More clothes :P

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:28 am
by Hemisphere
Like a picket/garden fence? I already have something like that actually, I'll upload an image in a sec :)

Straw hat also no problem - anything with 360 degree rotational symmetry can be made quickly and easily.

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:30 am
by Ashayen
I wonder when the first will scream "Tobacco" here :wink:

But first off, Hello :) and thanks for showing so much interest that you're willing to improve Illa with graphics! That's pretty much appreciated!

Well, yes, clothes, i think that is somehow one of the most wanted things that we want to have done here.
But i must say that i'm impressed by the pic you show there, maybe some nice pumpkins would be even something for us, placed around the fields. I'd like that. ^^

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:35 am
by Hemisphere
Thanks Ashayen :) Actually I tend to specialize in atmosphere building environment art - stuff that's not *needed* but that makes the game a more fun place to be. Like you said, pumpkins placed randomly in the fields.

As I said I do want to field the requests of what people feel is actually "missing" (rather than what would be nice), but as I'm in the process of self-teaching, I'll probably come out with all sorts of random stuff like vegetables, pots and pans, etc, and if they can find a home in Illarion, I'll be more than happy to donate them!

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:41 am
by Jason Felarion
tobacco :lol:

I think everything is welcome to raise the huge- and amazingness of Illarion.
I don't really miss things (alright, maybe tobacco :)), but if new things are implemented I would now what was missing.

Go straight with full support!

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:52 am
by Mr. Cromwell
Wooden house walls.

And hi ;)

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:13 am
by Hemisphere
By tobacco, do people actually mean (ideally) "tobacco plants, tobacco leaves, matches, box of matches, pipes (as an equippable object), dried tobacco leaves, and shredded dried tobacco leaves"? ;) "tobacco" is a little vague. All of them are quite easy to make, except the actual tobacco plant.

Image

This would be the fence graphic - I can cut it down to like 3 different heights so it could be a full height wall fence (for an arena or somesuch), or a small "garden" fence, or even smaller for borders around flowerbeds etc.

I just had a go at making a skirt and some bandages but if I'm honest I've never tried making a piece of clothing before, it came out looking a little more like a kilt, so I put a ribbon round it ;)

Image

I'll be updating things as I go, so nothing is necessarily final, it's just more fun for me to post a bit as I work, and to also get some feedback/critique.

Edit: Gah, I keep forgetting to adjust the graphics into Illarion's viewpoint, I'm used to working with 45 degree angles from Ultima lol

Image

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:18 am
by Pellandria
Oh man those rooftiles look freaking amazing, not exactly fitting ilalrions graphic style but hell, they look awesome.

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:22 am
by Eyda
Woooo!
Welcome! :)

Don't really something for input actually but just wanted to say "great" :wink:

btw, what software do you use?
Just curious :wink:

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:28 am
by Hemisphere
3DS Max + Photoshop

Cheers for all the welcomes guys! I'm sure I've never felt so immediately welcome on an Internet forum before :D

Makes me want to make a lot of stuff and post it all real quick but then I end up rushing needlessly, so I'm gonna say ciao for now, and tomorrow I'll be back with some updates :)

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:31 am
by Shenandrea
Seems like Illa draws quite a few graphic talented people ;)

Hi and have fun working on those graphics. They're amazing ;)

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 2:02 am
by Vern Kron
I wasn't thinking giant 'wall' type, but something like.. "Lets keep the sheep in this fenced in area." It would work, but something like.. half the size that people could look over and still keep cows/sheep/pigs inside would be nice. Not to get picky or anything though, thats good too.

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 2:55 am
by Athian
wellll since you asked...

A spear for poking ^^

not just the silly distance weapon variety, i good old two handed death dealer :wink:

and more monsters ^^ possibly birds (we have no birds imagine that, not even chickens)

or even monster-birds *gasp*

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 3:04 am
by Hemisphere
Hmm.. I think I said something like I'd post back tomorrow ;) well.. as it's now 2 in the morning of the day after I said that, I guess it's okay to post these:

Image

From left to right, a stiff brimmed straw hat with hatband, a floppy straw farmers hat, and a floppy cloth hat for.. er.. fishermen. Or ladies at horse races, I'm not entirely sure.

Oh and a shiney gold crown for yer royalty :D

Edit: Athian, you'd have to be a bit more specific really. Are there no spears at all currently ingame? Otherwise I'm a bit stuck as to what the stylistic difference would be between a two handed poking spear and a one handed throwing spear. A spears a spear, that's what I was always taught. Or am I thinking of spades?

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 3:29 am
by Athian
our current spear consists of a diagonal brown line with a very modest thing that might be a point maybe. it roughly resembles a long arrow, as expected since it the throwing variety (lame ^^) i shall attempt to dig out a picture soon enough

the point would be to add some stylist difference too form something of a better looking melee version. then we feed our Dev's laxatives and lock all the bathroom doors until they submit to placing it in as a valid weapon
:wink:

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 3:50 am
by Hemisphere
Oh, yea I see the spear. That's unfortunate :D I'll see what I can do about that.

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 4:20 am
by Hemisphere
ImageRight, so I made this spear slightly shorter, and more sturdy looking, with a metal clasp on both ends (which the throwing spear presumably wouldn't have, as it would add unnescessary weight). I don't think spears ever really have much other than a pole and a pointy bit at the end, but I think the short and fatness makes it more obviously for hand-to-hand combat.

Also made a body sash, for good measure :) may convert that model into a bandana later, for all you ninjas ;) (also, a belt perhaps. Although as I understand it the entire bottom half of the paperdoll is supposed to represent the belt? So maybe that doesn't make much sense!)

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 4:36 am
by Athian
*thumbs up*

Im already making the special brownies :twisted:

nice work btw

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:19 am
by Hemisphere
Not sure if there are any instruments ingame already, but a bard without a lute would be a poor one indeed ;)

Image

Looking forward to those brownies btw - if they're the sort of "special" brownies I'm thinking of.

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:44 am
by Vern Kron
We actually do, and we have it ig.

On that note, if I recall correctly, there is a fair number of graphics made, but not all of them have coding and thus aren't IG. Yet.

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:12 am
by Hemisphere
Oh yea - I see it now! The filename is in German :D

Still it was fun to make!

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:12 am
by Estralis Seborian
Hello Hemisphere,
thanks for offering your support!
Vern Kron wrote:On that note, if I recall correctly, there is a fair number of graphics made, but not all of them have coding and thus aren't IG. Yet.
I'd like to stress this - many of the requested graphics already exist and will be part of future client update. So, better get in contact with Nitram before creating graphics we already have.

My personal list of non animated objects:
  • The lacking transition tiles (e.g. marble with stone)
  • A backpack
  • Concussion weapons, in special magic ones (e.g. "thunder hammer" or a war flail)

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:20 am
by Llama
If you can make all the frames required for a llama graphic , I will be very happy.

Otherwise, I could always dig up my fishing proposal, since all it needed was graphics.

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:27 am
by Hemisphere
Estralis: Understood :) I'm just in the process of self-teaching at the moment though really, so everything is worth making for me, even if it won't be used by Illarion (I dare say there are other free projects out there who would happily use anything Illarion doesn't want or need!) - besides, I can always reuse the meshes later for something else anyway.

Actually a backpack is on my own personal list of things I'd like to make, so I'll get on that one pretty soon. Also a pouch, some crates, and various other containers - all things I need practice in :) If I'm feeling daring maybe even a drawstring bag, but I can't even imagine how that would work yet :) haven't got the hang of cloth yet at all - I'm sure there's a trick to it!

Hadrian: I'm not sure about llamas - as I said I'm not really at the stage of being able to create my own animations from scratch.

If people are really interested in getting some new creatures into the game sooner rather than later though, there is an option available:

http://www.realmcrafter.com/store/produ ... 283&page=1
http://www.realmcrafter.com/store/produ ... 283&page=1

These are quality models, and fairly cheap when you consider how much you'd get. $100 for 22 animals with 8 animations per animal. I could also easily modify these to create a whole host of new animals and monsters, if that's what people want. A few spikes here and an interesting paintjob, or even some "armour", and something like a beetle or a bat, or even a lion, could become quite an interesting monster (or just rename the bat "vampire bat", rename the dog "hell-hound", etc etc ;))

The donkey in those packs could theoretically be modified into a llama even :D

Actually that is a fairly unique bargain as far as pre-rigged and animated models go. If you're buying monsters they tend to be like $300+ per model, unless you do all the rigging and animation yourself, which is (imo) the hardest part.

God, now I'm starting to sound like a salesman.

Serious suggestion though. I'm not sure what Illarion's funds are like (probably in the red I reckon from server costs etc?), but if we had a bit of a whip round for some models, maybe it could happen.

Edit: Actually I sound dangerously like a salesman, considering how new I am here. Just want to stress that I'm absolutely not! I mean, I could be, probably, but I'm really not :D

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:28 am
by Vern Kron
I don't recall a sash, a spear like that, or any of those hats (or fence) in it Estralis. Now, I could be wrong, but as far as I can tell they are not present.

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:51 am
by Djironnyma
Well since i mapping more and more i miss really more variations of the existing graphics. eg a stonewall with a crack or more broken furniture (we have only a broken table).

For placeable items i miss a few thinks telescope and blackboards or a bedroll would be nice.

At dropable items i would specially like to see more rp used items eg:
bandage
Dragon dent
crystal ball
sealring
slavecollar
letter / document

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:08 am
by Hemisphere
I posted a bandage + bloody variety earlier in the thread.

Could you clarify what's meant by a dragon dent, and a sealring?

Also telescope, you mean like a proper big astronomy telescope? Or a handheld one for sailing and such (I hope the latter!)