Art Developer Blog: Deeper in the Underdark

strumslinger

We’ll be going over our thoughts and process in reworking the leveling dungeons as well as creating the Arm of the Delzoun, Old Dragon's Lair and Araj Tower environments.

http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/neverwinter/news/detail/9794563

two30

metalldjt said:

ok , those 3 new places look interesting ...
when can we visit them ? XD

You can visit them now on the preview server. Arm of the Delzoun is Chapter 1, Old Dragon's Lair is Chapter 4, and Araj Tower is Chapter 5.

I really like Old Dragon's Lair and Araj Tower. Arm of the Delzoun has an enemy-behind-invisible-wall bug that makes it less fun.

beckylunatic

The art process blogs are always interesting. Please tell Ryan I enjoyed reading it.

mstrssihr

I really like these posts and love the fact that share them with us. Thank you! x

zekethesinner

So.... u used that new environment artist to redo old dungs and project one cool tower, instead of making him do 4 new (or old too), cool endgame dungs?

Disappointment. I will never understand this game managment decisions.

But who cares about old players. Its like saying to us, "go away, u already bought everything we had to offer, we dont need u anymore, shhhhe shhhhe, go away."

(Sin)cerely
Kain

kreatyve

I really enjoyed this blog post as well. I'm always so curious about what goes into making a video game.

l3thin4th

zekethesinner said:

So.... u used that new environment artist to redo old dungs and project one cool tower, instead of making him do 4 new (or old too), cool endgame dungs?

Disappointment. I will never understand this game managment decisions.

But who cares about old players. Its like saying to us, "go away, u already bought everything we had to offer, we dont need u anymore, shhhhe shhhhe, go away."

(Sin)cerely
Kain

Have you ever managed someone as a supervisor?
Believe me, the last thing you do is giving him/her the most complicated task in your list.
He wrote clearly that he is new to the team and D&D (I interpret the "relatively" as = I did something similar in the past).
If you take him and you give him something complicated as a end game dungeon, you simply throw him in a den of lions and ask him to crawl is way out.
Preparing a leveling dungeon is far easier. Moreover, if you happen to do a mistake, better do it on a 3 men dungeon and learn from it instead of deliver it in a 5/10 men endgame dungeon, which is something for the most hardcore/affectioned players (who are, understandingly, more demanding than leveling players).

Personally, I am happy with this decision: hire someone, let him grow and take confidence, then increase the task difficulty.

beckylunatic

Well the art in a levelling dungeon isn't different from the art in the epic version. But you also don't ask an artist to design your boss mechanics.

Still, the lighting update is a good project for someone new to the team, and now that he's worked on designing some (actually new) quest instances, maybe they can put Ryan to work on a nice new dungeon soon.

ambisinisterr

Great blog and clearly written by somebody who takes great care in what he is doing.

I love the attention to detail. I mean having an actual light source is a minor detail but it does make a huge difference as those pictures clearly show. Keep up that mindset because games really are made by attention to those little details.

I really appreciate this behind the scenes view of development and the level of detail. Thank you and I can't wait to see what you bring to the game in the future.

wildfirede

As i always said, the strongest side of this game - art/level design.
That is the thing that still keeps me logging on.
Hope the rest of the team does it job and we can enjoy this in a good manner.

jganth

Hands down one of the best posts/development installments I have read on ANY game I have ever followed. The amount of articulated detail and connected process explanation of how Ryan works through the steps really helps put into perspective just how much effort goes into building these areas.
Thank you very much for sharing that much detail - it's a true inspiration and welcome news that there exists a directive to broaden the Underdark with more content in this manner, beyond what was released recently. Great work - I will continue to support this game.

I agree with what was said above regarding content and lore knowledge - the D&D realm was designed to be experienced in our own perspectives, and that exposure can be easily accrued with immersion. It can't be a prerequisite when filling that type of role. Knowing that they are working in that manner serves only to make the game better and better over time.

orangebang

Welcome Ryan, thanks for the good work. I just wish your paymasters had a little meat in between their heads.

dugakrum

I find the art work very interesting and at the moment I ask myself where did I see Araj Did I read it in Salvatore books or did I play it somewhere?? But I felt some of the changes were somewhat to bright the gold areas seem to be ok but the surrounding rocks, stones were to bright. I do know what I have seen of late the Dungeons seems to get better I appreciate the good read tho and for you to take the time to share it I am really looking forward to the final work.