Very impressive stuff Although I would have preferred that the Altai had remained a wide, strong river, instead of the more creek-like tributary it currently resembles. Was this changed due to lack of swimming tech in STO (required for traversing a big, deep river on foot)?
We don't have swimming, so I can't make any body of water (you can access) more than about waist deep. And the designers needed playspace on the sides, which ate into the river a bunch.
Statues, tents, the big pink blob you call "nanov"... All these got smaller over the time!
Uh, not sure. I guess we like to go over the top in most things to start, and then try dialing it back to something more reasonable.
A lot of this can simply be attributed to polish. As everything starts coming together, the things that aren't right become obvious, and get pulled in line with the rest. The pillars in front of the main city gate were this way. I put them in because I thought they would look good. As we got things more finalized, we decided that they needed to be impressive, but not so much as to overpower the gate, hence they got shrunk.
The Nanov was stupidly large to begin with. Like, to the point that if you walked up to it, you couldn't even see it's eyes. I don't know that any of the tents shrunk?
They trees appear to get smaller, but the largest ones stayed the same size, we just wanted to get more variety out of them so they didn't all appear to be the same size everywhere.
We don't have swimming, so I can't make any body of water (you can access) more than about waist deep. And the designers needed playspace on the sides, which ate into the river a bunch.
So what software do you guys use to create the terrain, if it is not custom in house of course.
Also, I like the timelapse. The one thing I took away from it is sometimes less is better. I noticed some of the scenery before all the "round rocks" went it looked really good but then got clutter and looked claustrophobic. Now looking back at New Romulus, it could use half the round rocks to open it up a bit more.
I like me some timelapse photography, and it occurred to me while I was building New Romulus, that it might be fun to see the creation of a whole zone in a few seconds. So I started taking screenshots. 1 a day (or so, some anomolies), from the day the map files were first made back at the beginning of August, until today. 62 images in total, from 14 different positions.
And. . . here they are. Hope you enjoy seeing the process, warts and all.
Note that what's shown here is just the changes made within the game editor from day to day. You'll see that the first images already have a good amount of terrain sculpted, and some very rough textures applied. Those were all made outside the engine in the preceding days.
You'll also see some assets just pop in like they were nothing. Let me assure you that there was lots of work being done on them for days or weeks within 3D Studio Max, and were just updated later with more finished assets. (note, the Bridges, City Wall, Nanov for examples).
Lastly, you may notice some views (the Crater, and the Fallen Tree) start off with the camera underground. As you can see, there was a lot of terrain (and other) changes over the course of the map work. I didn't pick camera locations until most things were roughly in place, then I used some programmer magic to take my computer back in time, and get the shots from earlier in the project.
Anyway, it was fun working on this map, and I'm glad the timelapses turned out for the most part. Hope you like them too.
Do what? Make timelapse images? Sure, you can do it right now. There's no magic here, I just took a screenshot a day, and then compiled them all together.
Do what? Make timelapse images? Sure, you can do it right now. There's no magic here, I just took a screenshot a day, and then compiled them all together.
Actually, I'm talking about being able to create these types of maps in the foundry. Like. Making a New Romulus (not that massive, but in terms of detail) type map in the foundry.
It was really a great idea to share this with us. Gave me a much better appreciation for all the work that goes into making a single map and how much more work it was to make New Romulus. Nice job and thank you very much!
I have to say that i really like when we get to see some of the behind the scenes stuff, so thank you for posting these, i just wish a few of the other art devs would do the same when it came to sharing with the forums.
Actually, I'm talking about being able to create these types of maps in the foundry. Like. Making a New Romulus (not that massive, but in terms of detail) type map in the foundry.
Well, I don't think you'll get access to our terrain tools anytime soon, haven't seen that yet anyway. Other than that, I don't know that there's much stopping you as long as assets get foundryized (which I'm sure I failed to do with New Romulus stuff, sorry)
Wait, are you talking about the binoculars that the characters hold when "observing the wildlife"? Because I really dig those! I mean, it's weird that you never actually use them, but they're still cool.
No, down by the waterfall there's a small pad with a tent, table and chairs. Next to those is one of those stand up binoculars you find at boardwalks and tourist destinations. It was a joke that I didn't mean to go live.
Well, I don't think you'll get access to our terrain tools anytime soon, haven't seen that yet anyway. Other than that, I don't know that there's much stopping you as long as assets get foundryized (which I'm sure I failed to do with New Romulus stuff, sorry)
One last question, will Q's Winter Wonderland be different in any way from last year? I'd personally like two racing tracks that intersect in some places.
Perhaps when the zone was/is activated, all of those Romulans get spawned into the exact same spot and so are "joined"?
[SIGPIC]Handle: @kirian_darkstar
Registered: Oct/2009 , LTS : Feb/2011
Fleets: Warriors of the Phoenix, Kirian Industries[/SIGPIC] Three years and still no Captain Klaa hair...
Comments
We don't have swimming, so I can't make any body of water (you can access) more than about waist deep. And the designers needed playspace on the sides, which ate into the river a bunch.
Uh, not sure. I guess we like to go over the top in most things to start, and then try dialing it back to something more reasonable.
A lot of this can simply be attributed to polish. As everything starts coming together, the things that aren't right become obvious, and get pulled in line with the rest. The pillars in front of the main city gate were this way. I put them in because I thought they would look good. As we got things more finalized, we decided that they needed to be impressive, but not so much as to overpower the gate, hence they got shrunk.
The Nanov was stupidly large to begin with. Like, to the point that if you walked up to it, you couldn't even see it's eyes. I don't know that any of the tents shrunk?
They trees appear to get smaller, but the largest ones stayed the same size, we just wanted to get more variety out of them so they didn't all appear to be the same size everywhere.
So what software do you guys use to create the terrain, if it is not custom in house of course.
Also, I like the timelapse. The one thing I took away from it is sometimes less is better. I noticed some of the scenery before all the "round rocks" went it looked really good but then got clutter and looked claustrophobic. Now looking back at New Romulus, it could use half the round rocks to open it up a bit more.
Will we ever be able to do that in the Foundry?
Actually, I'm talking about being able to create these types of maps in the foundry. Like. Making a New Romulus (not that massive, but in terms of detail) type map in the foundry.
Thank you again for posting these
Taco, my compliments on New Romulus, it is a thing of beauty.
Any chance you can activate the binoculars next to the momma nanov? Be funny to put in an EC for a close up.
Well, I don't think you'll get access to our terrain tools anytime soon, haven't seen that yet anyway. Other than that, I don't know that there's much stopping you as long as assets get foundryized (which I'm sure I failed to do with New Romulus stuff, sorry)
LOL Those were put in as a joke and not meant to go live. They'll likely disappear in the next patch, so enjoy them while they're there.
Thank you for your response!
You're the best
www.divisionhispana.com
I Think they could be a byproduct of all the radiation there.
But have you seen these strange critters?
http://imageshack.us/a/img407/923/screenshot2012112912302.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img547/8679/screenshot2012112912292.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img42/6237/screenshot2012112912261.jpg
I like to call them Romupedes.
Perhaps when the zone was/is activated, all of those Romulans get spawned into the exact same spot and so are "joined"?
Registered: Oct/2009 , LTS : Feb/2011
Fleets: Warriors of the Phoenix, Kirian Industries[/SIGPIC]
Three years and still no Captain Klaa hair...