Noble Savage
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Posts
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Joined
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Update! I've looked at all the submitted entries (hundreds of them), and I gotta say--you guys did a great job. You followed the art direction tips quite well, and no zone went unphotographed. We received multiple entries for every zone, and that's exactly what we were hoping for.
I'm going to sign off here before I give away any contest results by accident, but again, nice work everyone!
Stay tuned for announcements on this... -
Incidently, the email works fine, and we're continuing to receive new entries (thanks!). Make sure to use an intermediary like Sendspace.com to send us links to your finished files (as opposed to the files themselves). The inbox will not accept attachments that are too large.
Thanks! -
Hang in there, guys. We'll double-check the email.
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Quote:Good question, but I actually don't know the answer off-hand. Going to guess that the more obscure ones (i.e. not Atlus Park and not Steel Canyon) will receive fewer entries. Just an educated guess, though.Originally Posted by Tigra_Swipe
Can you tell us if there are any zones with a lack of entries?
Honestly, though, feel free to photograph any zones you like. -
Quote:Would prefer to have no npcs, period. Hence, the MA suggestion. Shots that have npcs in them will still be considered, but we'll probably Photoshop out the npcs.Originally Posted by Dark_Respite
Are you averse to us positioning certain NPCs to someplace a little more scenic to represent the zone? Or are we going for accuracy over style here?
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Quote:Fair enough.Originally Posted by Golden Girl
I prefer the term "super-fan"
Let's give credit where credit's due: this brilliant suggestion came straight from Golden Girl.
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Quote:That's true. Guess that bug has a silver lining after all.Originally Posted by Zombie Man
Most of the zones are actually missing NPCs, at least the ones that walk around.
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Hey, guys! I'd particularly like to get our resident artists involved in the Loading Screen Contest that's going on right now. Just posted a new thread about it here http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showt...47#post3202947 (which also links to the original announcement and rules).
Hope to see some cool entries from you.
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Hey, folks. There's a little over a week left in our Design a Loading Screen Contest, which is our latest player-submitted content opportunity, and I wanted to encourage all of you to give it a shot if you haven't already.
The idea, of course, is to use your mad photography skillz to help create new, improved loading screens for use IN THE ACTUAL GAME. Now that Ultramode's available, it'd be crazy NOT to show it off in the loadscreens, and hey, if your work is accepted, you know what that means: bragging rights forever.
There are prizes of course, and you see how to enter/ check out the rules here:
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=234986
Couple of useful notes:
--we've just updated the frames to be more download friendly and compatible with more versions of Photoshop
--a fan points out that if you run the zones through MA, you can keep npcs out of the pics (which helps us on the back end)
We've received lots of great entries so far, but with dozens of loadscreens to redo, you have plenty of opportunities to win.
Good luck!
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Quote:Right. As newer, better options come online, I imagine that almost everyone will choose them naturally. And it's not about majority or minority--the development need, as I see it, is to get the old stuff out of the picture and to focus players around a core set of aesthetically-consistent, high-quality pieces. If we can do that without collateral damage, that sounds like a winning plan to me.Originally Posted by Optinator
As for the effect this will have on the overall 'look' of the game, I doubt most players will use those legacy options anyway. Now, I don't think that means the devs should always cater to the minority as long as it makes up a sizeable percentage, but in this situation the solution satisfies just about everyone all the same (except maybe the programmers that have to work on the UI).
If it was just about me, I'd go for Option 1 because I'm really excited about the newest, coolest stuff (no surprise there!). But I'm not the only guy playing this game. I want each and every one of you to have an awesome experience on your own terms, so ultimately I'll cast my vote with everyone's interests in mind. -
Hey, guys. Just wanted to thank everyone for casting a vote and for helping us get a better picture of what the playerbase is thinking. Here's my takeaway from reading the 22+ pages of thoughts on the topic: Arguments on both sides were compelling to the point where a third option, perhaps involving the menu setup, seems like the best way to satisfy all parties. This is NOT a promise of future action, but it's the view I'll express on your behalf.
So yay--everyone wins. We'll make every effort to create new pieces that give you all better options in areas that might be lacking. And don't worry, Option 2 folks--nothing will be removed from the system.
If anyone would like to comment further about specific costume pieces, please don't hesitate to post in the All Things Art thread.
Cheers,
Noble Savage -
Quote:I absolutely have a preference for Option 1, because I think the game as a whole and new players in particular would be better served by that choice. I've made the case for consistency, evolution, etc.Originally Posted by Dollymistress
On a related note, I am kinda amused at Noble's obvious bias. His question is kinda like "hey guys, would you like the shiny super and wise option 1 or the diabolical, senseless and downright insane option 2? Anyone for waaaaacky option 2? No? Good...phew."
That said, I'd rather make decisions informed by community input, even if it doesn't square with my personal opinion. Our fundamental goal is pretty simple: to give you guys what you want, and that's why I'm asking your opinion. Thanks very much for the metric ton of responses--it's all very helpful.
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Quote:Fair enough, and point taken.Originally Posted by Johnstone
There's a big difference between calling a 256x256 and a 1024x1024 texture though. The 1024 is going to have a file size that's 16 times the size of the 256 (Don't know if you'd be going with that much of a size change, but yeah). It's why I run into such a drastic framerate drop in praetoria, every texture there is huge compared to PC and RI.
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One thing to consider is that redo-ing the menus and placement of items within them is, in itself, a significant amount of work for the Character and Tech teams. Assume that any menu work will consume 50% of the time available for any redos.
Bottom line, avoiding menu work is preferable and brings us back to Options 1 and 2. -
Quote:It shouldn't. The computer is still calling just one texture.Originally Posted by Dalantia
Is this going to affect my framerate? ;p
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Quote:This perfectly sums up why I'd be in favor of legacy updates. You guys are providing lots of great edge cases to consider--keep 'em coming. We want to be extremely cautious when touching old stuff, and to make sure that everyone walks away happy.Originally Posted by EarthWyrm
Option 1. There are a bunch of legacy pieces that I would never consider using with anything more recent, because the relative textures make my characters look like they're mixing clothes with body paint. ...I'd love updated versions of a lot of the pieces, both male and female.
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Quote:Yes. We're talking about the diffuse (base) texture layer pretty much exclusively here, so lower-end systems would see exactly the same improvement as higher-end systems.Originally Posted by vulpish_one
Would revamped costume pieces be fully compatible with lower graphics options?
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Quote:Duly noted. If shiny finish and/or geometry were altered, I wouldn't have a problem with leaving the legacy version.Originally Posted by PhroX
If it was just a tidying up of old stuff, rendering them in higher res and so on, then I'd go for Option 1.
If though, there were any real changes, then it's Option 2 for me. I'm talking about things like the alterations to thigh high boots, or the "shinyness" added to many metallic pieces with Ultra Mode. If the changes are like this, then I would still want access to the old stuff. -
Quote:Sure. Not saying that this is in the queue or anything, but take a look at the tank top. Currently, it's a simple cut-out without any details. Now look at a real-world tank top (like this one http://www.undershirtguy.com/wp-cont...n-tank-top.jpg) and note the trim and stitching along the edges and bottom. Also note the subtle folds and even subtler fabric texture. These are things that could be improved in an updated texture. Would it still be a plain white tank top? Of course! But it'd be a lot more realistic and convincing.Originally Posted by Optinator
Is there any way we could have an example of this? I don't mean an image of the updated texture or anything, but rather what costume pieces are considered blurry, and what specific upgrades could be made.
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Quote:Good point. The Metallic set is something I'd like to deal with separately, but to weigh in really quickly: I agree that a certain look and feel is missing now, and we'd like to put that back for you but probably under a different name. I think 'new' Metallic is truer to the concept of an all-chrome character, but I understand that you'd like a mix-n-match plainer version as well. Totally understood.Originally Posted by BasilAcid
Same but better sounds great here, but the Ultra mode overhauls to the Metallic set of pieces ruined one of my character's costumes. My first 50 from launch, in his signature outfit. It still looks fine on the settings I play, but clashes severely for those running the game at it's highest settings. I still have it as a costume slot, but he plays as something else entirely.
I know you can't promise that won't happen with these revamped pieces, but I think that's what we're concerned about here. -
Quote:Right. No one would be forced to update if they really love the old texture--it'd be a tailer opt-in.Originally Posted by kusanagi
Chances are you're going to get complains whichever option you choose. That said, though, the 'clutter' is /already/ getting out of hand with the dozens and dozens of different pattern options on various items of clothing.
I'd personally go with a modification of option 1 - remove old versions of patters from the tailor options when an updated variant is made, but don't remove them from the database yet. That way, people who sincerely prefer to keep their costumes as is can simply keep that particular costume slot unchanged while new players don't have to suffer the clutter from the legacy junk when trying out new costumes. -
Quote:Just so we're completely clear, the hypothetical 'new' pieces would look 100% identical at distance, use essentially the same geometry, and differ only in the sense that they look crisper/cleaner/sharper up close. There would be absolutely NO impact to a toon's theme because there'd be no discernable aesthetic change.Originally Posted by TheJazMan
I am for option 2. Keep both versions. Some old versions could be critical to the theme of a toon. I don't think it's right to just remove pieces. They may seem dated but that term can be subjective...some people may enjoy them.
Would you really use the legacy asset w/ older, blurrier texture if a cleaner, sharper version was available to you? If so, I'd love to understand why you feel that way. -
Quote:Anything's possible with enough dev time allocated, but my gut feeling is that almost everyone would prefer the look of 'new tights' and that 'classic tights' would gather dust. The goal would be to polish up the assets you already know and love, so they essentially look the same...but better.Originally Posted by FredrikSvanberg
To avoid clutter, is it possible to make the two versions into sub-options of every piece? For example:
Tights
-Classic Tights
-New Tights
Also, I still feel that this introduces unnecessary clutter into the system, reduces new user-friendliness, and ultimately hurts the game experience. -
Quote:This is more a general question about how you guys would like to see the game evolve, so I don't want to address specific pieces. That said, I think the oldest, lowest rez pieces would be ones most likely to get a revamp.Originally Posted by Dark_Respite
If I might ask, what are the odds for revamping some of the oldest pieces that still remain quite popular? That way we'd get the best of both worlds...
Otherwise, I vote option 1. -
Hey, folks. So I have two overarching philosophies when it comes to the Art Direction in COH: first, that we continue to improve the quality bar with every new initiative we undertake and second, that we not forget about the legacy art as this happens. But when it comes to legacy art, there are of course items in the Costume Creator that are starting to show their age. We could hypothetically remake these assets with crisper, more detailed textures and modern shaders and do our best to maintain the 'flavor' and 'feel' of the originals, with the goal of giving you the same stuff, only better.
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But then there's a choice on how to deploy them, and that's where this very informal poll comes in: How would you, the players, want to approach this issue?
HYPOTHETICAL OPTION 1: Old assets would be removed from the Costume Creator menu and you'd have the newer, updated ones instead.
Pro: This raises the overall quality bar of the game by eliminating the oldest, least-attractive pieces; players look cooler; everything looks more consistent and modern. Less menu clutter.
Con: change is scary; perhaps some players will prefer the old pieces?
HYPOTHETICAL OPTION 2: We leave the old version alone and put the new version immediately below it in the Costume Creator.
Pro: Nothing is 'taken away.'
Con: Outmoded art remains, clashes progressively more with newer, modern assets. Menus swell with 2 options for each basic piece, making it harder to navigate.
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So you can see where I stand on this. Personally, I'd like to see the game's art evolve, improve, and remain consistent, so I much prefer Option 1. But as always, I'd be interested to hear what you guys think about this. Do me a favor and please keep your posts short and to the point.
Possible grist for the mill:
--non-animated tails were left in Costume Creator when Animated Tails were added. Do any of you use the non-moving ones at this point?