1123 replies to this topic

[Andrea C.]

Maybe he'll do characters since most of his samples are people or beings and not landscapes.

He's drawn portraits for new NPCs as per Trent Oster, but as an art director I suspect he'll be responsible for pretty much all new art in the game.

[Miraz]

Looking at Nat's previous works and saying "that doesn't fit" is a bit silly at this stage. Those were works for other things, with a different vision to match. He'll be producing this art for Baldur's Gate this time, and the project lead's job will be to make sure it fits into the game.

[Eleima]

I would tend to agree with Miraz. Saying his art doesn't fit is like saying an actor can't do movies because he's been on the stage all his life, or that he's incapable of being a capable drama actor because he's done up til now is romantic comedies. I, for one, am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and will be adopting a more sedate "wait and see" position.

[Andrea C.]

I guess this could be of interest for modders (e.g. leaner code = easier modding?) ?

Trent Oster: The original BG code was very Windows 95 oriented. The UI and rendering code were both huge. They are now much simpler.


EDIT:

A few more news from Cameron Tofer, too: the ui logic is being moved out of the code and into the ui data files, where it can be modded

Cameron Tofer: utf-8, kerning pairs, anti-aliasing oh my

Me: The only thing I've understood is anti-aliasing, and it sounds pretty good! No more jagged red and green circles? :-)

Cameron Tofer: those are getting overhauled too.

Edited by Andrea C., 22 April 2012 - 01:08 PM.

[Galsic]

Well, this Nat Jones obviously has the talent (DAMMIT, guys like him make me jealous!) I would certainly like to see if he can adapt that talent to the needs of my utmost favorite game series of all time (in other words: don't eff it up, dawg).

Beyond that, count me as one of those VERY curious to see what a professional team with more access to the game's inner workings than any of us have ever had can do.

[Suslik]

Umm.. Any hints on the date of release?

[Miraz]

Umm.. Any hints on the date of release?

Still too early. "This summer" is all we have. Because, as Trent said ...

@HotSpotBoss As a betting man, I have enough of a grasp on the risks to know going any more detailed than 'this summer' is a bad idea

Maybe some kind of betting pool is in order?

Edited by Miraz, 22 April 2012 - 07:07 PM.

[Vicen]

It would be epic if it released around my birthday hehe...(July 28th) Would certainly be just about the best present ever! However earlier then that is fine too!

[Eleima]

Umm.. Any hints on the date of release?

I'll be updating the thread on BGEE news as often as possible. As you can see in the first post, we've only had a vague "this summer" so far. Wat and see! Summer isn't far off anyhow, May is just around the corner. Unless they're shooting for Southern hemisphere summer.

[Zireael]

I guess this could be of interest for modders (e.g. leaner code = easier modding?) ?

Trent Oster: The original BG code was very Windows 95 oriented. The UI and rendering code were both huge. They are now much simpler.


EDIT:

A few more news from Cameron Tofer, too: the ui logic is being moved out of the code and into the ui data files, where it can be modded

Cameron Tofer: utf-8, kerning pairs, anti-aliasing oh my

Me: The only thing I've understood is anti-aliasing, and it sounds pretty good! No more jagged red and green circles? :-)

Cameron Tofer: those are getting overhauled too.

Jumps up and down at the prospect of the UI being able to be modded and the code being slimmed down - hell, it means the game will run smoother and look better!

About the release date: I don't frankly care. It can be Autumn, for all I know, I just want BGEE to be the best possible!

[Miraz]

I'm putting my marbles down on sometime in August, personally.

[Scars Unseen]

Not sure how much new info is there, but Penny Arcade has an editorial on BGEE. Mostly talking about the iPad port, but there's an interesting aside about the process of getting the project started in the first place.

http://penny-arcade....on-the-ipad-omg

[SirLancelot]

Don't expect anything until October.

[Almateria]

We are scheming as to how to make mods work on the iPad. So far, we only have the basic Weidu-like build system in.

All mods will be IAPs, 0.99$ a piece.

[Miraz]

Dave Gross confirmed as lead writer for new content.

Dave first joined TSR as an editor for Polyhedron Newszine. Later he edited Dungeon and Dragon magazines, while also writing fantasy fiction on the side. His Forgotten Realms novels include Black Wolf and Lord of Stormweather. More recently he’s published Prince of Wolves and Master of Devils for Pathfinder Tales, and was a co-author for Winter Witch.

“I was sitting in a coffee shop complaining about the lack of classic RPGs for the iPad,” says Dave, “when Trent appeared in a sulphurous cloud and said, ‘Have I got a job for you.’”

While the opportunity to play his favorite RPGs on a tablet was strong incentive, Dave says the most exciting part is working with a talented team whose knowledge of games and the Realms makes him insist they take the front in marching order.

Seems to be an established writer of Forgotten Realms novels, so sure as heck will know the setting. Haven't read any of his stuff though.

Edited by Miraz, 26 April 2012 - 01:32 PM.

[Archmage Silver]

Sam Hulick composing - I don't approve. He may have liked Michael Hoenig's work all those years ago, and he may even say that this is a full circle for him, but I still don't think he is fit for this task. Mass Effect is a sci-fi setting, and the music composed for the series is drastically different from the BG series. I think this is a bad move, and will result in tracks that are out-of-sync with the original soundtrack.

[Eleima]

I disagree, AMS, that's like saying an actor should stay away from drama because all he's done up til now is comedy. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, they've said they won't touch Hoenig, so at best, Hulick should score but a fragment of the score.

[Kaeloree]

I looove Sam Hulick, I can't wait to see what he comes up with... I loved his work on Mass Effect

[Archmage Silver]

I disagree, AMS, that's like saying an actor should stay away from drama because all he's done up til now is comedy. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, they've said they won't touch Hoenig, so at best, Hulick should score but a fragment of the score.

I don't think that's an apt comparison. Actors can change their styles with greater ease than a composer can learn to compose well in a new style. Despite what people may generally think, most composers tend to have similarities within their works that are quite evident if you've heard something from them before. And I've never though of Hulick as a composer fit for fantasy themed scores, especially not if his work is supposed to give continuity to M. Hoenig's original soundtrack. People will disagree, but this is where I stand.