hlidskialf; Where were you and that file two and a half years ago when I really needed them? If it looks right I might just finish the map sometime.
Everyone else;
I've confirmed it's 45 degrees on a few pages that weren't around a couple years back. I also found my misteak in the process I made squares that were all 45 degrees, but all that did was turn the map 45 degrees not the perspective. DOH!
NPC interaction (dialogue) is VITAL to a mod. you can throw out all the graphics, items, spells, etc. if the
NPC interaction, and plot are good the MOD will be good regardless. If the graphics, items, and spells are great, but the dialog/plot is poor the mod will fail regardless of the graphics.
You can modify and splice maps to make 'new areas'.. and you can add to old areas.. That's good for mods, but look at it from a player's perspective;
When you're playing a MOD and you go to a map that you've never seen before do you pause to think "Wow, a new map!"
When you're playing a MOD and you go to a spliced are do you ever pause to think, "Hey they spliced the Illithis maps together." (or something simular)
When you're talking about two equally good mods, one with new level graphics and one without, the one that in the end will be more memorable is the one with new graphics - even if the graphics suck the player will remember how bad the new area's graphics were. Seeing something unexpected triggers different chemicals in the brain.
I even went so far as to make new menu graphics.. Regardless of anyone's opinion of the graphics quality the players would, at least subconsciously pause to have the same thought, "Wow, this guy has WAY too much time on his hands!"
Most of the REAL work that goes into mods - game balance, dialog, plotting the story, new classes, new spells, and so forth is, unfortunately, taken for granted by the players more often than not. The average player that hasn't actually sat down to try and make a MOD has no idea how much work went into dialogs, and the general design process. They can't SEE the complexity of the process visually on the screen.
doing any form of MOD of a graphical program is a hellish thing when you think about it - all the real nitty-gritty, down and dirty, work is usually taken for granted. If you add graphics it will have more of an impression.
There is where we run into the danger zone - it may not be a good impression, based on the graphics. modifying/reusing existing graphics is FAR safer than making your own, but if you put in the extra effort to 'show them' how much work you did in a way that they will physically see, and if they actually like it, you're more likely to have them appreciate your effort more.
Two of my all time favorite games are Anacreon and Nethack. Both of these games are text based. On some levels I dislike the graphical games because there are a lot of players out there, as well as some designers, that get too hung up on the graphics. I have great praise for everyone that is NOT in the "look at that" mindset, but it seems that the visually obsessed are the majority of gamers.
If a game sucks it sucks, but I have known people that WILL play horribly scripted games with almost no plot just because they like the graphics.
If the whole world would be content playing a game like nethack - 20 levels randomly drawn, different in shape but all using the exact same ASCII graphics I'd be thrilled - game companies would have to make their storylines much stronger and more involved....
It's not just Maps either.. would you rather see the new
NPC using the old
BG1 Imoen protrait or...
Edited by Chevar, 24 July 2004 - 03:01 PM.
