I know this reply was not to me, but do to the fact that I am a control freak and REALLY want a map of some sort. Please be aware that this is not an attack and that you just happen to post something that I am uncharacteristicly passionate about (see above).
Originally posted by Sarth
The client is currently in alpha, and at this stage no physical maps exist.
Yet, there is a history and a pseudo description of the area. How about just a nice drawing of where the crystal is in regard to the levels. I think the big problem is getting over the description on the web page. With a good deal of people having English as a second language ( and no, I am not one of these people, but the description is still confusing to me ) a nice \"simple\" drawing would be greatly appreciated. If you are worried about numbers or details, then leave them out.
Originally posted by Sarth
All of the teams focus at the moment is on producing MB and to that end a great deal of hard work has gone into the upcoming release.
A map will become a necessity for the team at some future stage, of course.
The setting team? What exactly is the setting team doing to push MB as opposed to the whole setting in general? Do all the developers on the setting team deligently work in multiple groups?
If your refering to having a dedicated 2D person, this is not nessecary as a MS Paint (or Gimp if you perfer) \"hand-drawing\" would work well for my (and I presume other\'s) purposes. ASCII art will do equally well.
In addition, if someone is willing to provide me personally (via a PM) a more detailed description, then I would (and have already, multiple times in this thread) volunteer for this most gruesome assignment. FEAR NOT!! My two years of art classes in high school and untold hours of Brittany Spears cut and paste (putting elf ears on her...not unlike... Kada...) shall not be spent in vain!!!!!!
On a more important note. This is the Alpha as you said, but the fact that more setting material is not available seems a little off. If you were a real software organization, as opposed the loose OSS group it is, then setting and the grand scheme would be already a little more firm (meaning it would have a general map). The resulting art of the game (excluding its beautiful engine) should be extrapolated from the fantasy setting. Not the other way around. Obviously, level designers and other artists need freedom, but they should have a little more to work with. Before anyone says \"You do it you!\", I like to think the short stories I am working on will help this cause. Unfortunately, they too are an extrapolated (not derivative!) work and I have no authority (in my mind at least) to push the base work, as I did not create it.