A Large List

[Karyuu]

SpeedTree is out of the question, unfortunately. We've taken a look at it before. Not only is there no "one time fee" below several grand, you need multiple licenses if more than one person is going to be using it. Problem solved if it's going to be Talad, but many other problems remain. I think Xordan will be able to explain better.

If you have done texture work in the past and would like to contribute, have you considered joining the dev team? If you have some reservations due to unfamiliarity with the system, I would love to help out and explain how things are done. More members are always welcome :]

Concerning polygon counts: Talad is very strict about how many polys are used where, so I doubt the FPS drops are due alone to excessive amounts of polys. It is likely a combination of several other issues. I in fact wish that we would up our poly limitations to meet those of higher-quality games, for obvious reasons.

[stevenw9]

I guess if you're going beyond the realms of what's possible, and instead going to pure fantasy then it works. Still, the sky could use a few graphical touches to look better none the less. It does indeed look like clouds that aren't moving. =/ Considering there is day/night, is that the crystal moving? Is the light blocked by something? Or is there really a sun?

As for SpeedTree, ouch... really ouch. I'll hunt for an alternative to see if there's anything that can work for PS yet still not cost mucho money.

As for joining the dev team, I still have very little experience and I have no idea how the system works, that's why I asked to speak with the current terrain designer to have a sort of 'mentor' you know? Just out of spare time and to answer a few questions and give me examples of what needs to be done and blah blah blah. Nothing incredibly huge.

[Karyuu]

Concerning Yliakum's sky, the explanation The Wandering Djinn gave you accurately described the world. Have you taken a look at the setting part of the website? We live in a hollowed out stalactite, with several levels:

"A huge single crystal known as the Azure Sun connects the stalactite to the surface of this planet, and allows light from the star that this planet orbits, to enter the hollowed out stalactite." So, nighttime occurs as the outside planet spins around its sun. Light from the outside filters through the crystal; when there is no light outside, there is no light in Yliakum. There is no rising/setting sun, and thus the sky is a lot less dynamic than it is here on earth. I do agree that improvements still need to be made to the skybox texture.

When referring to a current terrain designer, are you speaking of the texture part, or the actual 3D maps?

[stevenw9]

Texture part. And by that theory, the way we can roam around the world makes absolutely no sense considering it has a feeling of a sphere.

[Karyuu]

And by that theory, the way we can roam around the world makes absolutely no sense considering it has a feeling of a sphere.

Can you explain that a bit more? I'm afraid I don't follow.

I've designed some terrain textures, although I think Talad's are used most of all. Catching him to discuss the textures may be a bit hard, but if you're really up for it, IRC is your best bet :] Are there any terrain texture questions I can answer for you here?

[stevenw9]

Probably easier I catch you on IRC to discuss the terrains. As for the feeling of a sphere, when I walk around the world it feels more like a natural planet then what's depicted in that piece of art. I actually find that concept slightly displeasing but that's only because i'm not used to it yet.

[Karyuu]

The Winch building that is in Hydlaa actually sits at the very edge of the first level :] And the Bronze Doors fortress is pretty much within the actual stalactite walls. The world design will be more obvious once further maps are made available.

I'm not on IRC often, myself - you may want to try a PM or email :}

[stevenw9]

Your e-mail is hidden. and for some reason I can't send PMs.

[Karyuu]

My email is displayed in my profile :] What happens when you try to send PMs? You should be able to now that you have more than 10 forum posts.

*edit* Looks like I had my email set to hidden. However, there should still be a mail icon along with the others in every post.

[Idoru]

An explanation for the 'sphere' thing, the world looking like a normal world. You have to keep in mind that Yliakum is no normal inhabitted stalactite  It is huge, giving the impression of a never ending world. Try going to the bronze doors region and looking up at the sky there, unless im mistaken you can see where the 'roof' of the stalactite meets the 'walls'

[EDIT]

A little off topic but:

@Karyuu, does the project ever accept submissions from people who arnt on the DEV team? Like, ooohhh, just off the top of my head, new animations for characters?

[Karyuu]

Idoru: I doubt you can make new animations for characters without having the original model files, and Talad doesn't like giving those out to someone who isn't on the team. So that's a rather difficult example. Usually when we have a need for something small it gets assigned to prospects, and anything else is material for contests (which we really need to have again!). Basically, art submissions are much harder to manage than code contributions. If you make a really neat item model and talk to Talad about it, he may take it - or you can pressure one of our art devs to talk to him about it for you.