@WithinAmnesia, I'm old enough to be worried that I won't see anything materialise if it doesn't happen within your 8–15 year forecast. ;-)
There is fan intrigue and confidence in my post.
But. There's always a 'but.'
The weak-link in your post above are the 'unknowns.' Most especially the 'Unknown Amount of Time Passes; Years Even.' Fan confidence in general begins to wane when you cannot put a prediction on at least something tangible, a demo or proof of concept, a working model. @Archaic's GUI is an example of a working model. Something released, even in an unfinished state, something tangible, something that people can get excited about when the next instalment arrives.
Take my own project, for example, 'EE Keeper.' A small editor riding on the back of Shadow Keeper. There are so many things I would absolutely love to do with it, so many directions, so many unknowns, the potential to continue the project all the way to my deathbed. But you, and others, may notice that my plans for it are very quiet aside from what I am planning for the near future. It is free, like every other mod and editor, so there is no thought about money involved. As such, it is something I do in my spare time—something I have a lot of due to being retired, but it is still shelved occasionally while I work on other things (my garden, for example). In public, there are no unknowns; the public sees what it is going to have in the (somewhat) near future, what I know I can deliver within a somewhat reasonable timespan. I am not date-stamping anything and I'm not setting hard dates because I know something could go wrong, be that a bug in the code I've written or the potential of random bouts of death (that's a possibility, but it is a joke rather than a disparagement).
If I were to design your timeline, then it would be something like this:
Think about your basic concepts; your potential design for characters, stories, areas, and anything else you think is relevant. Concept art, if necessary.
↓
Ask for community feedback, ask for ideas to bolster your own content (remembering to credit those who have helped with ideas). If you want, ask and see if anyone is willing to assist you on certain items.
↓
Start fleshing out those concepts. Add details as required. Think about your characters, about the personalities you want them to have; write character sheets if desired.
↓
Two months of thought, writing, possible designing. List some fleshed out concepts to the community; not all, obviously. As good as this community is, you don't want anyone taking your ideas as their own.
↓
Allowance of three months for a basic working model—a demo, a proof of concept. A single new area, perhaps. A single NPC in a pre-existing area, one with a basic set of dialogue instructions.
↓
Allowance of another six months to fully flesh out a number of selected areas. Inclusion of another NPC or select number of NPCs in any of the new areas.
↓
Allowance of another whole year to fully flesh out your original design. Release entire 'expansion.' The time frame may be adjusted up or down depending on how quickly things progress.
↓
Inclusion of new concepts or even other mods being packaged (unedited and crediting the author) if permission is gained thereafter.
↓
Determined length of time in which personal support will follow. Potential bug fixes and tweaks in future versions.
↓
After the determined length of time has passed, you may decide whether to retire the project so that no new versions will be released and no more personal support is given, or you can continue the project but potentially slow down the pace.
Notice the absence of 'unknowns,' and notice the absence of the words 'professional,' 'profit,' and 'money.' It also simplifies your 'production.'
Hmmn, I have now (as I say This) Read your post three times now, more carefully than the last.
*... I'm trying to find words for my opinion and or statement but I'm more or less 'blocked'.*
I suppose I should ask, what it is that I'm, trying to say? Is it about how I wish to 'produce' content? Or is it about a 'plan'? I'm trying to find an answer for you in a convenient way but, I'm just letting myself 'think out loud' for better communication. Okay! NO more 'Beating around the Bush!' *Thinks...*
Okay First Off[!] What is the purpose of this 'thread?' I don't have a definitive answer; on one hand It is a 'Hey look what I got Planned!' and on the other it is a Progress Report Thread. I feel that there is a 'Contradiction' in the way that I'm conducting 'my' thread. -I'm Saying that I will do this, this, that and the next thing; yes that is good and fine. Yet I cannot 'Fairly', 'Justly' nor 'Honestly' get people exited for new content in a quick matter. Although I'm Giving Progress Reports... Hmmn. I feel that I have lead people here Initially to believe that I'm 100% Ready for all of the steps here, when I'm Not.
Hmmn, What should I do? Should I write a list of my limitations and where I plan to acquire new skills to suit my ambitions? A Self Evaluation 'Report' or Something Else? Either Way I Should Inform the People here on this thread of my limitations and that I must Acquire New Skills for myself in order to get rid of my 'Unknowns'; or should I do Something Else?
It seems you have Wisdom in you words; (What Should I do? Tell my Strengths, Weakness) [Too Cheesy; needs something better [I almost deleted that bracketed part, but I kept it for more, 'transparent' communications]. [Rather] Should I Tell my Skills and Abilities and or where / what I Plan to Achieve in? I need to Learn some more 3D Modeling [Blender] and I need to Learn a whole 'ca rp ton' of Tools and Abilities in order to delver my promised content.
I feel that I should 'cut' or 'hide' some of my ambitions to the community until I can Delver them, but then again if I'm 'True to Claim' then It won't matter when I announce my 'Claims'; they will be achieved 'sometime'. Hmm, this is a price of ambition and honestly I suppose; the Unknown. Oh Well, no time to dwell on negative things if I'm going to create something. Anyway, basically I'm wondering if I should 'denounce' my abilities and shed light on my abilities and plans to get new abilities to the community in the hope of 'dispelling' illusions.
I Must Learn my Friend, and a great deal of it. I hope this 'Thread' to be a long term announcement 'vehicle' for I have a LONG journey ahead of me before I can start producing this 'Expansion' pack. how Long, I do Not know but I won't give up.
[I think that I 'Repeated' some of my Points.. hmmn.]
So What Advice would you Give? Should I say my limitations and ambitions or should I do something else?
Take Care Friend. Best of Luck. Thank You for your Personal Input it is Invaluable.
Edit: Speaking of Limitations and Abilities; How did you achieve your 'Snazy' Blue 'Point Boxes' and 'Arrows'? I'm Very Curious and my Current Ability 'Set' is without that understanding. Do you Care to Teach or is that 'Unpalatable'?
Extra: [As I reflect now, I agree about] that earlier statement about 'Death' was somewhat a 'Dark Twist' in the 'Grand Scheme of Things' eh? Hmmn. Dark.
(like adding a zoom feature as per the Enhanced Editions)
Or un-hardcoding a great part of the game's engine, but for that you'll have to learn C... And the EEs have many un-hardcoded features, so it will be hard to compete with them (unless you go and un-hardcode party size and etc).
Also... @Troodon80: Is there a difference between < em > and < i >? And between < b > and < strong > (not in the code, in how they look/behave).
Hey Friends What would you like to see in a New Expansion?
Currently I'm Thinking and Working on some Early Bronze Items Quest Chain and Ankheg Quest and a bunch detailing the new areas.
Bronze Item Quest:
[Dwarfs: 'Entrepreneur' and 'Prospector'] Basically Clear out an open Pit Mine [With Minor Tunnels] that some Rich Desert Entrepreneur Started but abandoned after Monsters [Mostly Gnolls] invaded the Operation and Internal Financial Problems. Then For the Tin Mine it is Located in The Wood of Sharp Teeth. Abandoned by Humans from Wood Elves and Monsters. Monsters kept maintenance up for a base. The Elves work a deal with Dwarves and Friends to Rid of the Monsters [Orcs] for the Monsters are for some reason trying to dam the River... Druid/Thief anyone?
Quest Happens Before and After Nashkel Mines.
Ankheq Quest:
'The Nature Warden Officer that Warns the Party to not kill too many Ankhegs' wants the Party to track down and kill a Foreign Raiding Poaching Party that are killing the Ankhegs for profit via selling their Ankheg products in far away markets. Party is Tipped off to new areas and hunts down the Poachers and in the Confrontation with the Poachers they learn of the Ankheg Lair with the Matriarch. The Party Finds the 'Support' Caravan after the Conflict with the Poachers [A Very Tough Fight; Strategy, Not Over Powered Stats.] Depending on how well the Party Negotiates with the Caravan Trades People: The Party Can have Access to their Trade Skills; or Not. More on how they come into play but, then I could be dropping spoilers.
I Wanted the Quests not too, too far from the 'General Path' [If there is a 'General Path'] of the Game's Progression so new player can 'Blunder' into them Naturally without having to Resort to Crawling through the Forums and Guides Tracking Down where the Content is.
I must 'Flesh Out' some more Ideas. So No More Content as of now. [Not that I'm Lacking Content.]
There is Way more to Come but for now, What do think of these Quests?
Also... @Troodon80: Is there a difference between < em > and < i >? And between < b > and < strong > (not in the code, in how they look/behave).
@CrevsDaak, this post explains the difference, or lack thereof, between those HTML tags.
@WithinAmnesia, I'll just reply to a couple key elements in your own reply:
Your progress reports almost all seem to centre around the same basic steps. Not to take from an Internet Meme, as I utterly abhor them, but it seems fitting in its most literal sense:
Find out how to create a mod.
Create basic mod.
?
Profit.
In this instance, steps 1 and 2 are the only ones you should be thinking about, followed up by finalising it (beta and then release). It is very much okay to list your ambitions, it shows that you are ambitious and enthusiastic about your project, especially in the long-term (something that, unfortunately, other modders don't have the luxury of thinking about), but when you are not making money then your goals and ambitions should be set in the short- to mid-term rather than what you will do in ten years time. With the way people come and go on this forum, finding other things to occupy their time or some other reason, people reading this now may not even be around to see your long term goal come to fruition. I might not even be here in ten years time. Who can say?
Don't list your long term ambition about gaining experience (over a number of years) as a key point in your actual planning. Saying something like "as I plan and execute my mod, I wish to gain experience—perhaps a greater understanding of game development." If you keep it ambiguous then it does not look like you will be spending some indeterminate length of time gaining experience as one of your main points and then continuing with the mod. Rather, gaining experience as you go. Even if you gain employment in game development and put the mod/expansion into a semi-retired state while you gain that experience. So long as you don't say "my end goal will be somewhere about 15 years from now, the second step of my plan will be an unknown length of time." I can tell you right now that people reading something like that are going to think, "uh, okay, so what can you do right now?" People don't want to wait 15 years to see what you can do, especially when one of your potential key points is "death, nothing happens."
The Enhanced Editions were released approximately 14 years after the release of the originals. If your original plan was to do something akin to Beamdog and pick up some sort of licensing after they had finished their own project, then you really needed to do something similar to Beamdog; i.e. not talk about it until a few months (maybe a year) prior to being able to deliver.
If your plan is to make a very large mod that will be installed with WeiDU, then you do not need to gain the rights to the intellectual property. My assumption is that you want to make a very large mod, something akin to Throne of Bhaal in scale (though not necessarily having a similar story)—perhaps larger. That means your end goal cannot be about making money since this option doesn't have the rights to sell it, it must instead be about making the mod. From what I gather, most of the negative reactions on the first page are about two things:
Acquiring a licence and making money from your mod/content, potentially fifteen years from now.
Inclusion of other modders' work into your own.
I'll give you a brief explanation as to why I think this is.
The first point, obviously, is that Beamdog currently holds the rights to upgrade the BG series. Talking about selling your 'mod,' large or otherwise, is generally frowned upon while another party holds the rights of which you speak.
If, in 8-15 years time, you do manage to gain the licence to make some new content after Beamdog has finished with the BG series, assuming Beamdog doesn't have a long-term plan for the series that extends past your own predictions, then good luck with sales. Since the game will be around 24–30 years old at that time, anything short of a fully 3D remake will probably be a flop.
The second point is that talking about including other people's work into your own, without clarifying that point initially, is just asking for a backlash. "I would like to include other modder's work, but obviously permission is needed first. If anyone knows how to contact the authors of these mods, please let me know. If permission in granted, then [x will happen]. If not, then [y will happen]." Not "these are the mods I would like to include." Things like this need to be worded delicately and diplomatically from the outset.
In both of those cases, one may make the same argument for what Beamdog did; gaining a licence, making some content, asking for permission and including modder's work—but they haven't centred their entire operation around delivering content, they have upgraded the entire engine, delivering it to multiple platforms. They gained permission from the modders' whose work they wanted to include, and even employed some of those modders. They revamped the engine and are continuing to do so. They produced something tangible within a known time-frame. What they didn't do was talk about this ten years ago. They spoke about this approximately one year prior to releasing BG:EE. When you get much past that then people's patience wears thin, you can see this with the Android release.
Okay, so, on to what you hope to achieve. A large mod, something akin to Throne of Bhaal (or larger) in size. It's doable, but I honestly couldn't give you a time-frame. Due to that, I wouldn't attempt to guess. That is a combination of limits, your limits, expectations, and about trying to live up to those expectations.
Here are a few questions and suggestions to get you on your way to a plan of action:
The Software: you plan to do 21 areas, you have little or no knowledge as of this time about Blender? That means some days, weeks, or months of learning before you can even begin rendering your concepts in 3D. Personally, I use Vue to create landscapes and then import into 3DSMax. However, that's probably not financially viable for a free project. Blender—okay, so you know what software you want to use, that's a start; how quick do you pick up on new things? Will that learning curve be days or months? This is going to directly impact on how long the entire project will take.
The Area Content: What sort of areas do you plan on making? Desert, forest, mountainous, village, town, something else? How much detail do you plan on including? Will there be any NPC content in these areas?
The NPC/PC Content: You haven't spoken at large about new NPC content. Do you have plans for that, and, if so, what sort of plans are you looking at? No specifics here, just a rough concept about how many, whether their potential new quests will span multiple new areas, whether some or all can be accepted into the party.
The Quest Content: Like the above, you haven't spoken much about this. How many do you plan, what level of depth will they be? Again, no specifics. Talk about things like your Ankheg quest. Give something nondescript, "they'll span a few different areas, some will be action oriented while others will have multiple outcomes." Something like that.
Brainstorming, Ideas, Concepts: use the above three 'Content' items as a foundation when thinking about your content, give some thought to what content you wish to deliver. Don't give any specifics here, but start talking about what sort of content, quests, NPCs, areas, etc., you would like to deliver. Remembering that certain items may not make it into the final version, for whatever reason; thematically, complexity, etc. Multiple choice quests, for example. Other possibilities include hunting quests, a player owned stronghold/cabin/house/cave/something that can be upgraded (also a place where your party members can go to when they get booted from your party—on a serious note, I am prepared to help make such a stronghold should you wish assistance in such an endeavour), mercenary work, personal NPC quests. Generic stuff that you would like to do. When I say don't give specifics about your own original content, it's so it protects the idea—so, for example, the hunting quest could revolve around gathering ingredients, hunting deer or boar for leather so you can make some armour. That's a specific that you shouldn't include until such point as you have something tangible to release. When talking about other people's recommendations for quests, NPC content, or areas, then you will obviously need to delve to specifics.
Internal: key point—don't talk about the internal workings of how you're going to deliver, just keep it to what you will deliver. Talk about your plans for the mod, content-wise, not about how long it will take to deliver. Your last post is the type you need more of.
The above listed items are your key 'selling points,' for lack of a better term. Content, in other words. Not whether you can get a licence, not whether you can offer professional support, not whether you can sell or make a profit from it.
I noticed you have now included an image of a folder with the 'master files.' How much of the mod do you already have completed?
Finally, as for my snazzy layouts, if you quote my post above you will find the following (broken up for readability): <div style="display:block;text-align:center;">
<div style="margin:0 auto;
width:450px;
text-align:justify;
background: rgb(0,89,148);
background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, rgb(0,89,148) 0%, rgb(0,7,43) 100%);
background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,rgb(0,89,148)), color-stop(100%,rgb(0,7,43)));
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(0,89,148) 0%,rgb(0,7,43) 100%);
background: -o-linear-gradient(top, rgb(0,89,148) 0%,rgb(0,7,43) 100%);
background: -ms-linear-gradient(top, rgb(0,89,148) 0%,rgb(0,7,43) 100%);
background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgb(0,89,148) 0%,rgb(0,7,43) 100%);
border-radius:10px;
border:2px solid rgb(0,89,148);
padding:10px;">
[Your content goes here]
</div>
<span style="font-size:3em">↓</span>
</div> If you wish to know more about this then I would suggest taking it to the "How to format your posts" topic, located here. Since this is deviating from the original topic, I will answer any questions you have regarding post formatting in the other topic (tag me using the @ functionality in that other topic if you have specific questions about the above information, otherwise I will reply in due time and tag you instead). You can get quite fancy, as you will see from some of the information I have shared there.
Hmmn, Thanks. I have about 'Ten' [Twenty] Minutes before I have to go to 'work'; so Unfortunately I must reserve my 'Full' reply [In-depth points and reflection until I Can get off of work (Around 5 hours from now).]
Although I can tell you what I plan for next Week.
Last Night when I was taking a Shower [Oo La La :P] I was thinking of what other people in my position would have first focused on; then it dawned on me. Most people Work with their Strengths first then their weaknesses. I Have a 'Rare' [Not Really, more like Uncommon] Talent of Drawing. So I then made a plan that Next Week I will be Producing 'Tangible' Content in the terms of Concept ART. Now We Both Win [not that any one was losing]. I Produce Art, Give Ideas Around then and they help me Plan and elaborate on my / community Ideas and Concepts.
So on Monday Friends I will be Drawing. this will include some Areas, Items and maybe even character Sketches. Don't Worry I'm Actually Quite Descent at Drawing. [I should Scan my older works some time... ]
So I Must Go Now, I will reply to your Comment Troodon80 in about 5 or 6 hours. Although now I can Say that if you have any Ambitions throw them at me; and yes I Greatly Like your Idea of Housing [I use the Friendly Arm House, the One with the Flame Dance Ring Quest after the quest giver leaves by the Gate in Vanilla Baldur's Gate]. I Feel that myself and the vast majority would love a 'Housing' upgrade / option; such and option would be an excellent Addition.
Okay I must Leave Now [*Gets the Crowbar*]. I will get back to you later today.
I currently have no ambitions (aside from possibly helping with the housing option), but if you wish for help with 3D models then I am prepared to help in any way I can. I have created a number of basic items from Baldur's Gate over the last year, such as the gatehouse from Durlag's Tower (shown to the right), as well as houses, sections of walls, lamp posts, and bonfires that look somewhat similar to those found in the game. If you should want these items then I can upload at a later date using the OBJ format. You should be able to import them into Blender rather easily.
@Troodon80 Sounds Great; Odd.. I was recently thinking of a 'Revamped' Durlag's Tower Cut scene. Well Just keep them handy, I might have 'a request' later. [I wonder if all the " '_' "'s Are giving a perception of myself as as a 'Prissy' person. I JUST started doing that realizing that I mostly talk to metaphors and sayings. Oh Well, Internet...] I'm Kind of Tired after Work so I don't know how 'High Quality' my Writing will be.
Anyways I Should Read your formatting suggestion link and reply to your full comment (Like I said) but I'm just 'Out of Batteries'; and I feel that my Reply would be 'Subpar'. [Uhhhg..]
Anyway I got Some Random things to Say / Announce.
How do I ... I should just read the formatting page.. [Next!] Oh when I was Walking to Work I Was thinking about your comment and there was a question of how much content I have 'Built Up'. Well I remember playing Baldur's Gate When I was Nine in Grade 5. Since then I have Always wanted to Create 'the game', more than I wanted to play the game. [I'm Going to Dodge the 'I'm X Years Old and on the Internet; I'm Amazing' Stereotype here.] In the Early 2000's I Made some Concept Art and Laminated [On my Last Day of Elementary School I do believe.] an Armoured Figure wearing 'Baldur's Gate II Style' Equipment. No It was in Grade 6 or 7 I believe; on the last day before Summer Break that I got my 'Drawing' Laminated. I Was either 10 or 11 Years Old When I Did that; I still have it on my Fridge in another Home. Since then I have Been Causally Producing Concept, Ideas and Drawings for 'Baldur's Gate Type' Content; 'As it Stands Now' Most of my Work is Quite 'Scattered Around'. [God that Sounds, 'Prissy'; Eh.]
Hmmn, I will Just Give some Screen Shots of the 'Surviving' or rather Accessible Work. [My Old Laptop Died and I need to extract the Hard Where Files.]
Wait a Minute... I Found Some Old 'Scans' of Drawings that I Saved Over to an External Hard Drive Before my Computer Died.
Here are some Drawings of Baldur's Gate Related Content that I made When I was Either 14 or 15 in Grade 9 or 10. [I should Right Number Smaller than 10 in Letters, ya, ya`what ever[s].]
Here are the Scans that I had 'Promised' but / although I got, 'distracted'. [I will Answer Your Comment, Later I Suppose. I'm Just so Tired.
I Think a Zip File Would be Better but eh, 'Screw It'; Extra Work 'En' All'. I Like the 'Block of Pictures' better anyway.
Being that I was Mostly 14 and 15 Years of Age When I Drew most of these [Pictures / Drawings]; since then I have Become a [Far] Better Artist [I Made a decent Picture Book in 2013]. Oddly Without Training nor much Practice; as I grew, so did 'It'.
Items are easily doable. Regarding the images, I mean. When scanned, you just need to trace over them with the appropriate colours so as to get them in the same style as the others in-game. If I were you, I would do that sooner rather than later. Perhaps release an item pack mod as a demonstration that you are in this for the long haul (not all the items you want to make, but rather a selection of perhaps 15 or so, a combination of armour, swords, maces, axes, and flails). Then focus on the areas and the bulk of the mod.
I think that is a Good Idea, Although I plan on making custom BAM files for each of the Custom Items. The New Armour Types need new BAMs and I plan on using Blender for their design, not just paint them as a lot of items are done in that style in Baldur's Gate II. I Prefer the 3D Modeled Images in Baldur's Gate I over the Painted Images in Baldur's Gate II. Although I first need to learn Blender for the Item... wait a second. I have one custom BAM that I made around two years ago. Hold on, Hold on *Searching for Files*
Here we are, the Unfinished Item Icons for a Throwing Axe Project of mine back in 2012.
I guess [for now] I could Edit some Existing BAMs to make the 'closely related' looking Items, e.g. Bronze Items.
Items are easily doable. Regarding the images, I mean. When scanned, you just need to trace over them with the appropriate colours so as to get them in the same style as the others in-game. If I were you, I would do that sooner rather than later. Perhaps release an item pack mod as a demonstration that you are in this for the long haul (not all the items you want to make, but rather a selection of perhaps 15 or so, a combination of armour, swords, maces, axes, and flails). Then focus on the areas and the bulk of the mod.
Could you not just Edit their line Colour Hue? No? [I did that 'Hue Strategy' for some parts of the Custom Axe above.]
Edit: Here is the 'Finished' Small Frame of the Throwing Axe, Note the 'Point' on the Axe Head. [I found the File on / in a Text Document about new Items.]
@WithinAmnesia, I meant more with regards to how they will appear in the description. Rendering the actual items would be best for the inventory icons, yes.
Here's a basic comparison (I haven't it into BAM format, it's just a copy/paste comparison) of the items as they will appear from your drawings above; just taking a single flail:
To the left is an image from in-game. A Mace +1. An unedited (aside from flipping and rotating the image) version of your drawing appears in the middle while an image consisting of two layers (a light layer and a darker layer, using an alpha mask for both) appears on the right. If the one on the right is any indication, then you will indeed be able to simply adjust the hue. Some may need more editing, however. I have to say, they blend in better with the other items in-game much better than I thought they would at first glance.
Oh Here is that " 'Finished' Small Frame of the Throwing Axe, Note the 'Point' on the Axe Head." from my above comment that I could not add the BAM File to due to me needing to go to work.
@WithinAmnesia, I meant more with regards to how they will appear in the description. Rendering the actual items would be best for the inventory icons, yes.
Here's a basic comparison (I haven't it into BAM format, it's just a copy/paste comparison) of the items as they will appear from your drawings above; just taking a single flail:
To the left is an image from in-game. A Mace +1. An unedited (aside from flipping and rotating the image) version of your drawing appears in the middle while an image consisting of two layers (a light layer and a darker layer, using an alpha mask for both) appears on the right. If the one on the right is any indication, then you will indeed be able to simply adjust the hue. Some may need more editing, however. I have to say, they blend in better with the other items in-game much better than I thought they would at first glance.
Good News for you! I can Draw Better than I could have 'Back Then' in 2010. For Example Here is a Page from a Picture Book [Below] that I did as a class Project while I was in Grade 12.
Also, I think that the Original Item Description Artist(s) in Baldur's Gate drew 'Its' / Their Pictures much[, much] bigger than My Own. For Example, That Single Two Handed Sword on Drawing 47 could be hidden by 12 Sugar Cubes.
I feel that the Original 'Item Description Drawings' in many cases would require much more than 12 Sugar Cubes to hide them. For Example Look at Moonblade's Item 'Drawing' in It's Personal Description. [Game Banshee Image Attached.] Also I wish to Draw my own Unique Item 'Close Ups' for their own [Every Custom] Unique [Item] Descriptions.
Also Here is [Again] Drawing47 with 'Valtearia'. [For Easy Comparison with 'Moonblade'.]
Also: I Plan to Draw in a Much Larger Scale for their [Custom Item] 'Close Ups' with an Addition [First] Concept Art Piece as a Guide for the Custom 3F Model.
So Once Again Here are the [My Current (3:58 PM 25/05/2014)] Drawing Plans:
Find [With Permission (Most likely a 'Not Now' Option)] or Create [A Very Much 'Now' Option] New Item [Draw g] Concepts on Paper; Drawing: -An 'Overview' of the Item [As with 'Valtearia the Two Handed Sword]. Use: 3D Modelling Reference for Inventory BAMs + Extra Concept Art. -A 'Close Up' of the Item [Akin to the Moonblade Picture Below]. Use: Item Description 'Drawings'.
Extra: Also I might draw the [Saccus] Copper Mine Top Level Map Overview Concept. [Think [I'm Thinking, but open for Suggestions; E.G. Naskel Mine Original (at least I think that it is 'THE' Original) Concept Art (It Looks Like Old 'Trench Mining' Technique) [Below]]] Ancient Mining Techniques used in the 'Real World'.]
Note: I Plan on having ALL New Items with their Own Custom BAM files and 'Description Close Up Drawings' [In this new 'Expansion']; Although 'Special' Cases may appear: e.g Icingdeath and Twinkle.
Here are the 'Original' (At Least I 'Think' that they are Original) Nashkel Mines Concept Art. It looks like the Original Concept Art' was / were Inspired by Trench Mining. [Roman Trench Mining Image Also Attached: Look for the 'Trench Mining Area'.]
Here is the 'Final' Form [Meaning when you first enter the Area it is Overrun by 'Monsters' and it is in ruins and also less developed] of the (Renamed) Saccus Copper Mine[s].
Note: this is 'C' Grade work from myself. I Spent only around 45 minutes to a bit over an Hour on this Piece. The above PumA in Paris Picture took from 2 to 4 Hours to Fully Polish.
As with the date of the Work; I did this Last Night. I Hope you Enjoy my 'C' Grade Work. Take Care Friends.
Here is the (Renamed) Saccus Copper Mine Below the Gnoll Stronghold. Also I plan on adding an Auxiliary 'After Area Development' Frontier Town named: Saccus beside this Copper Mine with it Own Area.
Planned (25/05/2014) In Game Area Progression:
Ruined Abandoned Version [Infested with 'Monsters']. V Developed + Rebuilt Area Version. [The Image File Below is the 'Not Set in Stone' Developed + Rebuilt Area Version; and not the first Version that the party will first encounter with all the 'Monsters' Infesting it [While In Ruins].
Edit: I Wonder if the Player's Party could get a Free Room for Life in the 'Saccus Keep' (Not Original Lore Name) for 'Liberating' the Area. I Would Also Like to Champion Other 'Housing' Options for more, Diversity than Dank Castle Walls, Even as Cool as they are.
Also: The 'Developed Mine Area Version' is 'Unlocked' 'Later' in The Game and is Not Available 'Right Away', so that [Not the only one; Hopefully] 'Housing' Option would be around when the player clears the Bandit Camp I suppose? [Or when they [It] first enters Baldur's Gate [Naturally]?]
Extra: Area Features Can be Resized if Need Be. [For Area Size Restrictions or for Relative Object / Building Size Comparison Reasons.]
Take Care Friends. Also Remember this is 'C' Grade Work of mine, it took 45 minutes to 'a little over' an Hour to Create; So Expect Better Quality Images to Come [In the Near Future].
Extra: Here is the 'Better Contrast Version' of the Above File. [Saccus Copper Mines: Area 'Fully' Developed (+ Rebuilt)]
Edit: Although if it was truly 'Fully' Developed, the Bridge would work, would it not? Also I plan to add more Buildings on 'the top' along side 'the keep'; along with 'on the bottom' near 'The Slanted Tavern' and other misc. sections [To Create more of an Operational 'Frontier' Mine Feel. So the Area Drawing is not 100% accurate.
I have Added new Details for a New NPC Duo: -Axagar Iron Fist: Chaotic Neutral, Mountain Dwarf, Barbarian / Battlerager [With Rage Variant: Whirling Frenzy]. Special: Bottomless Mug: [Permanent Quick Slot Item] Axagar is near always drunk as a result; 'Rooster the Soberer' is used by Goras to dispel Drunkenness and Battlerage Special Ability: Killing Rage. [Activates When Party is Attacked; Deactivates when Combat is Over or Dispelled by 'Rooster the Soberer'.]
-Goras 'Rooster' Thundertoes: Chaotic Good, Lightfoot Halfling, [Halfling] Opportunist [Yes it is an Official Class]. Special: [Permanent Quick Slot Item] 'Rooster the Soberer' is a Magical Small Club used by Goras to dispel Drunkenness and Battlerage Special Ability: Killing Rage.
Both NPCs have very 'Colourful' Banter at each other's 'Demons' and Short Comings. Quest: Find Goras's Magical Crystal Eye [Some "One-Eyed Bastard" Stole it from Goras.]
I was Also thinking of a 'Hardcore Mode' for replayability where 7 or 9 NPCs can be Acquired at one time.
Extra: Here is a File with some 'Exotic' Class Options that I Narrowed down from a Larger List. [Extra] Note: These 'Exotic' NPC Classes are not going to be the Only NPC Classes in the New 'Expansion'; e.g. Druid / Thief. Although the Fighter / Mage may be Replaced with a Spellsword or something like that.
Okay well take care and bye bye for now Friends. So What do you think?]
Also: @Troodon80 you might like this / have some opinions on the matter.
Edit: Also I was thinking of Adding 21+ New NPCs of 'More or Less' equal 'Good, Neutral and Evil' Division(s) [Unlike a certain 'Dark Side' Mod *Cough* Good Bias *Cough* :P [7 Good, 7 Neutral, 7 Evil [Antipaladin] Planned New NPCs (Without or Including Allowed Preexisting Mods [Jet'Laya]].
Extra: For Your Convenience: Here is the Below File Quoted:
I was Also thinking of a 'Hardcore Mode' for replayability where 7 or 9 NPCs can be Acquired at one time.
I think this is beyond the capabilities of the game engine, although certain NPCs could be set to command rather than actually join the party properly.
I was Also thinking of a 'Hardcore Mode' for replayability where 7 or 9 NPCs can be Acquired at one time.
I think this is beyond the capabilities of the game engine, although certain NPCs could be set to command rather than actually join the party properly.
I Suppose that One Could 'Rotate' NPCs in a party; but it would require still some work. I was thinking of the 'Hard Core' Mode as an Additional Feature that would most likely be not included the the First Edition of the 'Expansion'. It could however be in a later Edition as a 'Patch' or Optional Feature.
For the First Edition I Hope to include: New Quests New Areas New NPCs New Items and Possibly Spells. Also New Sounds and Animations + New Monsters could be a possibility.
Also as an 'Extra' Feature [Not in First Edition]: 'Horde Mode' Mini Game / Feature with different [Waves of] Adversaries; maybe even some bosses. [Also something with Surviving would be neat; with some permanent Reward or something.] Just my 'Long Viewed' thoughts.
But all of 'this' is 'Extra Additional Stuff' and out of my Current 'Doable Area'.
Comments
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With the Best of Intentions:
Within Amnesia
"Spite and Assumption Only Lead to Paths of Self-Inflicted Blight and Destruction" -Within Amnesia 2013.
There is fan intrigue and confidence in my post.
But. There's always a 'but.'
The weak-link in your post above are the 'unknowns.' Most especially the 'Unknown Amount of Time Passes; Years Even.' Fan confidence in general begins to wane when you cannot put a prediction on at least something tangible, a demo or proof of concept, a working model. @Archaic's GUI is an example of a working model. Something released, even in an unfinished state, something tangible, something that people can get excited about when the next instalment arrives.
Take my own project, for example, 'EE Keeper.' A small editor riding on the back of Shadow Keeper. There are so many things I would absolutely love to do with it, so many directions, so many unknowns, the potential to continue the project all the way to my deathbed. But you, and others, may notice that my plans for it are very quiet aside from what I am planning for the near future. It is free, like every other mod and editor, so there is no thought about money involved. As such, it is something I do in my spare time—something I have a lot of due to being retired, but it is still shelved occasionally while I work on other things (my garden, for example). In public, there are no unknowns; the public sees what it is going to have in the (somewhat) near future, what I know I can deliver within a somewhat reasonable timespan. I am not date-stamping anything and I'm not setting hard dates because I know something could go wrong, be that a bug in the code I've written or the potential of random bouts of death (that's a possibility, but it is a joke rather than a disparagement).
If I were to design your timeline, then it would be something like this:
↓
↓
↓
↓
↓
↓
↓
↓
↓
Notice the absence of 'unknowns,' and notice the absence of the words 'professional,' 'profit,' and 'money.' It also simplifies your 'production.'
Hmmn, I have now (as I say This) Read your post three times now, more carefully than the last.
*... I'm trying to find words for my opinion and or statement but I'm more or less 'blocked'.*
I suppose I should ask, what it is that I'm, trying to say? Is it about how I wish to 'produce' content? Or is it about a 'plan'? I'm trying to find an answer for you in a convenient way but, I'm just letting myself 'think out loud' for better communication. Okay! NO more 'Beating around the Bush!' *Thinks...*
Okay First Off[!]
What is the purpose of this 'thread?'
I don't have a definitive answer; on one hand It is a 'Hey look what I got Planned!' and on the other it is a Progress Report Thread. I feel that there is a 'Contradiction' in the way that I'm conducting 'my' thread.
-I'm Saying that I will do this, this, that and the next thing; yes that is good and fine. Yet I cannot 'Fairly', 'Justly' nor 'Honestly' get people exited for new content in a quick matter. Although I'm Giving Progress Reports... Hmmn. I feel that I have lead people here Initially to believe that I'm 100% Ready for all of the steps here, when I'm Not.
Hmmn, What should I do?
Should I write a list of my limitations and where I plan to acquire new skills to suit my ambitions? A Self Evaluation 'Report' or Something Else? Either Way I Should Inform the People here on this thread of my limitations and that I must Acquire New Skills for myself in order to get rid of my 'Unknowns'; or should I do Something Else?
It seems you have Wisdom in you words; (What Should I do? Tell my Strengths, Weakness) [Too Cheesy; needs something better [I almost deleted that bracketed part, but I kept it for more, 'transparent' communications]. [Rather] Should I Tell my Skills and Abilities and or where / what I Plan to Achieve in? I need to Learn some more 3D Modeling [Blender] and I need to Learn a whole 'ca rp ton' of Tools and Abilities in order to delver my promised content.
I feel that I should 'cut' or 'hide' some of my ambitions to the community until I can Delver them, but then again if I'm 'True to Claim' then It won't matter when I announce my 'Claims'; they will be achieved 'sometime'. Hmm, this is a price of ambition and honestly I suppose; the Unknown. Oh Well, no time to dwell on negative things if I'm going to create something. Anyway, basically I'm wondering if I should 'denounce' my abilities and shed light on my abilities and plans to get new abilities to the community in the hope of 'dispelling' illusions.
I Must Learn my Friend, and a great deal of it. I hope this 'Thread' to be a long term announcement 'vehicle' for I have a LONG journey ahead of me before I can start producing this 'Expansion' pack. how Long, I do Not know but I won't give up.
[I think that I 'Repeated' some of my Points.. hmmn.]
So What Advice would you Give? Should I say my limitations and ambitions or should I do something else?
Take Care Friend. Best of Luck. Thank You for your Personal Input it is Invaluable.
Edit: Speaking of Limitations and Abilities; How did you achieve your 'Snazy' Blue 'Point Boxes' and 'Arrows'? I'm Very Curious and my Current Ability 'Set' is without that understanding. Do you Care to Teach or is that 'Unpalatable'?
Extra: [As I reflect now, I agree about] that earlier statement about 'Death' was somewhat a 'Dark Twist' in the 'Grand Scheme of Things' eh? Hmmn. Dark.
Also... @Troodon80: Is there a difference between < em > and < i >? And between < b > and < strong > (not in the code, in how they look/behave).
Currently I'm Thinking and Working on some Early Bronze Items Quest Chain and Ankheg Quest and a bunch detailing the new areas.
Bronze Item Quest:
[Dwarfs: 'Entrepreneur' and 'Prospector']
Basically Clear out an open Pit Mine [With Minor Tunnels] that some Rich Desert Entrepreneur Started but abandoned after Monsters [Mostly Gnolls] invaded the Operation and Internal Financial Problems.
Then For the Tin Mine it is Located in The Wood of Sharp Teeth. Abandoned by Humans from Wood Elves and Monsters. Monsters kept maintenance up for a base. The Elves work a deal with Dwarves and Friends to Rid of the Monsters [Orcs] for the Monsters are for some reason trying to dam the River... Druid/Thief anyone?
Quest Happens Before and After Nashkel Mines.
Ankheq Quest:
'The Nature Warden Officer that Warns the Party to not kill too many Ankhegs' wants the Party to track down and kill a Foreign Raiding Poaching Party that are killing the Ankhegs for profit via selling their Ankheg products in far away markets. Party is Tipped off to new areas and hunts down the Poachers and in the Confrontation with the Poachers they learn of the Ankheg Lair with the Matriarch. The Party Finds the 'Support' Caravan after the Conflict with the Poachers [A Very Tough Fight; Strategy, Not Over Powered Stats.] Depending on how well the Party Negotiates with the Caravan Trades People: The Party Can have Access to their Trade Skills; or Not. More on how they come into play but, then I could be dropping spoilers.
I Wanted the Quests not too, too far from the 'General Path' [If there is a 'General Path'] of the Game's Progression so new player can 'Blunder' into them Naturally without having to Resort to Crawling through the Forums and Guides Tracking Down where the Content is.
I must 'Flesh Out' some more Ideas. So No More Content as of now. [Not that I'm Lacking Content.]
There is Way more to Come but for now, What do think of these Quests?
@WithinAmnesia, I'll just reply to a couple key elements in your own reply:
Your progress reports almost all seem to centre around the same basic steps. Not to take from an Internet Meme, as I utterly abhor them, but it seems fitting in its most literal sense:
- Find out how to create a mod.
- Create basic mod.
- ?
- Profit.
In this instance, steps 1 and 2 are the only ones you should be thinking about, followed up by finalising it (beta and then release). It is very much okay to list your ambitions, it shows that you are ambitious and enthusiastic about your project, especially in the long-term (something that, unfortunately, other modders don't have the luxury of thinking about), but when you are not making money then your goals and ambitions should be set in the short- to mid-term rather than what you will do in ten years time. With the way people come and go on this forum, finding other things to occupy their time or some other reason, people reading this now may not even be around to see your long term goal come to fruition. I might not even be here in ten years time. Who can say?Don't list your long term ambition about gaining experience (over a number of years) as a key point in your actual planning. Saying something like "as I plan and execute my mod, I wish to gain experience—perhaps a greater understanding of game development." If you keep it ambiguous then it does not look like you will be spending some indeterminate length of time gaining experience as one of your main points and then continuing with the mod. Rather, gaining experience as you go. Even if you gain employment in game development and put the mod/expansion into a semi-retired state while you gain that experience. So long as you don't say "my end goal will be somewhere about 15 years from now, the second step of my plan will be an unknown length of time." I can tell you right now that people reading something like that are going to think, "uh, okay, so what can you do right now?" People don't want to wait 15 years to see what you can do, especially when one of your potential key points is "death, nothing happens."
The Enhanced Editions were released approximately 14 years after the release of the originals. If your original plan was to do something akin to Beamdog and pick up some sort of licensing after they had finished their own project, then you really needed to do something similar to Beamdog; i.e. not talk about it until a few months (maybe a year) prior to being able to deliver.
If your plan is to make a very large mod that will be installed with WeiDU, then you do not need to gain the rights to the intellectual property. My assumption is that you want to make a very large mod, something akin to Throne of Bhaal in scale (though not necessarily having a similar story)—perhaps larger. That means your end goal cannot be about making money since this option doesn't have the rights to sell it, it must instead be about making the mod. From what I gather, most of the negative reactions on the first page are about two things:
- Acquiring a licence and making money from your mod/content, potentially fifteen years from now.
- Inclusion of other modders' work into your own.
I'll give you a brief explanation as to why I think this is.The first point, obviously, is that Beamdog currently holds the rights to upgrade the BG series. Talking about selling your 'mod,' large or otherwise, is generally frowned upon while another party holds the rights of which you speak.
If, in 8-15 years time, you do manage to gain the licence to make some new content after Beamdog has finished with the BG series, assuming Beamdog doesn't have a long-term plan for the series that extends past your own predictions, then good luck with sales. Since the game will be around 24–30 years old at that time, anything short of a fully 3D remake will probably be a flop.
The second point is that talking about including other people's work into your own, without clarifying that point initially, is just asking for a backlash. "I would like to include other modder's work, but obviously permission is needed first. If anyone knows how to contact the authors of these mods, please let me know. If permission in granted, then [x will happen]. If not, then [y will happen]." Not "these are the mods I would like to include." Things like this need to be worded delicately and diplomatically from the outset.
In both of those cases, one may make the same argument for what Beamdog did; gaining a licence, making some content, asking for permission and including modder's work—but they haven't centred their entire operation around delivering content, they have upgraded the entire engine, delivering it to multiple platforms. They gained permission from the modders' whose work they wanted to include, and even employed some of those modders. They revamped the engine and are continuing to do so. They produced something tangible within a known time-frame. What they didn't do was talk about this ten years ago. They spoke about this approximately one year prior to releasing BG:EE. When you get much past that then people's patience wears thin, you can see this with the Android release.
Okay, so, on to what you hope to achieve. A large mod, something akin to Throne of Bhaal (or larger) in size. It's doable, but I honestly couldn't give you a time-frame. Due to that, I wouldn't attempt to guess. That is a combination of limits, your limits, expectations, and about trying to live up to those expectations.
Here are a few questions and suggestions to get you on your way to a plan of action:
- The Software: you plan to do 21 areas, you have little or no knowledge as of this time about Blender? That means some days, weeks, or months of learning before you can even begin rendering your concepts in 3D. Personally, I use Vue to create landscapes and then import into 3DSMax. However, that's probably not financially viable for a free project. Blender—okay, so you know what software you want to use, that's a start; how quick do you pick up on new things? Will that learning curve be days or months? This is going to directly impact on how long the entire project will take.
- The Area Content: What sort of areas do you plan on making? Desert, forest, mountainous, village, town, something else? How much detail do you plan on including? Will there be any NPC content in these areas?
- The NPC/PC Content: You haven't spoken at large about new NPC content. Do you have plans for that, and, if so, what sort of plans are you looking at? No specifics here, just a rough concept about how many, whether their potential new quests will span multiple new areas, whether some or all can be accepted into the party.
- The Quest Content: Like the above, you haven't spoken much about this. How many do you plan, what level of depth will they be? Again, no specifics. Talk about things like your Ankheg quest. Give something nondescript, "they'll span a few different areas, some will be action oriented while others will have multiple outcomes." Something like that.
- Brainstorming, Ideas, Concepts: use the above three 'Content' items as a foundation when thinking about your content, give some thought to what content you wish to deliver. Don't give any specifics here, but start talking about what sort of content, quests, NPCs, areas, etc., you would like to deliver. Remembering that certain items may not make it into the final version, for whatever reason; thematically, complexity, etc. Multiple choice quests, for example. Other possibilities include hunting quests, a player owned stronghold/cabin/house/cave/something that can be upgraded (also a place where your party members can go to when they get booted from your party—on a serious note, I am prepared to help make such a stronghold should you wish assistance in such an endeavour), mercenary work, personal NPC quests. Generic stuff that you would like to do. When I say don't give specifics about your own original content, it's so it protects the idea—so, for example, the hunting quest could revolve around gathering ingredients, hunting deer or boar for leather so you can make some armour. That's a specific that you shouldn't include until such point as you have something tangible to release. When talking about other people's recommendations for quests, NPC content, or areas, then you will obviously need to delve to specifics.
- Internal: key point—don't talk about the internal workings of how you're going to deliver, just keep it to what you will deliver. Talk about your plans for the mod, content-wise, not about how long it will take to deliver. Your last post is the type you need more of.
The above listed items are your key 'selling points,' for lack of a better term. Content, in other words. Not whether you can get a licence, not whether you can offer professional support, not whether you can sell or make a profit from it.I noticed you have now included an image of a folder with the 'master files.' How much of the mod do you already have completed?
Finally, as for my snazzy layouts, if you quote my post above you will find the following (broken up for readability):
<div style="display:block;text-align:center;"> <div style="margin:0 auto; width:450px; text-align:justify; background: rgb(0,89,148); background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, rgb(0,89,148) 0%, rgb(0,7,43) 100%); background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,rgb(0,89,148)), color-stop(100%,rgb(0,7,43))); background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(0,89,148) 0%,rgb(0,7,43) 100%); background: -o-linear-gradient(top, rgb(0,89,148) 0%,rgb(0,7,43) 100%); background: -ms-linear-gradient(top, rgb(0,89,148) 0%,rgb(0,7,43) 100%); background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgb(0,89,148) 0%,rgb(0,7,43) 100%); border-radius:10px; border:2px solid rgb(0,89,148); padding:10px;"> [Your content goes here] </div> <span style="font-size:3em">↓</span> </div>If you wish to know more about this then I would suggest taking it to the "How to format your posts" topic, located here. Since this is deviating from the original topic, I will answer any questions you have regarding post formatting in the other topic (tag me using the @ functionality in that other topic if you have specific questions about the above information, otherwise I will reply in due time and tag you instead). You can get quite fancy, as you will see from some of the information I have shared there. Both of these sound great. Speaking of 'Druid/Thief', more class-specific content sounds like an excellent plan.
Hmmn, Thanks. I have about 'Ten' [Twenty] Minutes before I have to go to 'work'; so Unfortunately I must reserve my 'Full' reply [In-depth points and reflection until I Can get off of work (Around 5 hours from now).]
Although I can tell you what I plan for next Week.
Last Night when I was taking a Shower [Oo La La :P] I was thinking of what other people in my position would have first focused on; then it dawned on me. Most people Work with their Strengths first then their weaknesses. I Have a 'Rare' [Not Really, more like Uncommon] Talent of Drawing. So I then made a plan that Next Week I will be Producing 'Tangible' Content in the terms of Concept ART. Now We Both Win [not that any one was losing]. I Produce Art, Give Ideas Around then and they help me Plan and elaborate on my / community Ideas and Concepts.
So on Monday Friends I will be Drawing. this will include some Areas, Items and maybe even character Sketches. Don't Worry I'm Actually Quite Descent at Drawing. [I should Scan my older works some time... ]
So I Must Go Now, I will reply to your Comment Troodon80 in about 5 or 6 hours. Although now I can Say that if you have any Ambitions throw them at me; and yes I Greatly Like your Idea of Housing [I use the Friendly Arm House, the One with the Flame Dance Ring Quest after the quest giver leaves by the Gate in Vanilla Baldur's Gate]. I Feel that myself and the vast majority would love a 'Housing' upgrade / option; such and option would be an excellent Addition.
Okay I must Leave Now [*Gets the Crowbar*]. I will get back to you later today.
Take Care Friend.
Sounds Great; Odd.. I was recently thinking of a 'Revamped' Durlag's Tower Cut scene. Well Just keep them handy, I might have 'a request' later. [I wonder if all the " '_' "'s Are giving a perception of myself as as a 'Prissy' person. I JUST started doing that realizing that I mostly talk to metaphors and sayings. Oh Well, Internet...] I'm Kind of Tired after Work so I don't know how 'High Quality' my Writing will be.
Anyways I Should Read your formatting suggestion link and reply to your full comment (Like I said) but I'm just 'Out of Batteries'; and I feel that my Reply would be 'Subpar'. [Uhhhg..]
Anyway I got Some Random things to Say / Announce.
How do I ... I should just read the formatting page..
[Next!]
Oh when I was Walking to Work I Was thinking about your comment and there was a question of how much content I have 'Built Up'. Well I remember playing Baldur's Gate When I was Nine in Grade 5. Since then I have Always wanted to Create 'the game', more than I wanted to play the game. [I'm Going to Dodge the 'I'm X Years Old and on the Internet; I'm Amazing' Stereotype here.] In the Early 2000's I Made some Concept Art and Laminated [On my Last Day of Elementary School I do believe.] an Armoured Figure wearing 'Baldur's Gate II Style' Equipment. No It was in Grade 6 or 7 I believe; on the last day before Summer Break that I got my 'Drawing' Laminated. I Was either 10 or 11 Years Old When I Did that; I still have it on my Fridge in another Home. Since then I have Been Causally Producing Concept, Ideas and Drawings for 'Baldur's Gate Type' Content; 'As it Stands Now' Most of my Work is Quite 'Scattered Around'. [God that Sounds, 'Prissy'; Eh.]
Hmmn, I will Just Give some Screen Shots of the 'Surviving' or rather Accessible Work. [My Old Laptop Died and I need to extract the Hard Where Files.]
Wait a Minute... I Found Some Old 'Scans' of Drawings that I Saved Over to an External Hard Drive Before my Computer Died.
Here are some Drawings of Baldur's Gate Related Content that I made When I was Either 14 or 15 in Grade 9 or 10. [I should Right Number Smaller than 10 in Letters, ya, ya`what ever[s].]
Okay Hold the Files I will be Back.. Later.
Okay I'm Back.
Here are the Scans that I had 'Promised' but / although I got, 'distracted'. [I will Answer Your Comment, Later I Suppose. I'm Just so Tired.
I Think a Zip File Would be Better but eh, 'Screw It'; Extra Work 'En' All'. I Like the 'Block of Pictures' better anyway.
Being that I was Mostly 14 and 15 Years of Age When I Drew most of these [Pictures / Drawings]; since then I have Become a [Far] Better Artist [I Made a decent Picture Book in 2013]. Oddly Without Training nor much Practice; as I grew, so did 'It'.
I think that is a Good Idea, Although I plan on making custom BAM files for each of the Custom Items.
The New Armour Types need new BAMs and I plan on using Blender for their design, not just paint them as a lot of items are done in that style in Baldur's Gate II. I Prefer the 3D Modeled Images in Baldur's Gate I over the Painted Images in Baldur's Gate II. Although I first need to learn Blender for the Item... wait a second. I have one custom BAM that I made around two years ago. Hold on, Hold on *Searching for Files*
Here we are, the Unfinished Item Icons for a Throwing Axe Project of mine back in 2012.
I guess [for now] I could Edit some Existing BAMs to make the 'closely related' looking Items, e.g. Bronze Items.
So What did You think?
Edit: Here is the 'Finished' Small Frame of the Throwing Axe, Note the 'Point' on the Axe Head. [I found the File on / in a Text Document about new Items.]
Here's a basic comparison (I haven't it into BAM format, it's just a copy/paste comparison) of the items as they will appear from your drawings above; just taking a single flail:
To the left is an image from in-game. A Mace +1. An unedited (aside from flipping and rotating the image) version of your drawing appears in the middle while an image consisting of two layers (a light layer and a darker layer, using an alpha mask for both) appears on the right. If the one on the right is any indication, then you will indeed be able to simply adjust the hue. Some may need more editing, however. I have to say, they blend in better with the other items in-game much better than I thought they would at first glance.
Also, I think that the Original Item Description Artist(s) in Baldur's Gate drew 'Its' / Their Pictures much[, much] bigger than My Own. For Example, That Single Two Handed Sword on Drawing 47 could be hidden by 12 Sugar Cubes.
I feel that the Original 'Item Description Drawings' in many cases would require much more than 12 Sugar Cubes to hide them. For Example Look at Moonblade's Item 'Drawing' in It's Personal Description. [Game Banshee Image Attached.] Also I wish to Draw my own Unique Item 'Close Ups' for their own [Every Custom] Unique [Item] Descriptions.
Also Here is [Again] Drawing47 with 'Valtearia'. [For Easy Comparison with 'Moonblade'.]
Also: I Plan to Draw in a Much Larger Scale for their [Custom Item] 'Close Ups' with an Addition [First] Concept Art Piece as a Guide for the Custom 3F Model.
So Once Again Here are the [My Current (3:58 PM 25/05/2014)] Drawing Plans:
Find [With Permission (Most likely a 'Not Now' Option)] or Create [A Very Much 'Now' Option] New Item [Draw g] Concepts on Paper; Drawing:
-An 'Overview' of the Item [As with 'Valtearia the Two Handed Sword]. Use: 3D Modelling Reference for Inventory BAMs + Extra Concept Art.
-A 'Close Up' of the Item [Akin to the Moonblade Picture Below]. Use: Item Description 'Drawings'.
Extra: Also I might draw the [Saccus] Copper Mine Top Level Map Overview Concept. [Think [I'm Thinking, but open for Suggestions; E.G. Naskel Mine Original (at least I think that it is 'THE' Original) Concept Art (It Looks Like Old 'Trench Mining' Technique) [Below]]] Ancient Mining Techniques used in the 'Real World'.]
Note: I Plan on having ALL New Items with their Own Custom BAM files and 'Description Close Up Drawings' [In this new 'Expansion']; Although 'Special' Cases may appear: e.g Icingdeath and Twinkle.
*Here They Are*
Note: this is 'C' Grade work from myself. I Spent only around 45 minutes to a bit over an Hour on this Piece. The above PumA in Paris Picture took from 2 to 4 Hours to Fully Polish.
As with the date of the Work; I did this Last Night. I Hope you Enjoy my 'C' Grade Work. Take Care Friends.
Also: @Troodon80 You might Enjoy this.
Edit: I Forgot to attach the file... WHY can one NOT be allowed to edit a new image onto a comment? Hmmn Look below for the file. Erg.
Planned (25/05/2014) In Game Area Progression:
Ruined Abandoned Version [Infested with 'Monsters'].
V
Developed + Rebuilt Area Version. [The Image File Below is the 'Not Set in Stone' Developed + Rebuilt Area Version; and not the first Version that the party will first encounter with all the 'Monsters' Infesting it [While In Ruins].
Edit: I Wonder if the Player's Party could get a Free Room for Life in the 'Saccus Keep' (Not Original Lore Name) for 'Liberating' the Area. I Would Also Like to Champion Other 'Housing' Options for more, Diversity than Dank Castle Walls, Even as Cool as they are.
Also: The 'Developed Mine Area Version' is 'Unlocked' 'Later' in The Game and is Not Available 'Right Away', so that [Not the only one; Hopefully] 'Housing' Option would be around when the player clears the Bandit Camp I suppose? [Or when they [It] first enters Baldur's Gate [Naturally]?]
Extra: Area Features Can be Resized if Need Be. [For Area Size Restrictions or for Relative Object / Building Size Comparison Reasons.]
Take Care Friends. Also Remember this is 'C' Grade Work of mine, it took 45 minutes to 'a little over' an Hour to Create; So Expect Better Quality Images to Come [In the Near Future].
Edit: Although if it was truly 'Fully' Developed, the Bridge would work, would it not? Also I plan to add more Buildings on 'the top' along side 'the keep'; along with 'on the bottom' near 'The Slanted Tavern' and other misc. sections [To Create more of an Operational 'Frontier' Mine Feel. So the Area Drawing is not 100% accurate.
Take Care Folks!
-Axagar Iron Fist: Chaotic Neutral, Mountain Dwarf, Barbarian / Battlerager [With Rage Variant: Whirling Frenzy]. Special: Bottomless Mug: [Permanent Quick Slot Item] Axagar is near always drunk as a result; 'Rooster the Soberer' is used by Goras to dispel Drunkenness and Battlerage Special Ability: Killing Rage. [Activates When Party is Attacked; Deactivates when Combat is Over or Dispelled by 'Rooster the Soberer'.]
-Goras 'Rooster' Thundertoes: Chaotic Good, Lightfoot Halfling, [Halfling] Opportunist [Yes it is an Official Class]. Special: [Permanent Quick Slot Item] 'Rooster the Soberer' is a Magical Small Club used by Goras to dispel Drunkenness and Battlerage Special Ability: Killing Rage.
Both NPCs have very 'Colourful' Banter at each other's 'Demons' and Short Comings.
Quest: Find Goras's Magical Crystal Eye [Some "One-Eyed Bastard" Stole it from Goras.]
I was Also thinking of a 'Hardcore Mode' for replayability where 7 or 9 NPCs can be Acquired at one time.
Extra: Here is a File with some 'Exotic' Class Options that I Narrowed down from a Larger List.
[Extra] Note: These 'Exotic' NPC Classes are not going to be the Only NPC Classes in the New 'Expansion'; e.g. Druid / Thief. Although the Fighter / Mage may be Replaced with a Spellsword or something like that.
Okay well take care and bye bye for now Friends. So What do you think?]
Also: @Troodon80 you might like this / have some opinions on the matter.
Edit: Also I was thinking of Adding 21+ New NPCs of 'More or Less' equal 'Good, Neutral and Evil' Division(s) [Unlike a certain 'Dark Side' Mod *Cough* Good Bias *Cough* :P [7 Good, 7 Neutral, 7 Evil [Antipaladin] Planned New NPCs (Without or Including Allowed Preexisting Mods [Jet'Laya]].
Extra: For Your Convenience: Here is the Below File Quoted:
"Exotic NPC Class Elimination Round Three!
Must Have Exotic NPC Classes:
-Halfing Opportunist
-Samurai
-Swashbuckler / Pirate
-Half-Giant / Ogre Racial Class
-Psion
-Cloistered Cleric / Librarian
-Antipaladin / Paladin of Slaughter
-Warmage / Battle Sorcerer / Spellsword
-Battle Dancer / Duelist
Valued Exotic Additions:
-Hexblade / Duskblade
-Wu Jen
-Savage Bard / Barbarian [Possible Variant?]
-Divine Bard
-Brawler
-Shaman
-Spell Thief
-Soul Knife
-Gladiator
-Necromancer / Dread Necromancer
-Arcane Trister / Archer"
For the First Edition I Hope to include:
New Quests
New Areas
New NPCs
New Items and Possibly Spells.
Also New Sounds and Animations + New Monsters could be a possibility.
Also as an 'Extra' Feature [Not in First Edition]: 'Horde Mode' Mini Game / Feature with different [Waves of] Adversaries; maybe even some bosses. [Also something with Surviving would be neat; with some permanent Reward or something.] Just my 'Long Viewed' thoughts.
But all of 'this' is 'Extra Additional Stuff' and out of my Current 'Doable Area'.
What do you think? [Take Care Friends.]
@BaldursGate