Question about graphic updates ( Aribeth ) and the plans for future.
Twotricks
Member Posts: 20
During the first announcement of NWN:EE, developers stated that their plan was to improve the tools and enable modders to revamp the models. But at the time they have no plans of revamping/changing game models.
I personally seen this as a problematic, for several reasons ( i explained in older post ) and will not go back to it, because its not the point of this post.
However, yesterday to my big suprise the team revealed fantastic new model of Aribeth, and following statement:
What does this mean ? Exactly ?
Will all character models be updated ?
How about monster models ?
When will this happen ?
Will game be released with complete model revamp ? Or its something that will slowly happen over time ( and perhaps never complete )
If character models are revamped , than equipment must be re-done too ( in order to fit new models ) ?
There is also talk about new tiles that will be part of future expansion. Does this mean revamped models could potentially also be part of expansion ? ( With all the respect that would be kind of microtransaction for models - and something that would worry me on some level )
So to finish. I am excited and happy to see wonderful Aribeth model, and see that Beamdog are now open to model revamp.
But I would love to hear exact plans and explanation.
I personally seen this as a problematic, for several reasons ( i explained in older post ) and will not go back to it, because its not the point of this post.
However, yesterday to my big suprise the team revealed fantastic new model of Aribeth, and following statement:
New character models are coming to Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition! Lady Aribeth de Tylmarande is leading the charge on the new look. We are planning to update character models in steps as we move forward. After NWN:EE is released, you will continue getting updates with new character models.
What does this mean ? Exactly ?
Will all character models be updated ?
How about monster models ?
When will this happen ?
Will game be released with complete model revamp ? Or its something that will slowly happen over time ( and perhaps never complete )
If character models are revamped , than equipment must be re-done too ( in order to fit new models ) ?
There is also talk about new tiles that will be part of future expansion. Does this mean revamped models could potentially also be part of expansion ? ( With all the respect that would be kind of microtransaction for models - and something that would worry me on some level )
So to finish. I am excited and happy to see wonderful Aribeth model, and see that Beamdog are now open to model revamp.
But I would love to hear exact plans and explanation.
0
Comments
This is pure conjecture on my part but I would also guess, with the announcement of an updated blender and the fact that they seem to be working with the community, that what we do might affect what they do.
Like suppose the community creates a really awesome weapons pack. It doesn't mean Beamdog will never do their own (especially since Trent seems to have a thing for weapon crafting both real and virtual) but it might prompt them to prioritize other things first.
Or they could totally have it all mapped out and I'm completed wrong
They'll be working on improved models for important characters as they go. But, they're not holding back the release date to get them all in. They'll be released for free, as they're done. It could be many months after they release the game before most of the upgraded character models are available. At this stage, they don't know.
But, what I'd like to know is if they'll texture the hair. I know it's still work-in-progress, so I do expect improvement. I really hope the hair mesh is able to deform and such with movement of the head, and that it looks like hair.
Also, if I might add. I wasn't all that enamored by the face of the new Aribeth. I mean, it was OK, but it's not the face of a ravishing Elf. Or, she's now a half-elf or so? Even so, I got the impression that she was a beauty. So, I wouldn't really give that current face a pass, if that's what you're going for. It's not bad. Just not really what I'd picture for a fetching Elf.
Still, if the current model is about the ideal you're aiming for, then that's fair enough. Just not really what I'd expect. Not as fetching as the original Aribeth, at least. Opinion, I know. But still.
What is important that its model, done professionally, with modern games quality.
That is what makes me happy ...
Right now Beamdog are getting feedback to the news.
During the livestream it was said artists still work on Aribeth, so I'd suppose the face is not final.
if the timeframe for updating all of the models to this level is couple of years, i'd say that's pretty great
Plus its optional so anyone who doesnt could just not use the new model(s).
Ive got to say though- I'm really hyped now.
If they hadn't improved a lot of the graphics such as adding the normal and specular mapping, the tangent thingy, and append/attach stuff, then maybe it wouldn't have looked as impressive. Another way to look at it then is that if they work on adding more features to the engine then the graphics can be improved even further allowing even better models and tiles than what they showed on Friday.
This would also mean that even if Beamdog does decide to remake art assets and charge for new models of existing npcs then modders can still improve their own things for free.
And Madhatter- Dude, awesome stuff on the workshop-I was really pleased to see all of your stuff there and being able to install everything with a click made it even better. I'm beyond hyped at this point seeing how well everything is working and finding your over rides already there.
They did amazing work. All I did was package it up for 1 click subscription on the Workshop.
It's possible there will be more improvements and updates with new graphical options in the future. I think it has less to do with how the actual model looks.
renderhint NormalAndSpecMapped
texture0 aribeth_bc
texture1 aribeth_n
texture2 aribeth_s
after every bitmap code(if it in the property of the object) of the mdl so do not have manual do it with notepad++ after doing work in nwnmax but other then that everything going good.
Here some eye color changes, a little nose work and some hair work.
I'm currently in the process of adding support for tangent and normal export to neverblender. I should be done soon.
If those values are missing from the model the engine will auto generate them. That might be slow or wrong (= lighting artifacts). But the Aribeth model doesn't seem to be affected by that, as far as I can tell.
btw. don't use neverblender to do any meaningful work on Aribeth yet. There are some quirks which will be fixed with the next update.
All in good time.
Are they now planning to redo all assets? What's the master plan here?
For example, on the stream, the idea of 'new content' in the OC could mean adding additional quests, additional areas, weapons, NPCs, backgrounds, interactions, etc.
I think that's the stuff @TrentOster has said he's not that keen on doing?
Or, it could mean graphical updates to existing tilesets, placeables, etc.
Like the updated Aribeth model, the promise of updated character models, and the updated Hall of Justice. If that stuff's going in, the OCs will be 'updated', graphically.
For a while, I kept thinking of the word content only in graphic assets like models, textures, etc. Now, I realize some people aren't necessarily asking for that, they're asking for NEW content like sidequests, expanded NPC relationships, etc.
You know, this game offers a lot of chances to misunderstand a term. "Content" is only one example.
-JFK
Some instead ask for new art assets, though there is a trend where the request has little regard with preserving things like customization and other details where NWN excels. In that sense there is a lot of similarity with the other kind of content as it relates only to a single player experience in the OC that lasts a finite number of hours, and has little to no application outside of that scope.
This discussion is about the art assets, which they are still figuring out, so they're not going to pump out thousands of models by March 27.
From Latest Livestream / blog