We Need More Artists!

[Svetac]

Hi guys!

i'm Naum Mihajlovski a.k.a. known as Svetac (Saint). I'm from Macedonia, I love TBS games, and I'm here after the request for artists that methinks posted at Pixelation.

Here is some of my work, with wich methinks if familiar:



So I would gladly contribute to this game. I can do mostly anything, but my favorite theme are knights in shiny armours, clerics and sorcerers.

So where can we discuss what I'll do first? Here, or in some other thread? That is, if you let me join

[fmunoz]

Hey Stevac your sprites looks impresive in dark blue or light brown background
Just pick task (ie. finish a unit, do a new terrain, etc...)
List of unit images
http://wesnoth.slack.it/?UnitAnimationsAndSounds
Some images need to be done
http://wesnoth.whitevine.net/forum/phpB ... .php?t=356

Just open a thread an claim a sprite, just to advoid duplicate work.

All images are in png, pure black is for transparent, unit shadows are ????RGB (dont remenber, just pick the colour from another unit).

All images are in the game package.
PM me or post if you want more info


Wellcome!!!

[Dave]

Hi Svetac,

We'd love for you to do some graphics for us. There are a number of areas we want graphics, so you can pick the one you want

Firstly, I think you should try playing the game a little, if you haven't already. I do want everyone who contributes to actually enjoy the game!

We need some terrain graphics: See http://wesnoth.whitevine.net/forum/phpB ... =3068#3068 for a list of terrain graphics we need. You said you like knights in shining armor? How about doing us a nice, classic looking castle? We need a tile for the castle, and a special tile for the keep, our castle at the moment doesn't look great.

We also have some knight units in the game which need animating! See the image images/knight.png - we need some frames for that knight for when he attacks with his sword, as well as when he attacks with his lance. You can use as many frames as you want for attacks. We also need a frame for when he is defending himself from attack.

The same for images/paladin.png - we need some frames for his sword attack and his lance attack, and a defensive frame.

We have also been talking about adding a new knight-type unit, that is the same level as a paladin, but better at fighting, but without the holy attack and heal abilities of the paladin. If you'd like, you could do the image and animations for this new unit.

We are also looking for some larger, still images, if you're interested in that.

Let me know if anything I have listed would be of interest to you.

If you need any technical help with getting images into the game, also let us know, and I'd be happy to help.

Thank you for your interest,

David

[Svetac]

Okay, I'll take a look at those knights and paladins to see what I can do with their movements. I will definetely want to do the new knight unit, and I will want to do the castle.

"We need a tile for the castle, and a special tile for the keep..."

What does this mean? I don't fully understand it.

Also I would be interested in making some map structures, but I'm not into the terrain tile thing, although I might sometime give it a try, but I would first want to work on the things mentioned above.

I've got one question about the pallete: Is there a specified pallete that you'll provide or I can use my own palletes?

Also, when I go on the download page it looks really complicated to assemble all those binnaries and files in order to fire up the game. Is there any simplier way to do this?

[Dave]

Okay, I'll take a look at those knights and paladins to see what I can do with their movements. I will definetely want to do the new knight unit, and I will want to do the castle.

Okay, great!

"We need a tile for the castle, and a special tile for the keep..."

What does this mean? I don't fully understand it.

Well, once you get the game running you might understand better...a castle is made up of a number of tiles near each other that are part of the castle. One specific tile in the castle is the 'keep'. The keep is the place the leader stands within the castle.

Currently the keep is different from other tiles in the castle only in that it's a different color. We would like to make it different by making it look like a big tower.

I've got one question about the pallete: Is there a specified pallete that you'll provide or I can use my own palletes?

You can just use rgb, and thus use whichever colors you want. Try to stick with the current artistic style, of course.

Also, when I go on the download page it looks really complicated to assemble all those binnaries and files in order to fire up the game. Is there any simplier way to do this?

If you're using Microsoft Windows, all you have to do is download the file at http://www.wesnoth.org/files/win-0.6.1.exe and run it, and it will install the game. If you're running another operating system, and are having trouble installing it, let us know and we'll help you.

The only reason there are so many different files is because we support many different operating systems, not just Windows like many programs do.

David

[Svetac]

Okay, I got it Thank you Dave. I'm downloading the game now, will play it for the weekend and will start working on something. If I have something for asking I will ask.

I understand the castle problem now, thanks. I can do it yes. And I'll remain true to the colors of Wesnoth.

[Guest]

Wow, those graphics look impresive! I'm looking forward to your contriubutions. Have fun playing Wesnoth this weekend, I know I will

[methinks]

Nice to see you here.
If you want to create a new unit, which obviously is the case, there will also be no problem with that but priority is different
Even though, I believe we lack just as much new units as much as animation frames

Enjoy BfW.

[telex4]

We are also looking for some larger, still images, if you're interested in that.

My brother is drawing some of these kinds of images; I'll post them when he's done.

Would it be possible to allow for theming of the game, a-la freeciv, since he's drawing a nice splash screen as well as redoing the portraits of the main characters, and I'd prefer his to the anime ones personally. So it'd be nice if he could create a directory, e.g. "dark", that would inherit all of the images in the default directory except those that are found in the dark directory.

Anyway, if there are any more large images you'd like, just say and I'll poke him

[Dave]

We are also looking for some larger, still images, if you're interested in that.

My brother is drawing some of these kinds of images; I'll post them when he's done.

Cool.

Would it be possible to allow for theming of the game, a-la freeciv, since he's drawing a nice splash screen as well as redoing the portraits of the main characters, and I'd prefer his to the anime ones personally. So it'd be nice if he could create a directory, e.g. "dark", that would inherit all of the images in the default directory except those that are found in the dark directory.

It would be possible, and not even that hard to do, but I am disinclined to do it. I think that a game is different from many other types of programs in that the authors should impose their style on the user, just as for other creative works. To me, allowing themes in a game is a little like allowing viewers of a movie to choose the soundtrack.

The situation is a little different for FreeCiv, since they are trying to make more of a game engine than just a game, and their game is a rather general one.

However we would love to see your brother's images - if they are better than the current ones, we can talk about putting them in. We don't have a splash screen at all yet, and we'd love to have one.

Anyway, if there are any more large images you'd like, just say and I'll poke him

Something we'd like is a picture of a ship foundering in a storm, to be used right before the 'Isle of the Damned' scenario.

David

[Svetac]

I've played Wesnoth, and I find it interesting and challenging. I think that the concept is good, and has many nice points. I like the diversity between the races - it's the greatest point of the game. What I think the game lacks is higher level units that are more expensive and harder to get, like Angels at the side of the Humans, or Dragons at the side of the Orcs.

However let me express my thought on the graphics area. I think that the unit graphics are great. Yes, many units lack animations, but the game is playable without them right now. But the map objects and tiles are really crappy I understand that they are that way because they're placeholders currently so that the game can be playable. Now since I'm on this project, I think that it would be nice if I take care of that part of the game.

I said that I will do the castle, and after playing the game my vision of it is clear. So here is my plan of activities:

1. classic castle, human castle. After that I will make Undead castle, Elvish castle and Orcish stronghold. I think it would be nice if each race has distinctive and unique castle.

2. Villages - distinctive villages for each of the races.

2.5 Doing the new Knight unit for the humans

3. Mountains and Forests.

4. Probably tiles of grass, dirt, water.

5. Map Cosmetics - flowers, rocks, dead trees, swamp grass ...

I would also suggest one new building type that can be added to the maps - The Forge. There the player can upgrade his units for high price, really high price so that it can't be abused. Of course the map designers would need to take care of balancing the map and placing this strucutres on strategical locations.

Also do you plan on adding new races? Like Dwarves? If you do plan such thing, count me in for the units

I'll start working immidiately on the castles. Your thoughts?

[fmunoz]

I've played Wesnoth, and I find it interesting and challenging. I think that the concept is good, and has many nice points. I like the diversity between the races - it's the greatest point of the game. What I think the game lacks is higher level units that are more expensive and harder to get, like Angels at the side of the Humans, or Dragons at the side of the Orcs.

IMHO thats not a good idea, currently you can only recruit 1st level units, in campaigns you can recall leveled units. No ubber units. A 3rd level unit could beat a couple of lower level ones but will be wounded after that. (as a bad example of ubber units think in AoW....)
Some creatures like dragons (graphic alredy done) could be used in campaigns, but mostly as foes or plot devices.

However let me express my thought on the graphics area. I think that the unit graphics are great. Yes, many units lack animations, but the game is playable without them right now. But the map objects and tiles are really crappy I understand that they are that way because they're placeholders currently so that the game can be playable. Now since I'm on this project, I think that it would be nice if I take care of that part of the game.

Some of the terrains are just placeholders done to remove older uglier placeholders. You should keep in mind that making hexagonal tileable terrain is not easy. Feel free to replace them, hills 1st

I said that I will do the castle, and after playing the game my vision of it is clear. So here is my plan of activities:

1. classic castle, human castle. After that I will make Undead castle, Elvish castle and Orcish stronghold. I think it would be nice if each race has distinctive and unique castle.

Ok.

2. Villages - distinctive villages for each of the races.

Some new villages are being done now.

2.5 Doing the new Knight unit for the humans

IIRC I was talking with Dave about that unit, named templar, 3rd level more physical powerfull than paladins but no healing, armed with lance and a mace (just to have more range of choices)

3. Mountains and Forests.

Start with the hills. Then mountains. Forest tiles are not that bad.

4. Probably tiles of grass, dirt, water.

5. Map Cosmetics - flowers, rocks, dead trees, swamp grass ...

Already implemented, you can add more if you want.

I would also suggest one new building type that can be added to the maps - The Forge. There the player can upgrade his units for high price, really high price so that it can't be abused. Of course the map designers would need to take care of balancing the map and placing this strucutres on strategical locations.

No, not a good idea. If you want a better unit you should sweat for it.

Also do you plan on adding new races? Like Dwarves? If you do plan such thing, count me in for the units

There are some dwarfs now. Check the images folder.

I'll start working immidiately on the castles. Your thoughts?

I had a plan to create complex multy-hexed castles.. but the number of tiles needed were too hight. Good luck


Un saludo
Paco

[Dave]

Svetac,

Your ideas sound great! I look forward to seeing your work.

In my non-artistic opinion, I thought the grassland and forests we had already looked pretty good, although I acknowledge that other terrain types could use improvement. Still, if you could improve grassland and forests to look even better, that'd be great too!

There are already some dwarves in the game - they just don't appear until later scenarios in the campaign. However we need many more dwarvern units than currently.

I look forward to seeing what you can do!

David

[methinks]

Forge idea may be good, cost could be like 200 gold. You've managed too get that much? Fine, use it. 200 is a lotta gold I do not even think it will be use, hehe

There was discussion about castles it was also considered that there should be castle tiles camp-like, you do not simply build a castle when caught in the middle of your journey

Mainly I like your ideas though it would be smallest priority for me to do forest. Grassland may be improved, also it BEGS for variety like flowers and so on.

Happy to se another great artist working on this game.

[Svetac]

Few questions:

1. Can I make multyhexed castle as fmunoz proposed? I mean one castle as one picture? Something lik one hex in the middle for the keep and six hexes around the keep. Also I'm thinking of making these circular, not hexagonal in appearance, though they will remain true in size to the hexagonal grid. I'm thinking of this, because that way I can add more comsmetics and distinctivity to the castles, like towers at the edges and small houses somewhere in between, windows etc. What do you say?

2. With the same technique descrived above I can design also outposts for each race.

3. If multihexed objects are allowed, than I would suggest designing some mountains and woods that way. Good example will be the Heroes of Might & Magic editor where such multispace objects were used. Than I will draw several types of mountains that map designers can combine to get distinctive looking and eyecandy areas.

4. Forge idea - revisited: Let's go over this one more time, I wouldn't discard this idea so fast. It can add spice to the game, and there can be different upgrade objects for each race. For the humans it can be Temple, Undead - Altar or Graveyard, Elves - Nature Grove, Dwarves - Forge, Orcs - Training Pits. Also there can be Gladiator's Arena where you have one neutral unit, the are itself is two-hex building, the gladiator takes one place, and you can place another unit in the next hex, after that they fight to the death, if your unit defeat the gladiator it advances one level up. Once the gladiator dies, he is never replaced, and the Arena cannot be reused to advance another unit. Than there can be Mage Guild, place where mages can be upgraded. I'm talking about really high prices for the upgrading.

5. Uber unit idea - revisited: When I'm speaking about higher level units, I generaly think of using them in MP. I think that the game can be spiced up that way. There should be such creatures that can be get later in the game. I think that it is good if you provide the player something that he will get later in the game, something as an award for his playing until that point. Maybe that unit should not be much more powerful than the basic ones, but still will have some advantage. But also player will be required to babysit that unit, because at that time players will have 2nd and 3rd level units out, so that it can be defeated if not taken good care of.

6. Beside the villages in the game, I think that the game needs more locations that can be visited by the player. It gives spice to the game.

7. Have you planned of adding more resources to the game? Why? Well, maybe it can be good idea to add few more resources beside the gold, so these can be used with the upgrade formula I proposed above. Maybe each unit can have it's upgrade price that is resource heavy. Let's say I want to upgrade my Heavy Infantry, than beside gold I should pay Ore too at the Forge. Or if I want to upgrade my Paladin into Templar, than I have to pay Life Mana in addition to the gold in the temple. Also these resources can be used in buying higher levels creatures if added. Angels will cost Life mana in addition to gold. Hm?

8. Can it be done so that archers can attack from one hex farther than now? I think that it will add strategy to the game. When I think of this I have in mind Battle Isle, a game by Bkue Byte that you may have played in the beggining of the 90's. It was also hexagonal game, with similar concept to this one when it comes to the battles, only there ranged attacks were ranged in terms of hexagons. So that means that more strategy can be added to the game, since the archers can be protected by the frotline ground-pounders, which is also realistic IMO. Also since there is gunpowder in the world of wesnoth, there can be introduced artilery engines. These may be typical to the dwarves altough not exclusive only to them, only they will get the best ones. These artilery engines will have range of few hexes, depending on the type of the engine. So dwarves can use cannons that will have the greatest range, humans can use balistaes, orcs - catapults, undead - some sort of dark magical machinery that attacks with something lika energetical mana. On a first glance these units are too strong, but it can be balanced - 1. their hit chance will be fairly low, and the fast scout units will get big attacking bonus when they engage siege units. I think that these things can add battlefield strategy, and more planing and tactics to the game.

Okay, maybe I have gone overboard with these ideas, but I had to get them off my chest Sorry if this seems rude or something, but it's only because I wish best for this game, and I'm only speaking about the things that I as player would want to see in the game.

My sincere thanks for letting me voice my opinion.

Methinks, thank you for your compliments, and I hope that I won't dissapoint. I hope that I will make those castles look good as fmunoz made look great all those units. Kudos to fmunoz for that. Also I must say that speed is not one of my quialities, but on the other hand stubborness and perfecionizm are, so in some way the lack of speed is compensated with quality

Okay, now back to playing some more Wesnoth This is really addictive guys ))

P.S. Oh, and since there are already Dwarven units, do you plan of making the dwarves playable race in MP? Please do so!