Macsen on 18/4/2005 at 17:52
I just got Requiem to work. It was great! :)
Quote Posted by Heptagon
It's obvious who the self-indulgent author of this one is.
I prefer the self-indulgent to the rude. ;)
Quote Posted by Heptagon
I certainly hope the upcoming huge campaign is more interesting than this.
It'll have gameplay, to being with.
demagogue on 18/4/2005 at 18:57
I'm happy that the contest is meeting all my best expectations and more.
I can't believe how much review-time these entries are getting! :D FM authors crave feedback, and usually won't get much just randomly releasing an FM. But (ironically) this is small, packaged, and discrete enough to invite commentary after commentary, and serious ones too that don't hold any punches ... What a treat!
I'm with the opinion that Hazelshade Cemetary and the Clocktower are the leading contenders ... the 2 pinnacles of atmosphere and attention to detail. My preference would be for the Cemetary ... in terms of sheer beauty, this is the one where my *wow* was the most audible and sustained.
---------------------------------------------
I'll comment without trying to bias my own entry (much). (If you read my posts in the dromed forum thread closely, you can probably guess which is mine)...
A Nice Stroll definately has its own aesthetic ... minimalist and surreal (perhaps a little *too* minimalist in the exact opposite way that St. Lazarius is perhaps too over the top -- it's like this is a balancing act with these 2 on the 2 ends of the pole). If I were just viewing the area from the starting point, it wouldn't have struck me much at all, but by being led into actually *taking the stroll* and watching the simple forms take shape from different points of view, the thought put into their placement began to draw me in and I saw the power of simplicity ... very zen (and you totally have to be in a zen sort of mood to appreciate it). The author says him/herself that it was unfinished and submitted more as a present than to be a serious contender ... and I think the contest is better for having it than not. I hope s/he can really put some more time in to realize its potential and release a finished version.
Hazelshade really took my breath away right from the start, with the light rays and particle effects coming off of the tree. I loved just walking around thru the swirling fog ... it made the space so much more alive ... hard to explain, but you really *feel* it wading thru it. The central tomb was very well constructed (I was so happy there was a building to go into), lavish but unsettling, it seemed natural that the fog was still inside the building. The custom textures were quite well placed. (I was going to say that the custom tombstones looked too new for being 100s of years old, but then they are funny, so I thought being a little cartoonish is actually a virtue in this context). It would have been cool to see an appirition walking around the place, and it really could have used some better ambients to really bring out the atmosphere, but these are nitpicks. It was when I went back towards the start and saw that tree with the lightbeams piercing thru and the buildings in the background that sold this entry for me.
Requium for a Thief had more to offer in its underlying narrative than its setting per se (or you could say the former overshadowed the latter). Its basic cathedral motif is very common in the Thief universe, although this was an exemplative use of it. It's funny how one's perception changes depending on how "common" a feature of motif seems, however. In this case, I had to fight the temptation to think this was just another cathedral ... but there were a few features which distinguished it. The ceiling and multi-leveledness (3-tiers, with chairs actually overlooking the alter like you'd expect in a functioning church) were done much better here than in most Thief churches I've seen. That, plus the action, made it much more realistic and "living" building, one where you actually believe what's going on, and not just gratuitous scenery. A definite plus. I was quite struck by the stain-glass reflections on the floor as it brought back fond memories of walking thru real cathedrals, and I liked how the ambience changed with the different stain-glass motifs and different AI with each difficulty. The scripted part was very well constructed for each scene, the right voice-acting and vocal-script, making me wish that more Thief FMs would play with such scripted-events, which pull you into the story so much better than cutscenes.
I have to run to class now, will post more commentary later.
Fingernail on 18/4/2005 at 19:03
Quote Posted by Thiefsie Fool
Fingernail, because everyone showed no restraint because they know they wouldn't have to care about brush/object limits, or worry about coplanars/stuff in the long run.
It forces people to think? How so?
Well yeah, but you can still make a lot better looking stuff than the average FM architecture.
Renault on 18/4/2005 at 19:19
I think the authors of Clocktower and Cemetary need to get together and build some ultimate uber FM campaign - how sweet would that be? :cheeky:
casalor on 18/4/2005 at 19:43
Where do I begin?
All these artworks are fantastic and each has their own merits. I personally picked Requiem (and I know its not the most popular vote). I just felt that it had a sombre but uplifting quality about it. Several points I liked were;
1. stained glass window reflections on the floor.
2. The late afternoon sunlight coming through the windows and lighting up the interior.
3. The use of the camvator was not overdone but was short and timed nicely with the eulogy.
4. A nice touch with all the keepers keeping to the shady parts (unlike the guards and hammers).
5. The interesting fact that only a few people turned up! (but I guess that had more to do with the limits on the number of AI).
second choice for me was Hazelshade. It's a magical place and it was nice to go around and actually read the gravestones without having to frob them first. The ground mist was a stunning addition and really gave it atmosphere. Interestingly, it felt in no way creepy... Is that right for a graveyard that looked like a film set for a Hammer Horror movie?
The Clocktower had a great lightning effect outside (I dont think thats used enough in Thief). The stone texture on the interior sprial staircases walls was well picked and all the objects inside fitted and felt right (apart from the obvious!). It felt a bit frustrating though as I felt I wanted to frob everything (but obviously couldnt).
St Lazarius had some stunning textures but on the whole it felt oddly sterile (almost a little too perfect). Perhaps some priests standing or walking around would have added to it. The music used fitted perfectly, though, and did add some atmosphere
BTW, I have to say that some of the scenes make great wallpapers!
daniel on 18/4/2005 at 19:45
gotta reinstall the thief games for this :)
so are they all for thief DP or MA?
casalor on 18/4/2005 at 19:49
Quote Posted by daniel
so are they all for thief DP or MA?
All for MA.
Flecha das Sombras on 18/4/2005 at 20:10
Wow! This thread is growing too fast!!! :wot:
It took me hours to read!
About the missions:
Great!I just have a small question:
Inline Image:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Flecha/odd.gifWhat the mean of this picture in a chatedral? :p :joke:
After thinking about my vote, I decided to vote in none. This is the way I found to vote in all them. :cool:
Thanks to all the missions! :thumb:
Aja on 18/4/2005 at 20:12
Quote Posted by casalor
I personally picked Requiem (and I know its not the most popular vote). I just felt that it had a sombre but uplifting quality about it. Several points I liked were;
I'm very surprised that Requiem is not getting more votes, it is phenominal. It's almost to the point where it doesn't even look like Thief, everything has this sort of halo'd quality to it... I love the way the sunlight shines on the guards, and the little floating specs of dust. I voted for Surrounded because it was the one that
really made me want to see more, but Requiem is still, as I wrote earlier, brilliant. I did indeed have a difficult time voting.
Renault on 18/4/2005 at 20:23
It's an angel with...tits. Where do I sign up for the Order of the Hammer again? :laff:
Seriously, I thought that and a few of the other graphics just took away from the realism of that level, things you just wouldn't see in a cathedral. But then again, this was a beauty contest, not a realism contest.
