epithumia on 21/10/2003 at 01:37
The only complaint I have about Two Fathers is the climb up from the subdivision to the mansion; it was just so bland, and when you got to the bottom floor of the mansion, everything was just big and empty. At first I thought I had wandered into an unfinished part of the mission. Then I got up into the mansion and everything was nicely detailed again. It was striking after a going torough so much detail to see an area that was so plain.
uncadonego on 21/10/2003 at 08:29
Ok...that's one, but let's hear more complaints.
1) NO EMPTY AREAS. (I can't say smithpd and Nightwalker didn't warn me about that one.........)
More complaints please.....
(Oh and don't worry, no cave mantling in the next one....)
schma on 21/10/2003 at 08:37
Quote:
Originally posted by uncadonego (Oh and don't worry, no cave mantling in the next one....) Ok, then I have a complaint about the next one :sly:
Thoughts on Two Fathers... maybe not hide half the mission behind a secret next time?
Another one: the houses were nicely detailed, but could maybe have been scaled up a little. I felt a bit 'cramped' in some places.
uncadonego on 21/10/2003 at 11:39
1)NO EMPTY AREAS
2)MORE ROOM TO MOVE AROUND IN---BIT LARGER SCALE
OK, any more?
Schma-to be fair though......that was the whole point of the story....the big secret.
But the points are well taken so far, I have no intention of hiding a major portion of the mission in The Time That Has Passed.
schma on 21/10/2003 at 13:17
Hey, I'm struggling to invent "flaws" here ;)
You'll start work on this one after we get to play Mixed Messages, right? :)
uncadonego on 21/10/2003 at 17:22
Right. I just finished uploading the beta zip to Jason's site for my beta testers. Once those results come in and I make whatever changes, it will be available soon. Don't worry, you get Mixed Messages before I wander off to do anything else. I promise.
Back to Two Fathers criticisms for now though please, everyone. I just don't want to repeat the same things which people didn't find that great. I'm hoping my second mission will be better than the first, and you can all help.
uncadonego on 22/10/2003 at 16:28
OK, then maybe let me ask a question. Since Dromed is pretty low in the allowable polygon count department, complex exteriors can be tricky.
The way I managed to get away with such a large exterior in the sub-division area was to use high walls to hide the many polygons. Even with the high walls, I still had crashes until I made more modifications.
There will be another similar type neighbourhood in The Time That Has Passed. Would you find it acceptable to use the same method again? In other words, if I make realistic looking homes again, but hide them with high walls or hedges, would you find it tacky to repeat the same thing again, or OK?
Did you find those high walls an acceptable method of preventing crashes, or did it seem unrealistic or tacky?
epithumia on 22/10/2003 at 16:53
I don't think the high walls detract at all. Obviously it would be neat if they weren't required because huge vistas are always nice, but that's rarely possible given the limitations of the engine. Maybe some creative texturing could help.
Some might find it repetitive if you used the same "two rows of houses" layout. Perhaps a cul-de-sac or a row of houses with the street cut into a mountainside would work.
uncadonego on 22/10/2003 at 18:51
There are three different types of areas, and the first sketch I made of the ritzier neighbourhood was a cul de sac. Still when you see the houses I'm going to be building, you will agree that Dark can't handle the polys. I sent Nightwalker some jpg's of the houses and their floorplans. She could vouch that they will be tricky for Dark to handle.
The other area will be a bit less ritzy, but those will be back to back houses with a fence in between adjacent backyards, blocked by store front tenements at the end. You know what I mean, we've all seen them. A building row on a main drag, all store fronts, the back is stairs and fire escape apartments, and then the houses start after that as you head down the side street. There will be a pier and breakwall at the far end probably with a few spots where you can see the river. If anyone knows Windsor ON, Canada, think of around Raymond on Wyandotte. Head down toward Riverside Drive, to the Detroit River. Lower middle income to upper income within a block's walk. I love the contrast, and it's part of the story. Of course, the lower middle income apartments are nicely hidden up front with store facades.
lonzboy on 25/10/2003 at 19:57
I just went to Pat & Hank's Fish & Chips in that very area yesterday uncadonego. I know exactly what you mean. But from what I've read about Dromed, you're going to have to find a way to block that long view, so no, the fences are probably alright.
I got the impression that the stairs and the first floor of the basement was like No-Man's-Land, nobody used it except for going from point A to point B (namely real house to fake house), so why put anything in it? Empty for a reason.
One thing you could do in the sequel is try to not make us feel like we are f***in' around nice decent people so that we feel bad for rippin' them off.:cheeky:
Just kidding (sort of). Actually, I thought Two Fathers was so good that anything to complain about was trivial. If you do more of the same so what. We had prime rib last year. Don't mind sitting and having another nice prime rib meal again, even if all the fixin's are the same too.:thumb:
