Help wanted with DM Tribute

[Rasmus]

I am working on a game called Dungeon Master Tribute. You can enter the site www.dmtribute.webs.com for more details and screenshots. The game should be completed in about two months.

The only thing is that my 2D graphic skills ain't so good. If anyone could help me with the items and/or characterpictures I would be truly greatfull. Of course, those who help me will get credits in the game

Thanks
// Rasmus Ljunggren

[Bit]

Be patient. Would be a shame if all the work would be in vain.
Perhaps release a very first alpha with original bitmaps so that people get the taste.
But then - I don't think we got a lot of real artists here, that's an old problem. Old members here are just trained to hack some big pixels in MSPaint to get a graphic at all

[Gambit37]

I find that generalisation quite offensive! I might not be a trained artist, but I can do a bit better than "hacking pixels in MSpaint."

[Bit]

I wonder (*casts ya bro*) what (*duck*) happens when (*jump*) cows reads this (*runs and hides*).
Artists are so sensible and they tend to misunderstand things! Luv ya!
(I'll gonna find this mspaint-article, I'm sure I read it, hihi)

Gotcha:
http://www.dungeon-master.com/forum/vie ... 04&start=0

[Rasmus]

Haha, well I agree with gamebit here. I have seen the work that has been done here and I am impressed by some of it, otherwise I wouldn't post this question. I have also emailed cows and asked him if he had some time over to look at my project. But of course, I sensed a bit of sakrasm from Bit when he posted that message

[Gambit37]

Hey Beo, tell Trantor he's no longer on the ban list: we have a new candidate!

[beowuuf]

No, you know the rules, no matter the troublemaker we ban Trantor!

[linflas]

i like that rule

[Trantor]

In fact, I think we have quite a lot of skillful artists here, like Gambit, Cows and Linflas. As for me, I have trouble doing some pixelling in Paint as I have the artistic qualities of a blindfolded guinea-pig (and I sincerely hope this is not yet another bannable offense).

Oh, and Rasmus, welcome to the forums! I took a look at your screenshots and think they look very impressive! Enjoy your stay here.

[Bit]

Hey Beo, tell Trantor he's no longer on the ban list: we have a new candidate!

I honestly didn't came to here to endanger anyone's position!!!

@Rasmus: It's even worse - they care for each pixel!
Now seriously - I really like to see your project finished. I feel a lot of passion in it, and you did it silently. Respect!

[Rasmus]

Thank you Trantor and Bit, meens a lot to me. But there is a reason why I have been doing it in silence.. This isn't the first time time I got involved in a project this size, and usally they only gets half finished :S So this time I decided to lay low until I was really sure that I were going to finish it

[Ameena]

Ha, I know the feeling...I tend to start things and then they sort of trail off...I started so many dungeons in the RTC editor (and even before it had an actual editor - when it was still just plain text files) and never finished any of them. Sort of gave the whole thing up as too complicated eventually - thinking up a story and a few puzzles is fine, but actually trying to then build it all just sort of culminates in "Aarrrgh, erm...bollocks...oh sod it" as I end up not knowing how to do stuff and decided I can't be arsed .

[Bit]

The mild flow in this community gives a very special ambience to really do things successfully.

[Rasmus]

I my case I have always been having such big game plans, the programming with level 1 is the first thing a usally do, then when it comes to creating level after level and creature after creature, I have a hard time to see the end, and I just get bored and do something else. Therefore I would really like to give my gratitude to the creator of the TRC editor, because this time I did everything backwards. I had all the levels, mechanisms, and creatures positions from the beginning. I just had to put them in there, and do the programming as I came along.

It's a funny thing when I reach a new level and play it in DMT, I sometimes have to use the editor to remember how to complete a certain clue in my own game

[Bit]

Our artists probably use much more powerful tools, but talking about projects 'on the way' (that become a bigger part in life of the author than planned long before) - take a look in that nice 'what's new'-list:
http://www.anim8or.com/main/index.html
Not that I ever had a real use for it, but from time to time I visit the page to see what happens. Perhaps it's interesting for someone here. (...who loves to build little spore-like creatures )

[Rasmus]

I took a look at the anim8or, well it has too little options for my taste, and besides I am already custom to 3D studio max when creating 3D models. But one thing I really hate about 3DMax is that it can't export mesh animation keyframes to 3ds, and that is a little bit annoying, so maybe it's time to broaden my horizon a little

And by the way, I have been working on my project now in two days creating bumpmaps, lensflares, keyholes and fogs. If anyone would like to take a look at some new screenshots, it's available at DMT:s homepage.

[Rasmus]

Screenshots added on the DMT homepage on the new items and championpictures.

I am not completly satisfied with these pictures because they have a bit of trouble fitting in to the DM theme. So I'm still looking for artists who wants to help me with my work.

But if you want to, you can tell me what you think

[Bit]

Lovely, give a link to that avatar program, and I bet you'll be flooded
For the objects: as dart player I must say, the dart is not acceptable

I really love the passion you put in

[Rasmus]

Hahahaha "dart is not acceptable", I will take a look into this and create the greatest dart you ever seen

About the avatar creation program, here is the link:
http://www.ugo.com/channels/comics/hero ... chine2.asp

I also found another program that makes 2d pictures into 3d models, maybe I could combine these too.. hmmm
http://www.cyberextruder.com/

[Rasmus]

Soo, like I said before, I hate when things aren't like I want them to be.
I have been remodeling those heropictures a loot of times, and I just can't get satisfied. The problem with the lastest heropictures I created was that they looked completly out of context in the DM theme, therefore I tried that 3d modeling program I linked above and got these:



The good thing here are that they look 3D, so that they belong a little bit more.
Please give me a vote and tell me what you think..

[Rasmus]

I might mention that it is only the ones to the right that have been created in 3D. All the other ones are just diffrent heropictures that I have created and trashed over time.

[Joramun]

Rasmus, your work looks awesome. Maybe add a few more pixel on the top left portrait's hair and beard, so that it looks more polished than the normal iaido.

[linflas]

screenshots are fine but not enough convincing to have an idea of the game : i'd like to see animated things.

[Rasmus]

Here you go linflas
http://s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae36 ... alizer.flv
http://s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae36 ... Dragon.flv

[linflas]

wow ! very immersive ! movements are fast, engine responsiveness looks very good, comparing to DM *boring* Nexus.
as it's a one person view how do you choose who's hitting monsters ? is there a lock monster feature ?
is there a pause when you open the inventory ? switch items from hands ?
what are the control keys (except the classic WASD for movement) ?

visually speaking, models are simple but recognizable. textures are too flashy, you really need help on them.

[beowuuf]

I like the top two Iaido pictires, actually!

[Rasmus]

Thank you Linflas I have put alot of work creating a good gamefeeling..
After a character does a action the next character that has 0 fatigue gets the turn. I also solved the problem with that the items has several action options with that it is randomized which action that is going to be preformed, this works on everything exept "fireball", "light" and "frezze life" actions etc. There you use the right mousebutton to choose a specific action.
I don't know what you mean with "lock monster", so there you have to be more specific
No pause in menus, and no itemswitching command are available, except when shooting or throwing, then the next item comes up.
The keys are 0-9 for quick spell launch ( after you leared them ). Space for the spell you entered on the runeboard. Tab = Inventory. Q = alternate between which character that is going to do next action.
All the control keys are optional.

About the models, I love the programming, but I hate the modeling :S So all help is appriciated

[ian_scho]

Incidentally the only thing missing from your web site (well, excluding the actual download!) is a section of the tools you've used? You have mentioned a few interesting things already such as avatar creators but still... A comprehensive list would be nice!

[linflas]

Lock monster is a feature in most of hack'n slash games : your party choose a target and the camera keeps focusing on it. that can be useful if there are several monsters at the same time. most of recent games have an auto-locking feature depending on the distance. by this feature, you could also release the mouse pointer... so you could have a better control of your characters actions.
Random action for weapons is quite interesting but that would be better if there's an option of "combat style" for each member of the party, you could set it in the inventory : style could be "fast move", "average move", "slow move" (strongest) or random.
I would assign shortcuts (0-9) to anything possible for any character, not only spells but also other actions : punch, kick, war cry, freeze life, throw bomb, etc.
Right mouse button may be more appropriate to switch character.

[Rasmus]

Linflas:
I see what you mean with the auto looking, but it havn't been so much of a problem keeping track of which monster to shoot at when playing.
I really like your idea about setting fightingstyle and it's easy too fix, this also goes for the quickkeys (exept doing icons for every possible action) haha
I have another problem too. All the characters have diffrent quickkeys, and during combat you have little time too check what key it is that goes to what, this can bee abit confusing :S Maybe you have some idea on how too fix this
When I first created the game I had the right mousebutton for releasing the mouse, this made several options alot easyer. But as you navigate with the mouse you can't turn the view, it was really annoying and destoyed the game feeling, so I can't release the mouse unless a really good plan comes along with it
I might add that all the characters can attack, even those who are behind (but they do 1/4 damage and get 1/4 experience), this is an option I had too make otherwise it was to much work switching and keeping track of characters.
*damn this party of four, it would be alot easyer to only have a party of one* hahaha

ian_scho:
This I will fix as soon as possible