Unsorted screenshots

[Verdite]

I probably wont be posting anything else in terms of where I am at with Rathmor until its release. I have already made some decisions to cut certain time consuming system features I mentioned in the final dev thread, but I also made a choice to expand Rathmor's environments and add some new quests to the final story, using existing map pieces.

So with only 4 months left until release, I decided I would drop screenshots here as I go along, regardless of if they are beta / alpha / final.

Comments would be nice.

[HwitVlf]

I swear every update I see looks better! ‎ 

I think the cliffs and trees looks very good. The wagon looks really good. Is it a prisoner wagon?

I think the wheel hoops might look even better if they used a metallic (grey) texture. Also, the fence, if the horizontal beams had a different texture than the vertical posts, I think it might be an improvement.

I was thinking about the dragonfly's wings; I know you can't make partly transparent animated models, but if the wing texture was high enough resolution, you might be able to make parts of the wings see-through pure-black. ‎  A see-through vein effect might make the wings seem more insect like.

Good stuff. I'm really looking forward to Rathmor.

[Verdite]

Really appreciate the feedback, John. Its good that you offer critiques on my art, because thats what I am investing so much time into right now, and as you can imagine doing alot of art at once leaves you more open to making errors - its probably mental fatigue that causes that! ‎ 
Anyway encouragement helps. I was getting a bit concerned about the lack of input...

Actually you can create transparent models but the transparency must be stated in Metaseq before converting the enemy. It just came after I made my dragonfly.

Thats not a prisoner wagon actually, the main town of Rathmor strictly forbids the taking any prisoners, huzzah! Its a gate blocker during the first few hours of the game, then it will be more important later on.

When designing it, I thought of what might be best, and I went for wooden wheels - light, easy to replace, doesnt fold, and metal gets dented / distorted easier. Also the wagon should be light, I think, to prevent the wheel bar from breaking ‎ 

[Auric]

Each time I see a new screenshot of your work, the more excited I get knowing Rathmor is a step closer to being finished. The amount of work and detail you put into this is simply amazing!

Thats not a prisoner wagon actually, the main town of Rathmor strictly forbids the taking any prisoners, huzzah! Its a gate blocker during the first few hours of the game, then it will be more important later on.

Hurrah for the bane of every hero's progress: the inconvenient placement of wagons! Honestly, who decides to just leave these things in the middle of a major road anyway? ‎ 

The wagon dose look like it was intended for transporting prisoners. Perhaps if it had a more open window it wouldn't look that way.

Also, if Rathmor don't take prisoners the how do they deal with thieves, murderers and the like?

[HwitVlf]

Also, if Rathmor don't take prisoners the how do they deal with thieves, murderers and the like?

????

[Verdite]

John the merciless! You cut the sticks ‎ 

I should have said war prisoners and slaves. A thief isnt a real thief if he's caught, so he's a buffoon, and buffoons tend to frequent the dungeon. Actually that wagon is deliberately 'protective' to stop projectiles from entering the carriage.

Yeah you are right about stuff getting in the way, Auric! I think that Demon's souls had the right idea - if its in your way, smash it!

Dont forget that there are breakables in Rathmor too, I was thinking about making breakable vases but instead I will let the player simply dip their hand in, and have 'pot' luck (sorry)

"Arent you due a break? You've been playing that game for the past seven hours!"
"Yeah I had some bad luck with a vase."

We're all going to the Rathmor dungeon.

[HwitVlf]

John the merciless! You cut the sticks ‎ 

Wha..!? I'm merciful; I'd sharpen the axe so it was quick (and less splatter on the audience)!

Actually you can create transparent models but the transparency must be stated in Metaseq before converting the enemy. It just came after I made my dragonfly.

My understanding was that you couldn't make a single part of a model transparent (just the wings). Is that incorrect?

When designing it, I thought of what might be best, and I went for wooden wheels - light, easy to replace, doesnt fold, and metal gets dented / distorted easier. Also the wagon should be light, I think, to prevent the wheel bar from breaking ‎ 

The wooden wheels are fine, It was more about having a distinctly different colored texture somewhere on the wagon. It is a large field of brown- I can see two distinct tints of brown (looks nice) but they are still fairly close to each other. I thought adding another distinct "trim" color to the wagon somewhere would make it "pop out" and look more defined.

I really like the "dark" screenshot. Varied lighting adds a lot of immersion ‎ 

[Verdite]

Ey? Theres an audience?! What is this not so jovial event, Yoda?! The neck is strong with this one mmm ~

You can make the models transparent now, but not the texture. You can essentially have a ghost / crystal man in essence but they'l both always show their stubs. Of course giving them underwear would fix that.

Totally agree with the mass of brown, John. Thats a great way of putting it too ‎  I hope your final verdict for Rathmor wont be 'It was a stinking mass of brown SH...tuff."

On topic

Rathmor will have these KF elements built in:
Mystery
Eyes (yes, KF4)
Vast exploration
Vendors
Sellable items
Keys - or if you prefer, lockpicks (keys work automatically - instead of fumbling around in your pocket "looking for your keys" for about 20 mins)
Scary music
19 playable levels at 19/3/14 GMT (should be around 32 depending on time use)

So since I last posted, I have created 3 new BGM for the new levels - they are growing fast!
Polished some animations and gave the dagger a nasty reverse grip stab.
Created a new lugspear, check it out in the video - the 2 handed stab is pretty nice.

Video

[Verdite]

Any critiques on the animations? Does anyone have an idea for a unique swing animation?

... ‎  Feel free to input some of your ideas, of course I'm not expecting anyone to suggest a rehaul, but alot of stuff will be available for others to use after I finish Rathmor.

[HwitVlf]

The arm model is usually not on the screen enough to get a good look at it, but every animation I've seen looks very good. In the picture of the arm above, I could say that the skin could look dirtier (realistically splotchy), and the upper sleeve is too perfectly cylindrical, but I don't think it's on screen long enough to notice in game.

From what I've seen, I think you have the swing animations covered...maybe something where a staff weapon bangs the ground and releases a swordmagic that "ripples" along the ground toward the enemy?