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Lightgem Discussion (graphics)


sparhawk

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lightgem3.jpg

 

From the old board I liked this propopsal the best. The only thing is that we have to make sure that the compass is still readable when the lightgem is getting dark. Mazbe we can adjust the colours if we can't find some that are suitable for all lighting conditions.

Gerhard

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to be honest I don't like this proposal. It just doesn't look like a lightgem anymore. I thought, that we wanna give the taffers the real thief-feeling back, that they sometimes missed in thief 3.

 

I added NewHorizon's lightgem into Renzatic's test-screen - I think THAT looks like Thief, doesn't it ?

 

http://www.dark-project.com/BlackThief/light-gem-test.jpg

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The only thing is that we have to make sure that the compass is still readable when the lightgem is getting dark...

Well I think we should avoid meshing 2 seperate features together in that fashion. It looks cool, but the issues you mentioned have cropped up needlessly in the process.

 

So what about a gem that sits in the middle of the compass? The compass does not change brightness (and why should it), and the gem in the center shows your brightness.

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So what about a gem that sits in the middle of the compass? The compass does not change brightness (and why should it), and the gem in the center shows your brightness.

Yeah! Sounds definitely good. The problem is, that I like both of this current lightgem solutions. :) Mine and the other one. The only problem I have with the other one is, that you have to place the compass somewhere and personally I prefer to have it always on and not as an inventory item. I don't think that this would intrude to much on the Thief style if we can keep the compass always on.

 

Your suggestion sounds very good to me. If somebody of our artists could come up with a concept drawing this would be great to judge how it looks.

Gerhard

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I suggested this on the old forum, and gave an example or two (not very good ones mind you). Problem is, it is hard to have a working compass around a rectangular gem.

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I suggested this on the old forum, and gave an example or two (not very good ones mind you). Problem is, it is hard to have a working compass around a rectangular gem.

The other way around. Not a gem with a compass included (like in the picture above) but a compass with the gem included. I think in T3 it is like that. The only thing I didn't like in T3 about this was, that the compass/lightgem was to dark. In T1/T2 you always could see it clearly while in T3 it was not so visible.

Gerhard

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Sparhawk suggested that having the letters NSWE scroll by, as they do in ThieveryUT, means if you want to travel North, you have to look at it, see that it says W, think about where N is, or rotate around till your facing N, and get your bearings that way.

 

Whereas with a competely visible compas, the W point may be pointing up, but you can instantly see where N is at any time.

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I suggested this on the old forum, and gave an example or two (not very good ones mind you). Problem is, it is hard to have a working compass around a rectangular gem.

Well no one said the gem had to be rectangular... :)

 

I was imagining the light gem as a circular gem in the center of the compass.

 

That way, they could be the same object; the whole compass can rotate freely as a single object, with no impact on how you view the light gem.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I found these piccies of moonstone on the web:

moonstone1.jpgmoonstone2.jpg

I think the whole translucent light & dark vibe would work really well.

 

In the first two games (similar to the example BlackThief posted) I was under the impression that the light gem was mounted in a ring, which I thought was quite a nice concept. Would it be cool if the compass was a selectable object held in G's hands instead of a HUD element or do people prefer if the compass in permenantly on?

 

I also thought if perhaps some kind of elaborate machined brass device could provide a light meter. Something with cogs and workings like the inside of a pocket watch with a display similar to a moonphase?

 

If we plump for a combined compass/light gem I have to say I didn't like how it looked in T3. Something a little less wierd would suit.

 

How's this for fun:

comp-sund2-lg.jpgcomp-sund2a-lg.jpg

Edited by jay pettitt
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I think the disadvantage of a round lightgem is, that I'd cover more of the screen, than an oblong gem.

 

Would it be cool if the compass was a selectable object held in G's hands instead of a HUD element or do people prefer if the compass in permenantly on?

 

my suggestion: we let the player choose, if he wants to have the compass permanently on or not. I belive that would be quite simple - it would be just a check box in the options menu.

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I threw this together real quick, can do a much better version of it if desired.

 

compass1.jpg

That is a very awesome design, but not quite in line with our design philosophy for the mod. I should really change my name to "The Minimalist" from New Horizon, but think "minimal" interface. If this thief were to really carry around a mystical light gem, I wonder if it would be some kind of rough cut stone laid into casing of some sort? Anyway, definately not shooting down what you did. It's gorgeous. Just trying to help fuel some other ideas.

 

Okay, I just threw this together on top of Fingernails old test pic in about five minutes...but it might get the idea I had accross.

 

Essentially just a crystal that rotates. The crystal would be angled inwards a bit so it actually points forward when you are facing north. The north end of the crystal would be pointy and the south end blunt. I didn't have time to do this so I just colored the north end a bluish green.

lamehud.jpg

 

 

I have another idea, but I won't get to work on that until later this evening. Thoughts?

Edited by New Horizon
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Good idea, but I feel that we need West and East pointed somehow.

 

There are some good pics in this thread.

 

I LOVE that one god_is_my_goldfish made, except that it's probably a bit too ornate, and has too many thin bits that will be blurred up when scaled down. HUD items have to be very clear.

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I think the spinning crystal is too far the other way. Too minimalist. Just a pocket compass of suitable vintage would do. Nothing fancy.

 

I do like pakmannens gem. That kind of proportion and perspective might fit very nicely. (surely how much screen real estate a round gem takes up depends on how big it is?)

Edited by jay pettitt
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This doesn't look good, but it gets the point across.

 

compasstry2.jpg

 

I think someone mentioned doing it this way before, but with this the direction your facing is the letter right in front of you, not what's behind the lightgem.

 

EDIT:

Hmmm, how about combining this type of thing with pakmennen's gem style?

Edited by god_is_my_goldfish

http://www.thirdfilms. com

A Thief's Path trailer is now on Youtube!

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umm, that would be a bit back to front goldfish guy. A change of perspective would allow the player to see the direction they are headed aswell as where they have been.

 

17C.jpg

 

I'd still be interested to hearr what people think about dropping the gem for a mechanical measuring device. Nothing wrong with a gem. but it would be different, cool and thiefy not to.

Edited by jay pettitt
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I think the spinning crystal is too far the other way. Too minimalist. Just a pocket compass of suitable vintage would do. Nothing fancy.

 

I do like pakmannens gem. That kind of proportion and perspective might fit very nicely. (surely how much screen real estate a round gem takes up depends on how big it is?)

:) Yup, I should definately change my handle to the minimalist. I have another idea that involves the crystal, but I have to go grocery shopping first. I think you'll like this idea better. It's not as minimal, but it feels very organic.

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I don't think we should be thinking of the lightgem as something our Thief actually carries. He wouldn't need a piece of equipment to tell him whether he was in shadows or not. It's purely a tool for the player.

 

So far, I like Pakmmanen's version the best. It doesn't look like it would have to take up much room, either. The only concern would be making sure you can see the arm that is pointing in the direction you are facing. Reading a letter might be difficult at that size, but we could always use the Red=North method used for the compass in T1/2.

 

 

screen2.jpg

Edited by Springheel
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i suppose the advantage of the light gem representing a real world (well kinda real world) object is to maintain the suspension of belief. The wierd compass/light gem device in T3 was quite practical, but it felt dissjointed to me.,

Edited by jay pettitt
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i suppose the advantage of the light gem representing a real world (well kinda real world) object is to maintain the suspension of belief.

 

Having a master thief who has to look down at a ring to see if he is in shadows or not stretches my disbelief further than having some icons on the HUD. :)

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I ditched the crystals idea and went back to the first idea I had several weeks ago. This was brought on by just now noticing the gem stone pictures in an earlier post. They inspired this....

 

light-gem-test.jpg

 

I'm sure it could be dressed up to look much better than this. I just whipped this up in a few minutes, but it gets the idea accross. Like Springheel mentioned earlier, North is indicated by the red marker on the top of the sphere in a similar fashion to how they indicated North in Thief 1 and 2. The markers slide around the outside of the sphere.

 

Now, imagine this with a true active light sphere and perhaps a tiny spike on top of each Navigation marker.

 

It's basic, has features of both Legacy Thief and T3, but doesn't copy them exactly.

 

Thoughts? Opinions? :)

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