Arrows On Ftp

[DeepOmega]

Crystal and Broadhead Arrows are up on the FTP - includes two .ASE files, 2 UV guides, and 2 shading guides (basically, I burned some light onto a 50% gray texture, so you can use this to make the diffuse map), and 1 incomplete normal map. For the normal map, fill all gray areas with RGB of 127 127 255, and it should work fine. Feel free to not use it if you'd rather. No screenies, as the model itself is not at all different from what I've already done - but now it can get in game (hypothetically). 280 polys for the broadhead, less for the crystal.

[Springheel]

Thanks, Deep. Any chance of doing the same for the shortsword?

[DeepOmega]

I have to low-poly it yet, but sure.

[sparhawk]

Crystal and Broadhead Arrows are up on the FTP - includes two .ASE files, 2 UV guides, and 2 shading guides (basically, I burned some light onto a 50% gray texture, so you can use this to make the diffuse map), and 1 incomplete normal map.

Any chances of creating that firearrow as I suggested it? I think it should look pretty cool if the arrow is not just a crystal, but has a burning rag dangling down instead.

[Springheel]

I don't think we reopened the discussion on the arrow design...the concept art and models have been done for them for at least two months now.

 

Going back and rediscussing things we've already made is probably the worst way we could possibly spend our time.

[sparhawk]

I don't think we reopened the discussion on the arrow design...the concept art and models have been done for them for at least two months now.

 

Going back and rediscussing things we've already made is probably the worst way we could possibly spend our time.

I didn't have the feeling that this was settled once and for all.

[Springheel]

We discussed and approved the original crystal designs back in the end of September and they've been posted in the Approved Concept Thread since October 9th.

 

I think there were some people talking about changing them during the panic about the T3editor, but that never went anywhere. Nor should it, since both the art and models were already done at that point.

[New Horizon]

I had an idea that may make everyone happy. I don't know if I could buy into the destructive force of a rag burning on the end of the arrow..[ sorry sparkhawk ]..but how about this.

 

Since these crystals have somewhat magical/ enchanted elements...it might make sense that they do not become active until they are drawn. For example....

 

Player selects a water arrow. As the arrow is drawn back on the bow...it slowly begins to glow that familiar blue color and a drop of water rolls off the tip of the crystal.

 

For a fire arrow. As it is drawn back on the bow it slowly glows and then a flame erupts around the crystal.

 

In both situations, the crystals are completely darkened before coming into contact with the bow. Should be possible with the D3 engine.

 

Essentially, some of the more volatile elements could have a small animation as the bow is drawn back for firing.

[sparhawk]

I had an idea that may make everyone happy.  I don't know if I could buy into the destructive force of a rag burning on the end of the arrow..[ sorry sparkhawk  ]..but how about this.

 

Actually the rag was not supposed to have the desctructive power. It was rather meant to be the burner that will ignite the destrcutive load. Like a molotow cocktail (if you know this).

 

Player selects a water arrow.  As the arrow is drawn back on the bow...it slowly begins to glow that familiar blue color and a drop of water rolls off the tip of the crystal.

 

Exactly something similar I had in mind with the fire arrows. Just having the plain crystals will look quite boring.

 

For a fire arrow.  As it is drawn back on the bow it slowly glows and then a flame erupts around the crystal.

 

Something like that. It also would explain why Garret is brighter when this arrow is drawn. Something the rag would also do.

 

Essentially, some of the more volatile elements could have a small animation as the bow is drawn back for firing.

 

Yeah. That was my intention.

[New Horizon]

Once I get all my programs reinstalled, hopefully today, I'll do up a little slide show of how I see it in my head. Just to give a clear image of what I'm going on

about. :lol:

[Springheel]

I remember this being brought up before, NH, and I think it's a good idea. I don't know that each crystal should be *dark* at first, but they should look like a normal coloured crystal until drawn. As it is drawn, the following animations might be appropriate:

 

Water: As drawn, a material shader is added to the crystal so that it actually becomes transparent, as if it were now *made* of water. A few drops of water fall from it before it is fired. If we could make this effect seem to be spreading *up the shaft of the arrow* it would help deal with the troublesome problem of why guards never notice the arrow shaft lying beside a put-out light.

 

Gas: As drawn, swirling green gas can be seen moving inside the crystal.

 

Moss: As drawn, small plant tendrils spiral up from the crystal.

 

Fire: As drawn, a heat-haze effect is added, and perhaps a bit of smoke. Flames can be seen moving inside the crystal.

 

These are definitely neat ideas, but I think they should be put at the very end of the list of Things To Do. We could easily release the mod to the public without this, and then add it later as part of an expansion.

[Fingernail]

Particle effects should be made for the gas and fire arrows. And possibly for water drops too.

[DeepOmega]

I definitely, definitely like the ideas for the arrows. Drool. Not sure how best to implement it, tho. The shifting colors/shaders, that's easy with a combination of a shader and an animated texture blend, but the tendrils, the haze, the swirling gas, and the droplets are all less clear. This does not mean we shouldn't try to do them! There are a few approaches I can think of, but most are going to delve into frame-based mesh animation. Not sure how this work in D3 so I'll get right on it.

[sparhawk]

blend, but the tendrils, the haze, the swirling gas, and the droplets are all less clear.

As Finger said, this would be done with a particle engine. And as Spring rightly points out: This is something that can wait until the core features have been implemented. This is also the reason why I don't fix the doors right now. For our purposes it works and we will have to do a lot of polishing later on.

[DeepOmega]

Well, knocked up a texture for the water arrow, but I'm gonna see if I can't figure out the whole fragment shader dealy. It's a good learning opportunity.

[New Horizon]

Okee doka. I know that this is a minor detail that can be figured out in the future...but when I get an image burned into my head with such clarity, I really have to conceptualize it somehow. I made up a little animation to demonstrate exactly how I see the arrows behaving in my head.

 

When the arrows are stored in the Thiefs quiver they are inactive...don't really know why that is but I'm sure there is some Thieflike universe reasoning. They will have no light coming from them when they are first in our view...you will be able to see that they are an unlit blue/ green or in the case of this demonstration redish colored crystal. Once they come into contact with the Thiefs bow however, they start to glow and then exhibit some effects as to the arrows use...water/ fire/ gas/ moss. The glow doesn't truly begin until he starts pulling the arrow back though, so it's rather quick. It would be like....puuullllllll.....Fwooosh flames.

 

After thinking about it...there may still be a very subtle glow off of the arrows as their taken out, but they would only be at their brightest when they are fully pulled back in the bow.

 

 

 

Anyway, this would be rather cool in action.

[sparhawk]

Okee doka. I know that this is a minor detail that can be figured out in the future...but when I get an image burned into my head with such clarity, I really have to conceptualize it somehow. I made up a little animation to demonstrate exactly how I see the arrows behaving in my head.

Nice animation.

 

How does that explain why Garrett is better seen when he has the arrow nocked? I still like my rag idea, but unfortunately I don't have the drawing skills to show it to you.

[New Horizon]

How does that explain why Garrett is better seen when he has the arrow nocked?

Thanks.

 

As soon as he seats the arrow on the bow and begins pulling back his visibility increases slightly due to the glow, the arrow erupting in flame explains why the flame arrow is more visible than the others. All the other arrows would only contribute a slight increase due to their glow alone.