Verbobonc Texture Upgrades

Discussion in 'The Temple of Elemental Evil' started by Gaear, Jan 30, 2012.

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  1. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    Coming soon to a town named Verbobonc near you:

    • Higher resolution streets with greater texture variety
    • Straighter and more consistent streets
    • Higher resolution grass and dirt with greater texture variety
    • Improved shadows
    • Higher resolution buildings (some of them)
    • More standardized building sizes and aspect ratios
    The goal is to make Verbobonc consistently very sharp and crisp, visually. Despite all this, the basic structure and layout of the town won't be changing significantly. I'll post some screens as they become available.
     
  2. WinstonShnozwick

    WinstonShnozwick Established Member

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    Excellent :D I was about to post something about my one concern with textures.

    The basement of the Verbobonc Constabulary where the prisoners are kept has extremely pixellated areas.
     
  3. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    Ironically I wasn't talking about interior maps. ;) Where is this pixelation, and is your GPU/Monitor's gamma correction by any chance set very high?
     
  4. WinstonShnozwick

    WinstonShnozwick Established Member

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    I think my screen resolution is set to the default or 1200~ area. Here are two pics, one of the verbo area and one of the map it was originally taken from. Look in the center most, it's very heavy in the verbo one, with some pixellation on the outer edges.
     

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  5. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    I don't really see it, but I'll re-do the map anyway.
     
  6. sirchet

    sirchet Force for Goodness Moderator Supporter

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    I very surprised the quality can get better, it looks remarkably picturesque the way it is now.
     
  7. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    It's mainly a texture resolution issue in some places. The base image used for Verbo streets in the original, for example (the NG vignette map), was enlarged to look right for the Verbo map's scale. This generally leads to a loss of resolution.

    Here's an example of the original next to the new higher res version with custom streets.

    ex1.jpg
    ex2.jpg

    Of course this hasn't remained limited to what I said it would originally, so now I'm indeed making a few structural changes to the layout. Should be cool. :)
     
  8. WinstonShnozwick

    WinstonShnozwick Established Member

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    That looks amazing. Verbobonc is turning into a right proper city now, not just a quest hub anymore, with these new additions. (NPC's and this)
     
  9. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    Fun fact: the Gnome Quarter is going to move to the northern (top left) end of the map on the other side of the river and become more of a woodsy environment. This is per some Verbobonc data I read somewhere sometime that described the Gnome Quarter as such. It's supposed to be sort of magical and strange - weird lights floating around at night, etc. Currently the gnomes are limited to one dumpy-looking city block, and currently there's nothing going on in the north.

    Other changes that have sort of organically arisen:

    • The Maroon Moon is moving from the east (top right) to the south (bottom right), which is going to be moreso the seedy part of town. It was always a bit odd that they were around the corner from the sheriff's office.
    • Jylee's Inn is moving somehwere; not sure where yet. The wharves are all warehouses now, which seems appropriate since that's where all Verbo's merchant trade comes and goes from.
    • You will see more of city hall on the exterior map.
    • The Silver Consortium and Bazaar of the Bizarre are now part of the 'Merchant's Row,' a series of shops in that midtown trade section by the park. We could use some more shopkeepers there of all kinds - even nonsensical ones (knick-knack dealer, fish store, just anything that is s a shop). Verbo's supposed to be full of that stuff.
    • You will be able to rent an apartment!
    • The stone foundation of the various strips in town is also getting a nice texture upgrade.
    I'll post some screens soon.
     
  10. J'allan UlDragos

    J'allan UlDragos Dragon Warrior

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    All of this sounds really fantastic!!!!

    is that a call for adding characters to the "Verbobonc Tales" area for the various merchants selling non-essential wares (fish, knick-knacks, antiques, books, etc.) Sounds so immersive!

    Could also probably use some seedy folks in the new relocated district... :evilgrin:
     
  11. WinstonShnozwick

    WinstonShnozwick Established Member

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    Perhaps a shop like Mother Screng that sells occultist items like prayer beads and rods/staffs? I'd like to see someone that could sell some higher level potions there. (Think Mother from MR, but better ones, like greater heroism/stoneskin?/etc.) Prayer beads of healing could be sold here maybe, I would love to have that item more availible besides from one RM encounter.
     
  12. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    Yes, if anyone would care to take that on - with the same limitations.
     
  13. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    Update: Verbo texture upgrades are looking pretty sharp - new reflective water surface textures, vegetation, etc. Also the wharves or more wharfy, city blocks have alleys where shady things could happen, and town deco has improved somewhat.

    I know I keep saying I'll post screens (and I will), just don't want to put up half-finished stuff. This is shaping up to be a pretty significant upgrade. Might have to do Hickory Branch next, though that won't be as involved.
     
  14. cezmail

    cezmail Gorboth's Rider

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    Thanks for the Update Gaear and I look forward to how things will look when you can post.
     
  15. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    Screens soon ... the old town's looking pretty chipper. :mrhappy:
     
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