Greetings,

I love Pillars of Garendall and greatly look forward to Coldstone to make my own games.

The graphics of PoG are wonderful and I am wondering how they were done. Anyone know what software was use to draw the characters and scenery?

I'm especially interested in making monsters. I am inexperienced and looking for advice on the process of creating a monster from conception to the finished sprites.

Thanks

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(This message has been edited by Captain Ace Gun (edited 12-01-2001).)

(This message has been edited by Captain Ace Gun (edited 12-01-2001).)

All the graphics in PoG were made with (url="http://"http://www.hash.com")Animation: Master(/url) and probably some post-rendering tweaking in (url="http://"http://www.adobe.com/photoshop")Adobe Photoshop(/url). I think (url="http://"http://www.lightwave6.com")Lightwave(/url) might have been used, but to a lesser extent.

As for creating sprites, there are two ways of going about it. You could use a 3D modelling programe to create a model of your art, texture it using 2D images and then render it. This is quite tricky to achieve commercial level graphics if you haven't been modelling for a long time. However, everyone's gotta start somewhere.

The second route, is to draw out your sprite by hand, scan it in and retouch it in a 2D programme like Photoshop. This is a good route if you have access to a scanner, as you can have more control over your graphics than if you used a modeller.

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Quote

Originally posted by the Necromicon:
**All the graphics in PoG were made with Animation: Master and probably some post-rendering tweaking in Adobe Photoshop. I think Lightwave might have been used, but to a lesser extent.
**

We never used Animation:Master (I really don't know where you got that information :)), only 3DSMax, Lightwave and Photoshop. You might want to browse the Coldstone Gallery and look for the character "skins" I posted a while ago along with some explanations of the whole process.

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Dee Brown
Beenox inc. - (url="http://"http://www.beenox.com")www.beenox.com(/url) (check our new web site!)
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(This message has been edited by Dee (edited 12-01-2001).)

It would all depend on what graphics style you were going for. If it was a 2d, old school, SNES style game, then Photoshop would most likely be your best bet. If it was 3d, then a good rendering program like Animation: Master , 3d Studio Max , or Maya would be what you would want to look into.
Be warned though, that the programs I mentioned here are all pretty expensive, so if you're on a tight budget (like a whole lot of us are, I'm sure), then look into some cheaper products.

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Hail to the king, baby.

Hey, thanks for the help Necro, Dee, and Bean.

I checked out the 3DMax web site and it looks so awesome, but it doesn't seem to be available for the Mac

Can you recommend a program like it for Macintosh?

Thanks

(This message has been edited by Captain Ace Gun (edited 12-01-2001).)

Quote

Originally posted by Bean *:
**It would all depend on what graphics style you were going for. If it was a 2d, old school, SNES style game, then Photoshop would most likely be your best bet. If it was 3d, then a good rendering program like Animation: Master , 3d Studio Max , or Maya would be what you would want to look into.
Be warned though, that the programs I mentioned here are all pretty expensive, so if you're on a tight budget (like a whole lot of us are, I'm sure), then look into some cheaper products.

**

You forgot lightwave! Tiz my program of choice.

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Eh, It's an asteroid...Holy shmit! It's a flucking asteriod!
I can't imagine mastering the skills involved here without a clearer understanding of who's going to be impressed - Watterson

Quote

Originally posted by Dee:
**We never used Animation:Master (I really don't know where you got that information:) )
**

/me slaps forehead, packs suitcase, dresses in suit, loads gun, blows head off.

Must be getting doddery in my near-3000 post old age.

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Ladies and Gentlemen, as you know we have something special for you at
Birdland this evening. A recording for Blue Note Records...
"Actions have reactions, don't be quick to judge, you may not know the hardships people don't speak of,
It's best to step back, and observe with couth, for we all must meet our moment of truth." - (url="http://"http://www.OHHLA.com/anonymous/gngstarr/moment/moment.gsr.txt")Guru(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by Capt'n Hector:
**You forgot lightwave! Tiz my program of choice.
**

eeek
um oops, heh

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Hail to the king, baby.

Here's a couple of other 3D programs you might want to check out as well, that are available for MAC.

Carrara Studio (url="http://"http://www.eovia.com/")http://www.eovia.com/(/url)
and
Maxon Cinema 4D XL v.7 (url="http://"http://www.maxon.de/usa/index.html")http://www.maxon.de/usa/index.html(/url)

There's also a program called Strata Studio Pro, which is much lower on the budget scale than 3DSM and Lightwave. It's an older program though, so I don't know what it's current state is, if it's still being updated, etc.

PC users should look into a little freeware program called Anim8tor. It's quite basic, but a great place to begin for those with little or no 3D exerpience. It has been used quite sucessfully for creating full sets of annimated sprites for Myth II. Sorry, I don't have the link handy, I'll try to reply with it later.

Another interesting program to check out is a shareware Mac app called Meshworks. This isn't the best option to choose for generating sprites, as it's main strength is creating efficient 3DMF models, but it's a good program to learn the basics of 3D art. You can even download a complete demo that will let you create and save models with less than 200 vertices for free. (url="http://"http://216.246.19.186/meshwork/")http://216.246.19.186/meshwork/(/url)

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--
Mauglir

(This message has been edited by Mauglir (edited 12-03-2001).)

Quote

Originally posted by the Necromicon:
**/me slaps forehead, packs suitcase, dresses in suit, loads gun, blows head off.:)

Must be getting doddery in my near-3000 post old age.

**

Prolly confused it with sanehatter - he uses Animation Master quite a bit, I believe.

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