SWS Design Competition: The Imperial Commander
Moderators: MR.D, Moderators
-
Warlord Zsinj
- Imperial Winter Developer
- Posts: 3742
- Joined: 24 Aug 2004, 08:59
Oh, I see. In my semi-inebriated ( <_< >_> ) state last night, I missed the legs. Presumably the legs absorb the shock as it lands? That's cool.
Once the building has landed, do the legs serve a further purpose? Maybe the legs fold up around the building to become the armoured state? (They'd probably need to be a bit bigger in that case)
Anyway, just throwing some ideas at you.
AF: This will most likely be a one-off building. The Imperials may have the opportunity to build more at the very end of their build tree, but we haven't decided yet. I think that sort of decision really requires gameplay testing to be made (to see how much of a liability an immobile commander is in the later stages of the game).
For those who missed it, this what was in TRO's link:
This surprisingly well drawn, with a good sense of proprotion and light, but that's not what we're here for
I like the design. Do the two weapons double as anti-ground and anti-air? (There's nothing wrong with this; the MG42 was a prime example of a light anti-infantry weapon that could double as anti air at a pinch)
The area on top of the central block base (there is a trapezoid there) seems a little neglected. Maybe you have intentionally done this to emphasize the other areas?
It is, perhaps, a little C&C-ish, but that's hardly a criticism, because we even used a C&C reference to explain what we were looking for.
I think it is a very strong, realistic and self-contained entry.
Once the building has landed, do the legs serve a further purpose? Maybe the legs fold up around the building to become the armoured state? (They'd probably need to be a bit bigger in that case)
Anyway, just throwing some ideas at you.
AF: This will most likely be a one-off building. The Imperials may have the opportunity to build more at the very end of their build tree, but we haven't decided yet. I think that sort of decision really requires gameplay testing to be made (to see how much of a liability an immobile commander is in the later stages of the game).
For those who missed it, this what was in TRO's link:
This surprisingly well drawn, with a good sense of proprotion and light, but that's not what we're here for
I like the design. Do the two weapons double as anti-ground and anti-air? (There's nothing wrong with this; the MG42 was a prime example of a light anti-infantry weapon that could double as anti air at a pinch)
The area on top of the central block base (there is a trapezoid there) seems a little neglected. Maybe you have intentionally done this to emphasize the other areas?
It is, perhaps, a little C&C-ish, but that's hardly a criticism, because we even used a C&C reference to explain what we were looking for.
I think it is a very strong, realistic and self-contained entry.
-
Warlord Zsinj
- Imperial Winter Developer
- Posts: 3742
- Joined: 24 Aug 2004, 08:59
I like the idea, AF. And, I didn't know you could draw :)
I think you will have a little difficulty making it not look like a noodle box. Perhaps a less boxy shape/opening mechanism? One way might be to have the armoured bits slide out of position, or fold back, instead of opening like flaps.
Though you're obviously just losely sketching in your ideas at the moment, I do think that what's in the box (the actual structure area) doesn't seem to reflect the casing shell. As cool as the mechanism is, the emphasis of the design must be, the building itself first, and the cool landing bit second. However, I do see it as a great springboard to have the landing bit inform the design of the main structure (as you're doing here). It also seems a little squashed in there
You're the first person to really deal with the "prefabricated drop" aspect, and I think you've done it in a clever and interesting way.
I think you will have a little difficulty making it not look like a noodle box. Perhaps a less boxy shape/opening mechanism? One way might be to have the armoured bits slide out of position, or fold back, instead of opening like flaps.
Though you're obviously just losely sketching in your ideas at the moment, I do think that what's in the box (the actual structure area) doesn't seem to reflect the casing shell. As cool as the mechanism is, the emphasis of the design must be, the building itself first, and the cool landing bit second. However, I do see it as a great springboard to have the landing bit inform the design of the main structure (as you're doing here). It also seems a little squashed in there
You're the first person to really deal with the "prefabricated drop" aspect, and I think you've done it in a clever and interesting way.
-
TheRegisteredOne
- Posts: 398
- Joined: 10 Dec 2005, 21:39
-
Warlord Zsinj
- Imperial Winter Developer
- Posts: 3742
- Joined: 24 Aug 2004, 08:59
-
1v0ry_k1ng
- Posts: 4656
- Joined: 10 Mar 2006, 10:24
its a building, but its supposed to look like its a mobile unit that has deployed.
ive got a picture showing how it walks.
things to do involve replacing the feet with imperial style feet, replacing the turbolasers with somthing more appropriate/to scale and instead of having sharp edges on the octogon have small turret protrusions at each edge as per the base from force commander;.
ive got a picture showing how it walks.
things to do involve replacing the feet with imperial style feet, replacing the turbolasers with somthing more appropriate/to scale and instead of having sharp edges on the octogon have small turret protrusions at each edge as per the base from force commander;.
-
Warlord Zsinj
- Imperial Winter Developer
- Posts: 3742
- Joined: 24 Aug 2004, 08:59
Looking forward to that, 1v0ry :)
In the meanwhile, here's a submission from someone over at moddb. I think it's quite cool, though the overall form needs a little bit of work.
From user Dr.Zais:
Here are some Imperial style buildings that I've dug up for you to have a look at. It might help with your designs.
Empire jiggy 1
Empire jiggy 2
Empire jiggy 3
Empire jiggy 4
Empire jiggy 5
Empire jiggy 6
Empire jiggy 7
Empire jiggy 8
Empire jiggy 9
In the meanwhile, here's a submission from someone over at moddb. I think it's quite cool, though the overall form needs a little bit of work.
From user Dr.Zais:
Here are some Imperial style buildings that I've dug up for you to have a look at. It might help with your designs.
Empire jiggy 1
Empire jiggy 2
Empire jiggy 3
Empire jiggy 4
Empire jiggy 5
Empire jiggy 6
Empire jiggy 7
Empire jiggy 8
Empire jiggy 9
-
1v0ry_k1ng
- Posts: 4656
- Joined: 10 Mar 2006, 10:24
-
Warlord Zsinj
- Imperial Winter Developer
- Posts: 3742
- Joined: 24 Aug 2004, 08:59
lol, fair enough, ivory. Perhaps it's time to move over to photoshop, and if you haven't yet, buy yourself a tablet!
I think it is reasonably important that initially this design be immobile, so the legs make more sense as shock absorbers.
It might be possible with LUA scripting to give the commander an upgrade which allows it to become mobile; but I'm not sure how well that would work (upgrading swaps out the old commander with a new unit, which uses zwzsg style mobile factory system; pretty difficult).
I think it is reasonably important that initially this design be immobile, so the legs make more sense as shock absorbers.
It might be possible with LUA scripting to give the commander an upgrade which allows it to become mobile; but I'm not sure how well that would work (upgrading swaps out the old commander with a new unit, which uses zwzsg style mobile factory system; pretty difficult).
-
Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
-
Warlord Zsinj
- Imperial Winter Developer
- Posts: 3742
- Joined: 24 Aug 2004, 08:59
One week down, two weeks to go!
Looking forward to seeing your refined design, AF. I think you had a pretty neat concept :)
Here's the first 'sketch model' which user Jack Cloudy over at SFM has done:
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/3165/swc1ca1.jpg
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/9204/swc2qu1.jpg
The concept is essentially that the semicircle is buried underground, and slides shut to cover the commander as it's armoured state.
The model is intentionally simple just to get his ideas down, he plans to do the proper one later.
Looking forward to seeing your refined design, AF. I think you had a pretty neat concept :)
Here's the first 'sketch model' which user Jack Cloudy over at SFM has done:
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/3165/swc1ca1.jpg
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/9204/swc2qu1.jpg
The concept is essentially that the semicircle is buried underground, and slides shut to cover the commander as it's armoured state.
The model is intentionally simple just to get his ideas down, he plans to do the proper one later.
-
Warlord Zsinj
- Imperial Winter Developer
- Posts: 3742
- Joined: 24 Aug 2004, 08:59
http://www.darkstars.co.uk/index.php?op ... _itemId=51
Those are my two new entries. See the two sub galleries at the top.
Those are my two new entries. See the two sub galleries at the top.
-
Warlord Zsinj
- Imperial Winter Developer
- Posts: 3742
- Joined: 24 Aug 2004, 08:59
The deadline for this competition has been extended until Monday, the 7th of May
This was decided so as to give people more time to finalise their designs.
AF: I think your design has come a long way, and I like where it is at in the second image of Design Entry #3. However, I find the third and final image a little confusing, and am not entirely sure what I am looking at.
Also, be careful about falling into the trap of being too cought up with how the building lands and opens up, and not enough concerned with how the building operates generally. It's fantastic that you've considered the landing design, and I think your landing design is one of the stronger concepts out there (I've spoken to you already about how I really like the star destroyer reference of the shard); but ultimately the landing procedure is over in the first few seconds of the game, and then the building needs to operate. For example; where are the troopers built in your design? Where do they come out from? I can see where you intend to have the ground-firing weapons, and I think those will work well; but where does the anti-air weaponry fit in? Somewhere on the central block, perhaps?
Neddie: Surely you can get hold of a scanner at school/uni/friend? Or take a digital camera shot of it and touch up the photo in PS? I'd love to see your ideas!
Snipa: Well, we have the time to spend on SWS. You just need to give us your idea, and then we'll do all the actual modding work, and you'll have the design being used by heaps of players, which is what you ultimately want isn't it? Come ooon
Anyway, here is the next stage of Dr.Zais' design over at ModDB:
This was decided so as to give people more time to finalise their designs.
AF: I think your design has come a long way, and I like where it is at in the second image of Design Entry #3. However, I find the third and final image a little confusing, and am not entirely sure what I am looking at.
Also, be careful about falling into the trap of being too cought up with how the building lands and opens up, and not enough concerned with how the building operates generally. It's fantastic that you've considered the landing design, and I think your landing design is one of the stronger concepts out there (I've spoken to you already about how I really like the star destroyer reference of the shard); but ultimately the landing procedure is over in the first few seconds of the game, and then the building needs to operate. For example; where are the troopers built in your design? Where do they come out from? I can see where you intend to have the ground-firing weapons, and I think those will work well; but where does the anti-air weaponry fit in? Somewhere on the central block, perhaps?
Neddie: Surely you can get hold of a scanner at school/uni/friend? Or take a digital camera shot of it and touch up the photo in PS? I'd love to see your ideas!
Snipa: Well, we have the time to spend on SWS. You just need to give us your idea, and then we'll do all the actual modding work, and you'll have the design being used by heaps of players, which is what you ultimately want isn't it? Come ooon
Anyway, here is the next stage of Dr.Zais' design over at ModDB:
See the horizontal bars representing where the ground turrets are? Look at the centre panel of each wedge and you'll see a vertical panel. The anti air turrets go there.
And units would be built inside the central station inbetween the three shards of the central component, then lowered to the ground on a platform or drone.
Anything that hovers or flies can exit via the tops of the wedges which could lift upwards for it to fly out. If the vertical slots for antiair are an issue you can stick a turret ontop of the wedge, otherwise they can act as air refeuling points.
There's also the panel at the back of the wedges. The wedges have a break in the middle for if its ever decided they deploy into a mobile unit, and that breaks also on the backpanel, you could just lift it up like a garage door and let the unit walk out.
And units would be built inside the central station inbetween the three shards of the central component, then lowered to the ground on a platform or drone.
Anything that hovers or flies can exit via the tops of the wedges which could lift upwards for it to fly out. If the vertical slots for antiair are an issue you can stick a turret ontop of the wedge, otherwise they can act as air refeuling points.
There's also the panel at the back of the wedges. The wedges have a break in the middle for if its ever decided they deploy into a mobile unit, and that breaks also on the backpanel, you could just lift it up like a garage door and let the unit walk out.
-
Warlord Zsinj
- Imperial Winter Developer
- Posts: 3742
- Joined: 24 Aug 2004, 08:59
The refueling point sounds interesting. I'm not sure how well a limited-fire-arc AA weapon would work (honestly, I have no idea), that would require some testing, but could be pretty cool.
If you have time, some sketches of how the building functions as it works (building things, in the process of shooting, etc) would be a little more explanatory.
If you have time, some sketches of how the building functions as it works (building things, in the process of shooting, etc) would be a little more explanatory.