Improving default tilesets, maybe a CTP project?

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               The original idea was to add new tiles, possibly new terrains and groups. There is no need to improve the graphical aspects as that is handling NWNCQ already and very well indeed.

But im off this project anyway. Now this depends on anyone willing to make this happen.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Borden Haelven]

               *Throws 2 pennies in*
With regard texture naming conventions. How about ctp_ and ncq_ as prefixes? It would certainly clarify things. I personally always use drb_ on mine.  Just realised CTP do that already DOH! I've got lot's of spare time to help out if anyones interested by the way.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Borden Haelven, 25 août 2012 - 02:57 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_NWN_baba yaga]

               Just my 2 cents but i have to disagree that NWNCQ is realy improving the overall feeling. As I tested it ingame it looked almost everywhere out of place and lots of geometry changes (an example are the side pillars in the crypt) eventually screw up original areas. When you override a tileset dont mess with the original placement and only improve, replace and retexture a specific element but stay very close to givin shape. Many textures are also way to blurry and different looking to what NWN is like and the lens effects to be honest are strange at best, well to be true I just dont like it;)

this is nothing against the effort chico has done and I like the diversity from many authors. But dont make anything like this "a default" please.

My own preference would besomething like tom banjos forest for the original one, there you have a realy enhanced version texture and expansion wise and on the other hand you have not to worry that anything else look like it comes from a different game;)
               
               

               

                     Modifié par NWN_baba yaga, 25 août 2012 - 03:48 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Zwerkules]

               

NWN_baba yaga wrote...

this is nothing against the effort chico has done and I like the diversity from many authors. But dont make anything like this "a default" please.

Yes, please don't make blurred textures with pseudo bump maps and cluttered tiles that block movement where they shouldn't or have objects you can walk through the default.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Pstemarie]

               I had at one point replaced all the crates and barrels in City Interior 2, but alas I can't find the files 

These types of improvements are definitive IMO and is something I'll be tackling for my module/PW project - along with adding ceilings but only for the tiles I use. I'm not too keen on "fixing" up a ton of tiles just to have them sit in a hak and not being used by the module - waste of space that could be used for other resources.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Pstemarie, 25 août 2012 - 04:17 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_NWN_baba yaga]

               @Pstemarie, I do the same whenever i have some time/fun to work on some of the original stuff to make it a bit more 1.69 like;)
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Fester Pot]

               

NWN_baba yaga wrote...

Just my 2 cents but i have to disagree that NWNCQ is realy improving the overall feeling. As I tested it ingame it looked almost everywhere out of place and lots of geometry changes (an example are the side pillars in the crypt) eventually screw up original areas. When you override a tileset dont mess with the original placement and only improve, replace and retexture a specific element but stay very close to givin shape. Many textures are also way to blurry and different looking to what NWN is like and the lens effects to be honest are strange at best, well to be true I just dont like it;)

this is nothing against the effort chico has done and I like the diversity from many authors. But dont make anything like this "a default" please.

My own preference would besomething like tom banjos forest for the original one, there you have a realy enhanced version texture and expansion wise and on the other hand you have not to worry that anything else look like it comes from a different game;)

Yaga! Rrrraaawwwwrrrr!

This is why I actually build with NWNCQ in my override folder, so when designing areas, I'm aware of the graphical "additions" that were included, and build around them. Although the two modules I've built can be played by anyone with the NWNCQ override - without causing serious problems - only one spot in the second module has an issue from these additions.

I also do like how the entire package takes care of textures for the tilesets, without having to download multiple files from different authors, and rather than building with it as a HAK requirement, simply adding in a text file that NWNCQ override will work, leaves it up to the player, and I like that as a builder.

What I'd like, is for all tilesets to migrate the 1.69 textures and look that Castle Exterior: Rural brought us, and Tom Banjo's Forest Expansion is a good example.

FP!
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_NWN_baba yaga]

               '>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_AndarianTD]

               

Fester Pot wrote...

Although the two modules I've built can be played by anyone with the NWNCQ override - without causing serious problems - only one spot in the second module has an issue from these additions.

I'm pretty much with FP on this. Updated my two mods a couple of years ago using NWNCQ and only ran into one place where the geometry changes required some minor rework. I've noticed some of what BY is talking about, and that's part of what I meant by "minor issues" that could stand some fixing. But for the most part I don't find them to be problematic.

What I'd like, is for all tilesets to migrate the 1.69 textures and look that Castle Exterior: Rural brought us, and Tom Banjo's Forest Expansion is a good example.

I second the recommendation of TB's Forest in this context.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Daijin]

               Just a head's up, some NWNCQ tiles prevent creature drops, i had to find them and delete them.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_henesua]

               I used to be more of a proponent for NWNCQ. I liked how the textures improved upon the base textures, and carried that through your module.

However, I've developed a more discerning eye in the two years I've been using NWNCQ, and don't use it anymore. While I do tire of the push for everything to look like DLA's work, which is a bit drab colorwise in my opinion, they did get the scale of material in their textures down right. NWNCQ does not meet this criteria. The scale of those textures is much too large.

Something with the fantastical brightness of NWNCQ but a proper scale and better attention paid to details would be a welcome addition in my view.

I also like how six's textures are muted/desaturated like DLA's are, but still have a greater richness to them. That kind of work is also welcome. Zwerkules has also done some great work with nicer greens and earth tones. And baba yaga's spidercaves weave together a nice mix of bright pinks and mottling into the black of those caves.

Don't get me wrong. I like DLA's work. But the grass color and rock color and water color is wearing thin on me.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par henesua, 25 août 2012 - 08:28 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_NWN_baba yaga]

               Good thing with _six textures is that he manages to create a unique look for each of his work. And some of tno textures, a specific brickstone texture (tno_stone011) is used to death imo. I have a love/ hate relationship developed for it. It´s a texture that is 50% realistic and 50% NWN and I cant do just one single new building with that texture anymore. When you work on a single feature it always looks good but then you go into toolset and place down the other buildings and BAM... not again this brick man, it´s madness! I have a new texture created that is similar to tno_stone11:



You can use it as a replacement texture but it will look much better with the right UVtiling. I did this one for my new city tileset.

And my outskirt grass:

p.s. problem with these brick textures is you cant just texture it onto a big wall and think it will look good later. Either you have to create different versions, a 1024 one with different regions within or the texture looks dull in the end imo.


pps.
the texture quality is a bit better in the tga version. so if your interested and dont want to wait until i can release any of these tileset wips just ask and i´ll upload some stuff you might find usefull as well;)
               
               

               

                     Modifié par NWN_baba yaga, 25 août 2012 - 09:28 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Pstemarie]

               Nice textures. Personally, I like the DLA stuff but I do agree that its overused. If you look in the x3 key file you'll see that they included a great many textures, many of which are ignored (a pity) when people reskin things.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_NWN_baba yaga]

               A way i work to keep things a bit in style with xp3 is to make the first layer/background with a texture from them that matches the texture i want to create and then fade in and out trough the process untill i´m happy with both, my own and their style.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par NWN_baba yaga, 25 août 2012 - 09:12 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Master Jax]

               Love the ideas and textures Baba. Totally agree. My re-textures are actually a little more diverse. I go tile by tile, incorporating what texture I think suits best for each model, so I have a wiiiiiiiiide array of options. However, yours are a great addition. Just one thing... high-res looks much better. I know it is heavy and a hassle for some, but the difference, especially on newer cards, is astonishing.