As promised,here is the first of the external areas to complete the look of Seareach.
These extra areas(seareach-north,south and old burial grounds.) complete the exterior of the town giving you an almost 270 degree view.
Thank you for your post and vote,lordslimer.I am a big fan of your work and the screenshots ive seen of Dark Ages(an aussie PW released soon),just whet my appitite to rp on your teams server.
Keep up the good work,and thanks again! _________________________ Aw,what a cute little chest,what with all its teeth and all...look,it wants to play!
Posted by over_my_head at 2008-01-21 06:35:13 Voted 6.00 on 01/20/08
Thank you dear Waleswizard. As for the town, no haven't had time to check that one out. But I prefer to check area by are :). But I'll have a look at it in the late afternoon. Perhaps the city is even better than your Old Burial Grounds!
Heh,all this over a slight disagreement over textures and grasses.
I genuinely thank you for your vote over_my_head,and hope your tenure as a vault reviewer is a long and happy one.
Just out of interest,have you seen the actual town of seareach? It was my original upload the other day.These areas that we are...talking about complete the outside of the town walls. _________________________ Aw,what a cute little chest,what with all its teeth and all...look,it wants to play!
Posted by over_my_head at 2008-01-21 05:51:25 Voted 6.00 on 01/20/08
If you have to be arguing with an other instead of the authorized author himself, without him even arguing along, then I think we are definatelly on the wrong track. As for the website, I agree, the 5 years is described at the forums.
I will not continue posting in this thread, as I merely want for waleswizzard to receive honest and constructive feedback. He deserves scores, and should be congratulated for his submition as few do so because they worry for comments (like mine I hear you say *winks*). I would not want people to be neglectful to vote thinking there are already enough posts, and that the posters think of nothing but arguing. Thank you waleswizzard for your understanding, know that I am convinced of your capabilities. I never said I am better, but I know what I want to see. Would we compete, I'm not even sure mine would be better, one think I am positive though. Your area lay-out is far better than mine. (I tend to build symmetrical which can look quite static).
I wish you the best in your submissions, and I hope you more builders can get to know your skill at building. What you should know: a 6 is not a low score in my opinion. (I have greatly enjoyed playing Modules, but never reviewed one above 6, that time will come though.)
yes wales i did look at his website and unfortunately i cannot see any other pictures in his gallery other than the washed out one of a tree and some i think it is water (maybe there was a fog on the day he captured it.
In response to gurgles_under_water saying that i am not honest it is a shame that he feels that way as it would seem in his world (in which we must be only passing nuciences) that he has the only honest opinion and yes i did read your website and nowhere on it did it say that it was originally conceived under nwn1. So until you repost/repair its wording i stand by my comments. Unless you should deem me unworthy to my opinion then oh most exalted master of reality may i beg the for forgiveness, and i am a worm unworthy to lick the manure off your shoes that you stand in all day shoveling. _________________________ Its mine I found it somplace else.
Thank you for your post Whampinwillows,Even though i do not agree with over_my_heads cut and paste style of review with addendums for the exteral areas that i have posted to the vault,he has a right to expunge any movements that he deems right and necessary for the critical review of freely posted work to the vault.
Im sure that if you visit his PW home page,that is linked to his vault reviewers link next to his name,you will be told of a world with some really spiffy areas.Look at the screenshots to see some solid and qualified areas with beutifully machined finishes. _________________________ Aw,what a cute little chest,what with all its teeth and all...look,it wants to play!
Posted by over_my_head at 2008-01-21 05:01:02 Voted 6.00 on 01/20/08
I cannot understand the aggitation that is deriving from my post, and I have to say that I find such answers quite infantile. Am I not allowed to express my opinion about this particular area, or is it wrong to comment on an area without giving it a full 10. I cannot show up understanding for reactions like: "he has a real problem with people that can post something like you have". Why would I have a problem with people that submith their works to the NWVault, and if it is, what has this got to do with commenting on a work?
Tell me, do you think I exagerated by giving this area a 'mere' 6. Do you think it is unfair and rude of mine to say this area is: "6 - Good, Qualified Recommendation"? If you please, I find it hard to respect people that despise people because they are realistic, sober in their way of scoring. I have spent a lot of times on the NWVault, and have scored a LOT of prefab areas, but never have I been mentioned that I am rude, or offensive. I too use custom prefab areas in my PW, therefore I check this section a lot during the days. If you would visit us, you'll recognize a couple well-known modified areas that are hosted by the NWVault.
I will waste no more time on this. It troubles me people cannot be honest any more, and cannot vote any more without it being an 8 or higher. If you do think I exagerated, I ask of you to send this work to one of the notorious area builders of the NWVault, and ask them their opinion. Any way, I apologize for having voted and for having offended you. I therefore redraw my comments, so that this can cause no more grief, etc.
As for the PW, it is a project that has been going in since NWN(1)'s intial release. If you had read carefully, you would have known. A pitty.
Hmmm what a shame that we cant just copy and paste out people like over_my_head as it would seem that to take some time and give a good criticism of someones mods it would seem that he has a real problem with people that can post something like you have.
I have clicked on his link to what he would like us all to perceive as the best thing out there and it has been in the making for five years (interesting that he has time traveled to allow for this in nwn2) his is a real fantasy world so i guess who better than he to criticise your work. Don't be discouraged mate keep up the good work, you never know Obsidian might just pull its collective head out of its proverbial and actually deliver on the original promise of this world being easy to navigate/ build without getting a degree in scripting. JMO _________________________ Its mine I found it somplace else.
Thank you both for your posts,and thank you for making my point over_my_head.I had stripped my areas of unnessessary placables,spawns and lights before posting my submissions.I want people to be able to add to the areas and make them their own.That was one thing i found out that the community liked when i added submissions for nwn1.Im not having a go at you or your critique,i just believe that you have misinterpretated why i made these submissions this way in the first place.
Thank you for your posts. _________________________ Aw,what a cute little chest,what with all its teeth and all...look,it wants to play!
Posted by lordslimer at 2008-01-20 23:16:54 Voted 7.00 on 01/20/08
I like your maps Waleswizard. They have obvious forethought and planning which is half the battle.
I can see what over_my_head is saying about textures though. It took me hours before I am happy with texture blends alone. Hardly any of my maps have 100% strength of one texture alone in an area and I tend to max out the number of textures on every square. I go back and forward and do "coats" over and over and over at different strengths.
Something else I use to break up the ground a bit is the color option. Good for darkening areas, especially bottom of water areas.
Don't get me wrong though I don't reckon I'm an expert though. I am learning all the time. _________________________ Slimer
Dev, DM, Admin for Aussienwn.com
Posted by over_my_head at 2008-01-20 23:12:45 Voted 6.00 on 01/20/08
Oh, I am not the kind who posts in haste. I first looked at your areas in-game and afterwards looked at your areas in the toolset (as I normally do), as I am more of a builder than a player.
Do not get me wrong. But according to the voting standards, I would say this particular area is good, qualified, but I would not recommend it to be used in Persistent Worlds without being added to. That is my point of view.
As for the texturing of the wheat, I had no problem with the wheat. It is just the texture used for the wheat next to the green patches of grass without any blending in that makes it a bit odd. What would detract attention from it is saturating the area. The area colours would be more 'toned' to the wheat, and therefore be a better match.
Now let me make some space for the other people to comment on this *smiles*. Don't want my name pop up every few posts.
Hope to see more works from you, I am sure as you progress, your skills will as well.
No offence taken over_my_head,it just seemed to me that your review was posted in haste with out actually looking at the module in toolset.
My work is done free hand with-out any plug-ins to aid in the map building process as i believe that using such things takes away from any organic feel that might be accomplished by "human" error.
As for the texturing of the wheat field in seareach south,having lived next to farms that harvest wheat/grains,i have observed that in the harvesting process that the wheat is gold or brown,and the field is full of chaff and straw,leaving the same gold or brown colour on the ground and not a dull brown or a flat green. Im sorry if you find this a bit strange,but it was my interpratation after all.
Thank you for taking the time to download and post your views. _________________________ Aw,what a cute little chest,what with all its teeth and all...look,it wants to play!
Posted by over_my_head at 2008-01-20 09:55:09 Voted 6.00 on 01/20/08
If I offended you in any way, I did not mean to do so. But as I am more of a reviewer, I know what aspects to look for, and what could be improved. I am well aware I am not the most skilled at texturing, and would definatelly not reach the level SGK uses in his areas. But as I have continuously contributed my time to NWN since its release, I can say I have a fair knowledge of what the Toolset is capable of, and what makes an area worth a 9, or merely a 5.
I have since its release contributed a lot of work to Persistent Worlds and have always worked in a team. Therefore I have never contributed any prefab areas to the NWVault, but if you would like to see some of my content, why don't you visit our PW which is being released at the end of Januari? You are very much welcomed.
My apologies again for any inconvenience, or if I have exasperated you in any way.
In rebutal to your review,i would like to add that alot of these tiles have 3-6 textures _________________________ Aw,what a cute little chest,what with all its teeth and all...look,it wants to play!
Perhaps you could find your way to send me some of your content for nwn2 over_my_head,i sure would like to pick up some tips from your toolset. _________________________ Aw,what a cute little chest,what with all its teeth and all...look,it wants to play!
Thank you for your comments over_my_head.
Seareach was never completed as a multiplayer server,i believe what i uploaded to the vault was a solid base for others to use as a canvas to add to their worlds.Yes,alot more could have been added to the areas,and a few tweeks here and there,but my main consideration was server load,something that seems to be lacking alot on the few existing worlds out there dedicated to the true multiplayer experience.This will be my only submission for nwn2,till obsidian gets its act together
_________________________ Aw,what a cute little chest,what with all its teeth and all...look,it wants to play!
Posted by over_my_head at 2008-01-20 02:33:39 Voted 6.00 on 01/20/08
I am sorry for the previous comment. That one was directed to your south part of this serie of areas. What it should have been:
First downloader, and immediately the first commenter on this work. If I should express this work in two words, I'd say: Solid, qualified. What you try to accomplish I like greatly, you have a good idea of what you are trying to accomplish but what keeps your area(s)'(s) score(s) low is that the area itself it a bit simplistic and too monotonous. What you accomplish is beautiful, but there isn't enough variation to make this an outstanding area.
I would recommend putting in some more details, some more variation like twigs on the ground, mud paths, a greater variation of grasses, etc. Your use of texturing is good, but single layered and could be improved by using two or more textures and have them blend in with the right skill and the right tool ;). What I would also strongly suggest is the use of the bloom effect, which could saturate the area a bit more. We are given a tool, and you have not used it, so recommended!
I'd change the colour of water though, or at least the ground beneath it. Perfect clear water is rarely seen, and the way you painted it seems more like a paved bole which has been filled with water. Perhaps some sandy edges, mud spots, cat tail would improve the look of the water. What I would also suggest is adding a stream-like effect to the water, this looks more realistic by changing the Y and X direction of the water. That way you can let it flow towards the point you want it to. What keeps this area from a solid 7 is the level of completeness. You have clearly focused yourself on a certain part of the area, but have not tried to attain the same level of detail as you tried on the part you were focusing yourself on. Try to do so, as it will greatly improve the look of the areas the player can distinguish but completed parts of the areas.
Solid, qualified. If you would like an example of variation, SGK's latest works are a perfect example of how you can easily and not so easily vary your look of the area.
Yours sincerely,
Over My Head
Posted by over_my_head at 2008-01-20 02:16:20 Voted 6.00 on 01/20/08
First downloader, and immediately the first commenter on this work. If I should express this work in two words, I'd say: Solid, qualified. What you try to accomplish I like greatly, you have a good idea of what you are trying to accomplish but what keeps your area(s)'(s) score(s) low is that the area itself it a bit simplistic and too monotonous. What you accomplish is beautiful, but there isn't enough variation to make this an outstanding area.
I would recommend putting in some more details, some more variation like twigs on the ground, mud paths, a greater variation of grasses, etc. Your use of texturing is good, but single layered and could be improved by using two or more textures and have them blend in with the right skill and the right tool ;). What I would also strongly suggest is the use of the bloom effect, which could saturate the area a bit more. We are given a tool, and you have not used it, so recommended!
As for the texturing, I find your use of the two colours a bit strange. The grass and the yellow-ish colour do not seem logical to me, as you could attain the same result by using a straw grass with the hail bails. I'd change the colour of water too, or at least the ground beneath it. Perfect clear water is rarely seen, and the way you painted it seems more like a paved bole which has been filled with water. Perhaps some sandy edges, mud spots, cat tail would improve the look of the water.
Solid, qualified. If you would like an example of variation, SGK's latest works are a perfect example of how you can easily and not so easily vary your look of the area.
Yours sincerely,
Over My Head
You must be Logged In to post comments in this section.
10 - A Masterpiece, Genuinely Groundbreaking 9 - Outstanding, a Must Have 8 - Excellent, Recommended to Anyone 7 - Very Good, Deserves a Look 6 - Good, Qualified Recommendation 5 - Fair, Solid yet Unremarkable 4 - Some Merit, Requires Improvements 3 - Poor Execution, Potential Unrealized 2 - Very Little Appeal 1 - Not Recommended to Anyone
Site
at 2008-01-27 23:00:17
at 2008-01-21 19:40:47
at 2008-01-21 06:35:13
