New Graphics....

[x4000]

Just so people know... as I've noted in a number of other threads... we're in the process of updating all of the large ships, at least.  The tiny ships will likely remain pixelart, but the larger ships are all eventually going to be 3D-based.  Possibly the smaller ones as well, but we'll see.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

I like the command stations but i think the space docks are ugly.

[x4000]

Tastes vary, I suppose.  The docks are my favorite.

[Trurl]

Just so people know... as I've noted in a number of other threads... we're in the process of updating all of the large ships, at least.  The tiny ships will likely remain pixelart, but the larger ships are all eventually going to be 3D-based.  Possibly the smaller ones as well, but we'll see.

Sorry, I must have missed that.  

[x4000]

Not a worry.  It's going to take us a long time to get everything transitioned, but that's the direction we've been moving in for a while.  Hopefully by the end of 2010 or so.

[RCIX]

Now, don't get me wrong now guys.I love the rest of the game.The problem is that the new graphics for the Command Station and Space Dock seem very out of place when everything else has the nice "clean" 2D look.I usually don't care for graphics, but when it's something like my home Command station where I have to look at it constantly, just nags the hell out of me.

I hold the diametrically opposite view: in light of the stunning new Command Station, Colony Ship, Space Dock, etc. graphics, I'd actually like to see a similar upgrade of all the other ships!

Aye Aye! i even put a suggestion in the suggestions foum, you can nominate it if you want (my slot is laready taken)!

[CombineResistance01]

I like the command stations but i think the space docks are ugly.

I personally think that the Space Docks look like something that would be a place where the ships are built. When I first got the game, I tried to guess what each function of every unit is by their pictures. The Space Dock looks like a main factory and a release door to release made ships. I like the Advanced Factory even more because it looks like a space dry dock, and made out of two joined Space Docks.

[V22 Osprey]

I don't know why, but now I actually kind of like the new graphics after a few games.

Either 1 of 3 things happened:
1) I was REALLY tired and the graphics looked bad.
2) When I loaded up AI War after I installed the 3.0 update, I saw the new graphics and just panicked.
or
3) A combination of 1 and 2

[quickstix]

Humans are habitual creatures, change can sometimes throw people for a loop. That still catches me out in real life every now and then.

[I-KP]

Because it's a 2D game the 3D renders have no excuse not to look white-hot due to the poly count non-issue.  BTW, making ships look super-hot takes a lot of time and effort, as the 3D artists amongst us will know all too well; three to seven days per model would not be unusual[1].  I look forward to seeing the results.

[1] Which I suppose roughly equates to well over 150 days of solid work for one person, assuming that a small amount of object recycling takes place.

[eRe4s3r]

Exactly, i think most people who dislike it are 3D-Artists or know what that is ;p and .. well there really is no excuse to have a low polycount in a 2d-sprite. But yeah the problem is this

1) 2D Sprites are pretty rare, not many people can make good ones anymore. This is why i absolutely loved the previous AI War graphics, i couldn't do them better and they looked pretty damn hot!  

2) 3D Based 2D Sprites are not rare, for ships, everything you do with a 3d-rendering will never look good from pure flat top-down unless you put a week of work in the setup and workflow (Textures/Maintaining light setup/Photoshop tuning). For Buildings, faux perspective causes a massive rift of perspective between buildings and ships. AI War can never evolve beyond top-down so if something is not top-down (or with a slightly vertical angled top-down view) then it simply doesn't fit in.

3) The non-3d redone sprites looked awesome and are animated , the 3d ones are not animated. And the art direction is all over the place. The textures are great in some places (Golems, some of em) but on others its again all over the place (Hive Golem ,p)

And this is because theres no concept artists giving a clear direction and most importantly, directions on maintaining a single style.

Also faux perspective can't rotate, or will look "pretty weird" when doing so.

But then again, i am guessing Arcengames doesn't swim in massive piles of money so employing several 3d artists and a concept artist for half a year just to re-do graphics is not how money should be spent. All i am saying is, that i liked the 2D Sprites much more, the 3D-Sprites are... requiring an art direction from a concept artist, and a more stable light-setup to boot. This means a single sprite class can easily take 3-5 days if you want highest quality. Sure someone can whip up renderings of existing stuff within minutes, but thats not going to be the style of ai war then.

I would put it here in writing that I think it would be prudent to seek the to employ of a concept ship artist before even attempting to re-design any or all ships in 3D.

@I-KP i fully agree with you.  

[RCIX]

I would put it here in writing that I think it would be prudent to seek the to employ of a concept ship artist before even attempting to re-design any or all ships in 3D.

Me maybe? i just rolled 3 more concept sketches off the line in the last few days. i'm just kidding, though happy to share my art crummy sketches!

[eRe4s3r]

Sadly sketches != concept art. Concept art needs to show 3 directions (front, top, side) at the least. Perspective is a plus ;p

3D-Artists are well able to come up with stuff without concepts but its going to be the 3d-artists style, not the games style... Seen many projects not realizing that, and then wondering why 3 artists models all have different styles. Twas hilarious ;p

[RCIX]

Sadly sketches != concept art. Concept art needs to show 3 directions (front, top, side) at the least. Perspective is a plus ;p

3D-Artists are well able to come up with stuff without concepts but its going to be the 3d-artists style, not the games style... Seen many projects not realizing that, and then wondering why 3 artists models all have different styles. Twas hilarious ;p

Problem is i have trouble visualizing things in any view but the top. I'm working on it though...

[Baleur]

Sadly sketches != concept art. Concept art needs to show 3 directions (front, top, side) at the least. Perspective is a plus ;p

3D-Artists are well able to come up with stuff without concepts but its going to be the 3d-artists style, not the games style... Seen many projects not realizing that, and then wondering why 3 artists models all have different styles. Twas hilarious ;p

Problem is i have trouble visualizing things in any view but the top. I'm working on it though...

Exactly. The entire game takes place on a 2d plane anyway, so its wierd to see faux-3D perspective sprites in the mix.
Its like, hey all our ships and armies and bases are laid out flat on this space-floor, but the command stations and space docks are at an angle..

Either have everything top-down, or have everything at an angle (such as in an rts game). Dont mix the two, its confusing >_<