A question for James about Native

[MightyFrog]

I read in another post of your's that you can't finish the Assassin because you are lacking a decent artist. If this is the case, how do you hope to finish Native, a very graphically intense game?

[Thunderbird]

I read in another post of your's that you can't finish the Assassin because you are lacking a decent artist. If this is the case, how do you hope to finish Native, a very graphically intense game?

 

Heh, I was wondering when someone was going to ask this question. This is a good one indeed. The answer is something that could really solidify developer status or not.

[Garvin]

I've been without internet access for the past week, so bare with me.

 

The Assassin won't work because it requires more than one good artist to do. The sheer size of the game dictates this. So far, I haven't found an artist who wants to tackle the game by themselves. I can't blame them either.

 

Native and Dark Guardian can be done by one person (for the most part). A good 3D artist should be able to do animation and all of that without too much trouble. That would keep the same feel of the original stuff that the Duranik guys started with Native. Dark Guardian will have some problems with the hand-drawn cutscenes. In this, I have someone to do it. Not to worry about it. Both games will look cool when finished.

 

 

-Garvin

[MightyFrog]

So do you have an artist lined up for Native and Dark Guardian? Other than for the cut scenes in DG?

 

I think finding an artist that can keep the same look Native has in the first level might be more challenging that you're making it out to be, especially considering how few artists are going to want to work on a Jaguar game.

[Garvin]

So do you have an artist lined up for Native and Dark Guardian?

 

Yes, I do. The thing is, Native kind of has a set look that I can try to keep. I have to admit that I'm not trying too hard, mainly because my pool of artist isn't that large. The stuff I've seen from the guy I want to use is pretty good so far, so I have no complaints. I don't think anyone else will either. Unfortunately, I think the first level will be different graphically. All other levels will be consistent.

 

 

-Garvin

[Thunderbird]

So do you have an artist lined up for Native and Dark Guardian?

 

Yes, I do. The thing is, Native kind of has a set look that I can try to keep. I have to admit that I'm not trying too hard, mainly because my pool of artist isn't that large. The stuff I've seen from the guy I want to use is pretty good so far, so I have no complaints. I don't think anyone else will either. Unfortunately, I think the first level will be different graphically. All other levels will be consistent.

 

 

-Garvin

 

Why not have the artist re-do similar art for the first level in his/her own style and then the game will be more "yours" and also look consistent?

[Garvin]

Why not have the artist re-do similar art for the first level in his/her own style and then the game will be more "yours" and also look consistent?

Yeah, I considered this, but I haven't decided exactly what needs to be done. I don't want to tamper with the original work too much, because there are people who feel strongly about it.

 

The boss will be done by the new guy, as Duranik doesn't have the graphic made for it. I'm working on some designs for it now. As we get more of an "assembly line" setup, I'll feel more comfortable about changing any of the original stuff.

 

 

-Garvin

[Matthias]

Hi!

 

The problem with Native is that people are now knowing this one

level for about 5 years. Native isn't famous for being the first

side-scroller (at least the demo doesn't tell you how hard it could be

to survive a level). I think people just love it for its graphics/GFX.

 

But because there are not more graphics available (and Duranik

won't do any more) it's better to have new graphics in new levels

than to have the actual graphics being reused in 20 levels.

 

James: If you wouldn't use the name NATIVE, people wouldn't have

that high (better say: false) expectations.

 

 

Regards

Matthias

[Garvin]

The problem with Native is that people are now knowing this one  

level for about 5 years. Native isn't famous for being the first  

side-scroller (at least the demo doesn't tell you how hard it could be  

to survive a level). I think people just love it for its graphics/GFX.

True. I agree that there isn't much to the demo to really define what kind of game it's going to be.

 

 

But because there are not more graphics available (and Duranik  

won't do any more) it's better to have new graphics in new levels  

than to have the actual graphics being reused in 20 levels.

Heh, that would be kind of freaky. I know I had no intention of doing such a thing, but that would be comical.

 

 

James: If you wouldn't use the name NATIVE, people wouldn't have that high (better say: false) expectations.

The goal is to lay the Native topic to rest. After this is done, then we can all reflect on Native and mean the version that has been released and how it compares to the intro level done by Duranik. But at that point, no one can say that Native hasn't been finished. That's what I'm after.

 

 

-Garvin