OpenMW Example Suite 0.13

OpenMW's very own demo, template and game to show off everything that OpenMW is capable of.

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DestinedToDie
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Re: OpenMW Example Suite 0.13

Post by DestinedToDie »

Template standalone download and ES+Template download sounds pretty good to me.

I don´t plan to paint over all of the map. Just a temporary texture switch from sand to grass. Currently we can´t edit land texture at all in OpenMW-CS, we can only replace tx_sand_01.dds in the folder.

That said, I remember there being a grass texture in OpenMW-Template, but it seems only sand is there. Do we lack a grass texture right now? I could make a placeholderish one. It´d be inside the Example Suite folder, leaving the Template tx_sand_01.dds untouched.
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psi29a
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Re: OpenMW Example Suite 0.13

Post by psi29a »

The template is just that, if you use your own files that potentially overwrite what is in the template, you can do that too. This works perfectly if you plan on having the template included in the ES. The original template stays the same and continues on in parallel. You pull in just what you need to make ES do its thing.
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johndh
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Re: OpenMW Example Suite 0.13

Post by johndh »

Sorry if this sounds overly critical, but is it really necessary to take an interesting tropical island locale and make it as generic as possible by returning to the same bland psuedo-medieval-European setting that something like 90% of western (and many eastern) RPGs use? There's nothing instrinsically wrong with that setting, but... well... it's been done, and I can't be the only person who's bored of it. :| Tropical island, dry sea bed on the dying surface of Barsoom, crystal formation at the center of a vast cavern... with a relatively small project where the story is inconsequential (the point being to show off the engine), why not take a chance and be creative? None of these suggestions would even require changing the height map except a blanket addition to raise it above sea level, and it took me far less than a minute to think of them.

If you must stick with the castle idea, what is it defending, who shipped in all of the stone to build it, and how did they support the necessary workforce on such a small island? If this is just the remaining high ground after a global flood or Atlantis-style disaster, then might I suggest using a height map of a mountain range instead?
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DestinedToDie
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Re: OpenMW Example Suite 0.13

Post by DestinedToDie »

My and GeorgeTheWarp´s goals coincide in making a medieval RPG (he´s going for a more MMO style). We could then use some of the Example Suite assets in our own projects. You´re totally right that this is not the most creative idea ever, yet I don´t see an open world one that would satisfy me personally. Pretty much only Bethesda does those type of games, without there being any good alternative. Please point me to one because I would play the hell out of it. :D
johndh wrote:why not take a chance and be creative?
I think there´s still a chance for a lot of creativity for a newbie 3D artist in a medieval setting. You can make goblins and copy pictures of castles 1:1 or you can make some original creatures and castles with design that´s never been seen before. It´s up to the 3D artists how creative they feel like being. I think this is missing the point because you´re looking at this from a player´s perspective. You want something new refreshing to play, a game that involves around a tropical island?

I get your criticism, but my criticism to your proposition is exactly the same. The tropical island theme has become an indie developer trope that I, and I´m sure many others are becoming tired of. See examples:

1
2
3

So whether we do medieval, tropical or science fiction, it´s an uncreative idea that someone on this forum is sure to be bored of.

Here´s an actually creative idea I heard from TheGzeus. Make the Example Suite a psychiatric ward, where you are a patient. The core of it would be going to "rehab", taking your pills, talking to other patients and visiting your psychiatrist to talk about issues.
johndh wrote:psuedo-medieval-European setting that something like 90% of western (and many eastern) RPGs use

Question is. If statistically 90% of OpenMW game developers are going to go for a medieval RPG, then what use would psychiatric ward Example Suite assets be to them? Is this a case where we would actually prefer to not be creative?
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Okulo
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Re: OpenMW Example Suite 0.13

Post by Okulo »

DestinedToDie wrote:My and GeorgeTheWarp´s goals coincide in making a medieval RPG (he´s going for a more MMO style). We could then use some of the Example Suite assets in our own projects. You´re totally right that this is not the most creative idea ever, yet I don´t see an open world one that would satisfy me personally. Pretty much only Bethesda does those type of games, without there being any good alternative. Please point me to one because I would play the hell out of it. :D
Aside from The Witcher 3, which is arguably medieval and decently open world?

How about Kingdom Come: Deliverance?
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DestinedToDie
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Re: OpenMW Example Suite 0.13

Post by DestinedToDie »

I tried Witcher 1 because I can´t justify playing Witcher 2 or 3 without experiencing what happened in the first game. Couldn´t get past the tutorial, unfortunately. Also I´m really not a fan of the forced third person view in many games.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance actually seems something I´d give a try, thanks for bringing it to my attention.
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AnyOldName3
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Re: OpenMW Example Suite 0.13

Post by AnyOldName3 »

The Witcher 1 is a very different game to the later ones. Even I, who enjoyed it a lot more than most people seem to, took a good portion of the game to 'get into' it. Often people recommend you just watch a synopsis of the plot with cutscenes left in on YouTube.
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johndh
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Re: OpenMW Example Suite 0.13

Post by johndh »

DestinedToDie wrote:I think this is missing the point because you´re looking at this from a player´s perspective. You want something new refreshing to play, a game that involves around a tropical island?
I'm also looking at it from a creator's perspective. The idea of making variations of cruciform arming sword doesn't exactly tantalize me either.
The tropical island theme has become an indie developer trope that I, and I´m sure many others are becoming tired of.
Point taken, maybe tropical island isn't the freshest idea either. Antarctic research facility, wind farm off the coast of Oregon, island resort on an alien planet, demonic stronghold on a sea of blood, faux-Victorian airship base. :P
Make the Example Suite a psychiatric ward, where you are a patient. The core of it would be going to "rehab", taking your pills, talking to other patients and visiting your psychiatrist to talk about issues.
Now that's a cool idea. I'd be on board with that. Perhaps different vignettes could take place in dreams, hallucinations, memories, and/or some form of "immersive virtual reality rehabilitation" (like To The Moon, in case you've ever played that).
Question is. If statistically 90% of OpenMW game developers are going to go for a medieval RPG, then what use would psychiatric ward Example Suite assets be to them? Is this a case where we would actually prefer to not be creative?
That sounds like a self-fulfilling prophecy. If the assets we make mainly support that setting, then that's what people will use them to make. There's no shortage of assets in that category already, so I don't see a need to add to the glut.
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DestinedToDie
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Re: OpenMW Example Suite 0.13

Post by DestinedToDie »

Even if we go with psychiatric ward Example Suite we still need to reconcile the existence of classes, skills, magic, birthsigns. Whenever the player opens up their inventory, that´s what they´re going to see. And we aren´t going to do a demo of the engine without showing these elements. So how about this. The player is convinced that they are playing a medieval fantasy while being stuck in a psychiatric ward.

"Hello Mr. Doctor."
"Pleased to meet you... it says on here that your name is Ddev1l26. Is this correct?"
"That´s right, doc."
"So tell me a little about yourself."
"I´m a level 42 night elf who came to this village in search of quests."
"Oh dear, I´m going to need to prescribe xanax for this one..."
"*bribe* I´ll give you 100 pieces of silver for the key to this dungeon cell."
"Calm down, Ddev1l26. We´re in my office, not a dungeon."
"This game has really awesome graphics, it looks almost like real life."
"This IS real life."
"Even the NPCs are immersive."
"Okay. I think that´s enough for this session."

The way I see it, you´d be in a mix of the real world and a medieval world. When you start a new game, you get introduced to mechanics as if you were playing a game. Fellow patients would sometimes talk real world stuff, sometimes give you a quest to save the princess trapped in a castle nearby. Most of the ward would be real world objects, with some out of place medieval stuff placed here and there. Like a door in a plain looking room that leads into a dungeon filled with magical crystals, monsters and loot.

Huge con. A lot of the psychiatric ward stuff would happen in interiors. We need snap to grid to make modular interior pieces. Until that is available, we will mostly work on exteriors.

Huge plus? This sounds like something that Pewdiepie and other Youtube gaming entertainers would play. If we ever get this to some completion, it could give the project millions of views.

Wot u guys think?
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psi29a
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Re: OpenMW Example Suite 0.13

Post by psi29a »

I know Zini wants to include more worldspaces... I'm curious if we can use the same map twice. One world is your fantasy land and switch in and out of it, depending on if you are following your meds or treatment.

<3 the idea of following the rabbit hole down all the way....
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