Character Creation Changes: Feedback

[Amarie Ancalimon]

Recently the art team released a new hallway model for character creation. The goal with the new hallway is to both update the appearance and performance of the game in this particular "First Impressions" section. Specifically the update also addresses the concern players have with the lighting in the character creation rooms being different from the game lighting so that what you choose at character creation doesn't look quite the same as when you log in to the game.

They'd like your feedback on this first release and future plans. The proposal features a sort of lair chamber and aims to hint to both dragon factions with crystals, along with some particular objects thought to be where hatchlings come from. To see the concept art for this design, go here.

The other races will not be left behind. The proposal set forth by the artist art wise is to put them somewhere in their racial town, keeping in kind that dryads and satyrs do not have one and will need to have a location considered. This, in a sense, connects these character races to an actual place in the world rather than a scene that doesn't seem to exist out there. Alternatively, a scene suggestive of the race is another option.

Specifically we're interested in hearing your thoughts on:

- The dragon room concept

- The idea of linking the other races to a racial city rather than the current room design.

- Where would you put the Satyrs?

- Where would you put the Dryads?

[meepsa]

The concept art looks pretty neat

I also like the idea of linking every other race to a city, and for the satyrs I can't think of anything, but isn't the racial place for dryads Aubadrine? although there is no city you could do something like a big tree, or the rainbow bridge (haven't been to Aubedrine all that much so don't know what there is)

[velveeta]

love these ideas!!
yes, the ccr for draggys definately needs to be more in line with the ingame lighting. i thought mw was gonna turn out much darker than he did.
yes, please, on the racial town thing. very appropriate and desireable, to my mind.
i really have no thoughts on the satyr/dryad thing, other than go with a mythological theme (which would work for both), family appropriate of course....

[awdz]

Sounds like a great plan! :-)
For the dryads, I think Aubadrine is most appropriate.

For the satyrs, I like the idea of using that little group of buildings nestled alongside the maple forest just north of the spire. I'd love to see the satyrs relocate there as their new racial town, since it's not had a function that I've ever seen, the satyrs need a home, and it is sort of in the woods where satyrs prefer to live.

[velveeta]

oooo awesome thoughts, awdz, as always!!

[meepsa]

I agree with the buildings north of the spyre, havent taken a good look at them, but they seem ok.

and perhaps a small dryad city at Aubadrine

[Holth]

I thought the Satyr race originally came from the Satyr Islands. Their race was subjugated by the WA and that's why the current Satry Islands are overrun with WA. I do like the idea of using the area outside Feladan (north of the spire) for the Satyr "town". The buildings there seem more Saris in design though, so maybe change them a bit to reflect the Satyr culture.

Thaalia of Order

[C`gan]

I like the concept art for the new hatchling "room".

I also agree that the dryads should have a view from Aubadrine.

The satyrs I'd like to see in the area of, say, Bristugo, near the big trees, somewhere along the Sable Coast before reaching the lapis lazuli canyon.

[Shian]

Oh my! I do love the faction neutral layout
As a "fluff request", I hope that the floor is a new floor or slightly new floor. "Dragon circle" and "dragon flame" are used everywhere: Halls, lair entrances, murals... For a new look, I hope that it is an entirely new look. If your artist team is up for it anyways.

I would like to link them to their racial homes. Makes it easier for us RP folks to get in tune with our own lore.

In the forest near the spire for the Saytrs is a good idea, so I'm sticking with that as I do not have a better idea of my own and I can't imagine a better place for the Dryads than Aubadrine.

[Frith-Rae]

Yes awesome new dragon room - I too think its great to link each "creation" room with the racial cities/look. Put in more racial flavor for all of them.

Of course, keeping it in line with the "performance" thing - perhaps the dragon creation room could also have in addition to the crystals (or instead of) the faction-torches and/or the lair-chamber lava/water flows to add to that atmosphere. Still keeping it of course with teh same light level as in the game . Just offering other suggestions for "props" that would be just as appropo as the crystals.

As for the other races who have cities and buildings - perhaps their racial housing option could be in the background of their creation chamber (for some races I guess this would be reflected in the starting city but I can see how say the dwarven racial housing isn't really a part of the dwarf city necessarily).

As for Satyrs - I honestly don't know on this one, I'm not very familiar with their lore so I'll go with the wisdom of others. When I think Satyrs I think rocks and mountains, but that may have nothing to do with the satyrs in game - I also think woods (but I think that for dryads too lol).

As for Dryads - I do'nt know that there's anything wrong with their current character creation room as I've always loved that "forest" in there behind them, and it certainly fits. But Its also nowhere in game (that looks that way) so I can understand a desire to link it something you're actually going to see. Again I'm nto familiar with their lore but thinking of suggestions outside of Auberdine - I think of the "giant tree" in Bristugo that was part of their world event (wasn't it? LOL), and I think of the island on the other side of the rainbow bridge. Full of foliage and waterfalls and streams and prettyiness.

But all of it - go forward - sounds great! (Why isn't this in the feedback forum anyway? LOL )

[Kulamata]

Would it be too ambitious to allow one of the satyr islands to be truly liberated? Perhaps a low resource method would be to slow the mob respawn times, and then if enough of the beastlies were killed for a long enough period (a weekend perhaps?) the island would be declared liberated, and made the home isle...

I always thought that the islands reverting to Blighthood after they were liberated was a bit finky anyway.

[Dhalin]

Better lighting would definitely be a plus. As to the concept art, I'm wondering what those gold-like things are on the ground... are those little gold piles? One of them almost looks like a dragon skull.. kinda wondering about that.

The crystals that depict Lunus and Helian is a very cool idea; though I wonder how many newcomers to Istaria would understand the small reference, but it is cool nonetheless.

I very much like this idea.

[kynadre]

I think Dragons needs a bit of work... with the current camera, it's hard to really see your dragon and that's even with just hatchling. It may need to setscale the hatchling down a little so it fits better in the room and is easier to see. Would it be possible to also toggle what your dragon will look like in adult form, and have it automatically scale down to fit in the preview room too?

[meepsa]

I think Dragons needs a bit of work... with the current camera, it's hard to really see your dragon and that's even with just hatchling. It may need to setscale the hatchling down a little so it fits better in the room and is easier to see. Would it be possible to also toggle what your dragon will look like in adult form, and have it automatically scale down to fit in the preview room too?

changing hatchling to adult is no problem, theres a really easy way of modding that, but the camara, sorry, dont have an answer for that

[Frith-Rae]

Well since we have no idea how big the concept room is, it may allow for more "pull back" room to see the whole dragon.

And I think at lesat one of the "gold" colors in that picture was a cracked egg - or at least it looked like an egg to me - but yea the picture was kinda hard to see what exactly was going on.

Though yea the "see as adult" and even "see as ancient" would be a nice little toggle button to add. If you can add one option why not both? Cuz for me anyway some of the heads really start to exaggerate themselves (or certain features) at Ancient (but not necessarily at adult) and someone may not like that ancient look vs. hatchling look. Assuming, of course, they get that far.

[AguaRush]

dryads i would say yes to that isle with the rainbow but i think they should place big trees on it with stairs and such like a house inthe trees for dryads.

for satyrs that location sounds good but for housing maybe something made out of trees. not log cabin like but more earthy.. or maybe out of large rocks. i dont know much about they satyrs lore though but something that should reflect them uniquely.

the dragon room concept looks neat would love a more refined sketch but that works XD i like the hatched egg.

on the saris creation room i really love all the tapestries and the fluffy genie looking egyptian theme that rocks! i guess personally in my opinion the backgrounds are good the lighting needs to be tweaked but other then that all i want are more coustomizations xD

good work team!

[Amerelium]

Never really noticed any performance issues in the char creation section. My advice is to keep the grand hallway thing - remember it being quite impressive when visiting for the first time. Also, the music changing with each race is important.

[Royal]

TBH, I also quite like he impressive hall. Also have some lagging issues with it indeed.

[Syllis SunFlower]

I would put Dryads definitely around Aubadrine, the mushroom forests are great.

As for Satyrs, the architecture on the Satyr Islands is very Roman is style, columns, aqueducts, and palisades. I'd give that kind of background to the Satyrs.

[Amerelium]

...how about adding some bones and remains scattered about the dragon room..?