25% Off in August, ByreVille Farm Pack & AE: Cambodia
by Alan James · 08/01/2010 (3:09 am) · 11 comments
Hey Everyone!
So it's been a while since my last post. I'd like to take the opportunity to apologize if you've contacted me and I may not have gotten back with you. My sincerest apologies, through most of May I had a tension headache that ended with a trip to the ER, a catscan and the doctors basically saying they couldn't see anything in my head...anything wrong that is. They eventually went away (the headaches and the doctors) and I've been pretty much fine since.
Also I had a recent aborted attempt at climbing Mt. Shasta in northern California. After a bee sting, problems acclimating at between 8000 and 9000 feet and some kind of weird panic/anxiety attack (possibly brought on by withdrawal from a benzodiazapine that those crazy doctors give you when they can't find out why you're having debilitating tension headaches --- definitely look up what your Dr. is giving you *before* you take it for several weeks!)I gave up for this year and dragged a good friend and son-in-law back down the mountain to a lower elevation. We'll see how I do with next summers climbing season.
Anyway, to cover a few things. I've been asked several different questions that I perhaps haven't answered thoroughly enough, so I figure I might as well get them out of the way.
First off is regarding TGE support and new packs. It's probably not going to happen since there is just one of me and I just can't stretch and cover all three flavors of TorquePowered engines. If you are really interested in certain packs, I probably have non-LOD versions of most of the models in .DIF format that would work in TGE, but that would be on a case by case basis and kind of as is. It's unfortunate, but I'd just end up spreading myself too thin.
Some of you also use other engines and have inquired about support for those. Not really the place to answer that, but the best answer I can give is maybe...but pretty limited in scope...'nuf said.
So to the new stuff. I *really* wanted to release the ByreVille Farm Pack in July, merely for the fact that I could use the cash in August when the Plimus payments come in, but it just didn't come together and I'd have just ended up posting a 1.0.1 version or something like that, so I've held off. It really is pretty much done, and it wasn't something I'd been focusing on it was really just one of those packs that "happened". Much leaner than some of the super big packs its 30-40 or so models with some crossover from the Gold Rush Mine Pack since it ended up with a few models that were not actually originally intended for it. No big deal, and one might be more applicable for someones project than the other. Some of the assets are below in the screenshots.
The other pack that is really done and just needs bundling up and the directories cleaned up a bit is the Ancient Empires: Cambodia Pack. I'm not really sold on the polycounts of the models (actually pretty dang high for most of my stuff) but the draw calls seem pretty low in a jungle environment like the ones pictured below in the screenshots. Again, I'd anticipate this in the first week of August.
I've a third pack, a WWI-WWIIish military content pack that is about 90% done, barbed wire fences, trenches, compound buildings, guard towers, etc. I'd really like to get that out the door also. No screens yet of that, but I'm shooting for the end of August (that September Plimus thing again!).
Anyway, if you have any other questions just post them here or fire me off an email and I'll *really* try to get back with you as soon as possible.
OH, I almost forgot, I'm running a 25% Off all packs on www.monsterpacks.com during the month of August, just use the code: August2010. It can be used on more than one purchase, one discount per purchase. I'll also be running the ByreVille Farm Pack and the Ancient Empires: Cambodia at discounted introductory prices, so they fall just below $20 during August. Yeah!!!
Thanks for reading all this and checking out the stuff!
Alan
So here is a little of the ByreVille Farm Pack:
And here is the Ancient Empires: Cambodia Pack:
Thanks!
So it's been a while since my last post. I'd like to take the opportunity to apologize if you've contacted me and I may not have gotten back with you. My sincerest apologies, through most of May I had a tension headache that ended with a trip to the ER, a catscan and the doctors basically saying they couldn't see anything in my head...anything wrong that is. They eventually went away (the headaches and the doctors) and I've been pretty much fine since.
Also I had a recent aborted attempt at climbing Mt. Shasta in northern California. After a bee sting, problems acclimating at between 8000 and 9000 feet and some kind of weird panic/anxiety attack (possibly brought on by withdrawal from a benzodiazapine that those crazy doctors give you when they can't find out why you're having debilitating tension headaches --- definitely look up what your Dr. is giving you *before* you take it for several weeks!)I gave up for this year and dragged a good friend and son-in-law back down the mountain to a lower elevation. We'll see how I do with next summers climbing season.
Anyway, to cover a few things. I've been asked several different questions that I perhaps haven't answered thoroughly enough, so I figure I might as well get them out of the way.
First off is regarding TGE support and new packs. It's probably not going to happen since there is just one of me and I just can't stretch and cover all three flavors of TorquePowered engines. If you are really interested in certain packs, I probably have non-LOD versions of most of the models in .DIF format that would work in TGE, but that would be on a case by case basis and kind of as is. It's unfortunate, but I'd just end up spreading myself too thin.
Some of you also use other engines and have inquired about support for those. Not really the place to answer that, but the best answer I can give is maybe...but pretty limited in scope...'nuf said.
So to the new stuff. I *really* wanted to release the ByreVille Farm Pack in July, merely for the fact that I could use the cash in August when the Plimus payments come in, but it just didn't come together and I'd have just ended up posting a 1.0.1 version or something like that, so I've held off. It really is pretty much done, and it wasn't something I'd been focusing on it was really just one of those packs that "happened". Much leaner than some of the super big packs its 30-40 or so models with some crossover from the Gold Rush Mine Pack since it ended up with a few models that were not actually originally intended for it. No big deal, and one might be more applicable for someones project than the other. Some of the assets are below in the screenshots.
The other pack that is really done and just needs bundling up and the directories cleaned up a bit is the Ancient Empires: Cambodia Pack. I'm not really sold on the polycounts of the models (actually pretty dang high for most of my stuff) but the draw calls seem pretty low in a jungle environment like the ones pictured below in the screenshots. Again, I'd anticipate this in the first week of August.
I've a third pack, a WWI-WWIIish military content pack that is about 90% done, barbed wire fences, trenches, compound buildings, guard towers, etc. I'd really like to get that out the door also. No screens yet of that, but I'm shooting for the end of August (that September Plimus thing again!).
Anyway, if you have any other questions just post them here or fire me off an email and I'll *really* try to get back with you as soon as possible.
OH, I almost forgot, I'm running a 25% Off all packs on www.monsterpacks.com during the month of August, just use the code: August2010. It can be used on more than one purchase, one discount per purchase. I'll also be running the ByreVille Farm Pack and the Ancient Empires: Cambodia at discounted introductory prices, so they fall just below $20 during August. Yeah!!!
Thanks for reading all this and checking out the stuff!
Alan
So here is a little of the ByreVille Farm Pack:
And here is the Ancient Empires: Cambodia Pack:
Thanks!
About the author
#2
Tension headaches could be a sign of allergies or chemical sensitivity, something to think about if they recur. Benzodiazapine can cause some very horrible withdrawal symptoms, not a chemical to underestimate. I use to climb Mt. Baker once or twice a summer upto two years ago, but now that I have mostly retired from 9to5(real) work, I dont seem to have as much free time. Being financially independent seems to mean working much harder at remaining so.
08/01/2010 (5:23 am)
Wonderful artwork as always. Even the environments you use as examples have really great atmosphere. I have alway been fascinated with the history and architecture from the Khmer Empire.Tension headaches could be a sign of allergies or chemical sensitivity, something to think about if they recur. Benzodiazapine can cause some very horrible withdrawal symptoms, not a chemical to underestimate. I use to climb Mt. Baker once or twice a summer upto two years ago, but now that I have mostly retired from 9to5(real) work, I dont seem to have as much free time. Being financially independent seems to mean working much harder at remaining so.
#3
08/01/2010 (8:00 am)
nice packs Alan. Maybe the tension headaches are from jugling too many good packs! It can't be easy trying to get these packs out at an affordable price and also go for volume. 
#4
That AE: Cambodia Pack looks like one I would certainly be interested in -- but then all of your packs pique my interest.
08/01/2010 (10:18 am)
As someone who had similar tension headaches that proved to be something else entirely I would strongly suggest a second opinion if you ever begin experiencing them again.That AE: Cambodia Pack looks like one I would certainly be interested in -- but then all of your packs pique my interest.
#5
As to the tension headaches.... This time it is probably nothing given the history you gave but don't ignore them if they recur. They can be a sensitive indicator of other issues intracranially. I'm no neurologist but am, in the real world, a doctor in a different specialty... In this world just another noob though ;-)
Onto the art packs... Really nice work both here and in your previous packs... I'd love to see even some preliminary art on the fortifications/military pack.
08/01/2010 (2:25 pm)
One has to be very careful of benzodiazepines. Just two weeks of them can be enough to engender withdrawal once stopped. It wouldn't surprise me if that was what was happening.As to the tension headaches.... This time it is probably nothing given the history you gave but don't ignore them if they recur. They can be a sensitive indicator of other issues intracranially. I'm no neurologist but am, in the real world, a doctor in a different specialty... In this world just another noob though ;-)
Onto the art packs... Really nice work both here and in your previous packs... I'd love to see even some preliminary art on the fortifications/military pack.
#6
One question... is that windmill/water pump animated? If not, is the source object included? (obj or collada format)
08/01/2010 (2:47 pm)
Great work there Allen. One question... is that windmill/water pump animated? If not, is the source object included? (obj or collada format)
#7
Hey guys, thanks for all the kind comments and advice. Yeah, it's been pretty much a month and a half since I've had a headache and the last was of the generic, probably not enough sleep/too much work type as opposed to the rolling earthquakes of pain in my skull.
Regarding the medication, again, yeah...not sure what the dr. was thinking when I told him I wasn't sleeping well at all and so he puts me on a psychotropic. As soon as I started having some odd thought processes, I finally did the thing I should have done from the start and did a little research, realized what it could do to me and quit abruptly (later to learn further that doesn't help either!).
It's a wonder I didn't have some kind of full blown break with reality. Fortunately that didn't happen, at least leprechauns that live in my basement have made it clear that I've always been lucid and rational when talking to them.
@Nix
I'll try and post up some shots of the military pack, hopefully in the next couple of days. I have a "test bed" level that I keep throwing all the work into to check scale, faces, draw calls, and such but haven't put together a demo of the assets as of yet. When I do I'll either update this thread with some screenshots and model images or post a new plan.
@Mike
It is animated, with a basic slow, rotation of the blades. The .OBj is also included along with .MS3D so you should be able to modify and adjust how you'd like it.
Again, thanks all for the input and concern. Gotta go, the leprechauns are making a racket in the basement...they've probably invited those stupid care bears over again. =)
08/01/2010 (2:49 pm)
@AllHey guys, thanks for all the kind comments and advice. Yeah, it's been pretty much a month and a half since I've had a headache and the last was of the generic, probably not enough sleep/too much work type as opposed to the rolling earthquakes of pain in my skull.
Regarding the medication, again, yeah...not sure what the dr. was thinking when I told him I wasn't sleeping well at all and so he puts me on a psychotropic. As soon as I started having some odd thought processes, I finally did the thing I should have done from the start and did a little research, realized what it could do to me and quit abruptly (later to learn further that doesn't help either!).
It's a wonder I didn't have some kind of full blown break with reality. Fortunately that didn't happen, at least leprechauns that live in my basement have made it clear that I've always been lucid and rational when talking to them.
@Nix
I'll try and post up some shots of the military pack, hopefully in the next couple of days. I have a "test bed" level that I keep throwing all the work into to check scale, faces, draw calls, and such but haven't put together a demo of the assets as of yet. When I do I'll either update this thread with some screenshots and model images or post a new plan.
@Mike
It is animated, with a basic slow, rotation of the blades. The .OBj is also included along with .MS3D so you should be able to modify and adjust how you'd like it.
Again, thanks all for the input and concern. Gotta go, the leprechauns are making a racket in the basement...they've probably invited those stupid care bears over again. =)
#8
Take care and watch your health.
08/01/2010 (9:09 pm)
Awesome work Alan, like all your other packs!Take care and watch your health.
#9
The ByreVille Farm Pack has been released. Spent most of the day rechecking scale, looking for bad faces, cleaning up directories and uploading stuff to my host(when not stirring up trouble in the forums).
I've priced it at $24.00 for the month of August to coincide with the August 25% off promotion, that means that using the promo code August2010 during checkout, the final price will be $18.00!
Hopefully, this will be another set of assets that, if in line with your genre, moves you ahead in your game/program development.
Oh, and regarding the Ancient Empires:Cambodia Pack, it's looking pretty good also, want to rework a couple of the stone heads/monoliths and add in a bit more broken stones, debris and such but I'd say that a week from today (Monday, August 9th) looks like a good solid day for it's release.
08/03/2010 (4:57 am)
*Small Update*The ByreVille Farm Pack has been released. Spent most of the day rechecking scale, looking for bad faces, cleaning up directories and uploading stuff to my host(when not stirring up trouble in the forums).
I've priced it at $24.00 for the month of August to coincide with the August 25% off promotion, that means that using the promo code August2010 during checkout, the final price will be $18.00!
Hopefully, this will be another set of assets that, if in line with your genre, moves you ahead in your game/program development.
Oh, and regarding the Ancient Empires:Cambodia Pack, it's looking pretty good also, want to rework a couple of the stone heads/monoliths and add in a bit more broken stones, debris and such but I'd say that a week from today (Monday, August 9th) looks like a good solid day for it's release.
#10
08/07/2010 (11:49 pm)
It has been a while since I have been on torquepowered, so i just saw this. I bought the farm pack, and am excited for the cambodia pack. the persia pack was really cool!
#11
08/08/2010 (12:40 am)
Hey jack! Hope it works out well for your project(s) and really glad you liked the Persia Pack. Thanks again!
Torque Owner Hans
The Darkseer
Looking for the Ancient Empires: Cambodia Pack on the site but dont see it in the shop.
EDIT: AH i see 1st week of August it will be released :)