What would YOU like to see in a content pack?
by Dan Kronholm · in Artist Corner · 02/15/2005 (7:44 pm) · 25 replies
I'm trying to get a feel for what people would want in a content pack. I'm considering making a huge pack with lots of goodies, I just need some input as to what it should be.
Keep in mind it should be things such as props (guns, weapons, chairs, tables, barrels etc.) and full-featured characters. I won't be making anything level-design wise such as caves, tunnels, houses and such - that's for the level-people to do ;)
Input/thoughts please :) Remember, anything's possible.
Keep in mind it should be things such as props (guns, weapons, chairs, tables, barrels etc.) and full-featured characters. I won't be making anything level-design wise such as caves, tunnels, houses and such - that's for the level-people to do ;)
Input/thoughts please :) Remember, anything's possible.
#2
Me, I would like some WWII characters around 1500 or so polys. But that's just me. I would pay the price of Bravetree's girl for each character, if they were fully rigged and all.
Weapons would be nice too, but I already have almost all of the small arms weapons I need. Other props such as tables and all would be nice, especially if they had several textures.
But I think that characters are what most people need.
02/15/2005 (9:05 pm)
Characters for sure. Although everyone wants different kind of characters, so which ones to make is a hard question. Me, I would like some WWII characters around 1500 or so polys. But that's just me. I would pay the price of Bravetree's girl for each character, if they were fully rigged and all.
Weapons would be nice too, but I already have almost all of the small arms weapons I need. Other props such as tables and all would be nice, especially if they had several textures.
But I think that characters are what most people need.
#3
4-legged - feline, canine, hoofed, lizard
2-legged - hopping, bird, primate
insectoid
snake
arachnid (sp?)
mythical?
The prize would be in the rigging, animation and integration, so people would be able to use yours as a template to make other types of animals.
Apart from abstract games, most games would benefit from using animals, if not as characters/monsters, then as a means to enrich the general background. (birds flying overhead, rats scurrying, etc.)
02/15/2005 (9:15 pm)
An animal pack might be interesting.4-legged - feline, canine, hoofed, lizard
2-legged - hopping, bird, primate
insectoid
snake
arachnid (sp?)
mythical?
The prize would be in the rigging, animation and integration, so people would be able to use yours as a template to make other types of animals.
Apart from abstract games, most games would benefit from using animals, if not as characters/monsters, then as a means to enrich the general background. (birds flying overhead, rats scurrying, etc.)
#4
02/15/2005 (9:49 pm)
I'm with Eugene, an animal pack would be awesome.
#5
02/15/2005 (10:30 pm)
Thanks guys, keep the ideas flowing please :)
#6
02/15/2005 (10:48 pm)
Quote:I think characters with animations ... and several textures.]I think characters with animations ... and several textures.I second that.
#7
If you want to have your pack work as a viable content solution, I would think as long as you keep the themes as generic as possible you should be able to maximize your selling point. The tree pack for example, you can stick those in a WWII or medieval RPG and they work either way cause they're trees dammit.
If you're working on a human model for instance, keep the mesh generic, don't add geometry details for space armor or a ninja sword strapped to the back. Then with the generic mesh add those sorta details with the texturing, so these things can be modified by the end user to suit their theme. If you keep a clean UV layout, even the programmer types can look at that and edit it. With the requested animal suggestions a horse could easily be changed into a zebra, etc.
Personally I'd like to see more game packs, similar to the RTS starter kit. Although I'm quite sure thats not the sorta thing you're getting at. But for all those people out their developing their FPSs, RPGs, Space combat simulators, or MMORPGs (hehe yeah right), if you're programming that sort of thing and before you even get into the arduous task of creating the game content or hiring people to do it you can just stop right there. Cause i could bet that more people would pay for your source than they would for your actual game. Man look around here, everyone here is a hobbyist and who wouldn't pay (alot) for a foundation that could be used to get into one of the most rewarding and difficult stages of development -- something that is playable. Disregard the surface and see what little differences there are fundamentally between a Half-life 2 or a Doom 3 .
God dammit, I'm sorry Dan for ranting in your thread and for not really answering your question. So I'd like to see a content pack of a lion, that wears a jetpack, but can't fly cause i need that to be cosmetic, and shoot lasers from its robotic claws, and instead of a lion's head it had the face of David Hasselhoff. I need an army of them for my game.
02/15/2005 (11:48 pm)
Man these content packs seem to be the way to go these days. The consumer is spending as much as they typically would for a game and getting in return a mere fraction of content that comes with the typical game. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. The Bravetree stuff, among other things, offer wonderful starting points for alot of people with some of the more difficult development issues the indie community is facing. They help to fill the gaps with content that individuals may not have the tools or skillset to produce on their own, not to mention the time saved.If you want to have your pack work as a viable content solution, I would think as long as you keep the themes as generic as possible you should be able to maximize your selling point. The tree pack for example, you can stick those in a WWII or medieval RPG and they work either way cause they're trees dammit.
If you're working on a human model for instance, keep the mesh generic, don't add geometry details for space armor or a ninja sword strapped to the back. Then with the generic mesh add those sorta details with the texturing, so these things can be modified by the end user to suit their theme. If you keep a clean UV layout, even the programmer types can look at that and edit it. With the requested animal suggestions a horse could easily be changed into a zebra, etc.
Personally I'd like to see more game packs, similar to the RTS starter kit. Although I'm quite sure thats not the sorta thing you're getting at. But for all those people out their developing their FPSs, RPGs, Space combat simulators, or MMORPGs (hehe yeah right), if you're programming that sort of thing and before you even get into the arduous task of creating the game content or hiring people to do it you can just stop right there. Cause i could bet that more people would pay for your source than they would for your actual game. Man look around here, everyone here is a hobbyist and who wouldn't pay (alot) for a foundation that could be used to get into one of the most rewarding and difficult stages of development -- something that is playable. Disregard the surface and see what little differences there are fundamentally between a Half-life 2 or a Doom 3 .
God dammit, I'm sorry Dan for ranting in your thread and for not really answering your question. So I'd like to see a content pack of a lion, that wears a jetpack, but can't fly cause i need that to be cosmetic, and shoot lasers from its robotic claws, and instead of a lion's head it had the face of David Hasselhoff. I need an army of them for my game.
#8
02/16/2005 (12:04 am)
Animal Pack sounds interesting. Something like a horse that a player could get on and ride...
#9
02/16/2005 (4:28 am)
How about a character pack with a relatively generic male and female character plus a variety of textures for different clothing styles? I'm in need of characters for a fantasy world but I know that won't suit everyone. But if you did a few different skins - say medieval fantasy, modern, SF. it'd probably appeal to a wider range of people.
#10
02/16/2005 (10:31 am)
A horse/ riding pack would be awesome if you have the coding expertise to provide both the art and the code to run it.
#11
02/17/2005 (11:51 pm)
Is anyone making Mech Pack? I like to prototype a game with mech packs. My game is set in the future and mechanized vehicle will be great in it.
#12
Could you contact me via email?
Ingot@kc.rr.com
02/18/2005 (9:30 pm)
Dan, I have some suggestions for ya.Could you contact me via email?
Ingot@kc.rr.com
#13
02/21/2005 (3:58 am)
Mail sent :)
#14
- Medieval (i.e. knights, serfs, swords, armour)
- Fantasy Medieval (i.e. wizard, sorceress, wands staffs)
- World Wars (i.e. Soldiers, Planes, Rifles, Bombs)
- Futuristic Mechanical (i.e. Mech Biped, Photon Tanks, lasers)
- Current (i.e. Businessman, Car, mailbox)
- Stoneage (i.e. caveman, axe, furs)
etc.
I think you will find it's a mammoth task in itself creating all this, and it might be worth you releasing a genre at a time. People will have a theme for their game, and an all singing all dancing pack will probably only provide them with a handful of graphics they can use.
On the other hand, it would be idea for rapid prototyping or placeholder artwork while the artists catch up.
Oh, hi Jordan, good to see you on the boards again :)
02/21/2005 (4:39 am)
Might be worth trying to split your pack up into Genres to think of ideas i.e.- Medieval (i.e. knights, serfs, swords, armour)
- Fantasy Medieval (i.e. wizard, sorceress, wands staffs)
- World Wars (i.e. Soldiers, Planes, Rifles, Bombs)
- Futuristic Mechanical (i.e. Mech Biped, Photon Tanks, lasers)
- Current (i.e. Businessman, Car, mailbox)
- Stoneage (i.e. caveman, axe, furs)
etc.
I think you will find it's a mammoth task in itself creating all this, and it might be worth you releasing a genre at a time. People will have a theme for their game, and an all singing all dancing pack will probably only provide them with a handful of graphics they can use.
On the other hand, it would be idea for rapid prototyping or placeholder artwork while the artists catch up.
Oh, hi Jordan, good to see you on the boards again :)
#15
03/18/2005 (1:45 pm)
I would like to see an animal pack
#16
-Modern and Futuristic buildings (just the exteriors). Kind of like a modern version of the castle pack.
-Generic characters with a skeleton and a texture template.
03/18/2005 (2:27 pm)
Thats what I would pay for:-Modern and Futuristic buildings (just the exteriors). Kind of like a modern version of the castle pack.
-Generic characters with a skeleton and a texture template.
#17
The time saved using the tree pack for example is HUGE. Instead of spending hours per tree making the texture, exporting, etc. you can buy the pack for almost nothing. THe tank pack, RTS pack etc are cool, but I think there is a definite place for content packs.
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@ Dan K.
I think if you are going to make a content pack, it should have suficient materials to actually make something with. As an example, if you make an RTS unit pack, you would want to have say 15-20 low res (a few hundred polies) units which are enough to actually make a game with. If it is a content pack that ony has like 1 player model, it is not truly very helpful.
The reason is if someone uses that player model, none of the other ones they make for their game will look like it. When different artists work on a project it is very easy for units to have very different vibes. This way you could make say 15 units for an RTS game that are for instance modern military units (tanks, aircraft etc). If someone buys them they could have a very good start on a game. I guess what I am saying is that you will probably do best by giving the customers what they want at a good price. Some of the content packs are kind of *blah* because they are extremely limited.
For actual ideas though, I reccomend ambient things that can be scattered across a mission (the tree pack is AWESOME), or a Building Pack with 10-20 buildings in .DIF for scattering around a map. I think a Post Apolalyptic Pack would be cool too (burned out cars, bent street signs, stuff like that).
Hope that is a good start.
03/18/2005 (6:43 pm)
@ JordanThe time saved using the tree pack for example is HUGE. Instead of spending hours per tree making the texture, exporting, etc. you can buy the pack for almost nothing. THe tank pack, RTS pack etc are cool, but I think there is a definite place for content packs.
-----
@ Dan K.
I think if you are going to make a content pack, it should have suficient materials to actually make something with. As an example, if you make an RTS unit pack, you would want to have say 15-20 low res (a few hundred polies) units which are enough to actually make a game with. If it is a content pack that ony has like 1 player model, it is not truly very helpful.
The reason is if someone uses that player model, none of the other ones they make for their game will look like it. When different artists work on a project it is very easy for units to have very different vibes. This way you could make say 15 units for an RTS game that are for instance modern military units (tanks, aircraft etc). If someone buys them they could have a very good start on a game. I guess what I am saying is that you will probably do best by giving the customers what they want at a good price. Some of the content packs are kind of *blah* because they are extremely limited.
For actual ideas though, I reccomend ambient things that can be scattered across a mission (the tree pack is AWESOME), or a Building Pack with 10-20 buildings in .DIF for scattering around a map. I think a Post Apolalyptic Pack would be cool too (burned out cars, bent street signs, stuff like that).
Hope that is a good start.
#18
As far as other things good trees would be a bonus. What do you like to model?
03/19/2005 (7:37 am)
Honestly I would have to say animals. It's something that I usually don't see too much off. Characters seem to be somewhat easier to find. As far as other things good trees would be a bonus. What do you like to model?
#19
03/19/2005 (11:24 am)
How about some 3D fonts? My project currently calls for a calligraphic font made out of gold, a child-like font made out of gemstone slabs, and a runic font in several different appearance variations.
#20
Not that we need any more military FPS's, more as a learning tool with a familiar theme. I'd buy it.
03/19/2005 (4:48 pm)
As cliche as it sounds, I think that a generic soldier pack would do well. Just 1 model with animations, skin(s), and a few different weapons. Not that we need any more military FPS's, more as a learning tool with a familiar theme. I'd buy it.
Torque Owner Jeremy Alessi