Version Update 9.0 Preview

[McCormick]

Id say christmas...

[Finch]

Just a few points, from the way I understand what is going on and my viewpoint as a 3d profesional who has worked in the graphics end of game dev (meshes, textures and animations)..

MA is working up a gfx update due out Sept/Oct that will update many model meshes and textures. These updates will include the avatars, armor and clothes. My best guess as to why this is being done is as a first step to implementing the new engine coming next year. Most if not all assets (assets being all that you see and interact with in the game world) will likely need updating for optimal use with the new engine, so they are being created now in a way that will be easily portable to the new engine. Note that these are 2 very separate steps.. assets update for the current engine now, engine replacement next year using those updated assets.

For those that are not savvy to the way game assets work, generally any time a major asset is significantly changed such as an avatar, anything that is designed for that asset must also be updated because, at least from what I have done, clothes and armor for the most part, when worn, are really only a morph of the base mesh and not actually a separate piece. This saves many, many polygons. Hence why clothes and armor are being updated. The old stuff simply will not work with the new mesh and must be redone at the same time. Basically it all has to change at once, you can't have an updated av and not have new clothes/armor as well.

So, the avs are changing. This means new meshes. New meshes means new textures have to be created as well (different uv mapping.. technical stuff just meaning the old texture will not fit the new mesh.. unless you like to have your fingernails painted onto your elbow etc). This is why everyone will need to redo their avs. I know Marco said that they were taking peoples wants seriously that they want to have a starting point of their current av.. but that is some powerful black magic that I can't see how they would do.. but more power to them if they can pull that off. Personally I wouldn't get my hopes up hehe. The closest I can see is starting with an av that has some similar proportions, skins that they have made to be in the same "style" as the old ones, and possibly the hair styles that will hopefully be new versions of the existing ones.. all made to correlate to each other (updated long hair = long hair, etc.. especially the unlocked styles that people have paid for.. they should have a flag for you to be able to choose the updated version of that unlocked style if you have already have it on your current av). The short of it is, you might start with something that would be a "closest match" to what you currently have, but it will not be the exact av you have now as a starting point. This is all conjecture, but I don't see a big roadblock to it being possible.

Lastly.. all this talk of shadow. You guys do realize that was just an example of the new style graphics they're working on, and not that shadow is the only armor updated right? Just wondering. I see so many comments about "now I need to get some shadow armor" that I wonder if everything is actually sinking in. My opinion of the style itself is another topic *entirely* (please MA don't turn off my loot lol) ... but safe to say I think the armors should look more similar to the way they currently do, just polished up a bit.. I'll post pics at a later date .

One of the key things I see talked about is whether diff armor pieces will be usable together. Of course they will. There is no reason to think otherwise as that is a game feature that I certainly don't see them changing. Now.. whether everything works perfectly at first.. well, the best laid plans of mice and men.. and all that.

BTW.. beta tester for hire.. cheap .

edit: BTW again.. MA.. regarding the skin textures.. please give our men some chest hair options so we ladies have some eye candy as well.

[McCormick]

The shadow-armor looks more like one of these models Mindark bought from the site where they also purchased all those ugly shuttles and Tron-Tanks standing around in PA and Twin...

[Yirrk]

Originally Posted by Finch

...For those that are not savvy to the way game assets work, generally any time a major asset is significantly changed such as an avatar, anything that is designed for that asset must also be updated because, at least from what I have done, clothes and armor for the most part, when worn, are really only a morph of the base mesh and not actually a separate piece. This saves many, many polygons. Hence why clothes and armor are being updated. The old stuff simply will not work with the new mesh and must be redone at the same time. Basically it all has to change at once, you can't have an updated av and not have new clothes/armor as well...

So, are "carry-able" items like Weapons, FAPs, etc. handled the same way as clothing and armor? Meaning, are they morphs of the avvie mesh as well?

Wondering if that stuff will be upgraded with the avvies & clothing/armor...

[Finch]

Originally Posted by Yirrk

So, are "carry-able" items like Weapons, FAPs, etc. handled the same way as clothing and armor? Meaning, are they morphs of the avvie mesh as well?

Wondering if that stuff will be upgraded with the avvies & clothing/armor...

No, things like that are seperate objects and can be updated at a different time.

[Yirrk]

Originally Posted by Finch

No, things like that are seperate objects and can be updated at a different time.

So, from what you're saying (thank you by the way: very informative!) We'll all have nice snappy new avatars, clothes and armor, but we'll be all running around for who knows how long in the lamely drawn oldstyle environment, carrying the the old cartoonish-looking weapons n' stuff??

What's that gonna look like?!!

[Finch]

Originally Posted by Yirrk

So, from what you're saying (thank you by the way: very informative!) We'll all have nice snappy new avatars, clothes and armor, but we'll be all running around for who knows how long in the lamely drawn oldstyle environment, carrying the the old cartoonish-looking weapons n' stuff??

What's that gonna look like?!!

There will be a transitional period I'm sure where things seem a bit mix-n-match. Maybe through disabling/enabling of diff shaders on the models they can get a nice blend (I'm not so up on the capabilities of the configuration side of the engine.. so dunno). I'm sure other objects will be updated rather quickly afterwards but updating a complete set of assets is a *whole* lot of work. They are starting off right though, prioritize and do the most complex stuff first, that way you have plenty of time for tweaking and optimizing while the easier stuff is gone through.

[soothsayer]

gonna be good i heard a rumour that it was going to be this Thursday
cant see how personally but would be good if that was true.

that Armour was a all in one suit so does that mean when you get a full set that it joins together as a cat suit style. my mix of bear and nem may look a little odd..

I hope that plating will be shown on the out side would be able to show off my nice new shiny 8a plating

any one seeing a rise in cost for most thing updated..

hope they don't make noobs Armour look better than uber ones as some do now..

[Doer]

Originally Posted by soothsayer

gonna be good i heard a rumour that it was going to be this Thursday
cant see how personally but would be good if that was true.

September-October is what Marco already said.

Yirrk, it's actually been like you describe for a long time now. Every so often, one more shader or one more model is slightly improved. The avatars got fingers not so long ago--lighting effects were added--etc. It's always been a work in progress.

[Igorl]

I just think it is soo good to present the new ingame looks with the "shadow classic" since we can agree, we all have 1 complete set in our storage somewhere, but hey, why run in shadow when there is just fine shogun and rascal available...

cmon offer some more screenies.

I.