Loading Screen Artwork

When I saw the tractor shot, my immediete reaction was "Embryo" ... it looks almost like the cargo is being carried in the ships' "womb". The problem is that the composition detracts from the otherworldly quality - it's two ships in line, picking up cargo (why are they in line, anyway? and whose cargo is it?) I'd say either rearrange the shot to focus on only one ship, or rework the composition otherwise.

And not to detract from all the fun, but you *are* doing other work besides the loading screens, aren't you? :) I love art as much as the next half ... hundred people, but I wouldn't want undue proportion being given to something you see for maybe half a minute at best.
 
Howard Day said:
And this one doesn't have as much going on in it - I'm open to suggestions on how to improve it!
http://www.hedfiles.net/wcpioneer/loadingscreen4.jpg
Click to expand...

Maybe have a a larger piece of crinkled hull plating in the foreground in the lower part of the screen with either the ship name or pilot name on it. (similar to the stuff in the wc4 intro with the burning edges.

Alternately have a larger floating piece of the broken-up ship , but a recognizable piece, so that we can go "ooooh, they killed a (ship type here)." imagine a fighter that the power plant blew out along with the back half of the ship and all thats left intact is a dead cockpit, a shell where part of the cargo hold was, and part of one wing.


And I think the picture would be better with only one ship tractoring in cargo.
 
Hmm. On screen 4, the Tarsus and... um, whichever of the created ships that is are shown with individual missiles on racks. I don't know about the game ship, but at least as of Privateer, the Tarsus doesn't store its missiles on individual racks, but in a launcher assembly. Is that just stylistic license, or is there an in-game reason the missile loadout appears that way?
 
I agree with AD, in that one ship and a recognizable chunk would probably take it that much further. Maybe the pilot got greedy and hit a Drayman. Bit of engine here, bit of the nose there. :)
 
I'd say those are a huge improvement. Great work!!

Idea: It's all a bit black and white with your graphics. The enemies are the Kilrathi, pirates etc. Why not mix it up and see some privateers on the same side fighting one another etc? I like AD's idea of having a wreck being salvaged by greedy vultures. Position the shot nicely (viewed from inside the wreck itself?) and it would make a great splash screen.
 
Howard Wonderful work !!!
My earlier comments were made redundant
by your reworking of screen 3 .
Great stuff keep it up .
How about a badly damaged freighter running as local
militia rush the Pirates/Kilrathi .
 
Bob McDob said:
When I saw the tractor shot, my immediete reaction was "Embryo" ... it looks almost like the cargo is being carried in the ships' "womb". The problem is that the composition detracts from the otherworldly quality - it's two ships in line, picking up cargo (why are they in line, anyway? and whose cargo is it?) I'd say either rearrange the shot to focus on only one ship, or rework the composition otherwise.
Click to expand...

None of these things bother me. I very much like having two ships tractoring stuff. It makes a lot of sense.

Bob McDob said:
And not to detract from all the fun, but you *are* doing other work besides the loading screens, aren't you? :) I love art as much as the next half ... hundred people, but I wouldn't want undue proportion being given to something you see for maybe half a minute at best.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't really mind if he just turned these things out forever. They're pretty amazing so far.
 
Death said:
Hmm. On screen 4, the Tarsus and... um, whichever of the created ships that is are shown with individual missiles on racks. I don't know about the game ship, but at least as of Privateer, the Tarsus doesn't store its missiles on individual racks, but in a launcher assembly. Is that just stylistic license, or is there an in-game reason the missile loadout appears that way?
Click to expand...

I believe it was said in an earlier thread that each ship will mount single missiles on hardpoints (similar to WC1-2 ships). IIRC the Hunchback will carry two each, while the other flyable ships will carry more. The relative strength of missiles will be increased to compensate (so that only one missile will be needed against lighter opponents--personally I think that a missile should just barely kill the lightest undamaged opponent, and everything else you'll have to shoot them up a bit first).
 
That's correct. We don't have missile launchers in this game, but singular missile hardpoints. Missile are a lot more expensive, and do a lot more damage. The mountings, if I recall correctly -

Hunchback - 2 guns, 2 missiles, 0 Mine mounts
Tarsus - 2 guns, 4 missiles, 1 Mine mounts
Phalanx - 4 guns, 7 missiles, 1 Mine mounts
Hydra - 3 guns, 2 turrets, 8 missiles 2 Mine Mounts
Camel - 2 guns, 1 turret, 6 missiles 3 Mine Mounts

Also, we've taken the Tractor beam out of the missile mountings. It has it's own slot - like the radar.
Porcupine mines are mounted externally on racks in groups of 3. (so 3 per mount)
Each mount can take a single Nuke Mine.
Each turret can take 2 guns, and one tractor beam.

I'm taking a break from these for the time being - We've got a demo on the way and I need to focus on that. Please keep suggesting stuff, though - I'll be checking back in on these things after that's released...
 
Howard Day said:
Hunchback - 2 guns, 2 missiles, 0 Mine mounts
Tarsus - 2 guns, 4 missiles, 1 Mine mounts
Phalanx - 4 guns, 7 missiles, 1 Mine mounts
Hydra - 3 guns, 2 turrets, 8 missiles 2 Mine Mounts
Camel - 2 guns, 1 turret, 6 missiles 3 Mine Mounts
Click to expand...

and IF it would be a possible bonus ship...
Jalthi - 6 guns, x missiles (it seems strange thet info about that ship says that it has only 3 hardpoints (sic!), what king of heavy fighter it is? The only reason, why ships in WC [and space in general] have wings is to hold something in/on them, otherwise it's a redundant luxury - Jalhi has BIG wings :) - that must mean something: 2 for FF and 1 for HS ), x Mine mounts

I'm prying with this idea, I know, but still IMO it will enrich a game. BTW yesterday I draw a simple, yet clear concept of a kilrathi ship cockpit (Jalthi - as far as I know, this ship is the only Kilrathi true heavy f. flying around). I'll scan that tomorrow and let you see it. You will say "no kilrathi ships, thanks" ;) :P and we can move to other things.

NOTE about missiles: I like the idea of hardpoints and powerful missiles being expensive yet very efficient. My oppinion is, that missiles should be almost impossible to evade (of course I'm speaking about locked missiles, not spiculums or dumbfires) without a proper equipment - ECM, some king of chaff or whatever. In this way a missile launched with good timing will be a save-ass type of a weapon on your ship, used for example when flying Humpback and being ambushed by 3 angry Dralthis :).
 
GreyViper said:
Great pictures and like the look of Camel adding another ship to favorite list. :D
Click to expand...
Is something eluding me? Are there somewhere ready to show models of all the flyable ships in WC Pioneer? I know only how Tarsus and Humpback look...
 
Howard Day said:
That's correct. We don't have missile launchers in this game, but singular missile hardpoints. Missile are a lot more expensive, and do a lot more damage. The mountings, if I recall correctly -

Hunchback - 2 guns, 2 missiles, 0 Mine mounts
Tarsus - 2 guns, 4 missiles, 1 Mine mounts
Phalanx - 4 guns, 7 missiles, 1 Mine mounts
Hydra - 3 guns, 2 turrets, 8 missiles 2 Mine Mounts
Camel - 2 guns, 1 turret, 6 missiles 3 Mine Mounts

Also, we've taken the Tractor beam out of the missile mountings. It has it's own slot - like the radar.
Porcupine mines are mounted externally on racks in groups of 3. (so 3 per mount)
Each mount can take a single Nuke Mine.
Each turret can take 2 guns, and one tractor beam.

I'm taking a break from these for the time being - We've got a demo on the way and I need to focus on that. Please keep suggesting stuff, though - I'll be checking back in on these things after that's released...
Click to expand...

Demo? As in public demo? Don't just be throwing those sort of things out there... :)

On another topic, your notes about the missiles makes me beg the question. What kind of engagements are we expecting to see in Pioneer? I'm hoping that the answer will be small engagements like Privateer 1 and WC1/2, meeting two or three ships at a time. Quite frankly, I'm tired of meeting half dozen enemies at each wavpoint (make it jump point I guess in Pioneer) and wading through them. I want the slower more tactical combat of WC1 where you holding your breath as your ship slowly angled around to get an enemy ship in your sights. Meeting more than three at a time (or if you meet two or three enemy ships at a time in several waves during a flight could use up a lot of missiles and be a significant problem). Just curious.
 
As in Rolling Demo. Tech Demo. Proof-of-we-have-actually-done-some-pretty-decent-work-on-this-game Demo. All of the above?
Anyhow, on the engagements bit...we've got the whole thing mapped out. The stats are mostly drawn from the Privateer's Playtesters' Guide, if I'm not mistaken. Besides that, we are shooting for a realistic experience. You will simply not be able to take on 6 Jalthi and survive. You'll be lucky to survive against 2. Heavy fighters in this game are Heavy Fighters. They will mess you up. Each kill you get will feel like a victory - you worked for it. You will not be racking up kills like you did in Prophecy or Secret Ops.
 
Howard Day said:
You will not be racking up kills like you did in Prophecy or Secret Ops.
Click to expand...

That's very encouraging to hear! I just wanted to point out that when you determine encounters with enemies, not only is it important not to be bumbling into 5 or 6 Jalthis (for example) but also it'd be great not to hit a couple of Jalthis at navpoint 1 (I'm not sure if you are planning on navpoints or not, sorry) and then another couple of them at navpoint 2 and then another (you get the point).
 
Yeah, a new WC game where the enemies are smart enough that fighting 2 or 3 at a time actually means trouble would be great.
 
Agree, lately read about Kilrathi elite pilots enabled to fly Hhriss fighters, who are considered aces for shooting down just (or as many as) 8 terran pilots. That tells us, that even during a conflict when dogfights are occuring all too often average 10 kills per mission score is rarely seen.

To be flooded by waves of enemies on every stop/nav point/station vicinity is also a bore. Everything needs a ballance.
 
Okay - I got you Maj. Striker. I just think you should know that a encounter with two jalthi will most likely be life changing. You'll either change from alive to dead, or come away with a significant religious feeling. They are that crazy.
 
Love the artworks guys!
2 jalthi will cut my throat?
That sounds like a good game in the making at last! I really really hated the prophecy style. Fighitng in Prophecy felt like a hack'n'slash, point'n'click game.
Haveing a game like wc1 or 2 where you had to concentrate on multiple targets at a time, and takeing on 3 fighers alone would be a real suicide.... Now thats what a hardcore Wing Commander fan needs :D (or is it just me? :D )
Would you be so kind to give us a hint for when we can expect this tech-demo? :) The screenshots are very promising!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top