Iakobos

bueno, el español se habla en muchos sitios...

I knew that vid from long ago, but it's really fun to remember... They're not only really good, also spot-on... Saludos desde....er... España

Hero portraits : No problem seems all pretty straight, easy specs. Background : -Tiling: No problem specially knowing it on advance (thanks for the warning ! ). I've spent my work life tiling stuff, so, no biggie .We're sure there's not also needed tiling top with bottom, right ? That would be quite harder and leave it as a less coherent illustration. - Separated in several layers : I guess 2 layers: one for characters + other for background ? Or more than two?. In any case, no problem, and I had already noticed that parallax slight animation, so,was counting on that. - Texture powers of two, oki. If someone has the exact size of the background-tile currently being used, that'd be amazing for both me and the programmers - The most important point : As seems I am going to do this one about the Celts, anything this composition should be about ? IE, Does it need to be some characters/fighters in close/middle camera shot, and a background with a roman/greek or whatever city/fort (which supposedly they're going to attack) ? Totally fine if so, or also if not . Or is it "free theme" for me about Celtic culture/Celts (obviously focused on combat, due to the game). I don't mind whatever must be the situation/composition, I only need to know what's the case or already defined idea, or if that's on me.

Oki.... I'm not too bad searching (indeed, I always search for my own refs for client work, etc) but I'm having some surprising issues to find the threads about menu backgrounds and portraits.... The 3D meshes ones pop up even without searching.... All I could find are these ... About backgrounds (this is my major interest, as would be complete illustrations which I can also show as portfolio samples at my site ) : https://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?/topic/17180-main-menu-background/page/6/ About portraits (indeed, I'd be inclined to paint (100% paint) these heroes portraits, not "unit" portraits, at least for now. Well, in any case, those who aren't assigned even by thoughts to anyone) https://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?/topic/21299-portraits-for-heroes/page/8/ Also ... Have been reading threads in 3D meshes and anims threads. Seems you have some really active members (Alexander, for example) at that, and very good. Who are taking care of all. Does not seem to me that you need help there. And I would need to get up to speed with all the engine specs. So, I decided to focus only at first in those two things : Menu backgrounds and (heroes, for now) portraits. Also, I believe is where I can be more helpful (more skills developed there than in other areas). I'm more eager to do that, but also, I think is a better fit, for now. So... if that (celtics ? ) menu background has no one assigned, or well, any other complete background/illustration of the kind/size, please if Stan or anyone is so kind, let me know which is it (the info/specs to make it) , where I can read the specs of what is needed. Also, the portrait heroes thread seems self explanatory.. an image of the size of any of those already there, I would only need to know which heroes are pending to be made and not assigned to anyone, yet. I seem to see here people really savvy about history, if there's some need to be very historically accurate or something, and need/wish to post references about those (whatever I'm assigned, lol), ideally before starting, feel free to !

For all and any content (I attached to a post samples of my portfolio, in my first post here, that content does not apply, obviously, as was not for the project) that I would make for this project I declare that : I am the copyright holder of original works I post in the Wildfire Games 0 A.D. Art Development forum. I hereby release all original works I uploaded to this forum in the past, and those I will upload in the future, under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

That makes sense. Actually... otherwise, the way I interpreted it wouldn't allow either to post references, which is a must in a project like this... So, disregard my doubt about it.

Ouchy.... Seems I already made something wrong.... I uploaded in its day the samples (is a commercial project) you have already seen in my first post . I just removed them, as was going to paste that paragraph in that thread (for the legal stuff, confirming that future uploads on this forum would be CC BY-SA 3.0). I just realized the legal waiver says.... "for future and past work that I uploaded"... But those samples (even if I wanted badly to be so) which I uploaded for you to check at least a small sample of my work, can't be provided for free in anyway, nor used other than as my portfolio, to get a job or gig (not due to me, but for third parties). But the paragraphs says... "in the past", too, and I can't make those shields icons free (wish I could!...). Of course, zero problems for anything (other than my portfolio) done from now on for this project and posted here (since now). As that's the idea (CC BY-SA 3.0 and all).

Great to know !! I'll dig in that direction tomorrow (having or not time to start it already tomorrow ) Hellenistic and Ptolemaic, maybe. I'll dig all specs to make those portraits. I'm guessing they can be done as fully painting, right? (brush painted but realistic)

Yep, I believe there's such an amount of tasks pending, that rarely would be an issue. The safest IMO is to pick something that is not even started, neither mentioned by anyone to be in their future plans. (the illustration of the celtics background could be a good one, or a portrait that is not taken by anyone, or any fauna model not even started (but for 3D I know I'll need to check many specs, hehe (polygon count, size of texture, style of UVing, use the script (not a prob to use a script in blender, though), max and minimum timing (or nº of frames) for the animals anims, types and number of animations...A lot to read, hehe. That's why I don't know if maybe is better to start with sth less technical like illustration/portraits, 2D stuff)

Thinking it well, my main interests, once I'm a bit more free (time) would be of the kind, if there are slots free there (seems there are) : For illustrations the main thing that would be nice to have are some new main menu backgrounds to complete the missing factions (eg the celtic factions) I will give you more information on how it's done if you are interested Another type of thing we need are hero portraits (see the "Portraits" section of the art dev task thread) Interested in both, actually... Are those backgrounds (like the celtic stuff) like those that show up before starting a game or when the player has finished one (I have only launched the game a couple of times, sorry) ? Because I can quite make stuff of that nature (IMO, as is kind of recent years (decades, lol) my main job/strongest skill). And ... The 3D animals thing. Even texturing/modeling (if it means I can animate them as well, hehe... or just modeling + texturing, why would I be rigid with anything... ) If I have time, and there's free slots of those, I know I'll enjoy that more . But once done a bit of that, might be functional to help with icons, for the god of the project (or other task that might be important).

Aha, it's good that there's a lot to do (in a way, lol), as then almost anything will add up, and there's variety. Yep, I'll check the lists, and will pick anything that is pending. Most surely something illustration/animation related, or even some modeling of meshes that absolutely no one has in their even longer term roadmaps. Also, it seems (to me) that in the team and external contributors, there's quite some 3D people (and knowing well the engine pipeline), anyway, I probably will give it also a try, and see if I'm actually helpful there... Perhaps there's less illustrators ? I might start with something of that field (maybe), which also has surely less probability o having to ask for help/time from another member (simpler pipeline). In any case, I will double check that whatever it is (illustration, 3d, anims, icons...) is not something that exist in the plans of any contributor, not even in their thoughts, so to speak. I'll probably just ask in that thread or something, before going for a first task... that can be the easiest, safest and fastest. Yesterday though, two clients "attacked me" (er, in a good way, they need installments finished) each by one flank, lol. I mean, I have suddenly a ton of work, that's why I'm lowering the words count in this thread, yesterday and today (sorry) :). Anyway, love your chilling style for it, makes the contribution more realistic and possible (and fun). I have a question.... I did not understand (or I think I didn't) the following : It could mean two or 3 things, I got a bit lost there, all your other explanations are very clear.

Oki, have read all the new information, from all of you, quite complete, thanks a lot. Yet though, I've had a long and difficult day with a client, I will process all the data better and in detail tomorrow. But I can already see that several tasks grab powerfully my attention (illustrations, portraits, animation, icons and animals (be it modeling, texturing or animation)). It will go depending on time available and all that, like for everyone. (PD: for the commitment I can realistically compromise, I'd see myself more of a probable "eternal external" contributor ) About the rules, yep, they seem reasonable, anything to contribute here must have its full sources, and with the rights and licenses, no probs. But I will process and reply all better tomorrow (or the reply the day after tomorrow, depending on this one person from today, and another client) Valete,

About animation.... the specs are a bit complex (as in any game modding...), https://trac.wildfiregames.com/wiki/AnimationExportTutorial I got a bit lost in the xml generation part....I thought you'd have some standard skeleton (even for animals) with the right (for the engine code) bone naming, scale, position... But oki, a matter to study. Or doing other tasks not involving an xml, hehe (or just provide the animated blend files....). EDIT: Wait... Is it just replicating the armature hierarchy in an XML file without minding about the particular bone naming (so, whatever can go except a "." dot ?), neither the bone count, or etc? Just a "dump" ? Also, I'm reading you are baking (this for modeling/texturing, not animation, as I know the baking of frames are necessary, and that's not a prob) AO and normal maps.. at the size it is seen in the max zoom, is not enough just to hand paint (I recon is my preference) the textures ? Tho I can see the advantage of using a spec or metallic map for metals if there's dynamic lighting. EDIT: Forgot to ask...is it fine to use Blender 2.8 ?

yup, animation (humans' or animals ones, I'm equally interested) is something I'd really like to do, some of it at least. The animals anims seems like a good idea. But as you say, he'll ping me with whatever the current project needs are, is not like I can take care of a lot, sadly (wish I was 15 again, sigh). Icons are quite faster to do than anims (mainly as don't have to deal with certain engine specs and getting into all that doc), but I'm strongly motivated for the anims, having a ton of portfolio already about icons, hehe. But I like doing icons, so, whatever is not already in someone else's plate, we can discuss what lil things of it I can take. My very strong preference are 3D animations in Blender. I've helped the usual main animator (when he/she was sick or sth, lol) of the staff at some places animating in Max's Character studio, and with bones, and then animated characters in Blender a bit for several web flash games in a business with a friend. I know quite about rigging and weights, tho gotta get up to speed with latest Blender's improvements in that area. Second main motivation would be full page illustrations (or smaller) if any of that is needed, yet, or portraits. But if icons are more of the urgent needs, I'd do a bit of that instead. Is quite fun, too. Anyway, seems it's a chilling project, not over stressed, so, through time other tasks might go getting done, of different nature, who knows. So...icons are black and white, not colored, or that it needs both versions ? Not at prob in any case. Also, the 128x128...I typically work in raster (not vectors, tho all my logos are done in vectors, of course. But for icons, I mean) . And it depends, but I usually get better results in doing a 128x128 that scales to 64 by software but then the 24x24, 32 and 16 I'd typically pixel-art make them by hand for optimal results. Now, the engine might be only allowing to load a single 128x128 to be scaled to all sizes. That's perfectly fine, one does design it so once scaled to 16x16 it doesn't look too terrible . I only say this as I don't mind doing an extra pair of versions for each if it's allowed. Anyway, this is only to clarify a bit those tech matters... as if icons tasks (which are fun for me, too) are already taken and/or there are animation/illustration tasks to be done, I'd prefer those, quite. Anyway, seems stan carries an account of all needed, and is managing the art works, so, he'll know. BTW, can't dedicate time to a full match, but played some minutes the game (I'm afraid not the dev version) for a first time (only had seen a ton of screenshots), and it seems fun, for an (kinda ex) AOE 2 player Lion, the ref pic and icons' style comment are indeed very useful. I'd make game screen caps anyway, and would open other icons to see in detail how are they made, to ensure all goes design-coherent.

Nope... Wont replace anyone's duties (plus, have lil time)... If that's the case, I'll wait for stan's PM.