Sub-Char's Options

[Furvahn]

An idea I had while talking with a freind about fercadia.

Feline-Normal(Duh)-Strong(Bulky looking)-Agile(Thin and flexible looking)-Mix(Mix of strong and Agile)

The idea behind this was that some poeple like the current classes/chars/furres, but some might like to be able to set them up a little more elaborately. Like say a muscley horse guy with an Agile feline char. I think it would suite the rp setting very well. I hope this thought is used, it may add a bit more depth to FURCADIA wahoo!

[Ryhn]

maybe when furcadia's beta is released, and avatars are 3d models, these can be implemented with transformation algorithms?

For now though, since the avatars are 2d sprites, including enough images to allow for this kind of elaborate choice would be staggering.

[Daiktana]

Good idea but hard to implement without a full overhaul of Furcadia.  The current system for the characters is that each character consists of something like 12 separate 'pictures' which are drawn in each possible direction and pose (standing, sitting, laying).  Each wing, rather then being a 'paste on' type thing is actually a separate avatar.  What you propose, unfortunately, would require that there be 5-6 versions (strong, skinny...etc.) for each species.  Add to that the requirement of wings for each variation and you would require a massive download of probably 50-100 MB which is impossible for dialup users.  It'd also make player patches rare as people would take a year and a half to make them because they'd have to draw 40 more 'pictures'.   I'd like to one day see a system where you could put overlays on each avatar so they could have extra muscles or say a cape...etc.  As I said, Good suggestion though

EDIT: I'm too long winded.  Ryhn posted first



This post has been edited by Daiktana: May 30 2000, 11:00 PM

[JeffK]

Keep Furcadia 2d.

Positives
-Nice graphics (For those of you with a lack of imagination!)
-Could mean "special" features for FurN (That would be gr-err... I mean.. Ew

Negatives (Heavily outweigh positives)
-Massive download
-With the current servers, it would probably crash upon bootup!
-3D Skills required for Patch making
-Dreamweaving would be a bit more difficult (Try alot? o.o)
-Could mean "special" features for FurN (Goes under here too )
-Wont work on slower computers (Of course, that will force those people that want to try Furcadia on a friggin 386 off!)
-Wont work well on slower modems.
-Keeping the tile system would be difficult to keep it looking good and keeping it functional, perhaps precautions could be taken though.
-Wont work on older computers either (as in hardware wise)
-Alot larger, meaning trouble for those with small hard drives
-Chat would have to resort to chat bubbles or something (Perhaps like that Toontown thing by Disney?)

I'd say, leave Furcadia 2D.

[Leticia]

I think the plan is to use 3d avatars and everything else 2d.

I still think it's a bad idea - skins are easier to make than full avatar patches, but they're also more limited, and meshes are a PAIN to work with.  We're going to see a lot more avatar patches, but they're all gonna look more or less identically skin  tight.  It's a lot harder to get something like a waving tail with 3d unless you make seperate meshes for each position - and meshes are harder to make than plain old graphics, so you're even worse off difficulty wise than now.

But I rant, and I've said it all before.

Look, folks, use your imagination.  If your character is slender and waif like, say it in your desc and remember it when you're playing.  That's all.  The avatar is something like 30 x 70 pixels.  How much detail can you feasibly GET in that space, anyhow?  If you MUST be a waif or a brawny muscleman, put it in your 95x95 portrait space, it's got a lot more room for detail.

[Guest_Clurcadia_*]

Uh, why don't you just move the tail?

[Red Dragon]

First, another positive:
-Allow furres to change to a wider variety of poses.  Macros could be setup to automatically move furres to custom poses.

And to counter the negatives:

-Massive download

Replacing the 2d avatars with the 3d avatars would not increase the download THAT much, if at all.  Take Entropy's Eternal Lands, for instance.  Almost the entire game is 3d and the graphics equal up to around 9 megs (give to take a few KB) compared to Furcadia's 7 megs of 2d graphics.  First, the size would be reduced by removing the 2d avatars, then the 3d avatars are put in.  You're not looking at a very big increase, if any at all.

-Alot larger, meaning trouble for those with small hard drives

Are we feeling redundant?

-With the current servers, it would probably crash upon bootup!

Exaggerating to get a point across, I can understand, but you should have some boundaries.  Every action has its consequences.  We're all used to the server crashing.  It's nothing new.   Any bugs that show up with the Beta release would be worked out as promptly as possible, as they always are.

-3D Skills required for Patch making

If Furcadia has ever been anything then it has been backwards compatible.  I'd be willing to bet that Felorin will keep the capability to patch in 2d avatars if furres really want them, since there are so many out there already.

-Dreamweaving would be a bit more difficult (Try alot? o.o)

How would it make DreamWeaving more difficult?

-Wont work on slower computers (Of course, that will force those people that want to try Furcadia on a friggin 386 off!)

If you're still runnin' a 386 then you need to burn it and get yourself a Pentium AT LEAST (And even that is gettin' obselete, if not already).

-Wont work on older computers either (as in hardware wise)

Refer to above statement.

-Wont work well on slower modems.

Using Entropy's "Eternal Lands" as an example again, the entire game is in 3D, I'm on a dial-up connection which gets a 28.8k connection on good days, and it runs fine.

-Keeping the tile system would be difficult to keep it looking good and keeping it functional, perhaps precautions could be taken though.

If slowed down, the animation features already in Furcadia could smooth this out.  Right now, I think they're a bit fast, like the furres have had too much caffeine.

-Chat would have to resort to chat bubbles or something  (Perhaps like that Toontown thing by Disney?)

Why would they HAVE too?  I don't see any reason why it can't stay the same way it is now.

[Furvahn]

IDEA!!! If anyone has ever seen www.ragnarokonline.com the game, it uses GIF for it animated sprites!!! I dunno wether or not it would work but if put into animated gif format would't that allow for more race by decreasing the space need for the sprites? O.O

[Merle]

RO, as I understand it, is a huge download.

[Youlanda]

About 200MB if not more.

Now imagine someone on dial up trying to download RO? It ain't going to happen.

[Ryhn]

a .gif is just a collection of very separate images, with the ability to cycle between them.  there is no particular advantage to .gif format when you're talking about this kind of flexibility. (and even RO with it's huge download, only allows you to change your head...a ponytail for spiked hair..ect)

what you're looking for, is for everyone to download a single base model, that can be transformed "on the fly".  that way, no matter how many variations you come across, it's always just one base model your system is manipulating for you.  Though i'm sure the system requirements would jump dramaticaly, and implementation would be hell on earth.



This post has been edited by Ryhn: May 31 2000, 05:00 AM

[Ras Qulec]

[aack i moved this to its own thing under suggjestions for the 2d/3d battle]



This post has been edited by Ras Qulec: May 31 2000, 10:00 AM