[crossfire] Graphism perspective

[Mark Wedel]

On 11/19/11 01:27 PM, Nicolas Weeger wrote:
> Hello.
>
>
> I'm wondering what perspective we want to have in the game.
>
>
> Right now, for monsters themselves, it's quite incoherent:
> - some are top/bottom/left/right
> - some have the vertical line not vertical
> - some have yet other things.

  There are a few potential different thoughts on this - one could take any/all 
of these as what should be done:

- What looks best
- What perspective most of the monsters/images currently have
- What is easiest to draw

  Probably some others.  I suspect the mix is because different artists decided 
to draw them in their own style.

  I also suspect that the slanted ones might have been a result of isomorphic 
tileset/display - those at a tilt would look proper if the walls/overall map had 
that same perspective, but not the flat display of crossfire.

  I note that the bears as an example have issue with lighting - from the README 
in the arch directory:

Light should generally come from the right side, so the left side of
buildings should be darker or shaded, as needed.

  But the bears have the light coming from the left, so their right is in shade. 
  That is easy to fix - just flip it (so it faces left), but does illustrate 
that adding shadows to objects make it a bit harder to do different faces - for 
creatures with no shadows, like the ape, it is very easy to do a left/right 
facing - a simple flip, and it is done.

  While not really clear, I always took it that the bottom (south) of the map is 
closer to the viewer.  Thus, creatures going north (away) should have a back view.

  I'm a bit old fashioned, but my vote would be the vertical access is vertical, 
not at a slant.  But I prefer the look like they are 3D, and not flat - as 
examples, the bear and ape are what I would describe as 3D looking, where as 
highangle and dave appear flat.  That may just have to do with the graphics 
themselves, but this could also extend to other objects.

  For example, a lot of the equipment could have a very flat look (symbolic), 
but I actually prefer the look that they are 3d.

  The problem I see with vertical access 'exiting the screen' is that all one 
should see in that case would be the top of most peoples head - not very exciting.

  It's also odd because things like town are clearly not a true top down 
perspective - if that was the case, all one would see is the roofs of the shops, 
and not the front.  So while the game is top down, the viewing direction clearly 
isn't quite like that - it is more that one is at a 30 or 45 degree angle to the 
south and looking into the town, dungeon, whatever.