The Future is... yesterday?

[eleazar]

Going through the maps, i'm left with the feeling that this game is set in the 1990s, not 70 years in the future.

While i appreciate that it's a lot of work to make all these models and maps, i'm struck by the absence of anything to make this look like the future... even assuming an global and technological economic downturn, something will change.

I'd like to suggest some differences:


* Display screens are cheap and nearly paper-thin.  No clunky CRTs

* Paper is still used but not nearly so much

* Signs and labels whenever possible are iconic rather than verbal, due to more global mixing

* Cars are different, perhaps with much smaller engines (fuel cell)?

* There are more people, thus things tend to be more crowded.


* however it's the near future.  Jetson's type tech like tele-transportation, anti-gravity, ubiquitous robotic servants/ AIs, flying cars are still dreams for the future.

I expect Winter will have something to say on this topic.

[Kildor]

I agree with eleazar.
It`s even 1980-70th years, when I look in some maps.

May be all story should be moved in 2020 years, or 2030.

Sometimes it look like Fallout world — 1950th style of future, sometimes — ruines of current days in 10-20 years after some disaster, may be after Second Cold War.

And there are nothing about this war in this world.

[Winter]

I agree, but once again we're coming up against the fact that our modellers and texturers are volunteers, and if they're handing in a design that doesn't really fit the timescale then what are we supposed to do? Reject it? If we'd rejected every anachronistic model we'd received, we wouldn't have very much on the maps at all.

I'd be happy to have the maps looking more sci-fi, but the question is who's gonna put in the work to make that happen?

Regards,
Winter

[BTAxis]

Well, simple things like computer screens aren't much of a problem. And if someone wants to make some more futuristic-looking cars as brushes in the map editor, we can put them on the maps with little effort as well.

[Blywulf]

I agree, but once again we're coming up against the fact that our modellers and texturers are volunteers, and if they're handing in a design that doesn't really fit the timescale then what are we supposed to do? Reject it?

That's fully understandable. The solution to that issue is simple: concept art first, 3D model later. I'm pretty sure we'd have a lot more decent 3D models at our disposal if the modelers had had access to basic blueprints of large scale objects used in game. Sitters' Nanocomposite armour is a good example 

[eleazar]

I agree, but once again we're coming up against the fact that our modellers and texturers are volunteers, and if they're handing in a design that doesn't really fit the timescale then what are we supposed to do? Reject it? If we'd rejected every anachronistic model we'd received, we wouldn't have very much on the maps at all.

Volunteers who would probably be just as happy to make a futuristic model as a traditional one-- but (as far as i know) they haven't been asked to.  And then of course, there's the issue of "which future?".  Without groundwork laid, we'll likely get a dozen incompatible version of the future. There's no need to discard "anachronistic" stuff, since the less developed world and the rich & traditional tend to look older.

what we need to do is:

1) describe how the future looks different, (and then it's possible for)
2) make sconcept sketches,
3) futuristic 3D models

2 & 3 can't really happen without 1, which is the point of this thread.

[Winter]

You make it seem like it's some kind of failure on our part. We've never been able to get any 'groundwork' laid with the artwork because we've never had concept artists on the project. Our only 2d artist in all this time has been Blywulf, who only joined up about 6 months ago.

If we've got willing people, I'd be very happy to create a coherent setting bible with them on IRC.

Regards,
Winter

[BTAxis]

Not to mention that part of the content was made before even we were working on the project.

[eleazar]

I'm not playing a blame-game.  I'm trying to talk about how to get from here to somewhere better.

A request for futuristic models is the kind of thing that should be in the TODO list, even if it only says: "* more futuristic models of everyday items for maps.  see Winter on IRC for details."

But it doesn't necessarily require new models, some things can be "future-ified" with new textures.

[Blywulf]

If we've got willing people, I'd be very happy to create a coherent setting bible with them on IRC.

Just let me know when and I'll show up to throw in my 2 cents.

[Zorlen]

Car designs could be based on modern concept-car outlines. I tried to collect some of them, except for most weird ones and slicked-down bolides.

City cars:
http://www.thetorquereport.com/hybrid_x_concept_34-thumb.jpg
http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/968/90073786.JPG
http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=22507

Jeeps:
http://chryslerweblog.com/images/uploads/jeep-renegade-4.jpg
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/jeep/2006-jeep-hurricane-concept-ar1182.html
http://auto.moldova.org/stiri/eng/23226/

Trucks:
http://lh3.google.com/_Z_sjkMfWfr0/RpTEDnyYXQI/AAAAAAAABBg/KZlHms_ePFQ/s800/Scania+złota.jpg
http://www.topclassmagazine.com/img/Topclass/Truck0-big30.jpg

Bus:
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/05/15/047773.1-lg.jpg

[Surrealistik]

Listen. I think it's obvious why everything seems so anachronistic; because there is a global aesthetic infatuation with the 1990s. Enough said. This fact should be added to the storyline as it is extremely relevant.

[Kildor]

Surrealistic, you slightly right, but:
Now this fact does not show clear.
60+ years is enougth to fix most of all negatives.
there was WWII, with great destructions, but we now, and even 20-30 years ago don`t live in 20-30-40th bildings, don`t use cars…

[Zorlen]

Listen. I think it's obvious why everything seems so anachronistic; because there is a global aesthetic infatuation with the 1990s. Enough said. This fact should be added to the storyline as it is extremely relevant.

Yep, if it worked in X-COM:Apocalypse, it should work here!

[wotwot]

Hahah Zorlen! I will commit seppuku if future looks like that 

I just found this game a few days ago and fell in love immediately. I noticed the "back from teh future"-looks and it put me thinking  if I could help somehow.  Ive got some experience on texturing and mapping for some fps games so Im not totally noob in this matter.