Task 55:5a - Starter Area Design and Architecture

brokentrain · Last edited by brokentrain on Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:12 pm; edited 2 times in total

Task 55:5a - Starter Area Design and Architecture

DEADLINE
This task is due April 27 at 9PM PDT (extended for vote and racom architecture discussion)

IMPORTANT LINKS
WWKA Starter Area/Town: http://phpbb.acclaim.com/topsecret/viewtopic.php?t=8486

DESCRIPTION
This is the very first area a new player enters after character creation. From here a player enters one of the 4 capital towns. This town is run by the Racing Commission, and can be considered "neutral".

AnjelusX has worked to develop this layout for the town, which will serve as the starting point of our work.
http://www.anjelsyndicate.org/tsp/starttown1.jpg
(Image is too big so it's just a link, I'll replace it with a smaller version as soon as I get the chance)

PURPOSE
In this task we are going to do two things:
1) Refine the layout above.
-Need to consider tutorials for skills, and racing (and possibly things like skill shops where its not a simple interface). This is true even for racing due to people who may come back later/want to see one again.

2) Determine the architecture for the starter town
-This effectively will determine Racom architecture as well.

EXPECTATIONS
What this task is
-Submit revised layouts for the starter area
-Submit pictures or descriptions for the racom architecture
-Discuss the current layout, the revised layouts, or the architecture

What this task is not
-Discussing/questioning the purpose/mechanics/existence of the town

DELIVERABLE FORMAT
This is a freeform discussion. If you submit a layout, please make sure it's original art. What this means is do not submit a revised layout that is an image from another game or another place or anything that you didn't create yourself (if someone created it for you its ok). If it's suggestions for architecture, it can be either original art or reference pictures, but DO NOT hotlink the images.

-Please make sure your images are not larger than 640x480 or 480x640.
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doran · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 5:42 pm Post subject:

I think the starter town should be a conglomerate of all the other ethnic styles. This avoids having to create a RaCOM look.

Since the town layout also uses an X pattern with the various ethnicities at each pole, perhaps that "district" of the starter town could use the architectural style from that ethnicity? At least buildings since the terrain will be the "start town terrain" and not the "Nibi capital terrain."

Tandy · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:14 pm Post subject:

1- Bon Pira entrance
2- Nibi entrance
3- Anaterra entrance
4- Lokyrim entrance
5- Armor NPC (explains armor basics, including how to equip and upgrade)
6- Weapon NPC (explains weapon basics, including how to equip and upgrade)
7- Mount NPC (explains care of mount, barding, saddles, breeding basics)
8- Racing NPC (explains basics of racing, how to find races, how to enter track, offers entrance to a practice track)
Exit NPC - the NPC you must talk to in order to enter the "real" world

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doran · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:42 pm Post subject:

Uses districts to partition types of information/training

Stable District
- trains how to select/change main mount
- trains how to breed (won't let you, walks you through it though)

Mount Training / Skill District
- Explains skill spheres
- Helps show you how to equip, unequip
- Explains "trainers" and how to learn new skills

Embassy Area
- Each ethnic area has an ambassador that explains that ethnicities starter skills and strengths
- Profession introduction can be found here

Social training area (around the fountain)
- explains how to use chat, friend features, emotes, etc.

Racing/PvP training
- tutorials for entering events (gateways)
- tutorials/info for creating your own instance
- explination of what they can win for events
- Test areas to get used to moving beast around, using skills, rider weapon, example items, etc.

Shop District
- explains rider weapons and armor, mount barding and accessories
- lets you puchase your starter pieces (as training)

World Arch
- The way to the main game
- Has RaCom representatives there to explain more about the world, wish you luck, etc.

Asurael · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:03 pm Post subject:

AE = Anaterra Exit. Exit from starter town to Anaterran City.
BE = Bon-Pira Exit. Exit from starter town to Bon-Pirian City.
LE = Lokyrim Exit. Exit from starter town to Lokyrim City.
NE = Nibi Exit. Exit from starter town to Nibian City.
AS = Anaterra Statues. Male and Female.
BS = Bon-Pira Statues. Male and Female.
LS = Lokyrim Statues. Male and Female.
NS = Nibi Statues. Male and Female.
RS = RaCom Statue.
F = Fountain.
S = Beast Stables. Place to be shown tutorials in everything the player needs to know about their beasts, including skills and equipment.
T = Pathe to Tracks. After talking to an NPC you get a racing event initiated but with specific setting for newby racing.
1 = Trading Market Area. Starter marker area were people learn about shopping and various items in the game.
2 = Information District. Place were people inform themselves about anything they need to know about the game. Includes various Trainers for different aspects of the game.
3 = RaCom Tower Building. Not sure if players are allowed to enter, but the building is there with a couple of NPCs who give out some useful tips and story fluff. New players start at the entrance of this building, consider it as if they had just obtained their "Racing License".

*At certain locations people should be able to see houses but not be able to reach them. They would seem like they are a part of the town. It is a town after all, and people should inhabit it.
* When leaving through an ethnic gate, player is given the choice to travel to either the respective city or one of its towns ot outposts.
* Players should be allowed to return to this town whenever they feel like it.
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brokentrain · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:19 pm Post subject:

wow awesome layouts everyone!

few questions:
For tandy and doran: Where would the player enter the town from? It seems as if they sort of just appear in the center or something, did you guys have a scenario in mind for how they would enter the town (this would also be the entrance point for if people return to this town)? (see asurael's with his 'just left the racom building' entrance point)

Also, I'm going to open up a vote later today for these layouts, if anyone has a last minute one now's the time. I'll open up a thread in the discussion area later today for the vote.

Edit: oh right, almost forgot, its nice we have layouts now, but does anyone have suggestions for the neutral (racom essentially) architectural style? Collecting some of those now would be good too. I personally have no idea what it'd look like, so i'm hoping you guys have some good ideas.
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Asurael · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject:

I think some kind of roman style architecture would work well. The style that immediatley come to mind is the style of the Imperial City in TES:IV Oblivion. Her are some reference pics:
http://www.waiting4oblivion.com/images/feature/02_city_district_3d_view.png
http://techreport.com/r.x/socket-am2/oblivion-arboretum-shot.jpg
http://img429.imageshack.us/img429/8831/oblivion2006083121054150qa5.jpg
Instead of stone it could be made out of white marble. And lots of flames could be around for illumination and bring the Bon-Pira theme. Some places could have some piles of junk and steamwork machinery, especially the market area. There could also be some ammount of spiky edgy designs to make it look like it has some Lokyrim influence.
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segua · Reputation: 0 Joined: 04 Apr 2007 Posts: 1355

Should it be a sort of amalgam of the four race or distinct? I dunno if I want the RaCom to appear too cold nor too warm. I would have to go with a steel type architecture. Something that is a bit modern. A neutral clean color like white with marble floors? I'm picturing something similar to an international airport type setting or something like the Man In Black inner offices.
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brokentrain · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:23 pm Post subject:

maybe a little too old style? for my taste anyways hehe. I thought about it some, I like the marble idea, but maybe more of a tan marble instead of white, with brass trim and stuff. brass, tan marble, and green trees should look pretty nice imo.

Pieces of ethnicity architecture maybe could be worked in around their embassy areas, but i dont think it should be all combined into the racom architecture. I guess maybe if a particular ethnicity runs a shop, it could be decorated in a bit of that style, it all depends. But as far as considering the architecture for racom independently of this town in particular, i think it should be a separate thing on its own.
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Asurael · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:43 pm Post subject:

I forgot to mention that there should definitley be lot of nature around. Trees, bushes, etc...

By the way, what do you have planned for us to figure out the architectural style? just a discussion like the one were having now? because we need to get this done soon, I'm not sure we have time for an everlasting discussion Razz

.
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segua · Reputation: 0 Joined: 04 Apr 2007 Posts: 1355

Well, we could put this up to vote in the same vote right? Or should this be something the devs decide upon?
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brokentrain · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:14 pm Post subject:

architecture will be just a discussion like whats going on right now, basically like your earlier post asurael, thats perfect.

eventually we'll collect ideas, and put it to a vote if we have to. This task due date will be extended for that purpose, but only that purpose, no more layouts will be collected after the next couple of hours (basically as soon as i make the vote thread).

layouts we are putting to vote, im just doing it in a separate thread for visibility and cleanliness. That's going up today so we can close that off asap.
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brokentrain · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:12 pm Post subject:

okay the vote is up now over here: http://phpbb.acclaim.com/topsecret/viewtopic.php?t=8778

during this vote time, we'll continue to discuss the architecture style for racom over here. This task will remain open for that purpose until the vote closes, which is on April 27th.
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brokentrain · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:06 pm Post subject:

So here's the results of the vote-off:
(first column is letter choice, top row is place, data is how many votes in a place for a letter)

-- 1 2 3
A- 3 4 6
B- 2 4 7
C- 8 5 0

Looks like C is our clear winner here. Thanks everyone for voting!

As for architecture, not much discussion happened, but there were some common points, so we'll at least take that. The results we'll take for that is:
A clean look, with marble floors.

(yup, thats it, 'swhathappens when theres not too much discussion)
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