excessively reused npc/enemy art

[tazel]

This was my major sticking point with the original game - NPC portraits would be reused over and over, to the point where they sometimes didn't even remotely resemble the person or creature they purportedly represented. I realize this was probably due to not having enough resources to come up with new, animated portraits for something that would only appear a few times in a very limited part of the map, but it would be a good thing to avoid the most non-representative instances.

[Rhyzard]

Good point. And let's not have an over abundance of a single type of enemy, unless the situation calls for it. For instance, tons of rad roaches in a junkyard is fine. But nothing like Cliff Racers in Morrowind; it's like everywhere you went you'd hear one behind you.

[Leif]

Perhaps a reasonable range of random NPC traits/characteristics would really help keep the encounters interesting.

[stonetoes]

Are portraits for NPCs even necessary? A well written description seems good enough for me. The game could end up with dozens of NPCs, I think the simplest way to deal with this issue is to bypass it completely. This gives a lot more leeway to designers in terms of rewriting/adding/removing NPCs without worrying about a portrait not matching a description, or needing to commission new art. I guess I see portraits as being like voice-acting: a restriction on the writing, which should come first and not be dependent on other factors.

Repetitive enemies are a tough one, but having partly randomised equipment as discussed in another thread is a good solution. All those thugs look the same, but you don't know if one of them is going to have a molotov cocktail or an SMG full of AP rounds to spring on you mid-fight.

[golgepapaz]

Are portraits for NPCs even necessary? A well written description seems good enough for me. The game could end up with dozens of NPCs, I think the simplest way to deal with this issue is to bypass it completely. This gives a lot more leeway to designers in terms of rewriting/adding/removing NPCs without worrying about a portrait not matching a description, or needing to commission new art. I guess I see portraits as being like voice-acting: a restriction on the writing, which should come first and not be dependent on other factors.

Repetitive enemies are a tough one, but having partly randomised equipment as discussed in another thread is a good solution. All those thugs look the same, but you don't know if one of them is going to have a molotov cocktail or an SMG full of AP rounds to spring on you mid-fight.

Considering there are at least 120 something $1000 pledges we probably see lots of different NPCs since you can opt to choose onein your likeness. Just hoping the names won't stand awkward

[stonetoes]

Considering there are at least 120 something $1000 pledges we probably see lots of different NPCs since you can opt to choose onein your likeness. Just hoping the names won't stand awkward

Well it says "BECOME AN NPC, WEAPON, OR LOCATION", so some of those people won't be NPCs. Either way we're getting lots of NPCs, lots of Guns, or lots of locations.

[golgepapaz]

Considering there are at least 120 something $1000 pledges we probably see lots of different NPCs since you can opt to choose onein your likeness. Just hoping the names won't stand awkward

Well it says "BECOME AN NPC, WEAPON, OR LOCATION", so some of those people won't be NPCs. Either way we're getting lots of NPCs, lots of Guns, or lots of locations.

If I were one of them, I'd probably pick an NPC, because it's more likely to identify with a person than an item or place.And it's still dozens and also considering the plot important NPCs that the designers themselves would put in we'll probably have a lot of them in the game. Considering it's a very popular feature in the polls and also a $2.5M pledge target, I expect (or rather wish) to see almost all of the NPC has some kind of artwork. Mainly portraits because they really enrich the experience IMHO.

[BMF]

If the engine is a modern 3D engine they should build in a randomiser for NPCs that would change their facial structure and randomise what gear they are using so that no 2 NPCs look exactly the same.

[Vryheid]

If the engine is a modern 3D engine they should build in a randomiser for NPCs that would change their facial structure and randomise what gear they are using so that no 2 NPCs look exactly the same.

They could definitely do that, or simply add enough character portraits that it keeps things fresh. Wasteland 1 was definitely heavily limited by graphics variety, but there was little the developers could have done about that with the miniscule amount of hard drive space they had to work with. With the much larger budget they have now, virtually unlimited hard drive space to work with, and dedicated artists, they shouldn't have a problem making a much more accurate set of NPC art.

[Bloodshard]

Obsidian used 3D portraits in NWN. They where just a shot of your characters head. But I think most NPC's should have a static or .GIF portrait just in NWN 1 portrait resolution. Only important NPC's should get voice acting , and animated responsses similar to Fallout 1/2