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Dimensions of 2 or 3?
Anaryu- 02/23/2014 05:46 AM
- 13154 views
This is a question we've long been pondering, and we've done a prototyping on both sides of the spectrum.
I want to ditch RPG Maker because of resolution limitations more than anything else.
Krisanna (artist) wants to ditch it because she's not good at spriting; environments in particular.
So we started working in 3D, and we've gone through a lot of tests, iterations, and prototype games (BoutallesTogether, Death Wish, even Ginger) to make stronger and better tools and learn our limitations, capabilities, and tools.
After several iterations we came up a 3D model design we liked and built it so it animates well:
So why 3D for a hobby game? Because we don't want to keep it a hobby game. I'd like to Kickstart and eventually sell the project.
While I enjoy making games and can do it in my spare time for fun, for Krisanna this is work - and as such is mentally exhausting.
So we need to either making money on some of these projects or she has to get a part-time job to help deal with the medical bills and costs of finding a residence in the city we moved to for my job.
The best solution to us seemed to be to do a commercial project. An unpleasant decision for me.
Trying to Kickstart or sell an RPG Maker game just felt... childish? Inappropriate? But I've seen a lot of successful people using it - people who aren't making junk games (though there are plenty of those.) So maybe keeping it 2D and in RM is a possibility?
So the questions we're pondering and would like some input on:
1. Do you think RM is okay to use and go commercial with?
1. Should we go with 2D or 3D?
I want to ditch RPG Maker because of resolution limitations more than anything else.
Krisanna (artist) wants to ditch it because she's not good at spriting; environments in particular.
So we started working in 3D, and we've gone through a lot of tests, iterations, and prototype games (BoutallesTogether, Death Wish, even Ginger) to make stronger and better tools and learn our limitations, capabilities, and tools.
After several iterations we came up a 3D model design we liked and built it so it animates well:
So why 3D for a hobby game? Because we don't want to keep it a hobby game. I'd like to Kickstart and eventually sell the project.
While I enjoy making games and can do it in my spare time for fun, for Krisanna this is work - and as such is mentally exhausting.
So we need to either making money on some of these projects or she has to get a part-time job to help deal with the medical bills and costs of finding a residence in the city we moved to for my job.
The best solution to us seemed to be to do a commercial project. An unpleasant decision for me.
Trying to Kickstart or sell an RPG Maker game just felt... childish? Inappropriate? But I've seen a lot of successful people using it - people who aren't making junk games (though there are plenty of those.) So maybe keeping it 2D and in RM is a possibility?
So the questions we're pondering and would like some input on:
1. Do you think RM is okay to use and go commercial with?
1. Should we go with 2D or 3D?
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Go with 3D for your characters, certainly.
Beyond that, iterate with things! Consider 3D backdrops, 2D fields, and everything in between. Make trash throwaway projects like "Extreme Fishing" just to test your animation and scenebuilding capabilities. Make absolutely stupid shit every time an idea strikes you. The models' style puts me in mind of Bravely Default, which staged its models on beautiful 2.5D hand-painted backgrounds, which are certainly possible from you too! Explore the realm of royalty-free open-source background images and see if you can find something to your liking. Just... Don't close any doors prematurely, or you're doing your games a disservice.
I think, by the way you're framing your questions, that you know what answers you want to hear.
Beyond that, iterate with things! Consider 3D backdrops, 2D fields, and everything in between. Make trash throwaway projects like "Extreme Fishing" just to test your animation and scenebuilding capabilities. Make absolutely stupid shit every time an idea strikes you. The models' style puts me in mind of Bravely Default, which staged its models on beautiful 2.5D hand-painted backgrounds, which are certainly possible from you too! Explore the realm of royalty-free open-source background images and see if you can find something to your liking. Just... Don't close any doors prematurely, or you're doing your games a disservice.
I think, by the way you're framing your questions, that you know what answers you want to hear.
Anaryu
8848
author=Craze
well so much for my input of "go 2d even though your 3d stuff looks better than persona q"
Okay, first off, Persona Q is the greatest.
Second, yeah, we still like the 3D route better (it actually looks great!) it's just that the effort involved is too much more; doing an enemy image might take 2-5 hours for 2D, but a 3D model takes 10+ for the model, and then another 5-10 minimum to rig and animate. That wouldn't be bad if it was just enemies we needed to make, but there's the players and the environment.
If it was a full time job it wouldn't be bad, but time as we get older becomes more and more limited. We could finish this in another 2-3 years in 3D, or a lot sooner in 2D. (Besides, with Krisanna got a job, so her time to work on the 3D was reduced greatly.)
I still wish I could make better environments though; our tileset building skills are lacking at best. : (
author=LouisCyphre
Go with 3D for your characters, certainly.
Beyond that, iterate with things! Consider 3D backdrops, 2D fields, and everything in between. Make trash throwaway projects like "Extreme Fishing" just to test your animation and scenebuilding capabilities. Make absolutely stupid shit every time an idea strikes you. The models' style puts me in mind of Bravely Default, which staged its models on beautiful 2.5D hand-painted backgrounds, which are certainly possible from you too! Explore the realm of royalty-free open-source background images and see if you can find something to your liking. Just... Don't close any doors prematurely, or you're doing your games a disservice.
I think, by the way you're framing your questions, that you know what answers you want to hear.
Yeah, I was really leaning towards 3D, but after nearly a year of working on the engine and resources, the scale of it is measurable and we find our time lacking compared to desire to actually finish this project. : )
We did finish several 3D projects (including a prototype system for this!) to get the hang of it, and have learned a lot, along with how much is left to learn. And the amount of "stupid crap" I've done that isn't released is massive. : )
A 3D RPG isn't outside our range, but the next one we do in it will have that mindset from the start. For Aetherion we just want to actually work on and finish it. : )
NOTE: This actual blog entry was made almost a year ago, I was just replying to open questions now; new blog entry coming soon.
Krisanna
7963
author=Solitayre
I'm excited!
(Still want Alaria plushies though)
I don't know if they have enough stuffing for that. ; )
BOFIII mixed a 3d environment with 2d sprites and enemies which actually worked quite well, so that's an option for future games. As for your current 3d Assets, why not use them to make opening and ending movies? No sense letting them go to waste... Also I may well do that song even if you don't use i t:p
