Gad Games Update: Ilkor Homepage & Avatars

[Gads]

We've just blogged about the Ilkor Homepage design and Character Avatars. Only about 5 weeks before we go live with Ilkor's Homepage (splashpage) where keen players can sign-up to be put onto the waiting list. More info go to our blog: http://gadgames.com/blog/

[GrimFinger]

We've just blogged about the Ilkor Homepage design and Character Avatars. Only about 5 weeks before we go live with Ilkor's Homepage (splashpage) where keen players can sign-up to be put onto the waiting list. More info go to our blog: http://gadgames.com/blog/

I checked it out, just now, Sean. I'm intrigued by what's just over the horizon with Ilkor: Dark Rising.

I was not aware that Ilkor was a goddess. I suppose that it sounded more like a male name to me, for some reason. That aside, based on what you posted in this recent blog posting on your site, I am currently envisioning the avatar feature, with the unique customization feature, to be something along the lines of the character images for Middle-earth PBM. I may be way off on that point of speculation, but that's just how I took your explanation to be. How far off am I, if you don't mind me asking?

[Gads]

Avatars are nothing new to the gaming world, but we have a few neat ideas that we believe will make it a little different. I think my next blog will be able them, going into more detail, what the implementation is based on, how we intend to make them unique etc.

The avatars won't be quite like the portraits taken from the Middle Earth PBM Game, I am quite familiar with what you are referring to as we used to run that game in the UK for many years

Firstly, our avatars will be drawn by the same artist that is helping us design our website, the game's theme and style. He is responsible for ensuring there is consistency in both world setting detail (i.e. each god will be given a symbol that they can be represented by. Ilkor's symbol is that of the half sun that is being eclipsed) and of course drawing style.

By ensuring all avatars are drawn by the same artist, we can be sure that the style will remain consistent. Also, small details, like potentially the god symbols can be represented correctly, the colour of the elf eyes, the size ratio between halfling and human, etc. We, as the game designer, keep control over the boundaries to ensure consistency.

OK, so that sets the picture, but how do we achieve this? Well its not going to be easy. But basically we will produce the portrait in layers. Each layer will contain a single facial part. We haven't finalised the number of layers and they can be extended later on in the game to give further customization. Lets for example say there will be 5 layers. It would be setup something like this:

1] head & shoulders
2] nose
3] mouth
4] eyes
5] hair

Each layer would be put on top of one another, with layer 1 at the bottom of the stack and layer 5 at the top.

Simon (our artist) will need to draw various combinations of each layer.

At the time of sign-up where the player submits his email address, character race and gender (amongst other information) we will produce a pseudo random number from this information. This number will be unique to the player. By doing so we can then build up the player's character portrait, generate the final image and store it on the server to be served up at various times throughout the game.

This has all been done before but we are attempting to produce a portrait that looks more like art than a piece of clipart or popart. It is fairly easy to produce a rather abstract portrait, but to produce something that looks cool is another thing altogether.

Later on in the game the player will be able to modify / alter his character's avatar. This will be presented in a way where the player can choose a 'head & shoulder' shape, then a nose, etc. It will build up dynamically.

Cheers,

Sean.

We've just blogged about the Ilkor Homepage design and Character Avatars. Only about 5 weeks before we go live with Ilkor's Homepage (splashpage) where keen players can sign-up to be put onto the waiting list. More info go to our blog: http://gadgames.com/blog/

I checked it out, just now, Sean. I'm intrigued by what's just over the horizon with Ilkor: Dark Rising.

I was not aware that Ilkor was a goddess. I suppose that it sounded more like a male name to me, for some reason. That aside, based on what you posted in this recent blog posting on your site, I am currently envisioning the avatar feature, with the unique customization feature, to be something along the lines of the character images for Middle-earth PBM. I may be way off on that point of speculation, but that's just how I took your explanation to be. How far off am I, if you don't mind me asking?