SureAI

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Topic title - A few questions and suggestions.

https://sureai.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6394

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A few questions and suggestions. - by NamelessHero

Posted: 09.02.2013 09:16

Hello, it's been a long time since I've last posted here and a few thoughts have arisen concerning the mod!

First I would ask about whether you will implement some popular Skyrim mods. For instance the newest edition of Skyrim Flora Overhaul looks phenomenal, WATER also gives the game a new breath of life and don't get me started about Climates of Tamriel and Realisic Lighting Overhaul, seeing the sun set with those mods is just breathtaking! Another set of mods I recommend is Texture Pack Combiner and Glorious Grasses. So my question is, will you make these mods part of the default Enderal experience? If not, how will you make the mod more immersive than Skyrim from a visual POV?

Another question is regarding official Bethesda Add-ons. I know your team is opposed to using these because you want as many players as possible to play your mod but I think you are missing an opportunity to use some assets that will greatly benefit your mod (especially from Dawnguard) besides, most players already have the expansions or will buy them just to play Enderal since a very large part of the Skyrim community is already aware of you guys. So what do you think about making a poll asking the community whether they want to see expansion content or not?

Finally, what has been happening during the last months? What new features are implemented? Have you given more thought to the Kickstarter fund?

Re: A few questions and suggestions. - by Nicolas Samuel

Posted: 09.02.2013 17:51

NamelessHero wrote:
First I would ask about whether you will implement some popular Skyrim mods. For instance the newest edition of Skyrim Flora Overhaul looks phenomenal, WATER also gives the game a new breath of life and don't get me started about Climates of Tamriel and Realisic Lighting Overhaul, seeing the sun set with those mods is just breathtaking! Another set of mods I recommend is Texture Pack Combiner and Glorious Grasses. So my question is, will you make these mods part of the default Enderal experience? If not, how will you make the mod more immersive than Skyrim from a visual POV?

Rest assured, we've already implemented several High-Res Textures and replaced, visually enhanced or even created entirely new meshes, such as trees, flowers, rocks or bushes. I took a look at your suggestions! We already have our own grass, so the Glorious Grasses aren't exactly needed. The W.A.T.E.R. Mod looks interesting, though!

Another question is regarding official Bethesda Add-ons. I know your team is opposed to using these because you want as many players as possible to play your mod but I think you are missing an opportunity to use some assets that will greatly benefit your mod (especially from Dawnguard) besides, most players already have the expansions or will buy them just to play Enderal since a very large part of the Skyrim community is already aware of you guys. So what do you think about making a poll asking the community whether they want to see expansion content or not?

Thats a tough question. We've thought a lot about this, especially since Dragonborn looks quite promising. However, we don't know if we'll really need it. Don't forget, we got a lot of talented 3D artists and who deliver entirely new assets, be it architecture, vegetation or weapons and armor. It is true that a lot of players will own the expansions, but there will be some which bought Skyrim and didn't play it for very long - We want to give these players the opportunity to play Enderal as well. A poll would be hard to realize, since not everyone a very high percentage of our fanbase (as the Moddb.com-elections showed, to our great surprise) isn't registered on the forums. But you can be sure, that we will continue to think about that.

Finally, what has been happening during the last months? What new features are implemented? Have you given more thought to the Kickstarter fund?

We're making fairly good progress! The landscape continues to grow, and we've implemented the Hunger/Rest/Camping-System, the Cutscene-System (Demonstrations will follow), as well as two mainquests. Especially implementation of quests is horribly tough and challenging and at some points very demotivating. But we're very optimistic and will keep going!
As for Kickstarter, we haven't yet thought too much about it. There are disagreements in our team regarding that topic, especially since we might be obliged to pay the Voice-Actors, if we "earn" money ourselves.

I hope that answered your questions.

All the best,

Nicolas

Re: A few questions and suggestions. - by NamelessHero

Posted: 09.02.2013 20:00

Thank you for your answers, I wish your mod to be one of the best and most talked about out there!You certainly deserve it!

I asked about the expansions because although Nehrim was amazing from a landscaping and storytelling POV, I felt some of the custom models were not very good.I am specifically referring to the Templar Armor from the riddle quest. Of course, this could be seen as unfair criticism, but I judged your mod as a game, and that area could have been done better. I also felt that the gameworld was generally quite empty. Quality wise, how much better are the new models compared to the Nehrim ones?

I have a few more questions. Have you decided to use the Witcher 2 stuff? Will modders be able to use your custom meshes in their own creations?

You have also mentioned starting a company if Enderal is well received and I can't tell you how excited I am about this and I can't help myself from asking a few questions: Will you continue making games in the same universe? What engine do you want to use? Would the Skyrim engine be a good choice(Would Bethesda even license it?)? And finally, since developing official games will cost a lot of money and since it's very hard to get into the game industry, do you have any objections about using Kickstarter to get the necessary funds?

Thank you for your time!

Re: A few questions and suggestions. - by Daniel

Posted: 09.02.2013 23:06

Heheh.. many questions! Nice!

About the use of popular mods, I really, really, really hope you will talk to vurt and get his flora mod on board, it's the total shiznizbamnizzletitcribbledibblenibble!! Simply the best!

Other than that, the climates of tamriel mod is also really awesome - one of the best for Skyrim for sure.

I hope that the hunger/rest/camping system will work out well - and if not, be tweaked to perfection in future patches!

Have you decided about the use of herbs that increase X skill/attribute in Enderal yet? I don't quite remember if you've written about that yet, but the +capacity ice claws were awesome. I understand there can't be a 2nd fire sparks cap since there is no luck in Skyrim, but perhaps two herbs that increase hp/mana? They'd have to be rare to prevent over powering the character too much, though. I hope the level-up system is changed as well since the vanilla Skyrim +X hp/mana/stamina is just really boring!

Have a nice weekend!

Re: A few questions and suggestions. - by Nicolas Samuel

Posted: 10.02.2013 09:39

NamelessHero wrote:
Thank you for your answers, I wish your mod to be one of the best and most talked about out there!You certainly deserve it!

Thank you! We certainly appreciate your support!

NamelessHero wrote:
I also felt that the gameworld was generally quite empty. Quality wise, how much better are the new models compared to the Nehrim ones?

From my subjective point of view, the models are more plentiful and better. Our 3D-Artist Spinat/Vadim has been modeling new armoury like a madman in the past months and they all look great. Realistic, yet impressive. Furthermore, we've managed to model new tress in 3DSMax and implemented them into the gameworld - Screenshots will follow. Finally, we even got new architecture.
As for the emptiness of the gameworld - We're aware of that issue. From what I've heard from those who worked on Nehrim, it was mainly due to them being overambitous. Enderal might be a little bit smaller, but we're aiming to fill all of it with content - We'll see how it works.

NamelessHero wrote:
I have a few more questions. Have you decided to use the Witcher 2 stuff? Will modders be able to use your custom meshes in their own creations?

We're using some of the Witcher-models already. As for the usage of our models for their own creations - If these mods are for Enderal, sure!

After the release of Enderal I wouldn't mind our models being used with our own consent, but I think every modeler has to answer that question for himself.

NamelessHero wrote:
Will you continue making games in the same universe? What engine do you want to use? Would the Skyrim engine be a good choice(Would Bethesda even license it?)?

That is still way ahead in the future. We don't know whether we can and will do that, that totally depends on the success of Enderal and on the situation of the industry in a couple of years. Who knows whether Kickstarter is still that popular in 2015/2016 and whether we'll find a private investor or a publisher. We probably won't continue making games in this universe, no. The story of Enderal will be quite... dramatic, so there won't be alot of room for that. Furthermore, a lot of us want to make a game in another setting, since some of us, especially the senior members such as LordDagon and Hoxyd have been doing Fantasy games for almost a decade now. But we'll most likely, if that is possible, keep the concept of making Open-World RPGs with a great storyline and traditional, yet innovative mechanics.

As for the engine, we don't know about that neither. There are a lot of good engines on the market at the moment (UDK, CryEngine, Unity), and we're currently experimenting with all of them in smaller projects.

All the best,

Nicolas Samuel

Re: A few questions and suggestions. - by NamelessHero

Posted: 10.02.2013 11:33

Thank you for the answers!

It's great to hear that you are using the Witcher 2 models!Are you using animations as well? I really love the fact that you are making the world smaller. That gives you the opportunity to make a more consistent world with more uniqueness. This already sounds a lot like Gothic, which I really like.

Re: A few questions and suggestions. - by Daniel

Posted: 12.02.2013 22:20

NamelessHero wrote:
Thank you for the answers!

It's great to hear that you are using the Witcher 2 models!Are you using animations as well? I really love the fact that you are making the world smaller. That gives you the opportunity to make a more consistent world with more uniqueness. This already sounds a lot like Gothic, which I really like.

Last I heard they were trying, but hadn't found a way to implement those animations yet. It remains to be seen, if they can solve the puzzle of porting them in, I guess. But if there is a way, I have no doubt they'll find it in time! Godspeed, SureAI!

Re: A few questions and suggestions. - by badgesareus

Posted: 13.02.2013 05:16

Please don't use the Skyrim expansions such as Dawnguard. I didn't buy it because I thought it wasn't worth the price for the comparatively few hours of play it added, so I would hate to have to go buy it just to play Enderal. I am confident you guys can create a great game without it.

Re: A few questions and suggestions. - by Hazzmat

Posted: 13.02.2013 13:27

I don't think they will. They mentioned a couple of times that if they need new assets, they can create it themselves thanks to their own artists.

Re: A few questions and suggestions. - by badgesareus

Posted: 20.02.2013 20:07

I think RPGs are often judged by how they compare to other successful and highly regarded games. Nehrim was often compared, favorably, to Oblivion, for example. I had expected that Enderal would likely be judged by comparing it to Nehrim and Skyrim.

However, I have just viewed the new interviews, screenshots, and other info about The Witcher 3, and I must say that game looks like it will be awesome. I suspect that it will be the game that Enderal is measured against in terms of plot lines, character development, creative questing, etc. Just speculation, but something to keep in mind.

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