New BAMs for spells

[yarpen]

I think that yes, these spells are using only colours from original BG2 BAMs so you will not have a chance to spot many differences between them

[Guest D. U. Bertie]

Bravo!

[scorpio]

Hello all,

 

Firstly, very sorry to not have been around, and unfortunately activity on my part may well not be that great even now. Just had to say something to you all rather than continue to be rude by staying away! Really, had no intention of not replying for so long - just have not been playing Baldur's gate 2 nor been involved with it much, and the whole thing about real life coming up!

 

Anyways, business first I suppose. In regards to the missing bams:

 

In case yarpen or someone else has not done something in my absence, here are the BAMS from page 4 of this thread, namely A2, B2, C2 (the third revision i believe of the mass charm with which most were happy).

 

http://www.2shared.com/file/5971100/558190...ss_charmC2.html

http://www.2shared.com/file/5971101/2286a0...ss_charmA2.html

http://www.2shared.com/file/5971102/bb8ff1...ss_charmB2.html

 

Just in case something like this happens again and i'm awol, please do go ahead and download these files and keep 'em somewhere - anyone is welcome to (insert spiel here about not stealing work/claiming as your own/etc) keep them.

 

Now, i had a couple of PMs, and thank you for the support. I hope you don't mind me addressing them here as there is really nothing that personal and it is simply easier, no disrespect meant.

 

To your PM Yarpen, I unfortunately cannot make any BAMS, and am currently not making any, but if you're just looking for ideas these fine folk on the forums would be plenty to help you! Since the only other thing required would be the skills to make the bams, which you have shown to be an expert at, if i say so myself, I'm sure you'll do it fine, but once again, sorry I cannot be more help.

 

I cannot think of much else to say; first time on any BG related forums in months...but let me know if anything else is an issue - I'll try and keep tabs on this thread at least for a few days to see nothing goes wrong with the new files posted.

 

Thanks and regards to you all,

 

scorpio

[Demivrgvs]

Scorpio, you don't have to apologize, real life comes first without a doubt!

 

I'll honor your comeback and work on Mass Charm asap.

[Demivrgvs]

I don't want to put pressure on you yarpen...but how's going with Fire Trap bam?

 

The other thing which I'd like to ask you is a new bam for Create Undead.

[scorpio]

Don't take this as a sign of me being back, because i'm not. I guarantee it...nope, just not here, not at all...look away, it's just shadows playing tricks on your mind...(Really though, just found some spare time).

 

Here's a little something anyways:

 

Create Undead; I went with a sort of demented laughing skull design for this.

 

 

 

 

 

The pictures are in a preview mode, so you'll have to download to see the detail, if you wish.

 

BAMs:

 

http://www.2shared.com/file/6490464/8887e1...ateUndeadC.html

http://www.2shared.com/file/6490465/ff80d1...ateUndeadA.html

http://www.2shared.com/file/6490466/668980...ateUndeadB.html

[Mike1072]

Don't take this as a sign of me being back, because i'm not. I guarantee it...nope, just not here, not at all...look away, it's just shadows playing tricks on your mind...(Really though, just found some spare time).

Nice to not hear from you again.

 

While working on a spell icon, I recreated the stone background used by many BG2 spells for the "B" version of the icons. I already shared this with yarpen, but I thought this would be a good place to share it with other icon makers who might be able to get some use out of it. Enjoy!

[Demivrgvs]

Scorpio, the concept is good imo, even if Create Undead actually creates ghasts and mummies instead of skeletons, but the color palette is more a la IWD than a la BG2. For the stoned bam take a look at Mike work, as yours is smaller than the standard BG one.

 

Yarpen was working on it too, but I don't know how's proceeding his work.

[scorpio]

Scorpio, the concept is good imo, even if Create Undead actually creates ghasts and mummies instead of skeletons, but the color palette is more a la IWD than a la BG2. For the stoned bam take a look at Mike work, as yours is smaller than the standard BG one.

 

Yarpen was working on it too, but I don't know how's proceeding his work.

 

When you say the color palette, do you mean just the stone look, or the red colors used in the actual icon too?

 

I obviously only use the colors used by BG2 spells for this, so if it looks out of place it must be the proportion of these shades of red i've used in this particular icon rather than the actual palette; I assure you they are shades of red taken from other BG2 spells only. Anyways, let me know if that's what you meant or simply the stone.

 

Also, I too have templates for the A, B and C (well, C is just blank by default), but I may well use Mike's to see how it turns out.

 

Btw, haven't been checking out progress much, so how is V3 coming along? I'm waiting eagerly for it.

[Mike1072]

For the stoned bam take a look at Mike work, as yours is smaller than the standard BG one.

The icons for the spells that existed in BG1 use a stone background with a variable size and shape that's tailored to the shape of the icon. Considering that these icons are mixed in with the BG2 ones and we don't notice the difference between them with casual use, I don't think that shape is an issue - though the stone itself might need tweaking to match.

 

When you say the color palette, do you mean just the stone look, or the red colors used in the actual icon too?

The spellbook bam seems to fit in quite well. For the 'B' image, I think both the stone background and the icon on it might benefit from some touching up. If you zoom in on one of your screenshots showing it next to Magic Missile, it's easier to see some differences. I can't offer much advice except taking some different colours (probably 4+) from an existing icon, painting over stuff, and then hoping that it will look better.

[scorpio]

For the stoned bam take a look at Mike work, as yours is smaller than the standard BG one.

The icons for the spells that existed in BG1 use a stone background with a variable size and shape that's tailored to the shape of the icon. Considering that these icons are mixed in with the BG2 ones and we don't notice the difference between them with casual use, I don't think that shape is an issue - though the stone itself might need tweaking to match.

 

Yes, I was going to bring this up myself; the shapes for these B type icons are really quite varied if you take a quick perusal of icons in BG2, and they do not stick out since the background to this stone is a similar color thus helping to blend it in, in that regard. As such, there is no 'standard' one.

 

Anyways, before looking at improving colors, let's see what design concept to go with. The laughing skull was a standard undead image in my head since I honestly had no idea what the spell summoned exactly, but upon seeing Demi mention mummies....

 

 

A quick rundown: Top left is a basic mummy face, the one below it is the same but with eyes, the next one down is meant to have the rags all over the place...but ended up looking odd. The bottom one has no rags covering its jaw, so that is meant to be hanging loose - but again hard to tell at such a small scale. The top right one is a little more stylized compared to the basic mummy face (top left) which I quite like...no simple straight lines for rags makes it nicer. Again, these are design concepts and hence the colour being just one shade - we can get to that later.

 

Let me know what you all think.

[Demivrgvs]

Scorpio, the concept is good imo, even if Create Undead actually creates ghasts and mummies instead of skeletons, but the color palette is more a la IWD than a la BG2. For the stoned bam take a look at Mike work, as yours is smaller than the standard BG one.

 

When you say the color palette, do you mean just the stone look, or the red colors used in the actual icon too?

 

I obviously only use the colors used by BG2 spells for this, so if it looks out of place it must be the proportion of these shades of red i've used in this particular icon rather than the actual palette; I assure you they are shades of red taken from other BG2 spells only. Anyways, let me know if that's what you meant or simply the stone.

Mike is right, spellbook bam blends quite well with the other spells, it's the stone looking one which seems too different imo, not only the color but I think the size itself is a little smaller compared to the other spells. For example in the spellbook the "undead head" is as tall as the "rotting hand" of Dolorous Decay, whereas in the quickslots it seems smaller.

 

I prefer your first "laughing skull/head" concept than the "mummy head", both aesthetically and for in game consistency. The spell also summon ghasts, and your former concept is a good stereotype for any undead imo. Perhaps you could add a more "noticeable" eye hole to the skull/head?

 

Btw, haven't been checking out progress much, so how is V3 coming along? I'm waiting eagerly for it.

Shaitan has been testing it in the last few days, and it seems to work fine. Unfortunately for you (players) I'm a maniac and I always find something to refine (e.g. a few hours ago I've added custom summoning animations for each type of elemental summon, a la IWD).

[Salk]

Unfortunately for you (players) I'm a maniac and I always find something to refine (e.g. a few hours ago I've added custom summoning animations for each type of elemental summon, a la IWD).

 

I bless you for being the way you are!

[scorpio]

Re-touched the colors for the skull, which now has more visible cracks on top of it, and also enlarged the eye socket as requested.

 

 

 

This is all for the B type only, I haven't done anything to spell book/scroll as they seemed to pass favourably enough; but obviously i'll enlarge the eye sockets on those to match, if this passes your scrutiny!

[Demivrgvs]

Ehm...I just discovered I was interpretating the concept in a completely different way. I though the low part of the jaw was a neck, and that what you intended as the eye was the open mouth for me.

 

If I were you I wouldn't add details like cracks, these bams aren't suited for details imo.

 

I'd like to know players opinions too.

 

P.S It also took me ages to understand what was representing Holy Smite bam, and I still haven't figured out what the hell is Flame Strike bam (I doubt it's a match...a striked match! )