Update on High Resolution Artwork
I missed this initially, but thanks to a post made in another thread, last week UO’s Lead CG Supervisor, J.P. “The GrimmOmen” Harrod, made an interesting comment on UO Stratics about progress on the high resolution artwork update for UO:
Yea, we’ve made a lot of headway on the high res artwork, but we’ve got a ways to go. Converting pure 2D artwork into 3D is very tricky, and we still have some technical issues to resolve. Not to mention a ton of artistic ones.
As I mentioned in another thread, I think it’s safe to say that as soon as we get to a place where we feel comfortable showing something, you’ll start seeing things show up in the Herald!
These kinds of things continue to feed a certain view I have about UO going forward, and what’s being worked on 🙂
It also reinforces the need to keep an eye on Grimm’s Corner.
I don’t think that the increased success of UO depends on its rendering engine or visual assets, necessarily. While it certainly needs to titillate the senses to some degree, they need to rein in the engine’s gameplay mechanics a bit to bring it closer to its original vision in light of later innovation.
I think UO has painted itself into a bit of a corner by partially betraying its own ideals to satisfy players. Needlessly complex to avoid change for long established players, and likewise for newbies just learning to move around and communicate based on action. Ultima should be always inclusive, but at least use the same rules for the most naive to most homicidal.