Posts by Nurb

Roger Ebert presents a typical example of argumentation for the sake of wanting to be correct, as opposed to wanting to find out the truth. If you are somewhat of a rhetorician, you can make yourself seem correct on any given topic of discussion, providing that you twist or disregard the most compelling opposing arguments. Disregarding arguments like this is a big no-no if you are a professor writing a scientific report. Roger Ebert bring up many referenses in his article, and write in a way that somewhat resemble an academic report. However, Roger Ebert is a screen-writer, movie critic and blogger and certainly not a professor in the field of art. He has no real need to find out the truth, because his work will not be disputed. So Ebert is basically just expressing his opinion, which has just as little value as everyone elses. So the bottom line is:

I don't know what all the fuzz is about

That's looking sweet as hell Pomp I think the scene could use another "layer" of modelled background to add some more depth, that's my main "crit". Really love your art style as usual

Quote from sock

Yep a good point, but i think portfolio sites have changed their use over the years and especially after having a job in the industry. I think a portfolio site is no longer just a website to get a job, but a place to express how you design and make things. I always get good feedback at interviews about the post mortem stuff I post on my professional work. I think it is important for someone who designs stuff to show how they got to the final design. The process is usually more important than the final result to employers. Which is why my site is a hybrid of professional and personal projects because I still make stuff in my spare time and have friends who visit. I use my Linkedin as the professional portfolio thing for recruiters, not my website anymore.

I aimed my comment at the "Materials" and "Articles" sections of your website and not so much as your personal work. I haven't worked very long in the industry, but I imagine that personal projects can still be great to have in the portfolio even after having proffessional products under your belt, as they can show off different sides of you. Post-mortems are also great to have imo for any level designer. But yes, I gave my advice based on a logic that mainly applies to people who are are looking for a first job in the industry. You are probably absolutely right that after having a job in the industry for a certain amount of time, the purpose of the portfolio will change. So I withdraw my previous comment

Do not use Flash. You lost 50% of my interest when I had to wait for the first "loading circle" upon entering the site, and you lost the other 50% when I had to wait for the menutext to fully appear. You only have few seconds to catch the average viewer's interest. During this time the viewer will determine if your work is worth giving a closer look or not. It takes 5-6 seconds just to see what type of content is available on your site and then it takes a consious choise between 3 categories, all of which contains levels, and 2 clicks to see any of the content in full size.

My suggestion is that you take a look here: viewtopic.php?f=65&t=15050 the powerpoint from GDC would be a good read.

And as for more specific feedback;

- Ditch the flash

- Ditch the categories. Have all the content available from the front page instead of forcing the viewer to choose between 3 categries, all of which contain from the viewers perspective exactly the same type of content.

I think the mix of content is confusing. Imo your site suffers from trying to be too much at once. Your "portfolio" should show off your work basically. If you want to offer a site with articles and resources for other artists/leveldesigners, keep it separate (can still be linked somehow ofcourse).

I actually prefer the new one. The old one sounded too orcish, and it seems that's also the main thing Blizzard has steered away from, but what do I know I just imagine protoss as a fairly sophisticated advanced race, as opposed to brutish.

It's always good to post, especially when you have put time into something. As you realize yourself, it's not the best car model ever made, but it doesn't have to be. Sorry if I came across as harsh with my previous comment/joke. I didn't mean to bash your effort

Looks like something out of a mid-budget prerendered game intro video, from 1995 Just 15 years to go! I guess it's somehow impressive just considering the tools used

I like the fact that you have 4 projects up on display, each for a different game. Well, it's just 3 game engines, but still! They are not the highest quality maps I've ever seen, but it shows some versatility which is a +

I only have one advice for you: Apply for jobs.

Quote from Pericolos0

why are there only god rays from the stained glass windows, but not from the open part where the light is way brighter?

"God"-rays can obviously only originate from windows with religious motifs. Otherwise they would just be "rays" now wouldn't they?

But jokes aside, yes, this struck me as odd too.

Nice, finally done Looks great!

Quote from Rick_D

All that makes it sound like it is encouraging hours of grinding simply to be able to access some of the most basic content. I don't want to have to farm space-boars for 3 hours just to buy a sword that could randomly break in the middle of an instance.

Also PVPVE is a good description of any MMO that allows questing in PVP zones.

It's not for everyone, hence "hardcore" Some people like risk versus reward, other people (probably most) just want the cheap dulled out rewards without the risk (yes I'm biased ).

Quote from Rick_D

How is the combat in Aion? A friend of mine tried it, hated it, and came back to AoC to swing clubs and fire arrows. So I'm presuming it is much like WoW, where you press buttons and wait for timers to finish, right?

It's more like WoW when it comes to using skills (cooldowns etc), but from level 15+ with most classes Aion's skill-system imo have a much better "fun factor". All skills play very nicely into one another and you have sequences of "chain-skills" which all get bound to the same button which increases the amount of different skills you can use without demanding more hotkeys. And there are also many reaction-skills for each class that are dependent on for example a shield block or an evade (yes, this is nothing new). All in all the skill system is nothing too special or unique, but it's very well made and has great visual effects which all in all makes you feel more powerful.

Quote from 2d-chris

theres nothing hardcore about it I played the demo, it was fun, looked great and so on, however, it's basically WoW with a paintjob.

It is hardcore, and compared to WoW it's VERY hardcore. Maybe not so much in the beginning though. Just to give you a few clear examples:

- You loose XP when you die and it costs alot of money recovering this XP

- Everything costs lots of money, from travel to buying skills to expanding inventory space and so on, and especially GEAR.

- You need good gear or you die. It's not like in WoW where gear doesnt really matter until endgame. And you wont get even nearly enough good gear from quests (most is crap from this source) so you will have to trade with other players constantly just to be able to advance at a sane pace.

- It takes about 4 times longer to level up than in WoW.

- Much of the game content is pvpve where you do pve content but run a constant risk of getting ganked.

- One of the key character differentiation systems in Aion is that you place "Manastones" in your gear with various stats. These manastones cost ALOT of money and yes, the socketing of any manastone can fail, destroying all other manastones previously socketed into that item. High level gear has 6 manastone sockets so you can imagine the risk of failing losing ALOT of spent money. The plusside is that you feel all cheerful and happy whenever you are able to fill an item with good manastones

- There is an enchantment system where you can improve the basic stats of an item. Again, costs alot of money and you can fail which will take the item back to the previous enchantment level instead of advancing to the next.

- Bosses in pve content can drop "nothing"

I'm sure I can think of more, but basically Aion is more of a balance between risk and reward where WoW is basically just reward reward reward. Failure in WoW leads to maybe some lost time, failure in Aion is severely and brutally punished (again, you will be eased in to this and it wont be as noticable at low levels).

So basically, failing at anything in Aion sucks, but succeeding in anything feels genuinely rewarding That's the essence of why anyone would play a hardcore game I'd say.

It's hardcore asian mmos meets accessable western mmos.

Why OH WHY do you utterly destroy your screenshots by putting fugly photoshop filters them? And bevel & emboss on the text, I mean c'mon

There is a big variation in quality on your site. You should only post the best/recent stuff if it's a portfolio. It seems like your site tries to be too many things at once. There are some ok stuff in there, you just have to remove the stuff that doesn't measure up.

My suggestion is, remove the bad stuff. Remove the "news" page and make the portfolio page the landing page. Remove the categorisation on the portfolio page and put the best projects direcly on the portfolio page (you can just have some infobox or something saying what engine they are made for etc). Merge the Misc. Projects and Portfolio pages, it's just confusing. And REMOVE the fugly filtered "desctops".

That looks sweet as hell Really nice environment art

Don't be bister mister (see what I did there?)! You'll soon have a job I'm sure

@ new starbreezers: welcome

Starcraft II will probably be a e-sport game for many people just like it's prequel. This pretty much leaves out people charging money for maps designed for competitive play, no matter how well designed or polished they are. Because I doubt any league or tournament will force their player community with a map pool where they have to pay for half of the maps.