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An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Cheeseness, 12 March 2012 at 8:26 am UTC
Quoting: "Rustybolts, post: 3690, member: 13"No design notes are taken, but all my assets are there to refer to. I use existing textures sometimes between models, also I use parts of models to help make up the new models. As my skills improve i suspect there will be a gap of some sort but will prob go back to my older models and improve them, to bring them more in-line.

Fair enough :)
The other thing I was going to ask was where you draw inspiration from for the different styles seen in the game. You mentioned using Google image searches a fair bit. Are there any movies, books, artwork or games that have particularly influenced the styles you're using in Ensign-1?
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Rustybolts, 11 March 2012 at 5:51 pm UTC
Quoting: "Cheeseness, post: 3689, member: 122"Yep. I was asking how you go about maintaining that when you've got such a broad range of stuff to be working on. Do you keep design notes to refer back to later, or do you try to use existing assets you've created as visual guidelines (I've taken this ad-hoc approach with projects in the past, and for anything involving more than 20 - 30 assets, I find that there ends up being a style/quality gap between the stuff I did first and the stuff I did last)? Do you cannibalise elements from existing assets to help give consistency to new assets?


No design notes are taken, but all my assets are there to refer to. I use existing textures sometimes between models, also I use parts of models to help make up the new models. As my skills improve i suspect there will be a gap of some sort but will prob go back to my older models and improve them, to bring them more in-line.
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Cheeseness, 11 March 2012 at 4:26 pm UTC
Quoting: "Rustybolts, post: 3687, member: 13"We have a consistent visual style take for instance the alien models

Yep. I was asking how you go about maintaining that when you've got such a broad range of stuff to be working on. Do you keep design notes to refer back to later, or do you try to use existing assets you've created as visual guidelines (I've taken this ad-hoc approach with projects in the past, and for anything involving more than 20 - 30 assets, I find that there ends up being a style/quality gap between the stuff I did first and the stuff I did last)? Do you cannibalise elements from existing assets to help give consistency to new assets?
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Hamish, 10 March 2012 at 6:49 pm UTC
Reminds me of some of the ships in Babylon 5 somehow.
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Rustybolts, 10 March 2012 at 6:47 pm UTC
Quoting: "Cheeseness, post: 3679, member: 122"Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Do you put effort into maintaining a consistent visual aesthetic, or do you have a more organic approach to art direction?

@Brandon - will these things allow me to shoot telekinetic bullets from my fingers for real, or just make me feel excessively uncomfortable?

We have a consistent visual style take for instance the alien models
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alien satellite
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alienfighters

they both have a similar visual style
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Hamish, 10 March 2012 at 5:43 pm UTC
Quoting: "Cheeseness, post: 3679, member: 122"@Brandon - will these things allow me to shoot telekinetic bullets from my fingers for real, or just make me feel excessively uncomfortable?


Who said anything about fingers? :P
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Cheeseness, 10 March 2012 at 1:40 am UTC
Quoting: "Rustybolts, post: 3664, member: 13"We don't produce concept art very often as it would be too time consuming , If it a larger model we will discuss it between ourselves what we would like to bring to the game, then ill probably use google images to gather some ideas that I would like to adapt probably link Brandon to them via Google talk. After a quick discussion on what ideas we like, then i will get right to work taking screenshots at various stages of development. Showing Brandon along the way if we decide its not going quite right we will either scrap the model altogether or adapt what we have until we are happy with it. If its a smaller less important model no discussion takes place we just get on with it.


Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Do you put effort into maintaining a consistent visual aesthetic, or do you have a more organic approach to art direction?

@Brandon - will these things allow me to shoot telekinetic bullets from my fingers for real, or just make me feel excessively uncomfortable?
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Brandon Smith, 9 March 2012 at 7:58 am UTC
@Cheeseness terrible things... anal things...
View video on youtube.com
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Rustybolts, 8 March 2012 at 6:54 pm UTC
Quoting: "Cheeseness, post: 3657, member: 122"Is there anywhere where you've talked about your approach for art direction for this project/how you work? If not, I'm sure there'd be people beyond myself who'd be interested in hearing.

We don't produce concept art very often as it would be too time consuming , If it a larger model we will discuss it between ourselves what we would like to bring to the game, then ill probably use google images to gather some ideas that I would like to adapt probably link Brandon to them via Google talk. After a quick discussion on what ideas we like, then i will get right to work taking screenshots at various stages of development. Showing Brandon along the way if we decide its not going quite right we will either scrap the model altogether or adapt what we have until we are happy with it. If its a smaller less important model no discussion takes place we just get on with it.
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Liam Dawe, 8 March 2012 at 6:22 pm UTC
Finally got around to reading this completely, good work Alex.

Thanks Brandon and Rusty for taking part.

It's looking a lot more full and still as always sounds awesome.
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Alex V.Sharp, 8 March 2012 at 5:03 pm UTC
If he was to tell you that then he'd have to hire you! Run! :eek:
Anyway, additional information can be included if the interview participants agree to share.
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Cheeseness, 8 March 2012 at 4:08 pm UTC
I'm both enthralled and repulsed?
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Brandon Smith, 8 March 2012 at 3:22 pm UTC
I could tell you...., but then I'd have to do horrible things to you.
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Cheeseness, 8 March 2012 at 8:54 am UTC
Is there anywhere where you've talked about your approach for art direction for this project/how you work? If not, I'm sure there'd be people beyond myself who'd be interested in hearing.
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Brandon Smith, 8 March 2012 at 6:13 am UTC
Tell me about it.
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Cheeseness, 8 March 2012 at 1:29 am UTC
That's a lot of work. I both envy you and am glad it's not me :D
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Brandon Smith, 7 March 2012 at 6:52 pm UTC
Yip, the core team is Rusty and I. After that we have a writer, some composers, and some voice actors.
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Cheeseness, 7 March 2012 at 9:44 am UTC
Neat. Is Rusty the only artist on the project?
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Liam Dawe, 6 March 2012 at 10:09 pm UTC
Desura apparently can be picky about what they put up.
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Brandon Smith, 6 March 2012 at 9:54 pm UTC
Don't think Helena will be going on Desura, we tried ;)
An interview about "Ensign-1"
By Hamish, 6 March 2012 at 9:35 pm UTC
This game is sounding better and better everyday guys. Keep it up.

Though, one question: If you want to get this on Desura, will you be putting Helena up as well?
Three Dead Zed & Tropical Stormfront, new on Desura!
By nadeem, 7 March 2012 at 7:21 am UTC
thx for the news
:) and for the Tropical Stormfront ist now 5$ only until sunday
Mari0! A SMB and Portal Combintation!
By Alex V.Sharp, 7 March 2012 at 7:34 am UTC
:D <- Enough said.
Seriously though, it's a very interesting upgrade on the old platformer. I only regret that they didn't make an entirely new game out of this.
Wing Commander Saga Release Date
By Catalanoic, 16 March 2012 at 6:51 pm UTC
great movie, great game with huge graphics, and the developers confirms the linux version, awesome!!
Wing Commander Saga Release Date
By Rustybolts, 5 March 2012 at 5:30 pm UTC
Quoting: "Brandon Smith, post: 3628, member: 56"There is none, he's just using an oversized banner for his signature.....like a boss

You call that a banner! Let me put my glasses on....Oh there it is ;)
Wing Commander Saga Release Date
By Cheeseness, 5 March 2012 at 10:20 am UTC
That's heaps more readable.

Also, flight sims yay!
Wing Commander Saga Release Date
By Liam Dawe, 5 March 2012 at 9:03 am UTC
I will work on the styling to seperate signatures a little more.

Edit > Made the dashes bolder and moved the signatures further down from posts.
Wing Commander Saga Release Date
By Cheeseness, 5 March 2012 at 5:32 am UTC
Ah, k. That makes a little more sense.
Wing Commander Saga Release Date
By Brandon Smith, 5 March 2012 at 3:21 am UTC
There is none, he's just using an oversized banner for his signature.....like a boss
Wing Commander Saga Release Date
By Cheeseness, 5 March 2012 at 12:29 am UTC
Neat. What's the relationship to Ensign 1?
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