R Soul on 18/9/2022 at 12:31
The HDMod causes a bit of disagreement amongst us taffers. Yes, it certainly is HD but we also know that it changes the style of some textures, with the main problem for an FM author being that we might place a 'neat bricks' texture on a surface, only for the HDMod to replace with with 'scruffy bricks but OMG it's 2048x2048 SUPER HD YOU CAN SEE THE ATOMS!!!'.
This leads to many of us putting a note in our FM's readme asking users to disable such mods and hoping most people do it. I'm inclined to take this approach as I think it's quite reasonable for us to want control over how our missions look. However, I've found that the HDMod is perfectly good as a source of
new texutres.
Examples, original and HDMod (originals tiled and scaled to what I think represents the space that would be occupied by the replacement texture)
Inline Image:
http://catmanofiowa.com/RSoul/img/vicm012_vic46.jpgInline Image:
http://catmanofiowa.com/RSoul/img/core_1_brickfl1.jpgInline Image:
http://catmanofiowa.com/RSoul/img/core_1_blox.jpgTo be fair, some of the replacements are fine, but the above examples show why some of us get frustrated.
However, I also think that each of those replacements are fine as
brand new textures. So, if you've found yourself getting annoyed at the HDMod, try installing it somewhre outside your Thief folder, and have a look to see if there's anything that would look perfectly good in your FM in the right context.
voodoo47 on 18/9/2022 at 12:33
I keep a separate install for hdmod, and another install for everything else, switching between EP2 and NecroAge as I see fit.
problem solved?
ZylonBane on 19/9/2022 at 01:23
Not sure how this is rethinking. More like raiding.
Christine on 30/9/2022 at 06:45
Quote Posted by R Soul
The HDMod causes a bit of disagreement amongst us taffers. Yes, it certainly is HD but we also know that it changes the style of some textures, with the main problem for an FM author being that we might place a 'neat bricks' texture on a surface, only for the HDMod to replace with with 'scruffy bricks but OMG it's 2048x2048 SUPER HD YOU CAN SEE THE ATOMS!!!'.
To be fair, some of the replacements are fine, but the above examples show why some of us get frustrated.
However, I also think that each of those replacements are fine as
brand new textures. So, if you've found yourself getting annoyed at the HDMod, try installing it somewhre outside your Thief folder, and have a look to see if there's anything that would look perfectly good in your FM in the right context.
I'm working on an update for the Lord Ashton Series and with the HD Mods, some places look really wrong and ugly. Also many textures in the mods are just too big. I also use a lot of custom objects, so I really fear that players will have slowdowns, if they are using the HD Mods. :erm:
I really like many of the mod textures and I'm using them in new families. (and reduce it to 512x512) - Like in Ravencreek. I'm not using the families from the original game anymore in Lord Ashton, to make sure that the mods wouldn't overwrite them. It's more work, but testing all the missions with every mod seams much more frustrating :nono:
It was really easier with the updates from my System Shock 2 missions. SHTUP and the 400 Mod stays close to the original. :)
