AuthorTopic: [wip][C+C] Runestone Computer  (Read 1699 times)

Offline Linaru

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[wip][C+C] Runestone Computer

on: September 02, 2018, 09:34:05 am
This little concept is basically a large standing rune stone that when the player interacts with would have a screen next to it light up to show a variety of menu items in a world without actually opening the menu.

The theming is a kind of amalgamation of Norse and dark dystopian sci-fi, This is where I am having some trouble, as I'm unsure on how to make this look like a merge of stone and tech. currently, this piece looks more like a stone.. with a flat-screen slapped next to it..



if anyone has any ideas how to make this look more..singular I would appreciate it.
Linaru Greyfall

Offline eishiya

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Re: [wip][C+C] Runestone Computer

Reply #1 on: September 02, 2018, 03:10:35 pm
The stone seems to be viewed slightly from above, while the wires and screen are viewed front-on, so that doesn't help them fit together.

Various ideas for integrating the two:
Instead of having the wires disappear behind the stone, show them going in at the side.
Repeat visual elements on the stone and the screen:
- similar shapes
- rune frame around the screen following its shape, but glowing/red instead of stone-coloured
- bars and diamonds faintly etched into the stone
Have the screen cast light onto the stone to help show they exist in the same space. Have both cast shadows as well, so that they don't look so flat.
Show additional wires, chips, etc of various sizes outside of the stone to show the complex work required to connect to it without breaking it.
Have the two wires from the screen connect to the stone in different places instead of just one, to suggest a complex, purposeful connection rather than just "jam the wires in" and to increase the chances of them being noticed by the viewer.
Have the runes glow with the same colour as the screen when in use.
Unless the screen is attached to something else next to the runestone, maybe have some brackets fixing it to the stone, to further visually cement the connection?

Offline Vinik

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Re: [wip][C+C] Runestone Computer

Reply #2 on: September 03, 2018, 02:32:17 am
I think the orientation of the stone slab is VERY ambiguous/undefined, the top says the view is higher like eishiya mentioned, the side says oblique and the bottom says the camera is aligned with the ground, it would be best to pick one and go on from that.

If I were you I think I would make the two a single piece, how about a stone slab which is actually a high tech screen / has a screen embedded on its face, and is just projecting a fake "stone with runes" holographic texture? I reminds me of the holographic cauldron from the first Myst, it was an horizontal holographic projector with secret messages stored but that was just projecting a fake bubbling water texture to pass as a normal cauldron.  Perhaps the true nature would be revealed when touching it, and most of the suggestions by eishiya would still apply.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2018, 02:36:11 am by Vinik »

Offline Linaru

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Re: [wip][C+C] Runestone Computer

Reply #3 on: September 03, 2018, 09:43:49 pm
Okay following some of your advice I've tweaked the runestone quite a bit. I've added a few more colours and details to the actual UI part of the screen to better display information..though I'm still playing with the layout and how best to display the information I wanted to get enough that I could pick out colours since I'm limited to 16 colours total.

I moved some of the wires as well as shift both the lighting of the stone and the wires to a more uniform angle, I added smaller wires hanging between the two as well. I also attempted to thicken out and shade the metal frame to the screen

The screen itself-displays 5 stone rune slots which are not colour coded to help differentiate mechanics the screen itself is blue however may appear orange hence the extra colours in my palette.



as for the idea of embedding the screen into the stone, I didn't want to do this, as the stone itself will act move like a door or portal with which the character will enter and leave whenever changing runes on the screen as a method of appearance transitioning.
Linaru Greyfall