Strech Goal Idea: Random Texture for Mobs and Items

Story & Setting
#1

Okay I can’t think of any game that already does this so I will base this on what I have experienced using a mod for Skyrim.

The mod: http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/21377/?

A video showing it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJnSgvMj2Tc

Ok as you know, in games when an NPC spawn, it is supposed to load a certain texture. And if you want for example two kinds of bears, one brown and one black you usually create two different NPC’s to load. This mod makes it so that every time an NPC spawns, it checks a folder for skins, and randomly picks one of the skins to load.
And I must say that this is easily one of the top 5 mods I have ever tried. It’s one of those things that when you use it, it kind of makes you look down on games that don’t have it, which is basically every other game.
It’s not a CRAZY amount of work I don’t think? And it really adds that little extra to game worlds that makes it feel real and a little random.
Of course this can be used to all different things like different iron sword skins, different skins for roses that makes some of them look more mature than others and even different townclothes skins.

Also if this is created by Warhorse directly, it will be soooo easy to add personal textures for modders.

Here’s some nightmare fuel btw:

3 Likes
#2

yes, its those kind of details that can make a game fantastic
If not implemented by Warhorse some texture modder should be able to do something like this.
A nice variety of textures will make the game even more realistic

#3

i forget which video update it was (i think 4 or 5) where they go into their world building and tools. it sounds like this is already part of their development where you see them cycle through random clothes, colors, levels of details of blood, sweat, dirt, etc. while i don’t know if the part of “when spawning in” is going to incorporate the level of randomness here, they have the tools to do it (devs please correct me if i’m wrong.) so if nothing else, the mod itself for this game would probably be even easier to make than it was for skyrim. but the way i understand it, they populate the villages/areas with npc’s that have been generated in this fashion until they find the ones that look most appropriate for said area.

#4

here’s the video link to what i’m talking about:

video update for character tools

#5

This sounds like a good way to get extra mileage out of a finite number of NPC’s. Bandits, townies, and such could benefit from this approach.

#6

yeah, definitely. what i really liked about the tools was the alterations of body types in conjunction with the clothing and decals system. the way the same “base” could be fat, skinny, tall, short and the clothes adjust to the that and then you can have one be dirty or the other pristine. one model can go a long way at that point as you said. plus it gives the modding community a TON to work with when it comes to the stories they want to tell. impressive stuff. as a game dev myself (for one of the big players, please forgive me Dan :wink:) i’m often in awe of what the warhorse team is creating with such a small group of people and no traditional support. fantastic stuff all around!!

#7

might work for some fantasy game, but historical, unlikely. dyes came in certain colors. and some clothing textures involving specific nobleman’s colors and designs.

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