The genius of this game

[Héraès (sandwich_ttv)]

I wanted to share my feeling about the graphics.
I think someone in the dev team loved so much observing sprites in old games (like Warcraft, or Starcraft, or Red Alert), and dreaming about the level of details, that he wanted to ZOOM on them.

It's obvious, to me, that we're facing a unique case of blatant cognitive manifestation of a thing called... IMAGINATION.

Who's the genius who had this brillant idea ? :p Please show yourself here.

[DORFdev]

For what it's worth, the artist is also the one managing the Steam page here.

Thank you for the kind words. Most of my background is in 3D animation, with some pre-DORF experience in creating some of the isometric graphics for the Tiberian Sun mod Twisted Insurrection. The desire to use isometric 2D graphics for DORF is mostly driven by nostalgia, but also simply by the fact that it's just an uncommon style and would better stand out against more conventional true-3D games. It is also partly inspired by the game Brigador, which has an even more unconventional angle to its visuals in that it is fully dynamically lit while also being fully 2D.

We've gone without publicly announced updates for almost a year largely because we've been working on trying to get a lighting system similar to Brigador in place for DORF; this will fix some of the issues we've been having with the game's depth sorting, but more interestingly will of course make the game more visually spectacular, as you will now have light sources like explosion flashes, vehicle headlights, and spotlights, which will dynamically illuminate units and cast shadows, while still retaining the isometric sprite look.

[Sirgs]

Oh man twisted insurrection... I'm glad at least some of the people working on that mod are still around doing their own stuff at least, did you also get to bring the mods composer on board as well by any chance?

[DORFdev]

Originally posted by Sirgs:

Oh man twisted insurrection... I'm glad at least some of the people working on that mod are still around doing their own stuff at least, did you also get to bring the mods composer on board as well by any chance?

I did have Omegabolt do a track for DORF. It would be nice to get some of the other people like MjN, but a lot of those guys are pretty busy and hard to get a hold of. DORF's OST will likely be made by a variety of artists, either way.

[Héraès (sandwich_ttv)]

Thanks for the answer DORFdev ! :)
Yeah, I've read your post about your lighting system. Very interesting. I wonder if games like Starcraft (the first one) have been through this type of process (it seems to have 3D pre-models for sprites, like air fans spinning on buildings, stuffs like that).

I didn't know about Brigador. Interesting game.

You talked about using 2D models, but not about the choice to zoom them so much that we appear to be in a pseudo 1:1 ratio. THAT is to me what is very unique. Like the ore collectors for example : they seems to be inspired by C&Conquer ones, but being so zoomed, we're like seing all the mechanics moving, like if we were facing a combine harvester.

Is there any explanation for that "zoomed" type of view, or is it just random choice ? To me, it's really the best asset of your game. We're like "in it".

[DORFdev]

Originally posted by Héraès (sandwich_ttv):

Thanks for the answer DORFdev ! :)
Yeah, I've read your post about your lighting system. Very interesting. I wonder if games like Starcraft (the first one) have been through this type of process (it seems to have 3D pre-models for sprites, like air fans spinning on buildings, stuffs like that).

I didn't know about Brigador. Interesting game.

You talked about using 2D models, but not about the choice to zoom them so much that we appear to be in a pseudo 1:1 ratio. THAT is to me what is very unique. Like the ore collectors for example : they seems to be inspired by C&Conquer ones, but being so zoomed, we're like seing all the mechanics moving, like if we were facing a combine harvester.

Is there any explanation for that "zoomed" type of view, or is it just random choice ? To me, it's really the best asset of your game. We're like "in it".

I'm almost positive that the original Starcraft used 3D models baked into 2D sprites. Similarly, I think most 2D isometric games in the ladder half of the 90s and the early 2000s (including non-strategy games like the Black Isle RPGs) used this technique, and hand-drawn sprites in isometric games were more of a thing in the early 90s ones, like Dune 2, the original Warcraft, etc. Even the original C&C and Red Alert, which did use some hand-drawn art for things like infantry and map decorations, still used CG models baked into 2D sprites for their vehicles and buildings, which is just a more efficient way of creating 32 different directional facings for each vehicle (this would be absolutely tedious to hand-draw).

As for the zoomed in perspective, That's more a result of the original OpenRA engine being designed around the tiny C&C/RA1 sprites. Since DORF's sprites are much, much larger, there is simply more detail.

[Sirgs]

Originally posted by DORFdev:

Originally posted by Héraès (sandwich_ttv):

Thanks for the answer DORFdev ! :)
Yeah, I've read your post about your lighting system. Very interesting. I wonder if games like Starcraft (the first one) have been through this type of process (it seems to have 3D pre-models for sprites, like air fans spinning on buildings, stuffs like that).

I didn't know about Brigador. Interesting game.

You talked about using 2D models, but not about the choice to zoom them so much that we appear to be in a pseudo 1:1 ratio. THAT is to me what is very unique. Like the ore collectors for example : they seems to be inspired by C&Conquer ones, but being so zoomed, we're like seing all the mechanics moving, like if we were facing a combine harvester.

Is there any explanation for that "zoomed" type of view, or is it just random choice ? To me, it's really the best asset of your game. We're like "in it".

I'm almost positive that the original Starcraft used 3D models baked into 2D sprites. Similarly, I think most 2D isometric games in the ladder half of the 90s and the early 2000s (including non-strategy games like the Black Isle RPGs) used this technique, and hand-drawn sprites in isometric games were more of a thing in the early 90s ones, like Dune 2, the original Warcraft, etc. Even the original C&C and Red Alert, which did use some hand-drawn art for things like infantry and map decorations, still used CG models baked into 2D sprites for their vehicles and buildings, which is just a more efficient way of creating 32 different directional facings for each vehicle (this would be absolutely tedious to hand-draw).

As for the zoomed in perspective, That's more a result of the original OpenRA engine being designed around the tiny C&C/RA1 sprites. Since DORF's sprites are much, much larger, there is simply more detail.

You know on the topic of DORF using much larger assets than your standard late 90's/early2000 RTS, does this also mean that zooming the game further out to compensate for that will be a feature as well so players can still have a more strategic view of the map?

[DORFdev]

Yes, there will be further zooming out. It just hasn't been added quite yet.

[Iron Prankster]

I have not wishlisted and followed a game faster in my life. Glad to hear you guys are trying to add a lighting system similar to Brigador. I recall game magazines in late 90s talking about dynamic lighting in the Tiberian Sun engine, funny that. :)

[Gojiraptor]

Originally posted by DORFdev:

For what it's worth, the artist is also the one managing the Steam page here.

Thank you for the kind words. Most of my background is in 3D animation, with some pre-DORF experience in creating some of the isometric graphics for the Tiberian Sun mod Twisted Insurrection. The desire to use isometric 2D graphics for DORF is mostly driven by nostalgia, but also simply by the fact that it's just an uncommon style and would better stand out against more conventional true-3D games. It is also partly inspired by the game Brigador, which has an even more unconventional angle to its visuals in that it is fully dynamically lit while also being fully 2D.

We've gone without publicly announced updates for almost a year largely because we've been working on trying to get a lighting system similar to Brigador in place for DORF; this will fix some of the issues we've been having with the game's depth sorting, but more interestingly will of course make the game more visually spectacular, as you will now have light sources like explosion flashes, vehicle headlights, and spotlights, which will dynamically illuminate units and cast shadows, while still retaining the isometric sprite look.

LOVE your work and would love to see more of it. Do you have socials where you post your creative process etc? Honestly would love to see and learn from you

[DORFdev]

Originally posted by Gojiraptor:

Originally posted by DORFdev:

For what it's worth, the artist is also the one managing the Steam page here.

Thank you for the kind words. Most of my background is in 3D animation, with some pre-DORF experience in creating some of the isometric graphics for the Tiberian Sun mod Twisted Insurrection. The desire to use isometric 2D graphics for DORF is mostly driven by nostalgia, but also simply by the fact that it's just an uncommon style and would better stand out against more conventional true-3D games. It is also partly inspired by the game Brigador, which has an even more unconventional angle to its visuals in that it is fully dynamically lit while also being fully 2D.

We've gone without publicly announced updates for almost a year largely because we've been working on trying to get a lighting system similar to Brigador in place for DORF; this will fix some of the issues we've been having with the game's depth sorting, but more interestingly will of course make the game more visually spectacular, as you will now have light sources like explosion flashes, vehicle headlights, and spotlights, which will dynamically illuminate units and cast shadows, while still retaining the isometric sprite look.

LOVE your work and would love to see more of it. Do you have socials where you post your creative process etc? Honestly would love to see and learn from you

We will at least release a modding guide at some point after development, which will include the process for how certain assets such as units, terrain tiles, etc, are created.

[Gojiraptor]

Originally posted by DORFdev:

Originally posted by Gojiraptor:

LOVE your work and would love to see more of it. Do you have socials where you post your creative process etc? Honestly would love to see and learn from you

We will at least release a modding guide at some point after development, which will include the process for how certain assets such as units, terrain tiles, etc, are created.

Oh thats exciting! Beyond that you should really consider sharing some of finished works in socials just as posts or gifs(gifs of a unit moving, firing etc) would aid in organic marketing as well. Anyways good luck team. Looking forward to hearing more from you guys.

[Iron Prankster]

Originally posted by Gojiraptor:

Oh thats exciting! Beyond that you should really consider sharing some of finished works in socials just as posts or gifs(gifs of a unit moving, firing etc) would aid in organic marketing as well. Anyways good luck team. Looking forward to hearing more from you guys.

@DORFdev do it. Once the lighting engine upgrade is complete that would be great marketing for you guys. Any stupid little thing someone can oogle at will make a great update to publish. The more eyeballs and shares, the more people will know about your game, which ultimately translates to "more people will play your game". Organic word of mouth cannot be beat for quality as a marketing channel either, and it takes time to grow. Gifs are sick, definitely do that instead of just static images, where relevant.

[Christian Mahony]

It will be great!

[Gojiraptor]

Originally posted by Gojiraptor:

Originally posted by DORFdev:

We will at least release a modding guide at some point after development, which will include the process for how certain assets such as units, terrain tiles, etc, are created.

Oh thats exciting! Beyond that you should really consider sharing some of finished works in socials just as posts or gifs(gifs of a unit moving, firing etc) would aid in organic marketing as well. Anyways good luck team. Looking forward to hearing more from you guys.

Ig you took the suggestion cos been seeing game gifs on your twitter account, loving those. Do feel free to expand on it (post on reels, shorts etc)!