Kotor 2 Texture Overhaul (TSL Origins)

[Jorak Uln 458]

For clarity reasons i decided to post my TSL texture Overhaul progress in a separate thread; well here are some screenshots/ vids of Nar Shaddaa and Harbinger. 

Im glad for your opinions, new  ideas & advice.

 

 

Harbinger: (note that the floor tex still contains that splashy vanilla tex that i cant find, if someone knows the name please post/pm me)

 

 

Nar Shaddaa:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[milestails 264]

Yes! Please inject some life into Nar Shadaa!

[Salk 363]

Excellent!

 

I am a real fan of  your work, Jorak Uln (I am waiting in trepidation for more of KotOR Overhaul!).

 

In this specific case, my only small remark after watching the Harbinger video was that the dark grey tone is quite overwhelming.

 

I am not saying it is bad but it makes the Footlockers, for instance, almost blend against the background. Perhaps a bit more contrast and color variation? 

[Sith Holocron 2,452]

1) Why not show a before and after for your next set of pictures?
 
2) Why do you use Arabic numerals and have signs in English? I recommend using either "Auretech: Technumbers (regular Capitals) or "Auretech Inversed: Tech numbers (Inversed Capitals)" which can be found in this download link.

[Revanator 60]

HUGE fan of your work man, glad to see that it is still going strong!

[Kexikus 994]

Amazing work as always

I agree with Salk though, some more colors and contrast for the Harbinger (and maybe some flickering light for a creepy atmosphere) could improve it even more.

 

Also, I have to mention something I mentioned before and I'm kinda sad that you still do this: Some of your Aurek-Besh text is upside down and translates for example to CDEFGHIJKLM. Why? Why not just make a real sign that has the name of the shop or something. I know I mentioned the same when you posted screenshots of your Telos Citadel Station overhaul and I know that most people probably won't notice but for those who can read Aurek Besh it's REALLY immersion breaking and you wouldn't do that with Latin letters either, so why do it in Aurek Besh?

[Mutilator57 140]

Amazing work as always

I agree with Salk though, some more colors and contrast for the Harbinger (and maybe some flickering light for a creepy atmosphere) could improve it even more.

 

Also, I have to mention something I mentioned before and I'm kinda sad that you still do this: Some of your Aurek-Besh text is upside down and translates for example to CDEFGHIJKLM. Why? Why not just make a real sign that has the name of the shop or something. I know I mentioned the same when you posted screenshots of your Telos Citadel Station overhaul and I know that most people probably won't notice but for those who can read Aurek Besh it's REALLY immersion breaking and you wouldn't do that with Latin letters either, so why do it in Aurek Besh?

Seconded! Great work by the way Jorak!

[Malkior 472]

Amazing work as always

I agree with Salk though, some more colors and contrast for the Harbinger (and maybe some flickering light for a creepy atmosphere) could improve it even more.

 

Also, I have to mention something I mentioned before and I'm kinda sad that you still do this: Some of your Aurek-Besh text is upside down and translates for example to CDEFGHIJKLM. Why? Why not just make a real sign that has the name of the shop or something. I know I mentioned the same when you posted screenshots of your Telos Citadel Station overhaul and I know that most people probably won't notice but for those who can read Aurek Besh it's REALLY immersion breaking and you wouldn't do that with Latin letters either, so why do it in Aurek Besh?

I agree but vote that we come up with fictional names for shops.

[Jorak Uln 458]

Damn, you guys wont give up

Alright, alright i try change the aurekbesh to sth meaningful....

 

About Harbinger:

 

On the Harbinger there are 2 kind of yellow lights in vanilla:

Some of them glow and some not.

 

Currently the yellow lightline is very subtle animated - you can see it ingame.

For the non glowing ones i need to hex edit them assigning another texture to them.

The problem is, i can make those ones crazy flicker in contrast, but how do i get them back to glow?

 

Via txi command?

 

On the walls i agree, i could assign a bit more contrasting textures, maybe some dark metal applications.

 

@Malkior: Yay, what about Dark Star/Moon for the big cantina at NS?

Too Mass Effectly?

[Malkior 472]

I think Nar Shadaa is the ONE place in TSL where "Mass Effecty" visuals looks right, due to how garish it's supposed to be. If you don't mind me being a little critical, there are a few things that just bug me.

 

The overhead lights (Seen in a few screenshots above the doors) are this obnoxious flat yellow with little to no visual interest to them. Trouble is, they are duplicated onto the lit tables as a surface texture as well as the sides of a few buildings. What I did was edit the area models and replaced them with three distinct textures identical, save I split the lights to look like they had a bunch of squares instead of the default box. I then was able to keep the tables from looking insane, while also allowing me to fix the dull overhead lights. (seen above this fan)

 

 

 

 

Second, well if your second shots are of the JekkJekkTarr, I feel your treatment removes its special quality of being visually vibrant and distinctly alien with its neon-sabrelike lighting fixtures. If that's not the case, then I apologize for mentioning it, but as far as I'm concerned, the JekkJekkTarr needs to look as colorful as it does in Vanilla in order to retain that charm. :/

 

Lastly, that greenish puddle on the ground near the entrance from the landing pad: it really looks tacky how Obsidian just plopped a green blob (and a low res one at that) on the ground like that. I've been to some scummier cities, and even if there's unmentionable goo on the ground, it had some texture in some way, be it greasy, grainy, or watery. So, I guess it would help give your treatment even more character if you change the decal they used on the ground there.

 

That's thusfar my critique, but other than that, your work indeed retains the look of Vanilla while carrying the feel and detail one would come to expect if they were to really live there.

Your decision to include a branch of Aratech makes so much sense and gives even more story about that manufacturer (that the company would be so bold as to open an office on Nar Shadaa either because they forsaw the area becoming prosperous again, or due to the demand for firearms increasing. )

[Jorak Uln 458]

@Malkior:

 

Your yellow lights edit looks great!

Did you just edit the texture or also other files?

 

About the Jekk Jekk Tar, I feel it looks good brightness/color wise. However, screenshots could be misleading - if you want to test it, I could PM you.

 

Btw, I’m thinking about some particle effects to decorate the cantina entrance hall (where the password bouncer is).

 

These effects could be fire like at Omega/Afterlife or also some animated ad boards...similar to these you see at the ME3 citadel...

 

The question is - would that be too immersion breaking for the original art style?

[Malkior 472]

@Jorak

 

I'm glad you like it. I only edited the light texture, but I had to edit the area models so that it only changed the overhead lights due to how the tables and outside buildings share it.

 

Okay, I suppose I jumped the gun on the JekkJekkTarr lighting. I just saw boxed (sectioned into squares) lighting instead of the beams of neon light surrounded by a smoky black atmosphere you get in the Vanilla game. I can test it to see how it looks in-game, but you're probably right.

 

As far as the cantina hall, you might want to keep to a bit of a minimum in flashiness, since the place clearly isn't for the wealthy citizens, and instead relies mostly on cheap neon signs and lights. (I'm thinking stuff like "Bar" neon signs you'd see at a dive near the edge of a city.)

[Kexikus 994]

I agree with Malkior. These particle effects should be reserved for higher class cantinas like the Upper City Taris cantina and maybe the Citadel Station Cantina. For the lower class cantinas I'd go for cheap neon style advertising as it's also seen on SWTORs Nar Shaddaa.

 

Also, if you don't want to come up with all the text for yourself, I'm sure others will be able to help you I'd certainly lend a hand (or a brain) for it

[xander2077 80]

Yes, there are people that can read Aurebesh, Klingon, Dwemeri script, Lord of the Ring's Elvish, etc. It is a lot more common than one would imagine. It might even be wise to see if you can find a suitable text for Huttese and name some businesses accordingly. There's a limited Huttese dictionary online somewhere. What would be kind of cool is graffiti in Huttese as some kind of decal like the damage or puddles, just a new one or alternate texture to existing ones so it’s not tiled on the wall textures. Like bantha poodoo or something similar. I’m not even sure if that's been done in other Star Wars games.

[Revanator 60]

Since we're speaking about languages, stick some Mando'a in the Mandalorian Dxun camp, if you ever get to it. I might be the only one here who can read it but it's worth doing for full immersion.

 

That is, if you ever decide to do Dxun. Totally up to you.

[Jorak Uln 458]

I agree with Malkior. These particle effects should be reserved for higher class cantinas like the Upper City Taris cantina and maybe the Citadel Station Cantina. For the lower class cantinas I'd go for cheap neon style advertising as it's also seen on SWTORs Nar Shaddaa.

 

Also, if you don't want to come up with all the text for yourself, I'm sure others will be able to help you I'd certainly lend a hand (or a brain) for it

Thanks. For easy translating I recently discovered the Aurebesh translator, but on the hard part - as I mentioned previously in a PM - is there a chance you might reconsider doing a new NS skybox?

 

Would be really cool!

 

Graffiti in Huttese sounds cool, probably something for the refugee sector - like some kind of gang logo etc.

But the big holoboards at the entrance sector should contain more serious advertisement - only question would be if it should stay in the current, more subtle ME Omega style as it is now, or that extremely colorful SWTOR billboard style?

[Kexikus 994]

Thanks. For easy translating I recently discovered the Aurebesh translator, but on the hard part - as I mentioned previously in a PM - is there a chance you might reconsider doing a new NS skybox?

 

Would be really cool!

 

Graffiti in Huttese sounds cool, probably something for the refugee sector - like some kind of gang logo etc.

But the big holoboards at the entrance sector should contain more serious advertisement - only question would be if it should stay in the current, more subtle ME Omega style as it is now, or that extremely colorful SWTOR billboard style?

 

The situation when it comes to that skybox has not changed I'll think about it when I have more time in about 2 months.

 

Also, there are Aurebesh (and Huttese and Mando'a) fonts for Windows. You can just install them and then type whatever you want, that should be way easier than using translators.

[Sith Holocron 2,452]

For Aurebesh, use the links I already posted.

 

For all other SW languages, please use this site.

[Mephiles550 221]

These Nar Shaddaa screenshots are seriously some of the best texture work I've ever seen in TSL, mainly for my own personal reasons. You have no idea how long I've wanted a great Nar Shaddaa texture mod, as it's always been my favorite planet in the Kotor games and one of my favorite locations in Star Wars overall. and I knew for sure that you would be the best person for the job. All of the animated panels, the HD textures and none of it feels out of place at all! It all wraps around the map nicely and doesn't stick out whatsoever.

 

I think I felt a tear coming out of my eye when I saw the 5th NS screenshot. 

[Jorak Uln 458]

These Nar Shaddaa screenshots are seriously some of the best texture work I've ever seen in TSL, mainly for my own personal reasons. You have no idea how long I've wanted a great Nar Shaddaa texture mod, as it's always been my favorite planet in the Kotor games and one of my favorite locations in Star Wars overall. and I knew for sure that you would be the best person for the job. All of the animated panels, the HD textures and none of it feels out of place at all! It all wraps around the map nicely and doesn't stick out whatsoever.

 

I think I felt a tear coming out of my eye when I saw the 5th NS screenshot. 

Haha, thanks! Glad you like it!

When I first played Kotor 2, I liked the music of NS most. It just fits the criminal vibe of that place so well...

[milestails 264]

Are you planning to make your own Nar Shaddaa skybox? For years, the Realistic Nar Shadaa Skybox mod has dominated the scene. Would be nice to have an alternative.

[Sith Holocron 2,452]

Are you planning to make your own Nar Shaddaa skybox? For years, the Realistic Nar Shaddaa Skybox mod has dominated the scene. It would be nice to have an alternative.

 

Skyboxes

 

I had a thought on skyboxes. Logos for corporate entities should be on the buildings - signage with few words designed to be seen from a long distance away. 

 

]

 

For example, do you see the H&M logo and the MetLife logo? How complicated are they? The blue square - that's a CitiBank logo I believe and I only know that because I know the corporate colors. The lesson here: Rooftop logos should be very simple and they don't need to be animated either.

 

Now - what about the street level advertisements?

Close up near the player, logos in advertisements should only a very small part of it.

Think of any billboard advertising something on the street or along the side of the road and think about what percentage of the billboard that the logo takes up in that space.

 

For example . . .

 

and . . .

 

 

How much real estate in the bill board does the Star Wars: TFA logo take up? And in the McDonald's Logo?  It's quite small by comparison.

 

Just some food for thought for any advertising signage you might wind up making.

[Jorak Uln 458]

@Sith Holocron:

 

I had that thought also since a while, but we have to wait until Kex has more sparetime and if he likes to give it a go..

 

What always bugged me a little about ST skybox were the huge illuminated areas and the lack of "classic" windows; the buildings look way too small for my taste.

To make a realistic skybox we likely would need 3d models in the same size/position of vanilla, but with small windows like in your pic and some ads on top of the buildings.

[N-DReW25 1,309]

When you finish these ones off will you do k1 textures like Taris and the Star Forge

[Jorak Uln 458]

When you finish these ones off will you do k1 textures like Taris and the Star Forge

Well Taris is basically covered but the undercity/slums still need a lot of attention . 

Atm, i more focused on TSL, but that way the improvements i find out will be in Kotor later as well.