Hello, yeah, this is my first post here, just discovered this site this week and it's got my head buzzing with the possibilities. I'm an artist, I do concept art, 3D modeling, texturing, 3d and traditional animation & rigging. So I've got knowledge on the artistic side of things. But I'm crap on the programming and all the technical side of games, so I need help in those areas. I have the general idea for the game concept, but what I'm trying to figure out is what the game will actually be graphic wise. Not really in terms of beauty, but optimizing game play and costs and finding a balance between the two. I want this to be an MMO ideally. But it could very well start off as a single player game if I need more cash for the MMO idea. I would likely limit the players to 8 per rooms, something like diablo on battlenet. But like I said, I could very well make this a single player game at first. I'll describe to you both versions to let you know what I see as options. Option #1 "Diablo" version Graphics wise, the game would look something like Diablo 2. As in an overhead type of game with the same type of graphics. Option #2 "WoW" version Graphics would be sort of like World of Warcraft. Not too detailed, but just enough to still have that unique style. And the game play would be the same with the POV being behind the players character. The levels wouldn't be huge. They would be small arenas, say like coliseums and things like that to some more advanced maps ala unreal tournament. They won't be huge worlds to save computer energy ( whatever that type of power is called...see how knowledgeable I am in technical stuff...) and to enable me to add more stuff to the game play aspects of it. So what would be the better versions? a diablo-esque game design, or a 3d "WoW" -esque design? Please tell me the good and the bad in both because I really want to get at least a better clue as to what I need to know. If things aren't clear enough, then please ask me what you need to know and I'll answer to the best of my abilities. I think I had more questions...but I'll just leave it at this one for now.

World of Warcraft was great graphics wise, at least for me. My brother's laptop from 2001 could play it. Or was it 2? Either way- it was old and it could play it. Using broad, flat faces and solid colored textures would make it playable on old computers by using less processing resources ;]. Obviously a larger texture gives you more to the texture. Does using a gritty style make the texture larger? Compare Warhammer: Age of Reckoning (gritty) to World of Warcraft (solid) to see what I mean. You could even, when you expand the game, redraw many of the textures for a higher definition version, and possibly remodel as well.

It all depends on what would be fun for the game you're making. Maybe give more details on this? Third person above-behind the head is good for manual Z aiming, and more so for first person. It isn't required though. I'm picturing a game where you're running around on bluish metal blocks. Now I'm fleshing them out into platforms with grates or solid metal on top, and a big fiery-almost-electric pit in the middle. There's mechs running around it, shooting automatics, rifles, rockets, and lasers at each other quite rapidly; jumping and strafing out of gunfire. lol anyways, You use your left analog for movement and right analog for turning, up for looking up for instance. It may take more shots in the sense of tracking, but I bet it'd be fun for a very action-oriented game; you know, including an upgrade that helps you track an enemy as well as blink a reticle if you're turned to them exactly.

ANYWAYS, that isn't a Diablo view though. Diablo had it centered on your character. My thoughts up there were where the battlefield fit on one screen.

What kind of action are the players going to see? What would be the controls?

Warhammer looks more detailed than WoW, so I would assume the textures take up more space than those of WoW. Even if they are the same size of resolution, which I don't know.

Yeah, maybe I'll describe the idea that I have in mind a little better to help you guys out.

Ok, the game concept is an MMO fighting game. Each player develops his own character to his own personal tastes, like those WWE games. He choses how he looks from pre-determined options, and chooses his voice. Then he chooses his 3 basic combos which he can select the patterns as well. As you can see, I want the player to really build HIS character the way he wants to. He then chooses 8 "abilities" that range from physical to "summon" type abilities. As he levels up, more abilities become available to him. I'm not set on how the abilities would develop yet, as I'm trying to find a way which would enable for many combinations, I'm really liking the abilities system found in final fantasy X right now. There would also be armor available that would add to your abilities, ala diablo. Which would further add the customization of the players.

Anyway, after he has created his character, he logs into the battle arena where the rooms for the games are held. Each game would have a creater (obviously) who would be in control of how many players can enter the game ( from 2 to 8 ) he can also kick out players if he wishes to to prevent players of a higher level to take advantage of the lower levels. People have to accept if they want to enter the game or not before the game can proceed. If you'ev ever played the game Gunbound, then you should be familiar with the concept.

The game starts, each player enters the arena with their own entrance which they preselected at the character creation phase ( ala WWE ). Now the game begins.

The levels are small closed off arena-like maps. Like Unreal tournament. But these maps are more like coliseums or battle arenas, than just random kinds of maps. I want a sort of gladiator feel to the game. So all of the maps would include a design where the players will feel watched, so most of the maps will have an audience in them. That's the concept right now anyway.

On their screen, they'll see a similar display as diablo 2. On the bottom, they'll have their 8 special abilities that they've chosen. below that, they'll have 8 item slots. On the left side of the screen, they'll have their health and MP status bars. On the right, they'll have the armor damage data. They'll use the mouse for movement and to be able to select the abilities below ( or maybe special keys...not sure yet ), and 4 buttons to be able to use the combos they preselected.

After the battle is done, they'll earn money depending on several factors( yet to be determined ) which they then can use in a shop to purchase items, purchase armor, or repair armor.

I think I've given a pretty general idea here...if you need specifics, do ask :)

Considering your description, that's more of an RTS view; Diablo. It gives you more movement range along the north, south, east, and west of your character. An above-behind the head view with click movement gives you less sideways movement and much less reverse movement. That isn't if you zoom out the camera a lot. WoW had that view and control, and it was insufferable for me.

Possibly allow both views? And some way of toggling between cursor and non-cursor mode. I don't see any problems, although in that case having to aim would be a real bummer if their ranged attacks always counted as hitting your avatar. Gladiator games sound more fun with an above-behind the head view but that's just me. I'm picturing an arena battle in Microsoft's Mechwarrior series; good times...

So with the current design, the Diablo view is the way to go.