1  |   Order by index

Jul 30, 2005, 6:57pm

Recently, Alphaworld experienced paradise for a couple days with a beautiful
new backdrop and more realistic sky-blue color, along with a lovely cloud
layer. It was awesome, and totally inspired me to go on a build fest since
everything looked so good (screenshots available on demand ;) ).

Now, we would have got to keep it, but unfortantly a few people didn't like
it, no doubt for historical purposes. Sadly, AWI only hears complaints, and
never compliments. Please help us turn the tides and show your support.
Visit the rally at http://sky.swcity.net to participate. This is one of
those "get off the couch and do something about it" moments, and I hope we
get all the support we can :)

- Com

Jul 30, 2005, 7:25pm

The builders spend the most time in Alpha World, so since they spend the
most time they should have the major vote on what the background is like,
because sure to the chatters its just something "upleasant to look at" but
to the builders, as Comit said, it can inspire one to build alot, and it
means the world, literally!

Jul 30, 2005, 7:57pm

I was inspired to build this with the new backdrop
http://www.swcity.net/pics/grimmwood_forest_pict6.jpg
http://www.swcity.net/pics/grimmwood_forest_pict7.jpg

now, it looks like this
http://www.swcity.net/pics/grimmwood_forest_pict8.jpg *cries* :(


[View Quote]

Jul 30, 2005, 8:39pm

wow I didn't even realized it changed back.

I guess I only noticed the newer sky because I didn't care for it. The
moving cloud layer looked like a massive cobweb to me.
rofl

I like the clear, deeper blue of the present skybox. It's the boring, brown
mountain range I don't like.

~TS

[View Quote]

Jul 31, 2005, 1:22am

Yes I hated the new backdrop they put up for a couple days. It was too big
(made the world seem smaller), too dark (made everything look darker), had
some sort of skull looking pattern on one side, the new realistic look of it
makes all the objects you can use in AW look nothing at all like the
backdrop (the original one goes with the colors more), and yes like you
said, AW world needs to stay historical.. if we can't have a new AW GZ then
we shouldn't have a new backdrop either.

-Kenneth



[View Quote]

Jul 31, 2005, 1:29am

Well Ken,
Sometimes change is good O___O

AWI should do what the builders want *cough* SW City.

[View Quote]

Jul 31, 2005, 1:53am

Change is good, but not making our builds look worse.

-Ken


[View Quote]

Jul 31, 2005, 1:58am

How can much higher resolution graphics and advanced features make them look
worse (unless your buildings look crap compared to said features)

--
- Mark Randall
http://zetech.swehli.com

[View Quote]

Jul 31, 2005, 2:02am

* Please do not bring back the new Mountain/Sky Backdrop Unless it's been
changed.

As a landscape designer, who likes to build in AW world, I prefer to see the old
sky/mountains unless the new one has been adjusted to fix some aspects, that I
don't care for. These aspects are:

1. The mountains are too dark, which is creates an impression of a smaller
world.
2. They are too high, which overwhelms my builds & hills and mountain
creations(shrinks the world size impression also).
3. The Mountains are too close looking, which shortens the perspective of
distance.
4. The Mountains Grow in Height when my avatar flies up, which is opposite of
perspective in real life, which shows mountains shrinking when one flies up.
This would give a perspective of altitude and distance.
5. When I fly up, the Mountain remains stationary, leaving a gap of sky below
and if you go underground you see an inch or more of backdrop hanging below
ground.
6. The Sky is now a thick mass of white clouds, which is depressing, compared to
blue sky, which is my favorite aspect of AW world(in winter this really is
nice!). This mass of clouds hides the soft wispy clouds moving across the blue
sky that were added before.

What I LIKE about the new Mountain Backdrop:
The attempt at realism. I build with a goal of presenting a realistic impression
and the newer backdrop did try for that style.

IF it were to return I would hope they would do the following to adapt it:

* Lighten up the mounatins to a medium color, which will give an impression of
space.
* Shorten the mountains to half their height or even smaller so they appear to
be in the distance.
* Have the mountain recede when I fly up to give proper perspective of altitude
& distance.
* Repair the gap of sky showing under the mountain and fix the backdrop hanging
underground.
* Remove the thick mass of clouds, KEEP the soft wispy moving clouds and put
them in a blue sky.

What I like is that AWI showed they are caring by trying to improve AW world!
First with the soft wispy moving clouds and now attempting to add a new backdrop
to AW world. I hope that it could come back improved. And we can keep the
things we love and gain the new things(but adapted).
Previously they added those wonderful series of new trees(tbtree001.rwx -
tbree009.rwx), such a fantastic accent for landscapers, really adds a great look
to land. Thanks!

Sincerely,
CoLor
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[View Quote] > Recently, Alphaworld experienced paradise for a couple days with a beautiful
> new backdrop and more realistic sky-blue color, along with a lovely cloud
> layer. It was awesome, and totally inspired me to go on a build fest since
> everything looked so good (screenshots available on demand ;) ).
>
> Now, we would have got to keep it, but unfortantly a few people didn't like
> it, no doubt for historical purposes. Sadly, AWI only hears complaints, and
> never compliments. Please help us turn the tides and show your support.
> Visit the rally at http://sky.swcity.net to participate. This is one of
> those "get off the couch and do something about it" moments, and I hope we
> get all the support we can :)
>
> - Com

Jul 31, 2005, 2:13am

[View Quote]
I agree with ya there.


> 4. The Mountains Grow in Height when my avatar flies up, which is opposite
> of
> perspective in real life, which shows mountains shrinking when one flies
> up.
> This would give a perspective of altitude and distance.
> 5. When I fly up, the Mountain remains stationary, leaving a gap of sky
> below
> and if you go underground you see an inch or more of backdrop hanging
> below
> ground.


The same thing happens with any background. They fixed this with a skybox.


> 6. The Sky is now a thick mass of white clouds, which is depressing,
> compared to
> blue sky, which is my favorite aspect of AW world(in winter this really is
> nice!). This mass of clouds hides the soft wispy clouds moving across the
> blue
> sky that were added before.


The lighter blue sky was actually my favorite part...so much more realistic
than the deep blue. More tranquil. The new backdrop wasn't perfect but,
weighing the pros and cons, it was way better than the old cartoony one we
have now. And sooooooooooo much more photogenic. Just look at these
screenshots ^_^

http://picsw.swcity.net/org_genucon1.jpg
http://picsw.swcity.net/ragelake.jpg

Jul 31, 2005, 2:58am

Ya see, Color, I like that you like certain aspects of it. And I agree that
it wasn't quite perfect. My vote still goes to the new one, however. I
loved it because it was more realistic than the other one, flaws and all.

The main point here is that the people who do not want any change, for
either spite of not getting a new GZ or because they want to see Alphaworld
turned into a museum... these guys, the vast majority of them, are not
considering what the builders in alphaworld want. They are not considering
the end results that lie outside of their comfort zones. You're a builder.
We want to know what you like and don't like about Alphaworld. Awesome
post, Color.

And the goal of this letter-writing campaign is to get the changes the
majority of builders in Alphaworld want implemented. But primarily, it's to
let AWI know that "Hey, please don't be afraid of us. We want to work with
you to make the world better. We don't want to complain about it. Give us
a chance to work with you, because we want to help improve _your_ product."

And that, my friends, is THE message that this campaign is designed to send
to AWI. Instead of complaints, compliments. Instead of sundering, healing.
So that a dialogue between AWI and us consumers can open up. Right now
AWI's locked in their ivory tower. And believe me, none of us, AWI
included, wants AWI to be locked up in that ivory tower.

Chris

[View Quote]

Jul 31, 2005, 3:11am

Well, I've already shared my views with AWI before this thread existed. And I
dealt with the positive and negative aspects of the Mountain backdrop in that
letter. I reduced that letter into the points I stated here. There is a lot of
history in Alphaworld I can undertstand that wonderful feeling of familiarity
and I can see the love of the new. But in being a builder I hate to see the good
tossed out in favor of things that are not as good. Alpha world is a place
anyone can build with friends. I and I bet others have started our building
careers in it. So its very dear to our hearts. Perhaps some voice a view and are
not builders, but for someone that builds in this world its a vital part of our
AW time.
Good Luck on this decision. Currently its back to the old backdrop and the
mountains are sure not as realistic as the new one but that blue sky feels good
to look at. Hopefully a blend of old and new could be integrated.

Sincerely,
CoLor


[View Quote] > Ya see, Color, I like that you like certain aspects of it. And I agree that
> it wasn't quite perfect. My vote still goes to the new one, however. I
> loved it because it was more realistic than the other one, flaws and all.
>
> The main point here is that the people who do not want any change, for
> either spite of not getting a new GZ or because they want to see Alphaworld
> turned into a museum... these guys, the vast majority of them, are not
> considering what the builders in alphaworld want. They are not considering
> the end results that lie outside of their comfort zones. You're a builder.
> We want to know what you like and don't like about Alphaworld. Awesome
> post, Color.
>
> And the goal of this letter-writing campaign is to get the changes the
> majority of builders in Alphaworld want implemented. But primarily, it's to
> let AWI know that "Hey, please don't be afraid of us. We want to work with
> you to make the world better. We don't want to complain about it. Give us
> a chance to work with you, because we want to help improve _your_ product."
>
> And that, my friends, is THE message that this campaign is designed to send
> to AWI. Instead of complaints, compliments. Instead of sundering, healing.
> So that a dialogue between AWI and us consumers can open up. Right now
> AWI's locked in their ivory tower. And believe me, none of us, AWI
> included, wants AWI to be locked up in that ivory tower.
>
> Chris
>
[View Quote]

Jul 31, 2005, 4:54am

I should have mentioned before that I'm up for another new background. It
didn't have to be that specific one we had earlier.

Also, it seems to me that if AW is going to upgrade the background, why not
go all the way and do a sky box? That way, you won't see the background
color when you fly up. That problem just has "primative software" written
all over it - in comparison to modern programs, it just seems kinda
embarrasing and something AWI would want rid AW of o_O Maybe embarrassing
isn't the right word for it, but it just makes the program look *really*
dated...

- Com


[View Quote]

Jul 31, 2005, 12:01pm

Unfortunately, it's not a skybox.

[View Quote]

Jul 31, 2005, 12:31pm

oh

Shows you what I know. LOL

[View Quote]

Jul 31, 2005, 2:12pm

Much higher resolution doesn't do crap when my builds are priceless and
personal. Maybe a newer backdrop is needed, but please make it something
that looks brighter and less taunting.

-Kenneth


[View Quote]

Jul 31, 2005, 2:19pm

If they are priceless then, as much as I hate saying this...

Get a world.

--
- Mark Randall
http://zetech.swehli.com

[View Quote]

Jul 31, 2005, 11:46pm

I really enjoyed how the old backdrop didn't even seamlessly transition into
the solid blue "sky" behind it. :P

-CMM

[View Quote]

Aug 1, 2005, 2:19am

[View Quote]

Aug 2, 2005, 9:45pm

Hey... Maybe if people built things pretty enough in the first place, they
wouldn't NEED an ugly backdrop to make their cyberslum z-buffer spooge look
slightly less craptastic in contrast!

Commie's build looked absolutely -stunning- with the new backdrop... If a
beautiful advancement in Alphaworld's aesthetics finally exposes just how
ugly all the garbage we've built up in the past ten years really is, I say
that's an improvement! O_O
Truth is good!

If the world's builds can't live up to a better sky, the answer is simple;
replace them with newer, better builds that -honor- the spirit of ingenuity
and advancement rather than DISGRACE IT. How much more sense is there to
make? It's practically self-evident. Where's that choir I'm preaching to...?

[View Quote]

Aug 3, 2005, 12:28am

[View Quote] SCREW THE AW AMISH!

Aug 3, 2005, 5:21pm

Settle down, Dis. :)

I think replacing such builds is a little extreme. But our past should
never hold anyone back. That just makes AW sound so much like a grudge,
hehe. :P Yet, well, people who want to could do what I do... build around
the superstructure of the historical builds and make them a little bit more
aesthetically pleasing.

Chris

[View Quote]

Aug 4, 2005, 8:23pm

Heh... sadly though, I seem to remember seeing the AWHS remove pretty
vandalism from their precious trash heaps :(

Aug 5, 2005, 5:58pm

No that was Stacee. ;)

Chris

[View Quote]

1  |   Order by index