Paul Fuller <pgf### [at] optusnetcomau> wrote:
> Hi Mike,
>
> Seems like a good approach.  The alternatives (large team of talented
> artists creating pre-drawn graphics or realtime rendering of detailed
> models) are virtually out of reach for a starting indie.
>
> I've dabbled with the same approach for a space game.  I like the
> results so far.
>
> Watch out for too much use of reflection, lighting and shadow.  The
> elements can look fine on individual units.  The problem is when you put
> them next to each other and the effects don't match or interact
> properly.  Example the shandw on your crane truck unit.  If it falls
> partly off the tile then you have an issue.
>
> You get combinatorial explosion if you try to produce each unit in each
> orientation with each combination of several effects at each scale etc.
>
> In a way the higher quality of rendered images means you have to pay
> close attention to the little stuff.
>
> Good luck.

Thanks Paul!

Glad to hear I'm not the only one thinking this might be a good way to go.

I must admit I've found getting the shadows right a bit tricky. The challenge is
that I can't work out how to cast a shadow onto a transparent alpha plane that I
need in order to place the units on top of arbitrary terrain.

I guess it would be possible with some complicated two-pass approach (one with
just alpha background, one with shadows on a white plane) and then blending the
resulting images?

Mike.

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