v7 aesthetics

[Noir]

I posted this in the "is this the worst..." thread in the Sword Dojo, however i should have done it here. After a few satisfying campaigns against the cunning AI, i would like to make a few comments/suggestions/questions relative to certain aesthetic aspects of the mod.

I don't mean to be picky or anything; I enjoy the mod very much and seek to improve across the board.

I would be pleased if you could comment or guide on those as i would be interested in doing them myself if you regardthem unecessary or out of the intended spirit/atmosphere of the mod.

So:

A few aesthetic notes relative to the (SWs beta 7) campaign (sorry but i'm a sucker for this kind of thing ):

1. Princesses

The portraits of many of them have tattoos and apear to be street girls/yakuzas. A more plausibe (but less exciting - if you know what i mean ) approach would be to make them like lady kaede in RAN including the strategic token. They should be dressed in the characteristic long dress with the paint marks in their forehead above their eyebrows, sit in silence (and dignity) and carry no samisen.

(http://content.answers.com/main/cont...Lady_Kaede.jpg

http://10kbullets.com/images/2005/12/ran-01.jpg

http://www.uaf.edu/english/faculty/t...ran-edmund.jpg)

2. Unit Info pictures

I have plenty of books that portray illustrations very close to the original unit inspiration. I am sure that these would serve better than the pixilated portraits of units that are there at the moment.

I will scan some of them and post them as an indication if you are interested. I am sure very positive that they won't affect the original vision/aesthetics but actually enhance it.

3. Titles

As my (japanese) girlfriend commented, its "Owari no kammi" - no is the equivalent of the posessive 's ie John's toy, Owari's kammi.

4. Sakura tree models

That's a great touch by Barocca; i feel though that it can be improved by leaving only the pink blooms of the tree and take out the green leaves in the branches. In japan the trees start bloom in a "line" that "moves" from south to North every spring. The tv news monitor it (!)

5. Units

Some clans appear to have the helmets of their samurai in the color of the clan say yellow while most have black helmets unanimously and only their undergarments have the clan's colours. I'm guessing that the former need to be like the latter?

6. Experience Banners

Can they be reinstated to the japanese spirit?

and some ideas:

1. Castle maps

They are great - some problems with sieges where the besieging armies appear inside the castle but you know that already. The larger level castles could have the characteristic zig zag entrance corridor. They were designed as such to break any momentum of cavalry charges and give more perimeter to the defenders to shoot the attackers with missiles.

2. Music

I have a few samizen/koto/taikko pieces that go well with the strategy/battles. Let me know if you wish to try them for these purposes.

3. Automn trees

One of the things that made Shogun maps so great was the seasonal change. This was reflected in the lighting conditions, the cloud transitions and of course the trees. Would it be possible to include automn coloured trees in the battle map?

*Edit*

7. Sashimonos

Two thin lines with the seecondary clan colour in the upper area of the rectangle will greatly enhance their appearance i feel relative to the plain main clan color.

(most sashimono's had their own emblem's - this however should be very dificult for the engine and possibly have downgrading effects to how quickly you can reckognize your units. The stripes offer a solution out without being detrimental).

8. Wooden Castles

They appear way too large relative to the province size in the campaign map. I'm always happy to upgrade to the higher levels asthe castle scale becomes more fit to the map visually. Can this be changed?