jackS wrote:The color schemes I can dig up -- they've been posted before, as have some degree of biological descriptions for most of the ship-building/operating species.
Cool, this information could be very useful.
As for the guides themselves, if those who will be producing the art can come up with a consensus template of (fairly direct) questions that will be relevant to you and put said questions into the artstyle wiki pages, I'll happily knock out answers to them.
Sounds great. Here is a fairly extensive list of questions for each species or faction that should provide a good idea of how each faction and species works and how to present them. Let me know if you (and any other artists reading this) think these would be satisfactory or if they are too many/vague/specific or would like to add to them--
Origin:
Under what planetary classification was their home world when they first evolved?
How much gravity was there on this world?
What element(s) made up its atmosphere and in what concentrations?
What element(s) made up its liquid bodies and in what concentrations?
What kind of temperature range was there at the equator?
What kind of temperature range was there at the poles?
What kind and color of sun(s) did this world have?
What were the biggest challenges to survival on this world? (Examples- Starvation, Weather, Competition)
Physical:
What element(s) are they based on? (Examples- Carbon, Boron, Silicon, Nitrogen/Phosphorus, Hydrogen [Ionized])
What is the average mass of one?
What is the average length, width and height of one?
What skeletal system if any do they use? (Examples- no skeleton, exoskeleton, endoskeleton with invertebrate, vertebrate, multi-vertebrate)
What are their major core body segments if any?
What senses do they have and at what ranges do they work in relative to Humans and what are the rough numbers, dimensions, shapes, colors and locations of these sensory organs?
What form(s) of locomotion are they capable of and at what speed(s) and how are the appendages that they use for this structured and what are the rough numbers, dimensions, shapes, colors and locations of these appendages?
What forms(s) of object manipulation do they have and how are the appendages that they use for this structured and what are the numbers, dimensions, shapes, colors and locations of these appendages?
What organs do they use for taking in air, liquid and food and what are the numbers, dimensions, shapes, colors and locations of these organs?
What kind of colors and textures cover their body surfaces? (Examples- slime, scales, hair, feathers, boney plates)
Mental:
How much faster or slower is their thought speed relative to normal Humans?
Which areas of mental aptitudes and abilities are they more capable in than normal Humans and by how much?
Which areas of mental aptitudes and abilities are they less capable in than normal Humans and by how much?
Which emotions and instincts are stronger in them than in normal Humans and by how much?
Which emotions and instincts are weaker in them than in normal Humans and by how much?
How is their society organized?
What are their primary goals or ambitions as a faction?
How are their overall political and military strategies and tactics different from the other factions?
How do they see themselves as a species or faction?
How do they see the other species and factions?
Technological:
Which technological fields do they excel at relative to the other factions and how does this translate into game-play?
Which technological fields have they fallen behind in relative to the other factions and how does this translate into game-play?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of their weapons versus those of the other factions and how do their tactics with these differ?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of their interceptors versus those of the other factions and how do their tactics with these differ?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of their fighters versus those of the other factions and how do their tactics with these differ?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of their assault craft versus those of the other factions and how do their tactics with these differ?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of their bombers versus those of the other factions and how do their tactics with these differ?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of their light capital ships versus those of the other factions and how do their tactics with these differ?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of their medium capital ships versus those of the other factions and how do their tactics with these differ?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of their heavy capital ships versus those of the other factions and how do their tactics with these differ?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of their stations and infrastructure versus those of the other factions and how do their uses for these differ?
Technological Appearance:
What are all the paint colors of this faction?
What are all the colors of their external hull materials, lights, engine thrust, shields responses, weapons’ fire or anything else?
Which kinds of geometric shapes and surfaces are often visible in the ships of this faction? (Examples, angular edges, curves, cylinders, spheres, boxes, etc.)
Which kinds of geometric shapes and surfaces are rarely or never visible in the ships of this faction?
What structures or hull sections are visible on the outside of their light craft and what kinds of shapes are these and what sizes are they proportionate to the rest?
What structures or hull sections are visible on the outside of their capital ships and what kinds of shapes are these and what sizes are they proportionate to the rest?
Are there any animated moving parts or organs besides turrets visible on the outside of any of their ships?
What kinds of things would you see on the inside of one of this faction’s ships or stations that you wouldn’t see on its exterior?