Isometric camera angle

[PIPBoy3000]

One of the things that modders can do early is start putting together area maps. It's a fairly complicated process, and could easily take a good chunk of the upcoming year.

 

One of the challenges is to make sure we're using the "correct" isometric camera angle. Traditionally, it's a 45 degree rotation around the vertical axis, and a 35.264 degree rotation around the horizontal axis. After doing some research, it sounds like Baldur's Gate and the Temple of Elemental Evil both used a 45 degree rotation around the horizontal.

 

Looking at the screen shot, I'm guessing you're using a 35.264 degree angle. It would be great if we could get some confirmation.

[AwesomeOcelot]

Not isometric, perspective is cavalier oblique like Fallout 1 and 2, I think Arcanum was isometric.

[PIPBoy3000]

Ah - thanks for the clarification. Now I need to figure out the best way to generate orthagonal maps.

[slowdive]

I wonder of it would be a good option to create a bunch of "placeables" at the proper camera angle that can be used as drag and drop into your GIMP or photoshop file...similar to how dundjinni makes maps.

[LadyCrimson]

I think the "degree rotation" isn't completely set in stone yet. One reason for that angle in the screenshot was for the perspective/inclusion of the giant statues/grand objects. They're still experimenting a bit I believe, so it might change in the future. Then again, it might not.

[PIPBoy3000]

Yeah. I'm hoping I can come up with a good area building process. The first part of that is creating backgrounds. My current thinking is to try to use NWN2 as a starting point, and perhaps skew and blend screenshots of the area to create an orthographic projection.

 

My other worry is that once you have the background, it needs to have additional elements added - walkable areas, lighting, and how the background may either go in front of or behind the player (thinking about the posts as you cross the bridge in the screenshot). Then there's the addition of 3D placeables, particle effects/animations, and water. If that ends up being overly cumbersome, it may make it exceptionally difficult to create new areas. That brings the modding potential down considerably.