Graphics Team - NPC Improvement Project

Graphics Team - NPC Improvement Project

After the previous article following the development of a single piece of content from conception to release, we're now delving deeper into each development team and what they do, based on some of the projects they're working on. Each team's diary will be built around them - for instance, this diary about the Graphics team has a lot of images. This diary will be looking at the Non-Player Character (NPC) Improvement Project - the graphical updates that have been made to dragons, werewolves, spiders, etc. and are continuing to be made to other NPCs.

Top row: the original models, before the improvements
Bottom row: the new and improved NPCs.

NPC improvements

The project began when it was realised that we could push the RuneScape engine farther than we had first thought. "Previously, we set a cap of five hundred polygons per model. Now, your basic human NPC still has that many, but we can use up to around 2,000-2,500 for the larger models", says Mod Damian, one of the modellers working on the project. "We were also limited a little by the animation tools, though now the Tools team have produced more feature-filled tools, we've been able to increase polygon counts and create smoother animations."

Being a web-based Java game, there are limits to how far we could go with the graphics yet still keep the game running smoothly, but with these new tools and the ability to create models with higher polygon counts, how could we resist updating them? So, the next thing to be determined was just which NPCs would receive the treatment.

Graphics, RuneScape Content and QA sat down and noted those NPCs that were the oldest, the most fought and the most prevalent throughout the game. Once the NPCs were decided upon, they were split up into themed batches, breaking the project into more manageable chunks, and also allowing us to release them on a regular basis. The batches so far have taken anywhere between two weeks and two months to complete, so for the sake of the progress bars, we shall show the duration of the skeleton NPC improvements only.

Left to right: skeletal miner from Haunted Mine; skeleton; Skeleton Champion; skeleton; and a skeletal gorilla from Ape Atoll.

Creature concepts
(Duration: 1.5 weeks)

Before any graphical work is started, the NPCs in question are talked over by RuneScape Content and Graphics to see what scope there is for improvement. For example, with the update to the skeletons, there were lots of different-levelled NPCs, so we wanted them to have strong visual variation. There were also some skeleton personalities: Mod Mark says, "The interesting part was when it came to the Legends' Quest NPCs (San Tojalon, Irvig Senay and Ranalph Devere) who, when they were originally designed, we didn't have the ability to make them unique. We do now." He continues, "So after chatting with Mod Tytn (Legends' Quest developer), Mod Damian decided to go to town with them...and they look amazing. Although we could have waited until the quest rework, it's easier to do all the NPCs in one go because of the way we design them."

Once any potential issues and opportunities have been considered, the makeover treatment begins with concept artwork drawn by Mod GG. The concepts come from his own ideas, taking into account any requests from RuneScape Content, and from researching various other mediums (art, film, etc.). "I've really enjoyed the project, especially when given complete freedom", he says.

The new and improved Werewolf Agility Course instructor: initial sketch; coloured concept art; wireframe model; shaded model.

We can rebuild them
(Duration: 2.5 weeks)

Once the concept art has been sketched, coloured and approved, it moves onto the 3D artists for modelling. The concept art provides a vision for the 3D modellers � presently Mod Damian and Mod Wayne � to work towards. To create the 3D models, we exclusively use our own proprietary in-house 3D software, developed by our Tools team, as opposed to off-the-shelf packages like Maya or 3ds Max, as it's tailor-made to create models and animations that work with the RuneScape engine.

Models are created using a technique known as 'box modelling', where the model is built up by pulling out the edges or faces of primitive shapes (e.g. cubes, spheres and cylinders), which are then moved around and moulded to create the desired result. This modelling method can be done in a number of different ways depending on the modeller's preference. Generally, only half the model is constructed in this way - this half is mirrored to produce the whole model, which then has finer details added and is colour-shaded. Shading more-detailed models, as opposed to applying textures to less-detailed models, tends to produce a better-looking result.

Click here to see an animated version of this image.

They live!
(Duration: 1.5 weeks)

Once a model is ready to be animated, the first step is to choose the parts of it that will turn, twist or pivot (e.g. the joints - like shoulders, elbows and wrists) and where they should articulate from. Once these parts are chosen you end up with the 'skeleton structure', which can be manipulated to create poses for animations such as walking, attacking, defending and dying. Each animation is assigned, on average, 40-50 frames, and each of these frames has to be posed individually. Although this is not the fastest way of animating, it allows us greater control over the whole animation. Some special animations are allocated more frames - for instance, the Kalphite Queen's stage one death animation contains 300 frames.

Our software is just one tool; we sometimes use lower tech methods for getting the right result. "I sometimes act out the animations myself, to get a feel for them, and I have a mirror on my desk for facial expressions", says Mod Judge. "I had to animate a character carrying some heavy planks, so walked around the office carrying one of the water cooler refills. The other animators laughed at me (laughs)."

Click here to see an animated version of this image.

Code 'em up
(Duration: 0.5 week)

This project is very much a graphical one, but there is still some work to be done once the new NPCs are modelled and animated. Mod Nancy of RuneScape Content has the job of replacing the old NPCs with the new ones. "Most of the code for simple model updates already exists...my job is simply to check that the new models work with the old code", she says. More complex models sometimes require a code rewrite: "The Kalphite Queen jumps to mind as I had to rewrite her entire death/transformation code...", she continues, "Seeing the old animations on the new model with her legs freaking out all over the place was quite amusing." As with all content, it then gets thoroughly tested by QA.

Zombies FTW

Mod Damian sums up the project well: one of the main reasons why it's such a great project is that "the improvements add a little bit more variety and flair to the game...especially the more individual monsters such as the Werewolf Agility Course instructor", not least because the team has been given generous deadlines in which to make things look as good as possible.

Asked what their favourite group of NPCs has been to work on, Graphics are almost unanimous on choosing the undead update. Mod Damian says, "The zombies are my favourite. I love the genre, though, so I might be biased... There are near to one hundred different variations of zombies in the game now".

A shamble of zombies, including the Zombie Champion on the left.

In the end, we felt that such a good job had been done with the undead, what with there being so many varieties of them, that we decided they were worth showing off. Mod Hobagoly (Head of RuneScape Content) suggested that we should make a dungeon just for the undead, which is when Mod Greg was given the task to develop what became the Lair of Tarn Razorlor.

We're sure you all have your favourites but, overall, we're very happy with the NPC updates. Making RuneScape look better is an ongoing process and we shall continue to update the older areas of the game. Also, as the updated Varrock proves, it won't just be limited to NPCs... As Mod Judge says, "It's an exciting time to be working on the Graphics team, and being a part of making things look and act more realistically."

(You can download some of the NPC concept artwork as wallpapers in the Downloads and Wallpapers section of the website.)