The Dink Network

Dried Land Tiles

July 6th, 2002
v1.00
Score : 8.6 good
fish.gif
Some of the people in Dink community do not like the idea of reviewing people's own files. (We all should have known them by now. ) But since currently there is no other way for the author to comment on something that other reviewers said about their files on the record (except bugging people on the board with complains and such), I decided to write my own review for this file.

First of all, as jamie (imacrazyguy) said, this tile set might use one of his Spare Tiles as a base. I don't know if Jamie did draw those tiles from scratch, but the point he said about tha people NEED to ask him before using his work makes me uncomfortable. Then why release them?! I though it is the mutual agreement among all Dinkers that you can basically use all materials released by other Dinkers as long as the proper credit is given. It would be appropriate to ask people first if you want to modify or completely rewrite somebody's entire work, but I thought I should be allowed to use and modify a few tile squares in a released file. For example, I don't think people in the past did ask Mike Snyder's permission to use his Skeleton B file! If people need to ask every author for using some of his work, I think Dink community would be even much quieter! Clearly Jamie thought otherwise. So next time I might, and other peopel should as well, think twice before using his work. (I don't know, but I might ask redink1 to remove this file all together.)

Back to the file itself: In order to be a good tile addition to most of DMOD authors, new tiles need to be perfectly matched with other Dink's tiles and Dink's graphics. If the tile is not compatible with other graphics, no matter how good it looks ALONE, it can never be a good tile for the dmod. A floor-type tile should be blend well with the wall and all the furniture and people. A land-type tile should be able to be attached to other land-type tiles and other graphics. Of course you can have a whole area that is seperated from all other areas(like darkland, or desert, etc.). But buttom line, a useful tile set needs to be usable.

Also, a tile should not stand out too much. It is supposed to be background. To me, there is no too-much-blending! You might say the crack is not as clear as Jamie's crack tile, but I can't see anyone who can use his original tile set without changing it. Unless you want to have 20 screens filled with the same 100x100 tile everywhere, or you want to connect them with other tiles with straight line!

The way I blend the tile: not only did I make them connect to grass seamlessly, but also I add some touch (more redish) so that it gives you a burning hot feeling and make it a little blur so that you get some feeling that dust is coming off the ground. Of course, it sacrifices some of the clarity of the cracks. But heck, you can't have them both!

I'm not saying this tile is perfect. It is not. I tried to get rid of some of the isolated dots (especially dark ones), but it seems to be a very time-consuming job and it might make the tile look even worse.

I'm not saying Jamie gave this file an unfair score (that's the way he felt, and I respect that), but I just want to state my point here and let other decide.

A side note here: you do not need to ask my permission to use any of my works. If you feel like it, a proper credit given among your creditors will be I ask for.