How complex should the Landmark design tools be?

The more complicated and complete the system is,
The more that can be created by those in the community with real talent,
The less rubbish there is from half-arsed attempts,
The more varied and enthralling the world becomes,
The longer players stay.

Doesn't appear to be reply to the person I replied to. I disagree that to this statement:

"As for the tools, I would like them to be complex, but I don't want to have to buy a research book just to learn how to use them."

A research book today means an exponential increase of quality tomorrow.

Always more complexity. You can provide simple options or modes for those who are fretful of complex commands, or choices.

I say make them as complex as possible, let the true artists shine with their talents, but also keep it simple enough for anyone to pick up and start building.

Maybe separate modes/tools for Novice and Advanced designers.

Remember the tools with the nwn toolkit? less inventory-juggling, that was awful - but more control on the environment (coloring, texturing, erosion, palcement in FINE steps please). I love the housing in eq2 but tbh the rough steps always made me angry until i happened to figure there is an editor for the housing layouts. A little control on sound ould be awesome as well - not necessarily on edtion but placing might be interesting. I think of areas of magic where you see things n one spot and hear them in a totally different location.
Got the rough idea or was i too inaccurate?

Easy enough that new players can make things without having to spend a week learning it. Think of how many people play The Sims who do nothing but build houses all day long? A toolset like that, that also has some advanced capabilities for people who really want to make some wonderful things..but it has to be easy, or it will turn away new players.

Maybe have a few levels of complexity. players can get familiar with the simple, then work their way up to more complex tools.

*Double Post*

I can't wait for landmark. As an avid EQ2 decorator who spent the majority of time building structures instead of placing chairs I will love it I'm sure. I hope it's easy to use.

I think with the right types of video tutorials available and a 'simple to start but complex to master' type of system it could be almost infinitely complex.

Writing itself is infinitely complex, someone with a pen can jot down a simple note or write a manuscript, but knowing the basics is really all that is necessary at first.

If it is more complex, it would be nice to see some sort of tutorials.

There are a few of us who have CAD and other design software backgrounds that would also be frustrated with a dumbed down design interface. I am sure the Minecraft players would also like an interface that allows them to do much more than they are used to. I agree with Battlebones that if it is possible, make some tools "Advanced" options you can turn on and off. It is always a good idea to cater to all probable user groups if it is possible.

Like any good software tool the basics operations should be simple and intuitive but there is also real power behind what you can do with them.

As complex as possible, but they do need to be accessible. Perhaps with advanced features you can unlock, opt-in to or something, so the more experienced or those willing to put in the work to learn can use them. As long as for the most part it's relatively simple to use or pick up on, I think we'll all be happy. They just need to be powerful, and complex. If we need to sacrifice some simplicity to get there.. well. So be it.

Looking forward to seeing what I can create

If possible, it would be nice if it was a graduated increasing scale of complexity. In the same way you don't start off with an endgame character with every skill available, it would be advantageous to start off with basic functions and progress from there. I think this would be beneficial for a number of reasons.

It would allow people to start off with a minimum toolset. This allows the user to not get overwhelmed. By starting out with basic commands, and by given more commands once those are used successfully, it allows the user an easier roadmap to learning the product successfully.

On the other hand, it saves on requiring a huge download for features that some users will never use. There will likely be a huge response of people that want to try Landmark, but it is likely that there will be significantly less people successful at completing presentable projects. By releasing the product in phases, it would allow for overall smaller downloads. In the simplest example, there is no need to provide the option for smoothing the corners of a stone if the user never places stones in the first place.

Drop generic blocks, reshape them and colour all aspects of them from a full 32bit palette starting with base colours but also allow us to colour smaller, selected parts of a block to add moss like effects <i>and</i> give us a palette of mosses, beetles and other such living things to add as we like. Give us full fire effects and point of lighting radius tools as well as a water dropper to fill recesses. I'd also like a music composer to add user generated sounds to an point of radius specified area.

I would like them to be complex and have real power behind them. Perhaps have different sets of tools depending on how complex you want to make things. A more simple tool for people that don't want as many options.

I went for the option to more complex than minecraft. I think maybe there should be different settings, allow people to choose between complex and no complexity.

Give us a beetle and small creature generator that consists of legs, thoraxes and all other parts that we can modify and add to our blocks.