I don't care, both is fine.
Compromise: Variety on natural objects, symmetry on constructed objects.
I'm working on a tileset and a feature of it could be that repeating tiles look a little bit different from each other. Japa of Armok Vision fame added this to dfhack. For example 1 in 10 floors could have a small crack, or a few wall tiles have notable engravings on them, or coffins in your graveyard have a vast selection of designs.
The issue is that the player can't control which floor will have a crack, or which wall-tile with have another icon. It would be procedually generated, with the pre-sets I create.
I'm asking here because a huge sample number is really helpful and because the feature might make its way into the LNP at some point. Main discussion is on http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=161047.1260.
PS: Animations are also possible. Any interest in that?
What I've heard so far is that natural objects, tree-bark/wood, mushrooms, dirt floor, that there people like it; but not in constructions. I added it as a poll option at the bottom.
The coffins were just examples, I wouldn't mix the cataomb-style bottom left with the sarcophagus top right. But what I can do is "right = metal" and "bottom left = rock". TWBT also splits graphics between materials now.
Cool, will be following with interest how things turn out!
I usually prefer a more symmetrical approach but a few decorations here and there can be nice.
In more details, having different tiles for objects that can be assigned to individuals (coffins, chairs, weapons) would be nice, especially if it can be tied with the item's quality, for rp reasons.
On the other hand, for objects that are usualy employed in mass ( walls, floor, maybe tables too), if those decoration appear too oftenly, I'm afraid it would be tiring too look at. On the wall example in the OP the different tiles appear too often for my liking.
Lastly, I 'd like to say that i'm against animated tiles. The reasons are the same as above, having a few tiles changing here and there (like worms do in Phoebus set) is ok but a room (ie tavern,meeting hall) full of creatures moving around while build objects are changing tiles is a no go for me. (I' ve tried using a tileset with altrenating grasses and it was too distracting/ difficult to see what was happening in areas with heavy traffic).
I do that already based on material. I have furniture sets for stone, flux, wood, clay (walls only), metal, silver and gold.
On the wall example in the OP the different tiles appear too often for my liking.
It's just an example, a mock-up if you will.
That why I referenced it. On that example, I like the different decoration but I would prefer if for that length of wall it had about 1/3 or 1/4 of these tiles. That way you could break the monotony without making them appear so often that 1) it becomes a mess 2) become "ordinary".
That can be easily done.
I think animations for the torches would be good to have.
For workshops, I don't think I would want animations unless it was only animated while the workshop was in-use.
I like the variation in the coffins.
I'm not sure if I like the variations on the walls or not. I think wall variations would look great in fortresses with small rooms and short hallways, but in fortresses with large rooms and long hallways, the randomness might not look as good.
I like the compromise option. symmetry in nature is less common and a good representation of conquering wilderness is our ability to create symmetrical works of art and construction that are pleasing to the eye.
Compromise has the most personality.
Is it possible to tie furniture quality to different sprites?