Ok.. :)
I like those ideas, can't wait till we can start the work. :) But I think this year's X-Mas is a bit too close for a deadline..
The Game World
Since there isn't much else going on with this just now, I sketched out some concept art for a prototype of the Ep. 3 map.
Here.
I tried to make the buildings look kinda Miragia-ish. I'm not overly fond of the bridges, really.
Unfortunately, there's no way we can devote the amount of tiles it'd take to make it this detailed.
Here.
I tried to make the buildings look kinda Miragia-ish. I'm not overly fond of the bridges, really.
Unfortunately, there's no way we can devote the amount of tiles it'd take to make it this detailed.
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CommanderSpleen
- Posts: 1017
- Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2003 12:11 pm
- Location: The Land of Sparkly Things
- Contact:
Woah. It's like Keen6 all over again! That tower in the middle would absolutely rock.
I'm sure we can manage stuff like this without running out of tiles... we've got about 200 or so tiles we can work with for the map (the 143 at the top, and the 60-odd using the black tiles at the bottom)... these buildings would usually take up something like 10-12 tiles each, and I'm sure we can take that down to something like 6 if we can manage to use tiles two or three times for a single level (ie. roofing, walls). That large tower in the middle takes about 13 tiles as it is, but if those tiles are used in other levels we can save tiles in the long run, and if we lose the detail from the top the corner bits at the bottom can be reused there to bring the total down to 11. And, in fact, the front of the top is used three times (twice at the bottom, which I already took into account) so that brings the total down to 10. and with some reworking, I'm sure it could come down in size even more dramatically.
Anyway, such specifics don't matter too much for the time being. Let's keep some concept art flowing... I have my scanner functioning now, so whatever I can draw up I'll post here more or less immediately.
>Commander Spleen
I'm sure we can manage stuff like this without running out of tiles... we've got about 200 or so tiles we can work with for the map (the 143 at the top, and the 60-odd using the black tiles at the bottom)... these buildings would usually take up something like 10-12 tiles each, and I'm sure we can take that down to something like 6 if we can manage to use tiles two or three times for a single level (ie. roofing, walls). That large tower in the middle takes about 13 tiles as it is, but if those tiles are used in other levels we can save tiles in the long run, and if we lose the detail from the top the corner bits at the bottom can be reused there to bring the total down to 11. And, in fact, the front of the top is used three times (twice at the bottom, which I already took into account) so that brings the total down to 10. and with some reworking, I'm sure it could come down in size even more dramatically.
Anyway, such specifics don't matter too much for the time being. Let's keep some concept art flowing... I have my scanner functioning now, so whatever I can draw up I'll post here more or less immediately.
>Commander Spleen
Nice :)
Although, I was thinking of something more like Coruscant from Star Wars... But with most of the buildings on floating rocks. Basically, the earlier levels would be closer to the ground (or water), and the levels would consist of being in the buildings, and jumping between them. Gradually, you would get higher up in the buildings, and possibly even revisit ones you've already been too (but way higher up).
Also, I was thinking today... that maybe we could have a side-view map.
That's a VERY rough idea of what it's like. Basically, you can have paths between certain buildings, but since a lot of levels would move up a lot in a building, you would have 1 door tile above the path to be a door, and... Damn, I suck at explaining. Here's an image:
Complete with messy grid! Whoo!
Ok, basically:
Door tiles = mask tiles.
Light-grey = path.
Dotted path = inside the building. Foreground tiles.
If you don't understand what I mean (I completely understand if you do, I really suck at explaining things XD), then tell me, and I'll try to.. erm.. explain better :P
Although, I was thinking of something more like Coruscant from Star Wars... But with most of the buildings on floating rocks. Basically, the earlier levels would be closer to the ground (or water), and the levels would consist of being in the buildings, and jumping between them. Gradually, you would get higher up in the buildings, and possibly even revisit ones you've already been too (but way higher up).
Also, I was thinking today... that maybe we could have a side-view map.
That's a VERY rough idea of what it's like. Basically, you can have paths between certain buildings, but since a lot of levels would move up a lot in a building, you would have 1 door tile above the path to be a door, and... Damn, I suck at explaining. Here's an image:
Complete with messy grid! Whoo!
Ok, basically:
Door tiles = mask tiles.
Light-grey = path.
Dotted path = inside the building. Foreground tiles.
If you don't understand what I mean (I completely understand if you do, I really suck at explaining things XD), then tell me, and I'll try to.. erm.. explain better :P
I was thinking more along the lines of Miragia, from Commander Keen, but floating. ;)
*ducks flying bricks*
Anyway, I went ahead and drew out some more, this time a little closer to the matter at hand.
A house. Presumably for slugs.
Similar to the old houses, but different. The beauty of it is that if the tiles for it were designed properly, they could be reused over and over, i.e. a raft, a tree, a random log on the ground, a bridge, stairs, a wall, a tower, any other random buildings you want, etc. If we use the teleport within a level patch and change the graphics accordingly, we can essentially have these also function like in Keen 4.
*ducks flying bricks*
Anyway, I went ahead and drew out some more, this time a little closer to the matter at hand.
A house. Presumably for slugs.
Similar to the old houses, but different. The beauty of it is that if the tiles for it were designed properly, they could be reused over and over, i.e. a raft, a tree, a random log on the ground, a bridge, stairs, a wall, a tower, any other random buildings you want, etc. If we use the teleport within a level patch and change the graphics accordingly, we can essentially have these also function like in Keen 4.
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JosephBurke
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2003 9:51 pm
A home for the slugs too.
He most likely meant the map, KeenRush. ;)
Looks great so far guys. :)
I'd offer suggestions too but I'm not to keen on the plots finer details.
Looks great so far guys. :)
I'd offer suggestions too but I'm not to keen on the plots finer details.
Hmmm..
Oh.. Eh, heh.. :o
Well, I haven't thought about that.. Hmmm, nothing comes to my mind.. Arg.. Does this one detail crash our plans? :)
Well, I haven't thought about that.. Hmmm, nothing comes to my mind.. Arg.. Does this one detail crash our plans? :)
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CommanderSpleen
- Posts: 1017
- Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2003 12:11 pm
- Location: The Land of Sparkly Things
- Contact:
Map
A top-view map would do fine, I reckons. The start and end of combo-building levels could perhaps contain lifts that lead to the next part of the map... however, once Keen is across, there's no turning back... that could get interesting. Though it's sort of unrealistic, as the lift is always there as far as the player is concerned... perhaps we can simply allow Keen to move across those areas without necessarily having any visible lift on the map... or else we could simply place bridges that Keen needs to turn on in order to leave the level...
>Commander Spleen
>Commander Spleen