Special Stage Development

Nah, 85% of it is covered by the tube!



EDIT for T.Q on the Previous Page: And even if we used, I tested, it doesn't get annoying =P.

 

This is why we aren't worrying about "headroom." Eventually the background will likely be turned into a sky box/sphere, and thus would not have to worry about scrolling nearly as much. Just image formatting. Plus, scrolling under this method will be more, well, natural. I would tend to think of such a change as in line with adding animation frames to Sonic's walking animation; bringing it up to a level acceptable for today.

Now if anyone would like to prove how this would be less natural and modern, I would be genuinely interested and likely gossip about such game-centric debate during my free-time. And not in a bad way.

Of course, it's synergy who would be doing this, so the final decision is up to him.

 

This is the 3D special stage from s2mobile, it uses the BG as a Sphere as well as 3D models for the characters!



Also:



Now with transparencies!

 

Since ME's picture is down:

 

Forgot to mention actually that my method does the reverse to what you'd expect: holds the camera and players fixed at the origin in world space and instead rotates and translates the tube model and rings/mines around the origin, which produces the same effect as if you were moving the camera and players along the tube. Thus, if we wanted to be 100% accurate it's simply a question of putting a static plane in the distance along the z-axis that faces the camera, and has a scrolling texture on, like the original. So yes, options a-plenty.

(Edit: Thinking about this, I suppose it means if you decided you wanted to go with billboards for the rings, mines or even the players, there would be no need to calculate any orientations for them: all billboards would just be flat planes on the xy axis, which could speed things up a bit.)

 

I think I've got the mystery of the background cracked. They're supposed to be mirrors, reflecting the bottom half on the top and the top half on the bottom. Furthermore, they are conveniently arranged such that any given mirror reflects the background which comes in through a gap perfectly aligned directly across from it. And if we assume the backside of the mirrors are non-reflective, it makes sense that they would cast shadows... granted, they're casting shadows in the sky, but mirrors casting shadows is still more plausible than windows casting shadows.

In order to get the proper colors in each of the squares using Photoshop:
1.) Take a rainbow gradient background without squares, and place in a layer.
2.) Duplicate the layer and flip the duplicate vertically. Place it in the layer behind the original.
3.) Cut out the square pattern from the front layer.
4.) Move the back layer up slightly.

Below is a very, VERY rough draft of the process. There are no shadows and the hol-- I mean, "mirrors" are not lined up properly, but I think it's sufficient to illustrate the concept.

 

Changes:

Simply a template of corrected diamonds. No stars, no windows at the bottom, no bloom effects, no advanced transparency, nothing. Just the diamonds as I have interpreted them, with the help of Blue Streak and Red Striped Shoes.

Edit: Yes, I know the colors are off. I have other things to do than this—I will have guaranteed time only after this week.

 

Now that's looking more like it, good work.

 

Awesome job!
Transparency even wins. I like these light effects.

 

Mockup time!

 

OH—MY—GOD. What excellent graphical work!
No more words about. Is just excellent the combination of Hamneggs's translucent foreground with your background, ME. If this be the final result, this would be very welcome. (Just saying)
This is simply FANTASTIC.

 

We are going to see if Synergy can wipe up a special stage engine in full 3D so the foreground can be a lot more creative too (see: Sonic Rush special stages =P)!

In fact, I've reached and understood the original shapes too, but you know what? It's too complicated and it's not as pretty as if the diamonds were just side by side as they are. When you think something is ugly, you can change it and show to people, Sonic 2 HD is now undertood not as an HD translation of Sonic 2, but an HD Enhanced version of Sonic 2, the original artists were not perfect too, so if you can enhance it in any way, you must show to the community what is your idea! =D

 

GAH! The transparency is getting me a horrible Sonic Heroes special stage flashback

 

Ok, I personally dislike it, but I made a version using the original layout:



For comparison, the custom layout:

 

I'm not liking the use of flat yellow stripes. If we're interpreting the blue as glass, the yellow is metal support structures. As such, it'd work better with a very slight elevation over the glass surface. Not anything that'd affect gameplay, just make it visible that it's not magic paint. That, and some texture to it... Maybe have the arrows as a slightly depressed, rougher surface.

 

Man that's a mockup only, that art will have to be redrawn entirely if 2d and if 3D we'll have to get new textures etc etc etc! Don't worry too much. That's a nice suggestion tough!

 

Yes, and better to understand what the appearance we want is as early in the process as possible.

 

Instead of simply having that middle section cut off try actually making the shapes blend into the gaps. I'm not sure if that'll look good but it's worth a shot.

 

OOPS, I forgot to assign transparency to the bottom part lol.