Hill Top Zone

On the plith, try making 3 equally thick tiers. I wouldn't bother with the moss stuff until the shape is correct. I think it might look better to have less, but more ornate, spindals. Why not try one similar to that purple one I posted earlier, it is also in the Deco style. Above the plith again, the curvature of the railing seems different on the ends from the center, though you covered it up well (jk). Maybe just a decorative spindal at the corners? I would prefer to see a lot more interpretation on this sprite. Good work thus far!

 

The moss looks pretty awesome, but the shape still looks flat because the holes in the diagonal sides of the 3D platform are not the same size as the others... making them look the same size when viewed from the side.

Not sure if I've explained myself. =|



EDIT:

Here's a mockup with the volume "fixed":


Yes, I've also darkened the left handle. I think it also helps with the volume.

 

That's... so different it doesn't look like the same object.


EDIT: Worded it better.

 

Precisely! This is what I was trying to convey. It looks much better, even if not a carbon copy of the original... Now lets turn attention to the spindals.

 

I think ICEknight's example, while it would make more sense, gives more of the impression of the platform being round.
And Canned Karma's version is just straight out round. And while modeling the alternate bottom I did wonder how it would look if I left it like that and just chopped it half way similar to yours. But then I was thinking it would look too much like a saucer or hamburger without the top bun.

Here is the bottom I rendered out and used for my latest version. I was going for an edgy yet soft bevel.

 

Another thing I wanted to mention is that I felt it would look odd having the bottom round and the top keeping its octagon shape. But I'll leave that up to you to decide. Here is my quick attempt to make it more similar to Canned Karma's by chopping my previous post in half and gluing it on to the top.
2nd version has stony texture to it.

 

I've been pretty busy with things lately. If anyone wants to have a go at the vines in the mean time then feel free. But I'll definitely post up something up once I've got it. Shouldn't take too long... just when I've got a bit of time.

 

I really want to vine to look like this:

 

So this is what I had in mind:

 

WHOA! Now I wonder what it would look like if you gave just one of the strands the checkerboard pattern like on the trunk of the tree... I mean, it would make the trunk fit in even better.

 

No, no checkerboards for this one.
To be honest, I wasn't a fan of the checkerboard trunk either. Mainly because it wasn't exactly looking like a trunk organic or otherwise. And it looked too similar to the pillars from Emerald Hill Zone. But it seemed like a lot of people liked it so I bit my tongue.

 

Ah, well it did solve the problem for the time being. Why not add a branch stub or something to the tree, and/or some realistic bark, using that organic-art wizardry of yours?

 

I dunno if you're being sarcastic, but I liked subsubtantive's? trunk and I don't feel I can top it. I don't touch stuff that I don't think I can top. Either that or the art someone made isn't the interpretation that I see. So I can't see his trunk being much more different than his. I'm trying to contribute to what I can in order to kind of get others to join in, but its not really working. :/

I still think something like the vine should be hand drawn.

 

I think the idea is the vines holding this platform are supposed to be a bit weak and flimsy, hence why sometimes the platform falls off.

 

That's a good point. Try making the vines thinner.

Also, maybe the vines could crack as the cart gets further and further down the slope?

 

This. Of course, if you're willing to make enough frames to show the vines quickly unraveling before snapping, your design could probably work.

 

Howabout just having where they connect to the platform really weak, so that they only break there? It would be simpler than that idea.

 

Is it supposed to have an animation? Because if it does I think it would be really awesome if the vines snapped up after the platform fell. Kind of like a rubber band being stretched and then returning to its original shape. You just gotta make sure that it does look like it is something that could damage Sonic because an animation like that could give that impression.