don't click here

Sonic Gemini by DM Ashura

Discussion in 'Fangaming Discussion' started by Sonic Warrior TJ, Jul 14, 2009.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Matwek

    Matwek

    Member
    805
    0
    16
    Im happy with the critisism so far, im glad people like the art.

    As for the level design I think that just falls down to limited communication. I just designed the levels then passed it on to the programers not really having much understanding of the process and not quite 100% on how sonic/metal would perform in game. Probably needs to be a bit more comparing of notes.
    Also it is only the second level of a LOT of levels, wanted to keep the learining curve fairly shallow at first. Pretty tricky to judge without the counter weight platforms, crushing pillars and working badniks but are people more in favour of a slow intorduction to the game and its controls or straight from the get go all out character swaping and puzzles?
    Secondly are people more in favour of being able to finish the whole level as one character or the other taking seperate routes, or would they prefer forced character swaps at certain points like Heros?
     
  2. If being forced means more puzzles...I am all for that. Just don't make it so that one character can simply beat the level without the other character's input. That would break the game and the concept.
     
  3. DM Ashura

    DM Ashura

    Oldbie
    31
    0
    0
    Atlanta, GA
    Sonic Gemini
    I personally think that forced is necessary for the game to be worth it ... otherwise we'll have Sonic Advance, where you go "Hey, Sonic can do a flip kick!", do it twice, then never use it again. If you think about Knuckles' introduction, there were parts you *HAD* to glide or climb to get past the levels.

    I think once we've got more stuff implemented, you'll see why Metal will be useful. He'll be able to cross gaps Sonic can't, hit switches Sonic can't, destroy spikes (woo hoo throwback to Sonic CD), etc.
     
  4. Overbound

    Overbound

    Member
    607
    21
    18
    Iowa
    Sonic Time Twisted Creator
    I didn't mind the level design my self. But I will tell you that its a good idea to draw your levels on graph paper first and look at Sonic level maps over and over again for inspiration at least that's how I do it.
     
  5. Black Squirrel

    Black Squirrel

    no reverse gear Wiki Sysop
    8,543
    2,465
    93
    Northumberland, UK
    steamboat wiki
    Low framerates are common with Game Maker games. As are long loading times. I think there's a tool that will clean the game up a bit to make it perform better, but generally you need a reasonably decent PC to achieve perfect results

    My machine couldn't get it above 17FPS except for in bonus stages. It's just one of the letdowns of Game Maker.
     
  6. Sonic Warrior TJ

    Sonic Warrior TJ

    Have an ice time Member
    3,370
    202
    43
    GA
    There's a newer version uploaded with implemented GSI to hide object that are currently offscreen. This keeps the demo running at a solid 60 on my machine (and several others from what I can tell). Just check out the link in my sig to grab it.

    Thanks for joining us Matwek, those are definitely questions that needed to be asked. Before we tear into much more development we need to know what people are looking for in most (if not all) aspects of the game.

    I personally like the amount of exploration that's there, I genuinely enjoy going through it and collecting the emblems (there are five; Later on you'll see these put to better use). I'm trying to look from the outside in, and I almost kind of thing we should drop Sonic's wall jump, so there's more of a need for Metal's vertical air dash to reach higher places. At the moment we just need to polish Metal Sonic to where he doesn't feel as downplayed.

    Though I'm already pleased that it's more fun that the tag teams in Sonic Advance 3. Those might have actually had more relevance if you could switch between partners, rather than play as one with slightly altered moves per partner and a 'Tag Action' that really just wasn't useful for much of anything. The partner was just kinda there for the player to exploit for fun whenever they got bored.

    So far, I feel Metal Sonic is useful, but he does need tweaking and overall improvement. Sonic overpowers him right now.
     
  7. DM Ashura

    DM Ashura

    Oldbie
    31
    0
    0
    Atlanta, GA
    Sonic Gemini
    Actually, GSI doesn't hide objects that are offscreen.

    It destroys them. :3
     
  8. Endri

    Endri

    Officer I don't have my drivers license with me. C Tech Member
    Oh, Chimpo, no. I guess I was misunderstood.

    I didn't meant to attack your opinions by any means. In fact I agree with most, if not all, the things you pointed out, as I've told DM Ashura in the review I made based on the first demo I played. I merely expressed my feelings toward the game, and that I personally think that the fact the game development has just come from the ground should be considered before jumping into precipitated assumptions in future reviews. That been said, I didn't mentioned anything pointing toward you at all, it was something generalized, to avoid lots and lots of people coming over and over saying the same thing. Since you already pointed out about every relevant, there's no pint in people saying it again and again.

    About the loop things I mentioned you, I was merely pointing that SonicCD, in the only two levels that had loop-de-loops, they were misplaced and didn't flow with the rest of the game design (save, of course, some in Stardust Speedway Zone 2), yet it was one of the precursors Sonic games that were considered as one of the bests of its time. Basically meaning that the fact that the loops in Sonic Gemini are in "unfavorable" locations doesn't means the game is, or will be, bad.
     
  9. Matwek

    Matwek

    Member
    805
    0
    16
    I always invisioned the levels being able to be completed only having to use the character switch a copule of times, and for the most part you could play as whoever you choose.
    But, and this is a big 'but'. In order to get the best time trials or discover all the hidden content it would require a lot more character swapping.

    EDIT: although to be honist I'm more likely than not just going to let you two get on with the finner details whilst I get cracking on finishing the tiles for the bext levels.
     
  10. Sonic Warrior TJ

    Sonic Warrior TJ

    Have an ice time Member
    3,370
    202
    43
    GA
    We'll see where it goes from here. Apparently there's more people interested in helping, and I'd like to get better at pixel art so I can assist you in the future. If anything, I now know how to do collision and overall level building from DM Ashura's examples and messing around on my own.

    I need to get MSN, so you and I can start talking art and design with the levels. I feel if we communicated more, things could possibly be going even smoother.
     
  11. Overbound

    Overbound

    Member
    607
    21
    18
    Iowa
    Sonic Time Twisted Creator
    GSI really speeds up the game the more objects you can get on it the better but it can be a real pain in the ass and can make certain things in GM work rather different so if you having any unexplained problems look at GSI. You can always ask me too I have been using it for quite some time now.
     
  12. Chimpo

    Chimpo

    Why is Tekken 6 afraid of Tekken 7? Member
    8,609
    1,465
    93
    Los Angeles, 2029
    Aiming for Genbu!
    Looks like someone hasn't actually played Sonic Advance 3. ; )

    If only one person points something out, then how will anyone know that it's a problem? As far as the people in question will see, they will just think it's a problem with that individual and not a problem on their ends. It needs to be brought up from many different viewpoints as possible for it to become a problem in the first place and then it will be relevant.

    Based on who's opinion? I've seen several others groups point to Sonic 2 as the high point of the series.

    I never said that it makes the game entirely bad, it's just terrible level design and seeing that this game is in the early stages, it can still be corrected and improve upon for its eventual final release.

    It seems to me that you're trying to discourage negative criticism and cover it up by giving examples of other game's mistakes as excuses. I'm not going to sugarcoat my views or just give all the positives. There's a download to a demo, I downloaded that demo, I played the demo, and I gave my personal opinion of the progress of the project so far.

    You can choose to listen, or ignore me, but please don't try to discredit me with your own personal views.

    We're sort of going off topic here so let's take this like gentlemen in the form of private messages if you care to do so.
     
  13. Sonic Warrior TJ

    Sonic Warrior TJ

    Have an ice time Member
    3,370
    202
    43
    GA
    I played Sonic Advance 3 all the way through and got all the Chaos Emeralds. I hardly ever used any of the team stuff, outside of the little hubs. I can see the team stuff being used to find Chao, but I never really felt inclined to do so in the first place.

    Actually, I've got the cartridge right here, it's in my laptop bag, with the other Advance games and Sonic Battle.

    And one of those GBA Sonic X video carts.
     
  14. Chimpo

    Chimpo

    Why is Tekken 6 afraid of Tekken 7? Member
    8,609
    1,465
    93
    Los Angeles, 2029
    Aiming for Genbu!
    And time attacking
     
  15. Sonic Warrior TJ

    Sonic Warrior TJ

    Have an ice time Member
    3,370
    202
    43
    GA
    Those are definitely impressive videos, but I still feel the team stuff was just a convenient extra. I enjoyed messing with them when the game came out, just to see which combination did what, and it's cool that it's so useful time attacking (thanks for sharing, those were fun to watch), but its lack of necessity within the main game left me playing Sonic Advance 3 like any other 2D Sonic game.

    Though now I do feel like playing it again just to toy around, so I guess you got your point across.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.