Zone 01 : "The Mandatory Green Level"

Obviously Rika practically designed this zone.. but he is quitting the project and allowing us to still use his art. Are we going to continue working on his art or are we starting from scratch??

 

Is this question being directed to the community?

Personally, I don't see why we shouldn't continue improving on his artwork, but this is exactly the reason why we need more solid leadership here. These kinds of decisions should be made by project leaders since the community as a whole won't entirely agree on something.

But along with solid leadership, project leaders should have clear, yet similar ideas on what they want in this project. If each leader has a different idea on what this project should be like, we aren't going to get anywhere. Leaders should also be more active and discussing things privately so a compromise can be reached.

Regarding the artwork done so far, I'm seeing things like "wow, that's great stuff" and "I don't really like the way it looks" from different members, but no decisions have been officially made by the project leaders on whether to keep the changes or try something else. I'd like to contribute to some of the artwork, but I haven't heard any word on what is staying and what isn't. There isn't a guideline and it's hard to contribute something when you aren't entirely sure what you're working with.

 

<!--quoteo(post=252254:date=Dec 1 2008, 06:33 AM:name=roxahris)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roxahris @ Dec 1 2008, 06:33 AM)
This is very detailed. It actually doesn't seem to match the rest. In fact...[/quote]

My biggest problem with this screenshot is that the background has too much contrast or something. Visually, my eyes are drawn to the rocks in the background first and foremost instead of the level tiles in the foreground. A quick edit to help improve that:

 

<!--quoteo(post=252963:date=Dec 3 2008, 05:42 PM:name=BlazeHedgehog)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BlazeHedgehog @ Dec 3 2008, 05:42 PM)
This is very detailed. It actually doesn't seem to match the rest. In fact...[/quote]

My biggest problem with this screenshot is that the background has too much contrast or something. Visually, my eyes are drawn to the rocks in the background first and foremost instead of the level tiles in the foreground. A quick edit to help improve that:


[/quote]

Yes! This awfully reminds me of Bridge Zone, good work. But, I think you should make it a little less blue and more visible, a mid-term in between those two, also the steam spray that Overlord mentioned would be a great addition, I'll work on that.

 

Any chance something could be done where the spray and general cloudly-ness of the background gets denser as you head into the level, ending with a large waterfall in the foreground, then becoming clearer as you pass it and move on?

 

I think the reason the background waterfall cliffs stand out the way they do to you is simply because of the way the mockup was done. During gameplay, I think it would look fine.

 

But look at the screenshots posted at the top of this page: The background is never the same color as the foreground. It's always a little bit darker or a little bit brighter.

Rika's mock-up uses the exact same colors for both layers.

 

Yes, let's ignore both Green Hill Zone and Emerald Hill Zone that both share both brown and green shades between the background and foreground.

Also, on my mock up only the greens are shared IIRC.

 

GHZ and EHZ may share shades, but they manage to use them in such a way to where the background is still darker-looking than the foreground.

Your background looks like it could be part of the foreground. It's just a simple color tweak, it's not like I'm condemning your art or anything.

 

I feel we cant really call this a tropical zone without trees. I know we have the original 'palmtree' sorted out for this but I think we should has a big tree with long branches on which sonic can jump on like platfrom. To reach high places in the game. Here a quick mock up.

I have started a base of the tree.

And here it is on the current screenshot.

 

That actually suits a lot better in the autumn zone.

 

I like it, just maybe not for this zone. Would be good to have the background trees matching the foreground trees except you can actually jump on them and interact with it.

On a side note, seen as I have managed to get myself into a position where im expected to joint lead this project (I blame drink and not turning off the computer) I thought now would be a good time to make a differance. If you haven't already please read mine and Jayextee project plan in the pinned topics, anything you disagree with or felt was missing let one of us know.
Also I started compiling all the work so far for the tropical zone, if you posted it already theres a good chance I have a copy but I would also like peoples concept work, sketches, diagrams that sort of thing, any preliminary work you did thats in the form of an image of sorts. I'll be sorting it out at some point tomorrow and hopfully making it avaliable so everyones on the same wave length and has the same concept work to refer back too for inspiration.
Only for the Tropical Zone though, I'll do the rest at a later date.

Edit: oh and if you want, send a private message about zone names as well. I'll compile a list as we go but I would prefer to keep that sort of thing out of the general topic untill such a time that its necessary.

 

Heh. Leadership. I know a bit about that. I would if I could, but I'm in no place to here. However, I will continue to point out things that I see fit and that should probably go along with this project.

I think a tree of that caliber is just too big for this stage. Sure, we could use it to access secrets and such, but I think it looks a little too bulky for the rest of the stage. Using JUST the top of the tree as a platform (yay, tropical trees) would also create for some interesting level design... hrm... I think this one's a bit tough.

And now a few personal suggestions...

Focus on the level and design right now. The moment that's all planned out, I feel that the full acts should be worked on at the same time as the badniks. This way, after seeing what design decisions we come up with, we can create some appropriate enemies for the areas. And be colorful! And use animal clichés as well... Sonic's been missing that for a few years now.

 

I agree with that, badniks should be designed with the zone in mind.
For example Emerald Hill zone is a fairly basic zone with not much in the way off traps but that is countered by the agressive nature of the badniks, Like wise casino night is all about traps and gimmiks leaving the (only) badnik best suited to be more defensive, then later levels such as metropolis up the stakes by having traps and badniks that activly attack you.

 

I'm loving the tree idea! Perhaps even throw in a few trees that Sonic can walk through like in Wood Zone.

 

<!--quoteo(post=253140:date=Dec 4 2008, 06:02 AM:name=Kamon62)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kamon62 @ Dec 4 2008, 06:02 AM)
I have started a base of the tree.

And here it is on the current screenshot.
[/quote]

Honestly, look at that just makes me realize how much is being crammed into one level. The background alone already is a monstrosity. That obvious rip-off from Sonic CD needs to go for one, as it is exactly the same thing we saw from Sonic cd(a bunch of bushes in the front with the very vertical mountains with streams of water going down them). If this is supposed to be in the spirit of a true Sonic game, that needs to be realized as I doubt they'd just touch up the same background all over again.

And elaborating on the cramming, the tree just shows off how much is in the one shot. You got what practically looks like TWO backgrounds in one, with the one in front being a little too big, which adds even more to this sort of "cramped" feeling. I think the whole thing needs to be redone by taking a few steps: removing that redone SCD BG, get a better perspective of exactly how far back the background reaches, and simplifying any ideas for the background more into "one". For example, Sonic 1 had just water, then the mountains in the background with the bushes and the water streams coming down. Sonic CD was practically the same, with water reaching out back then you got mountains. Look at Sonic 2, and you notice that the water reaching back idea was used again, only instead this time it was a field. What helped a lot in all these backgrounds is the scrolling helped make it looks like it was several layers. And with how distanced it was from the player it felt more open while at the same time exotic..or something :p

Point being is, the current one feels to in your face and not really anything that would scroll. The way I see it now, you got those tall waterfalls with the mountains up front, then in back of that being the huge ocean that stretches out back that you have seen in the previous titles, only this time it's not noticeable, just implied. Then suddenly the SCD PPZ background appears. I can only imagine how much space is between the mountains up front and the ones in the back, but it seems pretty unnatural looking.

I hope I made myself somewhat clear...

 

*Update!*

I had another idea for our tree, Spirals! Like in the transition between sky sanctuary and death egg zone in Sonic & Knuckles; you can run up it and you start running around it. This would be great to reach high places. It took me ages to design with the spiral concept and what not. I used the thin logs as a base for this. Also, I'm starting to think this won't fit in this zone, should I maybe but it in the Canadian zone or Rain forest ruins?

 

More and more this idea seems perfect to the Autumn Zone, why don't you transfer ir there?

 

<!--quoteo(post=253611:date=Dec 5 2008, 09:10 PM:name=Kamon62)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kamon62 @ Dec 5 2008, 09:10 PM) [/quote]

The spiral design kinda looks like something from a Lemmings level, but I like it. It may fit better in the Canadian Zone.