Game & Map Screenshots 5

[Celianna]

Merged with Game & Map Screenshots, please post in the correct topic next time, NathanW.

 

[Kes]

@NathanW

I think the first thing to tackle is the excessive regularity.  Cliffs and woods are just simply not that rectangular, and making things more irregular would be more interesting for the player as they walk through that map.

You have used the wrong water tile.  That one is for just the upper edge of water, to give the impression of underwater cliffs and so an illusion of depth.  The water tile next to it on the tile sheet will give you the smooth blue water you need for most of the pond.

It is difficult to be sure because of the small scale, but it looks like you've used the wooden bridge tile to make the roof of the lean-to.  You have also extended it so far that it looks odd.  If it is a lean-to, then it would only be along the depth of the building, not the building plus roof, so it needs to stop at least one, possibly 2 tiles down.

 

[esby]

@NathanW - Pretty much what ksjp said, try making the map feel organic. Reshape the map so it's not one long stretch of land and have variation in the trees and cliff face, maybe a little difference in elevations. There's one thing that's really bugging me and it's the perfectly symmetrical tiles around the cave entrance, big no no when trying to map natural things.

Yay? school..

 

[Ikari]

@Noah Haha, that's a habit of mine. I'll get rid of that one.

@esbie Wow, that actually looks pretty darn good. Though, on the 2nd screenshot, you should probably try to find a rolling black chair for the teacher, or if you can sprite, try making one on your own I suppose. Either way, in general, it looks great.

Now that I've received feedback on that South Street, I have a somewhat big map I hope will get a lot of feedback on. Also, I'd like feedback on NPCs on the map too, if there's too much or too little NPCs to be moving around and that I need to add more. Thanks, once again! (Don't mind the flower in the 2nd small park, I'm using a script to screenshot it so it'll reflect better in the actual playtesting version.

Spoiler

 

[Alkorri]

Hi there, everyone. Sharm said it was alright to post this. Just wanted to share the mapshot I did while experimenting with Sharm's Pixel Myth autumn tiles from Member+. Sprites are from Lunarea's XP-Ace blends.

Spoiler

 

Here's my comments of the last two three pages of screenshots

 


@wynautastronaut - You probably got your answer already, but I think it's fine that the houses are on the grass. Just look at any neighbourhood and you would see that grass has a way of growing up to the base of the houses. Nice map. I just think you might wanna shift mapping on the roof of the bottom right house, so that it's all even. I also wonder why the ivy is all on the left side of the roof, and not elsewhere? I also think the shore on the top left corner of the map is a bit too 'boxy' and straight.

 

@Nicke - (Cavern of Ice) Looks nice. Depending on whether the cavern is deserted or not, I think the ground looks a bit empty. I like the colour contrast between the sprite and the ice tiles, but would love a bit more contrasting elements, like grey rock etc

 

(Cavern of Fire) I like it, there's room to breathe.

 

(2nd Cavern of Ice) Perhaps you could add wall tiles at the base of the level that the sprite is walking on? I thought it was a floor but then noticed it was an upper level.

 

@Ympker - It's nice to see that you improved a lot I do think the map is a bit cluttered. For instance there are four bushes together.

 

@heimond - (Graveyard?) Wow that is gorgeous. I love the subtle touches of colour here. 

 

@Noai sempai - Hot Springs (larger map) The first thing I thought was: Whoa, that's a lotta trees! Nothing wrong with that, but it's very distracting to me and I would try to make the map less cluttered. I also like that you can access the hot springs from the inn, but judging by that wooden fence, it still looks like outside people can peek in? Your screenshot of a closer view of the inn entrance looks good. I like the subtle overlay. It looks to me that the rightmost house looks a bit empty above the door?

 

@Mirage88 - I really like the mood of those maps. It just feels a bit dark for me, but it looks fine with clear paths to where you need to go. I wonder what those white puffclouds are however.

 

@Mister Big T - Really like that title screen. The only suggestion I would make is that the words 'Save your Mother' be a bit larger/more pronounced?

 

@Seven - I can see that yours is a WIP, so I'll let ksjp and Candacis say it all You could also use Hime's Mapshot script to easily take pictures of screenshots and mapshots. Edit: Just saw your last map. Quite an improvement. 

 

• I still feel there is a lot of empty space which I would fill with flower beds, rubbish bins, benches, NPC activity, and so on, or at worse, make the map smaller. 
• The top left 'lake' in the park also has a strange shape - is there any particular reason why it's like that? (Also, are those NPCs supposed to be in the water?) For a park, this one has surprisingly very few trees.
• South of the top left park are three houses with maroon roofs - The centre one looks like a crate is on its wall?
• Left of the three houses with maroon roofs are two large buildings. Just my opinion, but from this perspective, it looks like the benches are sticking out from the buildings. Perhaps the benches could be placed further or elsewhere?
• I like the bits of clutter (crates, pots etc) beside the smaller houses.
• The park on the bottom right part of the map looks hard to navigate through. It doesn't look like you're giving much space for the player to walk inside? It's like you took all the trees you could have put in in the other park ended up here
• Why do the larger buildings have big gaps instead of doors?
• I'm not sure how I feel about three different houses touching each other unless they're all part of the same house. I rarely see that in real life. I'll let the others weigh in on that.
• I like that you're putting in waterfalls top right of the map (oh wait, or is that some kind of canal or sewage effect?) but I think the splash effect could be one tile higher? I'm not sure what this element is supposed to be; it's not clear what is the purpose for this.
• I think the number of NPCs are just right.

 

@Candacis - I just played your game, and I thought the maps were gorgeous. Clever to use the Big Monster into a decorative statue! 

 

@Halfmoon Media - I've been following your progress and the others' comments, and you're headed in the right direction with your beach screenshot. I just thinks the beach looks a bit too empty. It would help I believe if you moved the centre palm tree a little down and to the left to break up all that empty space. The beach could also use a bit more elements, like driftwood, sandcastles, anything - I can't actually suggest what, because I don't know how secluded this beach is or what time period it's set in. I would also prefer a more natural blending between sand and grass, but that's just my opinion

 

@NathanW - What esbie and ksjp says The village area is far too rectangular. Unless someone has been playing gardener and town planner, trees don't grow in such a straight line, and villages aren't laid out like that either. The cliff with the cave entrance is also box-shaped.

 

@esbie - I love the natural blending of snow and the tiled ground. The only thing I would comment is that the floors whoops walls of the classroom is a bit empty? A picture, perhaps?

 

[Ikari]

Thanks for all the critism! My map looks much better now.

If you'd like to take a look:

Spoiler

 

[Candacis]

That screen is gorgoeus, Alkorri!

I think, now I have to get the Pixel Myth Tileset! And Member+

Are those Sprites also Member+?

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

The eventing is getting very complicated and I want to finish it quick but I have to make it extensible by making it modular so I can just copy-paste the rotation button element that pulls from its surrounding tiles instead of just hard coding it, which would be much easier but it would mean I'd have to hard code it each and every time and I could get it wrong and there could be bugs so it's kind of high risk high reward scenario sometimes, you know

I hope people will like the finished product, and I intend to finish it

 

[Alkorri]

@Candacis - Thank you! Coming from you especially, that means a lot Yeeeees, Pixel Myth definitely needs more love. And yes, the sprites are from Member+ too. I think it's definitely worth it.

@CashmereCat - Ooh, that screenshot looks intriguing. It looks like a puzzle game. Makes me wanna try the game, and I don't even like puzzles!

Edit:

@Seven - That's quite an improvement, so good going. I hope you don't mind, I took your map and added numbers to make it easier to reference.

Spoiler

• Good job on adding more trees to the top left park. I'd still like others to comment on what they think about the arrangement of houses with triangular roofs.
• Does your world have mailboxes? I'm just wondering why the houses each don't have them, or is there a central postal office people go to to get their mail.
• If you look at No 1 to 8, I personally feel that's a lot of pavement with nothing going on there. Try to use that empty space to put benches, some form of decoration like a statue or a tree. Or in No 6 to 8's case, make larger gardens?? The point is, do something with that space.
• No 9 - What is all that space for? It's not a road because pavement is there. Is there any reason why your gardens can't be larger to use up that space? 
• Come to think of it, look at all that pavement near No 5, behind those three houses with the maroon roofs. What is going on there? 
• No 10 - What is the purpose of this island? Think about how that might look in real life. If that was in the middle of the road in towns and cities, they would usually put some sort of decoration like flower beds or a statue with a little bit of green around it
• And finally my own pet peeve, No 11 and 12 I notice nearly every entrance has the road tile end like this, but I would argue that in real life, it wouldn't end like that. For instance, for No 12, you would have to Shift-click to make it look like No 13. Other mappers might disagree, but I would shift map all the entrances to look like No 13. (Obviously smaller for the smaller entrances) 
• In general - everything you put down in a map has to have a purpose. It helps to think what do the people of that city need, and where they would go to fulfill that need. For example, getting messages/letters from other people.

 

[seita]

@CashmereCat I really enjoyed your game for IGMC, glad you're going to finish it.

This is a classroom pre-polish from Stregone Accademia, a magic academy in YANTH.

 

[RaZzi]

@seita: The perspective of the walls is wrong comparing to objects. Imagine adding a door to the gap between the walls on bottom and you realize why. I also don't get those brown things on the walls.

 

[no dur hah]

The title screen for my new game, The Dragon Legacy

 

[seita]

@seita: The perspective of the walls is wrong comparing to objects. Imagine adding a door to the gap between the walls on bottom and you realize why. I also don't get those brown things on the walls.

I'm not worried about the perspective, it's about the style and not the accuracy. Think of it as a partial zelda perspective. The brown juts on the walls are also just the style of the walls.

 

[Anorak]

Just going to pop this here:

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

 

[Alkorri]

@seita - Nice map. Like RaZzi, I also wondered what those brown things on the walls/ceiling were. The eye tends to be drawn to that. Also curious, is there any particular reason why not every place has a stool?

@Noah Senpai - I like that. Did you make that? Don't know about anyone else, but for some reason I keep thinking it would look nicer if 'the Dragon Legacy' part was just a little bit lower.

@Anorak - A gruesome scene! At the top of the stairs, there is at least one cliff corner that looks cut-off though?

 

[Kes]

I'm not worried about the perspective, it's about the style and not the accuracy. Think of it as a partial zelda perspective. The brown juts on the walls are also just the style of the walls.

I'm not so sure that the two are 100% distinguishable.  However, on the horizontal walls you have a clear 'edge' to the tile, like a capping stone.  I would have expected them to be present on the vertical walls as well.  Instead we have the brown bits.  This makes the walls look unfinished, and the junction between the vertical and horizontal walls look strange.

 

[BCj]

@Seita, I think the walls would be better without the brown bit, it draws attention and it's really hard on the eye in combination with the floor. (but that could be because my eye is still recovering from lasersurgery).

 

[Anorak]

@Anorak - A gruesome scene! At the top of the stairs, there is at least one cliff corner that looks cut-off though?

Yeah, I've been meaning to fix that up. Been playing around with the shift-click tiling.

Also, here are a few more screenshots from the prologue of my game. Once again, feedback is much appreciated and needed. '-'

Spoiler

Imgur gallery: http://imgur.com/AaM3Div,xD42l3V,92xCl6V,U4BBeUm,kgp45Hj

(I had been playing around with the shift-click tiling here as well.)

Thanks.

 

[RaZzi]

@seita : Are there reason for the floor to not to continue to align with the wall (same place as that door thing)? Now it gets cut off too early. Also the small stairs look weird when the right end of it is kinda worn off and the left side "starts" straight from the wall.

The criticism is tougher for you because of the very large budget you have.

 

[seita]

I had a bit of a rough time with the disparity between the top of the walls when I first got it from my tileset artist but it grew on me. As for the wall ending soon, it's how the tileset is made. All of the walls are offset down by 16px, or half a tile. I'll be going over all the maps to fix that with a parallax during the polish phase, instead of taking up space on the tileset.

As for the stairs looking weird, that was my fault, I forgot to tile in the left edge, accidentally leaving the center piece repeating all the way.