Game & Map Screenshots 7

[esby]

@Nirwanda Big improvement but I think that there's still room for making it a little better, it's hard to comment on everything without a 1/1 screenshot so I'll offer what advice I can. There's a lot of empty space, the DS tiles are a little smaller than the RTP so don't be afraid to use smaller maps and really cram things in (I genuinely think you could create the same map in half that space). The hill/cliff that the upper houses are on looks odd just being a straight line in both directions and just being a two high tile block, experiment with different shapes and more varying heights. The ground looks pretty bland, I'd use the path tile more liberally around the buildings since there isn't a long grass autotile (for example) to create a little more variation. The overall layout and shape of the buildings could use some work - I'd consider building them around a center point rather than just in straight lines and reduce the number of house types you're using to three at most, preferably two, (this helps create a unique aesthetic for your towns and villages and frees up the other tiles for more towns in future) and instead use the shapes of the houses to differentiate them, you see this a lot in Ronove's maps. If you're a little smarter with sizes and tile choice the DS tiles can look great.

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@Phonantiphon It's really difficult to see anything in those maps, even things that are lit. I'm not sure if it's the tint, lighting effects, the textures or a combination but I'd look at making things a bit less obscure for the player.


@a noble wolf That looks great, I'd like to see the zoomed in version to see how the smaller details hold up.


@Chaos17 Have you considered using a really thin ceiling tile, I'm not that into maps that cut straight to black.


@Musashi Looks really nice but the sun beams are eek! I'd really recommend softening them and setting them at a much lower opacity.

Been working on a space thing recently, I had no idea trying to find the right balance of detail would be so difficult ​

 

[Phonantiphon]

@esby I take your point, it is indeed dark. But I'm a firm believer in the "night == night" school of thought. So all the nights will be dark like a night should be. There'll be more than enough appropriate light sources to provide light.


In actual gameplay this map doesn't actually look quite as dark as that, and there are a fair number of light sources. The thing is the farmhouse where Kell is is in the middle of fields opposite a forest, so the opportunities for general light would be scarce anyway, aside from artificial which only has a certain range.


In the game, dungeons will also be as dark, if not darker, I'm thinking Ys 1 Chronicles levels of dark here...


What I will do though, based on your feedback, is twiddle with the amount of light the sources are giving off. But I doubt I'll change the overall feel that much...


Thanks very much for the feedback though, it's all useful especially for a beginner like me!

 

[Chaos17]

@esby Yup but it isn't my style. I prefer to put a thin and discreet edge instead

 

[Skyforger]

Hey guys, I just wanted to post these screenshots here so you could give your opinion on them. They are also in my birthday bash game thread found here: The Freelands: Moonfall (Skyforger's game) 

Spoiler

Wizard Academy in the desert city of Valinnor.

Fancy inn.

Church of the gods.

At the College of Mages.

King's wartable.

World map is a work in progress.

 

[Sinweaver]

@Skyforger


I must say that those are pretty impressive for non-parallax maps. 


Not too sure how I feel about the.... tower collection(?) in the Wizard academy..


I think the inn would look better without the 2 golden statue near the entrance... the border(not sure how else to call it) around the road seems to be a little odd since they make it look like the road does not lead to the entrance. 


About the world map, is that a snowy field on the same latitude as the desert?

 

[Archeia]

@esby I take your point, it is indeed dark. But I'm a firm believer in the "night == night" school of thought. So all the nights will be dark like a night should be.

I just have to throw my two cents here. The 'night' you're using is over saturated blue that feels like multiplied to a layer. It really hurts the eyes and doesn't feel night at all. Especially at how bright the greens are. The closest to the color scheme you're looking for is around this and it verges more on silhouettes and closest to gray color scheme. The Ronove example is the closest to that color scheme and should've been the basis of a 'night' color scheme. You have to take into accordance the contemporary colors of your tileset+sprites. reflected light and so forth to emulate such effect.

 

[Phonantiphon]

@Archeia and @esby: alright you win, it might for a bit more tweaking!


Thing is I am very driven by color, I always have been and I admit I do kind of really get into it perhaps a little too much. Well I've learned some stuff so I'll go away and see if modifying it a bit works.


Thank you both for the feedback, one of the things I love about these forums!

 

[Archeia]

@Archeia and @esby: alright you win, it might for a bit more tweaking!


Thing is I am very driven by color, I always have been and I admit I do kind of really get into it perhaps a little too much. Well I've learned some stuff so I'll go away and see if modifying it a bit works.


Thank you both for the feedback, one of the things I love about these forums!

I am very driven by color myself and don't follow standard conventions when necessary. But rules are meant to be broken after you apply it correctly. You have to take into mind is if it's going to 'feel good' to play for the player as well. 

 

[Chaos17]

I had to redo the light effect because the previous light effect didn't suit well with the windows in that new classroom #dead


Previous effect (see previous page for previous classroom)

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Second test

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FUSION!!

Need a break, that light gonna be the death of me, lol

 

[Nirwanda]

@esbyThanks a lot for that through feedback I'lltry to apply some of what you told me to the town. I'll admit I got really lazy with building shapes, though th shape f the town is sort of deliberate. There is going to be a defend the town scenario there, so I wanted to make the town a linear path and somewhat open (for npcs and monsters to run in). I'll definitely see if I can make it more visually appeling. Again, thanks a lot!

 

[cabfe]

@Chaos17: Actually, I prefer your 1st version of the lighting.


2nd is nice, but needs to have a longer light reflection on the floor since it's a low sun.


3rd one looks too bright in my opinion, and the light on the floor looks unnatural for this hour now.

 

[Skyforger]

@Skyforger


I must say that those are pretty impressive for non-parallax maps. 


Not too sure how I feel about the.... tower collection(?) in the Wizard academy..


I think the inn would look better without the 2 golden statue near the entrance... the border(not sure how else to call it) around the road seems to be a little odd since they make it look like the road does not lead to the entrance. 


About the world map, is that a snowy field on the same latitude as the desert?

Thank you for your comment!


I like to think about the towers that they are connected by pathways behind the tower so you can't see it. Or a underground passage.


I'm not sure what you mean about the roads at the inn.


And the snowy area in the world map is related to ice dragons

 

[Sinweaver]

@Skyforger

 

[Skyforger]

@Skyforger

Like that?

 

[Sinweaver]

@Skyforger yeah i think that looks much better now

 

[Chaos17]

@cabfe


For me, it's the contrary xD


But I might lower the opacity so it will look less bright (because of plugin option)

 

[Phonantiphon]

Like that?

Shift click mapping rox. 

 

[Luke•°]

Practicing some snow maps.

 

[Aranel]

This lake village is my latest addition to my game, but I feel somethings not right... any tips?
there's only one shipyeard since there's only one other town on the lake the commute with, and that's the only means of contact with the rest of the continent. (as you can see on the lower part of my first continent).

 

[SaiScott]

@Aranel 


I've circled part of your map in red. You could use a bit of shift-clicking there with the water, considering that stone area is raised a bit.