Pirate Bash Brothers: Gladeators

[Rayman3DS]

Why was i never added to the music list?
Oh well

[Shrooblord]

You made a proposition to create music? Sorry I must have overlooked it!
What were you going to make exactly? Or shall I just put you down as a 'musical scorer'?

[Spanex]

I should probably get on with making plants now.

[Shrooblord]

Yes I was going to propose we start working on this quite vigorously now. I'll come up with a few concept artworks for a few levels I'd like and then I'm going to ask the modellers to create a basic look of that level for us - don't make it detailed, just keep it simple. That should get us at least somewhere. Then maybe we should get going with the programming too. I'm still not sure what language to use so I'm going to give a big shout out to the people out here:
WHAT PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE WILL WE USE?
This is quite important to decide so we know our limitations and so we know our advantages. Once decided, I think we should begin creating the basic physics for the game: gravity, inertia, explosion effects, etc. and code that into the game. If we have that, maybe we should start with the movesets. Begin with a character that looks like a few blocks - like a LEGO-man for example. Then use this dummy as a test character for the moves.

I hope we can finally get this gig rolling at full speed!

[beebo44]

Holy cow I forgot about this place! I've had my Mr Dark sketch with a moveset for a while now, but our new printer is fucked up so I can't scan ANYTHING at all.

[Shrooblord]

Deary me, could you guys then at least help me get started? Please, I have no idea where to begin - point, and I'll learn. If I learn, I can begin. And if I begin, hopefully you'll follow, and then we can actually lift this project into activity.
I know I sound demanding and I believe myself to be it too - usually I would not rely on the work of others to get something done, but I fear this time I have such little knowledge about the subject, 3D games, that I cannot myself commence creating it.

Alright then, instead of beginning with the programming, let's begin with the first arena. I will very clearly describe one and hope that one of our art people can then make a sketch of it for me. Then I will try to flesh it out in 3D and I'll ask that3Dguy to finish the rough version up for me.

So, here's an idea for an arena.

Forest of Sleep
This level is played out on the treetops of a forest in the Glade of Dreams. Picture this: there are scenic branches coming from the background that hold up platforms of leaves that the players can fight on. There are different levels on the playing field, for a total of three stories. The first one has quite a few smaller platforms spread out across the bottom of the map, the second one has three platforms and the top floor consists of one single platform in the middle of the playing field at the top. Some of the platforms have spots covered with brown leaves. These can either be covering up holes allowing the player to fall through (intentionally or accidentally), or they're hiding places for some kind of item or something. Some of the platforms are not leaves resting on branches, but they are just the branches themselves, creating a tiny place to stand on, which may be of tactical advantage. There are also pods hanging from overhead branches (possibly unseen) which will release sleep-inducing spores from time to time. The natural enemies here are spiders, usually the baby ones, but occassionally a giant. Therefore there are also spider's webs hanging around that can be used as trampoline when jumped on from the top. They can be jumped through from the bottom and if they are verticle they can be used to climb on. Spider's webs on the ceiling may also be used as hangable surface. The main problem for the players in this arena is the sleep pods, which will give their opponents moments in which you are vulnerable, spiders, which may fling you off the edge and the holes that could be underneath the patches of brown leaves.

So there's an idea - I do hope someone will be able to sketch it up for me so I can make it into a level. Do remember that you should consider tactical areas, possibly add or avoid bottleneck areas, create opportunistic parts in the level, etc.. Think like a fighter and think about what you could use or could really do without in certain parts of the arena and then purposefully add these.
I will also request for either a detailed sketch which I can use as a blueprint for the level or for a not very detailed sketch which I can use as a reference image. Preferrably I'd have the blueprint, of course, but don't worry about it if you can't seem to make one. But please keep in mind all the abovementioned things that should be in the level, as well as the tactical (dis)advantages that you could put in.

Could anyone please tell me if they object to this plan of approach, and if so, come with a better one? I feel like I'm the only one trying to start this project here - and I know this is not the case; you've shown enthusiasm, will and true belief in the concept of this game - and now we must show action. Let's make this game!

[ikke471]

I could do a blueprint... Not blue though
do you want nenuphars in it?

[Shrooblord]

I guess it could do with some of those. Use them sparingly though; the more tiny platforms we have the more annoying the stage becomes. And thanks!

[ikke471]

'k
it will be handrawn (I don't have a tablet.. Yet)
is that allright?
I can't start it right now probably sometime this week...

[Spanex]

To be perfectly honest, I think this topic had lost it's majority of active people...at least I haven't heard from them in here anymore for almost a month now. Sorry Shroob.

[Shrooblord]

Ah yes alright. That explains.
Then we will just have to keep going without them. I am seriously not letting go on this until I don't want to continue with it myself - and I will only do this if I find a successor to take my task in their hands - someone I deem determined enough to actually push it further than I could.

... yeah. Well, not just yet though.
Yes, ikke, that's fine. What size paper were you going to do it on? Don't make it too small - I'll need to be able to upscale it so I can base my 3D off of it and this requires it to not be a tiny size or else it will lose its quality in the upscaling. Also, don't bother to fill in spaces with detail - you know, don't add shades with dark marks of pencil (arceren in Dutch); that will most likely only be of annoyance or block me from seeing what the picture is about.

[ikke471]

Is A4 paper big enough... I can't scan bigger papers in..
Ok no shadows but lot's of detail.. Gotcha

[Spanex]

Is A4 paper big enough... I can't scan bigger papers in..
Ok no shadows but lot's of detail.. Gotcha

There is a cool little trick to make a scan bigger on screen than on paper. Look into your scanner's options for Resolution and set it on more than 200 dpi. 300 is ideal, and 500/600 is so huge that MS paint will crash trying to handle it.

[ikke471]

Ah thanks I will try that!

[Spanex]

You can do the same in Photoshop right after scanning the image, though this might come at the cost of quality.

[ikke471]

Well I don't have Photoshop (yet)
I will probably use paint

[beebo44]

I don't have Photoshop either. I have GIMP 2 though. Hey Shroob I'd love to upload some of my sketches but currently I don't have a working printer. I should really get a tablet and fix up the issue with my comp not reading USB's.

[Shrooblord]

Well, ikke, don't sweat over the details - it's good to be able to see what's going on, but if it's too time consuming or if it's obstructing you in any way, forget about it. It's a blueprint, sure, but not an absolute rocksolid this-is-how-it-should-be-and-there's-no-other-way-about-it drawing. Just draw what feels right, I guess.
I think A4 should be fine; listen to what Spanex has to say though.

And sure, beebo, I'd like to have your sketches if you get your equipment working. Maybe there's an internet café you could go to, or can your school help in any way?

[ikke471]

i'll start on it tonight ok?

[Shrooblord]

Whatever, whenever - just GET IT DONE.
Lol no that's fine. When do you think it will be done? Just to see if I can use it as a timefiller while I wait for RO or if I'll be making the level after I get the game (which is hopefully Thursday).