Metroid: Space Complex

[Flower]

Hmm just to give a short response as i am on vacation and have few time: yes it is my own composition. Like i said i am musician, guess that is what i am most talented in. Graphics and level design are new for me as you guessed. I wished your feedback was a little more constructive but i take it as a push in getting better.
I must admit i got a bit unsettled and thought about stopping all af this, and put my free time into something else (music especially). What really upset me is that you believed i stole my own song. Meh. Anyway, I think I will take a breath and start from scratch in the next days. Till then i would be pleased about tipps how to get better.
Bye

[RealRed]

Your levels seem to lack intentionality. Just obstacles and platforms organized to reduce the player's ability to traverse levels quickly. Try to consider how the flow of the levels feels as you play the hack. Also, try to consider what you want out of the levels as you're designing them (Fun, challenging, teaching a mechanic).

If levels are tedious (I'm looking at those 1x1 platform towers), you'll considerably reduce the player's will to track and backtrack.

[Flower]

Yes, that's indeed a valid point. I stuck some freshly built meteorites together and there was no real intention how the outcome should be and hiw the minilevel is gonna look. I'm gonna think about that and design a plan. And how it feels to play.
I had no real trouble with traveling through my level but i understand why you argue with that. Gonna consider that AND all those other things you folks complained about. Thanks

[Grimlock]

Don't be discouraged, you're doing great.  This is an evolutionary process, you're still developing your skills.  I think your pixel art skills are fine, you just need to learn more techniques and methods.  Don't give up, keep working at it, eventually you'll develop a strong skill set.

[Genesis]

And so does it look ingame, i also did some serious changes in my palette choice.

I like how the pallete isn't bright enough to hurt my eyes and isn't dull enough to bore me.
Great job!

[AuroraxPhilic]

It wasn't my intent to discourage you. I'm sorry Flower. :(
I was a bit too harsh. I didn't hate the demo, I enjoyed it more than hate. I'm only angry that you just placed random things together, and called that a demo.
The only reason why I believed you to use a different song, is because most edits that I've seen, involve other compositions. I was going to say that it was obvious that you hate more music talent than anything else...
Not everyone is a good artist or designer out of the gate! You shouldn't scrap this project. Don't be discouraged by stupid ol' me. :P

[Flower]

I spent efforts on my hack and i want to inform about the current state of development.
I wrote two more custom songs for the hack and redesigned a bit the graphics, so they make more sense regarding shape and depth plus adding more details that pop up in the landscape.
I gonna show you an example picture of the graphic works soon.

A Question i have is: Do you wanna hear the new songs immediately i.e. Shall i upload them, or should i surprise you folks and wait for the release? I gonna open a poll for this particular question.
Cheers!

[Flower]

I experimented with shaping and came up with bright, middle and dark areas, plus transitions between those. I build nearly every angle and that almost did use up my tileset for my space area (= Brinstar).
Today i experimented with those tiles and i build some shaping/shadow example, just to see if it works out and i think it's an improvement, plus i broke up the pattern a bit here and there. Next step is refining the graphics which is near the end and then finally build the first area.
Here is an example pic:


Stay tuned! =)

[NeoMasterZX]

The idea is cool! However as the others said you've got some work to do, Not that I have much room to talk about that. But yeah, those stars are crazy, and while it does look really nice, natural landscape bothers me without proper slope detection, which is why I'll use an artificial setting for my hack. (Space Station or the such) As Auro said yeah the music doesn't fit that particular area. I'd love to help test this thing as it goes along!  :grin:

[Grimlock]

The tiles you added to break up the pattern look good, that's exactly what I was suggesting, nice work!

[AuroraxPhilic]

Actually Flower, give the music you make to me via PM. I can tell you where the music needs work, and what areas it'll fit. I'm good with understanding music. (Believe it or not)

[Flower]

I'm good with understanding music. (Believe it or not)

Haha ok that makes two of us!

Actually Flower, give the music you make to me via PM.

I think about that, maybe it's a nice idea.

and while it does look really nice, natural landscape bothers me without proper slope detection

@snarfblam came up with a solution for that issue and i hope i can benefit from that soon!

Regarding the stars:
I gave them a rework too, they are less in amount now and have a bit more variety in size. I still like the idea and want to implement them in the space area.

I experimented with shaping and came up with bright, middle and dark areas, plus transitions between those. I build nearly every angle and that almost did use up my tileset for my space area (= Brinstar).

As there are nearly no animations yet in the graphics i think about using Banks 2-4 either for more tiles for Brinstar or spending them on other areas, and have more variety in tiles there or more complex animations. @Grimlock What are your experiences with that?



As soon as there are things to test i'll keep you informed!!

[Grimlock]

Don't work on the animations yet, wait until the new version of Editroid is released (soon).  For now just work on graphics and area designs.  Try to make each area look unique and different from the others.

With the new Editroid you can have a larger number of tiles dedicated to each area and cycle between then with CHR swapping.  You can also use as many frames as you want for animations.  So for that I'd wait.

[NeoMasterZX]

wait until the new version of Editroid is released (soon).

Oooooh I like the sound of that news grim! I've been waiting for that and it sounds like Christmas is coming early!  :grin:

[Flower]

wait until the new version of Editroid is released (soon).

Oooooh I like the sound of that news grim! I've been waiting for that and it sounds like Christmas is coming early!  :grin:

Yepp, that's a huge one! =) looking forward

[NeoMasterZX]

I'm hoping the combo and structure editor is a bit larger, as well being able to zoom in on a screen. Will this version have the advance "door" technique that Grim came up with?

[Flower]

Will this version have the advance "door" technique that Grim came up with?

What do you mean by that? Advanced door transitions or just having multiple pathways, cause i guess you could have that with Editroid 3. 7 as well!?

[NeoMasterZX]

I'm talking about the one that makes multiple pathways. It'd be really cool if that was something that could easily be applied because even with step by step instructions it looks monstrously complicated for some one like myself. (with no real hacking knowledge outside of what editors in general immediately present.) 

[Flower]

Yes indeed it IS possible with the resources already available. Let me lend you a hand if i can help you out with that.

[NeoMasterZX]

I won't really be worrying about that in my first hack or so. I'll stick to simpler stuff for awhile till I get the hang of it, however I really do appreciate the offer! :grin:
If anything I'd love some of those recharge stations. But I'd be repeating myself if I said about keeping my first hack simple.

[Flower]

Prototyping for a new area.
One colour left, maybe for some liquids, what would you suggest?

EDIT: Additional tile ideas for that area, with 3 palette choices i played with:

[Quietus]

You could have something bright greenish in colour, making it look corrosive or toxic.

As for the three colours, both of the top two look good, but the third doesn't look as good. I think it's because the greens are too vibrant, and don't look like they have the same gradient as the others, making it all look one colour.

[Flower]

You could have something bright greenish in colour, making it look corrosive or toxic.

Gonna try that!

EDIT: i tried but how can i get it to look more like a liquid?

the third doesn't look as good. I think it's because the greens are too vibrant, and don't look like they have the same gradient as the others, making it all look one colour.

This also came into my mind!
It's got too little contrast.

[Scout1297]

This also came into my mind!
It's got too little contrast.

Try using the top-right-most blue with darker greens, when in doubt ALWAYS try to use that blue, that blue is really essential for contrast and shading.  :wink:

That blue even works well with browns and reds in some cases, just play around with it and you will see.

[Flower]

This also came into my mind!
It's got too little contrast.

Try using the top-right-most blue with darker greens, when in doubt ALWAYS try to use that blue, that blue is really essential for contrast and shading.  :wink:

That blue even works well with browns and reds in some cases, just play around with it and you will see.

I already did, but i am afraid of abusing it to the shit ;)
EDIT: actually, why not?

Thanks for the tipps though!!