Vilya's Blog - Improvement Suggestions [Spoilers about future content]

MrChocodemon

Handsome Moderator
Heyho, this title sounds propably a little weird as i don't want to suggest another way to make posts or what information should be given, but comment and suggest on the work shown.

Why not just post a comment below the Blog Post?
Because i can't upload pictures as easily in there and discussion is a lot easier here.

Why not post it in the original thread?
1) Suggestions in the suggestion thread. 2) I'd the fill the thread faster than Vilya would make new Blog Post and then the announcements would go lost in the suggestions.



My first suggestions are in regard of the newest Blog entry: The Lobby
or to be more precise the final picture/version of the room.
05 - Room Fin.png

I have 4-5 points i want to adress knowing that the Team might already have thought about it or reworked it.

This is a handy look on the "areas" i have suggestions for.
05 - Room Fin X.png

Let's start

1) The Ledges - They cover the bushes on the sides, but not the the ones above... shouldn't it be the other way around or so that both get covered? Yes, the patches of dirt are a little covered, but as a floor texture i don't think they convey hight that good as a vertical object.
I think it looks kind of weird and could look better if the top bushes get lowered a little so the ledge covers them creating a more 3D feeling.

2) The Hills - Hills? Bumps? Wrinkles? Doesn't matter. Why just on the ledges? the whole room has a leveled floor. Smooth as cut glass. Yes there are stones and grass, but the overall feeling is that the floor is flat, just not on the walls... Those small heaps look really good, but in overall picture it looks a little off.

3) Grass everywhere, but not there - The sidewalkes don't have grass on the ledge. First i thought it was because the object is not high enough, but then i saw that the stones aren't really any higher.
This needs grass.

4) The Vines and the Wall - These three entrances look gorgeous. But why do the vines stop just at the right angle going to the other doors? I can really understand why the other doors don't have vines, but it looks so unnaturaly clean right beside this uproar of nature. "I CLAIM THIS DOORS AS MINE, BUT NOT ANY FURTHER"

5) The Optional - I have not marked it in the picture, as it regards the whole room and propably the whole dungeon.
Regarding the Fall as a season; i really miss the leaves on the ground and in the fountain. I don't expect a physics engine which dynamicly places leaves and let's the react to movement and attacks but some leaves in the water would be nice. Those shrubs are bald dammit! Where did all the leaves go?


Ps: Do you have Leaf/Snow/etc -Golems that materialise out of leaves/snow/etc from the floor? No? ok.
 
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Vilya

Developer
Staff member
Thanks for the great suggestions! We'll definitely take them into consideration and might add/edit some of them into the final-final version of the room(s) :)

Keep 'em coming!
 

GarlicJelly

Friendly Moderator (Formerly known as GoodStuff)
I'm trying to stay away from the blog posts so I can get a sense of the art inside the game as I love the feeling of walking around in a game and just be amazed by the wonderful environment around me. With that said I'm still here.... Anyways this is just what came to my mind as I read this and I'm pretty sure you've already thought about this but will there be piles of leaves to "dive" into from the jump ledges in the Fall Season? That's just one of those tiny details that really enhance the feeling of a game. :p
 

MrChocodemon

Handsome Moderator
I'm trying to stay away from the blog posts so I can get a sense of the art inside the game as I love the feeling of walking around in a game and just be amazed by the wonderful environment around me.
Should i maybe put a spoiler warning in the title?
 

GarlicJelly

Friendly Moderator (Formerly known as GoodStuff)
Nah, I knew that it was a spoiler from the title. I just couldn't keep myself from looking. I'm so hyped for the new temple. XD

Besides I'm the type of guy that like to share my thoughts and ideas. Discussing things like this is one of the things I love about game developing. :p
 

Cheynas

Rabby
Anyways this is just what came to my mind as I read this and I'm pretty sure you've already thought about this but will there be piles of leaves to "dive" into from the jump ledges in the Fall Season?

Seconded on that.
Having a pile of leaves to jump down into from ledges would be a fun little thing.
Autumn.png


However, in some rooms it probably won't be a good idea to add them, due to no trees nearby to de-leaf for it.

Alternative thought, pushing a pile of leaves off from the edge to make a soft landing?
 

Own

Moderator
The only problem with that is we've never had fall damage in the game before, it would be a little confusing if you suddenly needed something to break your fall.
 

GarlicJelly

Friendly Moderator (Formerly known as GoodStuff)
Who says you need fall damage to jump down a pile of leaves? I don't see a problem with jumping down into a pile of leaves and disappear for a split second before my character goes "Peekaboo!" and pops his face out from under all the leaves. It's just a fun cosmetic thing.
 

Own

Moderator
Oh, I though tthe implication was you couldn't leap off a ledge without leaves being under it as a game mechanic. Oops.
 

MrChocodemon

Handsome Moderator
Temple of Seasons F3 - Puzzle 4

This is the final sketch
04%2B-%2BSummer%2BFin.png

and this is the first sketch
01%2B-%2BSketch.png


The only improvement, there needs to be, is the different levels of hight on the two lower Platforms are not really distinguishable.
As you can see in the sketch there seems to be vine/rank of some sort, which will be propably animated by Fred and is therefor not present in this first look, but the balcony on the lower left of the room is as flat as can be.

I, sadly, don't have any talent as an artist and so i can only make this bad paint suggestion
1.JPG 2.JPG

Or maybe somewhat of a shadow?
But it has to be a little less flat.
 

MrChocodemon

Handsome Moderator
I feel a little like a moron not noticing it on other ledges, but you have "lower ledge" which gives a more 3D look.
ledge.PNG
You propably decided against it, as you can't see the foundation of the lower "balconies", but i wanted to note it and apologize, as you propably made the decision against it already.

Also, i love the thorn fence in the new Room
fence.PNG
 

Cheynas

Rabby
I feel a little like a moron not noticing it on other ledges, but you have "lower ledge" which gives a more 3D look.
View attachment 356
You propably decided against it, as you can't see the foundation of the lower "balconies", but i wanted to note it and apologize, as you propably made the decision against it already.

Well, when you pointed that out I couldn't help to notice...

edgecrop.png

Now it bugs me a lot, not seeing that lower ledge there.
I can understand not drawing it on the left side, due to perspective, but on the right side it should be drawn.

Could be the perfectionist in me talking though...
 

Vilya

Developer
Staff member
Thanks for your suggestions! As always, we take everything you say into consideration :)

Regarding the lower ledges, I put vertical ones on the lower platforms from the beginning, but when the room was done we thought they looked even more weird that way, so we decided against it. I can honestly say I'm not happy with it either way, 'cause like you say it looks weird that they're visible on the top platform, but not on the others. I'll keep experimenting and see if we can come to some workaround! :)

Putting shadows around the lower platforms seem like a good idea for giving them more depth!
 

Cheynas

Rabby
Gimping around a bit gave me this as a suggestion.

Kind of plain, but a potential solution.
I just hope it won't make you redo everything, though.

movecrop.png

movefull.png

Add in proper shading and it might even look good.
 
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