[Forum Project #1] Steam Run Design Document

[GEuser]

@ Jagmaster
looking good Jagmaster, waiting to see a fuller version of that building.

@ Sky
Any ideas on sizes/scales of things, It would make it easier to suss out design ideas.

An idea: BOILER ROOM / BOILER LEVEL

Some sort of central facility that generates the steam to be utilised through out the game world. Not sure if it should be central or just lots of steam boliers at different places in the game or I envisage a whole undergound world with snaking pipes and all that is dedicated to steam/power installations that is rarely visited by authorities just maintenance NPC that maybe sympathetic to rebels cause yet have useful connections to the higher levels for rebel exploitation. An area for rebel factions to hide and prosper? Sorry it this has already been mentioned before. Might try out a blender model of a steam boiler type facility (my need help from Jagmaster...).

Elevators; Do you think the elevators idea is worth pursing? (see on my graphics submissionb thread. No big deal if you'd rather not. If you do decided it has a place somewhere I'll need size and scale of things like platforms/screen/Character.

[skydereign]

@ Sky
Any ideas on sizes/scales of things, It would make it easier to suss out design ideas.

I was thinking the first releases of the game would be for computers. With the gemac xcode project in a somewhat usable state, perhaps we should target the macbook size screen (1280x800). It should be decently large regardless. I'm thinking the size Jagmaster used would look very nice.

Elevators; Do you think the elevators idea is worth pursing? (see on my graphics submissionb thread. No big deal if you'd rather not. If you do decided it has a place somewhere I'll need size and scale of things like platforms/screen/Character.

I think the elevators are a must. There needs to be a quick way of moving around parts of the level, and that industrial style elevator would be great. I feel the acceleration we can put into it will make the game feel a lot more dynamic, not to mention it can show off graphics.

[Jagmaster]

The problem with the group projectness of this, is that we all have different skill sets. As far as I'm aware, you are the only one currently signed up, that is a comfortable background in 3d graphics. So, unless you want to take on almost all graphics, we should probably figure a good way of making the 3d more drawn. Though, I agree, the 3d is very nice, and if we can still keep the amount of depth it has, that would be great.

Yes, this has been on my mind. I'd be somewhat open to taking on most of the graphics if we don't find a solution to this, but it would take considerably longer with one guy like me taking on the brunt of it (on top of work and other projects too). Just saying, it's possible I suppose. I'd rather find a workaround that's more open to the community.

Another style option would be to adjust the textures and render it at a really low resolution to make it look like a 16 bit or even 8-bit sprite perhaps? I was going to shy away from sprites because it's the least comfortable medium for me personally, but that style might be more open to our skill sets. If we can pull off the detail of Jamestown, that'd be pretty slick.

Yeah... I was trying a few filters in gimp, but didn't find anything that worked really well. Perhaps painting the surface would work. Also I didn't try any layering effects, which I think could probably compromise the two styles.

Was inspired by this guy's workflow regarding the paint-over. We would of course outline it, and incorperate our own style, but it might still have a similar result as the straight render. Unless we made it really painterly (imo that would sort of defeat the purpose).

I'll play around with post processing it more before I texture the rest of the building. Right now I'm in the process of transferring my software/files to a new comp.

@ Jagmaster
looking good Jagmaster, waiting to see a fuller version of that building.

Thanks dude!

Btw, I think the elevators have a lot of potential, imagine if there was an elevator operator on some of the larger ones, and you would have to protect him from enemy fire. Of course you'd need to have simple elevators to quickly go to certain areas, but a little sequence like that could spice things up a bit.

An idea: BOILER ROOM / BOILER LEVEL

Some sort of central facility that generates the steam to be utilised through out the game world. Not sure if it should be central or just lots of steam boliers at different places in the game or I envisage a whole undergound world with snaking pipes and all that is dedicated to steam/power installations that is rarely visited by authorities just maintenance NPC that maybe sympathetic to rebels cause yet have useful connections to the higher levels for rebel exploitation. An area for rebel factions to hide and prosper? Sorry it this has already been mentioned before. Might try out a blender model of a steam boiler type facility (may need help from Jagmaster...).

If a boiler room is supplying power for the city, I would see it more as something for some rebels or even some ruffians (with other motives) to sabotage and then inhabit. There could be a mission to cut off power to one of the headquarters above.
But yeah, I think anything destroyed/abandoned would be a perfect "wretched hive for scum and villainy" - or a sanctuary for rebels.

[Jagmaster]

Experiments with Paint-over





The less saturated ones probably fit the player's color palette better.
Outlines are not perfect.
I'm still not completely satisfied with the result. I guess I'll keep tweaking, unless someone comes up with a better idea.

Oh, and I tried the low res sprite thing, that... didn't work too well at all.
Might work as a good base for some pixel art though...

[GEuser]

Elevator Test

Screenshot of demo


Sorry guy's got pre-occupied with RL stuff and haven't really had much time to browse the forum.

Translating from 2D image to a 3D model is a real pain. Had to change a lot of the design. Doing different perspectives made it too disorientating so stuck to a fixed front view (don't know what you guys will make of this?). Tried to keep the animations as small as possible (8 frames). Uploaded zip of blender file and gE demo on my graphics thread. See what you guys think.

gE FORUM LINK: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=12471&p=90052#p90052

[Jagmaster]

Gonna take another swing at this, hopefully it's a step in right direction:

Totally re-did the textures (vs paint-over). The initial render was way too saturated imo, so I lowered the sat, and added additional shading.




Anyone who wants to try and enhance these, be my guest. I didn't bother outlining them this time.

It would be really helpful if we finalized the character designs, since I've been trying to compliment the style of the initial character concept. Or I guess we could do things the other way around, finalizing the environment style and then develop concept art for characters and other things around that - without making things too complicated that is.
I'm running out of other ideas on how to make this fit.

[lcl]

Jagmaster: your modelling looks awesome! I don't know which of the graphical styles you've suggested is the best, but I do know that most of them look great.

GEuser: Nice work with that elevator, you're making good progress with this game!

Overall I want to say that this is really an important project for Game Editor and that we have to make sure that it gets completed.
What GE needs is publicity, and what this game can offer GE, is publicity! We just have to give our best to making it.
You guys are doing amazing job so far, so keep it up! And when you get tired, keep a little break, relax, and gain some strength to continue and then get back to work!

I am a person with difficulties on concentrating into on thing and getting things done.
But I have decided that this time I am not going to give up or let go of the project. I will make the dialog engine and
after I get it finished, I will see if there is something more I can do.

I want to know of any progress you make on the game, so when you get something done or plan on doing something, post here,
it will encourage all other developers to continue their work!

Have a nice time developing Steam Run!!

[sonicforvergame]

I tryed to see what i can do in the STEAM RUN project and i thought i shold make a BG or even enemies because it look like you gys have made most Scenary so now i have to go to school and i will might give you the Robot Or Bg in the evening

JUST one question: Is all this game gonna have this sunset style of the day or we might even make a level when it's night(in the game of course : P)

[skydereign]

I don't see why we would restrict it to just one lighting style. It may get a bit tricky, but we should definitely have a night setting as well. There will also be completely indoor/underground levels, so we've got most light settings covered.

[sonicforvergame]

Okay that should be good with
i maybe gonna make a video on how i made the enemies and then i will change the brightness to have a night effect
By the way i decided to leave the guns for a little bit because Enemies take more time knowing that i should a leate make 5 different enemies and 5 different bosses and 5 different turent

[sonicforvergame]

So i reedited on Photoshop (only Photoshop) Geuser's robot so it look more ready to battle
it's just a idea of what i can do



But i want to ask something about the part the main actor collect
I think you should collect part to make guns
Here is a plan

You star with pistol and bomb----->you collected 5x and 5y(x and Y reffere to anithing (bolts ect)------> at the end of the level you go to inventory -------> you see if you can Do a gun->you
make it

I am saying this because i saw a post where you do weapons out of the bolt and other tool wich is cool but not good because you can make a flamethrower out of bolts you need gaz ,pistons ect

[skydereign]

I am saying this because i saw a post where you do weapons out of the bolt and other tool wich is cool but not good because you can make a flamethrower out of bolts you need gaz ,pistons ect

That was the plan. You'd be able to collect, or buy, many different resources to create new weaponry. Obtaining gas tanks from enemies will be a rare drop, because you are more likely to ruin it when shooting the enemy, than not. But perhaps if you destroy it with melee attacks, it increases the chance of you getting a gas tank. But, even if you don't get gas from an enemy, you can sell bolts and the like to then buy gas and anything else you might need to make a flamethrower.

[sonicforvergame]

Nice explanation totally what i had in mind but i want to ask you something

I want to make an enemies that is based on water i tough it should look like Perfect Chaos from sonic adventure and to kill it you have to destroy all his external armor than use the flamethrower to evaporate him
I thought we should make this boss because Water and fire make steam

So do like the idea ?

[skydereign]

I want to make an enemies that is based on water i tough it should look like Perfect Chaos from sonic adventure and to kill it you have to destroy all his external armor than use the flamethrower to evaporate him
I thought we should make this boss because Water and fire make steam

So do like the idea ?

Not really. It sounds like a cool boss fight, but it doesn't really fit the steampunk world. Namely, it isn't a believable enemy. Perhaps you can make a machine that produces a water barrier, but even then, bullets go through water.

[sonicforvergame]

how about acid replacing water
Making a machine that produce a acid barrier
To kill it you destroy a button that create the acid barrier and Stuff the machine with bullets and explosion ,that should be cool