The Wonderland Board

So, okay, normally I wouldn't post two screenshot updates so close together, but PoTZ is out on Thursday - I imagine most people will be preoccupied with that, so here's another update for now.

Note that this is all Chapter 2 stuff, and still the Plains - I don't have any screenshots of anything from the River Delta area up to the Foggy Mountain Caves (which is what I'm currently working on) yet. Only four images this time, for that matter.



Time to make good on that MoFI spoiler tag, I guess. There's a Kaboom! hanging around in the first Plains area for an adventure introducing Baby Boomers. This way I don't find myself limited by "no Wee Stinkers"



Third shard in the game. Fingers crossed that they still work in PoTZ - if not, I'm in trouble.



Scenery. No, I don't know what exactly the dark grey stone-things are supposed to be.



A side-area. Mushrooms!

Looks wonderful!

So, since A) the group of WA3 testers has been outed, and B) WA3 was released, I figure I can break my vow of silence now and make good on that promise for WA3 spoilers, huh?

Now, I'm going to start off by saying I'm not actually going to spoil anything major, or any gameplay elements. I will give a few more details now, though, since I'm at liberty too.

Right since the beginning, I knew this was going to run on PoTZ someday, and I've already designed it with that in mind. The original design document was made shortly after WA3 testing began, so WA3's gameplay elements have been taken into account.

So, anyways, things that I've kept quiet about due to WA3 testing:

- The first magic introduced is Pow, and it's taught to the player by the orange student of Rainbow Magic, Doondilf.
- The "Magic Trial" adventures, as well as the Pow introduction level, actually use one of the level textures from WA3, and are somewhat inspired by one area in it.
- The Indigo/Flash Trial is already complete, as I do know what Flash does. No spoilers, sorry.
- The first element from PoTZ to be introduced makes its appearance at the end of Chapter 2, followed by two more in Chapter 3, one near the start and one near the end. No spoilers.
- The map from MoFI might (keyword might) end up being cut. I've already tested out porting HR to the WA3 engine, and while everything else works as expected, the map ends up crashing the game when used. While PoTZ doesn't include the map graphics by default, even re-adding them doesn't rectify the problem. Unless this is fixed in an update to PoTZ or some such, I don't think the map's going to be making an appearance, which could be quite problematic, as I do plan on making the hub somewhat expansive.

Fortunately, though, I've already tested the rainbow shards and can confirm that they function the same as in MoFI (which is to say that on the default hub the game will crash because it's looking for negative values).


AT THIS POINT: I'm currently looking into the crash around the map item. I can't promise anything, but I'm trying to see if I can find out why it's causing the game to quit. If I can, then all is well.

Update on map item - I've talked to Patrick, and the source has been found. PoTZ doesn't load the map graphics, but the code still tries to access them - Since they're never loaded, the game crashes.

Hopefully this'll be fixed for the WA3 Editor. If not, I can probably make do without the map in-game (I'll release a separate map graphic that covers the game's hub, in that case).

No screenshot update for this week, since it'll be getting close to Chapter 3 stuff (which is where PoTZ-related things start making appearances). Pretty much just standard progress at this rate (which is to say a little bit slower than I'd like, but things are still getting done).

Next picture update is still on hold until this weekend, but progress report - 57 adventures, and the bulk of Chapter 3 is done and accounted for. Currently working on Hub-related stuff (which is to say, putting off working on stuff related to Chapter 4 because I'm lazy).

So, recap:

42 hub areas
53 dialogue files
57 adventures total
53 adventures accessible

The main section of the first 3 chapters is done, I haven't started on optional side-areas yet (there are a few of these - I'm saving these for once the main game is working properly), and I might go back and add a few more optional adventures in some areas.

For now, I think it's time for me to get some sleep.

*cough*

57 adventures already? Wow!

I'm loving the looks of this!

MyNameIsKooky wrote:57 adventures already? Wow!

To be honest, I'm finding this to be a bit easier than making standalone adventures for the player.

Going to explain a bit more further down this post.

MyNameIsKooky wrote:I'm loving the looks of this!

Thank you!

Update: I said I'd put off the picture update du week for the weekend, but...



since it's Halloween (okay since halloween is almost over for me, i guess), creepy keep picture that I just started on

Anyways, I'm bored, I've had way too much sugar (leftover candy yeaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh), so I'm never going to get to sleep, and as always, it's impossible for me to get my brain to "hibernate" or whatever, so random thoughts on the whole Hub/Adventure process.

Well, okay.

First off, as I've said/implied a few times, I'm finding working on a large-scale Hub project a bit easier to do than working on a big (ish) adventure of some kind. I've expressed some of my thoughts on this to friends on Skype, but anyways.

I think the obvious weird thing about this being "easier" than just a large adventure is the fact that... Well, it's a hub. I'm not entirely sure exactly how to put some of these thoughts, so I'll just write them as they come (read: potential incoherency warning).

The reasons I'm finding it a bit easier to work on a hub project vs. a large adventure...

For starters, I always felt like there was a certain "limit" for large adventures. Not an imposed limit or level limit, but sort of a "reasonable" limit, what with it being one adventure and all. Problem is, I found that made me feel kind of restricted in what could be done. I didn't want it to be a massive level full of just walking between areas, but I didn't want to cram too many NPC's/too much dialogue/too much ANYTHING into any one level. Made me feel like I really had to limit what I was doing.

With a hub, while I still don't plan on giving it like, 200 levels or something, since it's a hub, I think it's generally expected that it's going to be quite large (of course, saying that, WA3's hub is relatively compact, I suppose). I don't feel like I've got some sort of "reasonable limit" on how many levels there should be, I don't feel like there's a problem with having a few "atmosphere" areas that just add to the overworld - Saying that, I'm not going to saturate the hub with them, of course.

So, the hub part I'm finding pretty easy to work on in that regard. As for adventures...

With standalone adventures, I kinda felt like they needed to be as "big" and as "best" as they could be. This resulted in a lot of idea block for me, just because I'd burned myself out over one or two adventures. Saying that, I still don't think I'm a particularly talented puzzle designer. Solving them just seems to come to me a bit more naturally.

Thing is, compare adventures in WA, or MoFI, or PoTZ, to any number of standalone adventures the community's made. Adventures from the "hub" games are generally quite self-contained, just a simple (or not so simple) puzzle or two. Meanwhile, a fair number of standalone adventures we've made will have half a dozen rooms or so, with multiple puzzles.

I find it much easier to make relatively "compact" adventures (not necessarily easy, I'll be honest in saying I've come up with some puzzles that I'm actually really happy with) based around one general puzzle "theme" than to have a single adventure with multiple puzzles in it - Whenever I get an idea, I can just sit down, open the editor, and throw a quick sample level together in five minutes.

I suppose the risk is having too many adventures based around the same theme, of course... I think I've done alright avoiding that, personally. There are a few collect gem adventures, two maze levels (well I say that, only one of them is a real maze and it's not one you can get lost in)... I'll probably do a check at some point for the actual numbers (same with coins/gems/stars), just as a statistical interest, I suppose.

also LOOK AT THAT, WALL OF TEXT

OOPS

Oh yeah I might as well say I'm looking forward to this instead of looking forward to it in secret

I've never really enjoyed hubs, so this kept going under my radar.

BUT OH MY GOD THIS IS JUST SO INCREDIBLE. HOW DID YOU BECOME SO AWESOME???

Ahah, thanks again! I wouldn't say I'm particularly awesome, though, I'm just taking my time.

Anyways, picture update time! End of Chapter 2 stuff this time.



This is the area just north of the River Delta cliffs area, near the bottom of the Plains.



Picture of part of the River area itself - Here, the player meets Cedric, who teaches them how to use Blink.



The edge of the cliff itself. Note the waterfalls - This is because it's running on PoTZ. I'm not sure what that's about, frankly.



There are a few Wee Stinkers lost around the cliff area, so there are two Stinker rescue adventures here. Yes, this is where the first element from PoTZ is introduced (well it's in the adventure just before this one, but still).



Second room of the first Rescue level.



Aaand... Yay! Found all the Wee Stinkers! Time to head off to the Foggy Mountains!

Great work! Keep it up!

I'm liking the graphical changes too.

I really like what you've done with all the graphics and stuff - especially the re-textures for all the hats.
I also love how you added that light in the middle of the magic icon.
Keep it up.

Will you include those hidden rainbow levels from WSW?

Thanks for positive comments again!

dig 222 wrote:Will you include those hidden rainbow levels from WSW?

Well, yes and no. Not going to give out any major details just yet, but I'm planning on having a "endgame secret" like the other Adventures games have.

To that end, no, I won't port the exact levels over from WSW, but there will be similar secret levels hidden around that add up to the end-game.

(as for where they are - that's up to you to find out once it's released~)

The proper update is still for later this week (preferably once I can actually get back to concentrating on this, I've had schoolwork to catch up on and got myself distracted by other things), but related update.



I ended up redoing the Willow Rock Isle texture, because I felt that the one I had before wasn't that great. Added some new tiles, made the dirt/floor-3 not need corner tiles like regular pathways do, and made textures overall a bit cleaner.

I'll upload this V2 to the forum later today, for now, I need sleep (oops 3:30 in the morning)

I feel like that vibrant tree feels out of place compared to the grass. Maybe you could change one of them? Otherwise, NICE WORK MAN!

StinkerSquad01 wrote:I feel like that vibrant tree feels out of place compared to the grass.

Yes, the tree does look a bit bright. Try giving us some softer colors.

But other than that, it's amazing. I can't wait to play it!

StinkerSquad01 wrote:I feel like that vibrant tree feels out of place compared to the grass. Maybe you could change one of them? Otherwise, NICE WORK MAN!

Agreed, also the other type of Jungle Tree looks more like a weeping willow than this one (on the other hand it is much bigger and makes it much harder to see through the foliage, so the choice is up to you).

re: Trees - I'll definitely look into giving the trees on Willow Rock some softer colours to better match the grass. Hadn't thought of that before, it's a good idea. Thanks!

re: foliage in general - I'm using a mix of the foliage/props from both WA1 and MoFI in most locations (and PoTZ once the Editor's released). That includes Willow Rock.

How did you edit glovechargers's colours?

Custom textures. There's one for the Brr Charger and the Blink Charger, but that's it - I tried making one for Flash as well, so that all three of the colours I'd changed would be consistent across everything, but it doesn't turn up right in-game.

Basically, specifying a custom texture for a glove charger doesn't "cancel out" the colour setting that's on the object in the first place, but rather adds to it - With Brr and Blink, this fortunately works out, but because of the fact that Flash is a deep, dark blue, trying to lower the blue setting to make it more "Indigo" doesn't work.

Set the colour:
R=0
G=0
B=200

I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work, the only item that comes to mind with R/G/B settings like that is the Glowworm, and it's using Data5/6/7 - meaning I probably can't get the Glove Charger object to work like that.

I've been noticing this hub for some time. It really is amazing. You know to remake models? That's even more amazing. The scenery is good, you match all your objects with the theme and the story fits well with your whatever you have told in the update posts...

Looking forward to play this and WA3... I'm still on the MOFI level. I need to level up to the level of custom stuff, remakes and POTZ elements in the old editor.

Great hub... keep it up

Glove symbols on chargers look boring,I am thinking the new ones.Which I have thought and making it true.

@Blazeknight; Thank you for the positive comments!

Blazeknight wrote:You know to remake models? That's even more amazing.

I'm not actually a modeller, honestly. I'm pretty good with graphics editing programs, so I can retexture things fairly easily, but all the models in-game are staying as they are in the WA trilogy.

(I'm going to edit the first post now actually, I think one of the lines in there is a bit misleading, which wasn't my intention)

@Krishiv; Ummm... Okay. I have no idea what you're talking about.

Even if you apply a custom texture to the Glove Charger, it'll automatically colour it - This is handled by the game's programming. There's one base white glove-charge texture, the game uses that for all 7. Regardless of if you're using the original, an edited version (like I am - I cleaned it up a bit, less artifacts), or whatever, the game's still going to colour the texture.

Qloof234 wrote:
@Krishiv; Ummm... Okay. I have no idea what you're talking about.

It means the glove symbol on a glove charger looks boring.the examples of new ones are:snowflake on the brr charger,stars on the blink charger,plant in the grow charger,pause symbol in Floing charger,stop symbol on flash charger.I don't know symbol of pop charger,glove suits it.

EDIT:symbols are ready.

Nice ideas... they fit well with the powers. I've gotten an idea for Pop. It's like a yellow circle that has a glowing bulb symbol in it

Blazeknight wrote:Nice ideas... they fit well with the powers. I've gotten an idea for Pop. It's like a yellow circle that has a glowing bulb symbol in it

Do you mean This?