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[muku]

I'll have to say no to Stij, that'd be pretty frustrating because most of the time the players will be close to one another anyway.

Well, one could use a single screen when they are sufficiently close together, and splitscreen only when they don't fit on one screen.

[narasu]

I'll have to say no to Stij, that'd be pretty frustrating because most of the time the players will be close to one another anyway.

Well, one could use a single screen when they are sufficiently close together, and splitscreen only when they don't fit on one screen.

[Corpus]

Scaling could totally be manageable. Just have certain zoom levels that it settles on, such as 1x, 2x, 4x etc., which preserve the look of the pixes. Only allow the art to be scaled to more awkward sizes in the transitions between these "safe" scale areas.

[Clemens]

Personally I I think the best way would be to use predefined scrolling. I mean, it's just the alternative to static levels with the most advantages:

We can make bigger levels with lots of fighting space without everything being so tight. Also the tiles can be designed in a proportional fitting style to the player sprites. Plus it's a nice mechanic which could make for some interesting and unquie level designs. Heck, you even can realize screen rumbling with it!
Also: no ugly jaggy pixel scaling!

If the scrolling has the right speed, it shouldn't be a problem for the player to keep up with it. It would even add to the gameplay because it gets more intense that way...

[muku]

I'll have to say no to Stij, that'd be pretty frustrating because most of the time the players will be close to one another anyway.

Well, one could use a single screen when they are sufficiently close together, and splitscreen only when they don't fit on one screen.

Yes, that's quite a good argument; but would you care to elaborate a bit further?

[Stij]

I'll have to say no to Stij, that'd be pretty frustrating because most of the time the players will be close to one another anyway.

Well, one could use a single screen when they are sufficiently close together, and splitscreen only when they don't fit on one screen.

Yes, that's quite a good argument; but would you care to elaborate a bit further?

Because it's hella disorienting and doesn't look good?

Anyway, I was just suggesting the splitscreen thing as a last resort. I'd rather see Corpus' solution, which is similar to the Star Control 2 method I mentioned earlier. The only downside to it is that you have to make waaaay more sprites.

[Clemens]

I don' think there's a big chance that anyone would want to do all the sprites four times. And even if we agreed on it, this is a guaranteed project killer, since it's just too much of an effort to actually get it done...

[Soulliard]

Scaling could totally be manageable. Just have certain zoom levels that it settles on, such as 1x, 2x, 4x etc., which preserve the look of the pixes. Only allow the art to be scaled to more awkward sizes in the transitions between these "safe" scale areas.

There are two problems with this:
1) We need to scale down, not up
2) The sprites are pretty big, so even scaling up just to 2x will be too much for most resolutions.

In any case, I don't think zooming back will look that bad. Non-scrolling levels shouldn't be too big, anyways, so it shouldn't happen often.

[Corpus]

No, I mean that the sprites would be scaled. Their pixels would get bigger.

That's why you would only allow it to settle on square integer scales, so that you don't get the nasty misshapen pixels effect.


Actually, Cactus has scaling pixel graphics in his games all the time, and that looks fine.


WRITTEN AFTER NIGHTSHADE'S POST:
Oh, right, yeah, scaling down. Well, that's even easier: just have the game played at a minimum of 2x scale, and then you can always scale down.

[narasu]

I think, actually, that most players will be able to play 800x600

[Stij]

No, I mean that the sprites would be scaled. Their pixels would get bigger.

That's why you would only allow it to settle on square integer scales, so that you don't get the nasty misshapen pixels effect.

Hurr, I misunderstood what you said. My bad.

Yeah, that method would probably be best.

[Xion]

@Muku: I never liked games that did that. when it splits it's always too jarring and disorienting, and then you don't know your position in relation to the other players, and and and it's just annoying.

And I agree on Kovski. We want to be able to actually finish this, you know.

Honestly, the zooming in and out is seeming much more appealing the more I think about it. I mean this is about making a good, fun game with indie characters, not a pixel-purist one. If scrambling the art a bit is what it takes, then I'm all for it.

[Clemens]

...not a pixel-purist one.

 

NNOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooo!!!







Ah, well, what the heck, I'll leave this to the coders to decide as they actually have to do the real work, but if it is zooming, then zooming it shall be.

[Corpus]

It's pretty-purist, not pixel-purist.

[Xion]

What? That doesn't mean it can't still be pretty.