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[CYS]

Hey guys, so im working on a side scroller shooter. Just finished the engine and is working on the concept for the stages.

Do you guys think it would keep thing interesting by implementing stages with radically different art style? For example, in one "zone", you'll have a 2bit stage. In another zone, you'll have a big pixelised design.

Would it perhaps make things too messy?

[mozzy]

If you can make it mesh together in a way that makes sense, then go for it. Style isn't only about resolution, its also about colors, mood, and placement among other things.

[CYS]

thanks mozzy... i think it would be better if i do an illustration :



The game doesn't have a story so it would be easy to jump between styles. But would it be too messy. Do you guys think it would be better if i simply use the top art style for all the zones?

[Cagey]

Super Meat Boy does some really cool stuff along the same lines. There is a single (awesome looking) art style that works through the normal game, but in the bonus levels they are themed in interesting ways. eg GameBoy Color, NES that sort of thing.

Food for thought.

[Christian Knudsen]

I was going to suggest that you keep the player character always looking the same as a means to provide some consistency, but seems you're already doing that, so I'd say go for it!

[Rob Lach]

I love the idea.

Ideally I'd like to see it happen very gradually and subtlety, so you don't notice until you restart the game.

[drChengele]

I was going to suggest that you keep the player character always looking the same as a means to provide some consistency, but seems you're already doing that, so I'd say go for it!

Funny, I was going to suggest the exact opposite. Not that the current approach doesn't have its advantages.

[CYS]

Glad you guys are okay with the idea! I think im just going to go ahead and finish it up. The idea i wanted to create is the exploring another dimension kind of thing, so i have the MC remains the same art style.

[imaginationac]

This reminds me of the WiiWare title BitBoy a little. Never played it, but the main pull was progressing through the various eras of graphics from 4-bit to 128-bit.

The idea is certainly interesting, but if there isn't a purpose behind it (say plot-wise), it could just be distracting you from the important parts of your game.

[Destral]

Personally it seems like it should at least make for something interesting for players. I wanted to do something similar for one of my earlier projects, but I've since parked it and been working on something a little less ambitious and more finishable.

I say go for it!

[Hajo]

Varying art works if it is separated, spatially or timely. The consistency requirement is only important for things that are seen/handled/worked on by the player at a time.

Level changes will achieve the separation quite nicely.

[Akhel]

Sounds really cool.

Ideally I'd like to see it happen very gradually and subtlety, so you don't notice until you restart the game.

There was a Flash game that was more or less like this, but I can't find it again. The graphics began super-sharp, then as you walked right they got more and more pixelated. It was very subtle, so you didn't notice it at first, and when you did it was a very    moment.

[salade]

Super Meat Boy does some really cool stuff along the same lines. There is a single (awesome looking) art style that works through the normal game, but in the bonus levels they are themed in interesting ways. eg GameBoy Color, NES that sort of thing.

Food for thought.

Gish also did this. I guess it's gonna be a recurring visual in Edmund's games.

[drChengele]

World of Goo had those amazing computer levels which not only introduced new graphics but had additional gameplay shenanigans appropriate to the theme as well.

[Alistair Aitcheson]

I really like the look of the illustrations. I say go for it! If you can find a nice way to transition between the different styles (I'd love to see a Gameboy level morph into its Snes counterpart or something like that) it would be really cool :D

[Chaoseed]

There was a Flash game that was more or less like this, but I can't find it again. The graphics began super-sharp, then as you walked right they got more and more pixelated. It was very subtle, so you didn't notice it at first, and when you did it was a very    moment.

Pilgrimage, right?

I think the most important thing is to make it clear what the graphics represent in each level.  i.e. make sure the player knows what's an enemy, what's a trap, what's a platform.  Maybe each section starts out with a little tutorial thing that shows this off...maybe it's the same in every section.  ("So that guy wandering back and forth must be an enemy...")

As long as you make sure the player can tell what's going on, go nuts. :D

[jcsymmes]

Ideas to consider:

A level with CGI Models of everything.

A Level with photo and movie backgrounds.

A level with just a voice reading what happens over a blank screen(alternativly an older gentlmen reading the action). You have to ocasionally press buttons as he dramatically says "The ships fly across the moons of the nebula, they come at you as blazzing stars across the bow...ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK!

[CYS]

That's some crazy ideas youve got there .
Thanks for all the advice! I think everything might just work out in the end .

[AndroidScholar1]

I say switch up the gameplay style for each level as well as the art style - the game can still get repetitive if it's the same thing over and over again but with different graphics.

Saying that, it could be amazingly fun, I don't know. Just something to consider.

Oh, and on another note, the new Spiderman game, Shattered Dimensions, is doing this - radically different art styles between campaigns. Looks good.