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[Scut Fabulous]

http://scutanddestroy.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/salvage-mega-mockup-002_2.png

Okay, hopefully this makes more sense.  I left the underlays visible so that you can see the base structure that makes up the map.  Polygonal primitives act as a skeleton for stamped terrain pieces.  The stamps follow a rule that basically says: 'have two points touching, one on the previous stamp and the other on the polygon primitive.'

The white lines crossing the map roughly horizontally are strata boundaries, for different types of stone.  You can see I've started stamping the top strata with a squiggly refined boundary.  I've considered making diagonal stamps to better match the strata primitives, but I think for game purposes that wouldn't really add anything, so sticking to 90 degree rotations of the stamps seems fine for now.

I also added a player sprite, to give a sense of scale.  The maps could probably get bigger than this, but we're using this as a starting size which should offer plenty of space for exploration and surprises.

[Scut Fabulous]

I veered off the terrain generation mockup for a moment to let my brain crunch it.  In the meantime I finished the static sprites for the pirates.  I'm convincing myself they'll be easier to animate because they will require fewer sequences than the player sprite...

[Scut Fabulous]

http://scutanddestroy.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/salvage-mega-mockup-003.png

The white guidelines overlaying the previous mockup iteration have been converted into separate layers of rock, which act as zones to be seeded with features.



http://scutanddestroy.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/salvage-mega-mockup-004_2.png

I’m currently working with four types of strata.  The topmost sediment layer, a compressed layer below that, a rubble and ‘artifact’ layer, and finally a magma/bedrock layer at the bottom.  Each layer of strata will have a likelihood of containing its own environmental anomalies.  The top sediment layer will likely just contain small boulders and water.  The compressed layer below that will often contain its own sub-strata of salt or silt pockets, gas pockets, and oil deposits.  The rubble layer will have a high chance of seeding large caverns, as well as chemical pockets, heavier boulders and artifacts.  The magma layer will contain pockets of magma, as well as exotic chemicals.



http://scutanddestroy.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/salvage-mega-mockup-004.png

I’m just making a single colour scratchpad on top of the mockup to work out these ideas, but here you should be able to get some sense how these seeded features can dramatically change the player’s environment.



http://scutanddestroy.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/salvage-mega-mockup-004_3.png


http://scutanddestroy.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/salvage-mega-mockup-004_1.png

[Peter]

While all of your other art is fantastic, and I can't wait to play the game, I have no idea what's going on here. The dude on the left is especially odd.

[Inanimate]

I can read it fine

Dude on left is a big robot with a tall head, holding a box.

Dude on right is a space pirate, with chest armor, armored thighs, and a weird helmet with a red back.

[PleasingFungus]

Left dude looks pretty odd, though. He has three eyes (radial eyes?), and a mouth on the side of his head...?

I mean, he looks cool, but weird.

(Also, your terrain plans are rockin'.)

[oyog]

Left dude looks pretty odd, though. He has three eyes (radial eyes?), and a mouth on the side of his head...?

I mean, he looks cool, but weird.

(Also, your terrain plans are rockin'.)

Isn't weird the sort of thing you'd expect when meeting aliens?

Man, what I wouldn't give for radial eyes.

[Inanimate]

Left dude looks pretty odd, though. He has three eyes (radial eyes?), and a mouth on the side of his head...?

I mean, he looks cool, but weird.

(Also, your terrain plans are rockin'.)

It's a robo suit. Those dots are probably all around it, as radial cameras, and the 'mouth' is probably a vent, which would be on both sides.

[PleasingFungus]

It's a robo suit. Those dots are probably all around it, as radial cameras, and the 'mouth' is probably a vent, which would be on both sides.

Stylin'! I retract even the slightest hint of implied criticism.

[Peter]

I can read it fine

Dude on left is a big robot with a tall head, holding a box.

Dude on right is a space pirate, with chest armor, armored thighs, and a weird helmet with a red back.

Ooooooh, he's holding a crate. Ok, that makes a lot more sense.

The head of the dude on the right still confuses me, though.

[Scut Fabulous]

The head of the dude on the right still confuses me, though.

I think you're looking at the sprites with the assumption that they're looking directly to the side?  They're facing the camera at 3/4.

Like so:

[Peter]

Try as I might, I don't really see that in the sprite.

[Xion]

hah - I can only see it as that. I can't see it how you drew it at all.

[Bones]

I can't see it the way Peter drew it, but might I suggest something like this

[Scut Fabulous]

I sprited up the Stevedore.  With that bill hook of rank he thinks he's cock of the walk.

[saibot216]

I like what I'm seeing here!

[Scut Fabulous]

http://scutanddestroy.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/salvage-tug-sprite-basic-01.png



http://scutanddestroy.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/salvage-tug-002.jpg


I'm drawing up a sprite for one of the Stevedore's tugs.  I've got the basic linework down, now I'll be getting onto the shading and adding little lights, gubbins, parting lines etc to get it up to the level of the Banker's ship I did a while ago.

[Scut Fabulous]

http://scutanddestroy.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/salvage-tug-sprite-basic-shade-01.png

Added shading onto the tug.  Will likely get tweaked, but now I'll mostly be adding small details to break up the symmetry a bit and make the surfaces look less slick.

[RCIX]

Maybe it's just me, but it looks odd being lit from the bottom :S

[Scut Fabulous]

It adds some drama.