GR#089 - Platformer Tiles

[tehwexxl0rz]

Current:





Really messy/early WIP, sorry about the quality.... Feeling a little burnt out after a marathon programming session. >_<



To do:
- Clearly define rock volumes
- Make grass look lush, chunky stylized
- Ambient light source(?)

This is loosely based on this old tile set I made, but I'm using a 32 auto-tile system now, so I can make the shapes a lot more interesting.
(Not that these old tiles come close to pushing the limits of what you can do with 16 tiles... Looking back, I was super lazy with these.)



I know "center tiles" are frequently darkened to give prominence to the edges, but I feel like I could make the rock formations much prettier by using that space to convey depth. What do you guys think?

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

[tehwexxl0rz]

Update:



I like the way the grass is coming together, but it lost a lot of depth.

Rocks are meh.

[Phlakes]

I think you should try to keep the angularity that the WIP rocks had. Makes them stand out a bit more and feel more rocky.

[tehwexxl0rz]

Thanks, Phlakes. I agree. It's just a matter of realizing that in higher detail... I'll keep working on it.

[tehwexxl0rz]

Update:



Grass and colors.

I think I'm going to start the rocks over from scratch. Still undecided about dark center vs. not.... Anyone care to weigh in?

[Mathias]

I really don't like platformer tiles with out the inner tiles being different somehow - looks so monotonous. Go dark center.

It's very hard to judge tiles when not in context. Make a mockup. Did you notice what RetroBob uses for tiles?

[tehwexxl0rz]

Thanks for your input. To be clear, the center tile will be unique regardless. (Even the repetition of the big rocks seen in the WIP can be eliminated.)

I've heard of the program RetroRob uses, but I actually wrote my own auto-tiling algorithm for the game I'm working on. I can post a screenshot with the WIP tiles, but I'm not sure how useful it would be since the set is so incomplete. I gave it a look myself though, and one thing i noticed is that the grass is too busy. I think I'll try to keep the "fringe" in front and back, but flatten out the middle where the character will stand.

The algorithm I'm using calls for 16 inner tiles:

• 1 padded center
• 4 edges
• 4 corners
• 3 narrow column pieces
• 3 thin platform pieces
• 1 un-padded center

And 14 outer tiles:

• 4 convex corners
• 4 concave corners
• 4 edges
• 2 pairs of opposite corners

The system renders the map in two phases, first detecting the edges and then filling in the middle. As you probably noticed, 2 of the 32 tiles I mentioned are unaccounted for; this is because 1 is blank and the other is a generic center tile that is replaced in phase 2.

FYI: I realized I haven't been taking advantage of as much space as I could have. Next update should be a significant change (improvement)!

[Mathias]

Gaaaahh whats with all you pixellers writing code! You guys are making me look bad. Course, I already look bad but . . .

I don't really understand your bullet list completely. I learned how to tile from analyzing WarCraft II, most research of which I shared with Olonthor here. I like your work so I await ya update, don't give out, keep up the good work wexxer!

[Fickludd]

Nice!

I think you could have a look at some reference pics, your rocks are too round and regular, there's a nice edit by surt in http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?topic=13217.0


My attempt:


Also reduced the brigthness of the secondary light source... it is after all secondary =)

[tehwexxl0rz]

Update!



Thanks a lot for the edit, Fickludd! As you can see, the direction I decided to take is quite different, but your edit is still very helpful in terms of texture and lighting.

I'm having some trouble figuring out how the underside should be lit....