AuthorTopic: Need some help with a tile set.  (Read 6647 times)

Offline Kcilc

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Need some help with a tile set.

on: June 02, 2013, 05:05:01 am
It's supposed to be a kind of industrial super structure that has been all but abandoned on a mars-like planet. Like a derelict mining site or factory.


This is what I have do far. Obviously it's a wip, but I've been working and reworking it for like a month. I can't seem to get it right, and I'm at a loss. Where do I go from here?  :'( I feel like it needs more tiles or variety, but I don't know what to add or if I shouldn't worry about more depth or something.


Here's a mockup with an earlier iteration of my industrial tiles just so you know what I've got so far. Any comments on this is welcome too.


and here are the reference images I was given:
http://static.progressivemediagroup.com/uploads/imagelibrary/nri/mining/news/Rio%20Tinto_Pilbara.jpg
http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2012/11/13/1226516/153526-bhp-billiton-039-s-olympic-dam.jpg

Offline PypeBros

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Re: Need some help with a tile set.

Reply #1 on: June 02, 2013, 09:29:03 am
very interesting. I'd suggest the city in the background to be less extended than a typical Earth city, and perhaps having a large protection wall against the terrible sand storms of the Red Planet ;)

I like the ATV-assistance device. Superstructures as depicted on your first picture would typically use beams rather than plain steel plates, which would likely be too heavy to manipulate, which will imply some extra shadows compared to what you have. That size would work well if your character is young, and completely dominated by the environment. In that case, I'd suggest holes in the beams, as seen in Donkey Kong.

The last structure is much lighter, and imho wouldn't work well with the character you presented. Imho, something in-between -- half the width of the 1st picture, but same scale, would work best.

Offline Decroded

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Re: Need some help with a tile set.

Reply #2 on: June 02, 2013, 09:46:13 am
This stuff looks great as a start. The colours create a good atmosphere.
You can improve the textures etc but before you go there I think roughing out some mid-ground would benefit you.
This could be things like rock faces, structures, fences, conveyer belts, light poles, futuristic trucks, big storage tanks, pipes etc. etc.
Deciding exactly what the place is will help ideas to flow.
You can always have multiple areas for other ideas anyway.

The top screenshot looks like it can use some stairs between levels, elevators (e.g. with warning light), downlights etc.

The background on bottom screenshot is good for what it is but the endless shipping containers scattered randomly looks odd.
You can draw more refineries in the background, domed living structures etc. etc.

Will there be sloped platforms?
Planning on going inside any of the structures?
Will we be going underground?


The last structure is much lighter, and imho wouldn't work well with the character you presented. Imho, something in-between -- half the width of the 1st picture, but same scale, would work best.
The second image looks like separate scaffolding, not part of a structure.
But yeah the beams are a bit thick in the first image. They also block out a lot of the background.
I'd go thinner on the vertical beams and thinner again on the cross-beams (like under the bridge bit).
The perspective is also confusing leading to an origami appearance.
Seeing the beams behind like that suggests we should also see a bit of the side of the platform, and the railing on the far side of the platform.
Either do this or don't have that perspective at all.
« Last Edit: June 02, 2013, 09:59:26 am by Decroded »

Offline YellowLime

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Re: Need some help with a tile set.

Reply #3 on: June 02, 2013, 09:15:19 pm
very interesting. I'd suggest the city in the background to be less extended than a typical Earth city, and perhaps having a large protection wall against the terrible sand storms of the Red Planet ;)

I don't know if this would change your advice Pype, but I think it's actually a buncha containers. A container city :P

Offline Kurieta

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Re: Need some help with a tile set.

Reply #4 on: June 04, 2013, 02:40:46 am
I'm still a huge beginner myself, but I think you should show more deterioration on the structure. It looks like it's new, but I think you should add some chipped paint, stuff like that. Other than that, great job  ;D :y:

Offline Decroded

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Re: Need some help with a tile set.

Reply #5 on: June 04, 2013, 04:34:28 am
I'm still a huge beginner myself, but I think you should show more deterioration on the structure. It looks like it's new, but I think you should add some chipped paint, stuff like that. Other than that, great job  ;D :y:
Deterioration is a great point for stuff like broken railings, creating obstacles and traps etc.
The textures needs to reflect deterioration accordingly but I would address the broader design, structural and aesthetic issues first.

I can't help wondering why the place is abandoned. Was there some disaster? Some mystery your small team was sent to investigate?

Offline Kcilc

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Re: Need some help with a tile set.

Reply #6 on: June 11, 2013, 03:46:05 am

Here's an update! I started on some more stuff in the background, and added more pipes (they make no sense right now, but I'll be working on that), tweaked the colors to fit the environment better. I'm thinking about adding ladders to bridge the different levels of the building. Am I on the right track? Should I try adding in more doodads and stuff?

Will there be sloped platforms?
Planning on going inside any of the structures?
Will we be going underground?
No, there will not be sloped platforms.
We won't be going into these specific buildings, but there will be interior tilesets.
Possibly, I'm not sure about that.

I can't help wondering why the place is abandoned. Was there some disaster? Some mystery your small team was sent to investigate?
Here's the story so far. TLDR; some hotshot tarraformers try to make this planet hospitable, but they're careless and their equipment breaks. Everyone abandons the planet, and Mr. Hero gets to go fix the tarraformer.

I don't know if this would change your advice Pype, but I think it's actually a buncha containers. A container city :P
That's exactly what it is! I'll probably add some more variety though, since I can see where Decroded and Pypebros are coming from.

Offline Decroded

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Re: Need some help with a tile set.

Reply #7 on: June 11, 2013, 05:32:41 am
Sounds awesome.
Please continue to push the SOTN/Metroid/Shadow Complex style exploration elements as there just aren't enough games in that category.  :y:

How about a background in which we see the giant terraforming machines?
Backgrounds could even change as you progress and start getting the machines online  :D

It sounds like there will be little or no combat is that right?
No ancient life forms that were awoken as a result of the terraforming?  ;)

Offline Kcilc

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Re: Need some help with a tile set.

Reply #8 on: June 23, 2013, 03:18:55 am
http://imageshack.us/a/img69/5708/nt5.gif
There's an updated version! It's a bit big, so I thought I would just link it. I redid the ground tiles, added a bunch of other things, and I hope it's looking better.

Sounds awesome.
Please continue to push the SOTN/Metroid/Shadow Complex style exploration elements as there just aren't enough games in that category.  :y:

How about a background in which we see the giant terraforming machines?
Backgrounds could even change as you progress and start getting the machines online  :D

It sounds like there will be little or no combat is that right?
No ancient life forms that were awoken as a result of the terraforming?  ;)

Will do!
I think that's a fantastic idea, and I'll definitely bring it up.
That's right, as far as I know, there will be no combat. Things might change though, and that could be a really cool plot twist once the story gets seated better.

Thanks for all the help and ideas, Decroded!  :)