AuthorTopic: WIP - Isometric Game Tileset - In need of some help  (Read 7602 times)

Offline Zack

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Hello guys.. Anyways, I've been working on isometric tiles for a future game, but I keep getting into tons of problems. The language I want to use for it is Game Maker, however, I'm totally unsure how pixeling tiles for isometric games work.
I'm going to use a 32x16 grid to do these as well. Basically, I'm unsure on how the debth works. You have a tile that is higher then the rest, what do you do? Add some pixels to the bottom?
I have been looking at tons of examples, I'm just not sure what to do. I'll show you what I have now.
 


 
As you can see, my tiles don't fit on the game maker grid. But before, when I put them down into game maker, they did. I'm totally lost . Could anyone just teach me how these work?. Thanks.. I'll also keep on updating as I learn. I posted this on the pixeljoint forums as well - I really need help.  :(
 

Offline Zenobia

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Re: WIP - Isometric Game Tileset - In need of some help

Reply #1 on: June 14, 2009, 07:49:39 am
I love the wall.

Anyway since the building looks fine to start with your questions puzzled me a bit. But zooming in explains it.
I don't understand the grid you/gamemaker use(s)... It's completely off basically. The amount of pixels at the bottom and top don't match... and your tile doesn't match with it either.

Maybe this makes sense:

Offline Gil

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Re: WIP - Isometric Game Tileset - In need of some help

Reply #2 on: June 14, 2009, 12:22:20 pm
I'm sorry Zenobia, I don't get your post. Aren't you looking at the grid the wrong way? Gamemaker's grid seems to have 3 pixel bottoms and tops everywhere, I don't see the 5 pixels you mention.

I think you actually use the same grid as Gamemaker. Where's the difference? You added and changed some of the lines, but the surface of one tile is exactly the same?

Strange...

Offline Zenobia

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Re: WIP - Isometric Game Tileset - In need of some help

Reply #3 on: June 14, 2009, 02:07:45 pm
I'm sorry, this is how I see it: the tiles just can't match up on that grid.
Edit: (for clarity) tiles taken from Zack's image, not from my version of Game Maker.



I'm curious now...
« Last Edit: June 14, 2009, 02:15:24 pm by Zenobia »

Offline ndchristie

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Re: WIP - Isometric Game Tileset - In need of some help

Reply #4 on: June 14, 2009, 03:24:30 pm
Zen, what the heck kind of shapes are you using?  Where did those come from?
I think you're mixing up Zack's tiles with the gm grid, which are just guidelines delineating a grid that's 16 up 32 across.

Zach - can you be more specific about the problem, and what you're actually showing us, and maybe post the tiles that actually make the building?  Your ground tiles are fine.  Ignore the grid that GM puts down, those are just approximations based on height and width that you entered, it's not made for iso per se and it's not going to give you good lines on the grid, but the grid will function perfectly if you design functioning tiles.

As for what do you do with taller tiles, you guessed it - you make them taller.  this can start to be a bitch though in gm unless you've told it a specific way of sorting out layers or the last tile you place will always be on top, even if it should be behind.

About the paver tiles themselves, you're going to run into trouble when you have several tiles with shapes that exert themselves and yet don't bring anything new to the table when put alongside the others.  for ground tiles you should strive for pleasant/interesting/organic continuity of form, rather than a boring way of breaking it up.  It's better than cold, mechanical continuity sure, but I think when you stat working with those you're going to find them difficult to arrange and very limited.
A mistake is a mistake.
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The same mistake three or more times is a motif.

Offline Zack

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Re: WIP - Isometric Game Tileset - In need of some help

Reply #5 on: June 14, 2009, 04:43:19 pm
I had a GML programmer explain to me how the tiles would work, along with an example of an isometric layout done in Game Maker. So now that I understand that part, I will take your advices into consideration. This is my first time trying isometric, and I hadn't made any tiles out from the building, so I will just do so by making strips which line up towards the 32x16 tile size, correct? And I could spiffy my tiles up alot more, and I'll do so. I do agree that they are, at this point, boring.. :P
Thanks for the critic.
From this point on, I will focus on making a balanced style and not making my tiles boring. Any idea how to make them look more intresting?
« Last Edit: June 14, 2009, 04:45:00 pm by Zack »

Offline ndchristie

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Re: WIP - Isometric Game Tileset - In need of some help

Reply #6 on: June 14, 2009, 05:09:23 pm
the general way to make a good tileset/map (wow, that's a heavy opener!) is to divide things up nicely:

3 parts fill tiles, these are your basics that will join everything together.
2 parts signifier tiles, these do important things like direct the player or further define the setting.
1 part eye-catchers, these are tiles which make things pop out, whether they serve a function (cave entrances, puzzle markers....) or just liven things up (the occasional splash of color).

These are not rigid measurements, more for emphasis.  a simple game might have say, 1 wide fill tile, and maybe it's just a flat color, but if that's the case it should be the most considered color in the set.  Signifiers are also important, but should be secondary to the fill - it's most important for a player to see where he can go, not where he can't. Don't forget these though, they breathe life and information into the setting.  I also recommend not putting too much more energy into your eye-catchers, because a great tile/object in the middle of a bad set is still a bad set, and you can also risk what a lot of games do where you throw down an exciting tile every few feet to make things 'cool,' when really all you get is a busy, uninformative map.

Right now you've got a lot of eye-catchers trying to be fill tiles by using the materials of the road. they're sharp-lined and singular, and contrast highly with the road.  Rather, try making shapes which aren't so contrasted, but blend a little better, and meet the edges so that they can flow into each other to create new shapes :).
A mistake is a mistake.
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Offline Zack

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Re: WIP - Isometric Game Tileset - In need of some help

Reply #7 on: June 14, 2009, 05:52:55 pm
Thank you very much, ndchristie.

Hm, would you be able to present me an example to better my understanding of what you have noted. From what I understand, you would want me to create more shades with various shapes to catch the players eye, but don't overkill it by doing in constantly? Sorry, I'm a begginer with pixel art.   :blind:

Offline Zenobia

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Re: WIP - Isometric Game Tileset - In need of some help

Reply #8 on: June 14, 2009, 05:56:54 pm
Zen, what the heck kind of shapes are you using?  Where did those come from?
I think you're mixing up Zack's tiles with the gm grid, which are just guidelines delineating a grid that's 16 up 32 across.

Oh now I get why no one understood me. I was mainly looking at Zack's problem with the tiles not fitting properly on the GM grid, so yes, I looked at the GM grid.

Offline ndchristie

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Re: WIP - Isometric Game Tileset - In need of some help

Reply #9 on: June 14, 2009, 06:05:11 pm
not so much more shades of terrain, but use shade rather than line to define shapes which add interest to an otherwise flat plane  :y:

everyone here is sick of chaos engine being referenced, but if you look at them:

under extreme limitation, they are experts of using a few shades/shading differences for defining visual height and priority, adding interest to things and sculpting at the same time without ever breaking away from greater forms.  there is ground here and wall and plants and none of them run into each other and none of the other elements pop out of these too much.

The wall is the best part here where you have an active surface, but not too distracting.  you get the large hole, which looks nice, but doesn't jump up and down shouting i'm a hole i'm a hole, it' sits back easily in the stone and it also integrates.  The big issue you're having I think is that your pitholes, beyond having overly hard edges, don't integrate - they become their own dull objects rather than adding interest to the floor.
A mistake is a mistake.
The same mistake twice is a bad habit.
The same mistake three or more times is a motif.