[Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth

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Offline egomassive

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #30 on: September 16, 2013, 00:46:26 »
I have an idea for you. Create puzzle-challenges where the player will have to reposition the hologram several times to get through a screen. In the image below, Juni will have to appear before the eye to clear the orange block. A Trigger with deny-hologram deletes the block on touch. (It could also be done with Shifts, but not as well.) On the right side is a selection of enemies that would work well with this kind of challenge. Having entrances in vertical shafts limits the player's hologram deployment options.

You could have an explanation of the eye happen shortly after receiving the hologram, so later on the eye can serve as a hint to use the hologram.

Edit: I updated the image to show an actual challenge instead of something that looked like one. Here's the script I used:
TrigVisible(A)=False
TrigEffect(A)=False
TrigSound(A)=Electronic
TrigTouch(A)=True
TrigDenyHologram(A)=True
TrigType(A)=2
« Last Edit: September 16, 2013, 07:20:45 by egomassive »

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Offline Talps

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #31 on: April 26, 2014, 01:44:32 »
Cunning plan: using the hologram in conjunction with KS+'s 'W' key item to forcibly switch off your hologram... with due warning.

So today (and with some highly appreciated help) I've been building some custom objects to make that dream a reality (aka. the 'due warning' part).

Nice to be knytting again. Juni ought to be wearing her sword in the screenshot below... I guess she left it off for rehearsals.

Still need to find someone who can draw me a dragon...
« Last Edit: April 26, 2014, 01:47:59 by Talps »

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Offline Talps

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #32 on: April 26, 2014, 20:55:19 »
Things done today:

Turn all my knyghts into animated COs based on the parka-guy (which I've wanted to do since the moment I drew them) apart from a couple which I want to be a little more complex.
Turned the knytt king into an animated CO based on the beardy old man.
Designed and animated an enemy character (based on nothing!) and built several screens for the in-game cutscene where you first meet her (not quite finished her but she's looking awesome).

Ego, changing the graphics of objects is the coolest thing in the history of everything, ever! Thanks so much for your mod and for putting up with my bombardments of questions and requests!
I really want to show off what I've done today, but... I guess you'll all have to wait for the release.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2014, 20:58:19 by Talps »

Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #33 on: April 27, 2014, 14:03:24 »
To die, to suffer the mind to say we end their currents turn awry, and the whips and by opposing end the dread of something after death what dread of something after death, the mind to say we end them? To die, to grunt and by opposing end the mind to sleep; to say we end thus the heart-ache and arrows of great pith and by opposing end the oppressor's wrong, the mind to sleep; to sleep to sleep: perchance to dreams may come when he himself might his quietus makes calamity of something after death.

(Context)

Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #34 on: May 04, 2014, 15:27:41 »
Dragon Myth is being worked on!

 :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Why is there no dancing smiley?


The world is changing, by toenail , has a section with dragons, so you might be able to use those images. They're kind of small and basic, but there is an animated one (Juni gets turned into a dragon if you're masochistic enough to attempt the dragon area). Dragon Cave has many dragons sprites, which can be viewed here: http://dragcave.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Types and may be used with the relevant sprite-maker's permission. You might be able to find more through looking at wikis for other games that involve hatching dragons (search Google for dragon pet, dragon hatch and so on, there are loads).

Do you require an animated dragon? How big do you want it to be? Would putting a dragon's shadow across part of relevant screens work?
I've never meta pun I didn't like.

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Offline Talps

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #35 on: May 05, 2014, 01:37:00 »
Yay, finally a reply! :D

Actually a friend at work has said she might be interested in drawing some stuff for me. Need to email her about it...

Thanks for showing interest. :)

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Offline the Jack

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #36 on: August 12, 2014, 09:41:17 »
Hey, Talps, how's this level going? Have you found dragon art you like yet?

It looks really exciting. I'm especially looking forward to the CO re-skins! That should be super-awesome.

Actually, it's eggplant.

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Offline Talps

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #37 on: August 12, 2014, 10:57:13 »
I actually added some screens to this over the last couple of days - first time in a while, I admit, but at least it's something. Only thing is, it took a couple of hours to add about 4 screens. Maybe I'm just really out of practice, or maybe it's a combination of a complex tileset, convoluted use of overlays and shifts, trying to use the hologram (ugh, why did you do this to me 2010-self?!) and making effective use another feature that really changes gameplay that I discovered for KS+ and stole plagiarised made homage of from someone else's sections of 'For Egomassive'. So I've not made things easy for myself! But hopefully it'll provide some fun gameplay to make my efforts worthwhile.

As for the dragon, I really need to have something drawn specifically for my use - using someone else's art isn't really feasible. I had a friend who said she'd give it a go but I don't think she'll be able to now, so I don't know what I'm gonna do. If anyone can draw and would be willing'n'able to make a few-panels-long cutscene for me, I would be extemely grateful and would look for opportunities to repay them (such as a big mention woven into the plot of this level or a short level made in their honour, or something...)
Otherwise I'll have to think of another idea. I guess I could do it showing the barest minimum of the dragon maybe (make the cutscene from its perspective, à la Jaws?), but I'd be disappointed not to put a picture of a dragon in my level called 'Dragon Myth' which is about slaying a dragon.


In other news...

I have a thing about secret hunting - I really don't like games that depend on it over-much. Fubaka's 'Cosmic Meltdown' being an example - no offence to him and I'm sure it's fantastic (everyone else says so) but it's not for me. The amount of bonus hidden stuff in 'Knytt Underground' is also an irritant.
On the other hand, I really like how 'Night Sky' handles secrets as easy to find and with clear rewards for doing so (aka. access to the bonus level). It maybe made the locations of the secrets more apparent than was entirely necessary but none-the-less it worked for me.

Two factors have come together in this level - one is that, ages ago, I spontaneously added a secret area into one of the earlier locations simply because the way I had designed the screen made it look like there may be a secret area where I hadn't planned on putting one, so I stuck in a hidden room with a couple of guys chatting about the plot. Second is that, intending to put in a bonus ending, I introduced a subplot early into the level intending that a sufficiently determined player who remembered this plot would be able to access the area much later in the story. Since coming back to this and converting it to KS+, I've struck upon the idea of adding in a few other secret areas throughout the level and sticking a golden creature in each. Introducing the treasure hunt besides making the subplot more memorable should give a satisfying objective and reward for the lovers of secret-hunting.

A bonus challenge, a subplot, and a finite and quantifyable supply of secrets makes me happy and hopefully will make secret hunting enjoyable and not onerous.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2015, 12:54:47 by Talps »

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Offline the Jack

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #38 on: August 12, 2014, 14:14:22 »
Is the dragon only going to be seen in cutscenes? Because while I don't think my pixel-art skills are up to making a good dragon that would work in a tileset, I could probably do you a dragon in another style. (Possibly something you could use as a gradient and/or CO, depending on the look of the tileset(s) it would share screen-space with.) Are there any other cutscenes done for the level yet?

Feel free to PM me details if you don't want to spoil the dragon's look / traits / etc. here in the preview thread.

Actually, it's eggplant.

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Offline Talps

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #39 on: August 12, 2014, 16:10:44 »
It will only appear in cutscenes, over a few panels; if you'd be willing to consider drawing said art for me let me know and I'll send you a draconically huge PM and be very grateful!

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Offline Talps

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #40 on: August 25, 2014, 11:58:57 »
Custom music!

Most of this level uses default music, because there's a lot of level and I could spend days searching the internet for appropriate music when most of the level is built around the default music already.

So.

I decided that I wanted to include some custom music. In 'I Dreamed of the Sky' I shoved one custom track in at the end (one I'd previously used in two other levels, which bodes ill) but felt rather silly about it as the rest of the level relied on the default tracks.

So I'm trying to filter custom music throughout this one, in odd places. On my last playthrough I identified three areas I wanted to populate with custom music. Yesterday I found tracks for two of them (one of which didn't feel like it should work, though I liked it when I played through it. Still, maybe I'll change it in future) and also found a track I liked so much that I replaced a default music track with it just because I could! (I also invented a new game! Identify the KS level by the music track from Freesound.org!)

So yeah, I'm feeling good about this, though I still need to find a sweet-but-slightly melancholic piece of music to play below a waterfall (suggestions welcome, or if anyone knows a good site for finding music... Something like the music that Polana picked for 'Calm River Valley' in 'For Egomassive', only less chipper, would be good).

In other news, I've added a lot of screens recently and they're making the most technically complex sequence I've ever produced. Ingame cutscenes using various KS+ features, my most-complex-ever original COs, tints and tint-like techniques, cunning use of sounds, sarcasm, understatement...

My greatest flagging exploit to follow...
« Last Edit: February 16, 2015, 12:57:28 by Talps »

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Offline sergiocornaga

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #41 on: August 25, 2014, 15:26:13 »
I recommend trawling Free Music Archive if you haven't already!

EDIT: I found this track through FMA for example, which sounds a little like the sort of thing you're after? I'm not sure if this specific track's license would allow you to use it though, you might have to contact the artist if you were interested.
« Last Edit: August 25, 2014, 15:43:08 by sergiocornaga »

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Offline Healy

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #42 on: August 26, 2014, 00:44:42 »
There's a track called Touch to the Clouds by Kinetic Law that might fit for the place below the waterfall. I'm using it for a level right now, though (if that affects your judgment any).

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Offline Talps

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #43 on: August 26, 2014, 01:48:36 »
Healy, I really like that track, but I want to avoid 8bit music in this - doesn't fit the level well. Still, it sounds great so I look forward to hearing it in your level; a good contribution to the KS soundscape. :P

Sergio, that's the best track I've discovered so far - thanks (and it's license is agreeable, for non-profit and without editing). I'll have a look through that site for what else it offers but that's made me feel positive again.

Thanks guys!
« Last Edit: August 26, 2014, 01:54:59 by Talps »

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Offline sergiocornaga

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Re: [Challenge/Scenic/Epic Length - KS+] Dragon Myth
« Reply #44 on: August 26, 2014, 08:18:33 »
Sergio, that's the best track I've discovered so far - thanks (and it's license is agreeable, for non-profit and without editing). I'll have a look through that site for what else it offers but that's made me feel positive again.

The license disallows derivative works, including it in a level arguably qualifies? I think it's a grey area, which is why I suggested reaching out.

Here are a few more free tracks I found via FMA that explicitly allow for adaptation:
Twinklebox / Old Dreams by Emphemetry
A Lullaby Hum For Tired Streets by Emphemetry
The Metamorphosis EP by Gluid
Uncle Frederick Soundtrack by Krowne