Re: [Help-liquidwar6] Re: Questions about graphic

[Kasper Hviid]

Here's a level with a fish in it. It is mainly drawn using markers, and it's my very first try with this medium. I cleaned it up a bit with Photoshop.
Sadly, large 24 bit png files takes up quite a bit of space. The zip compression make no difference.

www.childrenoftheparents.com/kaspers_stuff/fish.zip

Christian, if you are going to write some documentation, remember to write what 2D level effects are implemented, or will have first priority (wraparound levels, semi transparent areas, and whatever else)

 

- Kasper

 

2006/10/13, Christian Mauduit <address@hidden>:

Hi,

On Thu, September 14, 2006 5:28 pm, Kasper Hviid said:
> I *could* use the "no requisites" to make a 320x240 pixels map, but
> when the player boost the resolution to 1600x1200, fullscreen, he will
> feel quite a bit cheated. What I mean is, I don't think the players
> will benefit from the designers freedom.
So I guess there can be a compromise: as in LW6 levels can be stored in
"folders", let some folder contain "real perfect 4x3 ratio maps" and some
other contain whatever level designer feel like inventing. Installing this
or that set of maps is a matter of choice. I agree that *by default*
installing a subset of very nice looking and polished maps might be better
than pushing a bazillion legacy half broken maps 8-)

> I'll just decides my own standard: 1280 x 960 pixels. Still, 1280 x
> 960 might look a bit wacky, with the fighters moving on a logical 356
> x 508 map ...
I've thought about it, and even if in the latest snapshot (20061012) it's
not fully implemented, I've decided to implement 2 different huds, the
same way there will be several map renderers.

The principle is easy:
1) floating hud: displays only the time left in the rop right corner, bit
big transparent characters. Final dot. Map can use 100% of the screen.
2) tactical hud: there's a "frame" and the map is displayed inside this
frame, so it does not use all the screen surface, only a sub rectangle.
How big the rectangle will be? Well, depends on the frame itself 8-) There
would be one frame for all the themes, only the colors of the
characters/strings written in it would change. Therefore I'd imagine it
rather greyish, to be neutral and not to interfere with theme colors. The
priority is IMHO to have a 1024x768 (I think that's way big enough for our
purpose...) hud, which can use (it's even recommended) transparency.
Another reduced 640x480 hud, without transparency, could be used later in
the Allegro 2D "not-GL-enabled" backend, but there's no urge.

Wether the light "floating" hud or the full featured "tactical" is used
will depend on the map designer's choice. Ultimately users will have the
power to override it.

> Yeah, it was the same in LW5, right? This is one solution to the
> aspect ratio problem.
>
> However, to sacrifice roughly 20 % of the actual play area just to
> make the aspect ratio "fit", is not the most subtle of methods ... in
> my opinion, "framing" the game area like this will spoil the visual
> experience quite a bit.
>
> IF the aspect ratio is going to wobble gleefully around, the maps
> could be designed to accompany this. If the map had maybe 20% extra
> space at the left, right, top and bottom, this could be used in case
> the GUI required the map to be wider/higher. Of course, the extra
> space would need to be wall only.
My opinion: do not mess in map expecting the hud/GUI to be this and that.
Design the map being *the map*. Let the game engine find places later to
display stuff.

> I think the game would benefit a great deal from having a "standard"
> aspect ratio. The designers could then choose whether they want to
> follow it, and players can of course chose to customize their HUD.
>
> Hey, I think we have some "religious differences" here ... you want
> the game to be user friendly and adjustable - I want the game to
> follow some standards and be pretty. We can't have it all ...
As I said: let us have a 4x3 standard. If map designers do not
respect it we'll put those "weird maps" in some clearly identified
directory. That's fine with me.

> The total number of fighters are constant. So the color tube could be
> vertical only, with the different colors stacked on top of each other.
> This would take up less space, and look cool.
Yep, but how do you quickly figure out who's winning. When they are
side by side it's easy to pick the highest up. Maybe we could always
display the winner (biggest quantity of liquid) on top, and the looser
at the bottom.

> Personally, I'd prefer just to have a floating timer in the top-right
> corner of the screen. I don't need a tube of colors to the left, since
> I can see how many fighters I have by looking at the screen, and I
> don't want to be bothered with network details or other stuff in the
> middle of a fast-paced game.
OK, so for your maps, specify a light floating hud, you'll be happy 8-)

>> But well, this should be much clearer when "meat" will be here, I mean
>> up and running code 8-) I could take some screenshots from the current
>> work in progress, to save you the hassle of compiling all this.
>
> Oh yes ... Please do!
Well well, I gave priority to "make a new snapshot available", but
I promise I'm doing my best to have significant interesting screenshots
ASAP. I need to write tons of docs too. Not only for others, but also
for myself to keep a clear idea of what's going on 8-)

> I don't know if this already is on the wish list, but some Sacred
> Areas on the map could, once conquered, give certain bonuses: Better
> defence, better attack, or faster speed.
I should think about keeping the wish list open and up-to-date using
Savannah's features.

Have a nice day,

Christian.

--
Christian Mauduit <address@hidden >     __/\__ ___
                                       \~/ ~/(`_ \   ___
http://www.ufoot.org/                   /_o _\   \ \_/ _ \_
http://www.ufoot.org/ufoot.pub            \/      \___/ \__)



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