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[Lurker28]

I know this might not work, but have you thought about doing a triangular shadow for the darkest points of the ramp?

[exdeath]

posting to watch.

[therahedwig]

Maybe look at how the legend of zelda does it? If you look at the Minish Cap dungeons for example, what they do is that the lower part of the ramp is darker, and the upper part lighter. Similarly, the convex edges are 'lit' and the concave edges are 'darkened'.

Something like this, but with better defined edges:

[Plump Helmet]

I'm not really liking this. It reminds me too much of pillow shading.

I think the last mockup screen Mike posted is as good as we're gonna get the slopes to look, personally.

[Mike Mayday]

Yeah, I'm really not liking that solution either.
Still trying possible improvements though:


@Lurker, the sharp cast shadows do help with the ramps themselves, but they make the discrepancy between the lighting of the terrain and the objects/creatures even bigger. I'd rather avoid it unless it's decided that they help for majority of players.

[Rekov]

Changing the light direction is a big help. I think we're just all used to the light coming from the top as opposed to the bottom these days.

None of the screenshots show hills sloping down to the east/up to the west. Is the sun coming directly from the top, or is it coming from top-right or top-left?

It's a shame it's (probably) not possible to implement directional shadows. The brain just needs enough consistent signals to put together a working model of where the sun is, and then what is sloping which way based on that.

Dwarf Fortress players know how ramps work, so we can figure out where the sun is based on the ramps. Inexperienced players are going to need the opposite direction to work.

[Pillbo]

Turning left/right is certainly something I will suggest to Tarn (even if it mucks up the lighting of the sprites), turning up/down would require a new sprite for each.

Fort mode doesn't have facing though IIRC? I would prefer it if the graphics help communicate the underlying mechanics of the game rather than muddying things up.

They don't? I thought that's how Observation skills worked- the range of vision of creatures + Observation skill = they spot an ambush or gremlin?

No mock-ups of large creatures so far. Vordak made some a long time ago for my set though: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=138754.msg7836427#msg7836427

I'm in favour of large oversized creatures, sticking to the (almost) correct relative size according to the raw sizes, while Mike advises caution, keeping them a few pixels over the 32x limit, which means that they fit better into corridors, cages and the like.

For example the elephant: Left would be my suggestion, right would be Mikes suggestion. Both are larger than 32x32.

I like the large on the left, maybe this could be a toggle-able option.  Same with the reversed ramp shading for the few people that seem to prefer it the original way.

[Cruxador]

Maybe look at how the legend of zelda does it? If you look at the Minish Cap dungeons for example, what they do is that the lower part of the ramp is darker, and the upper part lighter. Similarly, the convex edges are 'lit' and the concave edges are 'darkened'.

Something like this, but with better defined edges:

It's very readable, so that's good, but I think your overlay isn't using the right option.

Yeah, I'm really not liking that solution either.
Still trying possible improvements though:

The rounded edges are an improvement but the shading got too way too light compared to the other grass, and it seems like the color balance has shifted too, away from red.

[Meph]

Yeah, I'm really not liking that solution either.
Still trying possible improvements though:


@Lurker, the sharp cast shadows do help with the ramps themselves, but they make the discrepancy between the lighting of the terrain and the objects/creatures even bigger. I'd rather avoid it unless it's decided that they help for majority of players.

That one looks great.

[Mike Mayday]

BTW, Meph, do you think it's okay if we have discussions about such stuff both here and on the project forum?

[Meph]

I personally prefer it here, when it comes to sprite-work. We make the art for the players, and the players are here. Only here we do get relevant feedback.

If it's about super top secret "maybe" implemented features, it's probably better to do that on the project forum, just so that neither Tarn nor Tanya get a heart attack and to avoid overselling possible additions, in case they do not work out.

I mean, we had these ramps since the beginning, and look what happened within just 1 day. Public post, get feedback, suggestions for improvement, awesome sprites now.

[Mike Mayday]

Of course!
Alright then. Be sure to check the goblinart forums from time to time though, as I will soon have much to discuss internally It's been a funny change of pace with the announcement, but I guess I need to refocus.

[Meph]

Cool.

So that everyone is in the clear: Mike and me will discuss ideas and work-in-progress privately, once we have something to show, we can post it here for you guys to critique. Sounds good?

[Kromtec]

So that everyone is in the clear: Mike and me will discuss ideas and work-in-progress privately, once we have something to show, we can post it here for you guys to critique. Sounds good?

[spazyak]

Gonna ptw