Voltiare's Next Big Project

As far as I know there are four kinds of levels: Race, Story, Platforming, and Contraption/Sticker. Which kind is your favorite?

As for specific ideas, so far I have come up with this one.

1) Race type. A Mirror's Edge like level where you jump over rooftops and stuff, but there is a twist. The entire level is falling apart! Buildings and such crumbling under your sackboy's feet until the end. Maybe an end-of-the-world story with meteors and such crashing down.

What should I make? What idea is original and hasn't been done before?

Maybe some kind of Rube Goldberg machine, where you have to assemble parts of it? Perhaps you have to guide a ball to a certain point to open the exit? You could even leave it open to have several solutions.

Well, I tinkered around in Create mode to see if the mass destruction in my head was possible. It is, but it takes up wayyy too much thermometer space to be practical so I think I will scrap that idea.

Afterwards, I played some story levels to try to get more items. In fact, a lot of levels were only around 50% complete. During my item snatching, I got "Cries of the Wind" which is what I was hoping to get the first time around.

I like this song. I mean, I REALLY like it. It is absolutely beautiful and I want to make a level for it eventually...if not now. I just need a level idea. The music itself conjures up beauty, mystery, and a bit of danger. It is haunting, but mesmerizing. What environment captures the essence of this song?

I feel that donkey show hit the nail on the head. The ocean is beautiful and mysterious. It is a muse to great poetry and paintings, but also casts many a ship into it's cold, dark depths. It is the perfect song for it, but I can't use it. Well, I can, but my level would have to differ significantly with his. It's just a personal issue I have that I don't want to copy anyone's ideas.

Another song that I always loved was Girly Goodie Two Shoes or whatever it was called. It's quirky and light-hearted and it is really catchy. What environment does this song justice?

You should make a level, that starts off outside a I don't know, Construction site, then you enter a huge robot, and inside are all the cogs and dangerous obstacles moving in sync and you have to climb up to the brain of the robot and a boss fight.

LOL, that's what my level was going to be about, but with school, and my job on these forums I just don't see me making any levels any time soon.

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Originally Posted by Whaaaaale

You should make a level, that starts off outside a I don't know, Construction site, then you enter a huge robot, and inside are all the cogs and dangerous obstacles moving in sync and you have to climb up to the brain of the robot and a boss fight.

LOL, that's what my level was going to be about, but with school, and my job on these forums I just don't see me making any levels any time soon.

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Haha, so it's like the Collosus from God of War II almost. I like it, but I'm not very good at making huge baddies. I'm sure I'll have to eventually, but it's tough.

I just thought of something as I paid attention to what I just wrote. A shipwreck. I might be onto something there. A shipwreck would be PERFECT with Cries of the Wind and I could see it being a really original level. But what obstacles and such would be present in such a level?

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Originally Posted by Voltiare

Haha, so it's like the Collosus from God of War II almost. I like it, but I'm not very good at making huge baddies. I'm sure I'll have to eventually, but it's tough.

I just thought of something as I paid attention to what I just wrote. A shipwreck. I might be onto something there. A shipwreck would be PERFECT with Cries of the Wind and I could see it being a really original level. But what obstacles and such would be present in such a level?

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Rolling barrels, Nets that fall from above, Collapsing poles that form bridges maybe? Hmm, what else? You could also have it so after a while, you find a nearby island and I don't know, it turns into a jungle type level? Meh, I'm just throwing ideas out there.

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Originally Posted by Whaaaaale

Rolling barrels, Nets that fall from above, Collapsing poles that form bridges maybe? Hmm, what else? You could also have it so after a while, you find a nearby island and I don't know, it turns into a jungle type level? Meh, I'm just throwing ideas out there.

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Meh, I dunno about the rolling barrels or nets, but the collapsing pole seems alright. I can also see electric fish or electric eels as wildlife always blooms around shipwrecks. Maybe using one of the turret guns to blow open a new path. Needing security cards to get to more secure rooms. Encountering a whaaaaaale.

C'mon, more ideas!

Fish, sharks, octopi, other sea life. Divers. Ghosts. Rotten wood that collapses (either above or below you). Lots of swinging opportunities with winches and ropes for the anchor, sails, and cleats. Trying to get treasure out of the hold.

A level set in the battlefield of chess pieces.

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Originally Posted by LFF

A level set in the battlefield of chess pieces.

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Heh, that actually sounds pretty cool.

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Originally Posted by Risen

Fish, sharks, octopi, other sea life. Divers. Ghosts. Rotten wood that collapses (either above or below you). Lots of swinging opportunities with winches and ropes for the anchor, sails, and cleats. Trying to get treasure out of the hold.

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Actually, I was thinking more of an iron ship. Like a modern Destroyer class ship.

An older sailing ship would be cool too as it could have a better story line like pirates and gold or something. But the modern ship could have security clearences for a little puzzle action. Hmmm...decisions, decisions.

The idea in my head so far is that you dive off your boat towards the ship wreck in the pale moonlight and it is all dilapitated with algae and barnicles all over it. The bottom of the ship is planted into the ground and the top is pointing upwards. You go through a hole in the bottom and you find out that it trapped an air bubble so you can get off your jetpack and explore the rickity ship on foot.

OR I could have it where you use the jetpack through the entire level. Which is cooler?

How about a submarine. Or a hovercraft?!

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Originally Posted by mongoose7

How about a submarine. Or a hovercraft?!

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A sub might be cool too.

Here are some pictures I've been looking at.

http://www.smartdivers.com/images/photogal/wreck3.jpg
http://www.nordicdiver.com/images/Tr...u/PC060018.JPG
http://www.nordicdiver.com/images/Tr...u/PC090341.JPG
http://www.nordicdiver.com/images/Tr...u/PC080248.JPG

I'm not sure how much detail is possible though as thermometer space would likely be huge.

I think having the first idea is better, diving off a boat to encounter a sunken ship, you go inside the ship, and find out blah blah I can breathe underwater now, so you can release your jetpack, you encounter ghosts, treasure chests filled with goodies ( or baddies )

You can also have a sequel, where you get swallowed by a whale before the ending of the level, and start your next level in there. Again, just throwing ideas out there, detail would be a big part of your level though, sound, the ship creaking, water noises, doors shutting left and right without you knowing whats going on. Small stuff like that.

SuperPhillip: The Game Rules by Volitiare

A tribute level to SuperPhillip: The Game!

You will do awesome I am certain. :)

Seriously though, I like Whaaaale's idea, but you're more than creative enough to come up with something fun to play. I don't care how innovative it is as if it's not something fun I can get into, I won't enjoy it. :)

Hmm. This shipwreck idea has got me thinking. Have you read the novel, Life of Pi?

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Originally Posted by ClankXIII

Hmm. This shipwreck idea has got me thinking. Have you read the novel, Life of Pi?

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Nope. What's that?

I'll be fiddling around in create mode trying to see how big the ship should be and how I should make it.

The crumbling building idea is nice... I did that in Alien Escape... but the meteors, end of the world thing would be awesome. I say do it anyway, and just make the space work... maybe just limit the meteor frequency or iterations to key moments in a way that makes the tension stay and keeps the player aware of it without it constantly happening with thermometer blowing emitters...

I'd suggest having some sort of detachable submersible craft that dives down from a boat you start on. Either have it as a piston which drops down to an area that's breathable, or use it as a physical limiter so people aren't jetpacking every which way possible.

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Originally Posted by Elbee23

I'd suggest having some sort of detachable submersible craft that dives down from a boat you start on. Either have it as a piston which drops down to an area that's breathable, or use it as a physical limiter so people aren't jetpacking every which way possible.

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Yeah, that sounds pretty solid. Thanks for your input.

So I went ahead and threw something together as a test and published it. It's called "Shipwreck Test" and it is nothing more than a quick test of how I can get it to look. It has TONS of stickers and decorations already, boxes, pipes, etc. And yes, I know a shipwreck wouldn't have working lights, but I think it adds some atmosphere.

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Originally Posted by Voltiare

Yeah, that sounds pretty solid. Thanks for your input.

So I went ahead and threw something together as a test and published it. It's called "Shipwreck Test" and it is nothing more than a quick test of how I can get it to look. It has TONS of stickers and decorations already, boxes, pipes, etc. And yes, I know a shipwreck wouldn't have working lights, but I think it adds some atmosphere.

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I'll check it right now and give you some feedback.

Well, I'm sure your going to change this but, make it less "organized" It looks to clean, it has to look broken. Jagged edges, boxes on top of each other, some randomly placed at random spots. Make the lights swing too, and have some on the ground broken of course. Make it look more "shipwrecked." If you catch my drift. Other then that, atmospheres good, lighting is good.