Attempt to give an image to Skobeloff and Portwind

[junker]

Hello!

I tried to create two maps: Skobeloff town and Portwind city.

Skobeloff: shaped as an alpine village. Small iced lake in the middle, mountains around, few chalets, local inn, gym and the entrance to Mount Frost.

Portwind: shaped as a Dutch portual town. Stone, sloped-roofed and fenced houses, clean streets, docks with stone storehouses and fenced cultivations of tulips.

Images are in .png format with the frame of RPG Maker.

[junker]

Err... Images are small. How can I put them in in their original size?

[Reliability]

Upload them to a site like imageshack, photobucket or tinypic, then post the link from there. It tends to work better than attachments.

But from what I can see, I'm in love with Portwind. That is almost exactly what I envisioned for it! Skobeloff doesn't look bad either, but I will hold off on making any suggestions until I see them full size.

[junker]

Ok, thanks: here are the links:


Skobeloff:
link1: http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/6719/skobeloff.png



Portwind:
link1: http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/6136/portwind.png

[BladeVap]

OhEmGee! You did amazing work, here! The only minor complaint I have is more of a clarification question: what's with the giant frozen lake in Skobeloff? Wouldn't that make it hard to get around?

[Reliability]

Wouldn't that make it hard to get around?
Not really, considering all one has to do is slide from the bank directly across from the stairs to get to them. There aren't any obstacles, so once one finds the spot through trial and error, they can go back and forth relatively easily.

As I thought, Portwind is quite exceptional. However, what is that building below the Pokemon Centre?

Skobeloff is fine, I just don't like the smaller trees. They feel out of place in a harsh environment. If you could, could we see a version in which there aren't any of the small trees? Replace them with large trees if you deem it appropriate for the location. It's just that they seem so delicate lined up like that.

[junker]

Not really, considering all one has to do is slide from the bank directly across from the stairs to get to them. There aren't any obstacles, so once one finds the spot through trial and error, they can go back and forth relatively easily.

As I thought, Portwind is quite exceptional. However, what is that building below the Pokemon Centre?

Skobeloff is fine, I just don't like the smaller trees. They feel out of place in a harsh environment. If you could, could we see a version in which there aren't any of the small trees? Replace them with large trees if you deem it appropriate for the location. It's just that they seem so delicate lined up like that.

Thank you very much for your appreciation!

Yes, the player has only to slide from the bank in fron of stairs. I thought about the small village of Hallstatt in Austria to draw the map: but here I made the lake closed by the city itself. A sort of canyon of high altitude.

I put the building because it can be used as:
1) see of port authorities;
2) maritime museum;
3) see of coast guard;
4) closed fish market (for example herrings, according to the Dutch tradition).

I thought at first to build the see of port authorities because I read the description of Portwind in Topaz map and there is written that the local Gym leader is a sort of defender of marine environment.

As for Skobeloff, I will remove small trees.

I have some free time, so I can try to make other maps. What city has urgency to be drawn?

[Cyndadile]

I agree with Reli; Portwind is really good. I think Skobeloff should have sime inducation of where you should skate from, like a rock marking the proper place to start at.

[BladeVap]

For the big house in Portwind, I could see it being a fish market.

[Reliability]

I think we need a Hollowlog. That's the one that is supposed to be IN a log, so that one might be a little difficult.
Otherwise, we definitely need a Saharan.

[ImmunityBow]

Though I like the concepts surrounding each map, the maps are a little too neat for my taste. There are neat rows of houses, trees, etc. and though that's how it works in real life when seen from a top-down view it's too regular. I like to see a little more variety in terms of the spaces between houses, the run of the roads and such, that kind of randomness helps keep the maps looking fresh.

Also, Portwind being a two-block city I would expect it to be much larger.

[junker]

Though I like the concepts surrounding each map, the maps are a little too neat for my taste. There are neat rows of houses, trees, etc. and though that's how it works in real life when seen from a top-down view it's too regular. I like to see a little more variety in terms of the spaces between houses, the run of the roads and such, that kind of randomness helps keep the maps looking fresh.

Also, Portwind being a two-block city I would expect it to be much larger.


Ok, I expanded Portwind, with some new things:
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/1747/neuekartederstadtportwi.png
and
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/1747/neuekartederstadtportwi.png

I think that the city lost its Dutch colonial style without house-rows.


I modified Skobeloff, with only big trees:
http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/6719/skobeloff.png

[junker]

And then Saharan city:

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/9687/saharan1.png
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/3591/saharan2.png

[Cyndadile]

And then Saharan city:

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/9687/saharan1.png
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/3591/saharan2.png

That is really good. I can't think of anything to add.

Edit: Except it might have to transition to sand at the entrances. Unless that happens in the routes.

[Reliability]

I kind of want paths of some description. I don't think too many, just something running between some of the major buildings?

[ImmunityBow]

Saharan seems nice though I'd like to see a version with yellow floor tiles (a simple recolour is fine) just to see whether that invokes desert just a little better.

Portwind is loads better. I know what you were going for the but the idea here is inspiration, not imitation. It still seems a little small though so an additional fish-market section or something as previously suggested could help with that. Think Slateport-size (including the beach!)
I like Skobeloff, no complaints there. Does sliding on ice tiles count as steps for eggs? Might be a cool place to hatch eggs since you can just keep sliding back and forth.

[junker]

Saharan seems nice though I'd like to see a version with yellow floor tiles (a simple recolour is fine) just to see whether that invokes desert just a little better.

Portwind is loads better. I know what you were going for the but the idea here is inspiration, not imitation. It still seems a little small though so an additional fish-market section or something as previously suggested could help with that. Think Slateport-size (including the beach!)
I like Skobeloff, no complaints there. Does sliding on ice tiles count as steps for eggs? Might be a cool place to hatch eggs since you can just keep sliding back and forth.

I gave Saharan city a more "desertic" look, with sandy background and disconnected badly-paved paths:

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/857/saharan1a.png
http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/7752/saharan2a.png

[BladeVap]

About sliding back and forth, IB, for Eggs...I do not believe that ice patches count for each individual tile, but rather just the starting and ending tiles.

At least, that's what I've heard...

[Reliability]

I them all right now. I disagree with IB in that Portwind should be Slateport sized, since that would make it rival in size to Colossus, which I takes something away from that city IMO. I would be okay with maybe doubling the current size, but that might even be a bit much.

Also, If you want to keep the current set up (rows of houses) I would be okay with that, simply because this is all supposed to be new construction. Tristan recently rebuilt a great deal of the city, and rows like this is more in tune with modern urban planning. And as long as it's the only city set up like this, it won't really be boring.

[junker]

In doubt, I expanded a little Portwind again. Now, we see two water channels (I put two signs, in wich we can write the name of the channel), a pub/tavern, the open fish market, with its dock and storehouses. So, we can use the building south of Pokecentre as dock-offices/port authorities for maritime safety.

Here are pictures:

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/2149/portwind3a.png
http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/238/portwind3b.png

What about the new look of Saharan?

[Reliability]

I really like Saharan, and the new Portwind as well. You are doing such a good job, and in such a short amount of time. I REALLY appreciate all the work you've done so far.

[NyteFyre]

Haha, nice! I'd say they all look fantastic thus far! You really seem to have a talent for this. IB should just give you the whole list we have, thus far, and see what you can do with those! But that's just my opinion.

[Sev]

Saharan has 1 problem which is the palm trees don't fit the desert tiles. I would love to see grass growing around the palms rather to give it an oasis feel.

[NyteFyre]

Huh, I just noticed that. Are there any tiles with just a few tufts of grass around it?

[MeekRhino]

Or...maybe without the grass at all? I'd be curious to see what it would look like without any grass around the palms.

[ImmunityBow]

Yes, yes yes! Saharan and Portwind look so good now! The rows of houses look okay on Portwind as long as the city's not limited to that near-quadrilateral shape you had before. Now it's just amazing! Saharan looks way more desert-y, and I think that is really how it should be, especially since now the water looks so refreshing since it provides a break from all that yellow.

[junker]

Thanks a lot.

I put some very small shrubs in Saharan:

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/1111/saharanfinal1.png
http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/1697/saharanfinal2.png

[junker]

I'm working on Hollowlog, but I haven't got any idea. How can it be in your minds and in your projects?

[NyteFyre]

Well, It's a city/town, inside a gigantic hollowed out log, with exits to the east, north and south, and probably one to the east, as East Hollowlog forest is accessed from here, and i think Westlog is as well. idk. Also, there are going to be several levels, accessible by 'vines'. probably houses up there, maybe a shop.

At least, this was my impression of it.

[Reliability]

Multiple levels would be nice, but don't think of it as necessary. Do what you can. I always imagined it as forest-level light, with spots of light created by holes in the "roof"

And to clarify, it does needs an exit to all four directions.

[ImmunityBow]

Puddles and loamy soil might also be good additions.

[Quinn]

I'm one man that doesn't pop up often, and I forgot what the ice town is now...but dont be forgetting my lil easter egg I took about 2 months on to make. Haha

[ImmunityBow]

In case you're wondering, he's referring to this:
http://www.pokemontopaz.net/forums/showthread.php?505-santa-trainer-sprite

[MK94]

hay were can i get rpg maker?

[ImmunityBow]

A question since the beginning of Topaz that unfortunately we're not allowed to answer, since it is technically illegal to download an english version. Some clever google searching is probably the right place to go. We're using RPG Maker XP.

[Tyrannigon64]

A question since the beginning of Topaz that unfortunately we're not allowed to answer, since it is technically illegal to download an english version. Some clever google searching is probably the right place to go. We're using RPG Maker XP.

Are you sure it's a illegal? I found a legitimate looking website just by searching "rpg maker".

[Triumph]

It's only illegal if you don't pay for it.

[ImmunityBow]

Hmm... They must have translated it into English, finally. But yes, if you want to pay the $30, you definitely can. Otherwise you're on your own to search for it.