The Perilous Pit Graphic (Split from Misconceptions)

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StupidBunny
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Post by StupidBunny »

I attempted the opposite thing, which was to make the Perilous Pit actually look like a pit and not a beehive. Though the beehive level/mod idea is infinitely more awesome
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Post by Levellass »

So...tempting...to...do...!
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Post by Gridlock »

Well, if it's any consolation, I do have some hive levels in Atroxian Realm. It's not a full blown tileset made specifically for a hive, though.

In some ways, I think Perilous Pit reminded me a little of a shipwreck as well, or at least some kind of wooden structure. This is what I love about Keen 4-- everything seems open to the imagination, especially when you're a kid.
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Post by Ceilick »

Tried to fix it...
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...Still a weird wooden hive.
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Post by Keening_Product »

It sometimes reminded me of the nissen huts/hangers in Raptor. That or something half buried.
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Post by Levellass »

Ceilick wrote:Tried to fix it...
Image

...Still a weird wooden hive.
Now I see a mean looking face, two eyes and a mouth.


Also, I now have some honeycomb tiles done. I must stop myself.
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Post by tulip »

I think part of the problem comes with the suggested angle on the ground by the house next to it. So we see the thing next to it as standing on the ground by itself, rather than being part of the ground the house stands on.

Also one could be a little suggestive and add something that indicates this has been dug out a while before:

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I like how Ceilick's filename screams PIT.
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Post by NY00123 »

tulip wrote:<snip>
Now now... that *is* a quite different way to look at that "beehive" - or maybe a pit, after all!

Shows it's (much) more in the brain than plain visual input.
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Post by Roobar »

It's weird to see this as a beehive, since there's not a single bee or beehive in the game. Still, these improvements are better. If I were to add something, it would be more solid lines for even better differentiation:
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However, those hills looks too big for the world map
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Post by DHeadshot »

That does look more like a Pit now. Those hills, though, look as though they should be solid and would thus block Keen's progress across the map. Perhaps they should disappear when the level has been completed?
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tulip
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Post by tulip »

Yep those lines definetly improve it a lot, and I also don't like the hills when I see them on the world map.
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Post by Ceilick »

Split this to it's own thread since it moved away from misconceptions.

Great observation on perspective Tulip, and the additional lines really do help, Wiivn.

Here's some modifications of Tulip's hills using the preexisting hill dimensions found elsewhere on the world map. And lastly, possibly the most elegant solution, is just superimposing the flag holder over the edge of the pit (I'm uncertain about the exit tile position, but the general idea is there).

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Post by Paramultart »

That very last frame is perfect. The flag holder is such a subtle touch, but it works wonders in terms of altering the player's perception of depth.

That's the trick to good pixel art... the power of subtlety, and when to use the right details.
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Post by Roobar »

Here are the possible pixel perfect holder positions:
Image

Image

Image

Personally, I prefer the first one because the flag would not interfere much with the walkable area:

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I though after we finish this, we would also fix other misconceptions. Like the sleeping slug.
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Post by Keening_Product »

Wow, that's a massive improvement! I prefer the option just with the flag holder, but one small hill would probably look good. All three looks a little strange in some ways. But yeah, nice work all of you.

I like wiivn's idea of a mod correcting these misconceptions, though I don't know if I want to know K4 without the underground owls :<
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