What if buildstation implemented an extra degree of freedom?

[Nullbear]

As the title says, What if it were made to be "2.5D", allowing for multiple floors (to look nicely) etc.

[Amelorate]

If you're talking about multi Z stations, then yes. But if its an isometric view, then no, it would make it alot harder to see everything and notice things.

[Par]

If you're using BYOND to make Z-levels, then I would be against that; unless you change how it currently works. It could be interesting for special areas, such as having a Bridge that is placed above the station. But if I have to swap Z-Levels to get from, say, cargo to medbay, I think it is not worth implementing.

Also, atmospherics and explosions won't translate too well through Z-Levels.

[Hate9]

Well, if it's not in byond at all (which has been suggested) then it might work fairly well...

[Nullbear]

i was thinking a perspective 2.5D

So, it would be similar to isographic, except...

mmohuts.com/wp-content/gallery/dungeon-fighter-online-full/dungeon-fighter-online-attacking.jpg?bb7a3b

Thats kind of what i mean. I would add a lot more of "north" than they use in sidescrollers though.

[maxinatorx]

I think we'll need a better example because that screenshot being compared to SS13 scares me a little.
What exactly do you mean?
Make the entire map side-scrolled and most rooms accessed by doors that teleport you? An example of would be Megaman ZX or...some other side scroller game(I am drawing a blank here).
Or make it an isometric game? Having walls cover up some items would be troublesome but something like that could be overcome by using the trick from Sims and removing some or all walls...

[lorathor]

I think Null meant something like that, perspective-wise spoken

[Hate9]

If that's what she meant, ss13 already tries to be that, so I'm okay with the idea.

[Nullbear]

Lorathor n max got it. Yeah, i was planning on making walls semi-transparent when you'reon the other side of them, so stuff like apc's would be accessible and stuff.

Another random screen:

www.consoleclassix.com/info_img/Alien_3_SNES_ScreenShot3.gif

Veentcrawling like alien3 on snes, should exist.

[Nullbear]

As for the byond platform bit, I'm hoping to move towards html5. woo! Now to learn it. The hardest bit with this, Is really just server/clientside programming.

[maxinatorx]

We'll need to revise perspective on the art. But hell I am all for it, and you don't seem to be fazed that much by the hurdle in front of us,so that's good.

[lorathor]

The thing is, walls and environment stuff needs to be larger than 1 tile if you want to walk "behind" them and make them kind of transparent

[Nullbear]

ill do a mockup example when i get home. (thats all im really gpod for anyways...)

[Par]

I'm slightly against it. I think it's more work than it should be.

Also, since you want to program in HTML5, you're going to face some limitations. While I like the platform better, players will need to re-download content onto their computer everytime they load the game page, unless you have a cache on their computer(Hard to do). However, since it's HTML5, I'm guessing it will be in Javascript, which you have experience with.

[Nullbear]

yeah, the artstyle is just an idea right now, and it may not take place. so... mockups! for the most part, users would only need to download image and sounds. but i was planning on packing and jsons, to speed that up.

[lorathor]

To understand all this - I've no ideao about coding but does this mean that we aren't restricted to byond anymore and kinda go for a remake / standalone ?

[Nullbear]

Not yet. Im still just asking what people think about this, etc. If you guys all feel like, Consider this next week a "burn-out" week. Nothing will likely happen, And i dont expect, or even suggest, that people work on any art assets (except whatever they're midway through, or art assets that are reussable: dem donation buttons.)

So rest up, play a few games and whatnot, And submit some feedback and/or suggestions on how you want to see this whole danged thing develop. Eventually, I'll make a decision on whether to stick with byond and what we've already got, or whether to go with html5, or even a separate standalone version.

[lorathor]

First, why I contributet and why I thought where we're going was spriting for a SS13 server or makeover with major changes. In the past times I rather sticked to spriting than gaming and tried to get things done. The code's already there and usable, only more features had to be added, removed or changed.

With spriting for a new styleset it's quite the same as springing for a standalone, only the framework reqierements have to be fixed and set. I like the idea to maybe get to a whole new style of game without being bound to Byond. On the other hand, you, Nullbear, are on yourself right now as the only coder with not that much experience in html5, if I understood right. The point is, everything has to be done from start to finish, not only the spriting. This is a very long-term project with not that much userbase so far. With the choose of a  standalone some things needs discussion and also another important thing, who will stay if you really decide to stick to a standalone.

For ME: I like spriting and being creative, that's the reason why I'm here. I really don't care if I'm spriting for a new gametype, another server or only for a forum or for myself. As long as I can do what I like to do, I'm fine. So for now consider me in, wherever Buildstation is going or not.

[Nullbear]

sweet And yes, it neeeds discussion, OII've asked on the reddit, O(and aim going to ask on a few more relative ones, chat up old dsesvbuddies, etc.) for some more coders. So I wont be working the standalone alone, if thats what we end up doing.

[maxinatorx]

I am not sure if you should have asked the subreddit about it...that place is kind of toxic.
People are looking at this entire thing as a joke now.

[Hate9]

There are a few people just downvoting everything null posts now.

[lorathor]

People are always hating about something they can't accomplish by themselves and especially the ss13 subreddit is a boiling hot lavapit filled with a mix between anger, hate, frustration and denial.

But back to topic, where do you see us ?

[Nullbear]

oh god, how did i make so many typo's in that last post? Moving on. How do i see you? You chaps are all fine folk. Except hate. He's just a hater. Yeah, Plenty of hate on the reddit. Oh well. Got more visitors though.

[Hate9]

I may have made this (terrible) pun here before, but I don't hate, I hate9.

[lorathor]

What do you think about this and what would you prefer and why ?
Only an example of the possibilities concerning the perspective. And thanks par for your wall sprite



Newer Tileset with 48x48 tiles

[Hate9]

Nice, very very nice.