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ZFGC.com => Feedback => Topic started by: Kren on April 16, 2012, 12:10:31 am

Title: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Kren on April 16, 2012, 12:10:31 am
Well, I was wondering if we could make an activity in which there is a overworld divided into screens, and each one of us select one screen and start mapping it out, to make our own zelda overworld :), it can be in lttp or Mc style, we would use the same basic tiles to keep the colors mistake to minimum, but you can also make your own tiles and such, the basic rule would be to stick to your canvas only, and make it fit to the neighbors maps, you can only pick one at a time, once you are done with it you can pick another one. I have seen it done in pixel related sites with incredible results :
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v141/robalan/CollabUpdateFinal.png
http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/upload/hexquisite2/hex2_final.gif
http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/upload/isocollab4/isocollab4final.gif

It will be fun to give it a try and make our own Hyrule :D.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: thestig on April 16, 2012, 12:14:07 am
A mapping contest? This is definitely doable, and I think the examples you provided really open up a can of interesting worms. So you're saying that there is no definite style? I was wondering how we could blend the different sections together? Ah, maybe that's a spriter's question to answer. haha. I'm all for this idea. This is essentially a map, of ZFGC.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Vash on April 16, 2012, 12:22:08 am
If you wanted to make it into a contest, you could have a group of teams.. with boards that they could do their designs in.  Ultimately hold a contest to vote on which of the maps were better.

Or it could just be an event/game of sorts that everyone collaborated on.

Really neat idea though.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Moldrill on April 16, 2012, 01:15:13 am
If you wanted to make it into a contest, you could have a group of teams.. with boards that they could do their designs in.  Ultimately hold a contest to vote on which of the maps were better.

I like this idea. I'm no spriter, but I'd be down to try if one of the team's used a really simple spriting style
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Starforsaken101 on April 16, 2012, 01:57:46 am
This sounds so freaking cool.

I have an idea for teams. Have about 2-3 spriters and 1 designer. The designer will come up with some ideas and the spriters will execute their part of the map. Sound cool? We have quite a few aspiring designers and spriters on the site. This sounds like fun.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: MG-Zero on April 16, 2012, 03:42:47 am
This is a great idea :) A team contest is something we've never really done before.  It'll probably do a good job of kicking of some development teams as well!
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: thestig on April 16, 2012, 04:01:49 am
What if there's a team consisting of 1 spriter and 1 designer? If we're going to very the size of spriters, might as well just cap the team size to 4 and let the contestants decide what they will focus their resources on. Make sense?
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Zaeranos on April 16, 2012, 05:18:49 am
It think what Kren means is that we sketch a basic map  first with only the sizes defined not what is going to be in it. Choose a style/tileset and then people reserve a section of that map to fill it to their imagination. And we'll see what the end result is when all the sections are filled and placed in the complete map.

It does not sound to me like a competition, but more as members collaboration.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Starforsaken101 on April 16, 2012, 11:58:10 am
Thank you for clearing all of the confusion up, Niek, but I think it's quite clear that we are taking Kren's idea and seeing if we could elaborate it into a contest.

In terms of teams, I guess having teams of two would be just fine. We don't really need to have 2-3 spriters per team actually. One designer, one spriter.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Max. on April 16, 2012, 02:12:26 pm
But does this mean that only 2 people would be able do have the winning map? Or will this till work like once there is a design submitted for the over world, I can just make one screen and submit it. Because that seems the most fun. I can't speak for everyone, but if I need to organize a team and then either design or sprite a whole overworld,  don't have time for that. But if I can just tile one screen, that sounds really fun.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: 4Sword on April 16, 2012, 02:41:57 pm
I think that a contest would not be beneficial for something like this. I hold this opinion because the end goal is to put everything together as one. As a contest you would want to make your section as good as it can be rather than trying to have some subtly so that the whole of everything put together at the end is not overpowered - not all towns are packed, sometimes a mostly empty environment is just as appropriate. Also assuming it would not all be towns and you wanted variation, there are certain places in a particular style that are just more popular to some people - I like the purple graveyard area in Minish Cap, but think the Castor Wilds swamp is sort of ugly. And also, if everyone is doing this in the same style, say MC or LTTP as Kren suggested, you wouldn't want to discourage people from commenting on and trying to make others sections better (some people might not know what section they like the most or may like multiple sections). While there are creative people on ZFGC, it would be odd to start out not knowing what the other teams are doing only to then have similar entries.

Also in terms of what style to do this in, Niek once posted the bottom and top tiles for Minish Cap areas that would be helpful to this shindig - it would be cool if the maps could be used in game at some point, even if to just walk around before it all becomes functional. In terms of prizes it might also be cool that in addition to giving awards out by those "outside" looking in, but also "inside" awards given by those who worked on it (having an award you get by people who were working alongside you can sometimes seem more validating and meaningful).
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Zaeranos on April 16, 2012, 06:38:29 pm
Okay, it seems like I rushed this morning before going to work. But my point is that this idea does not lend itself to well for a competition. From the examples that Kren provided it is about the whole picture and how well each individual piece made by different people fit together. And each piece is small and limited with what you can do. When you make it into a competition, how do you judge each entry. The focus of this idea is to create a nice complete picture. Thus one criteria might be how well it fits with the rest. However... what is the norm? And what if none of them fit wel together.

I think that the end result of the formed map is reward enough. It can be really goofy or artistic. My question is: Is the collaboration parallel or sequential?
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Starforsaken101 on April 17, 2012, 01:00:22 am
Well, I think I might've thrown the competition word around too much here. After some thought, I think it would actually be best if this was simply a collaborative activity. However, we could set some ground rules and start with a poll of what art style to lead it in. Then, we could potentially split up the map into sections and have the teams choose on a first come, first serve basis. Does that sound good?
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Theforeshadower on April 17, 2012, 01:24:44 am
Personally, I would love to see a very detailed version of the Lightworld and Darkworld from LttP.  Back in the day, it was great for 16-bit.  I recently replayed it the other day on my snes and realized how bland it is.  There are not many details into that got put into the later games.  I would throw up my vote for revamping the current LttP overworlds for a starter forum collaboration before we jump to an original map.

Just my thoughts.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Zaeranos on April 17, 2012, 05:40:07 pm
I don't think remaking an existing map is a good idea. The point is that a map is created by the members imagination and interests, not how well you can copy a layout of pre-existing maps.


My suggestion is that we give each member a space of 320x240 pixels to make something in. And create a map of 6 rows and 4 columns. Each person or team reserves one of the sections (not more than one at the time). Choose either ALttP or MC tiles, because they are abundant on this site. A person or team can create their own tiles fitting the chosen style. Now the choice is whether we have a paralell or sequential collaboration.

Paralell: The final result will be more difficult to predict, because everyone creates their part at the same time as everyone else. Because it is a first time, it would be more prudent to limit the tiles to a field or town.

Sequential: The final result is much more predictable, because each person starts with his piece after the previous one is added to the final result. This would not need a limit to overworld tiles, because each person can create a good transition from one tile to the other. Going from a field to desert to mountain to forest to lake.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Max. on April 17, 2012, 07:47:44 pm
I think it'd be best to do it sequentially without planning. We have a starting map, and then anybody can be like, I'm gonna do a screen to that map's right. And somebody else is like, I'll do one south of that original map. And then another person can look at all the finished maps whenever they decide to start and pick a lot that touches one of those.

If somebody REALLY wants to start somewhere independent of the finished maps, they can, and then people would just map to connect those two.

So basically, we have one map screen as a seed and then 4 maps can grow off that one, eight off those, 12 more from those, etc. This gives us the option to work in parallel while still allowing the maps to blend seamlessly. Also, we can expand amorphously.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Mitsu on April 17, 2012, 10:28:05 pm
That's a pretty solid plan there.  I like it.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Kren on April 18, 2012, 01:29:00 am
I think it'd be best to do it sequentially without planning. We have a starting map, and then anybody can be like, I'm gonna do a screen to that map's right. And somebody else is like, I'll do one south of that original map. And then another person can look at all the finished maps whenever they decide to start and pick a lot that touches one of those.

If somebody REALLY wants to start somewhere independent of the finished maps, they can, and then people would just map to connect those two.

So basically, we have one map screen as a seed and then 4 maps can grow off that one, eight off those, 12 more from those, etc. This gives us the option to work in parallel while still allowing the maps to blend seamlessly. Also, we can expand amorphously.
You got the original plan just right :p but I was thinking a limited size haha.

Not sure why people are bitching alot about this, it's not a contest or a competition and I don't see how it can be done >-< since if I have the forest area and another team has the Lake area, how can you compare them? one is just water and one house the other is just forest >-<, or if X team has the Market/city which do you think will win the boring desert or the city? Returning to the topic

Also we can make it so that once you finish the square you send it through pm to the one who is in charge of the thread, and he will be updating the map but! just show the borders :P, that way you don't know exactly what the other one has done! and once it's filled or once the surrounding areas are completed it will be reveled then :P.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: thestig on April 18, 2012, 02:50:38 am
I think it'd be best to do it sequentially without planning. We have a starting map, and then anybody can be like, I'm gonna do a screen to that map's right. And somebody else is like, I'll do one south of that original map. And then another person can look at all the finished maps whenever they decide to start and pick a lot that touches one of those.

If somebody REALLY wants to start somewhere independent of the finished maps, they can, and then people would just map to connect those two.

So basically, we have one map screen as a seed and then 4 maps can grow off that one, eight off those, 12 more from those, etc. This gives us the option to work in parallel while still allowing the maps to blend seamlessly. Also, we can expand amorphously.
You got the original plan just right :p but I was thinking a limited size haha.

Not sure why people are bitching alot about this, it's not a contest or a competition
Uh.. sorry, but who is "bitching"? As far as I can tell, there was just a discussion going on how this could go down. The debate between Contest vs. Collaboration was a matter of misinterpretation as it the idea does come off as both. You never really specified specifically what the idea was aiming for as the "collaboration" in the title just seemed to imply contest. I don't know, just reading your post sounded more or less of an idea in favor of a competing collaboration, if you know what I mean. Like, we work together to make one single map, but we do it in a way where it's broken down in a competition process. I'm not saying that it's what you said, I'm just trying to explain why there was a discussion as to why a contest might be better than the other. Still doesn't constitute as "bitching". I would really re-consider choice of words before saying stuff like that. ;p Someone might get offended. lol


Quote
and I don't see how it can be done
Could have a general template map listing the locations, then use those different locations as the different "divisions" in the contest. People form teams and then submit their work before the deadline. How hard is that?

Quote
Also we can make it so that once you finish the square you send it through pm to the one who is in charge of the thread, and he will be updating the map but! just show the borders :P , that way you don't know exactly what the other one has done! and once it's filled or once the surrounding areas are completed it will be reveled then :P .
Now see, I can also see where Star and Steve were going with the whole contest idea. If we were to collaborate, it comes off as more "difficult" to formally organize everything to avoid the whole conflict of interest. All I'm saying is, at first it SEEMS that way.

 That being said, this is how I think it should be done: start a thread with a partially blank image. It would initially be a rough outline of what the maintainer wants for THEIR submission. Or, if the maintainer's not to participate(which I don't understand why they couldn't), then ask for someone to fill in the first spot. Then set a deadline for a couple days later allowing other members to come in and draw outlines of their areas.

Once that deadline is met, people can start tiling their areas. Now my suggestion would be that around the outlines, make it so that there's some blank space so that later on in the collaboration, we can start blending in the different sections.

That's my two cents. Max's idea sounds good. I'm in favor of doing both because both ways would be interesting. That being said, in order to resolve this I think we would have to call for a vote, no? Or maybe that might not be necessary. I don't know, I'm just trying to help out here.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: Starforsaken101 on April 18, 2012, 02:25:34 pm
GM pretty much laid out all of my thoughts, but I will elaborate that if you post on the Feedback forum, expect discussion and feedback.
Title: Re: Zelda map collaboration :p.
Post by: 4Sword on April 18, 2012, 06:46:07 pm
While I still think it would be cool to do this in Minish Cap style given that Niek had previously ripped the bottom and top tiles which would make the level potentially playable in a game, it would also be cool if this was done in LTTP given that there was that project by MaJoRa in Graphics where Ocarina of Time's levels were done in LTTP style (in that there would be more maps). And also, those who worked on that might feel more compelled to help out with this collaborative effort; given that the mapping is mostly done for that, and those that worked on it have a sense of how to design levels in LTTP style. Not to say that others couldn't help out but that this establishes that a group of people have the capability and familiarity to do something like this.

But yeah, having a vote might help get a better sense of what a majority of us feels comfortable with doing.

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