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Lictor666

Guest

Build with a machine

Hello you !

In my eternal quest to find the most enjoyable way to build on EE, I am confronted to a big question. Use a software to build, is it cheating or not ?
Of course you can quickly answer the question :
Yes, if you abused,
No, if you controls your dark side,
Yes / No, it depends on the software.

So, I will present a pleasant way to build through software,
It is my first time, and I stop at the middle for the moment.
Here's how I do it :

Step 1

Searching for an image.
I personally use the site "Pinterest". There is a good quality image catalog. Just type a few keywords and paradise of ideas awaits you.
The best thing is to make an board to store images you find nice.
For example, I have a special board for inspirations for my 200x200 worlds.

So, you have to search, test keywords like "architecture", "fantasy", "building", "medieval", "pixel art" ...
And after lose yourself, go to suggestions to suggestions, open tabs.
In this game I can spend hours !
After a while you keep aside a few pictures, then two, then one, and it's gone !
Here is mine:

Step 2

Image processing.
I use the GIMP 2 software, because, it's the same as paint in more convenient with some photoshop stuff.
So no-brainer, it's still easy to use.

So, create a new document,
Size 200x200, white background.

(All screens will be in frenh sorry for that !)

Copy and paste the image into it.
Adjust as you see fit with the scaling tool (hold ctrl to not distort the image).
Fill in black the background
So, here I am with this:

Step 3

First layer.
Open the layers window (Window => dockable window => Layers)

Then create a new layer with a invisible background :

(Layers are your friends, create as much as you need <3)

On this layer I first arranged 42 squares around (I need 42 for this world, kinds of minigames, but that's for the gameplay part if there's one)
I put the square obviously on the building zone of the picture.

After that, nothing more simple, I just link the square while following the buildings already there and putting a little imagination.
I use the pencil size 1 to do that : I draw lines then I fill empty zones.
To draw a straight line hold shift.
I leave arteries exposed to give some dimension to the picture.
And here's the result:

Step 4

Creating an EE palette.
Here we will have to switch to EE, so it's gone, I open a blank world to create a palette.
The goal is to make enough concit, no need to take dozens of blocks.
It is also now I need to think about in game art. So no ugly blocks.

Personally I will do in simplicity, buildings in gray, the heart in red.

Few blocks in gray too much (for later).
Same for the blue and purple that I care for veins (which is marked in red)

Just take a screenshot of the minimap,
Paste it into a new layer. Just keeping the palette and hop !

To simplify my life, I create directly a GIMP palette :

Step 5

First coloring.
I will use the gray color as I did for "Maze Runner".
I'll cover all that gray texture before adding the details of the buildings over (on another layer).

This texture is simple, I use the first three blocks of gray palette.
- The background is with the grey brick texture
- The square are with the basic grey
- I cleared sometimes with the beta block

Some tips to go faster:
- Textures can be copied, areas of 5x5 or 8x8, I copied the maximum as possible!
- Use the brush to paint: for example my texture, it is square 1x1, 2x2 or 3x3, I increase the size of my brush and everything is faster!
- The x800 zoom is cool!

This is the result of background texture for built:

With the heart, put in red to have a global idea of the result :

Aoutch, this still need work ! The heart need a better processing to don't have this weird 3D effect.

Step 6

Construction of buildings.
For need my level, I had to set up 42 small boxes that will host the future system.
Before starting I have to set up all this stuff!

So I can now come furnish all with a style of a lab / factory.
First I put a tint to the edges and a gray background.

After some time, I am finished with the factory buildings :

Step 7

The heart.
To find inspiration, I did some other picture research.
I don't have one picture in particular, I just notice this research to explain how I work when I don't find ideas.

So let's do this heart like a floating island which is in deconstruction !
First, let's drawn the outlines, in a new layer of course. Then I fill it.
For arteries, I use 2 other shades of red to remember what is inside and outside.
Here the result :

I now need to shade this, I'll do the same texture that I did before, but in red.
I'll in more mix more the grey and the red texture.
Here the result :

The art is 90% done now, I just need to do the inside of the boxes, but there'll be minigames, so it's for later !

Step 8

The system.
Do you remember the 42 boxes that I keep for the system ? I have in every box to do this with a different ID for the switch :

But I'm a lazy guy, so I'll not do them by placing every action block one by one. Exept the switch and portals because of the IDs.
To be faster, I'll do like this :
I'll add color for action blocks (boost, time door).
I'll them create on system box, using EE block color (different that I used for my palette).
I'll use green (there's no green in the minimap for the moment), this is the result :

(the red and blue will be removed, it's just to show you the outline)

So now, I copy this 42 times ! Yay !
Result :

So when the level will be copy into EE, I'll just need to use a replacer to change green block into boost, purple into "no curse", and other purple block into time door / gate.

Step 9

Importation.
First of all, I need to export my picture as PNG (this is important, not jpg).

It's now time to transfert the picture into EE.
First, take EEartist on capasha.com/ (I love this website, good that you come back just when I need you !)
Then launch it and... you know... copy the picture in an empty level, that's not hard !

Level link : normal | beta

Step 10

The gameplay.
I'll probably continue this later, but not sure.

Conclusion

After using the machine as a constraint with the perma-block, I saw that we could have fun.
The software used is quite interesting to explore new ways of building level.
Perma-block adds the challenge. But with software as GIMP2, life becomes very simple shot.
Copy and paste, brush size, filling, ordinates palletes like in your dream (take that EE)... I just came back to regret all these stalkers, it's true that in front of the software we feel very lonely.
In short, I suggest you all try, it is convenient if you want to create from an image a world: you have the basic design, you can quickly map out the level, organize everything as well before going into detail.

Now it remains to find another way of experimentation !

Bye you !

CommanderKitten

Member

From: California

Joined: 2015-12-12

Posts: 66

Re: Build with a machine

I wish you could do stuff like this in game without having to use a third part editor. Making levels would be so much faster if we had commands and tools to fill in large areas, or copy/paste stuff. Anyways, thanks for the ideas, your levels have always been a favorite of mine

Abelysk

Guest

Re: Build with a machine

Working off of a bot-assisted image - I like it!

Lictor666

Guest

Re: Build with a machine

The art-dventure is done.
I'm not sure to post the last step, the gameplay : I don't use GIMP2 for that, so it's not very interesting for the topic...

Anyway, it was fun !

Nebula

Guest

Re: Build with a machine

Good job! Always helpful for me!

Anch

Member

Joined: 2015-02-16

Posts: 5,447

Re: Build with a machine

Nice tutorial!
(Also you spelled 'Conclucsion' wrong)

Pingohits

Banned

From: aids lizard

Joined: 2015-02-15

Posts: 7,591

Re: Build with a machine

this seems more difficult than actually building it in ee

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Schlog

Banned

Joined: 2015-07-21

Posts: 1,960

Re: Build with a machine

i'm terrified of what pictures you're going to use in the future

Lictor666

Guest

Re: Build with a machine

Thank you all

this seems more difficult than actually building it in ee

True, and... false.

The set up is a bit annoying and took time.
To start enjoying the building you need to create your [insert a software (Photoshop, GIMP...)] palette which correspond to the EE blocks, and yes, it's not just slide icons in the toolbar. You also need to create the document, set the background, set the picture you want (not necessary if you don't use a picture)...

Then you can start enjoying to create, and here it's easier than building in EE.
For me, just the differents zooms you can have on the level and the differents brushes simplify life. A lot !

But after that, you have another annoying part, the transfert into EE.
So I don't really know if it's more difficult or not. If you know good how to use these type of software it'll be easier. If not, you'll loose time at the beginning to understand how the machine works.