konisbored
S
The Owl Detective
There is no greater mystery in humankind than collective group-think behaviour.
Gems: 1,033
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Post by konisbored on Jul 17, 2018 12:47:14 GMT
What's a map without it's danger zone? The danger zone (aka the final ~25% stretch) is arguably the most important part of a map. This is the area where the spheres slow down as they near the pyramid, causing massive panic as you fight to avoid them from entering the pyramid and losing a devastating life.
Having a tricky danger zone can make a level very satisfying to beat, turning a mediocre map into an awesome one, or an easy map into a ridiculous one. Either way, a well-designed map usually has a memorable danger zone.
Arguably one of the most famous danger zones from the original Luxor is from the stage Khufu's Revenge, which curves and loops it's danger zone in on itself, tricking the color algorithm into usually giving you colors nearing the pyramid... which you can't shoot at. Thanks, game. Another famous one from Luxor 1 is the danger zone of Inner Sanctum of the Temple: completely blocked after a certain point, and a vertical to boot.
So: question of the month for all of you Luxor modders: how do you design your danger zones? Do you design the danger zone first and then work out the rest of the map from there, or do you make it up as you go along? And what are your favorite types of danger zones? A hard to shoot one? One that is blocked at certain points? I'll like to know. Thanks!
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Sheepocalypse
S
Wildfire
Want to hear a joke about a piece of paper? Never mind… it’s tearable.
Gems: 962
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Post by Sheepocalypse on Jul 17, 2018 14:26:43 GMT
What's a map without it's danger zone? The danger zone (aka the final ~25% stretch) is arguably the most important part of a map. This is the area where the spheres slow down as they near the pyramid, causing massive panic as you fight to avoid them from entering the pyramid and losing a devastating life. Having a tricky danger zone can make a level very satisfying to beat, turning a mediocre map into an awesome one, or an easy map into a ridiculous one. Either way, a well-designed map usually has a memorable danger zone. Arguably one of the most famous danger zones from the original Luxor is from the stage Khufu's Revenge, which curves and loops it's danger zone in on itself, tricking the color algorithm into usually giving you colors nearing the pyramid... which you can't shoot at. Thanks, game. Another famous one from Luxor 1 is the danger zone of Inner Sanctum of the Temple: completely blocked after a certain point, and a vertical to boot. So: question of the month for all of you Luxor modders: how do you design your danger zones? Do you design the danger zone first and then work out the rest of the map from there, or do you make it up as you go along? And what are your favorite types of danger zones? A hard to shoot one? One that is blocked at certain points? I'll like to know. Thanks!
Danger zones are great things. And give so many possibilities for maps. But of course even with tricky danger zones can come other factors. Taking Ptah Daa from Luxor 2. The game has to use slower speeds to compensate for the fully blocked off danger zone, making the level boring and easy. Levels like Invasion of the Hyksos from AR manages to block off one danger zone with another which somewhat balances out since the danger zones start at opposite sides as well as having long paths. Making the level possible of being fast while also having ridiculous danger zones. A tricky danger zone needs to be satisying and well thought out. But it's really easy to mess it up into something that's either impossible or boring. This means that you have to be really careful when desigining a map if you plan on having a really tricky danger zone.
Types of Tricky danger zones include: Vertical sections, blocked off sections, twisty turns, zones that loop back in on itself, tunnels, spawn segments blocking off danger segment etc
How I design my danger zones. I like to plan ahead in mods and think about how many tricky danger zones there should be and how many lenient danger zones there should be. Usually I design the danger zone last. This allows me to come up with a path, make the danger zone and then polish the path to make it work. This could including chopping up parts of the path or repathing some areas.
My favourite type of danger zone, re ones that have some form of blockade/tunnel in them because it means that you don't have complete access to the danger zone, but it isn't fully inaccessible. Giving it a nice balance.
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Darth Ironclad
Lvl 37 Hunter of Gems
Gamer,just your all around nerd
Gems: 687
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Post by Darth Ironclad on Jul 17, 2018 15:02:42 GMT
This map si a good example of a tricky danger zone done well,it has a lot of room to land good shots before the trains reach the danger zone,and if you shot fast enough you can temporally access the danger zone,the final stretch is angled to add to the challenge to make it harder to aim and land shots. Attachments:
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