3 replies to this topic

[ywkls]

Alright, time for the long haul to begin. First off, the entire overworld is done as far as layers go; including areas that are above other regions. Some slight alterations to my existing screens have been made, either because of errors I didn't catch when I was making them or because I decided to change the CSet to something I liked better. Also, I've created a credits sequence. I tried to include everyone listed on the page for the original tileset whose work I used, along with the originators of any scripts that I incorporated. As far as crediting those whose sprites, tiles and music I used either from PureZC, Spriter's Resource or elsewhere... it would be nearly impossible for me to go back now and track down the name of each and every person involved.

Next up will be my many dungeons, which will probably include slight graphical overhauls to the walls so they all don't look alike. Given the sheer number of dungeons I have (in game maps 8 - 23 include nothing else) and the fact it took me a couple of hours to finish what I've already done; I'd say I might be able to be done with their layers before the weekend is over but don't count on it. As I go through each dungeon, I'll also be setting up intermediary cutscenes with clues as to where you should go next.

Phase three will be enemies, both on the world map and in the dungeon. I'm a little conservative when it comes to the number of enemies per screen and will often place no more than four to keep me from being overwhelmed whenever I play the game. I can't begin to guess how long that is going to take, but my plan is to focus on each of the game's areas, confining certain enemy types to certain seasons. I probably won't be as strict with dungeons, though I will make sure none of the enemies in early areas drop bombs or arrows before you're supposed to be able to get them.

Hopefully, I'll be able to get all of that done by the end of the month so I can start a trial run through the game, in search of bugs. No matter how hard I try, I always find some and I don't expect this to be an exception. Once I'm done with my own attempt to discover them, I'll probably make a demo available for testing purposes. Final release will depend on whether anybody is interested in helping with that and how long it takes to find my errors and correct them. At the moment, I'm shooting for completion of the final project by Febraury 2015 but I'll be sure to update this topic if there are any delays in that process. Expect my next update upon completion of all dungeon layers.

[ywkls]

Note to self: don't make so many dungeons next time. After getting through with adding the decorative border to the first 7 of my nineteen dungeons and growing weary of this process; I decided to move ahead by finishing up all alterations to the looks of the dungeons; completing all cutscenes and the ending. I may go back later and add the border to dungeons 8 through 19, but some of them will never have it simply because I'd already decided not to include something like that in the dungeon because I felt it clashed with the dungeon's look or theme. If I just avoid using that border in the dungeons with overlapping floors; that would leave me with only two of them left to do as far as layers go and since that goal seems achievable; I'll probably try for that.

 

I'm probably going to spend the next week or so doing research on the enemies that were exclusive to Oracle of Seasons, then work to find some graphics for them and begin adding them to the quest. The trouble with this plan is that my knowledge of how to set up AutoGhost-type enemies from scratch is practically nil. (I've watched the tutorials on the existing ones, but creating brand-new ones is something else.) I may simply use the Custom Enemy kit and Bossmaker scripts I already have to make foe with fairly simple animations and attacks which I can then place in the game. In the dungeons themselves, I'm going to wait for my actual playthrough to decide where to add foes other than the ones I've already set up. I've often found that I will feel as I go along that there should've been an enemy or three in a particular room and by making notes as I go; I feel that I'll be better able to balance the foes that will appear.

 

So, if everything goes according to plan (and my experience with the layers shows me that isn't guaranteed) I plan to start my playthrough by the first of the month. No telling how long that will take since I have the habit of stopping the game and correcting my errors as soon as I find them. I may also adjust the position of the in-game save points I've recently created as a way for you to save somewhere other than a dungeon and avoid going back to the start if you die on the world map. Expect another update when I start my playthrough.

[ywkls]

Some good news, some bad... first off is I'm ready to start my playthrough and test for bugs. Second thing is that I would like to include some more and different enemies in my game. I have some graphics from the EZGBZ 2.5 Tileset that I've used for a lot of things, including some bosses. But it has been so long since I played the Oracle of Seasons that I don't remember what some of the unique enemies looked like. I've had to resort to consulting the Zelda Wikia for information, but even that doesn't help with regard to creating these foes. I'd rather not have to get my bosses custom scripted, but I'm willing to do that if necessary. And speaking of scripting, that is some of the bad news. I can't get the Bossmaker script from the custom Boss Kit to work properly. I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing wrong, but I will ask for help in the scripting forum before I give up hope of success. And then there is the issue of my custom enemy data vanishing. If you've seen that topic, you know what I'm talking about and thus far it has arisen four times. (Once while I was simply grabbing tiles to a section of the tileset not being used for enemies right now.) My backup of the enemies I've added has saved me a lot of time and frustration; but this is starting to get annoying.

 

Onto further news, regarding the bosses I plan to use. This list is subject to change, depending on whether I can get some of my ideas for other foes scripted and if I find graphics for some I haven't thought to include yet.

 

1. Aquamentus- In every Zelda game, right? Well, he was in Oracle of Seasons too. I'm sticking with the graphics from the Pure Tileset rather than importing some from elsewhere.

2. Dodongo- You do get the Bombs in the second dungeon... he just takes three to kill.

3. Gohma- Arrows in the third dungeon. I think that explains this choice.

4. Moldorm x 2- This is subject to change. Perhaps a larger Moldorm, like in LTTP?

5. Digdogger (3 kids)- Also subject to change. It's just that this is the only enemy I know of that is weak to the Whistle and since that's what you get in this dungeon, it seemed to fit.

6. Manhandla- Another Zelda staple, which is also in the original Oracle of Seasons.

7. Patra (BSZelda)- Yep, you've seen this guy before too.

8. Lanmola x 2- I'd really like to change this. (Seems like a repeat of the 4th boss and they're not that hard.) The dungeon is an island grotto where you get the Magic Boots.

9. Darknut Prince- A custom foe! Using BigEnemyDX, I uploaded some graphics from EZBGZ 2.5 that looked like a large Darknut and made him invulnerable to everything but the sword and shielded on the front. Bombs and the hammer will stun him, and you do get the hammer here.

10. Gleeok (3 heads)- Another old enemy, he's just like every other Gleeok.

11. Manhandla 2- Another foe that needs a replacement. This is a dungeon in the fall area, inside a tree and also the home of the 1st Triforce piece. If there was a way to do Phantom Ganon... or practically anything else.

12. Arrghus- Inspired by the boss from LTTP and using a modified version of those graphics, he's really a Patra in disguise. Ah, but a Patra with a ton of protecting blobs with lots of health that damage you a good deal if they hit.

13. Dodongo x 3- I really, really, really want something else here. Is there a way to make an enemy only vulnerable to Super Bombs? (Since that is what you get here.) I've seen some graphics for Bongo Bongo from LTTP and Gohdan from Minish Cap/Wind Waker and I'd use one of them if I could figure out how to set them up properly. This is in the spring area, inside a tree.

14. Aquamentus (Invisible) x 4- You get the Lens of Truth here, so a foe you can only see with it seemed appropriate. But having one enemy onscreen seems to be a better idea to me, along with using different graphics. The only thing I could come up with is Bongo Bongo again, though from the thread where I saw information on somebody setting that up; I think it might be hard to do.

15. Agahnim- Not the LTTP graphics, the EZGBZ 2.5 ones. Basically a giant Mirror Wizzrobe, using BigEnemyDX. Works pretty well too.

16. Mothula- Using BigEnemyDX and the tiles in the Loose Tile section, this enemy from LTTP and the Oracle game has been included. Now, if I could only get the Bossmaker script to work...

17. Facade- He was in Oracle of Seasons and this version is only vulnerable to bombs. Once again using BigEnemyDX.

18. Frypolar- Only the cold version of this Seasons boss, on the WInter floor of my Temple of Seasons. Uses BigEnemyDX. Edit: The graphics are based on HotHead from Link's Awakening. (Because those are the ones I have easy access to.)

19. Onox- Not Ganon. Not even using his animation. Instead, a walking enemy who I may give the Ball and Chain script. Oh and he only has one arm. (Had to crop the other one off to fit the graphics into the number of tiles I wanted to use for the animation.)

 

I'm probably going to request some ideas and/or graphics in the Developers Exchange, along with some scripts if I can't get the foes to work using the ones I have. Finally, a look at the completed overworld. (In seven parts.)

 

 

This is the winter section.

 

 

This is the autumn section.

 

 

This is the Summer section.

 

This is the spring section.

 

 

I designate this the normal section, since no particular season is affecting it.

 

 

This is an area that is supposed to have once been underwater but that has now drained away and it is a wasteland.

 

And for the final part, the entire Overworld. (A bit choppy since I had to paste different mapmaker images together.)

 

 

 

That's it for now. I'll update again once I finish my first playthrough.

Edited by ywkls, 29 December 2014 - 01:48 PM.

[ywkls]

And I'm done with the first playthrough. First off, let me say that yes there were bugs. Lots and lots of bugs. I lost track of the number of times I had to break off to go fix something; come back and make further progress only to be stalled again by yet another bug. Like, getting an item which for some reason you can't equip or puzzles proving inherently unsolvable. While I've fixed everything that would keep somebody from getting to the end, I haven't added everything in yet which would make this a finished project ready either for release or other people to test it out and search for bugs. (I just know there are some more hidden in there somewhere.) All told, without any enemies added and obtaining everything it took 7 hours by the in-game clock to beat it. Not that long, but I haven't finished adding everything I want in yet.

 

Speaking of bugs, some of my ghosted enemy scripts seems to have suddenly gotten buggy for no apparent reason. I haven't changed them or the enemies associated with them but they just stopped working like they are supposed to. (Either the enemies die or their movement isn't working correctly.) I may have to go back and edit most of them out if this persists. Regarding the enemies I listed above as bosses, here are some changes that I've made.

 

11, Instead of Manhandla 2, this will be a big enemy Dx Phantom Ganon who's stunned by arrows and can only be hurt by the sword. He doesn't do anything special otherwise, at least not unless my request for a script to run him is answered.

13. This is a king Dodongo, which is another compromise big enemy Dx that is two combos wide by one tall and can only be hurt by Super Bombs. He doesn't swallow them like a Dodongo should, but until my script request on that end is answered I'll stick with this.

 

I'd still like a better version of the Invisible boss for level 14, but I haven't come up with anything yet. Also, the custom enemy data bug vanishing is still with me, along with a few others I haven't identified the source of yet. (Like ZQuest Editor crashing when I tried to edit Combos or under combos.) I also have to add enemies to a lot of rooms and adjust enemy strengths, string locations and other stuff that I came up with a way to alter after creating the game. Once everything is set up the way I want it, I'll probably either release a beta version for people to test or the whole thing. Either way, I won't post anything else regarding my work in this topic. Instead, if a demo seems advisable; I'll create a topic related to that.

 

Edit: I almost forgot. To change some dungeons to a more immersive experience where you don't see doors you've unlocked on other levels closing when you switch floors, I'm going to be changing some of the dungeons to interior-style maps. This means extra time to set all of this up, but it can't be helped.

Edited by ywkls, 04 January 2015 - 05:48 PM.