The new characters

Alexandre · 2010-09-25 23:12:31

A combination of brown/orange and white for Surge, just like shown above, would be a perfect fit.

You guys can discuss what Charge should be able to do or not, but after reaching a conclusion please document it on the wiki.

SilverstepP · 2010-09-25 23:28:28

How about this for abilities...

Charge: Climbs walls, does not glide. Breaks through certain objects by just running into them, and 'reinforced' objects that Surge and Neon cannot break. Jumps medium high.

Neon: Jumps lower than everyone. Flies for 10 seconds using an undecided method.

Surge: Jumps high. Also... (listen to my idea here...) can use special 'Surged' objects. It requires that Surge touches them, and uses an electrical power to activate certain devices. It could cause very unique gameplay, and I can easily make it using the scripting engine if people desire me to... since we don't have DNA doors for just him anymore, he should get some special power...

(EDIT: OK, I got some special 'Surge only' hand panels that activate various things... namely slabs of circuited metal. There are four different colors... yellow and green interact with doors, blue interacts with speed boosters, and red deals with platform-like slabs (A variation of the door, basically). The special thing about these switches are... they toggle. The objects start powerless (closed, basically, without the color), and you hit the Surge objects to toggle them open and closed; left and right. Everything is at the Alpha, I only must Zip them...)

Maybe we shouldn't use shield powers though... lets try to distinguish this a bit from other Sonic games.

Last edited by SilverstepP (2010-09-27 02:35:04)

Alexandre · 2010-09-26 16:03:54

Ideas:

- Charge could be able to dig. He would dig just a little, but when digging he would be considered in an attacking state. So, if there was some item hidden immediately below the ground (like an item box), he would be the only one who can get it.

- Neon could fly using a jet pack. A flight lasts at most 10 seconds.

SilverstepP · 2010-09-26 17:38:17

Alexandre wrote:

Ideas:
- Charge could be able to dig. He would dig just a little, but when digging he would be considered in an attacking state. So, if there was some item hidden immediately below the ground (like an item box), he would be the only one who can get it.

As long as the item isn't visibly underground... That may not make sense if it is.

- Neon could fly using a jet pack. A flight lasts at most 10 seconds.

I'm still OK with this.

SurgeChris · 2010-09-27 02:57:52

By the way, there's some other color question I have. What makes a good light brown? (RGB, please)
Also, I'm glad you supported orange. It was the initial design I did for my concept art, which I gave up with. It came out as a result of yellow (my favourite colour) and red (the colour Alexandre requested for "brave").

Last edited by SurgeChris (2010-09-27 03:02:03)

SilverstepP · 2010-09-27 03:01:38

Try r210, g182, b123.

SurgeChris · 2010-09-27 03:05:12

Nope. This is light brown. I'm sorry for my first post. I meant to say "yellow ochre".
By the way, new design (avatar, )

Last edited by SurgeChris (2010-09-27 03:12:24)

Bertram · 2010-09-29 08:44:57

Nice job so far!

I have a similar question as for the silverstep avatar: How does the character look in game?

SilverstepP · 2010-09-29 12:19:52

Bertram wrote:

Nice job so far!
I have a similar question as for the silverstep avatar: How does the character look in game?

We probably can't use it; it's edited... I assume we must make it so it's completely original. This was just an inspiration, I assume.

Last edited by SilverstepP (2010-09-29 12:43:47)

SurgeChris · 2010-09-30 03:06:16

Yes, it's only an inspiration. I'm starting on many things (colour, style, etc.) so that any spriter who will make the original sprite only has to do the sprites. The basic colours are already in my prototype.

Last edited by SurgeChris (2010-09-30 10:18:29)

J0nnJ0nes · 2010-10-02 11:02:17

SurgeChris wrote:

Nah, forget the choice stuff. Here's all five designs (fourth from left (initial design) updated). >>This post<<

Sorry I haven't gotten a chance to put my 2 cents in... been busy with some stuff. Number 3 and 4 (Red and Orange) look great in that line-up. Red and orange are natural rabbit colors. The silver... well, Charge is already gray scale and black and white... unless you're planning the game in black and white (or you want them to be a troupe of mimes ) the colors should vary.

Also, red technically makes things look fast, even if they aren't... I think it may have to do with the red shift and the Doppler effect.

The one that SurgeChris now uses as an avatar looks kinda Mexican to me (no offense, just not the right colors)... at least in color scheme. The colors shouldn't be so faded like that.

On the note of flying, it's a matter of how realistic you want the characters and game to be.

*More Unrealistic, like Sonic: Surge runs fast and jumps high. Charge climbs walls, breaks through things, swims well, and glides. Neon flies vertically with a jet pack that recharges gradually.

*More Realistic: Surge runs fast and jumps high. Charge climbs walls, breaks through things, and swims well. Neon climbs walls (like any squirrel), and glides (flying squirrels only).

The only suggestion I might have is that maybe just introduce another character that CAN fly vertically in this or another part of the game (i.e. Surge 2)? Maybe a hawk or bat, etc.?

SurgeChris · 2010-10-04 03:07:57

Nope. Not red. we're not playing Knuckles' Chaotix.
By the way, can you help me with the RGB formula of yellowish brown?
Also, maybe I'll try darker orange and more contrast.

J0nnJ0nes · 2010-10-04 12:09:06

Yellowish-Brown, eh? I'm not too sure about that, but it either makes a dark-orange-like or olive-like color. Here are some resources that might help for that:

yellowish_brown?
Online Color Wheel 1
Online Color Wheel 2

So far, the closest ideas I've gotten are the following:
#D4B216
#BA8F19

A combination of the orange and red, in patterns, could turn out nicely and not infringe on anything...

Personally, I prefer the purples at the top of this forum for Surge... I don't see why not considering hedgehogs and cats aren't really blue, even if they're called that. Lightning comes in all colors... depending on temperature, and I have seen some wicked purple lightning recently, VERY up close recently... a little too close for comfort, but awesome.

jobromedia · 2010-10-11 04:45:46

Maybe we don't need to reinvent new spritesets to get new looks. Look at how games like Killer Instinct have different palettes for the character's different clothes.

SurgeChris · 2010-10-11 12:19:32

jobromedia wrote:

Maybe we don't need to reinvent new spritesets to get new looks. Look at how games like Killer Instinct have different palettes for the character's different clothes.

Jobromedia, I think you are misunderstanding what I am doing. It's not that all of these colors are going to be used in different spritesheets, but I am trying to look at options and decide which one fits best with Surge's personality.

J0nnJ0nes · 2010-10-11 14:15:03

Sorry that this is a little out of place with the flow of discussion, but I was thinking of the problem of flying again. I would say that either Neon must fly vertically and Charge must glide in a fantasy way (instead of realistic), or another character must be added.

What got to me was the idea of a gryphon, or a Pegasus horse. Meaning Neon could either be changed to one of these, or have some sort of wings like these. Or maybe Neon could be a sort of splicing experiment, with intelligence, wings, and whatever other powers.

Or maybe a bat, to be more realistic. The appeal might not be so bad, if it's made right.

SilverstepP · 2010-10-11 15:24:44

I still say Charge shouldn't glide. Again, with Neon's flying, it's just redundant. I think it's much cooler to have him only be able to climb stuff, and it makes more sense.

As with Neon, I still suggest jetpack, because they are pretty cool. If Neon was a splicing experiment, we'd have to explain why in the story. A horse and a gryphon would be too large to put in game.

I still see no reason why we can't just make Neon a bird of some sort if we want to be realistic. No concept art exists for him yet to my knowledge, so we're still in the discussion stages for him. I don't see a bat as being very original due to Rouge.

KZR · 2010-10-11 16:12:05

only climbing but able to jump from wall to wall without gliding. otherwise some climbing puzzles may be impossible unless they are reduced to a single wall or maybe more with the aid of platforms.

thinking of a running bird, maybe an ostrich or emu, but they don't fly. how about a duck, a wood duck?

it flies, it glides, it has a shape that can roll, runs slower than rabbits and badgers, jumps less and has beautiful vivid colors.

one good distinct feature would be rolling to an egg-shape just like the real animal, instead of the ball shape we all know from <that game>

other distinct feature could be that in fly mode, if you press jump it flaps the wings, if you don't it glides with spread wings until it gets tired. flapping tires him faster.

it's also an animal known for his mobility since they have seasonal migrations, and long ones.

it also has some green and blue feathers to justify the name neon

Last edited by KZR (2010-10-11 16:13:18)

SilverstepP · 2010-10-11 17:38:35

Hmmm, I'll consider it.

And naturally, you'd be able to jump off walls with Charge. Sorry if that was unclear.

J0nnJ0nes · 2010-10-13 19:32:31

A++ ! Finally! Some more good ideas!

About the splicing thing: Their pasts can just remain mysterious... maybe 1-2 short lines about it... unknown past. It can be explained in the next game (should there be a next... I hope so!). You can explore the true past (which the characters might not even know themselves) at any time. I'm just saying it's possible.

DUCKS!? I love ducks!!! (I didn't know there was already a bat... oh well). I can't believe I didn't consider it! AND WOW! That is one mesmerizing colorful duck! That's the concept art... at least it has my vote anyway! It fixes just about everything! The expression in its eyes is even right! The tan and black and white body stripes might be a little much though... doesn't quite match. All the body reddish-brown would look better, with the head and back the way it is in the picture.

And about Charge, YES! Charge can climb and "ninja-jump" off walls (think, Sega's 'Shinobi'). That's perfectly realistic, and a very cool idea, for a Sonic-like game. Got my vote, 100%.

Alexandre · 2010-10-13 20:02:34

I agree, that duck looks really good.

KZR · 2010-10-13 22:47:04

the duck should retain tail's ability to carry the others around, but only for half the time it flies without carrying anyone. or it doesn't go as high when flapping wings. either one could be a good addition to the duck's mechanics

SurgeChris · 2010-10-14 08:17:31

Alexandre wrote:

I agree, that duck looks really good.

I agree as well. The feather extending from the back of its head looks cute and fits with Neon's personality.

KZR wrote:

the duck should retain tail's ability to carry the others around, but only for half the time it flies without carrying anyone. or it doesn't go as high when flapping wings. either one could be a good addition to the duck's mechanics

I choose the second one.

By the way, we really need to have Neon (the wood duck, if agreed,) to do something while he is flying. If he is still a squirrel with a jet pack the exhaust should kill airborne enemies. If he is the wood duck his flapping should prevent (aerial) enemies from the sides from coming near. Should an enemy approach from above or below, he will kill it using his fast wing-flapping. If he is carrying teammates, only the deflecting and killing enemies above will occur.

Last edited by SurgeChris (2010-10-15 13:04:20)

J0nnJ0nes · 2010-11-16 19:09:08

I was thinking, Charge cannot just climb walls... I'm sure many of you have played as Knuckles before, and without gliding, you would get stuck in SO many places. So, either Charge has to glide, which I see no problems in, OR he needs to be able to climb on ceilings and around corners. Otherwise, mobility is VERY limited... the current Sonic in Open-Surge limited.... more a hindrance than a character.

SilverstepP · 2010-11-16 22:54:03

J0nnJ0nes wrote:

I was thinking, Charge cannot just climb walls... I'm sure many of you have played as Knuckles before, and without gliding, you would get stuck in SO many places. So, either Charge has to glide, which I see no problems in, OR he needs to be able to climb on ceilings and around corners. Otherwise, mobility is VERY limited... the current Sonic in Open-Surge limited.... more a hindrance than a character.

Not exactly. It all depends on level design.

If we design a level with the fact that Charge cannot glide in mind... it would be alright. The fact that we're limiting mobility means that the players MUST work together in some spots. You can't just blaze through the levels with little effort (at least the later ones). With more limitations we have more opportunities for teamwork... and less of a 'Knuckles Clone' if you get what I'm saying.

Climbing on ceilings though... that... I actually like. It opens up some new opportunities for teamwork, grants more mobility, but not to the point to where he would be able to go anywhere in a level. But not around corners... jumping from the wall to the ceiling should be enough mobility.

I already said we'd have to make Surge more unique... see 'Surged Objects' .

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