Opinions on toon style.

Community Forums/Showcase/Opinions on toon style.

RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#1]
For no other reason than the fun of it , im making an online tank game that allows two teams to compete in CTF, DM, Area Defense, and Last Tank Standing.

Im torn on wich style looks better, ive included some shots below that show the two rendering styles im playing with. but the decision I cant seem to make is to keep or remove the toon outlines. So if you have an opinion I would love to hear it.

Withlines..



Without..




wmaass(Posted 2009) [#2]
I like the outlines. Your games looks and sounds interesting.


OldNESJunkie(Posted 2009) [#3]
I say leave the toon lines as well, looks good.


Nate the Great(Posted 2009) [#4]
I definitely like the tune outlines more! +1 for the tune outlines!


ZJP(Posted 2009) [#5]
+2


Gabriel(Posted 2009) [#6]
I'm not a big fan of toon shading, personally, but I don't think it ever looks right without the outline so I'm going to agree with everyone else.


skn3(Posted 2009) [#7]
How about no outlines but with a more clay/radiosity/baked shadow effect?




joncom2000(Posted 2009) [#8]
+1 for the outlinez


GfK(Posted 2009) [#9]
I like the outlines but not how the ones near the camera are much thicker than ones that are further away. Although there probably isn't much that can be done about that.


RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#10]
Thank you for the input.

GFK, I havent found a way around that as of yet. I could scale the outline per entity based on distance from the camera, but on the levels that span a large area I dont know if theres anything that can be done, im open to solutions if any come to mind.

I suppose ill have them on by default with a toggle switch in the menu.


ImaginaryHuman(Posted 2009) [#11]
Looks nicer with the radiosity shadows lightmap thing - what does it look like with both the lightmaps and the black outlines? I generally like the black outlines.


TaskMaster(Posted 2009) [#12]
I like the outlines as well.


Grey Alien(Posted 2009) [#13]
+1 tune outline


Blitzplotter(Posted 2009) [#14]
+1 outlines here.....


big10p(Posted 2009) [#15]
The outlines look better to me, although, you need to work on the textures too, IMO.


markcw(Posted 2009) [#16]
Toon outlines look great, they also make it easier to see the tank.
Grass texture doesn't look grassy enough, looks like a sponge job.
Top of the walls also look a bit funny, mainly I think you need to blend between the wall and top rather than that hard edge, also the lumps on top could maybe be a bit less distinct.
Also, while I'm tearing your work apart I'd rather the levels were square too.


RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#17]
Lol, I dont mind the tearing apart. Keep in mind, i doubt anyone will see the end product but me and a few friends. Im just bored.

I'm not sure how most people work it out, but i just tossed some geometry in the code to test on. I havent really put any artistic work into level design or custom texture work for this projectt. However what the shots cant show is that the tank animates in a toon fashion, the engine putters and the chassy shakes, and the tracks bounce on the ground.

Right now im mucking about with the gui for it.

But I disagree on one thing. I think purely square in this envoronment looks bad.


markcw(Posted 2009) [#18]
Heh, what about circular levels then?

I just thought the rectangular area looked a bit cramped but maybe you're right.


RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#19]
Oh, no you are right.. sorry i thought you meant the geometry should be more "square" than rounded off, such as corners ect.

My current intention is to have a larger terrain, with forts that look like the above placed at opposite ends or in strategic places for area defending. And they will be larger than the small test area above.


steve_ancell(Posted 2009) [#20]
What more can I say... Very fine "Tooned". ;)

Pun intended.

P.S...
Keep the outlines, it does make it look more toony.


Haddad(Posted 2009) [#21]
Outlines look the best from the screenshots, got video? Why not make outlines/no outlines an option?


Kryzon(Posted 2009) [#22]
Looks more charming with the outlines IMO.


Ryan Burnside(Posted 2009) [#23]
Loose the "programmer" colors, the toon look looks good with pastel (desaturated) colors. Create an interesting color scheme first. :)

One thing to consider is shifting hues slightly from a shadow color to a light color. It will make your image ooze more style.


taumel(Posted 2009) [#24]
With outlines but they should be everywhere then.


Réno(Posted 2009) [#25]
+1 with outlines !

I don't know if it is possible, but why not let the user setting the style in the options ?


RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#26]
Why not make outlines/no outlines an option?

why not let the user setting the style in the options


see post #10 :)


Haddad(Posted 2009) [#27]
heh, missed that.

Keep in mind, i doubt anyone will see the end product but me and a few friends. Im just bored.


I hope this doesn't prove true, looks like it could be fun. ctf!


RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#28]
Thanks.. perhaps I will post it when im done. Curious if anyone has any suggestions or crits to my chosen weapon and ability arsenal.

Weapons :
Flame Mortar ( typical fire blast projectile)
EMP Blast ( temporary disabling of tanks near impact blast)
Rocket (aquires target, and tries to steer to it)
Mine Flinger (tosses a mine onto the ground)
Team Teleport (hit a teammate and switch places)

now the weapons each have unique reload times and damage factors. Two of the weapons cannot cause damage, but have strategic value for teamplay.


Powerups :
Speed - move faster
Plasma Armour - half damage taken
Shrapnel Armour- when hit you emit a damaging shrapnel wave
Multi Axi Turret-you can aim on two axis up/down left/right
without readjusting tank position. Without
this you can aim up and down, but must move
the tank to aim left and right

You can only have one power up on at any time, and one weapon active at any one time. They can all be changed while playing if you run into a powerup or weapon indicator in the playfield. This will allow you to customize your abilites on the fly.


KillerX(Posted 2009) [#29]
The weapons seem good except you should add a .50 caliber machine gun.


Sauer(Posted 2009) [#30]
I say outlines on the gun but not the level. If possible.


Foppy(Posted 2009) [#31]
Another "weapon" idea: the ability to deploy one or two soldiers (per game), who will attack the enemy!

And a damage idea: when hit, sometimes a track is destroyed, and the result is you can only drive circles. Maybe if you deploy a soldier at this point (if you still have a soldier in the tank) it will first take some time to repair the track and then attack the enemy. ;)


RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#32]
I decided to leave out the lines, too much overhead as I have to double the vert / tri count on everything, and in blitz you cant do the lines perfect anyway, and if you pay attention you can tell they are a hack method.

here are the weapons I have so far, im not sure if ill keep these models or redo them.



danjo(Posted 2009) [#33]
pity - without outlines makes those horrible textures looks even worse.


RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#34]
:) I like the textures, so it works out. I think I said a few times its just a hobby project, and I dont see any reason to hire out for new artwork on it. Thank you for your opinion.


slenkar(Posted 2009) [#35]
it looks pretty good, have you ever tried a grey color on the tyres instead of blue?


RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#36]
Jeremy,

To cut down on required modelling, I use the same tank & texture for both sides ( red and blue) they are grey with green hues originally. Then entitycolor is applied depending on the side you choose. The better way would be to have seperate tank models and textures for each side. But for now ill beta with this, since im a terrible modeller.

Heres the red coloring.



RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#37]
Updated a few map textures. Any better?




JustLuke(Posted 2009) [#38]
Much better. but can we see a closer shot of them?

This looks really promising, by the way. It reminds me of an old game called Wild Metal Country. The difference being that your game has a nicer aesthetic.

Does the turret rotate separately to the base (so that, for example, you can move in one direction and shoot in another)?


RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#39]
Turret rotates, but only 180 degrees horizontal, and 75 degrees vertical, you have to turn the tank to get all the way around. This was an intentional design before coding began. i wanted action to be a little slower than spam killing everyting you can point your mouse at. As well as reverse being slower than forward, to run away and shoot you will be caught eventually if you cannot kill your persuer.


JustLuke(Posted 2009) [#40]
Fair enough.

Since you asked for weapon suggestions, here are a few:

Magmine

A "magnetic" mine.

You launch it as a trajectile. It settles on the ground (perhaps rolling down hills if the physics are up to it) and remains inert until something ( a missile or a player) touches it.

The Magmine exerts a magnetic pull on any object within a set radius, distorting the path of airborn ballistics and pulling unwary players towards it. If a weapon or a tank touches the magmine the mine detonates.

Switchgun

A missile which switches the positions of two players. Player 1 fires the switchgun, the "bullet" hits player 2, player 1 and 2 switch positions on the map.

Corkcannon

A large cork is fired out of the player's cannon. If the cork hits another player his cannon is "corked" for ten seconds, during which time he can't shoot.

Airstrike

A target is dropped on the ground behind the player's tank. A countdown begins. Once it reaches zero an airstrike is called and large bombs are dropped from the sky upon and around the target.

I also suggest that the weapons should be dropped in crates around the map at the start of play. It'd be fun for players to have to scramble around to collect their gear before they begin blasting each other to pieces.


RifRaf(Posted 2009) [#41]
I like the corkcannon idea , and crates alot. thanks


Vorderman(Posted 2009) [#42]
Those tanks would be cool if they had eyes and could frown, look scared, grin, shout abuse etc...kind of like the cars in the Pixar film "Cars".

This one looks like it already has teeth!




Mike0101(Posted 2009) [#43]
Outline + 1