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91

Maps In Progress / Re: FlyingArmor's Map Projects Present and Future

« Last post by FlyingArmor on August 21, 2024, 10:17:04 pm »

Unrelated, but I just had a look at your DeviantArt page. I had no idea you were such an excellent artist beyond your stuff on VGMaps! Your work is really impressive, your portraits in particular remind me of official Phoenix Wright artwork. Cool to see all that variety!

Thanks so much for the kind words, VGCartography! I'm glad you enjoy my artistic output.

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Maps In Progress / Re: FlyingArmor's Map Projects Present and Future

« Last post by FlyingArmor on August 21, 2024, 10:10:25 pm »

Well, that's fine, and I know you prefer your more simpler routine, but there are others still in need of mapping, and that game may have to be sometime later. A good DSi compatible emulator can do the trick for it, though, I understand you're not versed on that.

As far as some have played, being a bite-sized content-packed RPG for DSiWare, I can presume its maps may not be quite too large/complex, 'cause it had to adhere to the tight limit of 20MB at the time.

Mappers do have to cover all corners in game cartography history sooner or later.

You may want to curb your enthusiasm there, buddy.

It matters not whether I'm versed in NDS game mapping or not: I'm simply not interested in mapping DS games. There isn't enough attention being paid to DS games that haven't yet been mapped? Not my problem.

Also you're suggesting a game I've never ever heard of. Why would I spend any of my time on something I know nothing about?

If you are willing to offer to pay several thousand dollars to get it mapped, then I would give it consideration certainly, but it wouldn't be a guarantee.

Besides, have you ever thought of working on it yourself?

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Maps In Progress / Re: FlyingArmor's Map Projects Present and Future

« Last post by Cyartog959 on August 21, 2024, 07:40:41 pm »

Thanks for the suggestion, Cyartog959, but I think anything beyond the fourth generation is kind of the opposite of "simpler" for me. I tend to like working on games from the 1980s and the first half of 1990s, or games with similar aesthetics that would've fit in that era, Nox Archaist being one such example (I've only released the overworld so far, but will eventually get around to everything else some day).

Well, that's fine, and I know you prefer your more simpler routine, but there are others still in need of mapping, and that game may have to be sometime later. A good DSi compatible emulator can do the trick for it, though, I understand you're not versed on that.

As far as some have played, being a bite-sized content-packed RPG for DSiWare, I can presume its maps may not be quite too large/complex, 'cause it had to adhere to the tight limit of 20MB at the time.

Mappers do have to cover all corners in game cartography history sooner or later.

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Maps In Progress / Re: FlyingArmor's Map Projects Present and Future

« Last post by VGCartography on August 21, 2024, 05:45:13 pm »

Unrelated, but I just had a look at your DeviantArt page. I had no idea you were such an excellent artist beyond your stuff on VGMaps! Your work is really impressive, your portraits in particular remind me of official Phoenix Wright artwork. Cool to see all that variety!

95

Maps In Progress / Re: FlyingArmor's Map Projects Present and Future

« Last post by FlyingArmor on August 20, 2024, 01:06:53 pm »

Shadowrun would be cool to work on. I'll definitely give it some thought. 👍

Now that I've got a template to use for the dungeons in Ultima: Quest of the Avatar in the form of Dungeon Despise, it'll be a little less painful to map the rest, haha. At least the NES version is simplified compared with all the microcomputer versions, so there'll be less to worry about.

Speaking of Secret of Mana, I think it's probably time to work on it. I've begun laying out a number of areas using Tropicon's raw maps. I'll just take my time with it though and do 1 or 2 maps a day.

Thanks for the suggestion, Cyartog959, but I think anything beyond the fourth generation is kind of the opposite of "simpler" for me. I tend to like working on games from the 1980s and the first half of 1990s, or games with similar aesthetics that would've fit in that era, Nox Archaist being one such example (I've only released the overworld so far, but will eventually get around to everything else some day).


For some new maps, I've got all the levels for Super Soukoban (SFC) mapped out. I just sent them to Jon, so they should be available fairly shortly.

96

Gaming / Re: The Flaws of Sonic Origins & Superstars, & How to Avoid Recreating Them

« Last post by Cyartog959 on August 20, 2024, 04:07:06 am »

I did forget some more minor flaws Superstars has.

There's plenty of inconsistent sound placements, even when specific minor actions occur, such as Tails' flying sound incorrectly from Modern Tails' flying, not from Classic Tails. Why, anyone with good ears can recognize specific sound effects from past Sonic games, even 3D, like Lost World's or Adventure 2's sounds. Even more, there's hardly any sound in many in-game scenes, preferably during some end-stage Zone to Zone in-game transition cutscenes, though few placed in are heard quite hollow.

I can't speak about that a lot, 'cause that's a lotta description to go through.

Have you even noticed the animated cutscenes, apart from their slightly cruder styling and a bit inadequate compositing in post, compared to others that were animated quite better, weren't that finalized as some think? I've seen scenes better animated than those. If you're not sure, watch them closely and see what I mean.

Did you also know the cutscenes in FMV were zoomed in, or cropped by a small percentage of the picture, unlike all prior scenes? That visually cut a bit of the scenes' pictures off. They should all be viewed normally, as how they truly fit on any TV screen.

The Special Stage structure's been unnecessarily reverted back to the manner from Dimps' Sonic games, mainly the Advance Trilogy and Rush games. You know, each Chaos Emerald's chance fixed to one specific Zone, instead of letting the Chaos Emeralds get collected, regardless of what Zone anyone's in.

The music, there's many inconsistencies about specific songs, though I'm sure many have spoken about that. Some are great, but others... not so. Some people even pointed out some tracks went with the "Sonic 4" music style for them, and that's what they loathe plenty.

(SPOILER WARNING ABOUT FINALE)

The requirement to access the Last Story was very unnecessary, having to both collect all Chaos Emeralds, beat the Main Story' final boss, Egg Diablo, and Trip's Story's final boss, Grande Mecha Fang, before going against the true final boss, Great Dark Dragon. That's more of a drag to get there. Prior Sonic games have the best method since Sonic 3, get all Chaos Emeralds, face the true final boss, get the good ending.

Well, games may, and still need, to have people with their outside eyes to keep such qualities well-maintained, even the QoL cosmetics.

97

Maps In Progress / Re: FlyingArmor's Map Projects Present and Future

« Last post by Cyartog959 on August 18, 2024, 08:41:26 am »

Really nice you're picking it up on those maps here, FlyngArmor. Great work.

I did remember this, there's a DSiWare RPG that's not yet mapped out. Said to be the first in that platform. I think it's called "Legends of Exidia". You've not heard of it yet?

Well, to summarize it, the game, being a rework of Gameloft's prior game on early mobile, called Might and Magic II, is about a group of warriors embarking on their perilous quest to defend the land of Exidia from the dark forces of the Morgost, the evil monster army set on resurrecting the evil dragon, Daraka, having previously been beaten by two unnamed heroes and his soul sealed by the orbs, and conquer Exidia.

That's what that game's about, as with a lotta other RPGs. I don't think not many heard of it. An obscure RPG at best.

Maybe you could put that in your mapping schedule someday.

If you're not sure, here's a trailer of the DSi rework to prove it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HttcOnkBbz8

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Maps In Progress / Re: FlyingArmor's Map Projects Present and Future

« Last post by JonLeung on August 18, 2024, 08:27:52 am »

After this one, I probably wanna work on something a little more simple, haha.

If you want something that's (probably) simpler, and a change of pace from medieval fantasy, a great Super NES RPG that I'm surprised we don't have any maps for is Shadowrun. 

Of your current and future projects stated in your original post, I'm most excited for more of Ultima: Quest Of The Avatar (NES) and Secret Of Mana (Super NES).  Though that last one IS a big game, and Tropicon mapped it before, but I've always wanted labelled maps.  There's something to be said about unmarked maps too (for the graphical assets) so I could still keep his set if we do get a marked-up set one day.  It's actually very surprising that we don't already... it's probably THE most beloved action-JRPG of the 16-bit era.

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Maps In Progress / Re: FlyingArmor's Map Projects Present and Future

« Last post by FlyingArmor on August 17, 2024, 07:46:05 pm »

Thanks so much, Zagato.

While I had started mapping DQ6 years and years ago with only mapping a handful of locations like Lifecod and Reidock, I only really ramped things up in February of this year, so it's mainly been six months of work with long breaks in between mapping sessions. I'd say the main thing holding everything up was me playing through the game once more just so I could put the maps in the proper order.

The main reason for the mini maps was because of multiple locations that look exactly the same in both the Dream and Real Worlds, and I didn't want the file name to be the only way to differentiate them. Plus I think it'll be helpful with pointing out all the tiny locations scattered everywhere in the game.

After this one, I probably wanna work on something a little more simple, haha.

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Maps In Progress / Re: FlyingArmor's Map Projects Present and Future

« Last post by dark_lord_zagato@yahoo.co on August 17, 2024, 06:19:56 pm »

It's so nice to finally have a comprehensive map set of Dragon Quest 6. Pointing out the town/dungeon locations on the mini map is a good idea too given the large number of places you can visit in this game.

I know that mapping an RPG can be a lot of work and DQ6 is NOT a short game by any stretch of the imagination. This project must have been a pretty big commitment.