(Double-posting, I know, but if I don't make a new post, nobody will ever notice that I've said anything.)

@silverwind, on Aug 5 2007, 04:23 AM, said in Project Multi Sketch:

Actually there is something else I wanna say. Did you encounter any problems with Extra 2 values when playing the map? No multiple used ones?

Thanks to the wonders of SMM:EE, I can tell you that the only Extra2 problems are minor cosmetic glitches in my own Area 4. Two of the arrows that appear after defeating the boss in the Page of Bouncing Switches have Extra2 collisions with something back in Area 1 or 2, using Extra2=1012,1013 instead of 1042,1043. Therefore, when the player first flies onto the page, they see a couple of arrows pointing towards solid walls, instead of blank paper. The boss itself and two of the four arrows have the correct Extra2 values.

I'd be happy to use fixing this as an opportunity to tweak the Homing Gun's hiding place (it was a quick hack-job, and I really don't like how it turned out), and to add a proper exit path to the end of the level, if nobody has any objections.

Edwards

@edwards, on Aug 7 2007, 01:46 AM, said in Project Multi Sketch:

I'd be happy to use fixing this as an opportunity to tweak the Homing Gun's hiding place (it was a quick hack-job, and I really don't like how it turned out), and to add a proper exit path to the end of the level, if nobody has any objections.

Edwards

I have no problem with this, if nobody else minds. I was actually going to suggest that anyone who wanted to add the finishing touch to their Area could do so before Area 10 is finished. As long as the finishing touch wasn't an extra room or something, but rather a roundup job on detail or a rearrangement of enemies/items.

btw, I still have no lead on anyone who can take on Area 10. So, if it comes down to it, would anyone be interested in doing a multi user designed Boss stage for Area 10? Having the player fight a few Bosses (each designed by a different participant) before fighting the Big Boss. Anyone up for something along those lines?

@edwards, on Aug 5 2007, 07:52 PM, said in Project Multi Sketch:

Right off-hand, I'd arrange things as follows:
Areas 1 and 2: Racetrack
Area 3: Wasteland
Area 4: Volcano
Area 5: Factory
Area 6: Wasteland (set a few thousand pixels away from Area 3, using separate entrance/exit)
Area 7: Forest
Area 8: Ice Caves
Area 9: Factory (see explanation for second Wasteland)
Area 10: End Zone

You might be able to get away with starting from a custom level before having to replace the game level - the teleport gate things do seem to work from the custom levels.

That would free up the Racetrack for possible use.

@---, on Aug 7 2007, 05:54 AM, said in Project Multi Sketch:

You might be able to get away with starting from a custom level before having to replace the game level - the teleport gate things do seem to work from the custom levels.

Not since 1.0.1. Besides, you can't link back from the main scenario to a custom level, which is part of the reason for doing this in the first place. However, you do remind me of one very important point that slipped my mind earlier- you're forced to start in the Wasteland. It would be possible to immediately teleport the player to the Racetrack, but I am nearly certain that that would prevent the Racetrack-Wasteland link from going both ways ( although there's a very slight chance that it could work with some mucking around with Extra2s (EDIT: Just tested it, and you start at the first correctly-named entry-point in the level, regardless of Extra2 status. Not unexpected, but slightly annoying.)). So, it looks like the levels would need to be rearranged into a seven- or eight-part series running from Wasteland to End Zone (the nine-part version would have some nasty over-size issues in the Factory).

As for freeing up the Racetrack, what use would you have for it, particularly given that the return link from it will always end up in the Wasteland?

@silverwind, on Aug 7 2007, 04:55 AM, said in Project Multi Sketch:

So, if it comes down to it, would anyone be interested in doing a multi user designed Boss stage for Area 10?

I could certainly contribute something to that.

Edwards

This post has been edited by Edwards : 07 August 2007 - 06:10 PM

I think making this into the first "total conversion" (total in the sense that it replaces all the levels, if not the graphics etc.) is the coolest use for the project I've heard yet. We've been doing just that this whole time without even realizing it!

@zacha-pedro, on Aug 5 2007, 10:37 AM, said in Project Multi Sketch:

Remember folks, Project Multi Sketch is sponsored by SketchMapMerge - SketchMapMerge, the tool that allows you to make unplayably large levels without even realising it!

Ain't that the truth. My area, in particular, suffers from SMM's sponsorship!

Speaking of which, if a collaborative area 10 is made, I would be willing to contribute some novel SketchMapMerge-constructed arenas. I'm not very good at making bosses, but I am pretty good at SketchMapMerge shapes.

@edwards, on Aug 7 2007, 02:22 PM, said in Project Multi Sketch:

Not since 1.0.1. Besides, you can't link back from the main scenario to a custom level, which is part of the reason for doing this in the first place.

I hadn't commented on this end of the conversation because I was at a loss as to what you were proposing, but would I be right in saying that you propose to import Project Multi Sketch data into the solo mode's map files to serve as a workaround for the slowness caused by the size of the combined maps when Sketch Map Merged? I didn't know such a thing was even possible, nor that the solo mode map load sequence was achievable in custom maps in 1.0.0 :blink:

On the topic of Area 10, how about we give it a week from today to give anyone who's interested in participating enough time to see the post and sign up. In the mean time however we could decide on the Area's layout. Here are some examples with numbers representing the Bosses in order of appearance. (beat Boss 1 to gain access to Boss 2's arena etc:)
Area_10_Layout.gif (48.22K)
Number of downloads: 14

I'd like to contribute to Area 10 also.

Cool, thanks for your support Tridash

EDIT:

We also need to decide the order of participants. Anyone have any preference wether to go first or last?

This post has been edited by Silverwind : 09 August 2007 - 08:01 AM

I was under the impression that you would need to use Custom Asset Enabler to swap our maps in for the default scenario. I could be wrong, since I also didn't know such a thing was possible.

@silverwind, on Aug 9 2007, 05:20 AM, said in Project Multi Sketch:

I hadn't commented on this end of the conversation because I was at a loss as to what you were proposing, but would I be right in saying that you propose to import Project Multi Sketch data into the solo mode's map files to serve as a workaround for the slowness caused by the size of the combined maps when Sketch Map Merged?

Yes, that is correct. It would also serve to allow backtracking through Area transitions that are currently one-way force field paths.

@cheleball, on Aug 9 2007, 01:49 PM, said in Project Multi Sketch:

I was under the impression that you would need to use Custom Asset Enabler to swap our maps in for the default scenario.

You would, but that isn't really a problem beyond the minor inconvenience of making the player launch CAE each time they want to play the maps. I've done it before while testing custom multiplayer maps, and my testers didn't complain. The player would need to be careful with saved games (standard scenario saves would be completely incompatible with Project Multi Sketch, and vice-versa), but a simple note in the readme should be enough of a warning, and loading a game in the wrong scenario wouldn't cause any real harm (just confusion).

Edwards

This post has been edited by Edwards : 09 August 2007 - 03:39 PM

ill help with area ten if you would like.

Great, it looks like quite a few people are wiling to support Area 10.

Alright, considering that we've got allot of people I suggest we scrap the earlier layout ideas I suggested and simply build the level in a row of Boss chambers. And we really need to decide who'll go first, second, third and so on, as Conelight could finish Area 9 any day now.

Also, the time period for working on Area 10 probably doesn't need to be 2 weeks, as each participant is only adding a Boss arena. Would something along the lines of three days work? Or 1 week?

Finally, anyone who would like to add any final touches to their Area should state so before they act so that we don't get two people editing the same map at once. I'm editing Area 1 right now, so I'll post it up here allowing everyone to see it's new contents and approve or disapprove it. Other editors should do the same.

Here's my update of Area 4. PMS_2_A4_V2.zip (62.65K)
Number of downloads: 2
Change list:

• Fixed incorrect Extra2s.

• Added exit force field path.

• Modified enclosure for Homing Gun.

• Fixed bug that allowed you to finish without defeating the airship.

• Tightened up the airship boarding path to prevent escape.

• Added cover over airship gun deactivation switch to prevent it from being hit before the Homing Gun enclosure opens, as a work-around for a bug in which Extra2-triggered fadeout animations halt if a switch is shot.

@silverwind, on Aug 10 2007, 03:44 AM, said in Project Multi Sketch:

And we really need to decide who'll go first, second, third and so on, as Conelight could finish Area 9 any day now.

I'll take anything except for last.

Also, I won't be around much for the next week, so don't expect a speedy response to any questions.

Edwards

I also won't be able to do anything for at least two weeks, maybe three. I guess I should have thought of that before I volunteered.

I'm not very good at making bosses anyway, so I guess you can count me out.

No prob Cheleball. Here's the edited Area 1:
Project_Multi_Sketch_Part_1_AREA_1_UPDATE.SketchMap.zip (78.12K)
Number of downloads: 3
The only changes are a rearrangement of various volcano textures and two added Mega Mines at the Forest exit.

Ok Conelight, are you getting near the wrap up of Area 9? We need to move on with the project so that we can finish it off.

Well, as long as we're waiting on ConeLight for Area 9, I might as well post the first part of the Project Multi Sketch Total Conversion. You can download it here (download link removed- see this post for new link). This project has been brought to you by MapText, SketchMapMerge, Custom Asset Enabler, and the fine map-makers of Team Multi Sketch.

----------

Silverlight, if you would like to write a brief summary of Project Multi Sketch for the welcome screen, I've included the .SketchMap for it (also feel free to improve the design- I only spent a couple of minutes making it). Also, you may want to write up a new ReadMe. Everyone else, feel free to continue to update your areas- I've come up with a workflow that allows me to split up and recombine levels very easily, so it takes maybe fifteen minutes to go from "PMS Part X" to "X.LMScene". Even renaming all the Save Rings so that they will work with the solo mission takes almost no effort.

What I could use people to test, along with the usual searching for bugs, is whether all the save rings work. I think I got all of them, but I might have made a typo, or the game might have a cap on how many can be in a single level (the most in any PMS map is 14, in Area 8. I'm not sure how many are in the largest SF4ka level).

Notes:
- Some maps are a bit slow to load (particularly Areas 1 and 2)- don't worry if the level transitions aren't as fast as you're used to, the game hasn't frozen.
- I am not using the latest version of Area 1, as I forgot to download it before starting on the conversion.
- I removed the save ring at the beginning of Area 8, as I couldn't see any good way to merge it in with the solo mission-style map transition.
- Having played through the Area 4-5 transition properly now, I think I will add a save ring to the very end of Area 4.

----------

Bug reports for other areas:
Area 2: The right-most light on the elevator to the Area exit explodes as soon as it comes on-screen.
Area 5: In the SketchFighter-with-two-Fighters turret boss just before the radio waves switch, something blocks the central SketchFighter's shots before they can hit the player. Check the solid types in that area- something isn't Enemy-type.
Area 5: The wall blocking off the path to the radio is not save/reload-friendly, at least in Total Conversion mode- it re-solidifies if you die. Use Extra2s instead of names.
(Further testing was stopped by this last bug.)

Edwards

This post has been edited by Edwards : 26 August 2007 - 11:02 PM

Hm, I don't know if I have the latest version containing Area 5 - is it in the thread somewhere or could it be put up?

No prob Tridash, the latest version of Area 5 I received is this one here: Project_Multi_Sketch_Part_3.SketchMap.zip (38.94K)
Number of downloads: 1

This demo of PMSTC is amazing Edwards! I can't wait to see the completed file! Unfortunately I too fell victim to the Area 5 glitch, even after reminding myself to watch my step when I entered the danger zone. (I flew into a cleverly placed mine) However, I didn't notice any problems with the save zone rings before that point, and all the extra 2 values and name links behave correctly, much to my satisfaction. (I was worried that I might have missed a double used value when checking the files before releasing them) I shall assist with further testing as soon as the Area 5 glitch is put right. Tridash, do you think you could correct it and post an update? It would be most helpful.

Brilliant stuff Edwards, I'm truly amazed to see how much you can do with CAE. I'll get right on that Readme, and here's the updated PMS Welcome map: PMS_Welcome.SketchMap.zip (3.07K)
Number of downloads: 2

This post has been edited by Silverwind : 26 August 2007 - 06:05 AM

I'll fix it up.

Maybe we should look into using custom scripts for the boss zone? I'm pretty sure there are a few that aren't used in any of the parts of PMS that could be hijacked for replacement.