Modular 3d side scroller?

martinszeme

Hi everyone!

Lately I've seen quite a lot of modular stuff being posted and it looks like it's been discussed quite a lot, but mainly FPS stuff. Almost nothing on side scrollers, though they are emerging more and more now.

Me and a friend of mine are working on an indy 3d side-scroller and can't figure out how to do modular levels. Building simple straight levels with floating jump platforms and few death pits is quite straightforward. Problem is when the levels landscape starts to rise or fall dramatically. Also having underground cave sections in the same level with top sections adds more problems.
I've done few tests with modular modeling, but so far I haven't figured out how to do a whole level efficiently, though I do realise that there will be few unique modeling bits.
Here are some examples I've working on now (haven't got access to the most stuff ATM):






I looked at some examples of different 3d side scrollers and Lostwinds seamed to have pretty diverse range of landscapes. So I wondered how would you break it up so you don't have to literally build the level in your 3d app and then import into the editor?
Few screens:

http://media.nintendo.com/nintendo/bin/L04CG6M38Y_cqXAQbCb_AuTx3NmqCVXd/WMfHlPSkPmnGJga3GNsF4_MpFFb-U3oc.jpg
http://wikicheats.gametrailers.com/images/thumb/e/e4/LostWinds_screen05.jpg/400px-LostWinds_screen05.jpg
http://www.cinemablend.com/images/gallery/s8998/lost_winds_12035232389214.jpg
http://technabob.com/blog/2009/09/03/lostwinds-sequel-winter-of-the-melodias/tb-lostwinds1/

The darkening of the front facing faces isn't my favorite thing, but it sure makes it easier/faster to work. How would you model/texture levels without those darkenings? Just seams very hard to match everything together both in model and texture. Sorry for the sea of questions, had been thinking about this for a while.
Thanks

tristamus

Hmm...

I think any way you look at it, it's the same process as making modularity for fps games...how is it that much different? You'll just have to make many different kinds of chunks with different elevations and intersections when it comes to a 2d/3d side scroller level. The basics are the same, I'd think.

If I were you I'd just do a few sketches to see what kind of chunks you'd need to give the most variety to the levels' designs.

Unless I am misunderstanding what you're going after?

greevar

I think you might be putting the cart before the horse. First you need to establish how the character gets from point A to B. What's his mode of transportation? Does it run and jump? Is it a flying character? Does the character have any special abilities like the wall climbing in Prince of Persia? Once you know what your player can do, you have to figure out how to make an interesting and challenging level that will require them to use those mobility skills to advance in the game.

Now that you have the player's mode of transportation settled, you can make plan the environment. Think of the level as an obstacle course. What can you put in the player's way that will challenge them? You could make a level with all the different elevations you'd like, but it doesn't mean much if it's boring and doesn't utilize the character's capabilities. Take Shadow Complex for instance. That game is very modular. It's a collection of rooms, caves, and hangars that form a maze the player has to navigate through and the majority of them are simply just basic rooms - four walls, ceiling, and floor.

Try this: Get a sheet of grid paper and start drawing some 4x4 or larger boxes, each adjacent to the previous, making a series of modular boxes. They can go right, up, down, or left. They don't have to be aligned edge to edge either, they can be staggered and share only one grid segment between them. Now with a new piece of grid paper, fill one of the rooms with obstacles that will help and/or hinder the players advancement through the environment. If you want the exit of that module to be higher than the entrance, make them climb or jump onto a higher platform to access it. If the next module is above or below, add a ladder or a series of staggered platforms they can jump back and forth to. Each module is a self contained challenge for the player or a contains a reward for the player's success or both. All the while you're doing this, try to think of what the player might think when they encounter each module. Will they have to execute a series of timed movements or navigate a path that requires them to solve a puzzle of platforms?

I hope that clears up your confusion and gives you some ideas.

martinszeme

Thanks guys for your replies!
I've actually wanted to ask about the designing of these levels as well. Where does one start? I've done some sketches of the player, props, blocked out some stuff in max, but when I sit down to block out some levels I don't know where to start. Will get the grid paper.
Been reading stuff on mario, analysing how those guys back then did it. Quite fascinating. Also found these links, if anyone is interested:
http://petermcclory.com/2010/01/hand-drawn-organic-game-level-concept-design-scrolling-platformer/
http://www.josephcecot.com/leveldesign/splayersidescroller/
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1851/a_detailed_crossexamination_of_.php (great site!)
http://critical-gaming.squarespace.com/blog/2008/10/22/pure-organic-level-design.html (must read blog!)
If anyone has any links or ideas please share them.

renderhjs

kinda late but I had to think about this thread:
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/debut-trailer-motoheroz/709372

good and solid style with very flexible tiles:

arrangemonk

i did a 3d parralax scroller one time (until the other guy went to egypt and wasnt seen since then)

1st. i made a bunch of background junks that didnt have much detail (about a half screenspace width) which were tilable, and with i donk know 10 of them and random usage of them i had a pretty good looking background with not really noticable tiling

2nd i made the mid range background about the same but with mote tiles and a quater screen size

and in teh front i just placed objects and stuff spicing up the scene.

so in general, i would make like a 50 backtiles wide array of random tiles that can repeat throuh the scene, and code a "2d editor" for the foreground where one can place obcetcs and move, rotate and scale them , add a startpoint and enemy spawn points and thats it for the editor side