[Help-liquidwar6] New level xml's

[Kasper Hviid]

I have given my levels a bit of XML update. Download here:

http://www.kasperhviid.dk/stuff/levels.zip

I wanted to use some of the new png files, but I ended up only using a bit of glue.png at the fishy level. I think the levels have to be designed especially for those cool new pngs, or at least have their graphic updated.

Comments and criticism are welcome! I'm still learning to handle those xml properties.

ATLANTIS

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I drew a labyrinth on paper, scanned it and traced its outline in Illustrator. I did the painting in Photoshop CS3. It ended up looking quite cool. It took a while to draw all the ornaments, though. 

GAMEPLAY: I have aimed at somewhat large armies, to fill out a large part of the labyrinth. Most of the settings are the default. fighter-attack is 1200 (normally 500) and fighter-defence is 200 (normally 50) This is to speed thing up a bit. The level still suffer from the problem that it is quite hard to finish an enemy off.

TEAM COLORS: The colors of the armies are has a lower saturation, and tinted a bit towards the color of the background. The idea was to give them an underwater feel. It is a bit hard to change the colors, since you also wants it to be possible to distingust each of the ten individual teams from each others. If you want to change the colors, do it in your drawing program. Don't try to guess the right hex values.

MENU COLORS: The dark color is "sailor blue", the bright color is cyan. (When you need a bright color, alway pick one of those hues which are naturally bright, such as cyan or yellow. Semilar, if you need a dark colors, select one of the hues which a naturally dark)

FISHY

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This level began with the idea of using a twisted, horizontal wraparound in a level, where it looks like there are a non-twisted horizontal wraparound. Why does this sound like nonsense when I try to express it in words? Another idea in this level is the use of two separated areas, only connected by wraparounds. It is created with Photoshop CS3. I tried to make it look a bit like an old map.

GAMEPLAY: The fighters have zero defense, but I let them regenerate instead. They have zero side attack, which means that they will attack in one direction only. Also, their priorities lies in moving towards the cursor, they are only fighting when they absolutly has to. The result is some fighters which can really dig into the enemy. Their behavior have a very natural look, almost like plants or fractals. As mentioned above, the map contains two areas only connected by wraparounds. I have let the area below have a slower time, using glue.png

TEAM COLORS: I have tinted the colors a bit to make them blend into the yellow tone of the map.

INFESTIVAL

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A map without any visible walls - only a few hatchet lines guides the way.

GAMEPLAY: Fighter-scale is only 2, which is possible because the armies are so small: single-army-size = 14 and total-armies-size = 40

The rest of the values is kinda mainstream, except fighter-new-health which I have lowered from 5000 to 2500, which gives the battle fronts a darker color.

TEAM COLORS: I had considered giving the fighters a red tone, but so far, all the colors are quite normal.

INK-AND-OIL

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I finally finished a tush a ink drawing I had started a long time ago. In Photoshop, the drawing was inverted and combined with a monotype painting I had created with oil paint.

GAMEPLAY: I have set single-army-size and total-armies-size pretty low. fighter-new-health is only 50 while fighter-defense is as high as 250. Notice the sharp black lines where the armies fights. Pretty!

LIQUID-DREAM

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Drawn with pencil, inked with pen & ink, colorized with Photoshop CS3

GAMEPLAY: Tried some stuff ... bah, gotta try again - lowered the speed a bit. I think it's OK now.

TEAM COLORS: I have mixed the colors with the greyish color of the water.

PIZZA-FACE

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This level began with the idea of several horizontal wraparound passages, which are pushed together at the edge of the screen.

The texture is painted with pencil and pen, and colorized in Photoshop CS3. I tried to make this level brighter than usual, and I am quite sure that I failed. I also tried to make the aspect ratio close to the 16:10 widescreen format.

GAMEPLAY: Really low defense, but extremely high regenerate instead.

PLAYFIELD

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Inspired by 3D postcards. Created using Photoshop CS3 and scanned artwork.

GAMEPLAY: I used a low nb-defense-tries to give it that wild, fuzzy look.

SINUSOID

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Painted in Photoshop CS3. The practical purpose of this map was to use the wrap-around feature of LW6. The map is just a vertical sinus curve, with horizontal paths connecting it with itself. I'm a great fan of Art Nouveau, so I tried to make a lot of natural looking forms. Quite a bit of work!

GAMEPLAY: I used a really nifty trick here: I stole the rules.xml from another map, namely "Fishy".  I lowered the number of fighters to make this rather complex map a less confusing experience.

STRANGE-NEW-WORLD

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This is a bit of fanart, a remake of one of the classic Liquid War levels. The 1:1 aspect ratio is kept for historical reasons. It is painted in Photoshop CS3. The background is one of my monotype paintings. I hope that step wasn't to bold.

MUSIC: The music is the original thmoov.mid from Liquid War 5, Created by Tim Chadburn

His homepage:

http://orbitalwintersong.org.uk/

GAMEPLAY: I have tried to keep this one as LW5 as possible, using normal colors for the fighters and pixilation. I didn't change the fighter-values.

MENU COLORS: menu inspired by the original: Red text on black background.

SUBFLOWER

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A level with flowers in it. I tried to give it a underwater feel.

Painted with pen and ink. Colored in Photoshop.

GAMEPLAY: I honestly can't remember why I did whatever I did. But I think it's okay.

TEAM COLORS: The whole level has a cyan multiply-layer on top. So has the teams.