My Introduction:
After having a long chat with Megan, and seeing this topic, it's really time to get this game done. I've decided to get a group of artists together, and we will finish this game. Some things may have to be restarted to get the whole development back on track, but it'll be worth it just to get this game released.

What is Fire Under Siege today?
Fire Under Siege started as a simple Rayman platformer (last demo can be downloaded here: http://64digits.com/games/index.php?cmd=view_game&id=224 ) with Rayman 3 styled timed power ups.

Today, the goal is a free-roaming platform game based upon exploration and the usage of two groups of obtained powers. These two groups are FIRE and SHADOW. Phoenixan can switch between either ability by seeking and using a shrine. Exploration is dependent upon the usage of either of these two elements.

Examples:
Phoenixan can avoid taking damage from lava or fire while in FIRE elemental mode.
BUT
He will take damage in SHADOW elemental mode because he is no longer protected by his natural abilities.

Phoenixan can use fire attacks to destroy enemies in FIRE elemental mode.
BUT
Some enemies (robots) or obstacles (electrical power fields) are more vulnerable to electrical attacks. You gain usage of electrical attacks in SHADOW elemental mode.

In the end, there should be a full-length adventure complete with a tied-in story that unfolds as you play along.

What is the story?
You, as Phoenixan, wake to find your home city under attack by the space pirates. They make off with a set of plans to a super weapon your people have been working on and developing for years. You set off after the pirate leader, which has taken the set of plans with him, only to find that he has sold them to another group that you must face.

This trek takes you from your home city-state of Rintu, through caves, mountains, forests, swamps, and beaches and eventually to space, where the game finishes.

This game takes place alongside Rayman 2's time line.

Who is Phoenixan?
Phoenixan is a ray who resides in the city-state of Rintu. Rintu is a desert society, consisting of rays who rely mostly upon technology. Phoenixan is special, where he was born with the ability to control FIRE.

After death, he came back through a deal with a creature known as the SHADOW KEEPER, who bestowed upon him the ability to control the SHADOW element.

He has family ties with Rayman, thus sometimes, the fairies and teensies might leave things behind for him simply by mistake... including ways into the Hall of Doors on occasion...


How does it look?
(Screenshots from last demo over a year ago...)


(Screenshots pre-6/2/08)


So what can I do?
Apply for doing art, I will try to help out, post concept art, work with everyone. Or you can just hang out and discuss the game (maybe we'll come up with great ideas to include). You can even just bring up whatever you always wanted to see in Rayman, and maybe we can all come up with some great new mechanic that's never been conceived of before! Whatever...

You can also support the game by linking back to this topic with a userbar!

Old Userbar

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/phoenixan/emoticons/sig.gif[/img]

New Userbar! (7/5/08)

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/phoenixan/emoticons/sigfire.png[/img]

This game will be finished!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ryan-Phoenixan,

Looks cool can not wait to play it.
O and sorry i can not help you

Perfectly fine. Any level of feedback or discussion is always welcome. Even if it's about level design, or what would be fun to do in the game. Maybe there's something I'm missing that would be fun to include.

Hey, you need any new sprites?

Well, what sort of things would you like to do?

I still love the frogs and birds you did. XD You know, I was thinking actually, I'd love to have more creatures to make the world seem more alive.

Desert birds (that don't harm you.. just in the distance kind of things)
Small insects
Small fish
Plants too (desert, forest)
And I could use some new bats.

What do you think?

*edit*

I put in a couple of Phoenixan sketches under the "who is..." section.

Okay, but about the Desert birds, do you mean out in the sky or in the main view of the camera where Phoenixan is?

Well, I've been thinking about maybe you could have them drawn about the same scale relative to Phoenixan, and then they could be scaled (by the game itself) according to distance away. That way, it can appear a little more dynamic.

Okay, after school tomorrow I'll see if I can work on those sprites.

Thanks, dude.

By the way, while browsing the Pirate Community, I noticed that some people have concerns with free-roaming games, and how they'd work for Rayman, so I thought I'd take this time to explain how it works.

Overall, the game is fairly linear, except you can go back to visit previous lands at any time through the use of portals/airlifts.

Some of the worlds (Like the Forest, the Mountain Summit, and the Caverns) behave like miniature hubs to link up with other worlds. For example, in the summit, you cross a bridge to the top left of the area to enter the ice palace, and to the right are the gates for the Shadowed Sanctuary.

Overall, not to worry, for you can usually link up with and quickly travel to a world that you previously explored. It's made to be as simple as possible, and really, it's better described as Rayman 2 with a transparent Hall of Doors.

I would like to work on a few sprites too. But I'm afraid I'll promise too much and not have enough time anymore for the other things. I am already working on the comic Hellspawn (or at least I'm making the storyline and characters ready) and possibly I will be making the sprites for the other Rayman game project. I was also asked to give my Guild Wars guild, named The Engineered Plague, a facelift and emoticons for their forums. So I think I have a little too much on my mind right now.

That's fine.

What kind of things would you like to sprite the most?

Oh, no idea really.

I guess I could help out with some art, though it depends on what sort of art you want. I'm not much of a spriter, yano...
So, if you need me, just give me a holler. :]

I'll be hanging out in this thread some, that's for sure, though.

quote:

Originally posted by Spane1990:
Oh, no idea really.

How are you with plants? XD Those don't even necessarily have to be sprited. They can be drawn and converted to low color variations.\

By the way, who would be interested in doing "voice acting"? Rather, it's just a piece of gibberish that plays once when the dialog box opens, like Rayman 3 GBA. I need a lot of actors for the enemies. I don't know anyone who sounds quite mean enough. XD

if i get a microphone, i could do some.
wow, that's 2 people i've promised that to now, i'd better get a microphone

Ah, well I drew a dead swamp tree when I had nothing to do at the copyshop I'm having working experience in. It looked very nice, but I dunno if I can pixelate something like that. *wishes she had taken it with her back home now*

So aside from sprites, what kind of art are ya lookin for?

Backgrounds too. I enjoy doing them, but I'm aware that there are others that could do a better job at capturing the Rayman style. So if anyone wants to do those, you could always just post a few concepts, and then I can give all the specifics.

Those are probably going to be one of the easiest as well, because those aren't pixel art.

Let's see... Oh, I need help with my enemies... seriously... X_x XD

I mean, I feel as though my boss fights are getting bland, and I need either new concepts, sprite help, or just maybe... ideas. XD I have all the bosses in place on paper, but you see... I can never get them to look THREATENING enough. X_x

P.S. You can get a cheap tabletop mic for $15 or $20.

Just wondering, what are your color restraints?

16 colors (63 colors in all, 16 in one sprite) ?
32 colors (253 colors in all, 32 in one sprite) ?

You're not limited by color palette in this game, even though the game does run in 16-bit mode on full screen.

However, I do try to keep the amount of colors used low. I'd say if it's a tiny sprite like a flower or bird, or even a character on Phoenixan's scale, keep the colors at about 16- (doesn't have to be absolutely at 16, don't be afraid to add in 1 or 2 more or less if need be).

*edit*

I decided to upload my concepts for the powers you can gather. Please provide feedback or additional ideas. All of the powers have names that tie into the whole "fire/good" and "shadow/evil" theme.

Fire
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/phoenixan/sketch004.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/phoenixan/sketch005.jpg

Shadow
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/phoenixan/sketch006.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/phoenixan/sketch007.jpg

My handwriting isn't that great. XD