DKC Atlas Forum

[Tailikku]

Last I checked, Flapper was the one who could barely carry the Kongs, and Quawks is the one who picks up barrels.

Correction: Both of them are Quawks

[leo_core]

Six? Only ones I can think of are the smaller (baby?) Squawks with the lantern, regular Squawks, Quawks who can barely carry the Kongs, and Flapper who picks up barrels.
I did have one idea of an orange Squawks that was the exact opposite of Quawks; he'd be constantly rising while carrying the Kongs. I thought he'd probably be good for a Bramble level.

It's an interesting idea but will Pixelate too, will not be pretty if you increase the scale of Squawks.

So what do you guys have for the other two?

This will be a surprise...

We are remapping the entire engine so we have not shown anything new, it'll take a while yet.

[CatLoverMolly]

Ah, sorry. By raising I mean moving upward, not growing in size. Though I do admit a giant Squawks could be cool too...I'll add that to my to-do list.
That said, I'm almost done with Pokey and I'll be posting him soon.
With that, I await more awesome things!

[leo_core]

Now understand... go climbing instead of going down. Very interesting idea, what is the color to this Squawks?
I am very curious to see your Pokey!

[CatLoverMolly]

For the climbing Squawks, he'd probably be orange.
For Pokey, here we are.

45631.png (27.67 KiB) Viewed 210421 times

EDIT: Threw together that giant Squawks I said I'd add to my to-do list from T2K's Squawks.

Spoiler!

It's a bit ugly but I mostly just wanted to see how it'd look. Use it or not, doesn't matter much to me.

[Phyreburnz]

For a Squawks that is opposite of the one that just goes down, I suggest yellow. Yellow is the opposite of purple on the colour wheel and an "up" Squawks is opposite of the down one, so I think that makes sense

[leo_core]

Cat, I'm not understanding how the animations will be Pokey. The game system with it.
It is to mount it and ride? What are the sprites of him with kong on him? It just takes a sprite without thorns. What is his attack? What does it golden?
You can detail please? I do not really understand. The sprites editing was very good, I like

I think yellow is very good, I will provide this Squawks.

[CatLoverMolly]

With Pokey, when the Kongs mount him, the animation where his spikes grow out plays. The spikes extend around the Kongs with extra care so as to not hit them, though if you'd rather he could be only for transformations (like Animal Antics).
When he attacks, he turns and the animation of him going up on his back legs plays. The spike on the far left (the flat one) shoots out, and when it sticks in the wall, the other four frames play very quickly like this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRv5foS4uDc
The spike will stick in the wall for a few seconds (about as long as Squitter's webs) and you can stand on it. Alternatively, you can hit enemies with spikes, and you can aim it up or down like Squitter. If you aren't careful and run into a spike without jumping on it (as in, hit the sharp side) you'll lose a Kong, your Buddy, or a life.
The gold is for his animal token (like DKC1).

I had one really crazy idea and I honestly don't know if it's good or not but here goes.

Spoiler!

A level like Animal Antics with only Squawks and his varieties. I'd call it Squawks of the Rainbow, Birds of the Rainbow, or just Colors of the Rainbow.
The entire level would be about the length of Animal Antics, and there would be several Squawks throughout the level.
Green: Normal Squawks (Squawks as we know and love him from DKC2 and DKC3)
Cyan: Mini Squawks (A 50% scale Squawks)
Blue: Falling Squawks (The Quawks from DKC2)
Purple: Barrel Squawks (The Quawks from DKC3)
Pink: New Squawks 1 (One of your Squawks you guys are keeping secret)
Red: Giant Squawks (The one I posted in the post with Pokey)
Orange: New Squawks 2 (The other of your Squawks you guys are keeping secret)
Yellow: Climbing Squawks (The Squawks idea mentioned in this thread; like blue Squawks but goes up)
White: Lantern Squawks (Same as DKC1 but the green would now be white)
Black: Bomb Squawks (A Squawks that spits bombs instead of eggs or whatever he normally spits. Careful; the blast hurts you too!

[Simion32]

Here's a name for that level:

Sky Squadron Scramble

[CatLoverMolly]

I do like that level name quite a bit more than the ones I had thought of
Here's the rest of my Squawks ideas.

SNES - Donkey Kong Country 2 Diddys Kong Quest - Squawks (1).png (3.71 KiB) Viewed 210343 times

cannon.png (22.23 KiB) Viewed 210324 times

climbing.png (23.39 KiB) Viewed 210324 times

SquawksDKC1 (1).gif (3.28 KiB) Viewed 210310 times

[leo_core]

Cat, your ideas for Squawks variations are very interesting, I want everybody! I liked the mini Squawks although I was not sure how the level design of a level to use it. What I liked most was the black Squawks that spits bombs, your idea was sensational!

I need to discuss further with you in detail about the mechanics of the game with Pokey.

I'm currently almost finished remapping the engine and moreover HyperKalango and I are finishing create the launcher for the game. This part of the project is complex and time consuming.
Wait until I finish doing that (I believe it will take another couple of days) and go into the details regarding the Pokey.
Thank you for precious collaboration, you will be remembered!

[Simion32]

The black squawks can be used in a Castle or Fortress level where you have to spit bombs and/or cannonballs at the walls to break open entrances. Maybe even with some terrain physics (if you break sections in the wrong order you change the path or even get squashed!).

Fowlfire Fortress
Crumbling Cannons
Bomb-Blast Blockhouse - This particular level focuses on enemies rather than terrain blasting.

How are those ideas?

[Phyreburnz]

I suggest that the black one spits the bombs that kuchucka throws.

[Tonberry2000]

Maybe he can't stop shooting bombs, so you're constantly having to space yourself?

[CatLoverMolly]

I love all of you guys' ideas you're all so creative.
For the Mini Squawks, it should be in a very tight bramble stage so any flying you do has to be carefully controlled. Not too tight though, we don't want ragequitting.

Here's a little edit I did to Screech.

DKC4_-_Screech.PNG (4.13 KiB) Viewed 210110 times

Maybe in Sky Squadron Scramble, the enemies for each area could consist of Screeches matching the Squawkses. Mini Squawks would have to navigate around Mini Screech(es?), Bomb Squawks would have to have a firefight with Bomb Screech...I dunno, maybe that's getting too complicated.

[leo_core]

It took more than a week but successfully completes the remapping of the engine, it was perfect (I hope). Oh yes, we back to work baby!

I will need to use a mountain of bananas and distribute on the forum! Great ideas are popping up here, you guys are inspired!

Cat, does not need to edit the Squawks colors because we are using a palette system thus Squawks green may be of any other color. Doing this we save memory. For you to understand, here's how the green becomes purple Squawks in a single event, and without a new active object:

Spoiler!

You not need to have all this work, just coloring a single sprite to we know the tonality. Also it gets small using code.

Maybe he can't stop shooting bombs, so you're constantly having to space yourself?

God, you're a genius! This mechanics on black Squawks will be awesome! This will be very dynamic

I suggest that the black one spits the bombs that kuchucka throws.

Perfect!

The black squawks can be used in a Castle or Fortress level where you have to spit bombs and/or cannonballs at the walls to break open entrances. Maybe even with some terrain physics (if you break sections in the wrong order you change the path or even get squashed!).

Fowlfire Fortress
Crumbling Cannons
Bomb-Blast Blockhouse - This particular level focuses on enemies rather than terrain blasting.

How are those ideas?

Great Simion!

Cat, I still do not understand how this attack will be with Pokey when he attacks the kong is mounted on it? What are sprites on attack? You could make an animation showing? I'm sorry, I really am not understanding...

[Tonberry2000]

Thanks, Leo!

Skreech does make me think that maybe there could be a "rival" for the animal buddies, and each one is a race or an obstacle course that needs to be completed before the rival, like Skreech's Sprint? I'll post more details soon.

[spaceman2028]

Y'know, like Rambo's Ride for Rambi's rival, Fu-mango's flight for Expresso's rival, Khainsaw KAOS for Enguarde's rival, Wonky's waters for Winky's rival and so on.
You can make up their designs, but try to make the rival animal buddies have a similar style to Screech-they look just like the normal animal buddy, but much more darker and evil.

[CatLoverMolly]

Well, there was that evil Rambi from a while back that had the mask and the longer horn. You guys still have that, Leo? I don't remember what page that was on and I don't have the time to search

That said, here's a quick GIF of Pokey I was able to whip up.
I didn't think to include the Kongs, but I'd use the frames for Rattly/Expresso riding so the Kongs could cling to one of Pokey's spines.

[leo_core]

Ahhh... I now understand how the attack Pokey!
I also understand how it can create platforms for climbing wall.
Only one question remains, how is the sprites kong on him when he is shooting the thorns? (because he rears up when attack). I want to use it to mount on it (like a Rambi).

Note: I remember that we were designing the evil Rambi and intend to return to it later.

[CatLoverMolly]

For rearing up when attacking, I'd use the animations from Rattly's jump, or from swinging on a rope.
I know Phyre was doing sprites for turning on the Buddies, but I don't remember if she did Rattly or not. If she did, you could probably use the Kongs from those sprites.
I can't wait to see Pokey in action

[spaceman2028]

When pokey attacks in game, i recommend that the animation is a LOT faster than that, and that the kongs ride on pokey's head instead.
Other than that looks alright.

[CatLoverMolly]

That is actually a really great idea which I completely endorse.
The animation, yeah, I wasn't sure how to make GraphicsGale play it any faster. I know it's kind of a complicated process, but to get my .GIFs to come out nice and crisp without any blur or whatever (like Beneton Movie likes to throw in), I take the sprites one at a time and put them into Game Maker 8.1, then I save it as a .PNG strip and open that with GraphicsGale. If anyone knows how to speed up the animations GG spits out, that'd be great!

[leo_core]

His idea creating Pokey is fabulous, now we have a new buddie! This ability with the thorns it is indeed incredible, is an attack and a means of creating platforms. Sensational! Things that will be possible for him to level design are very dynamic.

I know about the sprites kongs needed (I will run some tests here) and on the speed during the throw of thorns do not worry, we will do so within the engine.
Thank you so much, you deserve a mountain of bananas!

[Phyreburnz]

Hey, Cat, would there be any way to maybe add a saddle on him? That might be a good way to get around the awkwardness of a Kong riding him.

[leo_core]

Hey, Cat, would there be any way to maybe add a saddle on him? That might be a good way to get around the awkwardness of a Kong riding him.

I agree, is a little strange mount on the thorns...

[CatLoverMolly]

45631 (1).png (10.22 KiB) Viewed 209753 times

I think that's the best I'll be able to do. I left out sprites like the barrel, crate, sign and tokens. I would suggest that, when Pokey is transformed into through a barrel, he shouldn't have the saddle since no Kongs are riding.

I thought of some ideas after reading some threads on here. What if Winky had the tongue attack sprited by Phyre, allowing him to grab bananas, letters and other goodies while also hurting certain enemies, Expresso could dig up hidden banana caches by digging (also sprited by Phyre), and Rattly could hang from hooks?

[Phyreburnz]

Is that the unicycle seat from Uniracers? I LOOOOOVE that game. Although, I think maybe you should make the seat a little more obvious by changing the colour, maybe to black?

[CatLoverMolly]

You caught me Yep, that's an edit of the seat from Uniracers. Great game!

45631 %281%29.png (28.93 KiB) Viewed 209745 times

This is the best I can do right now; the lighter tones on the saddle share Pokey's skin color, and I don't really want to go through and change them all to black at the moment. I think this should suffice, but I'd still like you guys' opinions.

[Rux Ton]

(Really good stuff here guys, I like where this is going.) CatLoverMolly that saddle works very well! I like this character a whole lot

OKay question really quick guys, I need to get ahold of "!!!!" as soon as possible! I had heard that the desert track was lost and I want to help retrieve it or recreate it so we can continue to have it in! I heard the demo of it and I REALLY like it. So anything I can do to help, I will do!

So who is, or how can I contact "!!!!" ?

[Simion32]

Sand Stage demo Re-Upload: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/hnb6e6e ... _Stage.mp3

You'll probably have to contact him somehow if you want the pre-compiled audio (sequencing etc).

[leo_core]

Pokey was great!
At the moment I am solving a small problem we found in the engine mapping. Once this is resolved I will do the Pokey and see if kongs the "fit" well with him.
Cat, thanks for the effort

[Rux Ton]

Sand Stage demo Re-Upload: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/hnb6e6e ... _Stage.mp3

You'll probably have to contact him somehow if you want the pre-compiled audio (sequencing etc).

Yeah, I can't find a way to contact him haha. Does anybody here have a way of contacting him that they could PM to me or something?

[CatLoverMolly]

I can't say I do, other than shooting him a PM.

I don't know if you guys are aware, but since each level archetype has a different death theme in DKC2 and DKC3, I got to looking and found this.

It's custom death themes for the DKC1 archetypes, which gives a decent start since all previous archetypes would now be covered. I'm trying to get in touch with KingMeteor to see if he'd be with us using them.

[Rux Ton]

That's a great find! Loved em!

Is his name on the forum just "!!!!" ?

[CatLoverMolly]

Here's a link to his profile. memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=10031
Looks like he hasn't visited us since August.

[Rux Ton]

Alright so, using the original track as a bit of a reference (I honestly have no knowledge on that kind of music so I had to do some research. It was interesting!)

I came up with this so far. I don't know about the bassline yet, but I am pretty happy so far with what I have. What do you guys think? (This is for the sand stage level. I had to keep thinking.. Desert ruins, etc... )

http://www.mediafire.com/listen/vgkjhfi ... -Stage.mp3 here is the link to listen.

[CatLoverMolly]

I initially didn't want to post in hopes of breaking this little chain of you and I taking turns posting, but I just had to after taking a listen to that track. Excellent work! I can't wait to see how it will be used in the next demo

[Rux Ton]

Thank you! I am working on the mixing still a bit more to make sure it isn't too cluttered and making sure that its kind of low in the mids so that in-game SFX can still be heard without being too cluttered with music. I also slowed it down a wee bit.
I may post more of the tracks I do here for you guys to critique and give input too So we can all par-take in this side of Kong action!

[leo_core]

Guys, the remapping has been completed and tested to exhaustion, everything is working. The project is ready 100%!
Now we are working on the launcher for the game (90% complete) and lack complete the save system and counters for collectables. Lack also make the map for demo.
We are very focused on it to launch the demo before Christmas, so be not worked on Pokey yet.

[Magna]

Wow this project looks wonderful! Good work. Fantastic work.
Although I have to ask, what is the progress so far on this? I only heard of this last Friday and played the current demo over the weekend. I'm super excited for this and would be glad to help in any way. I'm a pretty good spriter myself. Hope this goes well and wish the team luck!

[CatLoverMolly]

So you've got the levels for the demo implemented as well, just need a map for them?
That's actually really good that the engine is working; means we're getting closer than ever. Plus, with the new demo, any new glitches the community finds can be patched up.
@Magna, welcome Right now we're trying to get someone to sprite up a map screen for the demo coming this December. If you can help, that'd be super! Here's pretty much all that's even been attempted thus far (note that the levels might change around for the demo's sake).

Spoiler!

So, if you or anyone else wants to try their hand at that, feel free, or if that's a bit much there's probably other things we could use.

[Magna]

Interesting...a desert world? That has never been done in any of the three games. Great original idea!
Although I am unfamiliar with the tools you guys use to sprite and create maps for the game, I could help any other way or I can just teach myself how to use them.

[Simion32]

We need a higher resolution version of that Konglahari image, please

[CatLoverMolly]

Spoiler!

I'm not sure why Wikia seems to enjoy shrinking direct link images down...Ah well, here we are.

Tool-wise, we use pretty much any program to throw together tilesets for levels and create sprites. I use GIMP 2.6, Graphics Gale and Photoshop CC '14, but if you want to use Paint.NET, Paint Tool SAI or even MS Paint that'd probably work just as well.

[Phyreburnz]

I just use photoshop. Oh, and a great program for rotating sprites is rotsprite. That program is awesome.

[CatLoverMolly]

Actually, consider the Kongalahari complete;

Spoiler!

Now what I'm going to be working on is

Spoiler!

that guy right there to go as the boss in that little Sphinx area (which I probably should have edited an opening onto...oh well )

[Magna]

I have a Mac, so there are probably alternatives to those programs stated. (Although i can use wine). My question is, what program is used to create such perfect sprites for the game, like say what CatLoverMolly is working on. Are they created from 3D models or made manually pixel by pixel?

[CatLoverMolly]

Whichever you prefer, although I wouldn't say the alternative to 3D is always pixel by pixel; most things can be either made by taking a render off Google and crunching (indexing) it's colors down to 16 for SNES-accuracy, editing existing sprites from the original three games, or both. Of course some things can indeed be made to look pretty good with pixel by pixel editing, but I find that to be a pain so I stick to editing.

By the way, here's a quick edit I did of Kongalahari; I indexed the whole image (it's not even close to SNES accuracy but it's still better than RGB mode) and added an entrance to the Necky Sphinx.

Spoiler!

[Magna]

Whichever you prefer, although I wouldn't say the alternative to 3D is always pixel by pixel; most things can be either made by taking a render off Google and crunching (indexing) it's colors down to 16 for SNES-accuracy, editing existing sprites from the original three games, or both. Of course some things can indeed be made to look pretty good with pixel by pixel editing, but I find that to be a pain so I stick to editing.

By the way, here's a quick edit I did of Kongalahari; I indexed the whole image (it's not even close to SNES accuracy but it's still better than RGB mode) and added an entrance to the Necky Sphinx.

Spoiler!

That clarifies things, but what program would be best for this.