[Unstable] There's Something About Tails

[Project Shadowcat]

I think I'll just leave this here. Many annotations were written for those who have only been tracking the project through YouTube or were fall-aways from the MFZ of olde.

[mamaluigisbagel]

Sorry to fanboy, but anyways...Have been meaning to say this, but being a huge fan of Tails (and I mean HUGE, though if I remember right, you're a soldier in Tails' body (yes I read most of the comics)) and RPG elements, story, and such in Doom, I'm very much awaiting this project! Watched the video and it looks like it took a whole lot of work to do, and it actually looks like you have to be careful rather than run n' gun like the original Doom. Also I love how you made the guards and some of the things they say, and there's even some humor in the mod! (which I do all the time in RPG games I make) Everything looks great even if its still in Alpha/Whatever and its by far my most awaited project.

And just to add, I attempted to learn coding because of this mod. Failed, obviously, but still, it takes a lot to make me do that.

EDIT: Re-reading the comics now, it makes me want to make my own RPG game from it

[Project Shadowcat]

EDIT: Re-reading the comics now, it makes me want to make my own RPG game from it

At the pace I'm moving, you'd probably finish your own effort entirely before I ever finish the demo.

[mamaluigisbagel]

EDIT: Re-reading the comics now, it makes me want to make my own RPG game from it

At the pace I'm moving, you'd probably finish your own effort entirely before I ever finish the demo.

I can understand. I actually took another shot at coding and its going ehhhh somewhat well. It is a lot of work, not to mention my mapping and spriting skills are horrible.

But yeah, I got bored and did my very first Doom modding ever, based off of a character I made with his own story. I expect a lot of hate, but I am just a beginner, and most of the stuff I added are placeholders. And yes, its based on the Sonic universe as well.

I wish I could ask for help on some things, but I know I won't be able to since you're so busy

[skyrish10]

Dark Fox, can you add the Tails Doll as a secret character and Sonic.exe as a secret boss?

[Project Shadowcat]

Dark Fox, can you add the Tails Doll as a secret character

Already in, building a level for it right now. It's planned to be quite epic, actually, but it'll be an optional mission, much like the prison. Not so much a secret, just got to be a little perceptive.

and Sonic.exe as a secret boss?

Sonic.exe is really fucking lame. No, he's not going in.

[mamaluigisbagel]

I was going to say, "Why add a boss who's purpose is to only kill Tails in a Tails (somewhat)based mod?"......okay, that made a bit of sense tbh but I'm glad he's not going to be added.

I know I said I wouldn't ask questions, but I was curious if you made the mugshots from scratch along with the hand sprites. Mine look terrible atm and I was curious if I could use any tips to make them look better.

(If you need to know what they look like, MSPaint Doom...yeah.)

[Project Shadowcat]

I was going to say, "Why add a boss who's purpose is to only kill Tails in a Tails (somewhat)based mod?"......okay, that made a bit of sense tbh but I'm glad he's not going to be added.

Hell, I actually wrote notes for why Tails Doll is even going to be relevant. I can't work sonic.exe into the canon.

I know I said I wouldn't ask questions, but I was curious if you made the mugshots from scratch along with the hand sprites.

Sodaholic had used his own hands for the fist, rifle and shotgun sprites that are currently in-game. I'm unfortunately shifting to a more drawn look so that contribution of his is going away. (See the video, the pistol graphic will likely be final.)
The mugshot graphics were actually done in MS-Paint many years ago. Very. Carefully.

Mine look terrible atm and I was curious if I could use any tips to make them look better.

It somewhat depends on what sort of look you want? I mean, for the hands, you definitely need hand tutorials so you know what you're drawing. They're everywhere on DeviantArt and Tumblr. Your own hand works as a reference as well!
As for the mugshot graphics? Again, that's depending on how you want to do them. If you want a semi-realistic look, you may want to look into either doing some serious pixel-pushing with your game palette out and available (I do not have any tutorials handy for the pixel-working), or if you want something a little more cartoony, ... well, good luck with that one. I've only seen exactly two instances where that method worked, and that was The Adventures of Square, and Lizard Commando's mod. (I forgot the name of it...)

[HexaDoken]

(See the video, the pistol graphic will likely be final.)

I sort of really hope it isn't.

I mean, I got nothing against the cartoony sprite, but as it stands now with the animation it doesn't look like the hero is firing the pistol, more like he is waving it rapidly in the general direction of the enemy and magically blood emerges from the bodies and people drop dead. Because, well, voodoo. Or something.

[mamaluigisbagel]

tbh I like the new pistol sprite. I agree, it kind of looks out of place (though for me, its because Jake is Sega Genesis style, so it'd make more sense if it was orange rather than yellow-orange) But I don't hate it. I like the carton-ish look but it makes me wonder if the textures will go cartoony. Considering the comic was made in Doom though, I'd assume it won't.

Thanks for the tips btw. I need to learn how to sprite anyway

[Project Shadowcat]

(See the video, the pistol graphic will likely be final.)

I sort of really hope it isn't.

I mean, I got nothing against the cartoony sprite, but as it stands now with the animation it doesn't look like the hero is firing the pistol, more like he is waving it rapidly in the general direction of the enemy and magically blood emerges from the bodies and people drop dead. Because, well, voodoo. Or something.

Your concern is warranted. I haven't added flashes yet so that might be part of it. As for why the change in direction (if only for the held weapons), it is strictly just to make sure that shading remains consistent throughout a weapon's animation. It won't look the best, and I agree, but it'll at least be fairly quick to produce.

[mamaluigisbagel]

I'm asking too many questions here...

How did you do the coding for Objectives? I assume it has to do with integers/variables but I was wondering if it was done in some other way.

[Project Shadowcat]

I'm asking too many questions here...

How did you do the coding for Objectives? I assume it has to do with integers/variables but I was wondering if it was done in some other way.

Just the tracking of a lot of integers and variables, especially to make the Objectives display dynamic and allow a player to look at it at any time. Time consuming and a bit of a hassle keeping track of every possibility of mission status on a single map, but it's surprisingly not complicated in its implementation. It's literally just a few if/then statements for the dynamic implementation. When a new objective pops up, those are simply static, scripted hudmessages.

[mamaluigisbagel]

Okay, thanks for that. One last thing (and I swear its last. I might PM you from now on if I have more questions, unless you'd be too busy or just not want to. Sorry, like I said, I started making my own mod for the first time because of this one)

The pistol sprite along with the hands holding the pistol were done from scratch, if I remember correct. I'm new to shading (I can see some in the video) but how did you do those? (ie: what program, tool, and if you learned it from anywhere) In mine, I've got hands with a black border, and attempted shading a bit and was wondering if you did it another way that might be easier or better.

[Project Shadowcat]

The pistol sprite along with the hands holding the pistol were done from scratch, if I remember correct. I'm new to shading (I can see some in the video) but how did you do those? (ie: what program, tool, and if you learned it from anywhere) In mine, I've got hands with a black border, and attempted shading a bit and was wondering if you did it another way that might be easier or better.

I kinda cheated with this one. I have a (cheap) tablet available to me and I used a couple graphics programs. Paint Tool SAI for the actual tablet work, Paint.NET for the image editing, and then I used SLADE3 to convert it to a Doom graphic.
Borders are there, but they're a darker color of that object's color instead of black.