Feral Heart

well, I posted it everywhere else. so...

So...I've been having this bothersome "make a game, hammy!" itch for Zeus knows how long. While something more complex was what I desired, my computer would have none of that. (I'm probably pretty lucky the sadistic piece of technology let's me run blender).

Needless to say, not doing anything wasn't going to make it go away.

Then along came "Game Maker". Pretty much "the lazy man's game building software". But, it works. And now, hammy can has game.

Flashback over, let's see what's happened....



The arrow keys move you. AWSD/QEXC also move you. The num-pad even moves you. (my first tester complained he couldn't go diagonally, this was the only way to fix it lolololol)

Catch food for points, avoid bones. Grab the boosts to eliminate or slow-down the bones.

Choose from 3 different songs to groove to while you play.







Yes, it's a game in every sense of the word. Not like FeralHeart or ImpressiveTitle which are more like 3D chatrooms with bonus features. No, it's not 3D. It doesn't need to be. It's meant to be as it is, generic.


_{oh and...maybe you could try clicking on Leo with your mouse. I dunno..../some/thing could happen.....}

Map testers have been chosen. Thank-you to all who showed an interest. Unfortunately, I could not chose everyone. (That would have been even more mass-pming in the event of crashes and errors T.T). Please, do not harass them. That would be very poor unsportsmanlike behavior.

Testers (order is random):
Eragonfan
Koyo
Wildcat26
Canton
Lugialuv

and probably more ;3


Hamilton is also seeking better names for all maps marked with a '**'. Name suggestions can be via response here or PM. Up to 5 players per map will be chosen to receive access to the limited edition map "Garden of Isalia". If only 1 person makes a suggestion, then only 1 person will be chosen. And so on and so forth. Suggestions for map layout are also acceptable.

~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~

Forever WIP because there's more than one map lololololol

If you find any errors or inconsistencies, let me know. I tried to fix them all...

Now, without any further ado~

I give you ... [pause for dramatic effect] ... Ham-maps! Maps by me, Hamilton! Woo~. Okay so it could use a better name, why don't you suggest something for that too~

Woo! concept art galore!

In the meantime, enjoy the following info, map data, and screenshots. Maps that are marked (99.99%) are currently up for testing~. A public link won't appear till at least 4 people have had a successful download, install, and run through the maps.


This is project follows the same dynamics as most other maps to be found these days (seriously, what is up with that??). It is a self contained mini-world.

The Centralis' download will only include the island. It's already fitted with portals to other places. But those will be initially unreachable for the most part.

With each map released, the download will include it's tunnel counterpart to connect it to Centralis. So that the only way to reach each new map, is to travel Centralis, navigate the tunnel, and eventually find your way out.

A total of 11 maps are currently planned. Some of those maps will be private/invite only. The majority will be publicly accessible.

Every map will include at least 1 mesh unique to it's location. Depending on how far along the map is to completion, that mesh will be released ahead of time. Just so you get to have some fun with it too :3


On to the maps!

~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~

Centralis. (85%)

An island. The central point at which all maps converge. A meeting ground for friends and a gathering spot of role-players. You spawn on a high platform that overlooks the island. from here, you can see almost everything.
Circling the island are mini-locations. Remnant type representations of the land on the other side of the portals.
The heart of Centralis is the fire that blazes at it's center. Smaller platforms make for great seating. A rough estimate is 10 players can fit on a single platform. There are 4. lol
Download: Temp down. Needs some fixes~
Image1: to the right, to the right.
Image2: to the left, to the left.
Concept art: I'm having trouble finding some old sketches of Centralis, for now: enjoy this page of sign and rock doodles that were scraped from Centralis but moved to other maps.


Stygian Mountain. (75%)
Currently one of two maps connected to Centralis, though it is still largely incomplete. It houses what remains of Stygian Fierte.
The landscape itself varies widely, though it's namesake sits at the center, looming over everything else.
This map is an invite only map. Permission must be gained from myself or a high-ranking Stygian member. Only after access is granted will you be given a download and password. you will be given only 12 hours to obtain the download, after which the password will be invalid and you will have to ask again. If you fail to obtain the map a second time, you will never be given the download.
Download: NA
Image: NA
Concept art: Stgian Mountain went though a lot of height-maps. This was it's original concept. If not for the giant water-plane glitch, it'd have been the final version.
Concept art2: Here, the map gets a little more closer to it's completed design. Though the layout is different, all the elements are there.



Palm Paradise. (15%)
Let's imagine for a moment. Close your eyes. Now picture an empty beach. The surf is calm, the sky is an eerie shade of tan and red. There's a boat-load of plants: palms and shrubs. But their leaves are singed, burned, even entire plants reduced to ashes. Looking further inland, we see remnants of life. Burning, crumbling, beyond repair. Some...thing is stirring. Something unnatural.......undead.
The map will be public.
Download: NA
Image: NA
Concept art: NA


**Forest. (15%)
name = WIP. A sprawling forest of coniferous trees over gently rolling hills. A river runs through it. It's dominating feature is a tall cliff with a scenic over-hang. A majestic waterfall can be spied here, feeding the river bellow. At the right angles, a rainbow appears. Is that a cave in the side of the over-hang?
This map will require permission, though not as stiff as Stygians.
Download: NA
Image: bigcliff.mesh. specially made to have almost 0 chance of slipping through the collision field and getting stuck under it.
Concept art: Seriously, I can draw better. Really. Concept art just tends to get messy for me lol.


**Desert. (10%)
name = WIP. A desert modeled as a conglomerate of the trippy rock formations in monument national park and the high dunes of the Sahara. A large sized map that is easy to get lost in. Keep at it, and you might just discover a few abandoned camp-sites.
This map will be public.
Download: NA
Image: NA
Concept art: bonus points if you can guess whats in the bottom left corner~


Edge of The World. (50%)
The map drops off into the sea as soon as you enter. There's no where left to go but out on the precariously placed platforms. Connected in a somewhat maze-like pattern by hanging bridges. A warp in the sea provides aid to those unlucky enough to slip off the platforms.
This map will be public.
Download: NA
Image: NA
Concept art: cheat-sheet oh noes!
Concept art2: old concept art for the canopies that platform uses. you can download these from my mesh thread.


Garden of Isalia. (0%)
The concept stems from a currently failing attempt at a cohesive species and group rp. Anyway, it's a smallish/medium sized map. Mostly flat, it boasts lush foliage and relaxing scenery.
This map is a prize. To what? Scroll back to the top~
Download: NA
Image: NA
Concept art: NA


**Nile. (5%)
A rehashing of my Sahara map. A large map with sand as it's dominating factor. Watch out for quick-sand! Crumbling houses suggest a great culture once thrived here. The sand slowly wiping away their memory. Dust-devils run rampant and the weather can turn on a dime from bad to worse.
This map will be public.
Download: NA
Image: NA
Concept art: NA


**Ocean. (0%)
I dunno...something with a tun of swimming.
This map will be public.
Download: NA
Image: NA
Concept art: NA


Gleaming Falls. (100%)

Well...clearly it's exactly what it says it is. It has been reformatted and upgraded to work properly with the latest version of FH.
This map will be public.
Download: Download the official map pack to obtain this. GF will no longer be linked here read most recent Hammy-post on page 2.
Image1: If it's not familiar, I've failed everyone.
Image2: waterfalls...in a place called 'gleaming falls'..wow, who'd have thunk it.


**Man-camp. (0%)
We'll just let that one marinate for a while...
This map will be invite only. Access will be very limited and permission being granted on a very strict level.
Download: NA
Image: NA
Concept art: NA


Grimore. (10%)
This map does not connect directly to Centralis like the others and will only be reachable after downloading the forest map, the garden map, or the Stygian map. The map itself is a labyrinthine mountain range. Many of the trails lead to nothing. Successful navigation rewards you with Thalerons main camp. Full of things to climb all over, crumbling old buildings, and other nick-knacks I haven't fully decided on.
The map will be available to users who were given access to Stygian Mountain, the forest map, or the garden.
Download: NA
Image: NA
Concept art: That perch is going to be a pain in my *expletive deleted*...


Tunnel. (99.99%)

It's a tunnel. It connects Centralis with the rest of the world. For some reason, while the tunnel remains unchanged, entering it from a different location whisks you away to a different map. Try not to get lost.
Download: Comes with every map.
Image: Why yes, those are glowing mushrooms.

What you will need ::

Terragen Classic :: linked here
Any art editing program :: such as Paintshop Pro, Photoshop, Gimp, etc etc


What is Terragen?

Terragen is a program that allows you to create and render 3D landscapes using either a generated height-map or a drawn height-map. It's user-interface is incredibly easy to understand and to use for a variety of needs.


Our, today, being creating a height-map that can be used in FeralHearts mapmaker.


First, open you programs. The order isn't important, just make sure both Terragen and you art program are running.

In the Terragen windows, you will have Rendering Control and Landscape.

We want Landscape.

On this window are two important options we need. The first is "View / Sculpt...". Clicking it will open a 512X512 box. This is your map.

It's pretty flat right now. Let's add some terrain details.

Hit the "Generate Terrain" button. This gives you a smaller box with a lot of options to quickly generate a height-map.


Method. this changes the overall type of landscape that will be generated.
            subdivide and displace II will created a pretty jagged landscape with cliffs, steep mountains, and gullies.

            perlin noise will create a softer, rolling landscape with minute hills.

            multi perlin will create that same rolling landscape but have areas that are smoothed over and areas that are sharper.

            ridged perlin will create a semi jagged landscape with snaking mountain ridges coiling through the map.

            ridged multi perlin will create that same snaking mountain effect with some areas smoothed over.

Settings. this effects smoothing, and shape of features.

            realism, when increased makes features rounder. decreasing makes squarer, odd shaped features.

            smoothing, well...it effects how much smoothing will occur. more is softer, less is more jagged.

            glaciation effects mostly the gully areas, making them deeper but still having a softness to them.

            canyonism does the same thing, but creates steep cliffs rather than soft slopes. It also flattens a lot of the higher elevations.

            size of features will zoom in or out on the data generated to create tiny, intricate patterns or huge single formation maps.

            perlin origin isn't necessary, I don't know if the free version lets you change it. Basically, if you like a generated map but want to edit is settings, you can uncheck the box and your features won't go away.


Action. has it's own description for what it does. lol You can chose to generate a new map ever time or have them layer ontop of eachother.




If you're unhappy with the generated terrain, you can draw your own in the "view/sculpt" window. Just hit the button that looks like a mountain getting bulldozed.

In this option, your right mouse button will push down the terrain. The left mouse button will pull the terrain up. The brush is always soft, but you can change the size and strength with the editing tools at the top of the window.

If you dislike the softness the brush has, you can go to "modify" in the Landscape window.

Here, you can ::

        Set a height range to match your mapmakers height. This will come in handy later.
          
        Scale vertical, which will change the amount of difference between the highest portion and lowest portion of the map.
          
        Glaciate any gullies you put in to give them deeper, flatter shapes with soft slopes.
          
        Canoyonize  the whole map, making everything have a harder, steeper cliff-edge to it.
          
        clear/flatten. Does exactly that. It will erase your map! Beware!




Okay, so, you have a map you like? Why don't we preview it first?

Go to "size" at the top of Landscape. In landscape area there are two boxes with large numbers in them and a third box with a much smaller number.

Leaving the smaller box alone, punch in the size of your map into one of the larger boxes. By size, I do mean the size you want your map in FeralHeart to be.

It doesn't matter which of the two you choose, the other will match what you type to square up the map.


If you didn't already, go back to "modify" and set your height range to "0" and your maps desired height.



Now, lets go to the Rendering Control window.

First, find "detail". it has a few notches next to it. move the curser to the very furthest notch. This sets the rendering to it's smoothest and best quality for the preview screen.

Now hit the big "render preview" button.

A mini-version of your map will load in that little 250X250 square.

In the "view/sculpt" window, switch off edit and you can change where the camera is pointing. Left mouse button moves the camera itself, right mouse button changes where it points to.

Hit the "render preview" button again to see what the camera see's after you move it.


If you are happy with the initial view, you can hit "render image" to git a larger, bitmap view of your map. Free version only renders as 640 X 480 or smaller. ((If you are only using Terragen for maps in FeralHeart, this is all you need. It is not cost effective to purchase an unlocking key [99$]))



Are you now completely satisfied with your map?

Then lets move on!

Go back to the "view/sculpt" screen and move your camera off the map. You don't want it's sight-lines in the final piece.

Now hit "print screen".

You can either close Terragen now, or just minimize it for later.



Go to your art editing program and paste as new image.

Using the crop tool, crop away everything but the 512 X 512 height-map.

Now, I only have Paintshop pro, so your function may be in a different area.

Go to Image and select "resize".

Change the resize data from "percent" to "pixels"

Now change the height-map size to any acceptable FeralHeart compatible size. (( 513, 1025, 2049 [N x 2 - 1]))


You may want to soften the map before saving. As Terragen has a habit of making very jagged landscapes that would otherwise require ginormous map sizes to smooth out.

Now you can save the map. Make sure the image is flattened (it should be for a copy paste job). Set it to gray-scale. And save it as gray-scale.



To save directly to gray-scale, go to File and "export" Chose "export as PNG". Export wizard will open. Of the three options, chose "Gray-scale" instead of "pallet based" or "64 bit" which are color images.

Finish off the save. you can either close the program or minimize it for later.


Go into FeralHeart mapmaker and load your new map.

Hurray! you've just created a map with Terragen!





There are ways to import maps into Terragen for 3D previewing and editing...but they are incredibly difficult and a little kooky. Maybe next time lol