How to make this awesome

[Aeroblyctos]

Hello.

So I have a little problem and need some suggestions. How to make this terrain awesome? What doodads to put there? Any suggestions?

This is a boss fight arena with theme of ice and crystals.

 

[Gilles]

What's the theme of the boss? Some ideas: small crystals, rocks, treasure, webs, eggs, trash, torches, general demonic doodads, the symbols from the tomb of sargaras (not sure what they're called), blue fire, etc.

Also tile variation.

 

[HungryHusky]

First off maybe use a little more tile variation?

That ice doodad looks better if you place it on other doodads. For example use the Glacier doodad as angled spiky cliffs and then place the ice on the Glaciers.

 

[fladdermasken]

Awesomeness, you say?

Well, my son, to traverse the membrane of awesomeness one must undertake the path of diligence. Set foot in the caliginous pit of discipline, transcend the statuesque peak of vision, quell the storm of rivalry. Your eminence will permeate like a coiling miasma, and imperceptibly ascend the realm of the best. 'Tis a formidable quest, but a quest a man must suffer.

DO
YOU
HAVE
WHAT
IT
TAKES?

This is a boss fight arena with theme of ice and crystals.

Alright, alright. I'll throw you a bone. In fact, I'll throw you a pile.

 

[Aeroblyctos]

What's the theme of the boss? Some ideas: small crystals, rocks, treasure, webs, eggs, trash, torches, general demonic doodads, the symbols from the tomb of sargaras (not sure what they're called), blue fire, etc.

Also tile variation.

The boss is an ice dragon so yeah icy theme.

First off maybe use a little more tile variation?

That ice doodad looks better if you place it on other doodads. For example use the Glacier doodad as angled spiky cliffs and then place the ice on the Glaciers.

Angled spiky cliffs? Where I can find those?

Awesomeness, you say?

Well, my son, to traverse the membrane of awesomeness one must undertake the path of diligence. Set foot in the caliginous pit of discipline, transcend the statuesque peak of vision, quell the storm of rivalry. Your eminence will permeate like a coiling miasma, and imperceptibly ascend the realm of the best. 'Tis a formidable quest, but a quest a man must suffer.

DO
YOU
HAVE
WHAT
IT
TAKES?

Alright, alright. I'll throw you a bone. In fact, I'll throw you a pile.

Sorry, but I don't have time to take 'path of diligence'. I got project that I need to finish. I guess that means I don't have what it takes. :[

The first picture is a mess and about the tutorial I know pretty much all that stuff. Just need some nice little suggestions here. Maybe some nice custom doodads or some fancy little tricks to make this boss fight arena awesome?

 

[Celaquil]

Somehow, my fingers yearn to actually DO this arena terrain, but I shall not bother you with petty desires, let me rather give you the advices I would consider if I were to make this terrain.
-My first and foremost suggestion would be to make it less standard, add in some elements of surprise, some elevated grounds and separation, I'd love to see a custom built chasm, or fissure if you want, in the center of the circle, or actually, two of them, with a small "bridge" gap in between, so that you can move around them and in between them. My best suggestion for making such gaps in the terrain would of course be to use the elevation tool together with the shadow glow and rocky doodads, I'd actually suggest either Steinlord or Felsen, tinted to fit the theme, with using the "Fog" doodad from UTM, and with that I mean the steamy fog, not the glow fog, to make it seem like some kind of white frozeness is emitting from it/them.

I'd also suggest you combine those icy crystals with rocky doodads, to make the rocks seem frozen, rather than having simple and mere spikey ice. I'd also consider using those frozen throne spike stone thingies regardless of what you do to the ice crystals as a sort of frame around the whole thing, on the outer side of the crystals.

Other than that, tiles, detail work and variation. There is nothing like having a eye-catching spot somewhere in the midst of the pit, some statue or ruin or something elaborately constructed, doesn't have to be large, somewhere in the pit. I'd also suggest you fool around with lighting, tinting all the doodads a little darker, and having the settings on "night" whenever the fight is, then have sources of light making everything seem more livid and exciting, it's amazing what lighting can do to a terrain.

Some dragon-like eggs could be pread around in small pods too, to give the impression of it being a sort of "dragon nest."

 

[fladdermasken]

I know pretty much all that stuff.

Then why issue this request?

See that's just it. There are no "fancy little tricks of which we do not speak". We're a clean-cut bunch in that respect. I'll give you this, it's predominantly a matter of vision. Picture how you want your terrain to take shape and materialize it. In this case you might as well have shoved a fresh clean template up your ass and asked kindly of us to enlighten you in the fine art of comfortably passing gold-rimmed bowel movements. It just doesn't work that way.

Really sorry, but I just can't give you any profound pointers at this stage. It's just barely past the cephalic phase. Tell you what, put some meat on the bone and I'll offer you a more concrete review. If my word has any merit to you that is.

EDIT: Keiji lays forth some great examples.

 

[M0rbid]

It is no mess...
How dare you say so?

Apart from that: Keiji and Fladdermasken did point it out rather well, it's hard to point out more at this stage.
But with any step you go on, new advices can be given. So go for it.

 

[Aeroblyctos]

Somehow, my fingers yearn to actually DO this arena terrain, but I shall not bother you with petty desires, let me rather give you the advices I would consider if I were to make this terrain.
-My first and foremost suggestion would be to make it less standard, add in some elements of surprise, some elevated grounds and separation, I'd love to see a custom built chasm, or fissure if you want, in the center of the circle, or actually, two of them, with a small "bridge" gap in between, so that you can move around them and in between them. My best suggestion for making such gaps in the terrain would of course be to use the elevation tool together with the shadow glow and rocky doodads, I'd actually suggest either Steinlord or Felsen, tinted to fit the theme, with using the "Fog" doodad from UTM, and with that I mean the steamy fog, not the glow fog, to make it seem like some kind of white frozeness is emitting from it/them.

I'd also suggest you combine those icy crystals with rocky doodads, to make the rocks seem frozen, rather than having simple and mere spikey ice. I'd also consider using those frozen throne spike stone thingies regardless of what you do to the ice crystals as a sort of frame around the whole thing, on the outer side of the crystals.

Other than that, tiles, detail work and variation. There is nothing like having a eye-catching spot somewhere in the midst of the pit, some statue or ruin or something elaborately constructed, doesn't have to be large, somewhere in the pit. I'd also suggest you fool around with lighting, tinting all the doodads a little darker, and having the settings on "night" whenever the fight is, then have sources of light making everything seem more livid and exciting, it's amazing what lighting can do to a terrain.

Some dragon-like eggs could be pread around in small pods too, to give the impression of it being a sort of "dragon nest."

Okay, great. You got some imagination, nice. However, the biggest problem is that I can't add anything that can block player's chance to evade über spells from the boss. In other words the middle arena must be empty from rocks and stuff that can block...

Anyway I have written your suggestions. Thanks!

Then why issue this request?

See that's just it. There are no "fancy little tricks of which we do not speak". We're a clean-cut bunch in that respect. I'll give you this, it's predominantly a matter of vision. Picture how you want your terrain to take shape and materialize it. In this case you might as well have shoved a fresh clean template up your ass and asked kindly of us to enlighten you in the fine art of comfortably passing gold-rimmed bowel movements. It just doesn't work that way.

Really sorry, but I just can't give you any profound pointers at this stage. It's just barely past the cephalic phase. Tell you what, put some meat on the bone and I'll offer you a more concrete review. If my word has any merit to you that is.

EDIT: Keiji lays forth some great examples.

Imagination is the problem.

It is no mess...
How dare you say so?

Apart from that: Keiji and Fladdermasken did point it out rather well, it's hard to point out more at this stage.
But with any step you go on, new advices can be given. So go for it.

What I see is this: Some hentai porno tentacles trying to eat crystals but they see that it's pretty much impossible. Oh, but then they realise that there are coming some sexy spiders and the almighty Crypt Lord. This is the chance they're looking for to put their weapons to use.

Anyway, is that playable terrain?

 

[Celaquil]

My conclusion is this: You are narrow sighted.

- And for a person asking for advice,
you seem very little inclined to listen to them >.>

 

[Aeroblyctos]

What ya mean? I've written all the useful stuff down so I can actually make this terrain 'awesome'. I was just fooling around a bit but I hope you understand my sense of humor. It's pretty... Random sometimes.

 

[Celaquil]

As much as I dislike having clear up my points, let me elaborate.

Why exactly should gameplay have to be affected by the terrain in a simple manner? Why can you not design these "super attack" so that there is, say, one or several "safe points" the player needs to get to in order to survive? In that sense, you make for a much more interesting boss fight based on trail and error, which in turn will give the player much more satisactionary value when they actually beat the boss. In that sense, as stated, the arena do not have to be fully traversable, as long as you balance the gameplay such as it don't depend on that. And that is the sense of which I say you are narrow-sighted, the point that you seem unwilling to fool around with different concepts as to 'how' the fight will be fought.

There is nothing as boring as the same kind of arena repeated in every other game you play, the most memorable fights is those elaborately cleverly made.
Its like making the same meal every day all week long, it becomes boring and non-memorable.

That, and it just seemed to be that your attitude seemed to be more discarding than thankful, I apologize if I misinterpered your... Meaning, or your "sense of humour."

Also, side-note: imagination should never be considered a "problem"

 

[~Void~]

I can make it for you. I've found some really cool tricks with with ice doodads lately, I think.

 

[Aeroblyctos]

Hmm. It seems like I accidentally unsubscribed this thread so I couldn't see the newest posts. Anyway I'm now making the terrain and I'll use your ideas and suggestions.

And Void, I can't give the campaign away because I'm working on it all the time.

Thanks for all the help you have given.