Updating Tropical Tileset

[Khall 10]

I've started work on updating the tropical tileset by TT3 and Frakel. I've started by editing the tiles to more closely match the vanilla style, changed the hue and saturation of the grass tiles, started work on redoing the spectre values, added tall grass and some more edited tiles from other tilesets.

I've still got a lot of work to do editing the rest of the tiles, adding some new ones, plus creating damaged and destroyed variants for them all.

In terms of map design, I'm planning to have the maps quite dense in general, with quite a few LOS breakers. Naturally foliage (which most cover will be) will have weak health, with trees and rocks being better cover. I've been thinking and I'm going to add larger vegetation clusters (LOS breakers) directly using individual tiles in the level editor, while the rest of the map (cover) uses random submaps. In my view that would give the best balance between quality and variation.

I've only got 1 map right now for testing purposes, and it'll be a while before I have all the tiles needed to start producing "proper" maps.

[kabill 32]

This looks really good. Don't know if it's intentional, but those pictures have a vibe about them that remind me of the original X-Com Jungle maps.

Regarding the maps, if you've not done so already I'd recommend having a look at my Arctic and Desert map packs as they might be useful if you're planning mostly random maps. Indeed, I'd been thinking about making a random map pack for this tileset once you were done updating the images; perhaps we could coordinate even if just in terms of building submaps (which is where a lot of the work is)?

[Khall 10]

Thanks, I looked at your random maps back when I started to create random submaps for tundra, they were very helpful. I'll definitely co-ordinate in making maps once I get the default versions for all the tiles done.

I was thinking something roughly like this in terms of maps and submaps:

-Long rows of LOS breakers done adding each tile individually in level editor

-Random clusters of LOS breakers, 5x5

-Random Dense cover (more defendable positions in terms of cover placement), 5x5

-Random Sparse cover (randomly arranged props, makes up most of the map), 5x5

[Skitso 35]

Excellent! I'll be available too, if a mapper is needed. I burned myself out while finalizing my map pack, but I'll be there when the tiles are done.

[llunak 15]

I was thinking something roughly like this in terms of maps and submaps:

-Long rows of LOS breakers done adding each tile individually in level editor

Wouldn't it be more efficient to go for the grid approach, at least for some maps? Tropical should be the most suitable tileset for this, given that jungle practically is a random "mess", so I expect this would allow a much larger selection of still pretty good-quality maps.

If there would be something missing from the code side, I can have a look. I was e.g. thinking if it would help for random maps if it was possible to stack submaps on top of each other in defined order and possibly defined chance of appearing, so that e.g. random industrial could be also done in a grid using one level of submaps and then buildings could be another level of submaps (which I assume would reduce the amount of work needed for submaps because not so many of them would be needed, but you're the experts here). The OG having maps random WRT the big structure was IMO one of the keys to its good replayability.

And thank you once more for picking this up.

Edited December 15, 2014 by llunak

[DarkExcalibur42 10]

Good god that's gorgeous.

I want this.

[juanval 12]

Nice maps. Great job guys!!!

I think I'll play another long campaign when Tropical tileset will be released.

[Skitso 35]

Khall, are you still working on this?

[fall19 10]

man i realy want this and tundra

[syntaxerror 10]

Amazing, you have my morale support!

[KevinHann 11]

This is a mouth-watering prospect, is the project still alive?

[kabill 32]

There's been some discussions behind the scenes of doing something with this. But there's possibly some XCE work to be done first.

[llunak 15]

This is a mouth-watering prospect, is the project still alive?

Feel like helping with it ?

[KevinHann 11]

What needs to be done? I'm not sure I have the required skillset but I'm not short of enthusiasm

[kabill 32]

Basically, map/submap editing.

I'd quite like to make a random pack for the tropical tileset as its ideally suited for that format. But making submaps for it can be time consuming. So if you had some time and willingness producing some submaps would be super-helpful. I can provide details if you're interested.

[KevinHann 11]

I'd love to help but I'm reluctant since I barely have any time to get Xenonauts running atm, and I'd need to get familiar with the editor. My only experience with it was drawing some UFO designs and those are fairly simple to do back then, but I've forgotten even the little bit I learnt at the time.

[SoulFilcher 10]

Maybe I can help, I've been making UFO submaps I think I could take a little break and make other submap types.

[KevinHann 11]

Just to clarify, I can't put the current Tropical maps in my game if I'm already using the Tundra tileset, right?

[Skitso 35]

I'd gladly do it, but I feel the tileset isn't complete enough to bother. (Everything I do, needs to be up to at least vanilla quality and lacking damage states ect. just rubs in the wrong way)

[SoulFilcher 10]

Just to clarify, I can't put the current Tropical maps in my game if I'm already using the Tundra tileset, right?

I wonder if XCE could be modified to allow more tilesets.

I'd gladly do it, but I feel the tileset isn't complete enough to bother. (Everything I do, needs to be up to at least vanilla quality and lacking damage states ect. just rubs in the wrong way)

I totally agree. I wouldn't want to have an unfinished tileset.

[kabill 32]

I wonder if XCE could be modified to allow more tilesets.

I think it already has been, or else is something that llunak has plans for adding.

[Axiomatic 24]

if I understand correctly, at this mod there isn't map for huge UFO.

What happens if huge UFO will be shutdown under tropical zone?