Pekka Kana 3 in the Works

[mat]

Hi all!

After long long long break there's news ! I've got some ideas for PK3 (for level editor and for the game):

- Level editor in the window with menu:

File -> New, Open, Save, Save as..., etc.
Edit -> Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy, Paste, etc.

and the toolbar:

New, Open, Save, Save as..., etc.

Level editor for PK2 burdened the processor and it couldn't be minimized. Now it will be possible to do that

- Scrolling maps (you can set width and height of a map). For a level too (For example max size of a level is 999 x 999)!
- Test level
- Option: Warparound map/level (I mean: if you are on the top of a level/map, you can see its bottom!)
- Option: Display level/map list with buttons: move level/map up, move level/map down etc.
- How is it in PK2 level editor? To build a sprite, first I have to add it to a special list: F5 (Sprites). That's the way it should be in the level editor: I choose a sprite once and i can build it straight away
- Your own info in info signs!
- It could be such a way that if Pekka touches info sign, the time stops. Under the whole text of info sign could be written: Press any key to continue. Everyone will be able to read it
- 4 sprite layers, 4 background layers and 4 foreground layers (hardcore, yeah )
- After pressing the right mouse button on a chosen tile/sprite submenu with options: Cut, Copy, Paste, etc., should appear.
- More tiles (for example 999!)
- Rotate tiles (90 left, 90 right, 180)!
- Info of episode history (before the beginning of an episode) and the end info (when the episode is completed). You can enter your own info in the editor!
- More than one map in one episode (like Mario Forever - www.buziol.pl)
- Maps like Mario Forever (you can load your own pictures and set them on the map
- Separate music for each map.
- Events (e. g. Boss area, like Jazz Jackrabbit 2)
- Separate music for a level and boss area (like Jazz Jackrabbit 2)
- More save states (for expample 100!)
- Sprites like Super Maro Bros (lakitu, goomba...)
- Option: Check for updates (for new episodes, for new game version)
- Teleport to other level (like tubes in Super Mario Bros)
- New bonuses: Pekka can jump higher or walk faster.
- Rooster Island 3: levels like Jazz Jackrabbit 2 (more than one boss to kill)
- Support for music: XM, MOD, IT, S3M (PK2) and: mp3, mp4, ogg, mid, etc.
- Support for images: BMP, PCX (PK2) and: jpg, jpeg, gif, png, etc.
- Level editor + game in one installer
- Your own bonuses in boxes and gifts

Other:
Maybe in the future a new forum for PK3 with categories: Ideas, Founded bugs, etc. will be created...

And i've got a question: will PK3 be released before summer holidays?

[Xfactor21]

Like i previously mention, Development have just started, so maybe just maybe we might have something to show by then. But do not keep your hopes up for a summer released. But definetely by then there will be some screenshots hopefully. Also PK3 will be using a new editor. Something more easier and more user friendly than what Pk2 had.

[Iv4n]

Great to know you guys finally start doing stuff . I was really surprised to see you posting about PK3 after you said you won't work on 3rd game of the series. Wish you good luck! And keep informing us .

From the little known so far, PK3 sounds promising. With direct x 9 features you can make some really cool effects.

As it is too early, I can't comment much on what to and what not. Therefore I'll not cover graphics and sounds. However I'm going to ask you if it's going to be arcadish like PK2 or will it be more action-paced? As an arcade jump'n'run, imo PK2 was with superb gameplay. So I'm not really in for making it more faster and blood typed (the Idea I get when Xfactor talked about the "whole new level"). What I missed were some rpg elements, trigger-event and dialogue system in the editor (hard to be made) and more features (sprites) for different and creative puzzles. The game itself also suffers from good story.

I presume that the sprites amount per map will be increased significantly as well as the active sprites area (after all, we all have better PCs since PK2 was released). The tilesets too, must be much bigger.

One thing that came to my mind and I didn't see in any other jump'n'run games yet is all customizable layers. In the editor, the creator can add or delete as many layers as he needs. And he can define which one of them to stands foreground and which of them to be backgrounds. Furthermore, to be able to change their transparency, moving speed, color and other effects... Well these layer things aren't really necessary, but just though to share.

Basically the things I would like to see:

- same or similar to PK2 gameplay with new elements (such as different behavior in water, double jumping, wall jumping, wall sliding, up shooting, save points, etc.)
- rpg elements (talkable characters, upgrading weapons)
- better physics = improved and clever puzzles
- better story (maybe you should find a writer) with new characters
- make a Nintendo DS version

And finally, when it comes to level editing, feel free to contact me for making a map or two .

ps. d**n, it looks like that it's time for me to release to the public my few left finished and unfinished maps for PK2 .

[pekkafan]

RE:

pekkafan said:

Wouldn't it be possible to make levels in different difficulties and copy them into 3 subfolders of the episodes folder (eg my-episode) with the names easy, medium, hard and when someone wants to play a level he has the choice of the difficulty? (that would be useful because my own levels for example are quite difficult and so I would like to make easier versions of them with better weapons, less enemies, shortcuts etc) When an episode contains no subfolders but one then one should not need to choose a difficulty.

and

iv4n2 said:

save points

Isn't it possible to combine this? I propose that in an easy level you can save any time you want, in a medium level you can only save at special save points and a hard level can only be saved after completing it. Comment on this, please! Apart from that PK3 needs many more saving slots because 10 is far too few when there will be as many selfmade episodes as for PK2.

RE:

mat said:

4 sprite layers, 4 background layers and 4 foreground layers

I my opinion 4 layers would be enough: 1 foreground layer, 1 background layer, 1 sprite layer and 1 water layer. The water layer should be seperate because then the tilesets can contain different numbers of water tiles eg for a water world almost all tiles can be water tiles while for a forest tileset there can be almost no water tiles in it.
mat: Do you really need so many layers???


And here are more wishes for PK3:

- it should be possible to integrate individual level icons for an episode eg in the level editor you can choose an icon the way you choose a background picture

- it would be very nice if we get a sprite editor sooner or later. But even if that's impossible/too much work for you, I'm quite confident that there will be some skilled programers in here who can code an editor once the sprite structure is released.

More wishes concerning new sprite features:

- individual choice of immunity against special weapon types. (I think at the moment you can only choose 1 type of weapon that does not harm an enemy or am I wrong? I just think about the deaf hedgehog. He can neither be harmed by sound doodles nor by jumping on top of him, right? But in dmit's sprite editor it is impossible to choose more than 1 type of damage or can I type "1;5;8" and the sprite will be not be damaged by falling, water and electricity? Is that how it works, Janne or dmit?)

- another great feature would be the possibility that a sprite turns into different sprites, for example up to fifteen sprites

- it would be a very nice feature to integrate the coincidence when a sprite turns into a different sprite. A table for that could look like this:

number of sprites	the sprites's name	relative frequency
7 1	apple1.spr bigapple.spr	40%
5	carrot.spr	20%
1 3	chicken.spr cheese.spr	30%
0	0	10%

Explanation: When the sprite is defeated, it turns into 7 apple1.spr and a bigapple.spr or 5 carrot.spr or ... or nothing. The relative frequencies show how big your chance to get the sprites is.

A feature like this would be very useful to make doodles that can turn for example into a fire doodle, an ice doodle or a normal megaphone. Or you can make bonus boxes which can turn into different sprites. It would not only be you skills that influence if you complete a level or not but your luck, too. That makes levels much more intersting in my opinion.

I don't know if something like this is possible since I'm no programer but such a feature would be very great. Is this possible, Janne or seven or Xfactor21?


Please feel free to comment on my ideas. I'm interested in hearing what's rubbish and what's worth thinking about it. Tell me what you think!

[EmaDan]

When it comes to PK3, it looks that there are some people in here, who really know, what could be optimized. Poor input I have .

But yes - even if I only understand half of the proposed improvements - there is one wish I support - please, do not make PK3 to bloody. I think it is wonderful to have a game without guns, rockets aso.

@iv4n
If there are some maps or episodes you are hiding - let me tell you - I am hungry to play some more of your entertaining maps ;-)

[mat]

Do you really need so many layers???

Well... the more the better, but maybe you're right, pekkafan. I've exaggerated a little . But in my opinion 1 layer is too few. If 12 layers (4 for bg, 4 for fg, 4 for sprites) are too many, maybe it could be done like that:

- 2 foreground layers
- 2 background layers
- 2 sprite layers

And yes, pekkafan. Water layer is a nice idea

I'd like to know what you think about layers, Xfactor21 or Janne?

[tusam]

*Hyped up mob demands a playable demo*

Btw, what will the shaders be used for? Rain and fog would be nice, as would puffy shapeshifting clouds and wavy grass. I guess a particle engine would be needed for all the visual effects. Pretty sure those haven't been done, at least in a side scrolling platform jumper before.

[piotrulos]

In pekka 3 I want a polish language (maybe I translate it )

and more options in graphics and sounds or controls

[lsudny]

Me too

[piotrulos]

please send me file language english and I translate to polish ok?

[lsudny]

What language?? <_<

[piotrulos]

english

[mentos]

FIRST OF ALL - I WANNA SEE MY POLISH TRANSLATION IN PEKKA KANA 3. I WANT TO BE A POLISH TraNSLATOR OF PK3. I want to also say that I send my polish version for PK2 for 13 times! And it's still not published. Sorry for My English, i'm writing very fast

[mentos]

Ow ;-) And SECOND. I'm very good script writer. I didn't tell you that I've already made some good scripts for rpg games and for adventure games. I also good in writing a dialogue, so if you want, I can write a cool script for PK3

[piotrulos]

hahaha verry funny

I translate pk3