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August 17, 2005
Some new ideas, need feedback!
When color meets Cloud
Today Rick shew me the slider GUI he had been working on these days, in his example he useed three sliders to control the RGB colors. I was pretty excited to see it runing in Bushido and joked about why not add this and let the player custmize the cloud boy's hair and underware's color. However, as I think about the colors more. I become more and more excited about them.
Remember how cool it was to paint cloud on the sky and write letters with them? Now with colors not only shapes but more meaningful colors you will be able to create.
Why do I think color based game play fits our project?
1) We have very cool normal -> purified cloud transition, it's one of the most satisfying thing in the game. Drop a tinny purified cloud can convert a large cluster of cloud. It's not exactly what we wanted before. But it fits perfect for the color mixing. Imagine you drop one pure red cloud into a big cloud cluster, and you will see the color start blend into the rest and create a nature monochroic color sphere. If we assume the cloud boy is the tube tool in photoshop, then we can use him to do color mixing and paint the whole sky.
2) Color based play, no need for dark clouds AI and simulation. If we put everything under the idea of mixing color, then to remove the bad color on the sky (red, brown and greenish), you will need to use the opposite color to counter ballance it. If the red meets cyan, it will goes to neturel tone. We can also consider the nature paint pallete, like yellow + blue -> green. All of these are based on dot to dot converting, by passing an extra color info based on what we have, I believe it will be relatively costless and much easier to implement than the cloud bag size specific behavior. Maybe you are still confusing how are we gonna make a game of colors. It's inspired by a mini game did by Ken Perlin that teaches kids how to mix colors, try it first.
3) Once we use color mixing instead of dark clouds we will save a lot of time and use them to emphasize the quality of flying and simplify the control more. The main interactions will be releasing and sucking the clouds. We will still keep the drag feature, but its just a more effecient way to collect color. Instead of using push and drag to create shape, releasing AKA drawing will be the main tool you use to create. Weather will be the presentation of color interaction. As you put a purified cloud (bleaching cloud) to the other colored clouds, the color will drop off through rain. Storm maybe the result of the two contrast color including white & black.
Why color may be a stupid idea?
1) Although cloud is a surreal game, colored clouds may not be acceptable by normal people. I can, but others may not. Maybe we can start from simple white and black clouds, as the story develops, more and more color become possible.
2) RGB or RYB?? RYB is a psychological color pallete, I don't know any mathmetical model for it.
3) It is different from the original, big eats small idea. There maybe hidden technique issues.
Here are some test for having colored clouds on the sky:
Switch Hue
Color Dodge
Posted by Jenova at August 17, 2005 12:40 AM
Comments
I agree with Brad. The acid color scheme make it cheap and they take away from the whole experience. You should settle for natural colors, like sunset, or storm.
Posted by: marientina ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://interactive.usc.edu/projects/cloud/nav-commenters.gif)
at August 19, 2005 08:42 AM
Thanks for your comments, Brad. That helps a lot.
Posted by: Jenova at August 19, 2005 08:40 AM
Nope, this is just for wrap up the cloud, so we can deliver it to the game festival with a complete game package.
Posted by: Jenova at August 19, 2005 08:34 AM
One of the things I initially liked about cloud was the fairly naturalistic setting; devoid of the normal super saturated craziness of spinning jewels, glowing lights, etc., the resulting game instilled a sense of serene peace and freedom. I would do my best to preserve this; it's unique.
I would also give the colors some integral meaning to the story, to avoid the danger of them becoming a tacked on gimmick to solve a gameplay problem.
You could try making the clouds look natural (e.g. sunset clouds = orange, red clouds. storm clouds =blue, green). A solid color cloud has many strong connections from poisonous to festive, to magical or evil, that I would not ignore lightly. Not to mention the cotton candy and ice cream resemblances.
Posted by: brad at August 19, 2005 03:18 AM
Jenova, are you doing a version of "cloud" for your thesis?
Posted by: andrew at August 18, 2005 11:43 PM
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