whole map

1. bridge
2. fields
3. farm house
4. barn
5. stable
6. *oops*
7. manor
8. fountain
9. bridge over river

moar maps

i wanted to make a map that didn't involve so many tight bends as they did before. the corners won't be exact right angels like they are here but i think the more spaced out the better. it would be quicker to totally avoid the alternate route but i could add a water tower there.

to make the map more interesting i added a jump which could cut out a section. players would need some kind of speed boost if possible to be able to make a successful jump. i'd have to think about where the player would go if the jump wasn't successful.

another point that could make the map interesting would be to make players drive under/over parts of the map. but this could make the village seem more complex and the concept of a bridge has already been included when players drive into the village.

for this map i've looked into adding an extra area for the water tower along with adding a jump as a short cut which requires some sort of speed boost. im starting to get a developed look i feel could work. i need to now think of how the assets will fit into this style of path way

maps for village

I've been trying to plan out the path for when the player reaches the small village across the bridge. i want it to be small but with a range of different paths with different lengths/shortcuts so players need to figure out which path is the quickest. i can also add a risk reward for the placement of water towers.

the circle represents the end goal 

this may be too simple and short and it only splits off right year the end and seems quite pointless. doesnt leave a lot of room to add buildings and assets

the flow of the two split off sections are far too similar. they are also too bendy and i worry about weather the  style of car would be a belt to bend around them. the longest path to the left is the longest compared to the other. players would need to try each path to figure which is easiest. the split on the left road may be a sharp bend.

there aren't as many sharp bends so close to each other in this one. having three entrance to the goal is quite interesting  it may be better to have one path to the goal tho so players can battle it out right at the end. 

i quite like the flow of this these paths. there are less bends that aren't as extreme.

map development: farm/countryside part

so i've decided i want to base the start of the on the country side with a farm and fields which will then lead to an upper class side of town. 

here is my first initial thoughts of how the cars can pass through the farm area. i used a road going through the country side with a fenced off farm on one side and on the other a barn with stables. i thought about how the player can find water towers and placed one behind the stable so they can choose to keep driving down the road or go around the barn and stable to collect water.

the above idea followed onto this sketch where players will drive down the road to the farm and will be able to drive through the gate attached to a stone country side style wall which surrounds the farm. as they drive through the barn, stable and house there will be an opening to a field of crops which will then lead into the open field. players will be guided over hilly terrain where they will jump over the edge of the field back onto the road.

developing my idea further i thought about the players starting on some type of bridge which leads onto the road. they will navigate onto the fields and through their gates/fences and back onto the road which twists around a victorian manor and past the farm. players can opt the drive around the farm to get more water at a tower. then over a bridge to drive into town.

over the bridge > through gate > drive through first field > through gate > drive around 2nd field > over fence > through 3rd field > through gate back onto road > drive into farm land via gate > around buildings > optional water tower > back onto toad through broken wall

there is also an added split in the road so players have choice where to go

for the split ive thought about two different side to the track. on the left there will be a manor with a fountain and garden in front. players can jump into the fountain (possibly only if they have a speed boost) in and will gain water. on the right will be hilly terrain. this could slow them down compared to the smoother left side.

curse my lack of stopping trains to take photos...

so because i wasn't able to get any real evidence of how i liked how the country side looked during my train ride i've searched google for different results to get a better idea for visual inspiration.

this farm house has a dirt road going around it which in the game could act as a track and the farm house a good point of scenery/obstacle 

these houses are more open with a lake as well. the cars can drive on greenery around the house and around the lake to lead onto a road or fields 

 i like how this house is fenced off. one idea that comes to mind is that cars can drive from behind the house through fields and maybe when they reach the gate they'll have to feed through it as it is so narrow

 i love the idea of these stone walls and the wind road between the two building and fields

this reminds me more of a village style setting. the large house at the bottom of the road and other houses lines up on the side (left) and a possible field/paddock to the right? 

this is another cool layout of the farm with more of a dirt layout. it seems a lot smaller and cluttered which gives me the idea to fill the farm area with assets that players can avoid and drive around 

a church?? this give me the idea to use this type of asset as the focus for my level

i like how the church can be seen in the background from the road 

i love the whole colour scheme to this setting. the bridge in the background could make an interesting setting for the cars to drive over or even under.  

i like this whole set up of the rural village with spaced out houses with the winding road and greenery but it is all still quite close and compact 

this over view shot is really quite useful as it can help with how the level could be set up around the fields and trees but it does look too modern.

i know wikipedia is a no-no but...SO USEFUL!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_country_house

inspiration comes at the worst of times - yay for trains!

So i've had to come to Newport for a family emergency (so sorry if i haven't updated much... ) but while on the train i noticed the the rich country side rural setting.

what did i learn?:

• FIELDS ARE REALLY BORING!!! and I would need to find some way to make them more interesting and make them flow if I want to use them.
• the random houses (which some are farm houses i guess) are realllly big!! damn you rich people and your nice homes!
• houses are randomly spotted around
• some times a few are spaced out together with large green areas and fields between them
• usually a house flows down to a farm and stables etc..
• some fields have streams going through them - yay for splash factor!

one area had a good flow that stood out to me:

a big farm house > flowed down to a small farm with barns and stables > flowed down to few fields with sheep > then a country road next to them flowed down to what looked like a small village with very nice big houses (could substitute for the upper class side to the town)  

i wish i could have has my camera to take photos but then the train was going so quick i wouldn't be able to focus on what i see. 

no reply :(

I've tried to get some more experience playing racing games by accessing the games room in uni and the game library but i still haven't had a reply email to get access to the games library :(

sweeney todd

so i just finished watching tim burton's sweeney todd (buhhhh ¬_¬ ). I'm not sure it would fit into the right time frame but i wanted to get another depiction of how Victorian style streets and buildings could look.

crash team racing

crash cove

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_b_Pf9XY0U&feature=player_embedded#! short cut just about 36sec

blizzard bluff

"There are two large shortcuts on this track, the first being a large chasm at the first icy patch which can be jumped over with enough speed. Straight after this to the left there is a small fence which can be jumped over. Because of the high speed required for the first jump and the sharpness of the corner to the second it is extremely difficult to do both on the same lap.The hut at the start might be where Penta Penguin lives."

video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCUpeDAlEns&feature=player_embedded short cut at 40sec

hot air skyway

 "This level has 3 short cuts, the first being a farther landing pad to the right after the first jump which requires practice to do, another to turn around after the 2 tracks go side by side, and jump over the border. The third is to use the final turbo ramp, and to land on the track right next to the enterance of the tunnel under the hot air balloon. To do this you must use a fast charcter, be using an uka-uka, 10 pieces of fruit and you need to do the little "bunny-hop" just before you launch of the turbo ramp, you may also need to use the "turbo ramp" cheat and the power slide tubro boost as well, which would make it a lot easier, but it is uncertain whether they are needed to use this short cut. It is also possible with a lot of luck to fall off at certain points and land on later parts of the track."

roo's tubes

video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cns0V7fkjzs&feature=player_embedded

mario kart FTW!!!!

luigi circuit 

http://www.mariowiki.com/Luigi_Circuit#Mario_Kart_Wii

"Shortcuts

The small ramp just before the last turn can be used to gain an extra item block but provides a negligible time gain. A Mushroom is required to access this ramp without losing time. Players possessing a Mushroom can also skip the last turn by boosting through the dirt while being careful to avoid the warp pipes sticking out of the ground."

This level is really quite simple mainly using bends like a typical race track. it also uses speed boosts on the ground to give players a short increase in speed. the track is made more interesting with the use of the simple short cut which gives players more items.

bowser castle 3 

http://www.mariowiki.com/Bowser_Castle_3#Mario_Kart_Super_Circuit

original track from super mario kart

" A shortcut can be performed by aiming left at the last yellow ramp and using a mushroom"

This is a long track and uses many 90 degree turns making it hard to control cars and especially bikes to gain enough speed. 

Mushroom gorge

http://www.mariowiki.com/Mushroom_Gorge

the mushrooms are marked as the separated circles on the map in the bottom right corner

"Shortcuts

In Mushroom Gorge, there is a shortcut that will allow the player to speed past the regular curving route and get a boost, although it requires a Mushroom, and is recommended for Time Trials. After starting the race with a turbo boost, the player should head to the left. After the player has headed left, they'll see that there's no fence and that there's a crevice. As soon as the player is a few lengths away from the crevice, use a Mushroom to get a boost. The player will be flung onto a large Mushroom. Perform a trick, bounce on the other giant Mushroom, perform a trick, and the player should land back on the pathway.

Also, by the last U-turn, if the player cuts across the grassy patch with some sort of speed boost and doesn't fall into the crevice, there is a time gain of a second or two."

This is one of my favorite tracks in the game. its simple but challenging. the track involves the dirt track with a few bends and then jumping over individual mushrooms with the risk of falling off them and choosing the right path that is the quickest. players can also perform speed boosts on them with could risk in them falling off. 

 moo moo meadow 

http://www.mariowiki.com/Moo_Moo_Meadows

"Shortcuts

There are no major shortcuts in Moo Moo Meadows, although in the area with the cows it is possible to go across the fields with a Mushroom to avoid the moving cattle and speed up. Another shortcut is in the area with the Monty Moles. A Mushroom can help the player speed across the grass spots"

the layout of the level is quite a generic with slight bends but what makes it interesting is how a herd of cattle will walk across the road which players must avoid or will crash. the cattle walk further into the road as the laps increase. there is also a hilly area in which players can go around them, go over which can slow them down or use the ramps to jump over them. there are also moles running around the hills meaning the player could land on them if timing is wrong. 

delfino square

http://www.mariowiki.com/Delfino_Square

"Shortcuts

After passing the first bridge and making a left-hand turn, there will be a hidden passage, which is past some crates. This off-road shortcut can heavily slow down any vehicle, regardless of off-road statistics, so a Mushroom or a Star is required to get through it quickly"

this i another long track that involves many bends around a town square. the short cut is also very interesting as it can slow you down just as much if the right power up isn't used. 

rainbow road wii 

http://www.mariowiki.com/Rainbow_Road#Mario_Kart_Wii

view of the track (lol wut?)

downwards hill at start

waves in roads (player can jump at right moment for speed boost)

8 shape with holes meaning players can possibly fall down

rainbow tunnel, powers up don't work in here

last stretch with speed boosts