AotI-PC/PS2: Wow, you guys.

[F-Gattaca]

I dunno about anyone else, but I am really loving some of the new mission locales. Since AotI's start I had been doing random Rozenom missions when I had the time for it, and I just recently did a run-through of the Habirao missions with a buddy.

Rozenom City was my favorite locale of PSU, but now Habirao F.D. is a big contender.

Seriously, wow. When it comes to the environment and design of those mission areas, it's quite removed from typical PSU fare. I think only a few mission zones in vanilla PSU came close to what Rozenom and Habirao are like—the Hakura Temple (and others like it) and the HIVE.

Most other mission zones have too many blocky areas separated by a hallway or bridge, all on relatively level ground/altitudes. Rozenom breaks that pretty handily, with a lot of height variation, running in and out of buildings ... and Habirao is just awesome. It has a nearly organic feel to it that was missing from most of the other outdoors mission locales. It's a place that's easy to get lost in if you're not careful.

What really makes the maps shine, though, is how they're presented—both mission areas have a really complex feel to them, something that, once I look back at most other mission zones, I get this lacking feeling. It's a little hard to put into words, but the environment is just so much more active and interesting to look at—Rozenom's windswept ruined buildings, the glowing mushrooms and flora of Habirao with photons(?) wafting about in the air as sunlight pokes through the canopy. Hell, with Habirao, I almost felt like I was back in PSO's Forest ... and not just because it had rappies and boomas! (Of course, Ragol's forest didn't quite have a massive canopy made of mushrooms, but I still got a lot of the same feelings from exploring Habirao that I did in the Forest).

I can only hope more of the locales we get are as awesome as these. Rozenom is awesome, and Habirao is a real kickass addition!

EDIT: Holy cow, the typos. *fix*


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: F-Gattaca on 2007-12-14 05:25 ]</font>

[Broodstar1337]

This is an opportunity for us to see what Sonic Team can be capable of if they actually apply themselves. It's stuff like this that makes us scratch our heads and think to ourselves "What the fuck were they thinking a year ago?"

[amtalx]

Indeed. This makes me wonder where my subscription fees went toward the first year.

[RemiusTA]

I believe ST just got a bit too carried away in terms of space when it came to PSU.

None of the stages are "ugly" (aside from the HIVE), they just are really badly put together. There are far too many wide open rooms. There are rarely any ceilings, and the wide open rooms are extremely empty. (Nobody wonders why every room in Hakura temple is completely empty?)

If you notice, the new stages are FAR more compact, which allows them to be far more complex.

[doubleEXP]

I think AotI is awesome. It's why I'm back playing PSU.

I still haven't played tried all the new missions yet. But as I try them, I really like them.

It feels like the game, overall, has really opened up, too. Not just the areas, but all the things we can do.

For example, I am floored by just how darn cool the casino is. That place rocks!

[RemiusTA]

If you all noticed, the level design started to improve way before AotI was released.

During Firebreak we saw pretty good level design, Espically in Her Secret Mission.

As they get better at this, the normal stages will start getting better as well.

[KyEmo]

When I first saw the new mission scenery, all I thought was damn. It looks fantastic.

[Ken_Silver]

I agree as well. The AOI missions are excellent and from what I can tell, more awesomeness is on its way. This game appears to be like fine wine: It gets better with age. So let's hope that PSU continues in this direction and that no one throws a money wrench into the system.

[Reipard]

It's a wonder if one day they'll redo the old maps to be more like the AOI ones? Though personally I think the old design fit the areas that are supposed to be 'wide open' like Parum plains and Moatoob desert.

[Xtian913]

I agree, I absolutely love everything in AOI so far. The new Spore Hills and Dancing Birds area are especially fantastical and very creative.

[Legendria]

Agreed. I like Habirao http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[chibiLegolas]

Oh! Why didn't I call in sick today at work?!
I wanna try and play these boards since the pics where posted on PSO World.
><

And cheers to PSU's improvement after 1 year!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: chibiLegolas on 2007-12-14 08:52 ]</font>

[Xtian913]

On 2007-12-14 08:51, chibiLegolas wrote:
Oh! Why didn't I call in sick today at work?!
I wanna try and play these boards since the pics where posted on PSO World.
><

And cheers to PSU's improvement after 1 year!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: chibiLegolas on 2007-12-14 08:52 ]</font>


Well, considering what is inevitably going to happen later on today (Rollback...) I'm glad I DIDN'T call in sick today - like I had planned. Knowing my luck, I would find a Har/Quick and everything else I want in these missions, only to have it be taken away the same day.

[AnamanaAU]

Roll back, roll back, tra-la-la-la-la. :3

[ErtaiClou]

I'm going back to the Habirao lobby to continue my chat with bouncing creatures after the rollback.

[CelestialBlade]

I totally agree, Rozenom and Habirao are by far my favorites. When we get the HIVE Disco mission, I think that will be one of my favorites too. AoI kicks a lot of ass.

[Celi-Ka]

I was only able to do part of the 1st block of Hill of Spores before the servers went down, but what I saw was quite impressive. Can't wait 'til tonight to do the rest. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

[Sha Sha]

i was on my way to habirao lobby when the servers went down and i doubt they'll be back up in time for me to play again since i gotta leave for work at noon cali time that means i wont be able to play again till today after 9 T__T good thing i dont work tomorrow =D

[CelestialBlade]

On 2007-12-14 10:18, Celi-Ka wrote:
I was only able to do part of the 1st block of Hill of Spores before the servers went down, but what I saw was quite impressive. Can't wait 'til tonight to do the rest. ^^

If you complete the first Story mission in Offline, you can play Hill of Spores on offline. It's a hell of a fun mission.

[Anduril]

I loved Habirao. It felt like I was actually in a Forbidden area, and could potentially be taken out by a freaky Rappy.

[SakuraJr]

I'm going to pet the cute creature things that jump up and down there n_n

[Noblewine]

I can't wait to try it... An new area to excavate and look for rare monsters. If Sega is hard a work making fields with good layouts then I can't wait to spam it.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Noblewine on 2007-12-14 10:29 ]</font>

[Kinako78]

On 2007-12-14 10:21, SakuraJr wrote:
I'm going to pet the cute creature things that jump up and down there n_n



I know! Aren't they adorable?! I want one as a pet!

Back on topic: I managed to get through Hill of Spores, but I got disconnected while I was doing Dancing Birds. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif

[Bomber The Cosmonaut]

I haven't gotten the chance to play them yet. :/
But since servers are down,I won't be able to sneak in a few runs before I head off to work.
But with this maintenance *couch*rollback*cough* going on... Things should be normal by the time I get home tonight. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Weeaboolits]

I did Dancing Birds earlier, the big rappy was a bastard.

[Bomber The Cosmonaut]

On 2007-12-14 11:13, Ronin_Cooper wrote:
I did Dancing Birds earlier, the big rappy was a bastard.

Now when you say big....

[Ken_Silver]

On 2007-12-14 11:15, BomberStrife wrote:

On 2007-12-14 11:13, Ronin_Cooper wrote:
I did Dancing Birds earlier, the big rappy was a bastard.

Now when you say big....



I've seen screenshots... them things are frickin' huge. Don't mess with that rappy's bird seeds. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Kylie]

I played it offline and knew I couldn't play anymore because I tend to overuse things that I love. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_redface.gif Can't wait for the servers to go back on + my boy to get on, so I can do some runs in "shroom land."

[Weeaboolits]

On 2007-12-14 11:15, BomberStrife wrote:

On 2007-12-14 11:13, Ronin_Cooper wrote:
I did Dancing Birds earlier, the big rappy was a bastard.Now when you say big....Thing's huge and it'll kick your ass.

[Sexy_Raine]

On 2007-12-14 11:50, Ken_Silver wrote:

On 2007-12-14 11:15, BomberStrife wrote:

On 2007-12-14 11:13, Ronin_Cooper wrote:
I did Dancing Birds earlier, the big rappy was a bastard.

Now when you say big....



I've seen screenshots... them things are frickin' huge. Don't mess with that rappy's bird seeds. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif



When I fought that thing this morning on S, it took like 6 minutes to kill as a FT. It's super fast and hard to dodge. I don't think it can be burned or be infected either.

They are kinda scary too. :

[Hokokaru]

Hell, with Habirao, I almost felt like I was back in PSO's Forest ... and not just because it had rappies and boomas! (Of course, Ragol's forest didn't quite have a massive canopy made of mushrooms, but I still got a lot of the same feelings from exploring Habirao that I did in the Forest).lol forest? that place had no organic feeling... but the Jungle/mountains/shoreline had it ALL that place was the the best place ever do to its awesome environment http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

[F-Gattaca]

On 2007-12-14 12:56, Hokokaru wrote:
lol forest? that place had no organic feeling... but the Jungle/mountains/shoreline had it ALL that place was the the best place ever do to its awesome environment http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif



Au contraire, the Forest was very organic, especially compared to Parum's Raffon Meadow/Lakeshore areas. Do note that when I say it's organic, I mean "not comprised of blocky sections connected by similarly blocky hallways, all mostly at the same height level."

PSO's Forest area does have the rooms-and-hallways setup, but they are more irregular in shape, with some rooms overlooking others, and rivers crisscrossing a few places. Forest's "hallway" areas are not like the meadows of Parum—many of those are practically straight lines and right angles on flat elevation, but Forest's paths are a little more meandering, both in their appearance and in the actual directions they take.

More importantly, the walls in the Forest that do prevent you from seeing further beyond aren't massive walls of nearly-black hedgerows. Instead, it's more like how Habirao does it, and there are massive trees that make up a canopy.

With Parum's meadows, it feels like they tried to emulate the hedgerows of Normandy (http://www.skylighters.org/photos/poweek/hedgerow.jpg) but didn't quite get it right. It's mainly in how they chose to cordon off sections of the fields—the hedgerows are too thick, too dark, too blocky and too tall. The terrain needs to have more rolling elevation to really feel like that, too. It's true that by their nature hedgerows are pretty blocky, fencing off areas and appearing as a maze (http://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/media/images/0/o/Picture_052_large_image.jpg), but as you can see, the hedgerows in that picture are still a little organic in their design--not perfect right angles or lines, a little bit of meandering and irregularity to the plants that make up the hedge. Parum's meadow is nothing like the picture there.

I guess it's justified story-wise by the fact that Parum's environment had to be completely reconstructed after the impact of five centuries of war, but even then you'd think the landscapers would put more work into it. The Kugu Desert areas of Moatoob follow a similar pattern in appearance, but work better at it than Parum's meadows, though.

Anyway, I never played Episode 2 or 4, so I have no way of knowing what the Jungle, Mountains, or Shoreline look like. I guess I'll find out in due time, though. Until then, I stand by what I said when I mean that Habirao F.D. takes me back to the forests of Ragol.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: F-Gattaca on 2007-12-14 13:31 ]</font>

[KyEmo]

On 2007-12-14 12:49, Sexy_Raine wrote:
When I fought that thing this morning on S, it took like 6 minutes to kill as a FT. It's super fast and hard to dodge. I don't think it can be burned or be infected either.

They are kinda scary too. :



Melee is far easier to fight it. Tornado Dance > the Rappy bastard.

[Weeaboolits]

Episode two areas were excellent in terms of design.

[doubleEXP]

On 2007-12-14 13:41, Ronin_Cooper wrote:
Episode two areas were excellent in terms of design.



I agree. I always liked CCC and the areas around it and I thought Seabed was brilliant. I also thought Spaceship was trippy with all those projection screens. Temple could be annoying at times, but I still liked how it gave some nice views a real maze feeling.