1. Please be advised of a few specific rules and guidelines for this section.

WIP Dimensional Doors!

Discussion in 'Dungeons and Sidequests' started by G.Xyon, Mar 22, 2016.

?

Once read the description: How does the project sound?

  1. Yeah, it sound great!

    96.7%
  2. It's okay, neutral about it.

    3.3%
  3. Dislike it: sounds boring; demanding/intensive; not an original idea.

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. G.Xyon

    G.Xyon Space Kumquat

    Hey guys!

    I'm not all too sure how much of the Starbound community had played Minecraft 1.6.4, but at the time there were some seriously interesting mods for it. There was this one particular mod that caught my attention, appropriately named "Dimensional Doors"; it focused on tossing the player into a new dimension which linked to other, smaller, pocket dimensions in a puzzle/labyrinth-like fashion and it did so quite splendidly!

    I thoroughly enjoyed the mod so much, that, after much thinking, I decided that I would port the core concept of the mod into Starbound! Starbound already has core mechanics for instanced worlds and the easy-to-implement modding helps this wonderfully.

    Currently, I have managed to get the core mechanics of the mod working solidly. Graphically, it's using recolored/altered assets from the vanilla and previous mods, so there's a bit of work still cut out for me there. And without further ado, here's the WIP mod!

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​

    DIMENSIONAL DOORS

    Dimensional Doors is a mod focused on exploration, risk, and reward! Dare you delve deep into the unknown dimensions?

    Your perilous journey starts out by finding strange, unfamiliar structures.
    [​IMG]

    These dungeons will spawn randomly through moons, and possibly other uninhabited planets. They contain a portal in the center, which will then teleport you into the Dimensional Hub.
    [​IMG]

    The Hub is the central piece of the mod; without it, it wouldn't really work that well! From here, the player has a couple of choices: the bottom portal with toss the player to the last area before they had teleported in. On the second floor, the portal to the left will warp the player to ??? (destination is still being thought on, it currently leads to the outpost), as well as display all of the player's bookmarks. The FREE STUFF box (it will eventually be replaced with a proper shop design, unless people enjoy the basic looks) is a small shop meant to aid and equip the player with helpful items if they do decide to venture through the dimensions. The portal to the right, behind the hazard blocks, is the one you want... or don't want!

    Entering the top-right portal will catapult the player through the Deep Dimensions. There are currently 20 configurations implemented, and each one will have 10 variations each to start out with. That's a total of a MINIMUM of 200 dimension dungeons to explore from first release!
    [​IMG]
    Currently, this is the placeholder dimension for all of the configurations, however this will be changed with the addition of hallways and labyrinths, puzzles, parkour and platformers, and very special treasure dimensions!

    However, not all is great in the dimensions... for when a player first enters the Deep Dimensions portal, they will initially have a 10% chance of being tossed into Limbo, and increases to 20% while the player stays within the Deep Dimensions!
    [​IMG]

    "What's Limbo?", I hear you ask. Limbo is a place where meddling, pathetic adventurers end up when they decide to take the universe's warnings and disregard them, greedy for treasure and power. There is truly no happy ending here, it is only you and yourself within this dimension, with no form of escape aside from death. That is, if you didn't properly equip yourself...
    [​IMG]

    To the left, we have a Disposable Teleporter! This teleporter works both ways, however due to its dis-repaired state, it will only stay alive for no more than a couple of seconds: once interacted with, this teleporter will destroy itself in 10 seconds. So remember to buy a couple of spares! You can find this item through the Dimensional Hub's shop. For the more deep-pocketed adventurer, they can purchase a more stable, repaired version of said portal through the One-Stop Teleshop in the Outpost! It works exactly the same as all the other teleporters the merchant sells, with the added benefit of portability.


    Here quick rundown of what the mod currently consists on:

    Implemented:
    + Core mechanics, teleporting between dimensions and having the portals randomize the selection.
    + Core dimensions to test out said mechanics.
    + Lowered the timeout time for non-permanent instances, from 10 minutes to 10 seconds.
    + A hub where the player can select if they want to truly jump in or bail out.
    + A shop in the Hub to aid players in their journey.
    + Disposable teleporters sold by said shop, and stable teleporters sold in the outpost.
    + 20 different configurations for teleporters, all unique with their own (10) dungeons to choose from.
    + 4/10 Dungeons-per-Configuration (connectors) have been implemented, with their own secret sequences.
    + Slim chance at ending up in Limbo: 10% initially, then scales up to 20%.
    + Graphical Overhaul: Shop, Doors, and Blocks.
    + Proximity sensor for doors, making them animate.
    + A stable and permanent pocket dimension the player can access through a craftable item.

    In the works:
    +/- Dimensional/Limbo-based items and equipment: Weapons, Costumes, Tools, Furniture, and Chests.
    +/- 6/10 Dungeons-Per-Configuration. Puzzles, Labyrinths... the good stuff!
    +/- Treasure Dimensions + loot tables.
    +/- Secret loots. Wouldn't be a secret if I told you where they are, would it?

    Current done sprites:
    Dimensional Door! [​IMG]
    Different Dimensional shop! [​IMG]
    Pocket Portal Door! [​IMG]

    IMPORTANT MESSAGE!
    Due to the project's size, it will take a while to come up with so many dungeons and puzzles! That's why I'm asking you, yes, your beautiful face, to submit your own pocket dimensions! They can be made in absolutely anything; paint, paper-and-pencil, photoshop, play-doh, you name it! The only requirement is that they must give me a general idea on how the dimension plays out and must tie in (to a sense) with the mod. Special treasure rooms are limited, however anything goes in those.

    If I end up using your design, or make a dimension based on your design, you will be appropriately credited within the mod page's credit list and have full access to all of the files within the project. Again, this is entirely optional and it should come from the heart if you truly wish to help out in the project (or simply want to see your name displayed somewhere with rainbow text, I mean really, who can blame you?). Simply leave an image or a description of the design you wish to contribute; liked messages means they're in and are being worked on!

    Thank you truly for passing by, let me know what you think of this project by leaving a post and voting!

    Have a good one!
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2016
    Kawa, Dragon_Tom005 and Relten like this.
  2. Dragon_Tom005

    Dragon_Tom005 Existential Complex

    I enjoyed using the Dimentinal doors, in Minecraft. I also used it in the Hexxit Modpack. I only have two questions for it, though. Will the mod use the concept that if u find a different door, you can find yoursellf going infinitly deeper untill you decide to use the specific door to the normal world? Also, will there be monsters in the mod similar to the creepy eyes from the Minecraft mod?
     
  3. G.Xyon

    G.Xyon Space Kumquat

    Yup! 99% of the dimensions will contain additional portals to continue exploring infinitely until: 1) They get unlucky and get tossed to limbo, 2) Die from fall damage by breaking the structure and fall or 3) Teleport out via a teleporter by their own will or forced to by a Treasure dimension.

    Probably not, being honest. I found that the Monoliths within the mod were more of an inconvenience rather than an actual threat, so I'm going to let things unfold due to the player's actions and RNG rather than "surprise, it's a monster and you're now in limbo!". Obviously this may change the more I learn about the teleporting mechanics and monster behaviors, but for now it's moreso of an afterthought than an actual objective.
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2016
    Kawa and Dragon_Tom005 like this.
  4. G.Xyon

    G.Xyon Space Kumquat

    Some progress!

    The dungeons have undergone some minor changes as they now have a solid pattern-esque formation, however this matters not as the configurations of the portals within them will be entirely randomized. This pattern (which should remain secret!) will allow all hallway dimensions to have a different configuration of portals throughout the instances, so no one map will have have the same configuration of portals.

    Additionally, I have been tinkering about with the instances themselves. All hallways within the instances have been dealt with, which now only the juicy part of the mod remains to be done! Here are some sneak previews on what's currently implemented.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    Images provided courtesy of the ExtraZoomLevels mod.

    Have a good one!
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2016
    Kawa likes this.
  5. endertrot

    endertrot Cosmic Narwhal

    This looks great! I'd love to submit some ideas later! Will we also be able to create our own pocket dimensions like in the guyrusens mod?
     
  6. G.Xyon

    G.Xyon Space Kumquat

    Yup, you'll have a blank-slate pocket dimension as well. Thank you for showing interest!
     
    Kawa and Dragon_Tom005 like this.
  7. Dragon_Tom005

    Dragon_Tom005 Existential Complex

    LOTS of interest ^.=.^
     
  8. AdriexDoom

    AdriexDoom Scruffy Nerf-Herder

    I absolutely support this. This is exactly what I've been waiting to see around the mod section and dimension doors was a must have for me in minecraft. The hallway sections are looking well also. Will it be possible to make the dimension instance use the same background ambience of the asteroid fields? I always felt it was one of the nearest things to a creepy setting in starbound. It might have been the moon ambience, I'm not recalling if they shared that audio.
    I'll consider some pocket dimensions to submit if I get time.
     
  9. G.Xyon

    G.Xyon Space Kumquat

    I swear I'm not dead.

    Yes, that's correct! I believe they already have the ambience, either for asteroids or moons; I can't quite remember. As an addition, they all have custom creepy music to further push that spooky and dangerous feel.

    Awesome! Feel free to make one or two and toss 'em in the thread! You'll be generously credited within the overview of the mod.
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2016
    Kawa likes this.
  10. AdriexDoom

    AdriexDoom Scruffy Nerf-Herder

    I'm thinking the eerie feel might come across better if it's possible to get the starfield to go away as well. Just a custom black parallax for the zone or something.
     
  11. G.Xyon

    G.Xyon Space Kumquat

    Ooh, I'll look into that! Doesn't sound like a bad idea!

    -----

    Okay, so a bit of a status update! The mod's coming along quite nicely, albeit I've been really, really procrastinating on all of my mods; however due to the next scheduled update, I'll probably jump back into the wagon and spruce up the mods (including this one) for the next big 1.0. As for the actual mod, all of the connectors and core mechanics have been polished to some extent, and the mod is properly working still.

    I, uh... my initial thought of 200 dungeons upon release now seems like a bit more than I could chew, as unfortunately I've ran out of steam quite quickly for puzzle and labyrinth ideas; therefore, a good circumvent to this, is to initially throw at the minimum 50 exploration dungeons (without counting the connectors, that'd be cheating) and progressively add more puzzles and treasure rooms as the mod develops and ideas/suggestions flow in; perhaps at a certain threshold I will patch in more dungeons, like every 10 or so.

    So, it would boil down like so: 2 dungeons per dimension (for a total of 40 exploration puzzles), and 10 dead-end treasure rooms with good/rare loot. The limbo chances will remain the same despite the low quantity of dungeons compared as to what was expected to make things a little bit more difficult.

    Another thing I would like to mention... How's the name of the mod? Given there's already a (Minecraft) mod named like such, and despite being a tribute to it, do you think the name should be changed to make it more unique? Do you like the current title? Let me know what you think!
     
    Kawa likes this.
  12. Segenam

    Segenam Phantasmal Quasar

  13. SpazDiesFirst360.0

    SpazDiesFirst360.0 Phantasmal Quasar

    Is this still being worked on? This project sound very interesting... :up:
     
  14. G.Xyon

    G.Xyon Space Kumquat

  15. SpazDiesFirst360.0

    SpazDiesFirst360.0 Phantasmal Quasar

Share This Page