Does anybody have any 'recommended good techniques' for backgrounds in a side scrolling platform game (think Mario or old-school Rayman).

Just a guess, but I don't think a gigantic sprite is the way to go for a "painted backdrop".

...but I could be wrong.

I've looked through the AUM and haven't seen anything on this, but could have missed it.

Thanks,
Todd

Why dont you just make a 3D Backround?
Making a 2D bakcround using panels is not trivial, and actually more complicated than using
a Block-level.

It's easy to set up a real 2D-Szenario (real 2D faked 3D ).



Define different Layers. One for the static background, one or two or three for the backgrounds, the one for the action (player) and one or more for the foreground.

Now listen:
- the player-layer is always centered with the game view. (player.view_x=static, player.virtual_x=changing)
- the other layers x-position is set relative to the factor you can see. (the more far away the smaller is the move-factor, X-pos depending on the player.virtual_x pos)

Each layer can be just one panel or set up by many panels.

Hope this is what you want to know?

mercuryus

Mercuryus, it sounds like you're describing a parallax scrolling system...which would be cool...awesome in fact, but a little more than I'm needing to understand at the moment. Most likely I'll be working up to that though. One thing at a time.

You mentioned layers, but that doesn't describe the actual "art" that's on the layer. Are you describing a series of panels, sprites, or models?

And the reason I'm not building it in 3d, just as an example, we're talking about background stuff with mountain scape, city skylines, sunsets, clouds..etc. And I'm going for a cartoony/painterly type feel.

Just to clarify, the player and all things he/she interacts with is 3d...we're just talking about the stuff behind the play area.

Thanks,
Todd

A way to get a 2D look with 3D blocks is to build the level/backgrounds out of thin, parallel to one another blocks. Only set the side that faces the camera to visible and the rest to none.

okay I get what you guys are saying about the 2d scrolling games .....great. But What if I wanted to make a forward scrolling game? (e.g. starfox64 ) how should I even start? I'm new to 3dgs and I don't now where to start. I have models and I wrote out all the enemies but when I sit infront of teh engine....I draw a blank. Can someone please help me?

starfox64 is a causal 3d-game with all the "problems" every 3d-game have.
You have to decide if you want to make a big "level in an box" flying around or an endless szenarion, which is a little more complex than an "level in a cube".

mercuryus