Vondell's Current Projects

[(Designer)Vondell]

It makes me happy to be contributing! :) Zoo Tek and I go way back, even if I never really posted and never introduced myself to anybody! I remember browsing all the ZT download sites when I was very young, for a while I used to keep up with every new download. A lot of you were around then!

 

It's very good to be here and I'm glad I'm helping breathe some new life into the game. I know I've still got many years of enjoyment left. It's exciting to see more people finding their way here with new talents and fresh ideas, too! Between some of the stuff I'm planning, jbl's programming work, and P.Rex's ambitious Dino Digs overhaul (which I'm excited to be part of), along with the new APE nearing release and Tek club contests starting back up, 2015 seems like it's gonna be a very exciting year for the Zoo Tycoon 1 community. Who would've ever known!

[Ashea]

I like your idea of a weathered pillar on the bridge. And the rusty appearance gives the trusses a nice aged appearance.

[(Designer)Vondell]

Thanks! :)

By the way guys -- if anyone's got any good ideas for objects/scenery/foliage/shelters/etc, I'm all ears. :cheerleader2: Buildings I've never done yet, but if I'm just doing the graphics and someone else is doing the programming, that could work out just fine.

 

I've been thinking about fences lately -- is there any particular kind of fence that you feel is noticeably missing from the game? Once I figure out the ins and outs of properly attaching fences to lang files and properly configuring exhibit fences, I'm hoping to do some sort of glass pane type fence that's less obtrusive than the ingame concrete glass fence. Maybe something dark-rimmed that doesn't draw much attention to itself. I was even thinking of a glass fence that was only the top and bottom edges, so you could finally have something that looked like a long pane of glass looking into an exhibit. Maybe a separate pillar piece placed on a corner tile could make it more realistic.

 

I also want to explore different ways of getting a "building"/"indoor exhibit" feel without sacrificing the ability to actually see what's inside. Like what the Aviary Cage did for Aviary type exhibits (I use them for primates too, and lots more). I'm thinking a solution to that might be modular glass pane walls/ceilings? Wrought iron Victorian Greenhouses come to mind:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anybody in their right mind would tell me this is a project for ZT2 and that making something like this feasible in an isometric sprite-based game like Zoo Tycoon where only one object can occupy space at a time would be an overly ambitious project, but what would I be if not overly ambitious, right?

 

I should finish everything else I'm working on first As if that's the way I operate.

[P.Rex]

Whoa, that greenhouse design is spectacular! I agree that doing something like that for an overhead isometric view can be challenging, but you got it right. I imagine it would be very easy to see into an exhibit with these, and because the bars are painted a neutral black, they don't distract the player from what's going on inside. (silver, I guess, would be VERY distracting >.<)

Strangely, the timing could not be more opportune either... merely hours ago I tried (and failed miserably) to make a modular steel-and-glass exhibit for NGP. Since you've offered to make new fences, perhaps you'd like to give it a try? You'd probably do a lot better than I did. The specifics are in my thread.

[Fern]

There are already glass aviary parts although currently unavailable. But lots of us already havve them and can send them to you,

Glass Aviary

As for the fence lang ids there should be no need to do anything as there are a number of ids we reuse for them. Which we use will depend on the fence graphics and use.

[(Designer)Vondell]

P.Rex, oh wow! Wouldn't you know it, I considered asking specifically if anyone had any ideas for new dinosaur fences, since that's what I've been thinking about lately. I hadn't seen your edit at all! That's a really interesting idea! I love the triangle-based design. Also that isometric greenhouse picture isn't mine, just happened to find one on an architectural planning site!

 

Fern: those are cool! I don't need them right now, but that's good to remember.

Everyone uses the ingame IDs nowadays? That's what I've been doing but I didn't know if it was common practice to do that or not. I guess that saves the trouble of having to update the Tek lang file each time.

[Fern]

Fern: those are cool! I don't need them right now, but that's good to remember.

Everyone uses the ingame IDs nowadays? That's what I've been doing but I didn't know if it was common practice to do that or not. I guess that saves the trouble of having to update the Tek lang file each time.

No. There are also user fence ids I reuse. As i said it depends on the fence. You use the best one suited to the file. The same goes for buildings. Why not have a chain of restaurants? Thing is if new ids were used for bathrooms, shelters and fences we would have run out of ids several times over instead of once. There is only a limited supply. There are user made shelter and bathroom ids to choose from too.

[(Designer)Vondell]

Oh, gotcha, I misunderstood. That makes sense.

[(Professor Emeritus)Professor Paul]

What I would really like to see personally is a series of modular buildings which can be assembled to form larger zoo shelters. Think of, for example, the Decimus Burton giraffe house at London Zoo. A central structure that can be used on it's own, then others that can be added as wings to the main building. Qualify that by suggesting two versions, one for the larger herbivores, rhinos, hippos etc, one with doors more suitable for things the size of lions or zebras.

 

Another challenge comes from a visit I made to China, which coincidentally was 13 years ago this very week. In one corner of Beijing Zoo is an aviary for vultures which is two storeys high at the front but only one at the back, as it's built into the side of a hill. I've tried to replicate the effect with what we have in the game but it never looks right.

 

But if you want to try something truly spectacular, see if you can replicate a working version of the Snowdon Aviary at London!

[Fern]

Sounds like you mean a shelter version of the way the colour coded buildings and the annexes work together. .