LET’S TALK PR4 IDEAS 💡🤔

[Different]

Guys, we have a serious problem here. Recently, I’ve read all the ideas for PR4, and honestly I’m highly disappointed in some of these. Now I’m not calling anyone out by name, but I just think that some of these ideas took a lackadaisical approach and they’re starving of inventiveness. I’m not trying to be a harsh critic and say that these ideas suck… I’m just saying that some of them are lacking a sense of creative direction, that’s all. At least a couple of them were very long-winded with no pictures. How are we supposed to be intrigued if we don’t have any pictures??

A lot of us seem to fail to tap deeply into the right side of our brain’s hemisphere and crack the code to creativity and success. Another thing that I’ve noticed is that no one is speaking up about these ideas. Again, I’m not calling anyone out, but some of them are rather insipid than attention-grabbing. The ideas that are incredibly vague is also starving for pictures as well. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we’re desperate for you to invite us into your world of imagination and put forth the effort to tell us the story behind it. Let the images guide us, do some work with photoshop or something.

I’m no better than you are because I used to do this ignorant crap, 3 YEARS AGO. It was horrible because it was very long-winded with no pictures! Not to mention it was lacking clarity. FYI, if it must be long-winded then you must have drawings, pictures, a visual effect, videos or something to guide us through your creative ideas. Otherwise we’re going to be exasperated.

Ultimately, I’m writing this thread because I think I have the ability to shape and mold you guys into the impetus that works effortlessly in the lab creating ideas with pulchritudinous images as a guide. Listen, I’m already working on something very special for PR4; it just takes a substantial amount of my time. If you have an idea for PR4, then this is the thread to talk about it before it gets released out into the wilderness for savage critics. I’m here to help you. I’m not a coyote here to pick the bones off of you and rip you to shreds. I want to see you guys prosper, not fail. When you do get my advice, I’ll ask you what’s the story behind it.

[Dangevin]

Personally I find a good portion of the ideas suggested in the PR4 Suggestions sub forum to be either pretty creative or much needed. I'm all for feedback on ideas, but it could be done on a thread-by-thread basis. Going to move this thread into the blog section of JV so that this can stay up, but as a sort of haven for those who want to showcase their ideas and ask for feedback on them.

[Different]

Personally I find a good portion of the ideas suggested in the PR4 Suggestions sub forum to be either pretty creative or much needed. I'm all for feedback on ideas, but it could be done on a thread-by-thread basis. Going to move this thread into the blog section of JV so that this can stay up, but as a sort of haven for those who want to showcase their ideas and ask for feedback on them.

Some of them are pretty creative, yes. For example, @~JBG~ drawings are pretty creative and well thought-out. If he were to come to me for ideas based on how we can use those character drawings in the game, I’d be up for it. Like I said before, I think a lot of us can do better if we really wanted to.

[~JBG~]

Some of them are pretty creative, yes. For example, @~JBG~ drawings are pretty creative and well thought-out. If he were to come to me for ideas based on how we can use those character drawings in the game, I’d be up for it. Like I said before, I think a lot of us can do better if we really wanted to.

I mean there's really not much other use for character parts in game other than as rewards and incentives to play the game. 

I like a lot of the ideas that have been suggested throughout the years both for pr2 and pr4 and I don't feel like every idea has to be something that's a major breakthrough, sometimes small things help make a game great.

[Different]

I mean there's really not much other use for character parts in game other than as rewards and incentives to play the game. 

I like a lot of the ideas that have been suggested throughout the years both for pr2 and pr4 and I don't feel like every idea has to be something that's a major breakthrough, sometimes small things help make a game great.

Sure there is. It’s just difficult to see it because ideas don’t flow naturally all the time. I’m always sitting around trying to figure out how we can take visuals to the next level.

You have to understand that this thread was created because the majority of those ideas for Pr4 was lacking potential. It’s like they were missing the blueprints to execute something remarkable. Your specialty is drawing. You’re the guy who puts his blood, sweat, and tears into a masterpiece because you have potential. As for some of the others, well… I fell asleep on them.

[~JBG~]

Sure there is. It’s just difficult to see it because ideas don’t flow naturally all the time. I’m always sitting around trying to figure out how we can take visuals to the next level.

You have to understand that this thread was created because the majority of those ideas for Pr4 was lacking potential. It’s like they were missing the blueprints to execute something remarkable. Your specialty is drawing. You’re the guy who puts his blood, sweat, and tears into a masterpiece because you have potential. As for some of the others, well… I fell asleep on them.

I guess I am confused as to what other usage there are for sets then.
What ideas do you have that make use of them aside from being a cool cosmetic upgrade to collect?

[Different]

I guess I am confused as to what other usage there are for sets then.
What ideas do you have that make use of them aside from being a cool cosmetic upgrade to collect?

Well, for starters, there must be a story behind it - it’s what makes people gravitate towards the character more. When you have a powerful story behind it (it could be something fictional for fun), people will buy into the incentive that there’s something special about it.

Then you can introduce superpowers for it, like the dude you have with the magnifying glass (Detective All-c-Eye); he looks pretty cool. Make people believe that he has a few tricks up his sleeve that’ll decimate opponents. The eyeball can shoot lasers out of it, plus he can use it to flatten opponents to death and make them roll off the map. Just some pointers to start somewhere 🤷‍♂️

[~JBG~]

Well, for starters, there must be a story behind it - it’s what makes people gravitate towards the character more. When you have a powerful story behind it (it could be something fictional for fun), people will buy into the incentive that there’s something special about it.

Then you can introduce superpowers for it, like the dude you have with the magnifying glass (Detective All-c-Eye); he looks pretty cool. Make people believe that he has a few tricks up his sleeve that’ll decimate opponents. The eyeball can shoot lasers out of it, plus he can use it to flatten opponents to death and make them roll off the map. Just some pointers to start somewhere 🤷‍♂️

I mean sure you can make stories up about them(like I sort of did with the dash things) and those aren't other uses for sets per se. But giving set parts any kind of in game power is not something I'd personally agree with.

[Different]

I mean sure you can make stories up about them(like I sort of did with the dash things) and those aren't other uses for sets per se. But giving set parts any kind of in game power is not something I'd personally agree with.

You’d be the first to make it happen, so I don’t see why not. If not, then eventually people would just get bored of it. Remember when you created the Cheese Hat? During the time, it was decent for the ability to run through crumble blocks, quickly. But then people grew tired of it. Btw, that’s one of the reasons why I went so overboard with my hat idea from last year.

[~JBG~]

You’d be the first to make it happen, so I don’t see why not. If not, then eventually people would just get bored of it. Remember when you created the Cheese Hat? During the time, it was decent for the ability to run through crumble blocks, quickly. But then people grew tired of it. Btw, that’s one of the reasons why I went so overboard with my hat idea from last year.

Hats are different from sets. I like that hats have powerups and sets are purely cosmetic.

There's also the issue of having sets that have powers/abilities just means everyone will use whichever set has the most broken power and you no longer have fun creating funny outfits for your character.

[Different]

Hats are different from sets. I like that hats have powerups and sets are purely cosmetic.

There's also the issue of having sets that have powers/abilities just means everyone will use whichever set has the most broken power and you no longer have fun creating funny outfits for your character.

I see what you’re saying. Well, you could always place parameters on each set so that nothing is too broken. That way when someone gets their ass kicked on one set, they’ll choose another one that can temporarily get the job done during the game.

[Camer the Dragon]

I see what you’re saying. Well, you could always place parameters on each set so that nothing is too broken. That way when someone gets their ass kicked on one set, they’ll choose another one that can temporarily get the job done during the game.

I prefer the sets being something where you choose the set for the visuals and not for an ability. Otherwise you may get situations where you like a set visually but dislike the ability (or like the ability of another set, which you may not like much visually).
It's a reason I dislike Hero Shooters due to this disconnect between picking a character because you think they look cool, or you like them as a character, compared to picking them because they're either the meta or they fit your playstyle more.

[Different]

I prefer the sets being something where you choose the set for the visuals and not for an ability. Otherwise you may get situations where you like a set visually but dislike the ability (or like the ability of another set, which you may not like much visually).
It's a reason I dislike Hero Shooters due to this disconnect between picking a character because you think they look cool, or you like them as a character, compared to picking them because they're either the meta or they fit your playstyle more.

Why not bring the idea to life, get a few beta testers to run through it and see if they like it or not? Then demonstrate it to the public and have them vote on it. The idea could be one in a million where it fits the character’s narrative and it satisfies a lot of people.

Ultimately, if we don’t like it, we can get rid of it entirely. I’m just throwing these ideas out here to play with because I have the foresight to see that PR2 (or even PR4) isn’t going to make it. It’s the same pattern that I see with ideas that are insipid.

[Jeremiah]

Personally, I'm not too hot on PR4 using AI for it's art. Questionable ethics around using it aside, the AI Jiggmin is using produces art that doesn't match the artstyle of Platform Racing and/or seem out of place at times. (see the Mine block, early Happy/Sad blocks. Push block, Time/Clock block, and the Alien Egg(s).)

Jiggmin can be a great artist. According to PR4's commit notes, the early PR4 background (before the 12-21-2024 "hayyy" commit) was a rough draft, and it was absolutely gorgeous, so Jiggmin is definitely capable of making incredible graphics. Because AI is such a very controversial topic, using AI can turn alot of people away from playing PR4, which is something I absolutely don't want to happen, especially after PR4 being in developement hell for so long. I already have one friend who said if PR4 is going to use AI, they won't play it.

Also, Steam, the platform Jiggmin is aiming to release PR4 on, has a policy where games that are made with AI must not infringe copyrighted material or generate illegal content (All AI art in PR4 are pre-generated, so we don't have to worry about that last one). This could get really murky to work with at certain points with how the copyright law is currently.

Obviously PR4 is still in a very early state, so it is possible Jiggmin is using AI assets as placeholders. I just wanted to get this off my chest.

[~JBG~]

Personally, I'm not too hot on PR4 using AI for it's art. Questionable ethics around using it aside, the AI Jiggmin is using produces art that doesn't match the artstyle of Platform Racing and/or seem out of place at times. (see the Mine block, early Happy/Sad blocks. Push block, Time/Clock block, and the Alien Egg(s).)

Jiggmin can be a great artist. According to PR4's commit notes, the early PR4 background (before the 12-21-2024 "hayyy" commit) was a rough draft, and it was absolutely gorgeous, so Jiggmin is definitely capable of making incredible graphics. Because AI is such a very controversial topic, using AI can turn alot of people away from playing PR4, which is something I absolutely don't want to happen, especially after PR4 being in developement hell for so long. I already have one friend who said if PR4 is going to use AI, they won't play it.

Also, Steam, the platform Jiggmin is aiming to release PR4 on, has a policy where games that are made with AI must not infringe copyrighted material or generate illegal content (All AI art in PR4 are pre-generated, so we don't have to worry about that last one). This could get really murky to work with at certain points with how the copyright law is currently.

Obviously PR4 is still in a very early state, so it is possible Jiggmin is using AI assets as placeholders. I just wanted to get this off my chest.

Also not a fan of AI art usage but I understand that jiggmin probably doesn't have the free time to dedicate to drawing up all the assets. I hope that the artsyle ends up changing to something similar to platform racing 1 and 2 since I find it very charming

[Camer the Dragon]

Personally, I'm not too hot on PR4 using AI for it's art. Questionable ethics around using it aside, the AI Jiggmin is using produces art that doesn't match the artstyle of Platform Racing and/or seem out of place at times. (see the Mine block, early Happy/Sad blocks. Push block, Time/Clock block, and the Alien Egg(s).)

Jiggmin can be a great artist. According to PR4's commit notes, the early PR4 background (before the 12-21-2024 "hayyy" commit) was a rough draft, and it was absolutely gorgeous, so Jiggmin is definitely capable of making incredible graphics. Because AI is such a very controversial topic, using AI can turn alot of people away from playing PR4, which is something I absolutely don't want to happen, especially after PR4 being in developement hell for so long. I already have one friend who said if PR4 is going to use AI, they won't play it.

Also, Steam, the platform Jiggmin is aiming to release PR4 on, has a policy where games that are made with AI must not infringe copyrighted material or generate illegal content (All AI art in PR4 are pre-generated, so we don't have to worry about that last one). This could get really murky to work with at certain points with how the copyright law is currently.

Obviously PR4 is still in a very early state, so it is possible Jiggmin is using AI assets as placeholders. I just wanted to get this off my chest.

For the style consistency I think it depends if this is to be mainly like Pr2, or just a new thing (Pr3 had an extremely different artstyle to Pr1/Pr2 so it wouldn't be the first time it changed)
I do agree though that using AI generated images is quite controversial, so not using them would turn less people away from the game in the longrun and I'd rather them just be placeholders so that the game can get built and in a good state (final art coming after core gameplay is a good design principle either way)