Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve managed to do some actual sprite stuff (or at least, it’s been longer than I expected).

So as you may know, I am a big fan of Rivals of Aether (it’s kind of an issue at this point, but don’t worry about it), and I’ve been thinking about what Rivals could add to its already expansive game besides what it has so far. The one thing I came up with that I think could be fun would be Custom Stages. Just a warning, this’ll be a long post, so I’ll put a Read More for anyone on their dashboard:

So here is what the initial setup for the Custom Stages area could look like. Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything that’s here in due time.

So first off, you’ve got your toolset. Each one has a specific purpose to create your stage easily, and each can be selected even if you’re not in the tools menu by pressing the number it corresponds to (or using the trigger buttons to cycle through, if you’re using a controller):

Pencil (1): Draws a platform in the usual RoA-style rectangular shape. Simple tool, simple explanation. Using this tool on top of an existing platform automatically changes the tool to Stretch. (Bonus points if you can make hazards, too!)

Eraser (2): Erases existing platforms simply by hovering over them and pressing on it. Cannot erase center platform for obvious reasons.

Stretch (3): Press on any platform to change its width and height. If the platform isn’t the center stage, you can “mirror” the platform to the other half of the stage, which can help if you need two platforms on both halves of a stage.

(Using the Stretch tool on the center stage)

(Using the Stretch tool on a newly-created platform)

Move (4): Drag and drop existing platforms to your desire with this tool. Mirrored platforms will move both platforms. You cannot move the center platform.

Moving Platforms/Parallax (5): Set parameters for any moving platforms. Also works on any background elements that you want to move, like clouds.

Open (6): Open a previously existing stage, or a skin for the stage (more on that later).

Backgrounds (7): This tool is made exclusively for backgrounds. By enabling this, you can add and move background elements using the previous tools mentioned.

Look at that! You’ve got a pretty neat looking stage right there! It’s also important to note that you can undo or redo any mistakes you make if you ever need to.

But hey, it feels like we’re missing something. This stage kinda looks lifeless in the state it’s in now. Why don’t we fix that?

By pressing Export, we can choose to either export the whole thing, or just a .PNG of it. With this, we can create designs for the stage and background. I’ve created one here for an example.

Now it’s looking better! Add in your own background and you’ll have your very own stage to share! Press Save when you’re done, and/or Export it to an easy .zip file containing all the necessary bits and pieces for anyone to load up.

(The stage in action)

Now, granted, this isn’t official in any way, nor is it perfect (both in looks and functionality). This is just an idea I wanted to put out there for people to enjoy.

Spread the word! Hit the reblog button if you enjoyed this post!