Isometric Top-Down 2D or 3D?

Hello,

My friend and I have started working on a game. He's doing the art and I'm doing the programming. At first, we were going to go straight top-down, but we both agreed that it would better suited in the same style as 3D Dot Game Heroes or Don't Starve, were you move around freely.

The art will be in 2D, so it is more similar to Don't Starve. The one question I have is whether I should use the 2D features or 3D for this? I love how in D.S, you can still move around in a 3D world and everything is 2D. I was hoping to achieve a similar affect but I'm not sure which way to start the project in.

Has anyone made any other 2.5D isometric games, or tried to? If you know the answer or have any advice/input, I'd love to hear your answer.

Thank you for your time.

- Keith

 

You should really talk to your artist as the decision affects him just as much as it affects your coding side. Maybe more?

I would check this tutorial out

On top of that if you're going true 2D (like Diablo 2) where you use sprites that's a whole different way of making game art than using 3D modeling.

I guess the answer here is which style do you prefer and which do you think would be most efficient for you?

Personally I think 3D would be easier because you make one asset that is rendered in all directions where as in 2D you need to make different sprites for each direction.

 

Don't starve is a 3D world with 2D characters. To place such characters in 3D world you use 3D objects. It's called billboards if I recall that right.

Edit:
Yeh, here is the thing: http://wiki.unity3d.com/index.php?title=CameraFacingBillboard
You just limit your camera movement on the Y axis, so it can't go up and down. And add a script that will face characters to the camera.

Edit2: And of course make a cool camera rotation around the focus point.

 

We're thinking 3D. However what should I do if we want the character or enemy to turn around during an attack. I think changing the sprite might work better instead of making sure the characters always face the camera.

It might look weird if the character turns his back but then when the camera rotates it might look like he is sliding or spinning weird. What do you guys think.

 

It doesn't have to be, though. You can quite easily make a nice 3D model then render it in isometric for use as a sprite, there are a lot of modern games making use of this technique to give a nice blend of modern graphics and 2D sprites. Of course if you want the visual look of the old isometric games that won't be suitable

 

Right, of course I mean facing sprite to the camera, not character's face. I guess you don't want to see a sprite from side where it looks like a line or from behind where it's transparent.

 

Oh haha. Yeah, that's what we'll be going for. Sorry for the misunderstanding. Does all it take is having a 3D object and it always facing the camera or is it a bit more complicated?

I'm on my phone so I apologize if I miss anything.

 

Yes pretty much simple like that. A billboard script like in old games we used to put on grass, trees, and other objects. And a script to control sprite same as in 2d games.

 

I'll look into the billboard script. Also I have yet to dabble with the 2D features. I assume its similar. Also since there isn't any physics in the game, unless that changes, would you recommend using transform methods? I've only ever used addforce.

 

True, I started doing it myself and it's a great retro feel, but I had the impression OP wanted the true old isometric look.

 

Im going for more dont starve look, so not really isometric. I guess I shouldn't have put that in the title. Sorry.

 

That's a neat idea, but you're saying you want to use a billboard script on the whole game? Cause from what I saw in their video they don't do it for all the objects only some.

Still neat idea would like to see it if you end up doing it.

 

If you script your own physics, then that's the way you do. In the end everything comes to position and rotation of transform component.

 

I would only do it for certain things. Such as the player, enemies and bosses. I would try to figure out a way that when you move your character around the boss, it eventually shows the back instead of the front. May have to do it where if player's z position is greater than enemy, change enemy sprite.

Something along those lines.

However, I may have it where you can't rotate the camera around like Don't Starve so it may not even be necessary. It'd be more like Zelda where everything is one direction and the enemies/bosses move/face towards the player.

I guess what I'm aiming for is a hybrid of the two games.The 2D/3D art style and view of Don't Starve along with the movement and adventure of Zelda (Link To The Past) style.

 

Well good luck man.

 

Thanks man. Good luck to you in anything you do.