The map design for the Toxic Ravine area of Unearthed is now complete! No tileset edits here, just some good ol’ fashioned map editing using one of my favourite areas from the original game.
The Toxic Ravine is a mysterious expanse hidden deep below the Boding Sea. Filled with noxious gases and chemicals, the ravine is a breeding ground for a wide variety of malignant abominations. Sealed off for many years by the inhabitants of the underworld, it has now been re-opened by unknown forces.
Mitchell must brave the narrow pathways of the ravine to recover an important item; one that will aid him in his final ascent back to the surface world.
But what happened to the Chicada Caverns that I’ve been mentioning for the past few months? Well, it turns out that I was subconsiously mimicking the Mole Cricket Hole in my map design! I realized this just as I began the physical map editing, and luckily I didn’t put in too much effort before it “clicked” in my brain. I’ll be thinking long and hard for an alternative follow-up to the Testing Grounds, but in the meantime I’ll be posting updates for two (possibly three) end-game dungeons.
One a final note, I have a question to pose to you all: What would you think if I included one or more unedited dungeon from EarthBound as bonus content? I have a few areas in mind that I feel would work really well, but I worry about crossing the thin line between “homage” and “blatantly stealing content”. Let me know your thoughts!
Maybe a particularly recognizeable map, something iconic? I can’t think of what it could be though. The only map that really stands out in my memory from Earthbound was Moonside.
Wel co metom oons ide!
Moonside was a fun one, but I’d have trouble working it into Unearthed logically.
I am leaning towards picking a dungeon from both Mother 2 and 3 and incorporating them into the game with very little editing. Bonus dungeons, perhaps? I’d use one from Mother 1 as well, but I have actually never played that game!