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Slumbercrest: A Proof-of-Concept "New" Stage

Flotilla

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UPDATE: Made a guide explaining the basics of using SkullMod while showing off a bit of what you can do with it. You can read that here.

Last year, a modding tool called SkullMod popped up that allows people to unpack/repack and modify Skullgirls content. Most people probably know it through its ability to let you have custom stage music, but it also allows you to edit non-essential sprites, GUI, and stages. Regarding the latter, Fizzxwizz is apparently the only person who has tried to innovate on existing stages in all these months. I assumed this was because mucking about with stages was difficult... but when I got into working with the templates that already existed, it was surprisingly easy. Some hours later, I had something halfway presentable. In the hopes of sparking some interest in stage modding, allow me to introduce Slumbercrest!


Full image (updated):
245170_screenshots_2014-10-19_00011.jpg

Slumbercrest is a night version of Maplecrest with a custom skybox, retouched stage lighting and ambiance (some of it pixel-by-pixel to remove brightness artifacts), no human NPCs (they have bedtimes, but there are still stray animals running amok), and optional new music (that awesome musician kiiiiichi can take all credit for).

I made this half as a neat vaguely Halloweeny thing, and half to prove that even without using SkullMod's unreliable stage editor, you can accomplish sizable overhauls to existing stages through texture/sound editing alone. If this encourages even one person to give SkullMod a go, I'll be a happy camper.

If you want to use Slumbercrest for yourself, you can download it here and follow the instructions below; it should serve as a mini-tutorial on SkullMod, too. Please note that it replaces vanilla Maplecrest!
  1. Download SkullMod here
  2. Navigate to C:Program Files/Steam/steamapps/common/Skullgirls/data01
  3. Make copies of levels-textures.gfs and music-win.gfs
  4. Use SkullMod to unpack these files so that you may navigate their contents.
  5. Copy and paste Slumbercrest's files into the matching directories of levels-textures, levels, and music-win. If you want to keep Maplecrest's original music, don't replace the contents of music-win.
  6. Pack both folders back up with SkullMod, and make sure they have a .gfs extension afterwards!
  7. Paste the two newly-packed .gfs files back where you found them, in C:Program Files/Steam/steamapps/common/Skullgirls/data01. If you've done everything correctly, you can now play on Slumbercrest!

Oh, and here's a link to the original, lighter version of Slumbercrest that appears in the Youtube video. Some people liked it!


If there is interest, this may not be my last stage! But I'm hoping the community takes interest so I don't have to. ; _;
 
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I'm a fan of both night stages and stages with little to no NPCs so this hits two right notes with me. It being very well done is also a major plus. Would genuinely love to have this in the game.
Even if my console peasant self can only appreciate from afar, I'm most definitely looking forward to seeing more of these mods.

Do Streets of New Meridian [Downpour] next.
 
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That's a nice mod! It still seems a bit bright for a moonlit scene, but it's definitely a cool stage concept that I wouldn't mind seeing in an official build one day. If the tools get developed further, it'd be neat to see it with a couple new NPCs like an owl in a tree, or maybe a stargazer in the distance. That's all wishful thinking, of course.

But hey, wishful thinking in mind, I'd say this brings us .0005% closer to making the Train Stage a reality. Aww yeah!
 
That's a nice mod! It still seems a bit bright for a moonlit scene, but it's definitely a cool stage concept that I wouldn't mind seeing in an official build one day. If the tools get developed further, it'd be neat to see it with a couple new NPCs like an owl in a tree, or maybe a stargazer in the distance. That's all wishful thinking, of course.

After looking more closely, I agreed with you and further darkened every part of the stage but the skybox. It ended up looking a LOT nicer, IMO. The characters are a tad bright now, but let's see if SkullMod's stage editor can't fix that...

Before
After

New NPCs can't be added without futzing around with the unstable stage editor, but existing NPCs can be repurposed; for instance, I could put a sleeping bum in the place of one of the schoolgirls. I may do that!
 
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idk I kinda like the before one better
 
idk I kinda like the before one better

I'll keep up the link to the brighter version in the OP, no worries.
 
I like what I am seeing! I prefer the lighter touch, but this is fantastic all around.
 
I thought you could also remove the light sources or place new ones with Skullmod?

Assuming that's correct;
Did you not get a chance to do that to darken the characters?
If you do, do it, upload another screen shot with the dark characters!
 
I thought you could also remove the light sources or place new ones with Skullmod?

Assuming that's correct;
Did you not get a chance to do that to darken the characters?
If you do, do it, upload another screen shot with the dark characters!

You need to use StageEdit for that, which is very unreliable and buggy. I tried just now, and it wouldn't even load Maplecrest. When @0xFAIL releases a new version of SkullMod that alleviates these issues, I'll happily update Slumbercrest's character lighting.
 
You need to use StageEdit for that, which is very unreliable and buggy. I tried just now, and it wouldn't even load Maplecrest.
If you get the Skullmod dude to take a look at it with you or something and figure out what's going on it would be cool to see the 100% finished product.
Imagine one big light, right where the moon is placed.... Man....
Hell it might even be good enough to be .. added to the game

Don't know what they're stance on that is right now ever since the Sniper Tits incident, but that Eliza win pose was added I guess.

Regardless, fantastic work. Looks really nice.
 
This is super cool, great work Flotilla. I probably don't have the patience or the know-how to do something like this, but it's definitely piqued my interest.
 
You need to use StageEdit for that, which is very unreliable and buggy. I tried just now, and it wouldn't even load Maplecrest. When @0xFAIL releases a new version of SkullMod that alleviates these issues, I'll happily update Slumbercrest's character lighting.
Er. ALL the lighting is specified in the .lvl file, which is plaintext. You don't need no fancy-dancy tool for none 'o dat.
 
Er. ALL the lighting is specified in the .lvl file, which is plaintext. You don't need no fancy-dancy tool for none 'o dat.

Wow, I have all sorts of egg on my face. I'll be fixing this up now, thanks a million.

EDIT: Thanks to Mike, character lighting is now a thing!

BEFORE:
FC155006470B71FF4F963213E9A0C3158DE1F251


AFTER:
93FB635FE68BCA14E18FDD29C0B938B33053F51E


Additional pic just for good measure:
0D22CDBD228A20FD570EC37E2448293879695106

I'll be adding the appropriate files into the link in OP.

EDIT2: Made the character lighting a little brighter so they don't blend with the scenery as much.
 
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If I were to make one suggestion it would be to remove the reflection on the ice cream truck's windows by just making it a solid color or something. The light is coming from behind the truck so the reflection might not make sense maybe? I'm pretty much the opposite of what an artist is so its likely I'm wrong.

But yeah super cool well executed. Hopefully this does what I want to happen and eventually get people modding.
 
After looking more closely, I agreed with you and further darkened every part of the stage but the skybox. It ended up looking a LOT nicer, IMO. The characters are a tad bright now, but let's see if SkullMod's stage editor can't fix that...
Oh cool! Looks like the tools really do give you a lot of flexibility. Props to you and Fizz for really showing this stuff off!

I like where your darker version is headed, it feels more natural, but I agree with others that the lighter version still looks more balanced for now. The darker version could use more nuanced lighting to really flesh it out, like rim-lights and stuff, but obviously that'd require a lot of extra work. You'd probably have to paint a lot of that into the textures too.

If you're still willing to experiment some more, maybe you could try mixing some of your lighting cues from both versions? See if you can leave the FG area like v1, but keep the street and far BG areas dimmer like in v2. I think that might turn out pretty good.

Don't wear yourself out with our ideas though, because you've done a great job already. Thanks for sharing!
 
So who do I glare at to get this in the game?

Yeah, I know what the chances of that happening are, but I wanted to share the sentiment. There are some things that could do with some tweaking (Most of which were mentioned before I could get here), but on the whole, I'd say this looks nice and is fairly professionally done. You could fool me into thinking this was in the game.
 
Loving it.

So I guess the ice cream truck guy actually lives at that house then?
 
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This is bleeping awesome(still not my train stage but im not complaing) the snow effect would be awesome and could work if you follow a color scheme similar to the BlizzardBuffalo stage good work though i may have to dabble in this looks like im getting pc skullgirls
 
Loving it.

So I guess the ice cream truck guy actually lives at that house then?

I actually tried to replace the ice cream truck with the van from Under the Bridge with the Matt Foley NPC hiding in the background, but since they didn't line up perfectly it would have looked really awkward whenever the stage shook.
 
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I actually tried to replace the ice cream truck with the van from Under the Bridge with the Matt Foley NPC hiding in the background, but since they didn't line up perfectly it would have looked really awkward whenever the stage shook.

It makes me SO happy to know that you had the attention to detail to notice and attempt to deal with this. The truck isn't even a big deal to me, I just find it kinda funny.
 
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I imagine the theme song to Slumbercrest (or the graveyard) to be very ominous, but upbeat at the same time.

Only comparison example I can think of:
 
So, when's this hitting retail? =P
 
......does it overwrite any of the levels or makes it own level?

It currently overwrites Maplecrest. I don't think it's possible to set up new stages without editing protected files.
 
It currently overwrites Maplecrest. I don't think it's possible to set up new stages without editing protected files.
If you do, Mike Z will call the secret police to get ya
 
It currently overwrites Maplecrest. I don't think it's possible to set up new stages without editing protected files.
It's not possible. Sadly the list of stages is contained in dev.gfs, which is protected.
If you do, Mike Z will call the secret police to get ya
More like the game will just crash as soon as you try to run it.