[DISC][PLAYER] Laserer - Naming, visuals, etc

[namida]

Alright - with the Laserer confirmed to be making it into NL, and the physics more or less set in stone, it's time to start discussing the cosmetic side of things. How should the laserer look? Should the name "laserer" be kept or should we pick something else? Is the current position on the skill panel alright?

At this point, this is the "no such thing as a bad idea (within reason)" phase. Feel free to make radical suggestions - I recall seeing either in another topic or on Discord the idea that maybe it should be a waterblaster rather than a laser, sure, that's the kind of idea that can be thrown around now. Remember - what's confirmed is "we're getting a skill with more or less the exact physics the Laserer has in the latest exp build"; not "we're getting a skill with more or less the exact cosmetics the Laserer has in the latest exp build".

[namida]

(Reserved)

[Gronkling]

Copying my response to a different thread

A laser seems too futuristic compared to other skills. A fun idea I had would be to make it just be a lemming yelling really loudly, with the sound acting as the laser, though this might be hard to visualise. Something like a water cannon or hosepipe is another idea to think about as a more original lemming-y feeling laser that can be visualised more easily.

[Strato Incendus]

At this point, this is the "no such thing as a bad idea (within reason)" phase. Feel free to make radical suggestions

Well, considering the angle of the skill, and the fact that it does ideed have a range limit, I could imagine something else the lemming might pull out, and it's not too far away from the already suggested hosepipe...

All jokes aside, I actually want the skill to keep the Laser as its tool in general, in order to make it relatable to the L2 skill that inspired it. As a consequence, Laser Blaster would of course be the name I prefer, but since that doesn't seem to fit the skill bar, "Laserer" is the best approximation I can think of.

Regarding animations: Would it be possible to take the sprite vom Lemmings 2: The Tribes and simply tilt it by 45 degrees? The L2 animation looks somewhat like a thick bright pillar, with darker green spirals moving up around it.

[IchoTolot]

I am very much in favor of keeping the laser as a base. I like the futuristic touch.

I am not sure if the current blast or the L2 one would be better, but I tend to the new red laser. Even though the red beam could maybe be more polished if we find ways to improve it.

[GigaLem]

I am very much in favor of keeping the laser as a base. I like the futuristic touch.

I am not sure if the current blast or the L2 one would be better, but I tend to the new red laser. Even though the red beam could maybe be more polished if we find ways to improve it.

Honestly this.

I like the futuristic touch of this skill, and I already have ideas on how to adapt the millas to this skill, but that's besides the point.

I still need to test this skill but I've been busy with a few things, but I am liking the certainty of it joining the stable builds, I'm happy with the way it looks and such. The only thing I could suggest is a thicker laser but that's about it.

[WillLem]

+1 for keeping it as a laser, and I've always generally preferred "Laserblaster" over "Laserer" as a name, but I'm not set on it.

I quite like the beam as it is in all honesty, although I'm open to other ideas. Maybe a pulsating beam with a ripple effect might look cool, or it could even "twist" - really, the possibilities are endless for this. Making the laser beam customisable is something I'd strongly be in favour of, since then people could modify it to be a water cannon (or basically any other idea they wish), for custom sprite sets.

I had a play with the sprite a couple of weeks ago in the EXP, dressed the lem in a dark purple outfit, and made the laser cannon itself purple & silver. This is so it would be more easily identifiable on the panel (since no other skill currently has a purple motif); just messing around with the possibilities, I'm not suggesting that this be the final version by any means:



Very intrigued to hear other people's ideas!

[GigaLem]

I do have something to add after all

In terms of naming if people wanted to change the name, I rather call it the "Blaster", "Beamer" or "Zapper"

I'm fine with sticking with laserer but I want to get my extra cents for alternate names for the laser beam

[Dullstar]

GigaLem's suggestions roll off the tongue a bit better than Laserer, imo. Blaster maybe?

[namida]

Yeah - "Beamer" and "Zapper" don't quite feel right, but "Blaster" could certianly work.

[Proxima]

"Blaster" sounds like it will be some variety of bomber with a larger crater, rather than a laser.

[namida]

Posts suggest a strong preference for remaining a laser, but put up a poll just in case there's a lot of silent opposition.

[Strato Incendus]

Yeah, "Blaster" was originally a name I had used for a joke skill that turns other lemmings into Bombers whenever the Blaster lemming touches them .

I do agree that Blaster rolls off the tongue better than Laserer, although I get we want the name to imply it's a laser that's being used. Then again, the Fencer isn't called Sword Fencer either, nor was the Miner ever called Pickaxe Miner. If it's clearly visible what the tool is that the lemming uses, maybe we don't need the word "Laser" in the name, as long as the animation clearly implies it's a laser?

I actually asked my father about this, so as to get an unbiased layman opinion, and he immediately suggested "Blaster" (by himself, before I could even bring up the different options we were considering), when I said "Laser Blaster" is too long. For him, "Blaster" naturally implied that a laser would be used, it's basically an established term.

I'm using the layman example here to illustrate that the name should consequently be similarly transparent to a new NeoLemmix player . My father is not a complete layman in terms of Lemmings, though - in fact, guess what, he was the one who originally introduced me to the game in the 90s ^^. But of course, he doesn't know much about the new skills we have in NeoLemmix.

[Simon]

Beamer is very nice.

Blaster is less precise, it can denote more other things than beamer can.

If you kept Laserer, I would colloquially call it Laser. There is weak precedence for this, L2 has the skills Magic Carpet and Icarus Wings.

Maybe there is something even better than Beamer/Laser that we don't know yet. Remote Diagonal Hollow Man.

-- Simon

[WillLem]

I actually quite like Zapper, but Blaster is probably the best suggestion so far.

Also, check out what comes up as the top spot for "laser gun" synonyms here... (as also confirmed by Strato's Dad )