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So we're on a layout design bonanza here in the site building staff of Zootopia Source, and we've already begun designing one for Sahara Square, one of the environments/sectors of the city of Zootopia. The overall idea here is to provide Zootopia/Zootropolis fans with as many enjoyable options for layouts as possible, which might reflect what neighborhood of the city they'd like to live in if they could.


Now this could easily get out of hand, because of the long list of different environments seen on maps of the city and its surrounding region (whether the final version or older ones perceived of in concept art), but we want to assure you that it won't. Sahara Square and Bunnyburrow will be two definite choices. Which will bring the selections up to five. And it was suggested by another AS staffer that Bunnyburrow might make an interesting layout choice for the Easter holiday and the arrival of spring generally, as a temporary default layout during that time of year. Just as Tundratown could temporarily for the Christmas holiday and the arrival of winter.


With that in mind, as hinted at in the comments of the initial fan news posted after the source opened, we've also been tossing around the idea of designing and adding a layout for the Nocturnal District. Why? Not only for the Halloween holiday, as a temporary default layout, but also as another general layout option. Because it's become clear that, in our initial source poll, the Nocturnal District has been running almost neck-and-neck with Outback Island (another Zootopia setting), which might also eventually gain a layout (MAYBE) if people want it enough. But I was surprised by the amount of interest in the Noctural District. (I think, however, that if we did Outback Island, it might be THE very last layout. lol It's a lot of work that Mighty has to do in order to create these things, as any other graphics site builder on AS knows.)


So we've come up with some interesting ideas based around what little of an official nature is out there regarding how the district has been described (as a cave/underground environment of perpetual night). I've come up with some great underground environments in the real world which we're looking to incorporate into the layout design, along with other features. The end result will be epic, to be sure! (I've attached a file, a photograph of a cave with bioluminescent worms hanging from the cave ceiling. These are real. They are known for creating the appearance of starscapes on the roofs of caverns. This concept will be used for at least some of the layout).


Thus the poll above. We need and want your opinions. We probably will create it anyway, but we do want to know whether or not you would want to see such a layout option available to you on Zootopia Source. Do you think it would be worth the effort? Would you consider using it from time to time (or regularly) as a layout selection?

I was sad when Sahara Square wasn't an option, at least until I read your statement. ZS is certainly very blue right now, which reminds me a lot of BaltoSource, to the point where I sometimes flee back to TheLionKingSource to refresh my eyes.

In my opinion, I think adding more layouts of the different environments could fix that. I believe warm colors from Sahara Square, or the other places, from Zootopia, could/would/should fix that. ^^

lol Well you always have the Rainforest District layout if dark green would work better for you.

However, Mighty and I are already conferring about the Sahara Square layout, and you should have that option available to you by early May at the latest. Perhaps sooner. And that'll give you a nice change of pace...a little brown/tan and perhaps orange/red/yellow to take you to the other end of the color spectrum.

Bunnyburrow, as you might imagine, will probably have a certain amount of pastels in it. Very springy and Eastery. And be reflective of that setting from the movie. lol But that's not really much on the red end of the spectrum...

Never fear, we're on the case!

I've always enjoyed warm colors, they just shout "natural" to me. Oddly enough, green doesn't do it for me unless I'm able to manipulate it to my liking, to a lime green or something along those lines. I do enjoy pastel colors as well, though. Other than that, I can't wait to use the Sahara Square layout!

The Nocturnal District layout, as you might imagine, will be DARK. But with blue and green bioluminescence in it (or images picturing it, as in the attachment in my earlier post). We want to create the cave environment, with the concept of perpetual darkness. So it will be at least as dark in shade as the Rainforest District, with some highlights that stand in either stark contrast (like the bioluminescence thing) or subtle contrast, as in refracted light off of cave walls. I hope. We'll see. That's gonna take some work to design it well.

Finding warm colors in Zootopia doesn't seem as easy as it sounds. Most of the movie in casted in shadows, any scenes with sunlight are very brief. Hopefully the themes will turn out A-Okay while you're designing them. ^^

I am sure that both Sahara Square and Bunnyburrow will be sufficiently sunny. XD And, if the Aussie members have any say in the matter, I am sure we'll end up even seeing an Outback Island layout before very long.

Eegads. We're gonna be known as "Layout Source" if this goes the way I'm thinking it may.

The more the merrier! I do wish other sources had different layouts, but Zootopia is one of those movies with a lot of settings however.

Good news, Happy (et. al.)! Sahara Square is approaching completion! I think another couple of days, and we may have it. Mighty and I have been collaborating on it hardcore...I throw her some ideas, and she does all the real work. And she came up with a great color scheme which should be pleasing to your eyes and psyche.

Hang on...it's coming!

Woohoo! I can't wait to see it, I'm just wiggling with anticipation!

The more the merrier I say! 83

It would be fun two have multiple layouts for every source, but that's asking a lot I'm aware. Plus some of the sources are practically dead haha. Those don't need more layouts, but maybe for the active ones.

Sahara Square's not working for me (I don't even get why they put that scene in there, honestly)

I like Rainforest District.

Nocturnal District, I think, was excellently done (and now hasme imagining that district extending levels and levels underground beneat the rest of Zootopia like the Onu-Metru archives in Bionicle, but I digress).

Bunnyburrow is fun too; the most fun of any of them, I think. I'm torn between that one and Nocturnal District for my favorite.

This was never touched on in the movie, but is there any chance of something aquatic or waterfront-related?

As to the former, I don't believe that's even available as an option yet. Are you mistaking it for something else?

Concerning the latter, there may be something eventually, but after Bunnyburrow IS released (Mighty's working on it now), we definitely will be taking a break for a while...

That's odd. I could have sworn it was there last week. I remember Nick using Judy for an arm rest and houses set into hills, a la Hobbiton.

Mighty was working on the layout, and hadn't even come close to finishing it. However, it would appear that she had temporarily activated it in order to get a look at the progress (something some site builders will do). I suppose she wasn't expecting anyone to be on the layout selection feature at that time. So what you saw was a rough, bare-bones beginning, rather than a completed layout.