AuthorTopic: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions  (Read 52810 times)

Offline Helm

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Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

on: July 07, 2006, 07:17:28 pm
This ain't my gig but since goat has gone missing, this be the place to post your choices.

If it were up to me we'd talk about Captain Blood or something else with absurd 16 color overall palettes, or maybe Creatures for the c64 or Exile for the bbc macro, but let's again go with what the people want. So place your suggestions!

Offline ter-o

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #1 on: July 07, 2006, 08:12:22 pm
Mayhem in Monsterland (c64)
Reason: Because it looks almost like an Amiga platformer! The graphics are just incredible considering the restrictions of the platform. And it's a great game too ;D
« Last Edit: July 07, 2006, 08:16:49 pm by ter-o »
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Offline crab2selout.png

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #2 on: July 07, 2006, 08:51:09 pm
I'd like to suggest that instead of a vote, either Helm, Ptoing, Conceit, Pep, Kon, St0ven, Supergoat or another talented pixeller pick the game. The last CCs were good, but I think we'd have a much better one with an informed choice rather than mob rule. My suggestion for the CC is the first game suggested by one of these guys that is seconded[by another talented pixeller].

Offline miascugh

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #3 on: July 07, 2006, 09:52:52 pm
Earthworm Jim, both actually (well, 1&2, i don't really know if it had any further sequels), mostly, because i didn't play them very far and want some more eye-candy. From what i remember, the styles (of the respective first level, i said that i didn't get very far :)) are quite different, we could have some sort of oppostion

Offline Esker

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #4 on: July 07, 2006, 10:04:19 pm
I'd like to see Earthworth Jim aswell, I didn't play it much either but when I did I just remember loving it's animations more than anything else.

Offline Gil

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #5 on: July 07, 2006, 11:48:41 pm
Commander Keen, the last one. So much style, high saturation and crazy monsters

Offline Kren

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #6 on: July 08, 2006, 04:50:53 am
I dunno if this has done but Secret of Mana will be cool to see.
Or Earthworm Jim.

Offline sharprm

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #7 on: July 08, 2006, 04:54:54 am
Metal slug or The Immortal.
Modern artists are told that they must create something totally original-or risk being called "derivative".They've been indoctrinated with the concept that bad=good.The effect is always the same: Meaningless primitivism
http://www.artrenewal.org/articles/Philosophy/phi

Offline Conzeit

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #8 on: July 08, 2006, 05:41:45 am
Anything but tangerines.









that means EARTH WORM JIM!

plus my usual suggestions: Comix Zone, Boktai (specially 2 or 3), Yoshi's Island, Blaster Master, Batman 1, Star Ocean Blue
« Last Edit: July 08, 2006, 05:51:40 am by Conceit »

Offline .TakaM

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #9 on: July 08, 2006, 06:19:50 am
even though I think you guys have done boktai before.. I havent been able to find anything about it and would like to take part :)

or possibly yoshis island
Life without knowledge is death in disguise

Offline Conzeit

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #10 on: July 08, 2006, 07:04:27 am
go TAKAM =O.

Boktai is very very good. and the style has improved with every entry in the series, I just got Boktai3 (Shin Bokura no Taiyou: Gyakushuu no Sabata) and it imrpoves a lot on the style, the variation tiles are used in a diferent way, and they even updated the main character' sprite! Django looks a hell of a lot more like Django now.

Offline AdamTierney

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #11 on: July 08, 2006, 07:59:47 am
Boktai's brilliant, but we sorta did that one on Pixelation (I think it was the 1st or 2nd one of these). Still, maybe it warrants a retread. EW Jim would be great, for BGs and animations. I'd like to throw in "Flashback: the Quest for Identity" as another suggestion.

- Adam

Offline robotriot

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #12 on: July 08, 2006, 08:14:45 am
Ruff 'n' Tumble (Amiga), if it hasn't been done yet.
WELCOME TO BATTLE SQUADRON

Offline Helm

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #13 on: July 08, 2006, 10:00:00 am
Flashback was the first one we did (when Tsu was still around, Darion was Darion and so on) and I remember participating heavily. Before your time, Adam? As much as I'd like to talk about Flashback again, I think, tiling tricks aside (and there are many!) the pixelling in it is a bit too high-end for a lot of people to benefit from studying them. And it starts with the jungle level which has the best pixel art tiles on any platformer on any 16-bit system ever, it's such a tour de force you don't know where to start with it. The rest of the game (besides the alien world which is zany as hell again) is comparatively more tame, but still I think a couple of semesters on design and applied art are in order before someone has anything to learn from Flashback. Sure, we could (as I did, for years) ape the stylistics shallowly (oh look! layers of abstracted jungle in the background!), but for understanding why it's like it is, it takes more knowledge and most of us have.

Which is why I suggest more scaled down stuff like c64 games or early amiga. The restrictions made them be innovative, but in a way most of us can follow. Then again, just thinking about Flashback makes me all giddy inside.
« Last Edit: July 08, 2006, 10:02:18 am by Helm »

Offline miascugh

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #14 on: July 08, 2006, 10:53:41 am
Darion was Darion, haha. Ptoing actually promised me to replace my nick with something really nasty, but i suppose he'll just leave it to 'elchs'

i don't think it was before adams time, he made me register over at the first pixelation that came right after gdr, somewhere around september 02, and i do remember the flashback discussion.

anyways, does anybody actually have any backups of the earlier ones (sword of mana, boktai, flashback of course and all the others i've forgotten by now)? or the various style analyses of tanuki x in the serious critique section?

Offline Conzeit

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #15 on: July 08, 2006, 12:27:32 pm
Well helm, how about we do it whitout holding back? whoever has to look up new concepts to understand what you got to say about flashback should just look it up, but I dont think it's excusable to pass on something you have so much to say about, you studied it for years, how about you show us why you concluded you werent capable of duplicating it?

How...how about we give it a try to a freeform Comercial Critique? I think we could just...pick a topic like, I dont know tile function readability and use examples from any games necesary, that way anyone that has anything significant to say about any game can put his 2 cents
« Last Edit: July 09, 2006, 12:36:49 am by Conceit »

Offline Gil

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #16 on: July 08, 2006, 01:16:42 pm
Nice idea Conceit

Offline Silver

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #17 on: July 08, 2006, 01:47:31 pm
The Immortal has some great things So i vote for it!
god you should see the main screen and the music!!!

Offline Helm

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #18 on: July 09, 2006, 12:53:42 am
whoever has to look up new concepts to understand what you got to say about flashback should just look it up,

It's not about what I have to say being over the heads of the users, it's about Flashback being over my head, most of the time. The most pretty thing about the style of delphine's work at that time was that there was actually a style: art direction, not just good pixels or good tiles or good animation. Art direction, that translates into emotional states and aesthetic cohesion. And that's something I for one do not have the ability to critique. I can feel it, and I can try to talk about it, but I can't give any concrete ideas about any of it like I could give you about selout or dithering. Anyone who can, can be my guest.

Quote
but I dont think it's excusable to pass on something you have so much to say about, you studied it for years, how about you show us why you concluded you werent capable of duplicating it?

I've studied Flashback intensely (I call intense pixel study checking up on actual RGB values of colors against each other and per tile break-up and so on) for a week or so. I've enjoyed it for many years though, that's not the same thing. I wasn't capable of duplicating it because aping a series of stylistic choices, and actually experiencing and putting for an original aesthetic statement are by far not the same thing either.

Quote
How...how about we give it a try to a freeform Comercial Critique? I think we could just...pick a topic like, I dont know tile function readability and use examples from any games necesary, that way anyone that has anything significant to say about any game can put his 2 cents

more open-type stuff usually fails due to lack of interest by the users. If there's more votes for something of the kind I'll make the thread. So if you're in favour or this freeform Commercial Critique, say so, and also supply a general topic to be discussed therein.

Offline AdamTierney

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #19 on: July 09, 2006, 01:48:31 am
Flashback was the first one we did (when Tsu was still around, Darion was Darion and so on) and I remember participating heavily. Before your time, Adam?

Might have been. The first two I recall were Boktai and Clocktower.

- Adam

Offline Akira

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #20 on: July 09, 2006, 06:09:59 am
a Freeform CC would be interesting. Comparative analysis can provide depth that you wouldn't normally get looking at a piece on its own. I also think we should back up what we have now into the wiki.
thanks Dogmeat!

Offline Conzeit

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #21 on: July 09, 2006, 09:04:41 am
well, I defintively must have been there for the Boktai analysis thread, and I must say it musnt have been very good because I remember it.

I remember a topic where I went and said a few things about the vision of kojima and why he was doing boktai, I made an speculation over the reason some of the screens were fogged, and that was it as far as actual color and aesthetic critique went.

The rest must have been all about the 45º angle in the planometric tiles of boktai, because I lost interest fast.

I think it probably must have been the biggest thing here for the people who are into iso and stuff but I just dont care for it :p.

eitherway, this happened before boktai even was a out, and covered a little of the time when it was actually out....none of the aesthetic choices were ever adressed, so I dont even count it as a real CC.

I dont see the reason it shouldnt be re-CCed, not to mention I know atleast I and surely Adam have something to say about this game. I have a pretty good collection of savestates for the 2nd one, I have some screenshts, and I am starting a savestate collection on the third, but I think just one screenshot could lend a lot elements for us to fill up a thread simply because of the very bold design choices made in this game.

Offline Xion

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #22 on: July 09, 2006, 10:39:22 pm
How about comparing the techniques in pixel art to some techniques in traditional art and trying to see how to get the same general aesthetic from one medium to the other? Or if not, I vote Yoshi's Island.

Will a CC challenge accompany this one too?

Offline Helm

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #23 on: July 09, 2006, 10:55:44 pm
Doesn't one always?

I for one care little on how techniques translate from one artistic medium to another.

Offline AlexHW

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #24 on: July 10, 2006, 01:06:56 am
Captain Blood *
Creatures *
Exile *
Mayhem in Monsterland (c64) *
Earthworm Jim ****
Commander Keen *
Secret of Mana *
Metal slug *
The Immortal **
Comix Zone *
Boktai **
Yoshi's Island ***
Blaster Master *
Batman 1 *
Star Ocean Blue *
Flashback *
Ruff 'n' Tumble (Amiga) *
Freeform CC **

those are the current suggestions I think.. the * symbols represent votes and such.
hopefully i counted right..
seems earthworm jim is in the lead, and I remember it being mentioned in the past as well. I'd say just go with that.

Offline Sohashu

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #25 on: July 10, 2006, 01:30:52 am
Freeform
Back from hiatus, just remembered how excellent this community is at forming technique in a fledgeling artist of any kind.

Offline Rawsushi

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #26 on: July 10, 2006, 09:30:10 am
Tyrian.

Offline Conzeit

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #27 on: July 10, 2006, 01:41:13 pm
Ok, for now I think it's better we do a Game based CC. I'm fine with it being EWJ...I've expected for it some time, plus I got a couple of big big map captures and a few anims.

The freeform idea is still not ripe, so I'm gonna make a discussion topic like Helm suggested.

http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?topic=1566.msg18891#msg18891

I think this would work best if we focused on an aspect or a technique of pixeling rather than just making it a CC with no real topic, that way everyone could apport from their own experience, the topic would better develop a single idea and we still can suggest good games in which to look up examples of the technique/principle we are focusing on.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2006, 03:46:44 pm by Conceit »

Offline Helm

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #28 on: July 10, 2006, 02:18:44 pm
The Immortal is a great game, but pixel-art wise it's pretty bland (nice animation, though) so I can't vote for that. I love Tyrian but it's mostly painted (in Dpaint, but still), not pixelled if I remember. Mayhem in Monsterland would be good topic if people here appreciated the technical wizardry invovled in making it look like it does, but I don't think they do.

Earthworm Jim is a wonder of tilage, and very pretty considering it's on the mega drive. I guess I'll vote for that myself.

Offline ptoing

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #29 on: July 10, 2006, 03:54:06 pm
I am with helmo here. I would like to see Mayhem in Monsterland but many people prolly dont go that far back so they would be a bit wtf.

So i am for EWJ as well, but i would say the SNES version as that is much prettier than the Mega Drive one.
There are no ugly colours, only ugly combinations of colours.

Offline Helm

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #30 on: July 10, 2006, 04:27:42 pm
We should go with original development platform. In this case, SNES?

Offline AdamTierney

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #31 on: July 10, 2006, 09:14:26 pm
See, I was thinking Yoshi's Island because it's a beautiful game. But the pixelling is also very, very simple so it might not be ideal for discussion.



Looks pretty, but there's not much to analyze. I think we need to select games that really exhibit strong pixel technique. This on the other hand (assuming it's not all just scaled and auto color-reduced) is quite lovely.



- Adam
« Last Edit: July 10, 2006, 10:23:31 pm by AdamTierney »

Offline Darien

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #32 on: July 10, 2006, 10:20:26 pm
Tyrian.

Though I've never heard of the game, I just ran across the blog of someone who's worked on Tyrian (not sure what part exactly, I am assuming the art itself):

 http://lostgarden.com/2006/07/more-free-game-graphics.html 

Could be useful if we ever do that game and we have any design questions.

Also, for Yoshi's Island... they attempted a sketchy "coloring book" style, which I believe Kirby's Dreamland 3 also tried, but less effectively.  It might be interesting to compare the two and any other games that tried as well to see which ones were most effective.  Also we could do the same things with dark, creepy games and cartoony games or whatever...

I can't really vote since I've haven't heard of half these games before, perhaps I'll look them up, but people making arguments for any one game would do well to post screenshots.

Offline danctheduck

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #33 on: July 11, 2006, 05:03:42 am
Saw a link to my website and happened upon this thread.   

Whoa...folks are talking about Tyrian graphics.   :-)   I drew roughly 90% of those over summer vacation in 1994 on an Amiga 1200 using a program called Brilliance. I think the palette was about 215 colors and the tile size was something odd like 12 x 14 due to the wacky rendering code in the engine.   

Out of curiosity, what constitutes 'pixel art' vs. 'painted' art?  It is so wonderful seeing folks still practicing pixel art these days. 
-Danc.

Offline AlexHW

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #34 on: July 11, 2006, 05:34:40 am
Hi, Danc
welcome.
Out of curiosity, what constitutes 'pixel art' vs. 'painted' art? It is so wonderful seeing folks still practicing pixel art these days.
To be brief, It's generally agreed that pixel art engages the artist to work at a pixel level, where focus and intentions revolve around the details suggested by carefully placed pixels.
There is also digital painting on the other hand, where the precision is more broad scale, where artists commonly use tools which place details consisting of hundreds or thousands of pixels at a time. An airbrush tool would produce results considered as digital painting.

Offline danctheduck

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #35 on: July 11, 2006, 05:42:16 am
Ah...your explanation is very much appreciated. In that case, all the artwork in Tyrian was certainly pixel art.  The majority was done with a single pixel brush, though I certainly used the paint bucket. :-)  My favorite technique was to use the 'shade' mode.  I'd set up nice linear gradients in my palettes and then use the mouse to increment or decrement the colors by one notch.  Lots of control, but it also allowed me to work quite rapidly.

take care
Danc.

Offline Conzeit

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #36 on: July 11, 2006, 06:10:15 am
Wow, danctheduck. Wether or not is a leading game as the next CC candidate, I'd love to see some kind of breakdown of how you went by making Tyrian, even if it is only of a single screenshot.

Offline miascugh

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #37 on: July 11, 2006, 09:17:29 am
Oh, heh, i stumbled over (was shown) lost garden yesterday, but never knew that you were involved in tyrian. it's one of the games that got me to sketch tons of new features and powerups as a kid. nice one :)

Offline Helm

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #38 on: July 11, 2006, 02:30:16 pm
Hello Danc, nice work on tyrian, it's one of the few great-looking top-down shooters for the PC. Lots of tilesets in it, too. Much much work.

About your question, on top of what Alex said where anything using millions of colors is probably painted, we usually refer to some tools, even in indexed color paint programs like Dpaint or Brilliance, as 'dirty' tools. Dirty as in 'unclean' not as in 'bad', where the result is fast to make, but undermines the pixel-art-type of detail that we usually like to see. Using shade modes (or darken or other similar ones) is borderline (if Brilliance is anything like Dpaint and Pro Motion), really, it can get kinda dirty as a tool because lots of passes to a lot of area can be applied pretty rapidly as you said, and the attention to pixel-level detail can be weakened. Mainly though automatic AA and Smear mode brushes are the main offenders when it comes to 'dirty' pixel art. For example, a lot of the demoscene art from the Amiga days that I'm sure you're familiar with would more likely constitute as index painting than pixel art. Most of the time, it's indexed painting with a reasonable amount of repixelling on top. Some artists are more of pixellers, some more of painters. For example, Danny is a painter, Made is in-between, and Cyclone is more of a pixeller. Danny practically used Dpaint like Photoshop. A lot has to do with palette control and using every shade to it's maximum effect. If you find yourself making 16 color ramps of one hue, you're probably about to index paint :P

I was reading your blog and you seem very erudite and intelligent, not to mention passionate about your interests. Would you be interested, since you're around, to have a thorough talk about your process when it comes to pixel art, and answer the questions of the users of Pixelopolis on the subject? Kind like a Commercial Artist Q&A?
« Last Edit: July 11, 2006, 02:36:53 pm by Helm »

Offline Ryumaru

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #39 on: July 11, 2006, 02:41:47 pm
that would be too awesome. i would love to know the process of pixelers from that age, in most of my works i long for the look of amiga art.

Offline ter-o

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #40 on: July 11, 2006, 06:00:38 pm
One more:

Dodonpachi  ;D
I don't know everything, I just know everything else.
Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try. -Master Yoda

Offline Vans

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #41 on: July 12, 2006, 05:30:47 pm
secret of mana  ;)

Offline Conzeit

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #42 on: July 12, 2006, 05:55:00 pm
seems like we'll have to email the guy cause it appears he has left the board

Offline miascugh

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #43 on: July 12, 2006, 06:19:29 pm
secret of mana  ;)

which one? seiken densetsu 2? that had pretty mediocre graphics i'd say, nothing fun to tear apart really

Offline Gil

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #44 on: July 13, 2006, 07:37:00 pm
Yeah, those graphics were pretty lame actually

Offline sharprm

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #45 on: July 14, 2006, 03:25:47 am
Modern artists are told that they must create something totally original-or risk being called "derivative".They've been indoctrinated with the concept that bad=good.The effect is always the same: Meaningless primitivism
http://www.artrenewal.org/articles/Philosophy/phi

Offline Helm

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #46 on: July 14, 2006, 04:18:10 am
Those graphics have been translated to 8bit wrongly.

Offline Silver

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #47 on: July 14, 2006, 12:31:59 pm


the immortal intro screen  :)

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #48 on: July 14, 2006, 01:21:52 pm
That immortal screen does not look interesting pixelwise. Not much pixeling going on there.
There are no ugly colours, only ugly combinations of colours.

Offline Silver

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #49 on: July 14, 2006, 02:51:22 pm
I agree!
It looks like a mass done with spray! or something traced.
otherwise i like it

Offline sharprm

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #50 on: July 14, 2006, 02:59:56 pm
The Amiga version didn't have that intro screen (which I think looks no good) and had much
better music. It was also better becuase it didn't go to a seperate fight screen (the graphics
there is really bad too).

I think Immortal definately has the best animation (the manual says the
guy worked at Disney). Here's some more screenshots:

http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/immortal/screenshots/gameShotId,10723/

http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/immortal/screenshots/gameShotId,10732/

http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/immortal/screenshots/gameShotId,10728/

Edit: Looking at the first screen shot you can see that the inventory items are really well drawn.
Because the graphics and animation are so good this one should be critqued, theres alot to learn.
« Last Edit: July 14, 2006, 05:34:58 pm by sharprm »
Modern artists are told that they must create something totally original-or risk being called "derivative".They've been indoctrinated with the concept that bad=good.The effect is always the same: Meaningless primitivism
http://www.artrenewal.org/articles/Philosophy/phi

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #51 on: July 14, 2006, 03:18:03 pm
so that doesnt exactly help us be better pixelers now does it?

also, i wasnt here for the ones back at pixelation, but any game with graphics by Henk would be awesome!
« Last Edit: July 15, 2006, 03:59:57 am by Ryumaru »

Offline .TakaM

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #52 on: July 15, 2006, 09:13:05 am
just posting a few graphics from YI so it isnt a completely wasted vote XP:



« Last Edit: July 15, 2006, 09:14:36 am by .TakaM »
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Offline Overkill

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #53 on: July 16, 2006, 01:36:33 am
I would also have to vote for Yoshi's Island. It has very colorful graphics and I find it accomplishes a "more with less" style that strongly adds to the game. The fact that the graphics look simplistic doesn't necessarily mean it's an easy style to mimic. The backgrounds are interesting while not distracting from the action in the foreground and I find manage to imply a sort of mood for the levels just with the palette selection. I would be interested in this a lot more than another photo-realistic or indie game, personally.

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #54 on: July 16, 2006, 01:29:41 pm
I'll vote for Yoshi's Island too. I probably won't participate though, but that's because I don't think I have enough knowledge and skill to do so yet.

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #55 on: July 16, 2006, 04:18:44 pm
that brings up a relevant issue...

maybe this should be structured more like a signup. See, the troubled CCs are usually the ones everybody votes for but nobody has anything to say about, so if by voting you were required to write about it there wouldnt be failed CCs.

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #56 on: July 16, 2006, 06:24:12 pm
Whereas that originally seems like a good idea, what happens when somebody doesn't comment, although he's signed up? You can't punish people for that, any activity that is even remotely linked with fears of penalties usually dries up and dies just because people don't want to associate with that sort of atmosphere.


So for how long do I keep this thread running before I tally up posts and the new thread is made?

Offline AlexHW

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #57 on: July 16, 2006, 06:40:27 pm
anytime is better than never. might as well get the ball rolling if the polls show a winner.

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #58 on: July 16, 2006, 07:26:26 pm
My vote goes to Yoshi's Island :)

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #59 on: July 18, 2006, 12:21:37 am
that brings up a relevant issue...

maybe this should be structured more like a signup. See, the troubled CCs are usually the ones everybody votes for but nobody has anything to say about, so if by voting you were required to write about it there wouldnt be failed CCs.
I think it partially has to do with people voting for games they like rather than games they respect(see Secret of Mana suggest, and Cave Story). That's why I want you or one of the other knowledgeable pixellers to pick out a game this time around for the CC. Maybe it could alternate so you'd have one CC decided by a vote followed by one decided by knowledgeable pixellers. Hopefully after doing this for some time, the voted CCs would learn from the pixeller CCs what sort of games are best for critiquing.

I like the suggestions so far, a lot of good games suggested. If we do go for YI, I finished playing it and have about 100 screens of it to browse for referencing. Definitely some interesting art and tiling in it. I like the evergreens in that one picture. It looks like they flipped the tiles and used a different colour index to show the shadow side. It's pulled off quite nicely.

Offline GOODNIGHTdestroyer

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #60 on: July 19, 2006, 02:09:12 pm
I'll vote for Yoshi's Island too.
And I am finally seeing that you were the one worth eating.

Offline CrumbBread

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #61 on: July 19, 2006, 02:21:39 pm
ditto

Offline Gil

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #62 on: July 19, 2006, 04:01:31 pm
Didn't occur that noone has anything to say about yoshi's island? Can anyone tell me what there is to it except for a distinct style and eye candy?

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #63 on: July 19, 2006, 04:38:59 pm
What do we need to say? The graphics are simple but way effective. It's all pixel art? This is a pixel art forum, and we would like to critique the pixel art in said game.
And I am finally seeing that you were the one worth eating.

Offline AlexHW

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #64 on: July 19, 2006, 05:16:52 pm
looking at the yoshi island screens, most of it looks like it was made with varied sized brush scribbles/strokes. The pixel technique at a small scale doesn't seem too interesting to me. I think most of the discussion of the game would be about the style.

Offline Zolthorg

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #65 on: July 19, 2006, 06:10:28 pm
From those screens i see some very complex tiling that would be interesting to decompile

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #66 on: July 19, 2006, 09:39:09 pm
I'd love to take a closer look at Warcraft 2, personally. No, I'm NOT a blizzard fanboy. Maybe.

Offline Sohashu

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #67 on: July 20, 2006, 09:18:22 am
I have something to say about YI, so I vote that.  I wont say it unless people post though.
Back from hiatus, just remembered how excellent this community is at forming technique in a fledgeling artist of any kind.

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #68 on: July 20, 2006, 01:18:34 pm
I'd love to take a closer look at Warcraft 2, personally. No, I'm NOT a blizzard fanboy. Maybe.

Warcraft is mainly cleaned up prerenders.
There are no ugly colours, only ugly combinations of colours.

Offline Zolthorg

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #69 on: July 20, 2006, 03:00:20 pm
i'm not even sure what i was thinking, i should browse this forum on a full night's sleep
« Last Edit: July 20, 2006, 07:30:38 pm by Zolthorg »

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #70 on: July 20, 2006, 06:24:58 pm
I'd love to take a closer look at Warcraft 2, personally. No, I'm NOT a blizzard fanboy. Maybe.

Warcraft is mainly cleaned up prerenders.

PHOTOSHOP!
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by your powers combined, i am captain DAYDREAM


Huh? where did that come from? That discussion's been over and done with for a long time, I suggest you don't dredge it up.

Offline Stab

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #71 on: July 21, 2006, 06:30:53 am
Mm, something inside me told me it was a stupid suggestion. Ah well, I tried.

I'd say we get yoshi's island up and over with, then.

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #72 on: August 01, 2006, 08:45:01 am
How about something like Pokemon?  I'm not sure how easy or hard it would be to find usable screencaps of the series, but I'd like to see how the more experienced pixelers here handle things like tiling and animation when faced with constraints like those found on the Game Boy.

Basically, I'd like to see a game get critiqued that has servicable pixel art, but still has some room to improve.

Offline Sohashu

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #73 on: August 01, 2006, 09:16:44 am
YI looks like its it. 
Back from hiatus, just remembered how excellent this community is at forming technique in a fledgeling artist of any kind.

Offline .TakaM

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Re: Next Commercial Critique (July) Suggestions

Reply #74 on: August 01, 2006, 11:05:16 am
How about something like Pokemon?  I'm not sure how easy or hard it would be to find usable screencaps of the series, but I'd like to see how the more experienced pixelers here handle things like tiling and animation when faced with constraints like those found on the Game Boy.

Basically, I'd like to see a game get critiqued that has servicable pixel art, but still has some room to improve.
just on the subject of pokemon.. I hate gamefreak.. theyre lazy with animation, and I guess a lot of code goes into a pokemon game.. but shit, grid based movement on the GBA? and still no diagonal movement D:
i think gamefreak got used to the idea that the gameboy shaped pokemons style and it will be a long time till they do anything radically new in any aspect of the game
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