GR#214 - Chicken & Scene

[5T1N9R4Y]

Hi there
So I got rather intoxicated last night and dreamt up a game about a chicken which in order to save his fellow chickens from the slaughterhouse travels back in time to ensure that birds become the dominant species in the future. It's meant to be a fire emblem style tactical rpg in which you would recruit dinosaurs and battle early mammals.
And what better way to introduce myself here than to ask for help in illustrating my drunken fever dream
This here tactical chicken would be the portrait to be shown during conversation, maybe I'll get to doing a full mockup at some point but for now, this is what I've got:


Not quite happy with the palette yet, especially the reds, always had trouble with red :S
Overall CC and suggestions are very welcome
Also, this is my first post here, so I apologize should I have commited some posting faux pas^^

[tim]

You've got some skills, this is some nice pixel art. I'd love to see this animated.
I also like the plot & the overall idea, even if RPG are really overdone in my opinion compared to some other genres.

[5T1N9R4Y]

Thank you

Hm, I might try that, though I haven't really animated anything this size before O: The last thing I did animate however was a chick so this could become its legacy xD
Perhaps some flapping of the wings could work... *goes off to watch some videos of chickens chickening about*

It's never actually going to become a game due to my easily getting bored of large projects; the closest it could get is probably the mockup, so I'd be very open to suggestions of other genres I just said rpg as that was what I thought would lend itself best to a story with a heavy focus on the protagonist's journey. ...actually now I'm thinking that it might be interesting to try and make a genre work that wouldn't be intuitive at all .. a visual novel? a flightless bird's shmup? a cow clicker even? xD So many interesting possibilities... I'll have to meditate on this some more, but I can tell this'll be fun

[edit] Ooh, could you imagine a game focusing on diplomacy where you have to make your own image pervade the culture of the past so thoroughly that in the future there's religion based on your chicken and that is what saves them? O: Or that being a choice like what bioshock did with the little sisters, that you could go either for killing your foes or... diplomifying them (yes, that is a word now)
That could be really cool O: ...and I probably shouldn't try to flesh out the mechanics too much for something that won't happen xD

[lachrymose]

Could always go for the age old platformer/metroidvania.

"Chicken has warped back in time. There was a problem with the process and the mind altering device needed to enslave the dominate race has broken up and wound up in different parts of the world, battle your way through many different levels as you seek out upgrades for yourself and your weapons, as well as to find the missing parts needed to restore your mind controlling device essential in taking over the world!"

They(platformers) can be done with relatively few tiles as well. As just one full set can act as a template for all the others.
Just some thoughts.

Love the chicken artwork!

[Probo]

looks great! nice rendering. however the foot on the left could maybe turn to face us a bit more i think, that looks uncomfortable!

[tim]

It's never actually going to become a game due to my easily getting bored of large projects; the closest it could get is probably the mockup

Too bad, there is definitely serious opportunities & money for people with skills & passion !
I'd pay for a complete game with such graphics animated.
Making things you love + making money with it, it's interesting I think =)

[5T1N9R4Y]

@lachrymose
Oh I like that There could be several headmounted guns inspired by the chickenhead steadycam (now I have an image in my mind of a sniper using a chicken to steady his rifle xD)
And I really like the concept of fixing a mindcontrolling device
Plus, less workload: yes please xD

@Probo
ah dang you're right let me just... there:

no wait..there:

that's better ^^

@tim
maybe some day I don't think I could find the time with uni being as demanding as it is. I'll definitely keep in mind that there's interest though^^

btw does anyone know the aspect ratio that the 3ds uses for its screens? I like the idea of having two screens to work with

[edit]
concept thumbnail:

I'm thinking it'd be cool having a portrait on the screen complaining instead of a health bar (kinda like how doom guy's face gets all messed up as you get hit) and having that double as a reminder if an npc told you about a secret platform or something. Also I put a music note in which can be clicked to have that dialogue read aloud (button for random chicken noises)

[Blobber]

That is an awesome chicken and an awesome idea in general. Very very cool.

One thing I'd say - when I got my chickens in real life I was quite surprised at how big their feet were in proportion to their bodies. I don't know if that helps or not, but proportion-wise your guys feet are about half the size that they would be in reality.

[Daimoth]

I would play your game. And I don't say that about many game ideas. It needs to be a thing.

If you stare at it long enough you'll find errors, but I'd be happy calling it done.

[Probo]

haha great edit. reminded me of this cider from Cornwall

[lachrymose]

I'm thinking it'd be cool having a portrait on the screen complaining instead of a health bar (kinda like how doom guy's face gets all messed up as you get hit) and having that double as a reminder if an npc told you about a secret platform or something. Also I put a music note in which can be clicked to have that dialogue read aloud (button for random chicken noises)

The closer you are to death the more your portrait looks like a nice plump rotisserie style chicken!

[YellowLime]

Very interesting idea, hope you can flesh it out
It seems like it would be a very passionate quest- to avoid such a massive massacre against your featherbrethren

I also like the plot & the overall idea, even if RPG are really overdone in my opinion compared to some other genres.

Well, SRPGs are not made often enough, in my opinion.
Although the latest side-view platforming mockup is confusing in that regard

[Fizzick]

I like the more saturated one, it looks more healthy and more like a real red chikin.

[5T1N9R4Y]

Sorry I'm only replying now, didn't have my computer for a couple days, hence also no progress to report yet (except that I can't animate wings for shit and really need to work on that)

@ Daimoth
Well, damn it, I'm gonna have to this, don't I? Allright then, as soon as schoolwork lightens up a bit I'll see what I can do

@Probo
There's something that has a crippled cock as a mascot? Amazing

@lachrymose
Oh my god. Yes. Definitely. That is awesome. The game over screen could be a plate of chicken bones

@YellowLime
Truly the world currently is a horrible place for all of chicken kind and it requires a hero of time to make a change.
The srpg thing was never set in stone so when lachrymose offered a really nice concept for having it as a metroidvania style game, I just went with that^^

@Fizzick
I don't know, I felt the palette didn't work too well together so I shifted every shadow to be slightly purple-ish and I kinda prefer it that way O:

[Daimoth]

Yes, it is imperative.

[5T1N9R4Y]

Did a bit of work again, just the start and game over screen because time ^^'

[Probo]

ah, the flux capacitor! looks good, Id love to see a full-on mockup

[Manupix]

I love that chicken

The start screen isn't very appealing overall though: it's rather empty, the title type is kinda boring and doesn't seem to refer in any way to the story or poultry or space (emptiness could be great with a strong and meaningful composition though).
The smaller type is weirdly irregular in width and weight.
There's one kerning issue with the big type: there's more space around M than other letters (I think it's better with more space).

[5T1N9R4Y]

@Probo
working on it ^^

@Manupix
I was going the contra route with the title screen, but yeah it is pretty boring, so I messed about with it again today; it now features more space, more time, and less poultry ( I think I could fit a nebulous space chicken in the back?)

I also tried balancing the small type better and pulled the large type apart a bit
Though I don't know how to have the type convey the story of a time traveling chicken or.. anything really.. how does one relate story elements via typeface?

[YellowLime]

Problem solved

[5T1N9R4Y]

Hmm...

Hmmmmm....

[Manupix]

how does one relate story elements via typeface?

Ha, most difficult question! I have near-zero experience with that so I can't say much. I'd start by getting inspiration, preferably with hand-drawn type. Here are some of my typography bookmarks: Type Theory, Friends of Type, Jessica Hische, Typography Served, Typeverything. Might be a good thing to check gaming sites too.

I can think of two ways to do it: either be literal (make some letters in the shape of feathers, barbed wire, chicken bones, forks and knives, clocks and clock hands, spacey things, you name it) or not literal (letter shapes that just aim to convey an atmosphere, don't ask me how but in the same vein as typical horror or western movie posters type).

While you're at it, maybe give more thought to the game name, too; could use a more fun, engaging twist.

And yeah, the screen does need that badass chicken =)

[5T1N9R4Y]

Goodness typography O: I literally know nothing about that; this is turning out to become quite the learning experience

In the mean time I made up some more titles, before you read though, know I once had a dog named dog - so every one of these is going to be at least cringeworthy ^^'

Anachrochicken
Paradoxical Peckings
The Chickening
nonAvian Assualt
Attack On Therapsids ( xD )
Truly Free Range
Relatively Raptors
Ancestral Aviators
Cluck Around The Clock
A Fowl Empire
Unnatural Selection
Conquest Quest
Mesozoic Flux
Mother Hen
Temporal Oppression
Martial Lawn

[edit]
more rendering and poultry

[Daimoth]

It all looks very good.

Make your font less soft. You're granted a small hint by the clock, which looks very formal.