Pixelation

Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: Sherman Gill on September 14, 2007, 10:16:14 pm

Title: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: Sherman Gill on September 14, 2007, 10:16:14 pm
English, that would be Circus of the Machine.
Overly AA'd sidescrolling boss run thing!
All of these are better viewed at 2x
(http://lorne.lastchancemedia.com/Images/LosMachina/Cannon.gif)
The quintuple cannon. Side cannons (they fire the same bullets, even though they look different) shoot little orbs that break into sideway shots when they hit the ground.
Mid-cannons fire lasers.
Center cannon... dunno. Something evil, I reckon
Von Bad is the antagonist, Vick Victor is one of the two main characters (it will have co-op).
Here are some character animations (Pees view at larger than 1x):
(http://lorne.lastchancemedia.com/Images/LosMachina/Vickjump.gif) Jump! Somethings wrong with it, but I don't know what.
(http://lorne.lastchancemedia.com/Images/LosMachina/Vickrun.gif) Run! pretty simple.
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: Arachne on September 14, 2007, 10:29:57 pm
Ooh, you're off to a great start. You're right about the overly AA'd bits. Actually, what you're really doing is just adding fuzziness since you're just darkening nearby pixels without also brightening the outline. You don't need AA at that size, in my opinion, so just get rid of it altogether.

Also, the details on the dark machine parts could be more visible. The bright background is drowning them out at the moment, so brighten them. :D
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: Sherman Gill on September 14, 2007, 11:08:02 pm

(http://lorne.lastchancemedia.com/Images/LosMachina/CannonAltColor.gif)
Quick jab at increasing the machine contrast. Not sure how I feel about it... Hrm...
As for the AA: I might have fuzzied up the character a little too much, but you can really notice the absence of it when zoomed in on the machine.
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: tocky on September 15, 2007, 01:41:52 pm
Reading the title, I was hoping for more cirque, and less machine. The idea of a robot/mechanical circus is awesome, and so too are these designs, but I can't reconcile this environment with the sort of stuff you had me hoping for. Basically, it looks cool, but it's standard futurism, like you'd see from metroid or halo or everything else, not original as I hoped. Please blend circusey themes into it.
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: Arachne on September 15, 2007, 07:40:58 pm
I just noticed there's no entrance to the room. Are you going to teleport between rooms?

I played around with it a little and probably came up with something very different from what you had in mind. It doesn't seem that threatening for such a big machine. I'm sure it'll be different when you see it in motion and what the biggest cannon can do.

I thought maybe having the machine move towards you and adding destructible platforms could make it a bit more claustrophobic.

(http://www.retinaleclipse.com/shermanedit.gif)

Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: Xion on September 16, 2007, 12:10:49 am
Why the devil is the bg so light? It makes the Xion cry. :'(

Otherwise awesome.
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: Sherman Gill on September 16, 2007, 03:47:42 am
Is it actually hurting your eyes Xion? It isn't that bright on this monitor...

(http://lorne.lastchancemedia.com/Images/LosMachina/Conveyor.gif)
Still need to add some finishing touches to the first level, but I got tired of it so I started on the second (or so) level. Having a spot trouble with the environment :(. Also shown: Player 2, Vicky
The little buttony machines on the central conveyor belt switch the the direction when shot, allowing you to reach the seperate sides (though the right doesn't have the stair-case portion needed)

Also: these are made with gameplay in mind. First level was made to be simple, form as a way of easing people into the game, so no overly complex stuff :(.
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: eck on September 16, 2007, 12:37:42 pm
i think he is referring to the fact that the background is a light color, and that it might blend better with the darker characters and tiles if it was a tad darker.

... hey guys.  im back.
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: Souly on September 16, 2007, 10:33:11 pm
You have so many un-need colors on the character.
The AA is way too much, in fact I don't think you need it at all.

(http://i15.tinypic.com/6g03jb7.gif)
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: im9today on September 16, 2007, 10:33:19 pm
Reinterating Xion's point: The background is much too light. Up it to about halfway between the darkest tone and where it is now methinks.
And I don't understand why you are AA the outside edges of mobile sprites. It's baffling to me. I don't think you need it.
Arachne's idea sounds awesome by the way.

Edit: Oops, Souly posted while I was typing. Good edit. <3
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: Souly on September 17, 2007, 12:48:22 am
Was Vicky supposed to be a girl?
If so then re-edit'd

(http://i3.tinypic.com/4ucofad.gif)
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: Sherman Gill on September 18, 2007, 02:38:06 am
(http://lorne.lastchancemedia.com/Images/LosMachina/Vickyrun.gif)
(http://lorne.lastchancemedia.com/Images/LosMachina/Conveyor2.gif)
Aiyuh, both me and the programmer want the AA to stay, so, yus, !yus!.
And, uh, I think I finally got a good style for the floor here.
Tried to darken the background, atleast on this level. Not sure if I succeeded.


Maybe, since they're not supposed to be viewed at 1x, would be wiser to post them at 2x? I dunno.
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: robotacon on September 18, 2007, 06:28:56 am
The Good:
Great name for the game. Don't underestimate a great name.
Great concept too. It almost feels like a boss fight game but with more of a danger room feel to it.
I also like the dark walls and the bright background. The smoke and fire looks stunning.

The Bad and the Ugly:
AA is not a bad idea but currently it looks like you took the character sprites and reduced them to 50% in PS or something. I'd suggest you take a look at "AA-era" games like the ones by the Bitmap Brothers. Black outlines and AA at that scale hurts my pixel soul. If you'd just get rid of the gray pixels around the characters it would be a step in the right direction.
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: Sherman Gill on September 18, 2007, 10:56:24 pm
Fine, you win. I'm gonna have to rework the characters sometime soon (read: Not right now), I'll try to improve them. :ouch:
(http://lorne.lastchancemedia.com/Images/LosMachina/Merisarpio2.gif)
As you damage the machine, the monstrous face changes expression:
(http://lorne.lastchancemedia.com/Images/LosMachina/Merisarpioface.gif)
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: saimo on September 20, 2007, 09:51:31 pm
Aiyuh, both me and the programmer want the AA to stay, so, yus, !yus!.
I'm Mr Nobody, but I want that as well ;)

saimo
Title: Re: Cirque de la Machine
Post by: Sherman Gill on October 12, 2007, 01:55:59 am
Erf, gots a new tablet and I'm getting back into the making of this.
All I got to show, for now, is explosions:
Gunfire
(http://lorne.lastchancemedia.com/Images/LosMachina/Explod2.gif)
Bullet colliding with something
(http://lorne.lastchancemedia.com/Images/LosMachina/Explod.gif)

Hmm... Really difficult to see one of the shades of smoke...