Pixelation

Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: Baenor on November 26, 2016, 12:00:28 pm

Title: [C+C] Trying to improve!
Post by: Baenor on November 26, 2016, 12:00:28 pm
Hello,
My name is Fabio  ;D.
I define myself an hobbyist game developer. I like games and I try to make them with Unity and C#.
However I've never completed anything. You have to know that, unfortunately, I'm a very impatient guy.
So everytime I had an idea about somehting, I've always rushed it, without taking in consideration the fact that MAYBE I needed a plan or a better understanding of the matter. Because of this, I've failed so many times. So many times I started something, completing it at 40-50% but then abandoning it because I was starting to think to another idea that maybe was better... Or i started to think that game developing was just not my thing.

So many games are incompleted in my PC....
So many people started to work with me but after we ended with nothing.
I've also lost many good partners because of this.
And that's all my fault.

And I've very realized it some weeks ago. Before I was just making excuses.

For this reason, I'm trying to change a bit the approach. I tried to listen to what my mind really needs. I've change my working setup and desktop and now , from some weeks I'm really trying to prepare myself for something that I need to face ALONE. I will make a game and everything of it will be made by it. Maybe I will not have success, maybe I will fail again...but right now I need to try to do it, with the passion that I've always had and have

Sorry for being long but I really needed to tell these things to someone.

But know let's go back to the thread. This will be a kind of diary of mine, I will try to post almost everyday new art. My objective is to improve every day and getting feedbacks by all you veterans that attend this forum.
 :)



PRE DIARY: Or what I've done till now.

I've purchased a course on Udemy and i started to follow it along. That's what I've made so far during that course:

A Character:
(https://s22.postimg.org/k9aiz6pmp/First_Character.png)
An Animated Coin:
(https://s22.postimg.org/oh5b7xr29/Coin_Animation.gif)
A tree:
(https://s22.postimg.org/ytrlu0kld/Shape_Tree_Black.png)
Little Drawing:
(https://s11.postimg.org/mtx4lgd6b/First_PIXEL_Image.png)
Swordman animation: very very proud of it
(https://s22.postimg.org/oq4yczsmp/Swordman.gif)

26/11:

I wanted to make and animate a little monster. That's what I have created
(https://s14.postimg.org/xpq11ewe9/Sprite_0001.png)

Then I've starting animating it and I have created 2 frame Idle and a 4 frame walk/run:
(https://s18.postimg.org/74gh4lnx5/Monster_GIF_feedbacks.gif)

What do you think?
I know that i have some problems with animation and drawing. For this reason I thought that maybe is a better idea to stick with 16x16 pixels frames.

Thank you!
Title: Re: [C+C] Trying to improve!
Post by: TEETH on November 26, 2016, 03:40:46 pm
The only way to get better is by practice. It will be exciting to see how you improve  :y:
Title: Re: [C+C] Trying to improve!
Post by: Fieldren on November 26, 2016, 04:14:32 pm
Hi!

I'm feeling the same way as you,and let me tell you that coming to this place seeking help and critique is one of the best choices that i've made. Over the course of this last month i've learned so much from people that knows a lot more than me, and at first ,improving your art through completely unknown people gives you a huge boost of inspiration and ideas.

You are going to meet great artists like runensucher and mysterymeat here, and i'm sure that your project will have a huge progress through the feedback that you can gather here.

And speaking about your inconsistency about your projects, i think that you just have to think about them as a part of a whole new level of game design, learn from your mistakes. You can have something good out of something bad, you know? Anyway, we are here to help you, and hope the same from you.

Keep it up, my gringo!
Title: Re: [C+C] Trying to improve!
Post by: Baenor on November 27, 2016, 08:56:47 am
Thank you guys for your messages.
Today is time for Day 2 of my adventure. I started to make the main character of the game i would like to see in my game. The first frame is idle and the other images are a walk cycle I was trying to make:

(https://s14.postimg.org/518od8aht/Mustache_Man_anim1.png)
(https://s14.postimg.org/5fa0ctuld/Mustache_Man_anim2.png)
(https://s14.postimg.org/umkwd2xpd/Mustache_Man_anim3.png)
(https://s14.postimg.org/jbi8opqu9/Mustache_Man_anim4.png)
(https://s14.postimg.org/bk1iq5mox/Mustache_Man_anim5.png)

So here are the questions:


Thank you guys!

EDIT:
While i wait for your suggestions i have made another image.. A pug! What do you think? Any suggestions?

(https://s22.postimg.org/kapuad2wx/Pug.png)

Edit of the edit:
I've made other 2 versions of the character. I'm trying to find my "style". I would like to give him a sort of "strong" look. He must looks strong...don't know how to do that >D

(https://s13.postimg.org/o99qdh3iv/mustache_Manbig1.png)
(https://s13.postimg.org/mvi3i649j/mustacheman_Pewds.png)

Edit of the edit of the edit:
I've made a DeviantArt profile to store all my pixels images!
http://baenor91.deviantart.com/ (http://baenor91.deviantart.com/)
Title: Re: [C+C] Trying to improve!
Post by: zoekmath on November 27, 2016, 01:26:18 pm
They look nice! Though the black outlines on the characters maybe are too dark, and on some parts they aren't cleaned.
Also, you must be patient to get better at pixel art, just practice and you will get much better!
Title: Re: [C+C] Trying to improve!
Post by: Sovryn on November 28, 2016, 08:14:21 am
As far as going into projects and not completing them - maybe the project itself was unrealistic/too ambitious. There's a number of factors that could have probably accounted for your multitude of incomplete works such as the scope (how big your project was considering every detail that'd need to be worked), the skill levels and capabilities of members involved, patience and perseverance (as you mentioned wanting to improve) and also just basically how long you've wanted to work on the project/how long of a timespan you set to complete the project (which ties again back into the scope).

Regarding the walking animation ~
There's a number of tutorials and videos that can help with that. Personally when I animate, I (usually) act out the animation. I try to feel out what my body is doing and where the main points of animation actually matter (visually) in my motions. I also work on applying dramatized frames (which are created through principles of animation) to make the piece more appealing.

As for the pug ~
It's extremely charming. I like the pug a lot lol. I would take off the red line running down from his collar. I'm not sure if that's supposed to be the leash, but it looks like he was cut and that's blood. The smaller the sprites, the less you want to add. At that size, it's moreso about using a single pixel to really demonstrate the idea of the detail rather than the detail itself (ex: the 3 pixel tongue you have rather than anything bigger than that really). It would've been best to leave the collar at that, but you're already applying that idealogy though (as shown in your previous works in the posts) - which is great!

With your characters in your newly experimented styles - I like the first. It definitely gives a more macho look with the emphasis you created on his pecs/chest, smaller head and such. The proportions better convey the 'strong' look you're striving for compared to the latter. Granted, the latter isn't bad either. You're still trying to find your style and there's always much to learn and gain in doing so.

Note: I use hyphens a lot. I know it's not grammatically correct but it's to add a sorta brief pause for emphasis. I try to be personable and creative when I write posts. I'm new to forum environments  :P

Anywho ~ super great that you're trying to improve! It's extremely admirable that you're able to realize and come to terms with the faults in your past and use opening up to the forums as a remedy to better your work ethic. I do bid you luck and wellness on your journey of refinement  ;)
Title: Re: [C+C] Trying to improve!
Post by: Baenor on November 28, 2016, 10:45:37 am
As far as going into projects and not completing them - maybe the project itself was unrealistic/too ambitious. There's a number of factors that could have probably accounted for your multitude of incomplete works such as the scope (how big your project was considering every detail that'd need to be worked), the skill levels and capabilities of members involved, patience and perseverance (as you mentioned wanting to improve) and also just basically how long you've wanted to work on the project/how long of a timespan you set to complete the project (which ties again back into the scope).

Regarding the walking animation ~
There's a number of tutorials and videos that can help with that. Personally when I animate, I (usually) act out the animation. I try to feel out what my body is doing and where the main points of animation actually matter (visually) in my motions. I also work on applying dramatized frames (which are created through principles of animation) to make the piece more appealing.

As for the pug ~
It's extremely charming. I like the pug a lot lol. I would take off the red line running down from his collar. I'm not sure if that's supposed to be the leash, but it looks like he was cut and that's blood. The smaller the sprites, the less you want to add. At that size, it's moreso about using a single pixel to really demonstrate the idea of the detail rather than the detail itself (ex: the 3 pixel tongue you have rather than anything bigger than that really). It would've been best to leave the collar at that, but you're already applying that idealogy though (as shown in your previous works in the posts) - which is great!

With your characters in your newly experimented styles - I like the first. It definitely gives a more macho look with the emphasis you created on his pecs/chest, smaller head and such. The proportions better convey the 'strong' look you're striving for compared to the latter. Granted, the latter isn't bad either. You're still trying to find your style and there's always much to learn and gain in doing so.

Note: I use hyphens a lot. I know it's not grammatically correct but it's to add a sorta brief pause for emphasis. I try to be personable and creative when I write posts. I'm new to forum environments  :P

Anywho ~ super great that you're trying to improve! It's extremely admirable that you're able to realize and come to terms with the faults in your past and use opening up to the forums as a remedy to better your work ethic. I do bid you luck and wellness on your journey of refinement  ;)

thank you a lot for your message!

Actually I've made other styles :

(https://s14.postimg.org/ado71fahd/Mustache_Man_Final_Gif.gif)

I think i will go with this however...is MOREE simple since it is only 16x16
(https://s13.postimg.org/6pfgb3prr/Mustache_Man_Final_GIF_Pixelation.gif)
(https://s13.postimg.org/ye6owd25z/Pixelation_AMAHP_characters.png)

What do you think also of the animations?

Title: Re: [C+C] Trying to improve!
Post by: Seiseki on November 28, 2016, 01:50:49 pm
No matter what you're working on, you'll always have new ideas which seem more interesting, it's usually a case of the grass looking greener on the other side.

When you start working on a new project you're in the "Honeymoon" state, everything is super fun and awesome, everything is going to be great. But after a while you'll start having doubts, you'll lose interest. Maybe you'll keep finding faults with your original idea and you'll keep changing the concept. Or maybe you'll start adding more and more things, until there's no end in sight.

Be aware of these pitfalls and find ways to deal with it, just don't give up.
Title: Re: [C+C] Trying to improve!
Post by: Baenor on November 28, 2016, 01:56:16 pm
No matter what you're working on, you'll always have new ideas which seem more interesting, it's usually a case of the grass looking greener on the other side.

When you start working on a new project you're in the "Honeymoon" state, everything is super fun and awesome, everything is going to be great. But after a while you'll start having doubts, you'll lose interest. Maybe you'll keep finding faults with your original idea and you'll keep changing the concept. Or maybe you'll start adding more and more things, until there's no end in sight.

Be aware of these pitfalls and find ways to deal with it, just don't give up.

That's exactly what I've felt in all these years. The worst thing however, was that I put in the same waterfall other people...unfortunately I can be very charming...
However I've decided to change and to overcome this problem all alone. Maybe I can deal better with this "demon".

Thank you for your comment :)

I will also post a recap of all the styles of the character:

(https://s12.postimg.org/bowwt9ee5/Mustache_Man_Styles.png)
Title: Re: [C+C] Trying to improve!
Post by: ChillTaco on November 28, 2016, 03:45:13 pm
You could take advice from someone who rides the same boat, I used to fail projects monthly. Luckly, its usally with friends so we kinda just let eachother down and move on but....

Im currently working on a solution. The solution is... STRUCTURE> dun dun dun. Also time, I considered that I may have spent to much time on a project and the team was to small. Unless the project is my life legacy I dont want to spend to much time (years) with it. I think as long as the concept gets through and the designs are understood I dont need to make the fancy pro lvl sprites.

Anyway. Concept, Structure, and other basic crap should work fine... probably.

Your on your own huh? Thats going to be dificult, Its dificult for me anyway. Because what usally kept me goining was the team. So Ive been using this site as a replacement. The price I pay though is that EVERA ONE here knows what Im making. So I guess the game isnt going to be much of a surprise. OH well, Que sera sera.
Title: Re: [C+C] Trying to improve!
Post by: Baenor on November 29, 2016, 07:53:09 pm
You could take advice from someone who rides the same boat, I used to fail projects monthly. Luckly, its usally with friends so we kinda just let eachother down and move on but....

Im currently working on a solution. The solution is... STRUCTURE> dun dun dun. Also time, I considered that I may have spent to much time on a project and the team was to small. Unless the project is my life legacy I dont want to spend to much time (years) with it. I think as long as the concept gets through and the designs are understood I dont need to make the fancy pro lvl sprites.

Anyway. Concept, Structure, and other basic crap should work fine... probably.

Your on your own huh? Thats going to be dificult, Its dificult for me anyway. Because what usally kept me goining was the team. So Ive been using this site as a replacement. The price I pay though is that EVERA ONE here knows what Im making. So I guess the game isnt going to be much of a surprise. OH well, Que sera sera.

Thank you!  I think that for me the one man army works good. Because i can work at my own pace.
Also I think I'm making good progresses. I've also animated my pug. Now i'm trying to make some tiles. Here is a simple mockup i've made....any suggestion on how to put the green light reflection (coming from the eye) on the characters?

Thank you

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CydHD-DXAAAFIUo.jpg)