Pixelation

Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: un7 on August 26, 2008, 06:28:41 am

Title: Ice climber
Post by: un7 on August 26, 2008, 06:28:41 am
So I'm making this little game about Ice climbing, and came up with this character for a while:

(http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/985/alanstandyz1.gif)       (http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/9929/alanposesam9.gif)

I've been using him as a model, making all the animations so far. But his time to be changed has arrived, and I ask your help with it.
See, the game's direction was set to be a game full of tension, pacience and concentration. Not terror, just tension. The music and backgrounds are in this context, but the Ice Climber... Well, he looks like your average platformer  :-\

I'm stuck on how making him more "serious". Pallete change? Anatomy? Clothing? Any tips or edits or whatever are really, REALLY welcome.

Oh... Due to coding and time issues, I can't change his height nor width too much though.
Title: Re: Ice climber
Post by: Dokozai on August 26, 2008, 03:54:09 pm
(http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1699/iceclimbereditqi7.png)

A quick pallete change, In my opinion, you should go with colors with lower saturation.

That's about all for now.
Title: Re: Ice climber
Post by: Atnas on August 26, 2008, 05:22:34 pm
Umm less saturation=less readability, which isn't a good thing. It's better if the character pops even if he is supposed to be serious.

I did an edit which I hope makes him look a bit more like what you want.

(http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/985/alanstandyz1.gif) > (http://www.lolipopsicle.com/linky/help/un7.gif)

I assume the leg is a pixel lower because there'll be the top of the walking surface showing or something? It looks a little odd but I left it alone.

Really neat character!  :y:
Title: Re: Ice climber
Post by: crab2selout.png on August 26, 2008, 05:49:54 pm
To be honest, I kinda like the player as is. It's colourful and has good colour identity, I like the design. Looks like it would be good for animating. You could try going for coloured outlined to remove the black, but there's no secret rule that says you can't have black outlines. Your black outlines work better than most and don't stick out like them because of how you've integrated black throughout your piece.

Maybe I don't play enough platformers, but there's nothing here that says average to me.

The one thing that's niggling at the back of my mind is your belt, which looks a tad high to me. Unless that's how those jackets place belts.

Title: Re: Ice climber
Post by: un7 on August 27, 2008, 12:01:41 pm
At first, I was heading for a visually strong character, not too simple, not too detailed; vivid colors and an easy to remember design. Nice to see someone actually noticed it :)
But I'm still doubtful if this set of colors for him - that accidentally happened to be the primary colors - are the right ones for the game's atmosphere.

Still, I've tried some edits, I went mostly for Atnas' one. The nose was a nice idea, since even in the character's concept he had a pointy one, and it kinds of help to show he's not so young (and I as trying to avoid this young appearance). I still got a black outfit for him, just to see the result.

(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7869/alancolorih7.gif)

I know ice climbers (shit, Brawl's narrator keep yelling this in my mind XO) wear clothes with vivid colors for an easy fiding if they were in danger... But something still says I've got to change his colors for the game's context.
Title: Re: Ice climber
Post by: robotacon on August 27, 2008, 02:18:54 pm
I think it looks awesome and I'm super stoked to see more of this.
I think your designs are just fine. I'd like to see where you go with the animation.

Not only is IceClimber one of my favorite games, I think the character has a Tintin kind of feel to him which is super cool.
I'm tired of Grappling Hooks, I have a fever and the only cure is more Glaciers.
Title: Re: Ice climber
Post by: Lunar on August 27, 2008, 06:05:26 pm
Nice character Un.  I really love it.

I think it is pretty "serious" as it is, but if you wanted more I would suggest putting it into the animation.

I prefer the yellow shirt on your last update.

One other thing, if you put some kind of protective helmet on him it might give him a more "serious" look.  Just a thought.

-Lunar
Title: Re: Ice climber
Post by: trymion on August 28, 2008, 12:12:06 am
while i may have no say in anything -- i'm not an artist or a programmer,
just a guy who likes sprites and games (and the two seem to go so well
together)..

i think, instead of trying to change the way he looks, in an attempt to
create tension, you should rather look at his animations.. and possibly
his stance.

in the first sprite you have up, his stance might be too "straight" to create
any sort of tension.  he looks too prepared for something.. like a fight or
something where he's gonna swing his ice axe around.  while i suppose it
might be hard - as a gamer, it may look better if he had a very slight
hunch.. he's iceclimbing and should possibly be prepared for any kind of
slippage, avalanche or something.  a slight slouch with a slow breathing
animation, perhaps?

i'd suggest more, but i'm not sure whether or not i'd be looked at seriously.

edit::
and the way you describe your game.. i quite hope to see it released
some time.