Pixelation

Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: Pawige on December 19, 2009, 11:28:50 pm

Title: Astronaughty!
Post by: Pawige on December 19, 2009, 11:28:50 pm
Well, in between working my butt off for work, and working my other butt off on my secret Santa project (I promise it's almost done!), I've been playing with this little project, trying to teach myself Promotion. My tile-set making skills are weak, to say the least, but I really like Promotion's tools in that area. I am not at all fond of how it works with animations. I am way too used to Graphicsgale's constantly playing preview window, and having to interrupt myself to watch the animation doesn't jive with the way I'm used to working.

(http://www.gerla.us/paul/pxlrt/OTBoardingBG.gif)
(http://www.gerla.us/paul/pxlrt/OTAstroWalk.gif)

Sorry about the lack of transparency behind the astronaut, I just now realized how bad he looks on a light background. I think I'll just give him an outline to protect against that, but don't have time at the moment.

Anyways, I am hoping for some harsh C&C, I want the tiles to be a lot better than they are, it's supposed to be the interior of a huge ship. The animation could also use some more work, but I'm fairly happy with it at the moment. Suggestions, anyone?
Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: bengo on December 19, 2009, 11:52:55 pm
Wow this is looking damn good, the only crit I have isn't a very big one, the alien's body looks kinda... weird, looks like his junk (I think thats his you-know?) should be moved down a little.
Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: EvilEye on December 20, 2009, 04:17:32 am
Nice walking animation. The shining effect on his helmet is a stroke of genius IMO. The only real crit I have is the shoulder is moving far too much, looks more like a bad dislocation.

The background is a bit bland in that there is just one shade to everything. I think making the boxes a different color would help. And maybe the floor and ceiling could use some other color to break up the monotony.

The alien is cool, but would be cooler with a bigger head and a much bigger gun.
Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: Pawige on December 20, 2009, 05:35:10 am
Updates! Changes! I think this is improvement, no?

(http://www.gerla.us/paul/pxlrt/OTBoardingBG2.gif)
(http://www.gerla.us/paul/pxlrt/OTAstroWalk2.gif)

My next step when I can find a couple of free minutes is to do more animations for the astronaut and some for the alien.
Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: WM on December 20, 2009, 06:11:15 am
Updates! Changes! I think this is improvement, no?

(http://www.gerla.us/paul/pxlrt/OTBoardingBG2.gif)
(http://www.gerla.us/paul/pxlrt/OTAstroWalk2.gif)

My next step when I can find a couple of free minutes is to do more animations for the astronaut and some for the alien.

Everything looks fine to me other than that alien: it took me a second look to realize that he is holding his gun with his right hand and not his left (a deformed left if that had been true). Maybe try offsetting the right arm with some darker shading on the chest and belly?

And maybe setting the legs to match up with the shoulders (rather than the body be twisted so far) would help distinguish his stance (right leg out front and left leg back). I don't know if this stance would work out though.

However, I might be the only one who had trouble interpreting that alien.
Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: Lizzrd on December 20, 2009, 09:28:15 am
TO me the tiles look a bit weird by the stairs. As in, it's a smooth transistion to black everywhere, then suddenly there's these jagged corners.
Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: rikfuzz on December 20, 2009, 10:37:11 am
(http://www.gerla.us/paul/pxlrt/OTBoardingBG.gif)
(http://www.gerla.us/paul/pxlrt/OTAstroWalk.gif)

Really love this so far!  The main character's pretty perfect.  The alien has some readability issues. His (I think) backpack's green so looks like his arm, which confuses things a fair bit. If the 'backpack' actually is his arm, it's too far back and a pretty weird pose. I'd maybe add a specular on his shoulder and a pixel or two of the darker shade just to add a little more contrast in that area to show what's in front better.

Background's good, but a bit bland. Needs an accent colour I think (pipes or something going on top maybe?)  Also, and just a matter of personal opinion, but seeing a few pixels of the z-plane would give it a little depth.  Or a little bit of shadow at the top of the far bg.  Or both!

Good luck with this!
Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: CrazyMLC on December 20, 2009, 04:13:34 pm
Updates! Changes! I think this is improvement, no?

(http://www.gerla.us/paul/pxlrt/OTBoardingBG2.gif)
(http://www.gerla.us/paul/pxlrt/OTAstroWalk2.gif)

My next step when I can find a couple of free minutes is to do more animations for the astronaut and some for the alien.
The surrounding area needs a bit more color, the tan boxes is a really nice step towards that, but I think a few more might be needed.
I'd like it if there was more wall before it faded into blackness, but that's personal opinion.
Where are the highlights on the helmet face?
The gun's highlights don't have much effect, but they move nicely with the gun.

With all the movement in the picture more (dynamic) highlights like on the helmet would be nice.


And finally...

BLUNDERBUSS!!


Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: LoTekK on December 20, 2009, 04:42:34 pm
That there is beautifully animated. My only real gripe is the way his head is seated in the helmet, as well as the fact that the eyes appear too far up.

Minor edit:
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/778345/pawige-po1.png)

Personally, I also feel like you could lose the white of the eye.
Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: CrazyMLC on December 20, 2009, 04:53:15 pm
You see the skin colored dark spot under the 'eye'?

Yeah.

He has no eyes yet.
I hope.
Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: Howard Day on December 20, 2009, 06:56:52 pm
This is really cool! When it comes to the environment, my only suggestion is to sprinkle some brighter/more saturated elements here and there. Things like flashing lights, yellow/black warning tape, that sort of thing. Looks really neat, other than that! I really like the extremely subtle reflection of the gun on the transparent helmet. Good job.
Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: Lizzrd on December 20, 2009, 07:02:57 pm
For the background, remove the lightest shade on the pillars, because it's very distracting.
Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: Photocopier on December 20, 2009, 07:48:00 pm
I think the background could do with a slight tint of either dark green or purple.
also I find the perspective on the big box visually confusing.
Title: Re: Astronaughty!
Post by: Elrinth on December 21, 2009, 08:34:43 am
Love where this is going.
The main char has a red space suit, can only take me back to Rad Gravity on the NES :)

The top roof and the background blends together damn good, perhaps too well. IE add some separator to show that that's is roof, and that's something your hero will collide with.
As everyone else says, the alien maybe needs some more detail.
Maybe the main char should have his face a bit more stuck into the helmet. I mean he doesn't have a vulture's neck, right? Maybe I'm too hung up on this :P and if you stick his face in the helmet more maybe it'll remove some character. I dunno. The face looks more okay in the still than in the animation.

Here's one space suit: http://www.ketzer.com/original_movie_props/bruce_willis_space_suit.html
here's another: http://www.luxurylaunches.com/entry_images/1108/05/space-suit.jpg
Not that any of those define how the best/coolest looking one should be. But incase you hadn't seen them. :)