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Messages - FaeryShivers
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1
General Discussion / Re: Swatchy : Palette Swapping Program
« on: February 09, 2013, 07:18:48 am »
It's an early version of the program, yes all it does is swap out palettes right now, but you can save and load palettes. I found it useful compared to some of the palette editing in certain image programs. It's good when I have a lot of armors and need to swap out colours to make different variations for online RPGs I do.

A list of features I've recommended for future releases include:

-Being able to select "sections" of the palette and isolate them to swap out with other palettes (for complicated objects)
-With the isolating, being able to load a palette into that exact isolation instead of it applying to the whole image.
-Batch palette swapping
-Greyscale + overlay map



Paint Shop Pro 9 had an excellent way for saving and loading palettes onto an image, but newer updates to video drivers and OS made it basically unusable for me.
Swatchy was basically made to replicate that for me, since I don't like the way other programs do it. 

Just figured some others might be interested, if not oh wells :)






2
General Discussion / Swatchy : Palette Swapping Program
« on: February 08, 2013, 06:36:28 am »


I haven't posted in a long time as I've been extremely busy with projects and it's usually stuff I'm not allowed to post details of :|

Anyway, I got together with a friend of mine and helped make a program called "Swatchy" that I thought might be of interest to some of my old friends here (if anyone is still around!)


http://www.swatchy.net

It's a "pay what you want" App (2$ min) , totally worth it. He built it specifically to help with a problem I was having, but it is applicable to all sprite work obviously so I figured it would
be good for him to share/sell it :)

Also, for my old friends you can catch me on twitter now:

http://www.twitter.com/GMShivers

3
I started using an Evoluent Mouse 6 years ago, and I haven't gone back to a regular mouse since. Pretty much eliminated CT problems.

4
Pixel Art / Re: FIRST UPDATE need help colouring the terrain
« on: October 17, 2008, 04:51:57 pm »
My example was very quick and probably won't do well to serve as the basis for your terrain, I just wanted to show you
a different approach to terrain :)

5
Pixel Art / Re: FIRST UPDATE need help colouring the terrain
« on: October 17, 2008, 03:11:07 pm »
As Kaz said, painting is usually the way to go..I probably should have described it that way, my apologies. Anyway here is a quick
example...I didn't get into too many details or fine tuning, I just wanted to show you the very basics of how I usually start terrain.
After this point it is a lot of fine tuning. I think the main concept is to get the ideas, shapes, and shading down and then fine tune
the lines and details for that sharp look. Not everyone, but a lot of us that focus too much on the lines first end up having
our terrain look very unnatural.




Please pardon my disregard for all that is holy and sacred in art, had to do this in a rush. :lol:




6
Pixel Art / Re: need help colouring the terrain
« on: October 16, 2008, 08:58:21 pm »
Im not sure if there's a specific tutorial for that style, however I will say since you already have a "sketch"
of the terrain..why not try to rough our the details and shapes rather than retrace the line art first?
I find it an easy way to make things look more natural. It is a method used by the Disgaea team as well
as myself. If you need me to clarify just let me know.

I can show you a picture of what I mean if you like also. :)

7
Pixel Art / Re: [WIP]Dragon !
« on: October 16, 2008, 08:51:09 pm »
The inside of his mouth seems a little too static and flat compared to the rest.
I would make his jaw move or add some shadows that move as he does
inside his mouth.

Neat style!

8
Pixel Art / Re: Sprite base and grass tile
« on: October 16, 2008, 08:49:55 pm »
Arms still seem a bit short when moving, but the still frame on the side is better.
Also, I think the water needs something (I believe caustics is the word I'm looking for) to add more depth, either some
darker "splotches" to create depth or some light/white highlights to simulate reflection...or both.  :D

Also remember to add some tiles that give variation to the depth and "indent" of the lake edges
so that it does not look so man made.

9
Pixel Art / Re: Sprite base and grass tile
« on: October 14, 2008, 09:09:55 pm »
The major issue I see at this point is the walk s going to be very stiff. There is little to no bend in the legs, the
arms are a bit too short (mostly on the side view),  and you might have a hard time making the walk look fluid
with a sprite of that size and form with only 3 frames. I  personally only go less than 4 frames if the sprite is very small

I do like the grass, but it seems like you'd get the evil grid very quickly with it in large spaces.
Looking forward to further edits from you  :)

10
General Discussion / Re: Goblins Of The Game Industry
« on: July 12, 2008, 04:44:17 am »

Gaining assertive control over your teammates is the largest killer of creativity I know.  I'll tell you right now I'm going to program the way I want because I know how I program best.  To think some project leader could know better than me is just part of the idiotic dogma preached by corporate America.

Why exactly are you automatically more qualified than the project leader?
You are assuming this. The project leader could have 10-15 years programming experience on you, you have no idea.
Also, just because you can program does not mean that you know whats best for the development of the game
over someone who has limited programming experience but plenty of games under their belt.

"Some" project leader could be Richard Garriott and you know what he more than likely would say to people who decide
right off the bat that they know best how things should be programmed and in what order? ...Goodbye!
That would make you an unreasonable person to work with.

In fact I do believe that for Tabula Rasa he required extensive planning and set out how the code was to be
done through various meetings before anyone was even allowed to start programming. There was no "oh just
everyone do what you think is best..you're the programmer!". They got together with their team, made up a
plan, and made sure it was stuck to. They took input from the programming team of course for the planning,but
ultimately, the final decision was his to make. No one was permitted to just "change" the order of things because
they didn't feel like working on what they were assigned to do.

If you're working on a game and you decide that making hello kitty a nail salon is more important
than adding something so that hello kitty Island adventure can be run for more than 10 minutes without crashing
it doesn't take a genius to figure out you're not right for the project (you may say "ha" I would never do that..but
there are programmers and artists who would do such things and indeed do so). The project leader is designated as such
because the team, or company believes they are competent in making those decisions with or without input.
If you did not agree, you would not be working on the project I assume. You either can trust your team members
or you can't, having your back up all the time because you believe that corporate America is putting people
less intelligent than you in charge to "bring you down" isn't going to be good for anyone.





A good "project leader" will provide rational arguments for all the things he wants done.  The team members will see these rational arguments and come to the same conclusion as the leader.  Any other system will hurt people individualities, egos and the quality of the game.

If the project leader is a good project leader, you would have received a design document before the project was started, and
if you didn't agree to it you wouldn't have worked on the project. I see no reason why the project leader should have
to waste tons of time that could be spent developing because "programmer knows best" when "programmer agreed
to project". Yes compromises must be made, agreements must be reached but I don't believe it is right or fair
for the person put in charge to have to argue for every little thing. It seems a little counter productive.



I have worked on plenty of projects where I had no control over the game, just did what I was asked and
my creativity was in no way stifled. Creativity is not always going to be  a sandbox someone throws you into and says "do what
thou wilt". Sometimes being creative means working within given boundaries, and still wowing the client or teammate.



All this being said, I only work with sane and rational people.  Because of this I do not need to teach rationality to my team.  Maybe your advice applies correctly if you are working with irrational people.

The title of this thread/article is "Goblins of the game industry". I would say that dealing with irrational people (or how to avoid problems from irrational people) is one of the major points of the article? If not the point entirely?
It easy to say you only work with sane and rational people, but people change under stress, people buckle, people break.
Assuming that everyone you work with will always be awesome and co-operative is a nice fantasy...but it is just that..fantasy.


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