71
General Discussion / Re: Official Off-Topic Thread
« on: November 12, 2007, 07:04:42 pm »
just out of interest... can GIMP read PSD's? or AI files?
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72
Pixel Art / Re: walk animation critique...
« on: November 12, 2007, 06:57:24 pm »
<you're welcome>
Right... nice.
Good choice to devolve the colors, makes things simpler as you say.
Ignoring the head issue for the moment... you've still got leg issues... but they're looking a lot better.
Main problem is that the feet need to move consistently across the horizontal. Currently they're 'easing in' to the lifting frame... or in other words, they're slowing down on the stride.
Do this - On each frame, place a line at the point of the toe, now reproduce that line on the next frame, then work back througout the sequence marking where the toes WAS the previous frame... you'll see that the distance reduces exactly by 2 on each subsequent frame... I feel you've done this on purpose, but you've made a mistake here. The feet SHOULD move a consistent spacing over each frame, be that, 2pixels per frame, 3 pixels per frame, 4 pixels per frame and so on...
Okay? Next up. Small issue with the wrapped part of the scarf is now static and should bob with the rest of the body.
Finally, the head turn. Yes you're right about wanting to do this. Ideally it should move a whole pixel but you can use the subalias anim technique to smooth it out. ATM you're only doing the first part of the subalias and not carrying it thorugh the full pixel shift, resulting in a kind of half hearted result... be brave and move the whole pixel. You should also consider rotating the head out as well as in. The key points to move would be the ear, eye and a slight deformation of the cheek/nose shape... you should be able to this fine... just make sure it pingpongs back and forth opposite to the swing of the arms.
Tis coming on nicely.
Right... nice.
Good choice to devolve the colors, makes things simpler as you say.
Ignoring the head issue for the moment... you've still got leg issues... but they're looking a lot better.
Main problem is that the feet need to move consistently across the horizontal. Currently they're 'easing in' to the lifting frame... or in other words, they're slowing down on the stride.
Do this - On each frame, place a line at the point of the toe, now reproduce that line on the next frame, then work back througout the sequence marking where the toes WAS the previous frame... you'll see that the distance reduces exactly by 2 on each subsequent frame... I feel you've done this on purpose, but you've made a mistake here. The feet SHOULD move a consistent spacing over each frame, be that, 2pixels per frame, 3 pixels per frame, 4 pixels per frame and so on...
Okay? Next up. Small issue with the wrapped part of the scarf is now static and should bob with the rest of the body.
Finally, the head turn. Yes you're right about wanting to do this. Ideally it should move a whole pixel but you can use the subalias anim technique to smooth it out. ATM you're only doing the first part of the subalias and not carrying it thorugh the full pixel shift, resulting in a kind of half hearted result... be brave and move the whole pixel. You should also consider rotating the head out as well as in. The key points to move would be the ear, eye and a slight deformation of the cheek/nose shape... you should be able to this fine... just make sure it pingpongs back and forth opposite to the swing of the arms.
Tis coming on nicely.
73
Pixel Art / Re: walk animation critique...
« on: November 12, 2007, 02:55:04 pm »
This is a nice attempt - interesting result with just 7 frames?
However it does have a few issue which you need to address.
The legs don't read on frame 4. The upper thigh is in line with the rear leg. It should be still pointed away. Check out Frame 7 for a perfect example of how frame 4 should read.
The trailing scarf is snapping on frame 4 - you need to tween the scarf on this frame and it'll be a bit smoother... having siad that I think you may need to completely rework the trailing tail of the scarf... (the front piece is lovely) - but I'll get back to that in a minute.
Personally speaking, you might want to simplify the amount of shades you're using in the jumper... at the moment it's fizzing away - and it will make things easier in the long run...
And finally, as others have pointed out... the head is static... you need to bob down on the contact /extension frames (4 & 7) - and rise on the crossover frames (1 & 5)
I must admit - the 7 frames is causing me a headache... only from a logistics pov... as I've pointed out, the cross over and contact frames are crucial keyframes in any walk cycle, and usually they tend to tween between each other with at least a single tween frame... in your case you have contact frames on 4 & 7 and the crossover immediatly follows those frames on 5 & 1... so no room for tweens... which may create a weird head wobble... or limping effect...
Once you've established a good vertical motion on the body and head... then you can address the secondary motion on the scarf... (and hair) - it should be obvious when you come to do it.
You seem to have a grasp of animation... but I'm not sure how you've constructed this walk (bearing in mind the 7 frames/ contact/ crossover conundrum) - but you're definatly illustrating some grasp with the sub alias animating and the secondary motion on the scarf. So I think you should be able to have a good crack at what I'm pointing out?
Good Luck.
However it does have a few issue which you need to address.
The legs don't read on frame 4. The upper thigh is in line with the rear leg. It should be still pointed away. Check out Frame 7 for a perfect example of how frame 4 should read.
The trailing scarf is snapping on frame 4 - you need to tween the scarf on this frame and it'll be a bit smoother... having siad that I think you may need to completely rework the trailing tail of the scarf... (the front piece is lovely) - but I'll get back to that in a minute.
Personally speaking, you might want to simplify the amount of shades you're using in the jumper... at the moment it's fizzing away - and it will make things easier in the long run...
And finally, as others have pointed out... the head is static... you need to bob down on the contact /extension frames (4 & 7) - and rise on the crossover frames (1 & 5)
I must admit - the 7 frames is causing me a headache... only from a logistics pov... as I've pointed out, the cross over and contact frames are crucial keyframes in any walk cycle, and usually they tend to tween between each other with at least a single tween frame... in your case you have contact frames on 4 & 7 and the crossover immediatly follows those frames on 5 & 1... so no room for tweens... which may create a weird head wobble... or limping effect...
Once you've established a good vertical motion on the body and head... then you can address the secondary motion on the scarf... (and hair) - it should be obvious when you come to do it.
You seem to have a grasp of animation... but I'm not sure how you've constructed this walk (bearing in mind the 7 frames/ contact/ crossover conundrum) - but you're definatly illustrating some grasp with the sub alias animating and the secondary motion on the scarf. So I think you should be able to have a good crack at what I'm pointing out?
Good Luck.
74
Pixel Art / Re: eggplant enforcer (missed challenge)
« on: November 12, 2007, 02:00:29 pm »
not sure if you meant to but the legs (or the arms) are off balance...
they'd make more sense flipped... so the Right (our viewpoint) Leg is out, left leg back...
AA (as mentioned) needs addressing... and I'd maybe push the eggplant color a bit more... it's looking a bit drab atm... I think it need more deep purple...
othe than that... it's an interesting idea... not sure if I'm 100% taken by it though... :S
they'd make more sense flipped... so the Right (our viewpoint) Leg is out, left leg back...
AA (as mentioned) needs addressing... and I'd maybe push the eggplant color a bit more... it's looking a bit drab atm... I think it need more deep purple...
othe than that... it's an interesting idea... not sure if I'm 100% taken by it though... :S
75
Pixel Art / Re: The Hungry Zombie... is Hungry
« on: November 11, 2007, 12:21:46 am »
if the shotgun's a bit 'pointy' then the chainsaw looks like a boxing glove stuck on a stick...
Maybe it's the red?
perhaps it would work in yellow? (then at least blood would show up more ?)
Maybe it's the red?
perhaps it would work in yellow? (then at least blood would show up more ?)
76
Pixel Art / Re: monster silhouette
« on: November 10, 2007, 06:33:28 pm »
redraw it maybe? thinking about the placement of the very arm that is looking like some kind of elephantine proboscus...
I'd also brighten up the BG a bit... and drop the brightness of that eye... (it doesn't help as it's so distracting to whole piece)
Have you drawn the creature NOT in silohette? It's a misnomer that you may think it's easier to draw things as just outlines, but in reality the brain fills in the details and if things don't sit right, then they don't sit right and you will instinctively see this...
perhaps you're worried about starting again...? probably because you've put a lot of effort into this... but in my experience - I often find that the second attempt at an idea I start to hone it... and then the third attempt works and I managed to solve all the problems by not beeing worried about going 'back to the drawing board' and starting again...
be brave... bite the bullet and go back to the drawing board.
I'd also brighten up the BG a bit... and drop the brightness of that eye... (it doesn't help as it's so distracting to whole piece)
Have you drawn the creature NOT in silohette? It's a misnomer that you may think it's easier to draw things as just outlines, but in reality the brain fills in the details and if things don't sit right, then they don't sit right and you will instinctively see this...
perhaps you're worried about starting again...? probably because you've put a lot of effort into this... but in my experience - I often find that the second attempt at an idea I start to hone it... and then the third attempt works and I managed to solve all the problems by not beeing worried about going 'back to the drawing board' and starting again...
be brave... bite the bullet and go back to the drawing board.
77
Pixel Art / Re: Splinter Cell GB de-make
« on: November 10, 2007, 06:17:52 pm »
Your sprites got 4 colors in it...
wouldn't it make more sense to do this as a topdown style view...
oh...
wait...
that was called metal gear solid wasn't it... silly me.
wouldn't it make more sense to do this as a topdown style view...
oh...
wait...
that was called metal gear solid wasn't it... silly me.
78
Pixel Art / Re: Pixel Joint Challenge: McDonald's Milkshake
« on: November 09, 2007, 08:46:33 pm »May I clear this up? The competition clearly stated "Food" Warrior. Not vegetable or fruit warrior.
Your point being that A mcdonalds milkshake can be described as such?
Regardless of what your leanings are regarding whether or not you believe MD's is food or not... I like this piece... I like the heavy line weight and the simplicity of it - it's really quite nice.
HAving said that... your choice of alias color that tweens the red and white areas isn't very nice... and you've got a stray pixel, lower left eyebrow which is shouting at me.
Are you anticipating doing legs, or a body or something? I'm just wondering what all that white space is about?
79
General Discussion / Re: Official Off-Topic Thread
« on: November 09, 2007, 08:09:50 pm »
bingo... thanks fellas... never again will I fall for that one... (a well placed practicle joke by those pesky Shoguns...)
80
Pixel Art / Re: Skull cross
« on: November 09, 2007, 08:06:11 pm »
good point...well made BB...
I know there's somethign not quite right with it still, and now I'm looking at it with fresh eyes I think I know what it is - which is kind of what you're saying.
If I'm right in thinking... it's supposed to be a play on the jolly roger... skull and crossbones - yes?
If so... wouldn't make sense to completely detach the pistols from the skull and increase the gap between the skull from (in this case) the crossed pistols? And thus help the readability more?
Maybe not... but it's worth a try?
I know there's somethign not quite right with it still, and now I'm looking at it with fresh eyes I think I know what it is - which is kind of what you're saying.
If I'm right in thinking... it's supposed to be a play on the jolly roger... skull and crossbones - yes?
If so... wouldn't make sense to completely detach the pistols from the skull and increase the gap between the skull from (in this case) the crossed pistols? And thus help the readability more?
Maybe not... but it's worth a try?