AuthorTopic: GR#039 - Dark Style Sideview Game - Sprites, Tiles & Mockups  (Read 26819 times)

Offline Gromit

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Hi all,

Those of you who read my thread in General Discussion will be aware that as part of my third year project I have to put together a playable game suitable for a PSP resolution.

So here’s a few of the current mock-ups I have for it. The colour count might still be a bit high in the background elements. The light source is supposed to be a moon in the top right but it looked a bit bad so I took it out for now.
 
I know they’re a bit empty right now I had planned to have more sprites to populate it but I had no idea it would take me this long.










Characters Character

Currently there’s only one but I'll show all his animations and sprite sheet. I ended up redoing this guy about 6 times in total. The run is probably a little inconsistant from the others as it's the oldest one. All in all I really should have started the dwarf first.  :y:




Sprite sheet and tile set







I’ll post these up as well

Comments and criticism will be greatly appreciated even more so on the character. I really struggled with the back muscles on this chap, and I have a feeling overdid it. Oh and death animation is temporary until I can get a better one done. I might use the first frame for a damage animation though. Oh and yes I did use a layer dissolve for the other frames. I was actually contemplating doing a Shadow of the Beast style death for him but I couldn't actually find the original animation anywhere and my Amiga is buggered.

I actually did enjoy working on this in all fairness, I think I learnt a lot about pixelart in the process. It's a pain in the backside and takes a while but I enjoy it more than I do 3D work.

Anyhoo thanks for reading.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2011, 06:41:41 pm by Gromit »

Offline theorb77

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Re: 2D Platform game sprite + mockups (image dump)

Reply #1 on: December 11, 2010, 07:07:45 pm
I don't know why no one else has commented, I think these are awesome.  Good work!

For me, taste-wise, the animation could go a little slower or maybe have more frames.  Playing a game there has to be a satisfying "Oh I just beat your ass down with my button mashing" feeling to the attack, and these feel like pressing the weak attack button in Street Fighter II.  Style-wise for some it may work, but a bigger, beefier attack would be nice.  Still, I like the animation a lot.

The art's very nice, as well.  My critique is similar to the animation.  I feel like you're holding back a bit; it comes off a little flat (some shadow behind those pillars, even if they're intended to be inset) and a little thin (the wood elements, particularly, would benefit from some added visual weight).  I see a Dracula X / Rondo of Blood type vibe here, nonetheless, and I'm very enthusiastic about it.  If you use none of what I've said I think it's very strong as it is.

Offline Gromit

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Re: 2D Platform game sprite + mockups (image dump)

Reply #2 on: December 11, 2010, 07:53:37 pm
I don't know why no one else has commented, I think these are awesome.  Good work!

For me, taste-wise, the animation could go a little slower or maybe have more frames.  Playing a game there has to be a satisfying "Oh I just beat your ass down with my button mashing" feeling to the attack, and these feel like pressing the weak attack button in Street Fighter II.  Style-wise for some it may work, but a bigger, beefier attack would be nice.  Still, I like the animation a lot.

The art's very nice, as well.  My critique is similar to the animation.  I feel like you're holding back a bit; it comes off a little flat (some shadow behind those pillars, even if they're intended to be inset) and a little thin (the wood elements, particularly, would benefit from some added visual weight).  I see a Dracula X / Rondo of Blood type vibe here, nonetheless, and I'm very enthusiastic about it.  If you use none of what I've said I think it's very strong as it is.

I think the lack of response is because I've posted a lot in one go, I should really have stuck to my original plan and posted as I progressed. Ah well.

Thanks your comments though and I actually agree with what you're saying. The pillars are actually quite terrible, I'll go ahead and say it for you :lol: I'll  work on those and give them some wear and tear and make them stand out a lot more. The wood elements, I agree again. I think I could add some extras into the tileset that will have the subtle lighting from the torches too. The background work is pretty inconsistent due to me starting out there. I'm going to work on what you suggested and also make the graduation on the grounds in the rough terrain areas more prominent. I need to throw in some extra tiles to break up the grid too. especially in the dungeonland with pillars area

The animations are a bit on fast side I will slow those down. Perhaps I had the wrong mindset with the attacks, I wanted his attacks to be fairly quick but I agree they are too fast. I always hated that about Shadow of the Beast (amongst other things), there's nothing more manly than punching everything in your way but his punch always felt a bit weak.

Thanks agian for your comments

Offline Lizzrd

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Re: 2D Platform game sprite + mockups (image dump)

Reply #3 on: December 11, 2010, 08:39:25 pm
The background in the castle tileset might be a tad too light.
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Offline ErekT

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Re: 2D Platform game sprite + mockups (image dump)

Reply #4 on: December 12, 2010, 02:04:14 am
Quote
Playing a game there has to be a satisfying "Oh I just beat your ass down with my button mashing" feeling to the attack, and these feel like pressing the weak attack button in Street Fighter II.  Style-wise for some it may work, but a bigger, beefier attack would be nice.  Still, I like the animation a lot.

+1. He needs to put more body-weight into the swing; lean back then throw his upper body forward and let the swing follow right after. The running looks a bit weird too, he should lean forward more.

Love the colors and bg  :D

Offline HughSpectrum

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Re: 2D Platform game sprite + mockups (image dump)

Reply #5 on: December 12, 2010, 02:12:54 am
Alternatively you could put a slower stronger attack that finishes a combo after a couple of hits like a lot of beat-em ups do.

Offline Gromit

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Re: 2D Platform game sprite + mockups (image dump)

Reply #6 on: December 12, 2010, 09:21:37 am
Thanks for all the comments.

Yep the attack is getting reworked because it is fairly weak looking. I've added a new frame where he leans back first and the final frames have been redone to make it look more powerful. It's messy at the minute but I should get it done fairly soon. The comment on the run is also valid. I just don't think I'll have time today to redo that but I will improve it and give him a lean forward.

[EDIT]

Ok here's what I have at the minute.



It's a bit dirty still (I think I make a lot of banding errors) so it all needs cleaning up but it's an improvement over the other one I think. 
« Last Edit: December 12, 2010, 03:27:02 pm by Gromit »

Offline DarkFalzX

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Re: 2D Platform game sprite + mockups (image dump)

Reply #7 on: December 13, 2010, 12:19:27 am
Wow - that's a lot of art! Is there a playeble/tech demo version of the game somewhere, or at least in works?

Offline Gromit

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Re: 2D Platform game sprite + mockups (image dump)

Reply #8 on: December 13, 2010, 05:46:30 am
Wow - that's a lot of art! Is there a playeble/tech demo version of the game somewhere, or at least in works?

There isn't yet but I'm hoping to get a tech demo of this up fairly soon. Once it's done though I'll be putting it up on here.  :y:

Offline aramaki

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Re: 2D Platform game sprite + mockups (image dump)

Reply #9 on: December 17, 2010, 01:50:10 am
I think everything is too dark even for my TFT monitor. On CRT monitor I could't see a thing. Pure darkness. Maybe some brightness can be applyed.