GR#039 - Dark Style Sideview Game - Sprites, Tiles & Mockups

[RCIX]

I gotta agree with the previous poster. Way too dark. But other than that, it looks awesome!

[Gromit]

I'm getting a lot of conflicting opinions on the brightness. It's a little dark for me in some places so I will increase it and increase the character a bit also and see how it looks.

I should also have some more updates on this later. I'm testing out a demon's crest inspired platform style and implementing new additions.

Thanks

[Gromit]

I've updated his run. It's slower and he now leans forward more. I bulked him up also to match the other animations as he was a lot thinner on the older run. The anatomy is off in the back I think, I really struggle with that area and the deltoids need fixing in some frames and the sword needs fixing too. Any tips for those would be greatly appreciated.


Also added the still frames to photobucket.

http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa474/Turrican2/dogface1.png
http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa474/Turrican2/dogface2.png


There should be tech demo of this coming fairly soon also.

[Noiprox]

Way to go, these look good!

My main criticism would be about the way your character handles his sword. I don't know if you have ever used a longsword before but it is quite heavy, typically they weigh about 4-5kg (8-10lbs). So I must agree with what others have said, the attack needs to have more follow through. A short lead-in animation is good although in martial arts you generally train to minimize the lead-in time. The thing is it is really hard to stop a heavy piece of metal swinging at full speed in front of you at arm's length. Instead what happens when you swing is the sword completes the arc and slashes over the surface of your enemy's body as you go. It never abruptly stops unless perhaps you hit bone, and even then it's more likely that the enemy would be knocked down than that your sword would just instantly stop.

Also when you are running with a heavy bar of steel in your hand you probably won't swing it back and forth in a wide arc like that with each step because you would get fatigued. Just pick up in one hand anything that weighs 5kg, run around and you will see what I mean. Instead people tend to keep the sword relatively still and move the other arm a little more to compensate for the imbalance. You would also never hold a sword in your outstretched arm behind you, because you cannot generate any power there, it leaves your body completely exposed and takes a long time to swing from there to your target in front of you. Neutral stance with a sword is with your back straight, shoulders square and sword held so that your point is aimed directly at their throat (or their heart if they are much taller than you).

Anyway that's just my 2c. This game looks like fun! Keep up the good work.

[ErekT]

I don't know if you have ever used a longsword before but it is quite heavy, typically they weigh about 4-5kg (8-10lbs).

Maybe give him a lighter blade to swing around instead, like a sabre or falchion? Err.. wait, never mind. Noiprox' points apply anyway. Running looks good btw

[Shoba]

... typically they weigh about 4-5kg (8-10lbs)....

Even though I have to agree with the biggest part of your post, I have to disagree. The Claymore for example, one of the biggest swords in European History is slightly over 2 kg. A Broadsword is above 1 kg and below 2 kg. I have a few Movie Prob Sword from Conan the Barbarian. Those tend to be heavier then normal swords. Nobody could swing around 8 kg for more then a few times ... well, maybe a masculine Werewolf could. From my knowledge of sword fighting, which I mainly have from Japanese Samurai Movies and some real ... fake ... Swordfights of trained ... err (what the hell does "Schaukampftruppe" mean in English?) Guys, if you have to run while wielding a Sword you do it in a Position which allows a Strike which uses the momentum of your running. Which means something like holding it over your head or behind you. I admit, that would look rather dumb. I suppose that's the reason why Castlevania Heros only draw their blades when they attack :3.

BUT! 350 pounds of Werewolf muscles may handle physics different then the rest of the universe.

Anyway, I suppose this will be a fun game once its finished :3. Keep up the good work.

[Gromit]

I do have a longsword but I can't really swing that around. I did have a claymore and that's the reason I won't swing the longsword around.

I actually went with that pose because most people who saw it actually liked it. The other pose was more realistic but was more the generic barbarian pose. I agree it's a ridiculous pose he has right now and I'll likely change it in the near future. I'll probably do a few drawn out concepts first and see what the verdict is on those. For now though I doubt I'll have the time to change all this.

The way he holds the sword in the run isn't something I'm a fan of either. I'll be changing that so he holds it more steady. It did look a bit stiff last time I tried but I'll give it another shot.

I also never liked the idea of having a pose that featured no weapon like the castlevania series. I suppose it might be the best way of doing it though.  Still I suppose I could use the 350 pound werewolf copout, although I should really fix the look that he's been chewing on streroids a little too much

Technical demowise, that should be up in the new year. There won't be much to do other than walk around at the moment so it won't be exactly interesting.

[Gromit]

Well as promised here's an early tech demo of the game. There's still lots of work to do be done on this. The new Demon's Crest inspired terrain is in and the character has changed colour so he isn't lost in the backrground anymore.

http://data.stormweavers.com/download/blight.exe

The physics are still in the beta stages so they'll be a little off in some areas.

The controls are the arrow keys for movement. A is attack D shows the collision. Potions are there for decoration at the minute and can't be picked up.

Thanks.

[ErekT]

Quality-nice! 

It became obvious to me real quick that the amount of frames doesn't always fit the overall quality. You need more frames in some transition anims (from standing to going down a ladder for instance), and especially for the jump anim. You have two frames right now and it looks real jerky. Why not go for five or even seven?

[Noiprox]

True enough, I did overstate the weight a little. Even so a sword that size would be heavy and take some effort to swing around.
I like the tech demo a lot. It resembles Castlevania a little bit, which is great since that series is awesome. I can't wait to see it get fleshed out into a full game.
Well done!