Break from the tiles, but this helps:
Did character edits of the player guy and tribesman, the latter a bit rushed. Added more depth to both, via major stance and shading tweaks, but hopefully it still conforms to the style if I get it right.
Traveler: emphasis on big cranium, small jaw construction. Features and shading based around that. Outfit didn't make sense, gave him more explorer-y aviator goggles and gloves which should be easier to animate. Less awkward stance. Reduced the color scheme and colors.
Tribesman: head structure was influenced by moai but that was mostly destroyed in the end. Looked to
this thread for pointers on shading skin, hence the gray. Again unifying colors, dark brown, grays and dark yellow, pink ears and nose on head draw attention.
Both have more specular control. That is, see the top of the traveler guy's hat? Mostly a flat color. Start with 2 shades and keep the highlights small. You want the colors to read as much as than the lighting. But you also want the materials to read, so in non-mattes, metals and the like this rule can be broken. Look up reference and think about how to simplify it is the big rule of thumb here, and in general with these new sprites.
Outlines are not a 1px line all around, usually darker line in shadow, lighter line around the light, then no line/minimal selout where the light hits. Compare the wildcat to the donkey sprite.
In the meantime here's a weapons cargo donkey. With tweaking, could be a horse.
Does not conform as well to the style, bit complex/odd in shadows and handling of perspective, but it looks solid and has direction construction-wise. Other test sprites are in the works, foremost NPC trader and villagers.
What I've done is evidently a bit harder to reach. I'll be happy to edit other contributions though, or edit mine so we can break even. Will be making a few more assets too, hopefully cave related, definitely background tiles.
