2D or 3D? [WIP, top-down, NES]

[winged doom]

Allright, it's not really NES, but I wanted to make it look like NES graphics.
Anyway, here is my dilemma:



2D (left side) or "3D" (right side)?

Pros of "3D" option is that the characters looks more harmonious with game world:



But characters in this case have a worse readability, rather than in 2D option.

On the other hand that in 2D option characters are always looking for the player and this creates an emotional effect, player feels their attitude - agression or other emotions.

So, how you think, which option is better and why?

Also:

Spoiler

[HarveyDentMustDie]

I'm voting for 2D, because you have more room for details, and readability is important IMO.

PS I like tile and UI colors.

[astraldata]

I second the 2D because it makes the moving characters more clear and distinct and separates them from the stationary stuff that's top-down, making them appear more iconic and attractive to the eye, allowing them to be more easily found when the player looks at the screen since they stand out a bit more being flat instead of 'blending-in' with the rest of the world/environment. Clarity is more important than aesthetics sometimes -- I think it should be prioritized here since there are a lot of various pieces to keep track of.

Also, I'm not sure if english is your first language or not, but the text in your spoiler is really weird -- it should probably read as follows:

Spoiler

Man, are you stupid or something?? Come-on! Let's kick that orc's ass! Don't be a pussy!

Unless you were trying to come across as funny with something like "1337 speak" or "Engrish" or some other invented/custom dialect, I assume you were going for a "cool" way of telling the player to fight. In that case, the correct grammar is in those spoiler tags.

[winged doom]

I'm voting for 2D, because you have more room for details, and readability is important IMO.

You right, thank you for reply ^___^

...

Strong case. Well, then I choose the flat version. And thanks for the correction, yes, english is not my native language. I changed the text as you can see in picture below. In game there will be no slang or litspeak, it's just temporary version of npc message.

A bit progress and this is minimum scale for the game view:



Not sure about readability of objects on global map (second image from left), but I can't increase map's grid because it will reduce view on game world.

[Manupix]

I'd keep the shadow though, it helps ground the sprite.

Looks great so far =)

[winged doom]

I'd keep the shadow though, it helps ground the sprite.

Allright, shadows =)



And new piece of map:

[astraldata]

Looking really nice -- the only crit I can really give is that the water reflection on the right doesn't match the water reflection on the waterfall water -- I think that waterfall reflection should be used on the lake by the castle with the boat. Shadow on the character sprites look great too. Manupix was right.

[winged doom]

Looking really nice -- the only crit I can really give is that the water reflection on the right doesn't match the water reflection on the waterfall water -- I think that waterfall reflection should be used on the lake by the castle with the boat. Shadow on the character sprites look great too. Manupix was right.

This because reflection on waterfall is at a lower level, in the pit. Hence less light gets there. Reflections under the ship actually something like shadow blurred on sea waves. 

Here's how it looks as a whole:



Also, I drew journal menu in which player can find information about encountered creatures.

[winged doom]

It seems that his menu screen gets too gothic for a fantasy setting:



Or not?

Also, I changed GUI and some new graphics:

[kriss]

really amazing work for thoses small sprites !

The menu seems gothic because of the skull in the center, try to remove it to have "only" 3 sword or maybe with armor



maybe you could use shield as background with "start" "exit" like part of the shield