GR#214 - Chicken & Scene

[5T1N9R4Y]

Hi there
So I got rather intoxicated last night and dreamt up a game about a chicken which in order to save his fellow chickens from the slaughterhouse travels back in time to ensure that birds become the dominant species in the future. It's meant to be a fire emblem style tactical rpg in which you would recruit dinosaurs and battle early mammals.
And what better way to introduce myself here than to ask for help in illustrating my drunken fever dream
This here tactical chicken would be the portrait to be shown during conversation, maybe I'll get to doing a full mockup at some point but for now, this is what I've got:


Not quite happy with the palette yet, especially the reds, always had trouble with red :S
Overall CC and suggestions are very welcome
Also, this is my first post here, so I apologize should I have commited some posting faux pas^^

[tim]

You've got some skills, this is some nice pixel art. I'd love to see this animated.
I also like the plot & the overall idea, even if RPG are really overdone in my opinion compared to some other genres.

[5T1N9R4Y]

Thank you

Hm, I might try that, though I haven't really animated anything this size before O: The last thing I did animate however was a chick so this could become its legacy xD
Perhaps some flapping of the wings could work... *goes off to watch some videos of chickens chickening about*

It's never actually going to become a game due to my easily getting bored of large projects; the closest it could get is probably the mockup, so I'd be very open to suggestions of other genres I just said rpg as that was what I thought would lend itself best to a story with a heavy focus on the protagonist's journey. ...actually now I'm thinking that it might be interesting to try and make a genre work that wouldn't be intuitive at all .. a visual novel? a flightless bird's shmup? a cow clicker even? xD So many interesting possibilities... I'll have to meditate on this some more, but I can tell this'll be fun

[edit] Ooh, could you imagine a game focusing on diplomacy where you have to make your own image pervade the culture of the past so thoroughly that in the future there's religion based on your chicken and that is what saves them? O: Or that being a choice like what bioshock did with the little sisters, that you could go either for killing your foes or... diplomifying them (yes, that is a word now)
That could be really cool O: ...and I probably shouldn't try to flesh out the mechanics too much for something that won't happen xD

[lachrymose]

Could always go for the age old platformer/metroidvania.

"Chicken has warped back in time. There was a problem with the process and the mind altering device needed to enslave the dominate race has broken up and wound up in different parts of the world, battle your way through many different levels as you seek out upgrades for yourself and your weapons, as well as to find the missing parts needed to restore your mind controlling device essential in taking over the world!"

They(platformers) can be done with relatively few tiles as well. As just one full set can act as a template for all the others.
Just some thoughts.

Love the chicken artwork!

[Probo]

looks great! nice rendering. however the foot on the left could maybe turn to face us a bit more i think, that looks uncomfortable!

[tim]

It's never actually going to become a game due to my easily getting bored of large projects; the closest it could get is probably the mockup

Too bad, there is definitely serious opportunities & money for people with skills & passion !
I'd pay for a complete game with such graphics animated.
Making things you love + making money with it, it's interesting I think =)

[5T1N9R4Y]

@lachrymose
Oh I like that There could be several headmounted guns inspired by the chickenhead steadycam (now I have an image in my mind of a sniper using a chicken to steady his rifle xD)
And I really like the concept of fixing a mindcontrolling device
Plus, less workload: yes please xD

@Probo
ah dang you're right let me just... there:

no wait..there:

that's better ^^

@tim
maybe some day I don't think I could find the time with uni being as demanding as it is. I'll definitely keep in mind that there's interest though^^

btw does anyone know the aspect ratio that the 3ds uses for its screens? I like the idea of having two screens to work with

[edit]
concept thumbnail:

I'm thinking it'd be cool having a portrait on the screen complaining instead of a health bar (kinda like how doom guy's face gets all messed up as you get hit) and having that double as a reminder if an npc told you about a secret platform or something. Also I put a music note in which can be clicked to have that dialogue read aloud (button for random chicken noises)

[Blobber]

That is an awesome chicken and an awesome idea in general. Very very cool.

One thing I'd say - when I got my chickens in real life I was quite surprised at how big their feet were in proportion to their bodies. I don't know if that helps or not, but proportion-wise your guys feet are about half the size that they would be in reality.

[Daimoth]

I would play your game. And I don't say that about many game ideas. It needs to be a thing.

If you stare at it long enough you'll find errors, but I'd be happy calling it done.

[Probo]

haha great edit. reminded me of this cider from Cornwall