PoP fangame sprites - Example

[Sohashu]

I would like to add that I am only colouring these and that the poses are made by Ankh.  This animation is for picking up light objects. 


Here is a slower version for easier viewing.


4 frames, and 10 colours
C+C appreciated. 

[junkboy]

I would like him to look down and watch exactly what he's picking up.

[sharprm]

Why not do the sprites in POP1 style? Lots of frames, few colors looked a lot better than the sprites in prince of persia 2. Even though the engine is for prince of
persia sands of time, I reckon POP1 way is better.

I think in the third frame his arms look too big. Maybe you could make a bigger contrast between colors (go to a darker pink).

[ndchristie]

I think its nearly impossible to make a good fangame of a series that revolutionized game animation.  My suggestion to you would be to get the as many of the original frames as you can and use them for reference, changing, adding, and subtracting frames where necessary.  also, what happened to his nerdy bowl-cut?

[AdamAtomic]

I think you should probably scrap these.  Work on a good 1-frame portrait of the character first, and once you think you have something that reflects his character well start doing skeletons and simple line art of the various animations.

Adarias has a good point too - this is NOT a trivial task; PoP:SoT still has the most complete, fluid animation of any video game ever made; and they had the advantage of skeletal animation, allowing them to utilize physics, particles, IK, blending...a LOT of stuff that is inherently lacking in traditional sprite art (though a clever multi-sprite character might pull off some of it, but its hard to make that character not look like a doll without using vectors and solid colors as sharprm posted).

[ptoing]

I think you should probably scrap these.  Work on a good 1-frame portrait of the character first, and once you think you have something that reflects his character well start doing skeletons and simple line art of the various animations.

Adarias has a good point too - this is NOT a trivial task; PoP:SoT still has the most complete, fluid animation of any video game ever made; and they had the advantage of skeletal animation, allowing them to utilize physics, particles, IK, blending...a LOT of stuff that is inherently lacking in traditional sprite art (though a clever multi-sprite character might pull off some of it, but its hard to make that character not look like a doll without using vectors and solid colors as sharprm posted).

I am pretty sure Adarias meant the original PoP game. That had/has really good animations for it's time. Yay rotoscoping.

[AdamAtomic]

yeah you're probably right - i assumed SoT because of the blue pants and no shirt and "bowl cut" comment but it looks like it may just be regular PoP!  My apologies   I still have PoP and PoP2 on 3.5" floppy at home...

[ndchristie]

yeah sorry theres a bit of confusion; my suggestion is to study the original rotoscope-based frames, and work from them to create a 2d SoT Prince.  the bowl-cut business is just half-joking about the baldness of the sprite Sohashu posted.

to stay relly true to the series, you could even take a video on a digital camera of yourself doing the new actions like the famous wall stepping.  its not as hard as it looks to go a short way, especially if you can find a nice rough but simple surface like a brick wall to run on, and you only need enough frames to make a good loop.  do it outside where you have a lot of room, if you can, since you need room to really get a running start

[Ryumaru]

now we all know that in adarias's spare time, he practices wall stepping.

[Sohashu]

OK.  "bowl cut" is coming once I finish.  Also,there is a more detailed sheet coming.   It is smoother and such, as well as bigger.  My main question is about the shading.  What do you think?

[Tremulant]

Might just be me, but I'd say it's just a tiny bit low on contrast. Monitor's a bit crappy here, but I saw these earlier (on a better one) and thought the same thing. Maybe someone else can back me up/show me I'm wrong .

Nice sprite, btw.

[Ryumaru]

i just think the contrast is really odd in places, tremulant.

[Tremulant]

I agree, Ryu. Looking at it now, it seems as though in the fully crouched frame, the lightest blue goes neon. Also, something I noticed before, but didn't mention: The outlines bug me, especially on the skin, 'cause they're almost the same shade as the darkest shadows (which almost defeats their purpose in some places).

[Dusty]

I personally think the animation is pretty 'girly.'
Maybe it's my own preference, but if I ever got down to pick something up, I wouldn't pull my legs together, I'd spread them or get on a knee and pick whatever I was going to get up from between my legs. As it is now, it looks like he's trying to keep someone from looking up a skirt.

Something like this(this isn't attempted shading, just trying to make it reliable with showing what depth is needed):

[sharprm]

Found the link to the game engine that the graphics will be for:

http://forums.gamemaker.nl/index.php?showtopic=221847

Sohashu, could you make a picture with the colored sprite in the game?

[Sohashu]

I made one.  I know some bits ATM are iffy.  Ill work on it.   

Keep in mind that is old.  so the crappy torso anatomy shouldnt matter. 

@ dusty - HE uses both hands,  I don't understand why you changed he amount of hands needed. 

[ndchristie]

i actually would strongly suggest a different approach to coloring, something like this quickie:

done to capitalise on the dramatic elements of the atmosphere and the story.  not actually like this, but something a bit more defined and a bit more dramatic than just stright-forward relief and recess shading

[Sohashu]

I have no Idea what is going on there. 

[Dusty]

@ dusty - HE uses both hands,  I don't understand why you changed he amount of hands needed. 

'cause I don't know how many hands he used?

[Opacus]

I have no Idea what is going on there. 

Do I sense a bit....jealousy...maybe? 

[Sohashu]

No.  I was stating my opinion. 

[Rerg1]

I really didn't like you sprite. No Offfence. Its to plain and isnt as vibrant as it could be.

[Sohashu]

Well someone call a wambulance.  Look people, this is as close as ill probably get to a hot topic, and its because people are complaining about stylistic choices and jumpy animation.  Just shut up about it. 

[Larwick]

C+C not appreciated. 

Probably is what you should have put.

[Sohashu]

im just pissed off thta all you can talk about is the styles of various games and how I should be like them. 

[Indigo]

Sohashu, I agree that you aren't taking C+C very well at all in this instance.  and what the crap is "Well someone call a wambulance."?  That was un-needed and quite frankly, immature.  As far as i could tell, people weren't compaining about a stylistic choice, they were giving you ways to improve it.  Call your decisions a 'stylistic choice' if you want, but nobody likes a style that doesn't look appealing.  Things said about the 'jumpy animation' are also valid crits and you should look into them.  I agree with the critiques most have said here.  Your a great guy, so I dont want you to dig yourself deeper than what you already are.

"just shut up about it" - not a good move.  You have been warned.

[Sohashu]

Im sorry.  Im just tired.  I have had the flu and im not taking things well.  Sorry everyone. 

[Indigo]

Im sorry.  Im just tired.  I have had the flu and im not taking things well.  Sorry everyone. 

good move.  your okay by me

[yosh64]

hey

The shape of the head looks odd to me, it also looks bare and not well defined, maybe some hair, or a hat could help???.

The shading looks lacking, nothing seems defined... I get a slight sense of pillow shading, even though it is not. Hmm, the pants and shoes seem to look better to me in your mockup image.

@Adarias: It looks darn nice, but I think it would be a horror to animate???, hehe . I mean how cool would it be to have the other side of him light up when he walks in the other direction , but yea... I think it would be tough. But then again, I've never really done any pixel animation, so I dunno what I'm talking about :\.

I think I remember thinking he was just crouching when I first saw, I don't think there is much to emphasize him picking something up?

Anyhows I don't want to discourage you :\, so yea... keep at it .

cyas

[Rerg1]

Its okay Shos. But colour choicing and maybe sprite anatomy is what I think you have to work on. And don't think you the only one...*stares at himself*