AuthorTopic: [closed] Improving the character portraits of Project: Starfighter  (Read 3026 times)

Offline onpon4

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UPDATE: The job's been done.

A few years ago, someone underwent the task of finding libre replacements for the illegally used original graphics of a game called Project: Starfighter. Overall, I think they did a great job, but the character portraits are the one area where the quality is a bit questionable. I'll demonstrate by showing the line-up of the characters:



As you can see, the portraits are well-drawn, but they all look pretty much the same. Same facial features, and the same stoic expression. This is largely because all of these portraits are based on a common template. For reference, they actually come from these packs:

- http://opengameart.org/content/48x48-faces-1st-sheet
- http://opengameart.org/content/48x48-faces-2nd-sheet
- http://opengameart.org/content/48x48-faces-3rd-sheet
- http://opengameart.org/content/48x48-faces-4th-sheet

So I'm offering a commission to improve on these faces a bit. Nothing too crazy, just some minor changes that make them look more like they're different people with facial expressions that represent their personalities. A grin here, a different chin shape there, etc.

I'm willing to offer $10 for each character, which would add up to $70 if one were to do all of them. I can pay via Paypal for sure, probably via bitcoin (it's new to me, but I have a bitcoin wallet program installed and have a general idea of how to use it), and possibly via other methods if neither of these is suitable.

Please note that I am only offering to pay for work licensed under a libre culture license. This means, in a nutshell, you attach a license to the work which grants anyone who receives it the freedom to copy and redistribute both modified and unmodified forms of your work, both commercially and non-commercially, whenever they want and to whomever they want. In this case, you should probably use either the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), or the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). For the record, no other Creative Commons license is acceptable; CC BY and CC BY-SA are the only libre culture ones.

To do this work, you will need to understand what sorts of characters these are. To get the best idea, you might want to play Project: Starfighter; you can get a copy here:

http://starfighter.nongnu.org

However, if you are unwilling or unable to play the game, here are some brief descriptions of and quotes from each of the characters, from left to right (SPOILERS ahead):

Chris Bainfield

The player's character.

Chris is quite stoic and really has no discernible character traits. Since it's the main character, I don't think this is especially problematic (players can just use him as a blank slate to represent themselves), but if you want to give his portrait a look that suggests a more well-defined personality, I will gladly accept that and make adjustments to the game's dialog to match.

- "I'm getting too close my the my rendezvous point. If I don't shake these guys soon then everything could be over before it begins!"
-"I don't think we can help, it would attract far too much attention."
- "Still, we should investigate. Too many people have died as a result of that blasted corporation!"
- "I didn't come this far to lose now, Kethlan!"

Sid Wilson

Chris's friend. He tells the player about all kinds of information, basically does the planning, and also tends to be the voice of reason. Also seems to be some kind of expert in a relevant technology.

Like Chris, Sid is quite stoic and really has no discernible character traits. If you want to give his portrait a look that suggests a more well-defined personality, I will gladly accept that and make adjustments to the game's dialog to match. This is not required, though.

- "We need to get hold of those pods to save some lives!"
- "We're all counting on you, Chris! But just remember - They didn't call that thing "Star Killer" just because it sounded nice!"
- "Chris, our mission is to save lives."
- "No, even if we manage to find them in all that space, they'll probably be too heavily damaged to be of any use."
- "It'll work, but I don't like the look of it either."

Phoebe Lexx and Ursula Lexx

Two allies gained during the game. They are sisters and say mostly the same things. Both of them frequently brag about their kill counts and poke fun at each other for the other's kill count. Phoebe demonstrates a tendency toward recklessness as well. It's worth noting that Ursula is under a sort of mind-control when you first see her, and the same portrait is used for that as when she is later released from it.

- "You ain't so tough!"
- "Kicked your ass!"
- "Hey Phoebe, you asleep over there?!"
- "I'm catching up with you, Ursula!"
- "What are you doing?! Shoot THEM!"
- "Get out of the way!"

Crew

Just an NPC you need to rescue. He is only seen once, and everything he says is announcing the problems he's having with his ship and asking for help.

Krass Tyler

A mercenary; he basically serves as an antihero. He is the one who supplied you with your ship (he stole it for you), and he also does other jobs for you, for the right fee. Later on, he is offered a large sum of money (apparently $90,000,000) by WEAPCO (the game's antagonists) to kill Chris, and he accepts it.

I definitely think this character should have a grin on his face.

- "I know, but you will still owe me money for the Firefly. Do this job, and also collect $500, and we will call it quits. And if you die... Well, I guess the ship was not worth stealing! HA HA HA!!"
- "Sure, I can help you out, boy. But I'll be needing my fee..."
- "Keep those things off my back or it'll cost you extra!!!"
- "I'm a mercenary, what do you expect?! WEAPCO hired me to do a job, just like you have been doing."
- "That was the easiest $90,000,000 I've ever earned! Bwwah!! Ha!! Ha!! Ha!!"

Kline Kethlan

The big boss, basically (he actually isn't, but "the Emperor" is never seen in the game). He seems to enjoy combat, and your first meeting with him is him briefly testing Chris's abilities before running away (you can tell this is what he was doing because he still has most of his shield left when he leaves).

- "Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no one to help you! This will certainly be interesting..."
- "Seems I underestimated you, Bainfield. We'll meet again!"
- "Very good, Bainfield. Now let's get a little more serious..."
- "How very disappointing..."
- "Heroic. And stupid."
- "And now you're nothing but a DEAD hero."
- "It was an honor... to have fought you..."
« Last Edit: June 11, 2015, 01:19:28 pm by onpon4 »

Offline DaLk

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Re: Improving the character portraits of Project: Starfighter

Reply #1 on: June 10, 2015, 12:16:50 pm
at this point, you'd better have them redone from scratch

Offline onpon4

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Re: Improving the character portraits of Project: Starfighter

Reply #2 on: June 10, 2015, 12:32:36 pm
at this point, you'd better have them redone from scratch

Why would you say that?

Offline James Ball

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Re: Improving the character portraits of Project: Starfighter

Reply #3 on: June 10, 2015, 04:08:30 pm
Hello,

If you are simply requiring the small change of some of these faces, then I am more than willing to complete some for you. If you send me an email over at jamesball@pixelartgallery.net we can discuss details further and you can look at my portfolio on my website here: http://pixelartgallery.net/portfolio/

Thanks a lot,
James Ball
« Last Edit: June 10, 2015, 04:22:21 pm by James Ball »
James Ball - http://pixelartgallery.net/ - jamesball@pixelartgallery.net - @lolface5000

Do you need custom pixel art for your project? Contact me above ^ and visit my portfolio on my website: http://pixelartgallery.net/portfolio/ Thanks!

Offline DaLk

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Re: Improving the character portraits of Project: Starfighter

Reply #4 on: June 11, 2015, 01:12:01 am
@onpon4

if you only change some bits, you'll still have enough visible origins to retain the "all look the same" feeling, and the fake-looking beards :). ok, that'll be cheap, but cheap plus cheap doesn' make "good".

And you'll need these to be consistent with the rest of the game, I suppose. So, in the end, a while a complete change would be more cost effective, getting you far more statisfying results, AND a more interesting work for the artist you pick :)