AuthorTopic: [WIP] The game starts to grow  (Read 12871 times)

Offline LMM

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 16
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

[WIP] The game starts to grow

on: October 03, 2006, 04:40:50 pm



Hi,
this is my very  first attempt in Pixelart... it is supposed to be the head of the mainchar from a computergame i work on. (sorry for my bad english). Befor going on it would be nice if there are any suggestiones how to make this better.

Why does it not show my pix???
http://www.directupload.net/show/d/839/3ezO76hI.png
http://www.directupload.net/show/d/839/4jKuvDsd.gif
« Last Edit: June 08, 2007, 07:50:53 pm by LMM »

Offline Lackey

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 134
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • remember to drink cure potions
    • View Profile

Re: [WIP] Head for gamesprite

Reply #1 on: October 03, 2006, 06:27:58 pm
This is very strange.  Did you use photographs for reference?  It's just that in the animation it looks artificial.  I don't mean it looks bad, but it isn't drawn at all in the way I'd expect something like this to be drawn.

Anyway, you have a very solid start here.  I recommend cleaning up each frame a lot, focusing on keeping key details (eyes, nose) really sharp so it reads easily.  The facing straight forward frame is by far the strongest.  Also, we need to know how this is going to be used in the game to offer really good critique since above all else game art needs to be functional.  What kind of character is this head going on?  Or is it going to be disembodied in the game as well?

Offline ptoing

  • 0101
  • ****
  • Posts: 3063
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • variegated quadrangle arranger
    • the_ptoing
    • http://pixeljoint.com/p/2191.htm
    • View Profile
    • Perpetually inactive website

Re: [WIP] Head for gamesprite

Reply #2 on: October 03, 2006, 06:36:08 pm
I have to say i quite like the "motion" in the rotation, it looks like animated oilpaint. If you can keep this style consistent throughout all the other animations then I would say, go for it! If not then try to make it so that stuff does not jitter when it rotates.

FOr posting stuff here I would suggest http://www.photobucket.com, so you can make direct links to the images and it's also way more convenient to manange your pictures online like that, in case you have no own webspace.
There are no ugly colours, only ugly combinations of colours.

Offline LMM

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 16
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: [WIP] Head for gamesprite

Reply #3 on: October 03, 2006, 06:51:49 pm
the reference where fotos of myself scaled down but i only used them to do the lineart. I then added colours pixel by pixel (it is more work than i thought) in a different layer using mostly my imagination (i did not want it to look to photorealistic, in my first tries i worked directly on the photos, that somehow looks good but it is not the style i wanted, here is an example:



(if somebody can tell me how to implement the link that the is shown directly in this forum... tried it with this mona lisa style button and then insertet the link inbetween.. but that semm not to work for me).
)

When i was ready i deleted the lineart.

The gmae is supposed to be an classical adventure style game (640x480 or 800x600.. i aam not sure) with some rpg elements and some actionelements. It is not isometric style. The Mainchar is scaled down belonging to the position on the screen (until it gains 1 pixel when reaching the horizon of the screen) It is approximate frontview (if the first tecdemo is available i will post a link here.. but it will take until end of month i think).
The Head is a different sprite than the body...it is pointed to the curser ever.

For a more smooth animation i cheated a little bit (the only part i did not set any pixel on my own). Every second frame is a blend 50:50 between the frame before and the frame after it.

I am not to happy with the animation and i will do it again i think (this time first animate the lineart and than do the color in one step)
« Last Edit: October 03, 2006, 07:04:26 pm by LMM »

Offline Lackey

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 134
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • remember to drink cure potions
    • View Profile

Re: [WIP] Head for gamesprite

Reply #4 on: October 03, 2006, 07:00:14 pm
Well, good luck.  I think you're heading in the right direction, and I think you've made the right decision in using reference but not tracing.

Quote
The Head is a different sprite than the body...it is pointed to the curser ever.
Ha, sounds great.

Offline LMM

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 16
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: [WIP] Head for gamesprite

Reply #5 on: October 03, 2006, 07:06:56 pm
thx for comments so far and thx for the hint with photobucket, that works :)

Offline robotriot

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 166
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Tubby mechanical friend
    • View Profile
    • robotriot

Re: [WIP] Head for gamesprite

Reply #6 on: October 03, 2006, 07:22:02 pm
The animation looks really interesting. One thing I'd suggest though is changing the way the hair ends. Right now it looks a bit like a blanket draped over the head. It would be nice to see individual hairs appear as they run out, something more "spikey", if you know what I mean.
WELCOME TO BATTLE SQUADRON

Offline LMM

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 16
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: [WIP] Head for gamesprite

Reply #7 on: October 03, 2006, 07:35:56 pm
That is a good idea... i should do one body first and than fit the head to this body the next time (so i can see how the hair looks on the right ground)

Offline Lackey

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 134
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • remember to drink cure potions
    • View Profile

Re: [WIP] Head for gamesprite

Reply #8 on: October 03, 2006, 08:59:52 pm
Long hair might be tricky, especially seeing as you've drawn it almost like it's resting on shoulders.  You might need to tune it carefully to fit the sprite.  I guess I don't know though since I haven't seen it.

Offline LMM

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 16
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: [WIP] Head for gamesprite

Reply #9 on: October 03, 2006, 09:11:59 pm
Yes... the real tricky thing will be, that  a special range of frames must fit to a special range of bodyframes (different directions). I dont know if i will get this to work but it is worth a try.