AuthorTopic: Strategy Units  (Read 5749 times)

Offline Hishnak

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Strategy Units

on: June 20, 2007, 09:02:49 pm
I'm working on a project very similar to advance wars hence the similarity in units. It's set in a more futuristic theme. I really like how the jet turned out.



16x16 tiles

Offline LoTekK

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #1 on: June 20, 2007, 09:28:09 pm
Ha, these units look great. Definitely gives me an AW vibe, but I'm not so sure about that jet. It's not really reading very clearly as a jet, and I probably wouldn't have guessed it was such right off the bat without first reading your comment. I mean, I can make it out as a jet with some imagination, but it's not that clear. The rest are reading well (the tanks could possibly use a bit of work?).

The tiles seem a bit dull though. I think more variation in the ground tiles would help a lot here.

Offline huZba

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #2 on: June 20, 2007, 09:41:25 pm
I really like these, but gotta agree about the jet, wouldn't have recognized without reading first.

You could also try and tone down the black lines inside the sprites to avoid having high contrast lines right next to each other in a very small space. I think it makes especially the small tank and AA gun a bit too busy.

The tiles read really well and that's good for that style of game. I can instantly tell what is what without trying at all. One thing that bothers just a bit is the upper parts of the ground tile. They kinda make it look as if the water was higher than the ground. Maybe remove some darker pixels from the upper parts of the ground tile.

Offline chigsam

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #3 on: June 21, 2007, 01:13:34 pm
looks pretty awesome!

is that first unit the jet? if so i couldnt have figured that out  :o

Offline ptoing

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #4 on: June 21, 2007, 01:16:24 pm
is that first unit the jet? if so i couldnt have figured that out  :o

I think it's the new BattleMech Teapot Mark 2
There are no ugly colours, only ugly combinations of colours.

Offline Zee

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #5 on: June 21, 2007, 01:28:04 pm
is that first unit the jet? if so i couldnt have figured that out  :o

I think it's the new BattleMech Teapot Mark 2
"Forget using costly air to air misiles and air to surface missiles, a well aimed plash of scalding tea will do the trick!
Available for only 24,000 credits!"

Offline Arne

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #6 on: June 21, 2007, 02:03:51 pm
I'd tone down the internal lines on those units.

I can't make out the first one actually... but I think I see a cockpit. It's always a pity when you're especially proud of something and people don't get it. Sometimes blindness can strike you as you work. You know exactly what you're doing, and you're so familiar with ever knob and edge that you forget to back out and get a fresh view of things. After a few hours (or a week) away from the piece you usually get a more objective view though.


On the mountains, I'd remove any lines separating the base from the ground, or make them very vague. All edges doesn't have to be subtractive lines! You can also use a lighter line to suggest a concave curvature reflecting light (curvatures are more likely to have a highlight).

I think the colors used on the mountains feel a bit sick. I'd use the same colors for both the ground and mountains (or hills). A purple gray for shadow, then a warmer sienna brown.

The jaggies on the isle coast cliffs feels a bit too gritty.

You might not want to detail the ground with random noise if the game uses simple grid mechanics. If you do have a texture, maybe it should be generic and show the tiling edges or some repeating artifacts since that's useful information to the player. Check out how Bitmap Brothers' Z did ground though. I seem to recall they used 2 temperatures for the dents/pebbles and regular flat ground. Something to ponder maybe.



Offline Arne

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #7 on: June 21, 2007, 02:20:03 pm

Offline Helm

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #8 on: June 21, 2007, 04:04:21 pm
I want to kiss Arne.

Besides removal of internal black lines in almost but all segregative connections (shadows on the top part of a missile launcher on the bottom part for example are okay in my opinion) I can't really think of anything that would help readability besides messing with the number of colors used and the palette.

Contrary to common belief, MORE colors in small sprites are not better. In fact unless you have a huge issue with it, I'd suggest 3 reds, 2 blues and black and white for those.

Offline Hishnak

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #9 on: June 21, 2007, 04:22:37 pm
Very good advice Arne...taking away the mountain base lines helps immensely.

In fact unless you have a huge issue with it, I'd suggest 3 reds, 2 blues and black and white for those.

You're talking about the mountains right?


Offline Helm

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #10 on: June 21, 2007, 04:42:09 pm
No, about the vehicles. 3 body reds, 2, or even 1 cockpit blue, white specular, black for the outline.

Offline ptoing

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #11 on: June 21, 2007, 05:03:42 pm
Still need some greys for the tracks and stuff like that tho :P
There are no ugly colours, only ugly combinations of colours.

Offline Arne

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #12 on: June 21, 2007, 05:11:10 pm
I was gonna say that it's not so much the amount of colors as it is the amount of values that people overdo in a way that decreases readability, but I've noticed that when doing sprites or terrain tiles, one sometimes has to be moderately conservative with the amount of hues as well, or at least try be consistent with their global use.
« Last Edit: June 21, 2007, 05:14:04 pm by Arne »

Offline Helm

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Re: Strategy Units

Reply #13 on: June 21, 2007, 05:13:29 pm
Usually I am all for hue-shift, but for color-coded armies, a bit more clean-ramping red and blue is a good idea.