X-com personal armour sprite (16 x 16)

[happymonster]

Another sprite based on a design by Arne (2nd from left):


The reason it's foreshortened is both to fit into the 16 x 16 size, and for the top-down perspective used in games such as Laser Squad and The Chaos Engine. Unfortunately, this isn't quite right.. It's difficult to put detail into a face without making things too chibi'esque.. 

So, overall I'm not very happy with this, but thought I might as well post it..

[TrevoriuS]

THe previous one was really broad in the concept sketch; yet this one is really slim, where your sprite is not. PS: Why not go to twice the size? Every computer from 2000 and later can handle that =p

[happymonster]

If I make the sprite thinner, I either have to shrink the head (and lose the face) or let the head be even larger. EDIT: Or I can made the sprite be non-symmetrical as in the varient in the next post.

As for the 16 x 16 size, it's not really anything to do with what computers can handle, but an artistic choice.. something this whole board is focussed on, else we would all be using truecolour images! 

[happymonster]

Here's a varient. Unlike the other mockups I've done this one doesn't feature 2 lines of pixels in the horizontal centre of the sprite, but only 1 line. Well, I can't really explain what this is called, but it lets you do thinner sprites while having unequal amounts of space each side of the sprite.



I've raised up the shoulder pads to try to emphasise the top-down perspective some more, even though I know the angle is still too slight really.

[TrevoriuS]

32x32 is still small =P
Next to that, colour limits are something completely different than image sizes
Larger -> More time taken to draw
More colors -> Less control of drawing

[surt]

If you're going for a three-quarter view I'd suggest you lower the face a pixel and extend hair down a pixel. As is it looks like he's staring strait at the viewer.

More X-COM equals more good. So more please.

[happymonster]

As with using few colours, there is also skill involved in working in smaller sizes. I am attempting to improve my skills with these images, hence both small sizes and small amounts of colours.

Surt: Wouldn't that make her look even more hunched over?

[TrevoriuS]

Okay I dared an edit; attempted less colours; attempted more slender; attempted better perspective
Both go best on a dark background I think.

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/1152/personwe8.png

[happymonster]

That's good. The higher contrast seems to help, although I notice that the sprite looks less intelligable when zoomed in. You lose the facial details, but the hair looks better and more anime inspired. I like it.

[TrevoriuS]

You could always try to fit in an extra eye and such; The hair was a lucky shot really (though I think I'dve kept trying to get it right if it didnt turned out nice). By the way -> Darker hair means better looks on light background; Lighter body might cause better looks on dark background. See if you can play around with the palette a bit!

[tocky]

Tried to match it to the proportions of arne's concept (well, as much as I could) but also keep it readable.

[surt]

I think you're trying to define the face too much for non-chibi.
Tried to make it more three-quarter.

[happymonster]

Surt, they definately look more three-quarter view. But I've never been a fan of sprites having no facial details. I know it is realistic at this size, but we all know how important the facial details are for suggesting a person and that's why I try hard to keep details of a face in there. For such a small size, it's difficult though. I see that like me you also don't like losing those 2 center pixel vertical lines.. 

[Rosse]

The only important face feature are the eyes imho. Look at old NES graphics. As long as a sprite has eyes, it looks like a lifeform. But if it misses the eyes... lifeless. And who's interested in mouth and nose (well, nose is ok) at this size? Study NES graphics (Zelda 1 e.g.)
Look at the sprite-rips Arne made here. They look more lively with one color than your full color sprite. Why not give her a feature (like a gun) or a more dynamic stance. The small sprites prove that it's possible at this size.
And don't forget.. if you have a 8-headed person in foreshortening from top view, slightly tilted, the head could be half of the size of the sprite! Maybe you should set the overall perspective first and do the sprites afterwards. It looks like you're using a frontview currently (compared with the other thread (btw, why did you open a new thread? anyway). But if you have a shoulder-width with two heads, it mostly looks like men and not female, if you don't hightlight her hips more.

Here's a small doodle to show what I meant


PS: And please post just 100% pictures, we have a zoom-script here. If you wish to post it in another forum, feel free to upload another version (200%), but we have to resize you sprites to analyse and edit them.

[happymonster]

I agree that eyes are the most important feature. As for the pose, yes it's not dynamic because I am not good at anatomy and creating things from imagination. I also wanted to have a relatively straightforward pose to work on improving..

Why did I open another thread? Why, because it's a different design and sprite of course..

I posted at x2 because they look tiny at x1 on my monitor, but if that is the norm, then I will post at x1.

Care to do a full version so I can see how you would do this design at 16 x 16 in a more dynamic pose? 

[happymonster]

Bah! It just looks like a mess!

[TrevoriuS]

I keep it at it's still too broad =P
I'd also like to see some more texture in the hair.

In this most recent one the legs lost recognizability of pose. Keep them at same lenght would be a smart move at this limited size (except if its a moving frame).