AuthorTopic: First sprite - need some comments  (Read 4024 times)

Offline Jelly_Donut

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First sprite - need some comments

on: June 06, 2008, 06:27:18 pm
Hey everyone! So I'm working on a really small indie game with about 4 other people. We're all newbies, and trying to figure it out as we go. I'm in charge of the sprites.

So this is the main character. I feel like I might of used too many colors in this, and I know there are some things I need to work on. He kinda looks more like he's dancing than running to me... so any critiques on that would be MOST appreciated!



and the non animated standing sprite, if that helps anyone -

So aside from him, I'm also working on an imp enemy -

After seeing what most of you have done, I respect everyone's opinions, and can't wait to hear your critiques!

Offline madf

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Re: First sprite - need some comments

Reply #1 on: June 06, 2008, 09:57:06 pm
Yo!

Here are the things I believe you must work on.

1. The head, he shouldn't headbang that much, try only moving it 1 or 2 pixels in a horizontal range.

2.  He's waving his arms a bit too much, aswell as the cape. Since he's running(?) he should have a more fierce movement than plain walking, but you should move his arms inwards a bit and make the cape smaller. The collar of the cape doesn't have to move that much either I believe.

3. His feet. Hmm...  Well I guess they are too big, maybe make him show less "skin". Let the cape cover it. But don't make the cape larger!

4. You forgot to draw the golden border on his cloth in 2 frames. I think it would look better if you used it all the way.

5. About the colors, I tend to like to use to many myself, but It all depends on what platform the sprites are intended for. You could try to limit your pallette before drawing, seeing as you used green, red, violet, gold and black, maybe you could get away with one of each color plus one lighter & darker version of it to shade.

6. I also think you should lower the FPS from 12 to 9 to make his movement smoother.

7. You might already use one, but references are great! I'm guessing you were influenced by this?
as you can see, one way would be to let your little guys head be still, while having his pigtail pendle.





I hope you don't mind, I tried to edit it a little.
I also changed the colordepth to 16 (4bpp).
Looking at it now I believe the collar and the cape still needs to be fixed. Also you could try removing the hands completly (cover them with the cape). Try some random stuff and see how it looks.

I hope somone else can take over from here.  :)



And about the Imp, it' looks cool- just add eyes! Prefferably bright yellow, red or white. That would make it look more evil  :hehe:

Good luck to you.  :y:
« Last Edit: June 06, 2008, 10:03:57 pm by madf »
Feel free to visit my blog-
http://ivanov.freakystudios.com/

Offline Jelly_Donut

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Re: First sprite - need some comments

Reply #2 on: June 07, 2008, 03:59:38 am
Wow thanks! And yea, as far the sprite goes, I was using Secret of mana sprites for reference (their walking animations actually have almost full walk cycles!) and I was trying to observe their run cycles, but trying to limit it to 3 frames. I see what you mean about him head banging, and his feet. I'll definitely fix both of those. It is a run cycle as the game is a scrolling game (where the screen constantly scrolls down, as the player runs upward). Your fix though did give me some good ideas as to how to fix it.

In terms of the color use, there isn't a limit at all as it is for the PC, I just kinda thought it was good pixeling to use only the colors necessary. Man I gotta say, I'm all gitty about making pixel art. I'm enjoying it a lot, I found myself spending 3 hours straight working on that animation and the imp in one sitting (including looking at references, and a thousand trial and errors.) I just enjoy how subtle pixel art truly is, how ONE pixel can change everything.

So anyway, I'll give this animation another go. I didn't hear any critique about my try at AA, and my use of shading, and my slight use of dithering on the imp, so I assume those weren't done to bad? Oh and I'll definitely fix the Imps eyes, I didn't realize they were so small they couldn't be understood as eyes. I always knew what the pixels were meant to represent, that I just saw it as perfectly fine eyes. Guess that's another lesson for me, ha, I'll fix it.

Offline Atnas

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Re: First sprite - need some comments

Reply #3 on: June 07, 2008, 12:45:20 pm
Quote
I didn't hear any critique about my try at AA, and my use of shading, and my slight use of dithering on the imp, so I assume those weren't done to bad?

You can AA on the inside of a shape, but don't AA on the outside when making sprites for a game. Especially 45 degree angles, which don't need AA anyway. (in reference to the imp's wings)

You might want to dull down the shines on the cape, unless it's a silky reflective material. Overall I find the colors on everything a tiny bit too saturated for my tastes.

When the cape moves, you lose the gold trim at the bottom, and it isn't convincing to me that the cape folds over it to hide it. You get a kind of flashing effect, which is ruining the readability - I can't tell what's going on with the cape.

You've done really well understanding a vast amount of fundamentals in your first sprite, so  :y:

Offline Jelly_Donut

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Re: First sprite - need some comments

Reply #4 on: June 09, 2008, 07:24:04 pm
thanks again! Okay so I have a really small update for you guys. I worked on the wings of the imp, and added more convincing eyes, as well as made a 2 frame animation for him Here he is now -

And I desaturated my elf a bit - before ====> 
                                            after ====>     

also I thought for fun, you guys might want to see my original try at this elf guy -

Offline madf

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Re: First sprite - need some comments

Reply #5 on: June 10, 2008, 10:57:13 pm
Quote from: Jelly_Donut
Man I gotta say, I'm all gitty about making pixel art. I'm enjoying it a lot, I found myself spending 3 hours straight working on that animation and the imp in one sitting (including looking at references, and a thousand trial and errors.) I just enjoy how subtle pixel art truly is, how ONE pixel can change everything.

Yeah! Couldn't agree more *nods*  :crazy:
Since I came to this forum I've been pixeling more and more, like you. And It's great to look at others art too for ideas and motivation.




I like the new imp, he looks really evil :)
Can't comment anything bad about his animation, it looks good, tough his wings look a little stiff. Well, they could swipe a bit more if you know what I'm saying.  :lol:

Keep it up  :y:
Feel free to visit my blog-
http://ivanov.freakystudios.com/

Offline Jelly_Donut

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Re: First sprite - need some comments

Reply #6 on: June 11, 2008, 03:16:54 am
Yea I see what your talking about. I think I'll add one more frame actually, I have an idea with it.

Thanks a lot!  ;D