AuthorTopic: [WIP] Raiders of the Lost Ark Graphic Adventure (UPDATED 09-28-08)  (Read 11943 times)

Offline Radek Smektala

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I have recently decided to go back to a project that's an utter waste of time, infringes copyright, yet I can't get it out of my head since I first started thinking about it many years ago - a Raiders of the Lost Ark graphic adventure.

I am a writer and a game designer - a paid one at that (albeit, it should be said, modestly paid) - and graphics are not my forte. Still, I refuse to involve anyone else in this affront to creativity and hope to make all the images on my own.

The horrible results are below.

So, which is better...




...the one with outline or the clean one?

Also, what is the soldier doing here? Is the sprite readable?



Finally, any suggestions that could help even a man as terrible with paint as myself?

Thank you.

EDIT:

Some more graphics - Satipo & Indy in action as well as my first crack at looping background:



I will be very grateful for any comments.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2008, 02:59:31 pm by Radek Smektala »

Offline sharprm

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Re: Adventure Game Soldier

Reply #1 on: September 23, 2008, 04:05:18 am
When you say adventure do you mean point and click adventure game?
Modern artists are told that they must create something totally original-or risk being called "derivative".They've been indoctrinated with the concept that bad=good.The effect is always the same: Meaningless primitivism
http://www.artrenewal.org/articles/Philosophy/phi

Offline Radek Smektala

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Re: Adventure Game Soldier

Reply #2 on: September 23, 2008, 04:15:21 pm
When you say adventure do you mean point and click adventure game?

Point and touch, to be exact, yes. It will be an iPhone browser game, although graphically I am aiming at something between this and this. The idea is to hide my many shortcomings behind the restrictions ("It's bad on purpose!") while mantaining a consistent art style.

The soldier above appears only in a cutscene - he is part of Belloq's ragtag team of mercenaries. I imagine he is the reason you ask - because he looks like an enemy in a platform game.

Just to clarify - the "It's bad on purpose" line doesn't mean I don't want hints. After all, that's why I started this thread.
« Last Edit: September 23, 2008, 05:56:34 pm by Radek Smektala »

Offline sharprm

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Re: Adventure Game Soldier

Reply #3 on: September 23, 2008, 09:52:03 pm
All the sprites from "Secret of monkey island" onwards are roughly the same size. Probably a good reason for it. Can have expressions, the items you pickup are recognisable. Maybe there were games with smaller spriites that worked too.

Shouldn't one leg lift in the middle frame of the walk cycle?
Modern artists are told that they must create something totally original-or risk being called "derivative".They've been indoctrinated with the concept that bad=good.The effect is always the same: Meaningless primitivism
http://www.artrenewal.org/articles/Philosophy/phi

Offline Radek Smektala

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Re: Adventure Game Soldier

Reply #4 on: September 24, 2008, 02:38:06 am
All the sprites from "Secret of monkey island" onwards are roughly the same size. Probably a good reason for it. Can have expressions, the items you pickup are recognisable. Maybe there were games with smaller spriites that worked too.

The first sprite I did was actually even bigger:



Then I noticed that the Lucasfilm Games sprite from The Last Crusade is half that size and still looking much, much better.

I made a new one and managed - not entirely on purpose - to match the size:



(note the shamelessly stolen pallete)

The proportions are different, yes, but height is about the same.

Still, unlike many fan projects, my goal is not to copy early Lucasarts games exactly. Yes, it's Indy, it's a point and click adventure game, even the layout is taken almost directly from the old adventures, but whenever I come up with what I believe is better - or just simpler - design element, I implement it. Same goes for graphics (outlines are an example), although in this department I am limited by my abilities and poor judgement when it comes to art.

Shouldn't one leg lift in the middle frame of the walk cycle?

Of course it should! I have never seen Indy slide in the movies ;)

I can't make it look right, though, and whenever I approach something even remotely readable, the pace of the animation is broken. Any pointers? Please...?

Offline sharprm

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Re: Raiders of the Lost Ark Graphic iVenture

Reply #5 on: September 24, 2008, 03:38:55 am
Nice little mockup you got there.

Keep working on the anim. The foot needs to lift. why not show your attempt.

Black outline on outside, colored on inside is fine. I did a game with that style

Here is a doodle. Make sure he looks like indy, and not a farmer!

Modern artists are told that they must create something totally original-or risk being called "derivative".They've been indoctrinated with the concept that bad=good.The effect is always the same: Meaningless primitivism
http://www.artrenewal.org/articles/Philosophy/phi

Offline Radek Smektala

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Re: Raiders of the Lost Ark Graphic iVenture

Reply #6 on: September 24, 2008, 04:21:53 am
Nice little mockup you got there.

Keep working on the anim. The foot needs to lift. why not show your attempt.

Is something like this better?



Make sure he looks like indy, and not a farmer!

Do you say that because the trees in the background look like carrots? ;)

Offline sharprm

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Re: Raiders of the Lost Ark Graphic iVenture

Reply #7 on: September 24, 2008, 04:49:52 am
it just didn't scream indy to me. Even that last crusade sprite looks more like a park ranger. To be honest, im too lazy to look up a reference for what his hat looks like. but you should. maybe he looks like a farmer, maybe he doesn't.

 he has a big chin now.

walk still is like bits being rotated.

look around for walk cycle threads to help youself out. eg.

http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?topic=2913.0

edit: more doodleing. Hey, can you post the pallete please?

« Last Edit: September 24, 2008, 05:08:01 am by sharprm »
Modern artists are told that they must create something totally original-or risk being called "derivative".They've been indoctrinated with the concept that bad=good.The effect is always the same: Meaningless primitivism
http://www.artrenewal.org/articles/Philosophy/phi

Offline Radek Smektala

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Re: Raiders of the Lost Ark Graphic iVenture

Reply #8 on: September 26, 2008, 12:00:46 am
Sorry it took so long. Real life called - apparently, I'm not paying enough attention to it. Riight.

he has a big chin now.

Is that bad? The idea is to make him more emotive, not to mention macho ;)



Pretty. Although isn't his leg too short?

Hey, can you post the pallete please?

Here you go:



As you can see, four colors are still missing. In other words, don't pay much attention to the palette - I'm making it up as I go along. The only rule is 15 colors + transparency.

*THE FOLLOWING EDITED FOR PALETTE - THANKS, TOCKY

But you know, I'm toying with the idea of doing this as a faux C64 game. Here is a quick test:



(two whips, yay!)

And here's how it would look after adding a frame to match iPhone resolution:



I have used what I believe to be standard C64 palette:



Be wary though - only 3 colors per sprite allowed!

EDIT:

Hey, C64 splash screen!



Reference:
(obviously not C64)

The word "Raiders" is written in an edited Sylfaen. Everything else is my own font:

« Last Edit: September 27, 2008, 04:37:17 pm by Radek Smektala »

Offline tocky

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Re: Raiders of the Lost Ark Graphic iVenture

Reply #9 on: September 26, 2008, 04:05:52 am
The colours you're using are the default ega palette. None of the screens you posted are from the c64: double-wide pixels isn't strictly a c64 thing, and the c64 palette is different. Ptoing's website has a guide about c64 restrictions: http://ptoing.net/html/c64info.htm
« Last Edit: September 26, 2008, 04:13:29 am by tocky »