Mad inventor sprites

[ZeroByte]

We're making a "demo" for an RPG in my Game Authoring class right now, much to my glee. I haven't really pixelled anything in quite a while but here is my efforts so far. Nothing mindblowing but I'm rather surprised with myself considering how long it's been. The sprite is for the lead male in the game, a mad steampunk inventor bent on taking over the world. 16 colours including transparency. Here is the game document if anyone is curious.

[Crazy Asian Gamer]

I love that style. Much of it is nice.
His side view could use a little more personality. His hands are out to the side, not relaxed next to his body. Wonder if he gets uncomfortable. And...
Well, mostly nitpicks. MOAR PLZ THX. 

[Syn]

So that's what Jimmy Neutron would look like in 50 years, lol. I like it, interesting and original main character. I would work on the feet though, other then that it's higher level stuff or small details. Now I want to see it in action please!

[ZeroByte]

Thanks for the crits. I'm not too happy with the side view either, a little too thin methinks. I'll edit it later, for now heres my front walk cycle. Only three frames, since I'm rather pressed for time.

[Andy Tran]

 Very good shading.

[neverest]

I really love the character, and theres a good lot of movement in the walk cycle but there seems to be a common flaw in that it looks like his left foot moves forward at the same time as his left arm, when it really needs to be the other way around. unless thats a quirk of his madness

[ZeroByte]

Oh damnit. *slams head on keyboard*

You'd think after taking 2 sems of 2danim and only recently having done a walk cycle in 3danim I would have spotted that. Argh. Easy enough to fix I suppose, but still pretty stupid to be making a fundamental mistake like that.

It also looks like I need to fix some shading when the arms are swinging, the face area lights up for no reason at all.

[ZeroByte]

Fixed the front walk anims and did the side too.

[Aleiav]

I think the walking is very dramatic from the frount. Usually we don't naturally move our shoulders foreward and back so much when we walk.

It's awesome so far but I don't understand why a mad scientist has a dracula-like cape. 

[Crazy Asian Gamer]

It's awesome so far but I don't understand why a mad scientist has a dracula-like cape. 

As of right now, capes are in.

Anyways, concerning his front walk: his feet never leaves the ground. Or it seems, to me, at least.
Lovin' his side walk.

[neverest]

I think the walking is very dramatic from the frount. Usually we don't naturally move our shoulders foreward and back so much when we walk.

True, but when you have a character in a game walking down the screen a lot of the motion gets lost, particularly the up and down pixel shift. This is a problem I've encountered myself lately, but if you look at other rpg sprites, say chrono trigger, they put a lot of body movement in and it looks a lot better in game as a result.
I think the current drama in his walk would work, but I would agree the feet could move up and down a lot more.
I have more of a problem with the sideview, I feel everything from his shoulders up should be moving up and down. currently his nose stays in place while his eyes squash down, his jabot doesnt move like it does in the front view, and the collar just jiggles a bit where again, it moves a lot in the front view.

you also might want to try shifting his rear foot back a few pixels so he doesnt seem so flat, currently it looks completely side-view although presumably if this is an rpg you'd want the sense of an elevated view.

Its looking a lot better, and he seems very determined. Oh and every true evil genius needs a big collar.

[ZeroByte]

A few more edits before I turn in. The rear walking animation isn't done yet.



Thanks for all the crits, they've improved the sprite a lot.

[Razz]

I would advise you to lessen the movement of his collar. It's very distracting and makes the sprite look more messy than it needs to be.

[ZeroByte]

Final-ish sprites.

[l0rdtaz]

last sprite (the one facing forward) needs to bump up and down.. his head looks kind of static..