Swarm Development: Postmortem

[Ali]

I'll post what I have so far and hope I didn't break too many rules:

I think it looks great, a huge amount of detail for one hour's work. The only 'broken rule' I can spot is the use of dithering. To attempt consistency, I think it would be better to replace the dithering with solid colours and hatching (don't feel you can't add new colours as long as they fit within the scheme!).

Dithering vs non-dithering:


Your skilful dithering looks great, but I feel a non-dithering style is easier to achieve in a short time.

[Hudders]

I also left that large vat empty, in case there's room for some cyborg creature there.

[Tabata]

@ Hudders:
Coooool 


@Corby:
This is a quite good background with such a lot of details â€" good work!

May I ask you a question? You mirrored "Redbeards" view to the right to put it in the bg (instead of using the original view I did for this direction). Was it for a special reason - did I make a mistake? Please tell me, because maybe I can correct it?


@all:
I played around with „Redbeard“ some more and maybe some pics can be used for the conversation (or whatever) 
                                                        x 2

[Corby]

@ Ali : Thanks for the advice! I redid those shadows and made a few more tweaks.

@ Hudders: Perfect!

@Tabata: Whoops, that was my mistake. I lazily mirrored Redbeard instead of grabbing the correct view. Good work on the conversation animation.

[abstauber]

Somebody needs to mention that the Bonsai in front left corner is simply awesome. Well done!

Sorry for cluttering this thread even more

[Baron]

I've updated the first post with a few more jobs, and tried to make it clearer by striking out completed tasks and italicizing things that people have claimed.  It's impressive what we've done so far!  The new jobs (from memory) are scientist close ups on par with our doctor (for final cutscene -remember they've lost a lot of blood!), cursor artists and someone interested in importing what we have so far into AGS (two backgrounds and maybe character frames).

@ Corby: Amazing!  If you did that in only an hour we must collaborate on another game some time -you can do the backgrounds, hundreds of them!

@Tabata: Your scientist frames are all great!  We must use as many of them as possible.  If you are up for a challenge, you should try to draw him lying down and lifeless.  Given that Merrick will enter the room from below, he will almost certainly attack the scientists from that direction.  So perhaps two frames of the scientist flailing (as Merrick bites him) and then one or two of him collapsing into the lying down position will be all that is needed for the character to be complete.  If Ascovel posts his biting animation (the first one he's working on, I believe) you might be able to skip the falling part (Merrick's cape may conceal it if it is raised "old style").

[Hudders]

If you are up for a challenge, you should try to draw him lying down and lifeless.  Given that Merrick will enter the room from below, he will almost certainly attack the scientists from that direction.  So perhaps two frames of the scientist flailing (as Merrick bites him) and then one or two of him collapsing into the lying down position will be all that is needed for the character to be complete.

Do they have to die? I've been writing some lines for them and now I've become slightly attached.

Excuse me while I mourn two fictional characters...

Anyway. I thought maybe they could have a selection of conversations that they cycle through, some of which are relevant to the plot and some that aren't so as to obscure the nature of the puzzle we're hinting at:

DR BLONDE

   I thought that new guy was supposed to start today?

DR REDBEARD

   Tomorrow.

DR BLONDE

   Oh.

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DR REDBEARD

   Ugh

DR BLONDE

   What?

DR REDBEARD

   I think I just crushed a cockroach under my foot.

DR BLONDE

   Really? The exterminators were only in here yesterday.

DR REDBEARD

   Hm. Well, they're pretty hardy. I found some living in the back of the reactor last week.

DR BLONDE

   That's impossible!

DR REDBEARD

   Tell me about it.

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DR REDBEARD

   I've done this like ten times now. Something's not right.

DR BLONDE

   Take a break, maybe it'll come to you.

DR REDBEARD

   Nah, I've too much to do.

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DR BLONDE

   What do you want to do for lunch?

DR REDBEARD

   Canteen as usual, I suppose.

DR BLONDE

   I was thinking we could venture down to the village pub?

DR REDBEARD

   The Pinecone? Didn't that burn down?

DR BLONDE

   It's been rebuilt out of the ashes.

DR REDBEARD

   Hm. Hence "Pinecone" I guess.

DR BLONDE

   What do you mean?

DR REDBEARD

   Some pine trees use forest fires to regenerate, the fire kills the parent tree while the pinecones survive. You're a biologist - how do you not know this?

DR BLONDE

   I mainly stick to primates. Trees are boring.

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DR BLONDE

   Is that test done yet?

DR REDBEARD

   No.

DR BLONDE

   How about now?

DR REDBEARD

   No... oh, wait, yes.

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DR REDBEARD

   It's cold in here.

DR BLONDE

   It's an entirely unmodernised, falling down old castle. What do you expect?

DR REDBEARD

   Space-heater?

[cat]

Is it ok to do another task although I already worked an hour on the project?

[Hudders]

Is it ok to do another task although I already worked an hour on the project?

I don't see why not. As I said before, I think it's an unnecessary limitation and should be thought of as a minimum commitment.

Should this rule be enforced, however, I might be tempted to just make a second account in order to contribute a second hour.  :

[Tabata]

@Baron:
Yes Sir, my „No 1“ - upcoming challenge-exercise is registered!   
As soon as I can see, how it looks like to be bitten, I will try to let him die and fall as dramatic, as I can.


@Hudders:
Seems to me, I'm not the only one infected of this project?!   
The extra conversation is loveley and I could think of using it and let them die   8)


@cat:
I personally would love it, if you offer more of your nice work, even if it is aside the official „one hour“. And as long as you do it for to give away an idea, sprite, ... (whatever) of yours as a free offer without expecting a donation recipt 
So this way it is not against the rules and depends on the swarm, if it will be taken ... (but who wouldn't want such nice presents like yours)?   
We are crazy, but not that stupid (I hope)   :


@all:
When looking in the mirror this morning I thought of changing my signature for a little promotion.

But I can't decide properly, which sentence to use for my little advertising-signature

Don't join the swarm! You could be assimilated part for the future!
Don't read about the swarm! Risk of becoming assimilated happy!
Be warned about the swarm! You'll be assimilated part of it!
Stay away from the swarm or you may be assimilated involved!

[Corby]

If you did that in only an hour we must collaborate on another game some time -you can do the backgrounds, hundreds of them!

Actually, it probably took me about 3 hours or so. I saw that we could go over the minimum hour, so I just kept at it. Speaking of which, I don't mind finishing up the background. I think we're missing a probe that can be repaired? Perhaps a pinecone as well? Let me know!

When looking in the mirror this morning  I thought of changing my signature for a little promotion.

Very nice!

[Armageddon]

I guess I'll try and get my hallway done this weekend.

[Baron]

Is it ok to do another task although I already worked an hour on the project?

@ CAT -Yep, multiple hours are cool.  Just don't feel like you have to!

Don't join the swarm! You could be assimilated part for the future!
Don't read about the swarm! Risk of becoming assimilated happy!
Be warned about the swarm! You'll be assimilated part of it!
Stay away from the swarm or you may be assimilated involved!

@ TABATA -I like the stealth marketing campaign!  Just be careful of the 50 character limit for text under your pic -I think you're going to have to edit your message down to just the basics.  Maybe something like "You will be assimilated useful to the swarm." (of course even that is 51 characters including the period)

@HUDDERS -Nice exchanges: short and to the point, but entertaining as well.  Maybe the scientists can be talking before Merrick walks in, and then continue to sporadically converse until he pounces on them?  If they're going to return in the final cutscene I don't think the scientists will actually die -they'll just have their blood and knowledge temporarily sucked away.

[Igor Hardy]

If anyone's curious, there's a 97,5% chance I'll deliver my hour-worth of animation this weekend.

[Tabata]

I guess I'll try and get my hallway done this weekend.

If anyone's curious, there's a 97,5% chance I'll deliver my hour-worth of animation this weekend.

... and more things to come from others also - Ohhh, yes please! It's going forward, let us see all those nice puzzle-pieces.


Here's what I have done for my challenge (the merrick-sprite is only pasted in for to get a rough impression how I can handle the fall because I had some free time and wanted to start with it right now).

                                      and we have two desserts for Merrick 


And then I tried to let both act more communicative, if they might have some talking to do while working (I really like the dialog Hudders wrote ):
                                                   

Hopefully someone of the real creators can use some sprites of it.  But even if not â€" I had fun while doing these exercises.

... wishing you all a nice (and creative) weekend

[abstauber]

haha, lot's going on in your post Tabata Nice!

I've also invested a few more hours to better fit the project's style:

[Tabata]

Hell - he seems to jump out of the screen in this moment  :o

veeeeery expressive - well made - great job abstauber   

[Ali]

I was genuinely frightened by that!

To help keep things rolling I will have a go at spriting:

3) Preoccupied guard on exercise yard catwalk

[Wyz]

OMG Abstauber, I almost peed myself!

I guess that was also meant to do that so congratulations!

[Ali]

Here's a start on the guard. There's no right view and I'm still working on a slipping/electrocution animation, but it's a start.




I also quickly modified the exercise yard a little to make space for a character on the gantry: