Adventure Game Studio

Creative Production => Critics' Lounge => Topic started by: Morgan on Sun 01/02/2004 17:56:23

Title: characters and background to critic
Post by: Morgan on Sun 01/02/2004 17:56:23
I'm starting a new game that takes place in an apartment building. The characters are the residence of the building. The first pic is the main character that is a writer of fictional stories. The other guy (brain in a jar) is his roommate. My original idea for his roommate was a ware wolf that was a layer but I cant seem to draw a good-looking ware wolf.
I don't completely like the side view of the writer.
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/guy-and-robot-alian.gif)


This is his apartment I havent drawn the door to his bedroom yet but everything else is there. Im pretty happy with the way it turned out.
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/aprtmnt-room-1-2-2.gif)

Tell me what you think and what I should change. Thanks in advance.

Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: HillBilly on Sun 01/02/2004 18:06:22
Make the writer's jacket(in the side view) a bit more fat. I think that'll make him look better. As for the room, i think you should place some more items there(window, plant, pictures etc). But that's just me.  :)

Overall, i'm looking forward to playing this game.
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Sun 01/02/2004 18:07:19
The front view of the main character makes him look a bit thicker than the side view.  I think that's the reason you're not diggin' it too much (the side view).  Just throw a few more pixels around the side view to 'balance' him out a little.

The brain ... well it doesn't really look like a brain to me.  The color is off.  The shape is alright, but shouldn't it be more brownish/beige like a brain?  (I guess that depends ... I haven't seen too many brains with eyes.)  Also, on the front view of the brain, I would throw some transparency on the liquid/jar so you can see that back piece of his stand thing.

The room background looks pretty good, if a little empty.  I'm a sticklet for details and like to flood rooms with small things.  Pictures on the wall, end tables, coat racks, clocks, plugs in the walls, airconditioning vents, etc.  Is that back room a bedroom?  Or a kitchen?

These are off to a good start!  Please post some updates so we can see the 'improvements'.

~ d
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Morgan on Sun 01/02/2004 18:26:09
Is this any better?
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/apartment-guy-2.gif)

I don't really like the brain that much either. I think im going to have to learn to draw a ware wolf. I just cant get over how funny it would be to have a ware wolf for a room mate but no one ever says anything about him being ware wolf. They would just treat him like a normal guy

your right, I will put more stuff in the room to "jazz" it up a bit, a table or something, light sockets, etc.

Darth: its a kitchen
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Sun 01/02/2004 18:47:22
Cool!  With a floor like that it almost needs to be a kitchen.  I might suggest changing the wall color in the kitchen (just a suggestion).

The new side view looks good, but move his head back, it looks like he's slouching.

I think it would be hilarious to have a noraml guy werewolf as a roommate!  I say keep the brain idea (maybe make him the building's super) and draw up a werewolf.  Post it in here and we'll help make it awesome!!

~ d
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Mage on Sun 01/02/2004 19:07:43
don't know if this can help you with the werewolf but here goes :
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/werewolf.png)
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: aussie on Mon 02/02/2004 07:53:54
Mage, that's a mad werewolf!!!!

I just made a little edit to perhaps add a bit more of a human expression to the face.  ;)

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/wolf.gif)



Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Morgan on Mon 02/02/2004 21:58:43
This is what I came up with. I was trying to get him to look more like a regular guy who just happens to be a ware wolf. That wolf Mage did really kicks ass but its not really what Im going for.
It needs some work but I  thought I would post it to see what you guys think.
(to me he looks more like a dog man)
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/wolf-1.gif)
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: BerserkerTails on Mon 02/02/2004 23:46:34
Morgan, that sounds hilarious, the warewolf idea. Your sprite looks excellent, and it would be a scream, just maybe change it so the wolf has red eyes, and some fangs. This should set it apart from a dog. Maybe some really rough whiskers too.
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: TheYak on Tue 03/02/2004 04:25:26
Fangs would definately help, make it a bit more comical as well.  I think if you've got some musculature resembling that of the first wolf contributions it might carry across as one better.  Maybe if you show that he's slightly bulging out of his shirt but with the same flat expression on his face.
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Morgan on Wed 04/02/2004 01:54:39
I did some changes and I came up with this. I was going to have him be a wolf the hole game and not change from wolf to human  but I think im going to have him "transform" into a wolf infront of people and them still not seeing that hes any different.
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/wolf-2.gif)
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: BerserkerTails on Wed 04/02/2004 02:23:28
That looks alot more like a warewolf. Good job, I really like that sprite!
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Evil on Wed 04/02/2004 02:29:11
You can loose the white pixel on the foot. Other then that it looks great. Fun ideas.
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Morgan on Wed 04/02/2004 16:58:50
I think it looks good with the white pixel. Its makes his shoe have a heel. He has a more businessy look to him and I thought he should have more  businessy shoes. Does the white pixel bother anyone else? If so I could change it.
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Ginny on Wed 04/02/2004 17:19:50
Well the first shoe looks like a flat one and the second like a helled one, so that may be the problem.

Anyways, I love the wolf! And I quite the barin actually, the transparency idea is nice but that would mean it has to be transparent on all views and that could be a pain. Anyway, maybe changing the brain's color to a more purplish tone would help?
I love the idea of a guy and a werewolf being roomates :)
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Penguinx on Wed 04/02/2004 18:15:03
I think you can avoid having to change the heel by making the left shoe (his right) be viewed more head-on.

Also, I like the fangs and the rips in the shirt, but the casual pose of the first image comes accross more nicely. I did a quick edit with wolf-like yellow eyes, lower contrast fangs, a corrected foot, and a more head-on perspected foot.

(http://www.penguinx.org/werewolf.png)
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Morgan on Thu 05/02/2004 23:50:23
This is his side view animation. Tell me what you think.
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/walking-man.gif)
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: big brother on Fri 06/02/2004 02:30:23
I actually like Morgan's most recent werewolf than the Penguinx edit. No offense.
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: timh_009 on Fri 06/02/2004 06:30:17
the walk looks a little awkward. try making him lift his legs a bit when they go back and bob up and down not front to back. Do you get it?

heres an example: one of my own  ;D

(http://www.angelfire.com/ultra/umnp/ags/walkcyclemo.gif)

Don't be afraid to bend the knees and elbows. you probably don't want it as exaggerated as mine though, unless you have disco in mind.
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Morgan on Fri 06/02/2004 16:55:41
I thought is didnt look very good. Usually I get the side view walk cycle down on my first try. The walk cycles I usually do have the character lifting his leg up high and bobbing up and down but I was trying to go for a more laid back kind of walk. I see now that he shouldnt move left to right, it looked good on my computer but it just looks wrong on the forum. It also looks like its moving to fast here maybe its just my computer I will try to make changes as soon as possible.
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: SLaMgRInDeR on Fri 06/02/2004 18:13:25
i like the writer, but the walk looks odd as his foot kinda kicks out infront. as for the warefolf, i thing penguinx's is the best so far, the casual pose seems more like what you said you wanted rather than the hunched one
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Morgan on Sat 07/02/2004 21:56:57
I have done some changes to the walk cycle and I made it bigger for better viewing pleasure.

OLD
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/old-walking-man.gif)

NEW
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/walking-man-3.gif)
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Eggie on Sat 07/02/2004 22:09:57
I think his arms should 'flow a little more rather than be 'stop/start'.

If you know what I mean, my fine bannana ointment...
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: SLaMgRInDeR on Sun 08/02/2004 10:29:19
yeh, they seem to go out then snap to the middle then go back then snap back to the middle.
Title: Re:characters and background to critic
Post by: Morgan on Sun 08/02/2004 17:33:14
Is this better.
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/new-walk.gif)
There is one more frame in his front arm moving back than his front arm moving forword. Can anyone tell by looking at it?