I've rested for a couple of months after releasing Cherry's Quest for Coffee, now I've been tinkering with new ideas. My next game will feature the following character:
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/char-sprocket.png)
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/char-sprocket.png)
Her design is simple, I'd like to keep it that way, but there's just something a tad bit off about her, and I can't place it. I think it's the arms.
So, what can I do better?
Oh, and for some reason I used the Doom palette. :)
Maybe raise and level the shoulders a bit? I think the problem you see with the arms is that she's slouching a bit, and it makes her arms go in front of her torso a bit more than they should.
I like the colors!
Maybe make the shaded skin color a bit darker, to give a bit more contrast between shaded and lit skin tone.
And yeah, I have no idea how to fix it, but she does look like she's slouching.
Alrighty, gave her some more shading, and changed the darker skin tone to a darker pink color, and adjusted her posture.
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/char-sprocket2.png)
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/char-sprocket2.png)
She's starting to look a bit better, I think.
EDIT TO ADD:
an alternate recolored version.
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/char-sprocket4.png)
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/char-sprocket4.png)
They look different like more indie/goth/alternative vs regular looking...so it depends on the story and her character.
But in general don't but such similar colors as background (as you did in the second version), it really messes up the judgement of hue values.
The second version is much better. I think the problem with the first was that the arms seemed like they were in front of her (which might be the case), but because of the shading the position of the arms makes more sense. Like I hope this post does, too.
Cute, especially like the simple, but very effective face!
I think there are quite a lot of good things in both of your versions, so I tried to combine them in to one paintover:
(http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab12/Mad1978/GirlPO.png)
I like your effective style, and tried to keep the sprite as simple as possible, but still give it some more distinctive features.
The main problem for me was the long thin torso, which you addressed in your second version with the addition of some hips. I followed up on that in my paintover.
The other thing which made her look slightly odd, as you noticed yourself, were the legs. They were just a tad too far apart.
I also lowered her chest a bit, and pushed some pixels here and there. Nothing major, just a matter of taste I guess.
I didn't know which age you were going for, so I made a second version with smaller chest and narrower shoulders to give her a slightly younger, teeny-ish appearance.
Thanks fellas, and you, Mad. I played around with her really quick before I left this morning, and uploaded. I notice a few things I need to fix, but after a few adjustments I think she will be ready for animations.
Based on Mad's paintover:
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/char-sprocket5.png)
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/char-sprocket5.png)
I realize there's a few things to be done to the first standing frame, but I'm not at home. I'll work some more on it when I have more than just my phone. :)
Edit:
Home now, and I did some more work on her. I'm just about satified now. :=
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketsheet.png)
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketsheet.png)
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprockanimatedbigger.gif)
That looks like a winner. Much more detailed and better overall.
I'm not sure about the shadows on the legs. They would look better if they were straight and slightly shorter.
Like this?
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocket%28Legs2pxshortlegsnoshadow%29.PNG)
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocket%28Legs2pxshortlegsnoshadow%29.PNG)
Legs are 2 pixels shorter, and shadows are gone. The absent of shadow on her legs would be slightly less bothersome to animate.
Well, I did like the shadow, I just thought it shouldn't be creeping down her legs.
Without a shadow works too though. ;)
Thanks, Hudders :P
So I stopped nitpicking about the shadows so much, and started animating:
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/SprocketWalkRight.gif)
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/SprocketWalkRight%28big%29.gif)
(scaled pre-upload, because I can't turn image filtering off on my browser, I assume others have the same problem ;))
edit:
Smoothed her "bumping" or what ever you call it out a bit.. too much?
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/SprocketWalkRight(SmootherBump).gif)
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/SprocketWalkRight(SmootherBump).gif)
I'd do away with the head twist. People look where they're going (or have bruised knees), and it virtually always looks odd at low resolutions when the details are so small and pronounced.
Quote from: Victor6 on Fri 27/04/2012 19:35:54
I'd do away with the head twist. People look where they're going (or have bruised knees), and it virtually always looks odd at low resolutions when the details are so small and pronounced.
Hah, yeah I thought it looked odd my self. Here's one for simplicity's sake.
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkright.gif)
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkright.gif)
Couldn't get the hair bouncing to look right so I omitted it. Took out the head twist as suggested by Victor6. Also took out body twist.
I think you need some body twist. At the moment, her arm comes forward so we can see her back, but because her chest doesn't move, it looks odd.
Body Twist :)
(http://www.maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkright%28twist%29.gif)
(http://www.maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkright%28twist%29.gif)
Shew, I don't know why I'm so obsessive compulsive. lol.
Much better! :-D
If you could add some bounce to her hair and skirt, that would look good, (but don't feel you must).
I think you need to adjust the right shoe when it goes all the way back because it looks a bit like her foot is turning outwards, (towards the camera). Also the left leg has a bit of a wobble to it, (the right leg might be the same but I can't tell because it's too pale), which makes it look a bit like she's got very soft bones.
Definitely better. I'm pretty sure OCD happens to all pixel artists eventually (it might even be requirement).
The only thing that bugs me is the shoulder 'snap'. It jumps 2 pixels at one point for a couple of frames, and looks a little weird since it's the pivot point for the arm. I might be worth trying to smooth it out a little.
Quote from: Hudders on Fri 27/04/2012 23:40:59
Much better! :-D
If you could add some bounce to her hair and skirt, that would look good, (but don't feel you must).
I think you need to adjust the right shoe when it goes all the way back because it looks a bit like her foot is turning outwards, (towards the camera). Also the left leg has a bit of a wobble to it, (the right leg might be the same but I can't tell because it's too pale), which makes it look a bit like she's got very soft bones.
Ah, I don't feel I must, just wanted to see how it looked with a bouncy hair and skirt. I think I might like it. :-D
I think I fixed the "wobble," but still not sure what you meant about the shoe, haha. My eyes are crossed from looking at this all day, so maybe tomorrow I'll be able to spot it. 8-)
Quote from: Victor6 on Fri 27/04/2012 23:47:35
Definitely better. I'm pretty sure OCD happens to all pixel artists eventually (it might even be requirement).
The only thing that bugs me is the shoulder 'snap'. It jumps 2 pixels at one point for a couple of frames, and looks a little weird since it's the pivot point for the arm. I might be worth trying to smooth it out a little.
I see what you mean, I think I smoothed it out a bit in this one. Thanks for pointing that out. :)
(http://www.maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkright%28bouncy%29.gif)
(http://www.maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkright%28bouncy%29.gif)
Quote from: Maddoxic on Sat 28/04/2012 00:30:23
I think I fixed the "wobble," but still not sure what you meant about the shoe, haha. My eyes are crossed from looking at this all day, so maybe tomorrow I'll be able to spot it. 8-)
The frame her right leg is far back, the foot gets an extra pixel in length sort of, so it seems like the frames before the foot was turned towards the camera (even though the foot has the same legth of pixels but that frame). And even though the white detail on the shoes looks nice, it kind of attributes to that.
But I think it looks good, just the way you see it (like those rotating figures and somebody sees the turn go clockwise, others counter clockwise. It looked funny to me yesterday, but now it looks ok.
Quote from: Anian on Sat 28/04/2012 10:32:08
But I think it looks good, just the way you see it (like those rotating figures and somebody sees the turn go clockwise, others counter clockwise. It looked funny to me yesterday, but now it looks ok.
Yeah, same thing with me. I was going to do a paintover but I'd looked at for so long, it looked like her legs were rotating or something.
Did some work on the down view walkcylce today.
EDIT: Put some shadow in the legs, as suggested by Anian and Eric below ;) I really just overwrote the file. :-[
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkdown.gif)(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkdown.gif)
If her lower legs gets shadow from the rest of the leg, there probably would be some shadow from the skirt/her body on the upper legs. Otherwise, looks nice.
Quote from: Anian on Sat 28/04/2012 23:06:41
If her lower legs gets shadow from the rest of the leg, there probably would be some shadow from the skirt/her body on the upper legs. Otherwise, looks nice.
I was about to post this, pretty much verbatim. Add a pixel of skirt shadow, and this sprite is fantastic.
Thanks for the suggestion fellas. I did so, it's above. My mind is going today.
Edit: I'll post it here for convenience.
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkdown.gif)(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkdown.gif)
My problem with the skirt shadow is that it creeps down the leg on the inside, making her look a bit like she's had an accident.
(http://i.imgur.com/dZjFL.gif)(http://i.imgur.com/dZjFL.gif)
That is perfect! I love this character. Awesome animating, Maddoxic!
As Hudders suggested :D:
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkdownshadowfix.gif)(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkdownshadowfix.gif)
annnd the final walking view... phew... (laugh)
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkup.gif)(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sprocketwalkup.gif)
Quote from: Snake on Sun 29/04/2012 14:15:15
That is perfect! I love this character. Awesome animating, Maddoxic!
I appreciate your kind words, Snake!
I've been experimenting with IMFCreator for music, so I figured I'd match the graphic style to the music:
(http://maddoxic.com/misc/sscreen.PNG)
Commander Keen EGA palette which, if I'm not mistaken, is slightly different than the standard 16 colors.
Look EGA enough?
I'm really putting a lot of thought into this game, and I do believe I'm going for this EGA look. It's unfolding quite a bit since she started as a funny looking sprite.
Any thoughts?
EDIT: Just realized I double posted. I apologize. :-[
I absolutely like this look! You could do some experiments with the dithering though. I'm having some problems understanding the full tone shadow parts in the upper edges of the room. Regarding to this the light source would be somewhere at the wall right above the door, but all other shadows don't match this position. Also, the dithering pattern on the ground confuses me. I guess it is because of the tile borders seeming slightly thicker with a dithered shade.
All in all it is a great looking, could use some more detail, but I guess you're just planning the overall style right now.
By the way, great job on improving your character sprite!
I sit on the other side of the fence;- She looked a lot better when you didn't force the EGA palette.
16 colour games are fine, there's some lovely looking ones out there, but a consistant problem with the EGA palette is the awful result of everyone looking like a pom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_names_for_the_British#Pommy) on vacation. It just looks garish.