Girl Sprite (EGA?)

Slipshod · Fri 20/04/2012 04:31:04

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:

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.

Eric · Fri 20/04/2012 04:37:33

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!

Anian · Fri 20/04/2012 09:45:46

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.

Slipshod · Fri 20/04/2012 14:31:24

Alrighty, gave her some more shading, and changed the darker skin tone to a darker pink color, and adjusted her posture.

She's starting to look a bit better, I think.

EDIT TO ADD:

an alternate recolored version.

Anian · Sat 21/04/2012 12:09:03

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.

Kaio · Sat 21/04/2012 12:28:37

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.

Mad · Mon 23/04/2012 15:21:24

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:

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.

Slipshod · Tue 24/04/2012 15:39:02

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:

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.

Corby · Thu 26/04/2012 10:37:24

That looks like a winner. Much more detailed and better overall.

Hudders · Thu 26/04/2012 12:55:32

I'm not sure about the shadows on the legs. They would look better if they were straight and slightly shorter.

Slipshod · Thu 26/04/2012 19:57:53

Like this?

Legs are 2 pixels shorter, and shadows are gone. The absent of shadow on her legs would be slightly less bothersome to animate.

Hudders · Thu 26/04/2012 20:36:50

Well, I did like the shadow, I just thought it shouldn't be creeping down her legs.

Without a shadow works too though.

Slipshod · Fri 27/04/2012 16:51:10

Thanks, Hudders

So I stopped nitpicking about the shadows so much, and started animating:

(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?

Victor6 · 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.

Slipshod · Fri 27/04/2012 21:20:19

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.

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.

Hudders · Fri 27/04/2012 21:45:42

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.

Slipshod · Fri 27/04/2012 22:07:49

Body Twist

Shew, I don't know why I'm so obsessive compulsive. lol.

Hudders · Fri 27/04/2012 23:40:59

Much better!

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.

Victor6 · 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.

Slipshod · Sat 28/04/2012 00:30:23

Quote from: Hudders on Fri 27/04/2012 23:40:59
Much better!

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.

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.

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.