Adventure Game Studio

Creative Production => Critics' Lounge => Topic started by: Zaidyer on Mon 15/05/2006 07:01:17

Title: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Zaidyer on Mon 15/05/2006 07:01:17
This guy began life as a comic strip character:
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Dart_Zaidyer/sprites/Char-Booster1.png)

I've tried to draw him using a "Day of the Tentacle" spin on my own cartooning style. But I just know there's something about him that could use some work.

His pose and attire are supposed to reflect his personality. He's a "Marty McFly" sort of guy... Nice, but usually out of his league (note the facial expression) and easy to wind up. Not surprising, considering that he hangs around with a brilliant but slightly crazed scientist, owns the world's only talking cat, and is best friends with a hyperactive caffeine addict.

That's supposed to be a flannel shirt, by the way. But I'm at a loss as to how to implement the palette or pattern.

Critiques and edits are welcome. And while I don't have a problem with major changes like extra shading or new features, I'd prefer they be accompanied with steps of how they were made, so I have a clear method of repeating it.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: A�rendyll (formerly Yurina) on Mon 15/05/2006 07:50:13
Well, I WOULD comment it if the image link wasn't broken... Did you make a typo?

~Yurina
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Gilbert on Mon 15/05/2006 09:16:36
I can see the image, maybe you can try draging the link to a new window or whatever?
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Dart_Zaidyer/sprites/Char-Booster1.png
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: pslim on Mon 15/05/2006 09:22:11
It doesn't show for me either.  :-\
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Gilbert on Mon 15/05/2006 09:31:42
Odd. How about this? I uploaded his sprite to Noele's space.
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Char-Booster1.png)
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: skw on Mon 15/05/2006 09:50:26
Nothing.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Ubel on Mon 15/05/2006 10:03:25
Hey Zaidyer, a nice sprite you have there. One thing I would change is the colors of that shirt, because those tones of red and blue together look kind of confusing to me. It would probably help if the red wasn't so bright.

I like it how you've used double pixelling in some places. It makes it look more cartoony (thick outlines). Good job so far! :)
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Krysis on Mon 15/05/2006 12:52:49
Uploaded 3 times and I still can't see it? This is so odd.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: ildu on Mon 15/05/2006 13:35:01
I can see all of them.

Yeah, I would definately change the shirt color to a solid color rather than a flannel pattern. Otherwise it looks ok, I guess. You could still try and exaggurate more to make it even toonier.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Khris on Mon 15/05/2006 14:01:07
My IE won't display it, Firefox does. I suspect the PNG to be slightly corrupted, cause IE " knows" its pixel dimensions but can't display the contents.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: HillBilly on Mon 15/05/2006 14:31:10
I can see all of them too. Re-saved and uploaded to Imageshack:

(http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/6881/sprite9hj.png)

Nice sprite, by the way. I like it. I agree with Pablo on the color issue.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Kweepa on Mon 15/05/2006 15:00:49
I like it a lot.
I definitely wouldn't go with the solid colour for the shirt. That's one of the cool, unusual things about it, and it looks fine zoomed in x3 on my monitor. It may be a tad tricky to animate, but such is life.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Gilbert on Tue 16/05/2006 02:01:50
I guess IE was just too retarded to be not able to display PNG in 4bit colour depth.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens on Tue 16/05/2006 12:29:55
Here is an edit to give you some ideas.

1.  Used black with the red to make a more obvious flannel pattern
2.  changed the skin tones to DOTT colors
3.  Only Laverne (as far as I can remember) had bulbous eyes like that and that was to make her look nutty.
4.  Made the arms somewhat thinner and the ears larger.  The DOTT characters were all about exaggerated proportions.

Nice work on the sprite!

(http://members.cox.net/progzmax/Char-Booster1.gif)

Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: dsg_charly on Tue 16/05/2006 16:27:32
Quote from: ProgZmax on Tue 16/05/2006 12:29:55
(http://members.cox.net/progzmax/Char-Booster1.gif)

Very nice dude !
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Snarky on Tue 16/05/2006 16:35:08
Quote from: ProgZmax on Tue 16/05/2006 12:29:55
3.Ã,  Only Laverne (as far as I can remember) had bulbous eyes like that and that was to make her look nutty.

Heh, I knew you were going to say that. You really don't like the cartoon eyes, do you?

You're wrong, though. Both Hancock, Washington, and the sculpting Edison twins (as well as many other characters) have bigger eyes that show the whites.

But hey, it looks good.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: vict0r on Tue 16/05/2006 17:23:56
Bah... The only pic i saw was the pic ProgZ were sawing with
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Zaidyer on Wed 17/05/2006 00:42:58
I find it pretty odd that so many people were unable to see the image. I'm guessing IE has some kind of weird issue with 4-bit PNG images.

Anyway, ProgZ's edit is fairly interesting... It interprets the character in a way I had never considered before.

Here's the most recent hand-drawn version of the character:
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Dart_Zaidyer/booster1.png)
(eyebrows not included.) A lot of his features were made out of necessity, since he usually appears in a black-and-white format. The bulbous eyes are intended to give him a larger range of expression, for instance.

Here's a before-and-after sprite edit after taking a look at ProgZ's:

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Dart_Zaidyer/sprites/Char-Booster1.gif)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Dart_Zaidyer/sprites/Char-BoosterEdits.gif)
Changed the skin tone, improved the ear, edited the nose, arm and pants slightly, and made the squiggly curl in his hair a little more noticable. Probably the biggest change here is the shirt, which now sports a convincing flannel pattern and a more flared-out collar. I think at this point it could work either as a flannel vest/T-shirt combo or a flannel hoodie.


Any further critiques or edits?
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens on Wed 17/05/2006 07:07:43
QuoteHeh, I knew you were going to say that. You really don't like the cartoon eyes, do you?

Well, this isn't really the place for Q&A, but no, I have nothing against cartoon eyes if they fit the style.  I haven't played DOTT in years and only remember the main characters and Dr. Ed, but after finding an image in reference to your point I would still say that the eyes as Zaidyer has made them do not fit the style.  Perhaps making them somewhat smaller and putting the darker skintone as an outline around them would help.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d5/Dottscreen.png
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Afflict on Wed 17/05/2006 09:01:00
I like it alot.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Krysis on Wed 17/05/2006 09:08:15
I agree with ProgZmax. Those eyes ain't Dott-ish enough. Love the sprite though.

The hand of that guy (the comic frame) needs help. I see broken fingers.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Zaidyer on Fri 19/05/2006 22:12:37
Next character:
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Dart_Zaidyer/sprites/Char-DocWelchVersions.gif)
Dr. Wayland Welch is a brilliant yet slightly crazed scientist. He's an expert in several advanced fields including quantum mechanics and applied electronics. You name it, he's probably invented it... but not without a few questionable features tacked on. Countless accidents have been caused by such genius ideas like laser staplers and plutonium-fueled grills.

Four versions are shown because I couldn't decide on what he should look like. From left to right: Dick Van Dyke, Doc Brown, Einstein, and a hairless "cue-ball" version. The cue-ball one happens to be my least favorite however, and is only there in case someone has another hair style to suggest.

Palette is based on Dr. Fred from DOTT.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens on Sat 20/05/2006 09:40:38
Looking good.  I'd go with the far left one, it makes him look less like the 'typical' mad scientist.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Necro on Sat 20/05/2006 12:03:42
Quote from: Zaidyer on Fri 19/05/2006 22:12:37
From left to right: Dick Van Dyke, Doc Brown, Einstein, and a hairless "cue-ball" version.

LMAO..   I think the Einstien one looks quite nice
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Paper Carnival on Sat 20/05/2006 14:32:58
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/zaidyer_scientist.PNG)

Mohawk, semi-bald, bald with moustache. The Mohawk one isn't a serious suggestion obviously, but semi-bald with moustache looks nice to me.
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Krysis on Sat 20/05/2006 14:37:48
I like the semi-bald shaved guy).Or maybe try adding some hair volume on the sides and keep the top bald. Lovely!
Title: Re: LucasArts-style toon hero
Post by: Khris on Sat 20/05/2006 16:09:39
Here's my shot at it:

(http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/7513/redrawzai1ys.png) 2x(http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/7513/redrawzai1ys.png)