Adventure Game Studio

Creative Production => Critics' Lounge => Topic started by: Darth Mandarb on Thu 29/01/2004 07:42:08

Title: Main Character Options ...
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Thu 29/01/2004 07:42:08
Hello.

I am working on the main character for my upcoming game.

I wanted to get some feedback before animating or going further.

Here's my three options:
(http://www.twin-design.com/thehouse/graphics/main_options.gif)
(http://www.twin-design.com/thehouse/graphics/main_options.gif)

No.1 - This is my favorite body.  I'm leaning towards using it.  I think it has the most character.

No. 2 - I like the stance, but I don't know ...

No. 3 - This is more like the style I've been using but I'm not sure I like the really large head.  Although it does offer the best detail ...

What do you all think?  Which one do you like best?

I also tried this:
(http://www.twin-design.com/thehouse/graphics/main_option2.gif)(http://www.twin-design.com/thehouse/graphics/main_option2.gif)
I think I'm leaning towards this one ...

This is as large as I can make them 'cause the background sizes don't allow for them to be any bigger than this without looking off.

And I'm sure as heck not re-doing all the backgrounds!!!

Thanks for any input!
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: Nacho on Thu 29/01/2004 07:50:07
When I was looking it at a glance I liked the body of the first and the head of the third. Now I see that you´ve made an edit with more or less the same idea that I had, so, I´ll go for it. BTW, sure that more people will want to give their oppinion... :)
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: Nine Toes on Thu 29/01/2004 08:28:14
In my humble opinion:
No. 3 looks kind of... I don't know... generic?  (...I take that back... it sounds kind of insulting)  It looks too plain, is what I mean.

No. 2 looks like he's waiting to use the bathroom (probably to take a no. 2, *chuckle!* ;D).

No. 1 & 4 are at a tie.  I like no. 1 because it just looks good overall.  But no. 4... I like how you can make out his facial features better than no. 1.  But, his head looks a little too square.

~Sully
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: James Kay on Thu 29/01/2004 08:31:46
Yeah, I'm voting for the "also tried" one. None of the three numbered ones really "do" it for me.  ;)
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: ScottDoom on Thu 29/01/2004 09:05:21
I'll also vote for "number 4."
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: Do0kie on Thu 29/01/2004 13:35:52
I'd choose No.1, but that's just me I don't like those big heads. ::)
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: Mr Jake on Thu 29/01/2004 15:31:21
I like number 4, the body on number 3 is nice but the head is odd :D
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: Penguinx on Thu 29/01/2004 16:45:07
The body on 1 definitely has more personality than 3. The head on 1 doesn't fit in well with your background art, though.

The last edit you made with option 4 seems to be the way to go.  The squarish-ness of his head throws me off a little, though. I hope you don't mind, but I put together a quick edit.

(http://www.penguinx.org/DarthMandab.gif)

All I did, was make the head color match the arm color (it was slightly off when I checked it out in Photoshop), lighten the whites of the eyes a tad, drop the head/neck down a pixel, and add a line of pixels to the top of the head to round it out some.

Whattya think?
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Thu 29/01/2004 17:02:08
Quote from: Penguinx on Thu 29/01/2004 16:45:07
(http://www.penguinx.org/DarthMandab.gif)
Whattya think?
I'm crackin' up because this is, and I'm not kidding, almost identical to the final version I am going with!  I made some edits of my own after posting.  When I saw your edit I thought you had somehow gotten into my server!!

Here's mine:
(http://www.twin-design.com/thehouse/graphics/main_option3.gif)(http://www.twin-design.com/thehouse/graphics/main_option3.gif)
I added some more shading and color matched the arms/head (I too realized the color variances).  I went with a slightly different hair style.  I also shortened him a little because I realized he didn't fit through the doors in the house!

Uncanny isn't it?!
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: Penguinx on Thu 29/01/2004 17:03:52
Aside from the new guy's widows peak hair-do, it's like they were seperated at birth.

You know what they say about great minds...
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: loominous on Thu 29/01/2004 17:43:24
(Too?)Different style:

(http://w1.872.telia.com/~u87210460/AGS/main_option3_mod1.gif)

(http://w1.872.telia.com/~u87210460/AGS/main_option3_mod1.gif)
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: Penguinx on Thu 29/01/2004 18:02:51
I really like the look of Loominous' character as well, but I think Darth's fits his backgrounds better.

One thing, I like the single pixel extension of the foot in Loominous' version and I think that would look good when applied to Mr. Darth's.
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Thu 29/01/2004 19:53:05
Loominous - as usual, great edit!

I took some of what you did (the shoulders mostly) and edited my sprite again.

(http://www.twin-design.com/thehouse/graphics/main_option4.gif)(http://www.twin-design.com/thehouse/graphics/main_option4.gif)

* I slimmed the head down 2 pixels (1 from each side).
* took out the 'taxi-cab' ears
* kept the head shape (top) but slimmed the hair down a bit

- I like the shoes better on mine so I kept those.
- I like your shading, but I tried to keep neutral shading in this because the lighting effects from room to room change, so I didn't want to make it look like light was definately coming from one side.

What do you all think of the new head?  I really like the 'charicature' look to it personally.
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: Kweepa on Thu 29/01/2004 20:10:45
Some really nice pixelling going on here.
For me though the "casually untucked shirt" is a bit too neat and calculated. I've seen a number of characters recently with this added "personality".

Maybe it's just me it bugs though, in which case, I'm sorry for mentioning it.
:)

Steve
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: strazer on Thu 29/01/2004 21:58:03
(http://www.twin-design.com/thehouse/graphics/main_option3.gif)
This one is mighty fine. Don't overkill.
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: Dorcan on Thu 29/01/2004 23:00:18
I second Strazer, the last one you did looks more like an adult.

Really nice :)
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: loominous on Thu 29/01/2004 23:25:07
(http://w1.872.telia.com/~u87210460/AGS/main_option4_mod2.gif)

His eyes seemed to point outwards (opposite of cross-eyed (exotropia)). Think I corrected it. Also made the whites less white to decrease the eyesize n thereby making them seem wider apart (too closely aligned doesn t look good imo, makes him look a bit stupid).

The eyebrowses has been set further apart as well to give the impression that the eyes are wider apart than they actually are.

The new look is a large improvement though, giving him a look u don t see often in games.
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Thu 29/01/2004 23:38:08
Decisions decisions!!!

Loominous - you just fixed the one thing that was buggin' me about it!  The eyes/brows.  I just couldn't get them to 'feel' right.  Thanks!

I'm going to animated them both (easy since the bodies'll be the same) and put them both in game to see which one I like better 'on screen'.

Thanks for all the help guys!

I'll post some more of my characters shortly.
Title: Re:Main Character Options ...
Post by: earlwood on Thu 29/01/2004 23:53:25
Is it just me or does that guy look alot Tom Hanks?