My first AGS character, needs some crits.

[updownleftright]

Hi guys, I only downloaded AGS last night, and i'm already keen to get moving on a game idea i've had ever since I played all the old Lucasarts games back in the day. I sat in front of Photoshop for an hour last night with a few screenshots of The Dig in front of me, and threw this guy together.



I'm thinking of changing the green top into khaki color like the trousers, my original idea was a jumpsuit like the ones the Dharma guys wear in Lost, but I couldn't nail it last night so I quickly turned it into a tshirt.

There's loads more I can already see wrong with him, but I was just browsing the forum in my lunch hour and thought i'd share it early to see if I can drum up some decent c&c's before I get home and start tweaking again.

Let me know what you think!

[zabnat]

Only things I can see what could be wrong is that arm might be a bit too short and I don't like the way the white collar is jumping out (it's so bright).
Otherwise it's a good sprite.

[updownleftright]

Yeah, someone at work said it looks like he's got his hand in his pocket, i'll lengthen the arms later.

I'll have to see about the white colar, it might not look so bad once i've changed the green top to khaki. Plus I think i'm gonna up the contrast a bit on the darks, which might help make the white look less contrasty with the rest of it.

[Buckethead]

This is great for a first sprite! I have nothing more to say 

[m0ds]

Very nice. For a first character, you really have little to improve on

[updownleftright]

Here's a quick update.



I've extended the arm and made an attempt at a hand. I've tweaked the colors slightly and added highlights (might not keep them, depends on the final pallette count). I've also reduced his bulk slightly, and messed with the collar a touch.

Any more advice? I think he's got something missing still, it might be detail, maybe I should add a belt or a watch or something?

[Steel Drummer]

The shorter arm needs a hand as well. Other than that, the sprite looks good. Oh, and you should probably give him ears.

[gASK]

Awesome sprite.

Now some critics - the hand is still too short and too thick.

[markbilly]

It's a great sprite! I just don't think his left arm looks quite right. Maybe if you brought it in behind his hip?

Just got to animate him now!

[InCreator]

Awesome? True...

but!

* Though there cannot never be too little saturation, and desaturated colors are foolproof way to make something nice, I still think that this character needs some stronger contrast and saturation. Why? Because he looks like he's outside, while it's ultra foggy, yet sunny day. I can't imagine this character in any room or elsewhere but in thick fog. Think about it. And take a look at characters from The Dig. They have WAY stronger colors.

* He totally lacks any expression, or to say clearly - a face. You have very little of pixels for his face, threrefore editing it isn't hard job at all; it's time to make something good out of them. If you have 3 male sprites like this, how can you tell who is who? Rearrange, widen eyes, or maybe check out other people's sprites to find out how to use these so few pixels well to make a character unique. Some extra shade colors for head would also do a trick. For example, you could make his cheecks lighter and use the dark skin shade around eyes. Or vice versa... Since your new, I can reccommend you some local SpriteMastersâ,,¢ whose works are well worth learning from: users ProgZmax, Big Brother, Darth Mandarb, etc... See their various threads and competition entries and you'll surely pick up something.

* Em, hard to explain, but look at his hand. Right one. The area where collar ends and bare hand starts. See something wrong? Hand inside the shirt goes one way and as soon as shirt ends, it bends heavily!
Fix this too.

* I believe drawing left hand was difficult task, but you don't need it so much visible, which could also solve the problem of figuring out how it should go.

* People tend to have lighter forehead. Using dark hair shade next to dark skin shade makes this character wearing a wig or something. Try to work around...

[zabnat]

* Though there cannot never be too little saturation, and desaturated colors are foolproof way to make something nice, I still think that this character needs some stronger contrast and saturation. Why? Because he looks like he's outside, while it's ultra foggy, yet sunny day. I can't imagine this character in any room or elsewhere but in thick fog. Think about it. And take a look at characters from The Dig. They have WAY stronger colors.

I'm sorry, but I just have to comment on this. I understand your point but maybe the reason characters from The Dig have stronger colors is that they use orange astronaut flightsuits and they might be bright orange for higher visibility

Anyway, back to sprite. I agree with InCreator about with contrast. It could use a bit more. For example in the original version jawline is more pronounced and has more contrast.

[updownleftright]

This is great! Thanks, these sort of constructive criticisms help me sooooo much!
I've only had time for a quick edit before bed, i'll take a look at those other guys that have been mentioned tomorrow and concentrate more on the colors and facial features for a bit.

I think i'll start a background too just so I can see if his desaturated colors work or not before I change them.

The reason i've left him so desaturated so far is he is supposed to be in military style gear, so I figure he should be a bit calm color wise or he'd get shot

Anyway, here is v3, keep the advice coming, you guys are really helping me improve!

[Kweepa]

* tweaked the head a bit (cheek highlights, rounder jaw, more defined ear, shaded hair, shadowed neck)
* removed "pillow shading" on body and trousers
* dropped shirt and trousers to two colours each
* added a couple of details to shirt, undershirt, and trousers
* reshaped shoulders, arms and hand
* relit boots
* put it against a less bright background (in the game he's unlikely to be walking around a white room)

I'm not sure the trouser change is what you are going for, but maybe you can get something out of it (eg wrinkles, pockets).

[Sparky]

Great original sprite, and nice improvements with each update. I really like the style.

I like the way SteveMcCrea defined the chest shape with shading. Boston in The Dig is another good example of this. It might also look nice to use the same technique on the arms and legs: darken the upper arms slightly and darken the legs below the knee for a little more definition. If your final pallette limits you to two levels of shading, this might be harder to pull off.

I still think his right arm is short. I'd nudge his elbow down a couple of pixels and bring his hand down to mid-thigh.

Other than that, great work! I look forward to seeing future edits (if you make any) other new art from you.

[updownleftright]

Wow, just wow. Thanks so much for the advice and the paintover Steve, that has really helped so much.
I didn't realise I was doing it until you pointed it out, but the "pillow shading" really wasn't doing it any favours. I think I get it now, more dithering and suggestion of shape and detail rather than blobs of shade.

I've just pulled your edit up next to my original and taken some of the changes on board, but some of them i've ignored. I didn't like your belt, it looked a bit too contrasty, and the dark line on his white undershirt popped too much for me, so i've left that how I had it originaly. I've softened the face like you suggeted, and blatantly ripped the ear that you drew

I've also gone through and sorted the colors out, I had a few similar shades in there that could be easily merged, so I got it from 19 to 14 without any loss.



I think it's time to start a background now!

[InCreator]

Indeed.

[Renal Shutdown]

For a first attempt, you put a HECK of a lot of us to shame.  I'd have to agree with Steve, tho.  Your version does look as little TOO square.

Square, is NOT necessarily a bad thing, tho.  See MrCollosal/Eric's art for examples.

(Eric, your squares are good, and have been a big influence on me.  I don't want you two get the wrong idea).

[Damien]

Very nice sprite, the colors are great.

Here are some ideas:


2x:


-1- original sprite, palette drawn out bigger so it's easier to work with
-2- added one more shade for the skin, increased the contrast between the skintones and shaded the face
    (light source above the sprite)
   - made the hand outline more clear to show you the problem with it
   - head moved one pixel to the right
-3- tried to fix the hands (sorry)
   - tried to fix the collar, white shirt removed
-4- tried to shade the hand
   - darkest hair tone merged with the shoe color
   - white color removed
   - merged the belt color with the shoe highlight
-5- further (exaggerated) color mods, merging and editing colors with similar values (seen from palette)

Ideas:
-a wristwatch
-belt buckle
-ranks, other sewn (sp) details on the shirt
-fingers :)
- ...

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

If you are going to add a third skin shade you should really add a third shade to all parts of the sprite.  It's not only a consistency issue but it looks better.  Here is a quick example:




1.  Added additional shade to pants and shirt.
2.  Darkened outermost shade for skin, hair, and shirt.
3.  Lowered eye level down one pixel to be in line with the ears.  This gave me enough room for eyebrows.
4.  Lengthened arms to roughly mid-thigh.

You don't need to use additional shades (Steve's example works) but if you do try and be consistent with it.  Nice work!