Adventure Game Studio

Creative Production => Critics' Lounge => Topic started by: Mats Berglinn on Sat 04/06/2005 15:47:31

Title: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Mats Berglinn on Sat 04/06/2005 15:47:31
In my game Caribbean Mysteries, there'll be a shaman who mostly in the game sits on his throne in his hut (except for a moment in the third part of the game where you can see him walk and stand). I have drawn first the standing veiw of the character and recently I have finished him sitting. I'm not entirly sure if it looks right so here I'm showing him to you guys.

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Burga_in_throne.PNG)

The first he sits in the throne to easier see that he is actually sitting. Next is the sitting without the throne and the last sprite is the shaman standing.

So, what do you think? Does it look right or not? If not, then how should it be changed. Paintovers are welcome but PLEASE, don't change the character so much because I'm proud of the shaman looks.
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Krazy on Sat 04/06/2005 16:44:20
Quickish paintover with a couple of sloppy suggestions for the arms and legs
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/paint.PNG)
The main thing is his arms look really awkward in your version.
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Mats Berglinn on Sat 04/06/2005 17:29:18
Not too bad but the fingers looks really weird and you made the legs too long (he's not suppoused to be tall but not so short either. Besides the skirt is too short compaired with the legs. Also you missed the red spots between the lightgreen stripes. The arms looks okay though.
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Intoxicatedowl8 on Sat 04/06/2005 17:54:28
You need to work on the dimensions/proportions. You make it look a little too 2D, add some depth and shadow to it.
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Mats Berglinn on Sat 04/06/2005 18:26:51
Yeah, now that you mention it he does look like paper doll.
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Jimi on Sat 04/06/2005 21:36:35
The only difference between the sitting version and the standing version is that thhe legs just look squashed in the sitting one, and the arms have ben bent inwards.
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Krazy on Sun 05/06/2005 02:50:14
Quote from: Mats Berglinn on Sat 04/06/2005 17:29:18
Not too bad but the fingers looks really weird
Er weirder than YOURS? Maybe they just look a little weird because I drew them small at 2 am and with the line tool and such  :P Also let his arms rest with ease comfortably at his side, not awkwardly stretched out like he's trying to look tough or something. Something like this:
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/ease.PNG)
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Helm on Sun 05/06/2005 03:29:52
Mats, it may be a good idea to not critisize your critique so much. That's not the point. Take what you want from it, but don't be in constant rebuttal mode. You don't like the fingers in an edit? Don't keep them for your final version. The point of this place is to post art, get critiqued, repost, get recritiqued until you've refined your artwork to something you figure is good enough, not to post art, get it critiqued, then critique the critiques until people make your envisioned finalized pic themselves. In fact, it could be better if people stopped editing your work altogether, so you got to work on rediting your posted sprites after getting critique.

Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Ozwalled on Sun 05/06/2005 07:40:11
I think it would be a gooidea to make the teeth/ mouth outline a bit darker. It's barly visible on my monitor.
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Mats Berglinn on Sun 05/06/2005 07:42:04
Ozwalled: Even if the teeth isn't is real teeth but a part of the mask that he wears?
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Ozwalled on Sun 05/06/2005 07:49:23
Sure -- why not? If you drew them, I'm guessing you want people to be able to see them. Even if they're painted on or done in a bas-relief carved fashion, they should be more visible, IMO.

And please be sure not to call him the sitting shaman in the game, unless you want to use it as a tonguetwister kind of joke.  ;)
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Mats Berglinn on Sun 05/06/2005 09:57:54
Don't worry, his real name is Burga so he won't be called "the sitting shaman".
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: TheYak on Sun 05/06/2005 11:01:20
Part of the reason the arms look strange is that the hands in the original version have 5 fingers with an absent thumb.  Since they're all the same length and we can't see a thumb, the perceptive assumption is that the thumb is pointed away from us, meaning his arms are on backwards.  I like the character other than that..  some more contrast for the mask would be nice.  I can see the details but just barely.. enough that it's distracting because I'm straining to see the lines.

I can see what kind of pose you're going for.  My suggestion would be to have the elbows on the outside but for minimal change to the drawing and slight improvement (IMO), try a line from just below the bicep, showing the outer 'wall' of the forearms extended towards the joint. 

I'm not a big fan of critique by paint-overs but I did such a poor job at explaining myself that:

Also added a couple pixels to shirt-sleeve.. adjusted hand shape somewhat, lightened mask to up contrast slightly -- tried for overall minimal change to illustrate what I meant. 

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/TheYak/Burga_in_throne_input.png)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/TheYak/Burga_in_throne_input.png)
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Mats Berglinn on Sun 05/06/2005 11:51:09
Here's the latest edit:

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Burga_sitting_kopiera.PNG)

I have used the arms and the legs from Krazy's paintover and addjusted the legs so that Burga is shorter. I remade big part of the hands and made the "skirt" longer. I also made the lines of the "eyebrows" and the teeth darker so they are easier to see. The point is that they're carved rather than painted (but the nosehole is painted to make it look skull-like. Despite that the guy does have a nose even if you never see it in the game because he never removes the mask).

Yakspit, I know this is pickey but, if you want to use a middle line then move it about one pixel to the right and you got the middle of the character (maybe it's uneven pixels of the "transparent" blue color that made you place the line slightly long). I'm not critizing you, just telling you.
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Phemar on Sun 05/06/2005 12:17:24

I'd do this: (very rushed, soz about BMP, was rushed.)

http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/ff.bmp
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Krazy on Sun 05/06/2005 12:22:05
I like the new version Mats, heh I must of been really tired to completly forget the thumb on my edit though  :P
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Khris on Sun 05/06/2005 15:15:08
It's getting better, but the "skirt" still looks like it's got elastic rings in there. Make it fall at the sides and between the thighs.

And why don't you shade him? Add one darker tone and you'd still have the comical look you're probably aiming for.
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Mats Berglinn on Sun 05/06/2005 16:17:35
How's this?

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Burga_sitting_kopiera2.PNG)
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Jimi on Sun 05/06/2005 19:24:54
The hands still look a bit weird. Sort of as though he doesn't have oposable thumbs. Also, the show on his legs wouldn't go so far down if he is sitting down.
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: UP on Sun 05/06/2005 20:42:22
The thing that really bugs me is that his elbow is almost at the point of his wrist...
Title: Re: Sitting Shaman
Post by: Mats Berglinn on Mon 06/06/2005 09:27:37
The latest edit:

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Burga_sitting_3.PNG)

Changes: The arms have been changed so there are elbows now, plus the armband have changed slightly. Also I pulled up the shadow on his legs slightly and turned the thumbs to the opposite direction.

Okay, so nobody have complained, then it's perfect. Good! It's finished! Done!