RPGish character

[Pet Terry]

I recently started playing an awesome game called Terranigma (play it NOW). Just for fun I tried drawing a Snes-type RPGish character based on Terranigma's main character Ark, but I soon encountered some problems. Here is what I have achieved so far.





Notice:
- Tell me what you think.
- I'd need some help with hair. Maybe just some examples for different hairstyles and stuff like that.
- The black outlines are part of the style.
- I think he looks a bit fat, how could I make him look less fat? After all, he is meant to be a young boy.
- Yadapops.
- You got to believe me, I made it just for fun!

Cheerios.

EDIT: A slightly modified version:




- Sligthly smaller shoulders.
- Changed the shading, removed the black line around the waist and changed the brown thingy on the shirt (whatsitcalled).

[Babar]

instead of the pant waist curving downwards, make it straighter? Or even upwards? Maybe make the arms wider? or move them towards the body?
also, if you want to use a black outline, you should outline every individual part, or just the border. The black outline on the belt may also be causing it to look fat

[Oz]

First off: Yes, I love black outlines. Some people hate them, but I think they make the character stand out more from the background which is good in low resolutions. I'm using black outlines for my current project and it works really well (look at Dreamweb).

Very nice pixel art. I think you manage to convey an explicit facial expression, which can be tricky in an 8x8 pixel area. The stance is also very good. You could try to soften the highlight area on his belly and make it a little less round to make him look thinner. Try giving him a hat or something.

[Ashen]

I think the new shoulders actually make him look fatter - being narrower, they emphasise the broadness of the waist more. Changing the waistcoat-thing helped, in the original it looked like it was being pushed to the sides by his immense gut. If you want to make him look thinner, try making him thinner - trim a pixel off the legs (the left one at least), and maybe the arms too. I know there's not many pixels there to start with, but I think it'd work.

Also - and this might just be me - the pure black for the eyes (the pupil & iris, not the brow) makes him look a little angry, which might be aging him a little. Try changing the top one to a colour, and see what that does.

Here's my edit, to show what I mean (I also gave him a strange, feathered hat, just to fill space):

[Rincewind]

First of all: Great to see that it's not just me and Kinoko here on the forum that has realised the greatness that is Terranigma... It's a bloody brilliant game. Play it, indeed.

Since it's based the Ark sprite, I suppose you'd like to stay away from the "A bunch of red bananas"-hairstyle that he has... Heh. Maybe try something more neutral, like this:

(A really quick edit - Just added hair and a bandana)

[Pet Terry]

Babar: The partial black outline was very commonly used in Snes-era RPGs so, as I said, it's part of the style.

Oz: Thankies! As I also said, the character is heavily based on Ark from Terranigma so the stance is pretty much the same as in Ark's front view. The face was rather hard part too, as there wasn't enough space for visible nose and mouth!

Ashen: Thanks for the paintover, nice hat too. Your character sure looks thinner, but something about it bugs me a bit... About the eyes, it too is part of the style and I'm actually trying to make him look a bit angry, not too much though. Somehow the face looks like a puppy!

Rincewind: I could talk all day long with someone about Terranigma, it rocks! Nice edit too, I like the idea of bandana which brang me to this:




Blue hair!

I'm very satisfied with the sprite so far, but I don't mind getting more comments.

EDIT: I made one tiny modification, I lowered his arms a bit. See the sprite on the right.

[Babar]

The sudden change from light green to dark green to red still makes him look like he has a protruding belly. Maybe you could raise the pant line between the jacket up one pixel, or just make the last green pixel lighter?

[Khris]

Off topic:
If you think that Terranigma is great, give ChronoTrigger a try. It's the best.
And while you're at it, check out ChronoCross for the PSX. Again, it's the best.

[Bombadil]

Ooh! Terranigma!!!
Great great game... I love SNes RPGs... Add "Tales of Phantasia" to the list... Maybe the greatest...

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

great sprite, Petteri.  I fumbled around a bit with it to make it look a bit like chrono for the heck of it

[Xadhoom]

Lookin' good. Very nice blends and excellent pose.
Don't know the games though...how about uploading a picture of the character you're referencing, so we can crit on the look?

[Pet Terry]

Thanks everyone. Here's a picture of Ark:




I might try making some quick animation today just for the heck of it so check back later.