low-res dialogue portraits

pslim · Wed 15/08/2007 14:01:45

I've been working on these for a while and feel I can't improve them further without help. I deliberately chose to make them rather small, as they're intended for small talk only at the moment, with formal dialogue taking place on a separate screen (somewhat like GK1). Working at this size has proved to be a struggle for me, but I'm hoping you guys can help.

2x

ildu · Wed 15/08/2007 15:08:39

Haha, 'small talk'

. They look good, but a maybe a little too similar.

GarageGothic · Wed 15/08/2007 16:02:28

The portraits themselves look great (I've seen the characters you posted earlier, and the style certainly fits). However, I dislike the framing. First of all, the heavy, dark frame makes it look like you're watching the characters on a TV. Secondly, I think you're leaving way too much space above the character's head - you really should try cropping it closer, even if it ruins the square aspect ratio. Alternately, move them up in the frame to show more of their body.

pslim · Thu 16/08/2007 18:40:01

ildu - point taken, I'll keep that in mind when I polish them and try to make them more distinct from one another.

GarageGothic - do you have any particular suggestions for how to frame them? I allowed more space than I needed because at the time I wasn't sure if I was going to draw backgrounds behind them, but my partner said he preferred the neutral background, so that's no longer an issue. I'm still not altogether sure what would look best, though.

GarageGothic · Thu 16/08/2007 19:34:09

Well, it really depends, where are they displayed? As Sierra style speech (over the bacground), in a text area at the bottom of the screen or something else?

Evil · Thu 16/08/2007 22:07:02

Made the area around him a bit smaller. The frame's OK, depending on how it's used. His shoulders make him look like he's leaning back, like a gangster or something. His shoulders look a little small in my edit, but they're less straight on.

pslim · Fri 17/08/2007 18:48:48

I'm planning to display them over the background. I haven't decided yet if the dialogue itself will have a frame or not.

Here's a bit of a modification to the main character portrait, and a new portrait, both framed in a style similar to Evil's suggestion:

2x

I think I've made improvements since the initial posting, though I'm still not really happy with the way they're presented. I do like cutting off the top line or so with the frame, somehow.

Just as a note, the frame color and value matches my GUI, and the more I think about it, the more I like having some kind of frame (though not necessarily this one); to me it gives the sense that the camera has zoomed in on the person speaking.

Mazoliin · Fri 17/08/2007 21:37:52

I say keep the frame. It looks good, like some old TV and it fits the coloring of the characters...
coloring... can you say that? Anyway you get my point

Other then that: What's the military thing on her shoulders? I don't belive the military would have that kind of colors. But, hey, what do I know.

Neil Dnuma · Sat 18/08/2007 03:15:08

Yeah, your pixelling is ACE Pslim - really good, but you should consider putting more variation into this. There really is a lack of distinction between these portraits. Experiment with angles, framings and expressions, and get more distinct characters. Even if this is small talk mode. Right now the angle is the same, and they all seem to have a similar level of shyness. Keep up the good work.