StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Well, not really, but I have a small... ah... project that needs 2D sprites to work well. And rather hi-def ones at that. So I planned to sit down and draw them on paper, but then I realised: I would have to colour all of them one by one, and that would have taken ages. So I cheated and used a 3D model instead, but I really like the results:








This is all from the same sprite. I really like palettised images because of the cool recolourisations you can make, just by changing a few values

Alright, the "project" is actually a 2D game. I was trying out a new palettisation engine for 32-bit environments that I wrote (you know, like they have in the early GTA games). It was just going to stay at that, but the engine became too cool, so I had to make some sprites to try it out. It's based on my UFO-game I posted in G&C a while back, BTW.

I hate low-def sprites that uses eight (acceptable) or 4 (ugh) frames for running animation. I want nothing to do with those, so that's why I had to use a 3D model. Drawing 16 frames and make it look good and consistent would have taken a week at least, but now I cracked in less than two hours! The hair is actually hand-drawn though (with a mouse) in all frames in which the hair moves.

So whatcha think? Kinda neat, eh? What colour scheme is your favourite?

Very nice!

What colour scheme is your favourite?

Probably the one with the red coat because it suits best for most background colours.

Dooey Jo wrote: So whatcha think? Kinda neat, eh? What colour scheme is your favourite?

It is neat. However, I think there's one thing you could do to make it seem more lifelike. Exaggerate the motions a bit more. If halting the character at the edge, make him look like he's swaying for a second. Make him lean, or shift his center of balance a bit. Above all, don't be afraid to make the motions of his hair or other stuff last an instant longer than you absolutely have to.

As for walking animations, I found a nice little primer on the subject. Check it out. Also some other interesting tutorials on that site.

Shame about Pixelation being offline, though.

Eleas wrote:It is neat. However, I think there's one thing you could do to make it seem more lifelike. Exaggerate the motions a bit more. If halting the character at the edge, make him look like he's swaying for a second. Make him lean, or shift his center of balance a bit. Above all, don't be afraid to make the motions of his hair or other stuff last an instant longer than you absolutely have to.

Ah, advice! I appreciate it
A special edge-standing animation is indeed a very good idea. The one I have in those small clips up there is actually going to be used for both edges and non-horizontal surfaces, so I tried making it as "general" as possible. But adding a little piece where it looks as if he's almost falling would probably look very cool.

As for walking animations, I found a nice little primer on the subject. Check it out. Also some other interesting tutorials on that site.

Thanks! That's great! I was actually looking for a site like that to help me draw good looping animations but I had no luck...

Shame about Pixelation being offline, though.

What's that?

Oberleutnant wrote: Probably the one with the red coat because it suits best for most background colours.

Yes, I guess that's true (I haven't actually checked it with anything but black background, but it would probably be a good idea to do that).

Hmm. Maybe I should do a semi-transparent one... Cloaking-device, anyone It would only work in-game though... But maybe I could fake it in After Effects...