Sonic Time Twisted Free to Use Sprite Development (02/21/2011)

[Overbound]

Some of you may know me from SFGHQ or Retro. I'm working on the fan game Sonic Time Twisted. Which is a Sonic fan game taking a lot of influence from Sonic CD. Programmed by Mercury, soundtrack by Hinchy, and general game design by me this game is turning into something really special.

Retro Wiki Page Old Demos and old Info

We need more help. While I can do a lot of poses and animations myself, we need the help of more experienced pixel artists to help create the initial sprites and a few of there basic movements. As part of the agreement you may distribute your sprites and any additional animations made as you the original creator see fit. Its win win I get sprites for Time Twisted you get completed sprites to use or submit to TSR.

Sonic's Sprite (Open Source) by Gardow


Sonic Poses Currently Requested:
* For Sonic's pose after the sign I'd like him to turn from his facing pose to this:

I really don't think I can do this myself so if someone with some expertise could do this I'd be extremely grateful.

(Open Source but its just a recolor)
Metal Sonic Poses Currently Requested
*Head Facing Forward, as shown by the Sonic CD equivalent. Metal Sonic will be easy to complete once I get that head, I have given up myself.

Base Tails Sprite needed.

Badniks always accepted.

[GrooveMan.exe]

Ok, this is sort of in the right place; but this board isn't so devoted to getting critique on your sheets has just showcasing progress. Unless you intend for other people to work on this with you; I would reccomend this be in Sprite Discussion instead. If so; I or another moderator will move it for you.

[Overbound]

Hmm... it could be in the wrong place. I mainly want critiques, but also would accept contributions from others too (especially badniks I'm not good at those). If it still sounds like its in the wrong place please move it and accept my apology.

[Maxpphire]

It probably would have been a better idea to PM a mod next time rather then reporting yourself but consider it moved.

[Neslug]

Out of those snow tests, I think row 2 number 1 is the best. It just needs a bit of smoothing out with the shading and a texturing of some kind.

[Gors]

the badniks could use some work; all of them to be exact. They're good ideas, but the sprite's poorly executed imo. Check the original enemies to see what I mean.

[Overbound]

Updated, see first post. We could really use some help with spriting. We're taking small submissions if there is single sprites you'd like to submit for use. However we are really looking for a spriter that can work with us for the duration of the project and become a full team member.

Mods and Admins I'm showing off what I and others have created but I am also hopping to get help spriting for the project. As I am still a bit unsure about which forum this belongs feel free to move it to the best forum if its not already there.

[Cobalt Blue]

in the current state of this thread, it should fit game dev more than spriting.

moving.

[Rökkan]

The engine looks amazing - pretty close to the originals! A few questions, though: Which game exactly is the engine based off exactly? Sonic 1, 2, 3 or CD? I think that it's unlikely that it's based upon Sonic CD because it doesn't feature the CD-style camera, in which the camera pans a bit ahead of Sonic whenever he's running so that you could see what is ahead of you - which is a really great feature that you should consider. Some people on Retro complain of that feature though, because the camera pans too suddenly - so it might be better to keep it as an optional feature, or make it pan more smoothly than CD did, the way the Advance titles did.

I feel the zones are too similar in graphics. They are really close to the style of Sonic CD, which I like, but you gotta keep in mind that every zone should be a different experience, should have a different feel to it. Some zones are faster, like Palmtree Panic and Stardust Speedway. Collision Chaos is full of bumpers. Tidal Tempest is slow-paced and its terrain is blocky. Wacky Workbench is very vertical, etc. And alongside with that, every zone had different graphics, some had more of that surreal Sonic feel, some had a bit less, some were more technological, etc. So it's a pretty important thing to make each zone feel very different from the other, and Attraction Attack and Frigid Fortress seem pretty similar to me.

I'd love to help with the project, since I'm such a huge classic Sonic fan, but I really don't know whether I'll be up for it during the long run. Contact me either way though, I'd love to know more about it! My MSN account is [email protected]

[Overbound]

The engine looks amazing - pretty close to the originals! A few questions, though: Which game exactly is the engine based off exactly? Sonic 1, 2, 3 or CD? I think that it's unlikely that it's based upon Sonic CD because it doesn't feature the CD-style camera, in which the camera pans a bit ahead of Sonic whenever he's running so that you could see what is ahead of you - which is a really great feature that you should consider. Some people on Retro complain of that feature though, because the camera pans too suddenly - so it might be better to keep it as an optional feature, or make it pan more smoothly than CD did, the way the Advance titles did.

The engine is custom it takes what we believe are the best engine aspects of all 4 games. Mercury has stated that he does not like the Sonic CD camera. I tend to agree with him so the camera will probably come from Sonic 2 with improvements.

The engine we're using is Mercury's custom AeStHete engine its similar to the engine he used for Sonic Fan Remix but made in Game Maker rather than Unity. Mercury has made several improvements over the original genesis engines though. The engine can detect angles less than 16 pixels and improved the way Sonic handles platforms that you can jump through and land on. No more popping up to the top as used to happen in the Genesis games.

I feel the zones are too similar in graphics. They are really close to the style of Sonic CD, which I like, but you gotta keep in mind that every zone should be a different experience, should have a different feel to it. Some zones are faster, like Palmtree Panic and Stardust Speedway. Collision Chaos is full of bumpers. Tidal Tempest is slow-paced and its terrain is blocky. Wacky Workbench is very vertical, etc. And alongside with that, every zone had different graphics, some had more of that surreal Sonic feel, some had a bit less, some were more technological, etc. So it's a pretty important thing to make each zone feel very different from the other, and Attraction Attack and Frigid Fortress seem pretty similar to me.

If you played the 2009 and 2010 demos that you can get on the retro wiki you know that I can design zones in different styles. Perplex Puzzle from the 2010 demo is very blocky and slow. Disport Drive (Viridian Vally now) in the 2009 demo is meant to be faster and play a lot like Palmtree Panic. Each level has a future and a Past and 6-12 level and time specific gimmicks per zone. This will help keep the levels from becoming bland predictable. Of course level design helps too and I've gotten better than I was last year.





Tiles only no objects or gimmicks in these stages yet.

I'm trying to mix the best aspects of Sonic CD and Sonic 3 level design.

Actually its safe to say we're doing that with the whole game.

As far as the levels being too similar. I flat out don't think so. First I'm not working strictly on a 128x128 basis Mercury's level editor allows me to switch the selected tile size to anything. This allows me to make complex levels with fewer tiles. Second while each level uses a pattern like Sonic CD's decorations (which right now every level needs more of) will help the levels free a lot more different just as a did in Sonic CD. Getting the basic tiles and angles down is harder though so I'm focusing on that first.

I'd love to help with the project, since I'm such a huge classic Sonic fan, but I really don't know whether I'll be up for it during the long run. Contact me either way though, I'd love to know more about it! My MSN account is [email protected]

Will do thanks for the offer!

[Rökkan]

Oh! I like those level maps, they do seem like a great mix of Sonic 3 and Sonic CD! I didn't play the build, I think I will now and post my impressions of it. I was saying about level design because I thought that the two zones looked really similar in graphics, so I was afraid that they'd also feel too similar, hence why I felt like warning that. I'm also glad to know that the engine mixes up elements from all classic Sonic games and improve them. Does the engine have the rolling jump from CD? Do you keep momentum when you jump just like Sonic CD too?

Anyway, contact me, you already have my MSN e-mail address (I don't use that e-mail address to access my e-mail though, just MSN).

[Cobalt Blue]

i would seriously reconsider the idea of naming one of your staged "frigid" fortress.

[Overbound]

Ahh ok?

[Overbound]

I updated the first post with information concerning the character sprite. Basically we're looking for some assistance with additional poses for the sprite though.

[Vipershark]

it would be cool if rather than running in a circle around the post, sonic would grab it and swing around it

it's kind of nearly impossible to be going that fast and then instantly turn in a tight circle around a signpost without some sort of guidance