Faeldspr's Top-Down Sprites

[Jamuk]

Thank you very much, although you say you've made a bad sprite, it shows me exactly what you mean. It actually reminds me of the attacking frames from Fire Emblem. I'll try using this technique and show y'all how I get on. Is there a way I can show shadows whilst continuing to use this light source? I was just thinking when comparing this to a Brachiosaur or something that they would look very similar in height.

[Hoeloe]

The best way to do it is with contrast. Something taller should have a higher contrast ratio, as the angles involved are steeper.

[Cobalt Blue]

I can give more in-depth C&C if you want. The shading at the moment seems to be solely for the sake of shading, and doesn't convey the shape of the object very well. This is because you've used a technique called pillow shading, which involves simply shading around the edges of the object. This technique is frowned upon, because it adds little to the sprite as a whole. Instead, focus more in using shading to convey the differences in the heights of different parts of the sprite. Things nearer the light source (which I assume is the top of the sprite, since I also assume you want this to be outside) should be lighter than things further away. Don't bother so much with trying to convey the curve of the side of the body. That will almost deal with itself, in time. I suggest you have a look at some other top-down sprites for reference.

it wasnt that hard was it.

[Jamuk]

Can we just move on and forget about the warning?

There's my new sprite. I feel this has turned out the best of all of them. The animation is quite tricky though, especially the walking. I'm using this vid for reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IirN-iRyQs

[Hoeloe]

You might want to try redoing the line art. The arms are too large, for one thing, the legs bulge out too much, and what is going on with the end of the tail and the head? I still don't understand what those orange blobs are, or why the face seems to be made of bone (judging from your palette)

[Gors]

one thing that I don't know is why you're making it completely top-down. It is a bad perspective for representing things, and making sprites this style is very difficult.

I suggest doing something in an 'easier' perspective, such as those found in Legend of Zelda or Mother 3, which are also top-down but allows for more detailed and readable sprites.

[Jamuk]

I was basing it off something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNAe0X01psc

I was doing it top-down because the game it was possibly going to be used in was going to be top-down. I suppose I could what JP on the NES did (or Pokémon Mystery Dungeon), with eight directional sprites and animations for each, but with more resemblance to Minish Cap sprites. Scaling may be a bit tricky in front and back sprites (side sprites would be easy). I'll have a go anyway though.

[Hoeloe]

Still doesn't explain what's going on at the end of the tail.

I think Gors has a good point, though. It will be far easier to do it in that sort of style, if slightly more work in animations and such.

[Chris2Balls [:B]]

Dude, work on anything but pure white or black.

[Jamuk]

I've drawn a sketch here (couldn't be bothered with the leg):

Bigger version here: http://s1061.photobucket.com/albums/t478...Sketch.png

This I was happy with, however my attempt, I wasn't.

I've tried to translate what I've already got and my sketch into a sprite, similar to the JP NES sprites. Dunno whether it's because I've limited myself (size-wise) too much, or whether it's the terrible shading.

[Hoeloe]

It's a bit of both. You need more contrast in your sprite, but you should also work at a greater scale, vertically. I still don't understand what's going on at the tip of the tail, though. You seem to have added a sort of plate there, where all the reference you've shown us have nothing.

[Jamuk]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=veloci...00&bih=771
They're tail feathers. I just didn't want to make it too tall. I'm gonna have a go at forgetting about scale and just making some sort of dinosaur for Minish Cap to practice a bit first.

[Jamuk]

Ok, so yes it's an edited Cucco but, what could be improved on here apart from the tail and arm?

[Hoeloe]

For one thing, the colours. There is not nearly enough contrast to properly convey this. Also, for what you want to do, that's really too small. You can't fit as much detail into a smaller sprite as you can in a larger one. By attempting to do so, you clutter it up and make it impossible to understand what is going on in any of it. In short, work bigger.

[Cobalt Blue]

i would actually like to know why are you aiming for that particular species(?) of velocirraptor. maybe we could help you define and choose wich features should be portrayed in the sprite to increase its readbility.