DDP's Sprite Workshop

[DragonDePlatino]

hmm, so tiles twice as high as wide? interesting... normally everyone uses square tiles (not that i have ANYTHING against normal rectangles) What drove this decision?

When I began this project, I used 32x32 characters and tiles like Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup. These tiles were easy to make and compatible with pre-existing games, but the perspective was artificial and I couldn't make larger sprites like the dragon.

Next, I experimented with 64x64 characters and 32x64 tiles. I could have made everything 32x32 and used multiple layers for the 3D effect, but I wanted to minimize the amount of work required by the programmer. In this version I could make larger and more natural objects, but there was a lot of wasted space in the tileset and some overlapping issues.

Finally, I settled on the current 32x64 characters and tiles. They looked less natural, but not too bad. Some sprites had to be redrawn, but I could keep the 3D look. There was still wasted space, but only half as much. It was the best compromise I could think of and I've been using it since.

[Quirby64]

>tfw you forgot to reply a page back
Yep, that looks a lot better. I also have nothing to complain about sooooooo
ye

[DragonDePlatino]

After a few months of procrastination I've resumed development of Dragorogue. I was a bit intimidated to start since I needed a new language (C++), library (SDL 2.0) and art style (something more serious to suit the tone) but things are moving smoothly now. I've drawn two rough animations and added them to the game, but I'm not satisfied with the third. I can't come up with a good jumping pose.



Like Castlevania, the main character will have pronounced windups and a committed jump arc. Something I like to call a "strategic platformer". In related news, I also wrote an algorithm to generate Vagante-esque floor maps. It's the first thing I've ever procedurally generated so I'm really proud of it:

Code:

4x4, 12 rooms
┌ ─ ┐ ∙

v ┌ S ┐

∙ │ ┌ ┘

∙ v E ∙

=============

5x5, 20 rooms
∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ^ ∙ ∙

∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ │ E ∙

∙ ∙ ∙ ┌ ┘ │ ∙

∙ < ┬ S ┐ │ ∙

∙ ∙ └ > ├ ┘ ∙

∙ ∙ ∙ ^ ├ > ∙

∙ ∙ ∙ └ ┘ ∙ ∙

=============

7x7, 28 rooms
┌ > ┌ > ∙ ∙ ∙

├ ┬ ┤ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙

v │ S ─ ─ ┬ >

< ┘ ├ > ┌ ┴ ┐

∙ < ┘ E ┘ ∙ │

∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ < ┘

∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙

=============

[Valo]

Something about the run seems too...smooth? I don't mean frame count wise but just how his body moves, he doesn't bob up and down enough with the steps in my opinion. Maybe its because its WIP and I'm just restating something you already noticed.

[DragonDePlatino]

Nah, that's a perfectly valid point. Here's the same animation with a little more pop to it:



It's the jump I'm really concerned about, though. There are so many different midair poses I could try. Anyone have any references of sprite jumping poses that would look good?

[Valo]

ive always been partial to this one, any character ive given a jump to uses it. if you time the frames right, it could really click with your committed jump arc idea i think. run does look better as well

[DragonDePlatino]

Hey, folks! Sorry for the lack of posting. Since I mainly work on large projects and don't like to share things until they're finished, expect some gaps between posts. In the works are a few tilesets, some sprites for a friend and what used to be Dragorogue (now unnamed). Until those are finished, here's Your Best Friend!



Since a lot of people were disappointed with my MOTHER 3-styled UNDERTALE monsters, I thought I'd revisit the project 3 years later in the MOTHER 4 style. Obviously, I'll be making the designs a little more goofy so they fit in with the existing MOTHER 4 sprites. More to come if I continue this project!

EDIT:

And here's a WIP Toriel before I head off to bed. This is one of the biggest sprites I've ever attempted to make so I'm not too sure on the posing and proportions.

[Ton]

Fully support this. I love your versions of these characters.

[DragonDePlatino]

And here's the finished Toriel! I'm pretty happy with how the cloth texturing came out. I love the chunky, clay-like look everything has in MOTHER 4.



Also, it just occurred to me that MOTHER 4 and UNDERTALE have roughly the same sprite sizes. I shudder at the thought of someone doing a weird hack-job and inserting these into the game.

EDIT:

Tweaked goatmom's design a bit. I'm not used to working in this high a resolution so it'll be hard to settle with anything I like.

[AkumaTh]

Those look great! Its like they blended very well together.

As for the Jumping, if it is similar to Castlevania jumping, why not be inspired by it and make a jump similar to it? I can picture the Dragon jumping like Alucard.

[DragonDePlatino]

Next up are Dummy and Froggit! I took a few artistic liberties here and there as I've never really understood their designs.

Those look great! Its like they blended very well together.

As for the Jumping, if it is similar to Castlevania jumping, why not be inspired by it and make a jump similar to it? I can picture the Dragon jumping like Alucard.

Thanks! I've since abandoned the dragon design and made the game less action-oriented, but what I think I eventually settled on was this:

[Ton]

Nice! I can't wait for more!