Flip this sprite

[Ton]

How do you guys feel about simply flipping a sprite as opposed to having different sprites for facing left and right? It will cut the work for the sheets in half. We could dedicate one forward-facing sprite to a turn like old platformers. For instance, characters like Mario, Squirtle, and Kirby can simply be flipped left/right and have no real problems in animation or consistency. This would not include characters who hold weapons in one hand (Link, Marth, etc) or have arm cannons (Samus, Megaman). They would need to have their arms edited for the opposite direction.
Comments? Ideas?

[nicktheslayer]

I think it would take a LOT longer to work with the sprites to accomplish this, but it would look much better.

I dont really have a say though, im not spriting for this.

[Saltonara]

I dunno, I think you should probably do that with all characters though.

Because the shading. If you were to lazily flip it, it'd seem like the light is coming from the opposite direction for that character. I dunno.

[Alpha Six]

I'm not sure; while actually spriting the characters facing the other way would look better, at the same time time is it really necessary work? And what are we going to do about picking up items? Are they going to flip with the character or are they going to stay in the hand they were in? Because the item would jump around if they turned around with just a flipped sprite... and in the end, we'd have the same problem than if we just flipped the characters with weapons' sprites around instead of redrawing them.

[Negative-Zer0]

Memory size on the game would be massive. It would be 54 x 2. + costumes and alternate colors. People playing won't notice/care anyway unless their nit-picky. People using the sprite won't use the sprites facing the other way anyway.

[Kirbyfan]

I'm pretty sure that most character's aren't ambidextrous, which is why I brought this up in the other topic. Every character has something distinctive on one side. Whether it's a sword, or a mark, or a right hand punch.

All you have to do, to flip it horizontally, and then change the details and depth. I know, easier said than done, but it really doesn't make the difference.

[Ton]

I'm pretty sure that most character's aren't ambidextrous, which is why I brought this up in the other topic. Every character has something distinctive on one side. Whether it's a sword, or a mark, or a right hand punch.

All you have to do, to flip it horizontally, and then change the details and depth. I know, easier said than done, but it really doesn't make the difference.

But is it really important to the character for most of these? For instance, we all know that when Mario faces right, his left hand is up, his right hand is down. If he turns around, they'll be flipped. Now, this is minor. It don't do anything for or take anything from his character for simply swap him.
On the other hand, Link is famously left handed. To have him turn around and suddenly be right handed would be heresy to some. It's important to his character. Only in situations like this do I really see it as being important. An easy way to fix Link would be to sprite his sheet without the shield and sword in his hands and have them as separate sprites that re-allocate themselves when he turns around. Would that work?

[Kirbyfan]

Oh. I meant to say "does" not "doesn't".

I'm kinda picky, and I admit it. Somebody who is a right, has a right stance. When you flip it, they are made into a lefty, with a lefty stance. I've always found this a very strange thing. Imagine a left handed Falcon Punch.

[Alpha Six]

I'm gonna assume nobody read my post.

[Kirbyfan]

Your assumption is incorrect. The picking up and holding would be sprited both ways as well, and is certainly would stay on the same hand.

[Ton]

I'm gonna assume nobody read my post.

I read it. I just didn't know how to respond since I'm not sure how Runouw coded it/could code it. It might end up being a non-issue.

[Angelglory]

Shouldn't the real question be: does everyone really want to sprite every pose twice for every single character animation?

Just pick a direction best suited for each character and go with that.

[Alpha Six]

Your assumption is incorrect. The picking up and holding would be sprited both ways as well, and is certainly would stay on the same hand.

You're missing my point.

If we just FLIP the sprites, it'll look odd because now their right hand is on their left, and they'll be holding the weapon in the wrong direction. The way to fix this would be to move the sprite to their other hand, but that would look stupid animated, and it'd be illogical compared to the characters that are ALWAYS equipped with weapons and are sprited facing the other direction.

If we sprite the new direction, all of the aforementioned problems are fixed, but it's an extra work load that not everybody will be up for doing.

[Koopaul]

You know to make it easier we could limit the amount of frames by putting in motion blurs. It would substantially decrease the amount of sprites.

[D2S-Speed]

I really don't see why we should sprite the characters in the same stance again but that's my suggestion.