82 replies to this topic

[Yal]

Tah-daaaah!


Spent like 30 minutes of doodling, burning most of the gunpowder on the hero sprite. You'd better like it

Start by loading into Game Maker as a background file and set it to be a 16x16, no offset, no separation tileset. You'll notice that for instance the cactus' four tiles are possible to combine in multiple ways to get cacti of different heights, and so on.

Also put in a simple 32x32 temple background, some bloody spikes, a flashing coin animation and a heart. Apart from the hero, there's a bomber jacket dude you can use either as the antagonist or as your sidekick/pilot, and finally there's the nerd-in-red female interest.


In general, I'd say that gradients in general is a bad idea, especially if you want your game to look retro. Applying them on stuff generally make them look plastic or metallic, and if you make a game made out of sandstone and dirt, that's not really the effect you're aiming for.

Myself, I've got Asperger's Syndrome. I'd say it helps me more than it hinders me, though. At least when it comes to my one big passion: video game construction. It's a bit of a bother whenever I have to communicate with humans IRL though.




Also, tip:
change the game resolution from 640x480 to something smaller. Not only will you have to tile less, the game will feel less empty and thus more fast-paced and intense. I'd recommend 320x240, a quarter of the default size, but 480x272 is a decent middle ground you might like. 480x272 has the advantage of looking good fullscreened both on widescreen and standard 4:3 monitors.

Also, since you apparently has Standard (no watermark on that screenshot), you could use the scanline effect Zeddidragon has developped to make your game look more retro-crisp. Also, if you use that your game will stretch to twice its size, so if you make the game use a 320x240 view it'll be 640x480 when stretched.

Edited by Yal, 21 February 2012 - 09:02 AM.

[Zeddy]

Tah-daaaah!

D: Holy shhhhhhhhhhh...
shading!

Maybe I should make a topic for that scanline effect or something. It's so simple it feels like a hack, though.

[Yal]

D: Holy shhhhhhhhhhh...
shading!

What? Did I shade incorrectly, or are you surprised I've learned to shade?

Anyway, when I said "whip up a small spritesheet", that's what I meant, so I've spent as little work as possible doodling up that spritesheet. It was kinda fun, though. Made me realize how tiresome my grand projects are. =P



And haven't you made a topic about the scanline effect already? I'm 100% sure I've seen something like that around...

Edited by Yal, 21 February 2012 - 12:51 PM.

[Zeddy]

I made a post about it in some jam topic or another, not quite the same.

And I was pleasantly surprised by the relatively detailed shading in your half an hour of work.

[oobanoob]

Bob Flunt: Bible Hunt

[11clock]

Tah-daaaah!


Spent like 30 minutes of doodling, burning most of the gunpowder on the hero sprite. You'd better like it
Pretty good for half an hour of work, but I don't really like it. I'm looking for more of a cartoon style for my game. Nice try, though.

Start by loading into Game Maker as a background file and set it to be a 16x16, no offset, no separation tileset. You'll notice that for instance the cactus' four tiles are possible to combine in multiple ways to get cacti of different heights, and so on.
That was actually pretty obvious.

Also put in a simple 32x32 temple background, some bloody spikes, a flashing coin animation and a heart. Apart from the hero, there's a bomber jacket dude you can use either as the antagonist or as your sidekick/pilot, and finally there's the nerd-in-red female interest.


In general, I'd say that gradients in general is a bad idea, especially if you want your game to look retro. Applying them on stuff generally make them look plastic or metallic, and if you make a game made out of sandstone and dirt, that's not really the effect you're aiming for.
I am only going to use gradients for the backgrounds. Everything else will have the retro look.

Myself, I've got Asperger's Syndrome. I'd say it helps me more than it hinders me, though. At least when it comes to my one big passion: video game construction. It's a bit of a bother whenever I have to communicate with humans IRL though.
OCD helps me with balancing the difficulty of my game, though usually my games are harder than they are intended to be.




Also, tip:
change the game resolution from 640x480 to something smaller. Not only will you have to tile less, the game will feel less empty and thus more fast-paced and intense. I'd recommend 320x240, a quarter of the default size, but 480x272 is a decent middle ground you might like. 480x272 has the advantage of looking good fullscreened both on widescreen and standard 4:3 monitors.
I'm already almost done with the first chapter of the game, and I don't want to redo it all to lower the resolution, unless you mean to use the scale method in the Global Game Settings. Besides, 640x480 feels like a good size for me, even though tiling takes some time.

Also, since you apparently has Standard (no watermark on that screenshot), you could use the scanline effect Zeddidragon has developped to make your game look more retro-crisp. Also, if you use that your game will stretch to twice its size, so if you make the game use a 320x240 view it'll be 640x480 when stretched.
Can you explain more of this scan-line effect? And yes, I have Standard (since I started using game Maker 4 years ago, when it was called Advanced or something like that), but I didn't use Game Maker's screenshot function for taking the picture. It doesn't give me a preview of the screenshot, so I use Gadwin PrintScreen so I can see the screenshot before I save it.

And the guy above me: You're a bit late for that. The game title's already been decided, and you can download an alpha of the game in the topic linked in the first post. In fact, I would prefer further discussion on the game in the WiP topic. An alpha is available for download there, and I want people to play what I have so far for better criticism.

Edited by 11clock, 21 February 2012 - 09:59 PM.

[Saijee]

I'm looking for more of a cartoon style for my game. Nice try, though...[it] will have the retro look.

*Double Face Palm*
I can't take it anymore!!!

See the thing is, I'm not going to play your demo for what I believe to be a good reason. Your graphics are so bad that it drives me away from your game.

Yal offered you an umbrella in the rain.

[11clock]

I'm looking for more of a cartoon style for my game. Nice try, though...[it] will have the retro look.

*Double Face Palm*
I can't take it anymore!!!

See the thing is, I'm not going to play your demo for what I believe to be a good reason. Your graphics are so bad that it drives me away from your game.

Yal offered you an umbrella in the rain.

Okay, okay! I'll take a closer look at Yal's graphics sheet and try to learn from it! Geez, I underestimated some people's care for graphics, myself not caring at all about a game's graphics.

I still disagree with you about graphics. Let's have a look at An Untitled Story, one of the best adventure games ever made.



Yes, that's an actual screenshot of the game. It looks like a freaking 3 year old drew the graphics, but I don't care at all. The gameplay is awesome, and exploring the game's world is pretty fun.

EDIT: I took a closer look at Yal's graphic sheet, and there's no possible way I could pull off graphics like these. I joined the game making community to create levels and design awesome bosses, not do all of this drawing crap. I should of expected it.

EDIT2: Yal, did you give me a virus or something? Your graphics sheet causes Avast to go haywire over my game.

EDIT3: You're probably wondering why I don't want to draw graphics, and why I don't really want to learn. It's not because I'm bad at it (I am bad at it though), it's because drawing is one of my least favorite things to do. I hate drawing, it bores me to tears.

Edited by 11clock, 22 February 2012 - 02:55 AM.

[Saijee]

How much care a designer puts into their graphics is a visual indicator as to how much they they want people to appreciate their games.

Untitled Story graphics aren't all that bad, it has simple graphics. You don't seem to understand the difference. What makes graphics appealing in a game is moderated by it's art style. Untitled Story has a visually pleasing and consistent art style.

The uneven terrain an attention to major details (as opposed to minor details) makes the graphics further enjoyable. If you could get your graphics to be even half this good you would have had to learned an important lesson:

I joined the game making community to create levels and design awesome bosses, not do all of this drawing crap. I should of expected it.

Where the heck did standards go. The future of indie games is doomed with the number of indie developers who think like the above quote.

Edited by Saijee, 22 February 2012 - 02:53 AM.

[11clock]

How much care a designer puts into their graphics is a visual indicator as to how much they they want people to appreciate their games.

Untitled Story graphics aren't all that bad, it has simple graphics. You don't seem to understand the difference. What makes graphics appealing in a game is moderated by it's art style. Untitled Story has a visually pleasing and consistent art style.

The uneven terrain an attention to major details (as opposed to minor details) makes the graphics further enjoyable. If you could get your graphics to be even half this good you would have had to learned an important lesson:

I joined the game making community to create levels and design awesome bosses, not do all of this drawing crap. I should of expected it.

Where the heck did standards go. The future of indie games is doomed with the number of indie developers who think like the above quote.

The major, major reason why I do not want to draw better graphics than what I have, is that drawing is perhaps the least favorite thing I do. I enjoy coding, placing pieces together and watching it come to life on the screen and become interactive. It feels like a large puzzle, and as longs as puzzles aren't incredibly frustrating I'm fine. Besides, if I can't figure something out, I'll ask around here, and I'll almost always get an answer. I used to suck as much as making games than I was at drawing, but I enjoyed it anyways.

Now when it comes to drawing, I suck at it. This is NOT the reason why I hate drawing, seeing that I loved making crappy games when I was younger and inexperienced. The reason why I hate drawing, is because I don't enjoy it. It's boring, painful, and makes me want to shoot myself. It's perhaps the worst thing I've ever done, and I try to put as little effort as possible into my graphics so I won't have to deal with it very much. This is also why I will never get better at drawing, I don't wish to practice something that I despise doing. This, is why I use crappy graphics, and why I overreact when people complain about it. I don't want to draw, I don't want to draw, I don't want to draw.

[Saijee]

Now your not even complaining, your just whining.

People aren't going to see your games screen shots and/or description and be like "Wow this game has amazing gameplay." On the contrary, they would see how noobishly done the graphics and instantly assume the gameplay is just as noobish, especially since it is made with Game Maker.

I can't even look at your screen shot for more than 3 seconds. Your art style is that horrid. I can't imagine myself playing your game without complaining about the graphics every moment.

You say that the fact that you suck at drawing is not the reason why you don't like it but yet you also claim that you don't like it because it's boring and painful. I believe the truth is that you never gave it a chance. Because if you did get better at it you most certainly wouldn't find it boring let alone painful. I know this because I was the same way when I started trying to learn how to compose music. I used to have no idea what I was doing, I hated anything I made because it sounded like crap. I even said to my friends that "making music is too hard!" But I had good supportive friends. They then reminded me: "Saijee, you didn't ever give up on learning how to write games, or how to animate graphics!" So I didn't give up. Later I learned that a big reason why I wasn't having fun with it was because I wasn't doing it the correct way. Yea you know how some art teachers will say "There really isn't a wright or wrong way to do art?" Well that's not exactly true, if your not having fun with it then your doing it wrong. And today making music is the aspect of making a video game that I find to be the most enjoyable.

Truth be told, I cannot sprite for my life. The only 2D graphics I can animate are lasers:
I don't have the patience to make all the individual drawings that would be needed to make a game as ambitious as mine. But that didn't stop me from trying to make my graphics nice. I sought out an alternative means to making graphics, a method that would let me produce more graphics more quickly.

Edited by Saijee, 22 February 2012 - 03:58 AM.

[11clock]

Thanks for your comment, I think I'll give drawing another chance. However, I want an art style that's quick and easy, but looks good. I've been trying to find such a style for a while without any luck. I thought my simple retro line art was good, but I guess not now.

In case you're wondering how I judge a game before I play it when I don't care about graphics, i simply look up an LP and watch actual gameplay. I rarely look at screenshots.

Edited by 11clock, 22 February 2012 - 04:25 AM.

[Saijee]

I don't think I'm the best person to ask as far as advice for Pixelized Images. That's not my field. Perhaps Yal could give you better tips.

But I think you may find it easier to work with thicker "brushes" and larger images, and then later just scale them down. I find it difficult to judge how something looks by pixels. So here is my idea of a "Simple Sprite" style.

4 Colors, no actual shading, Depth defined in high contrast:



Now the quality of this sprite is really low, there aren't any fine details or shading. However it's got a nice shape to it and the art style looks decent. Bottom line: the character looks cool.

What I would do to animate at a quick and cheap rate would be to take the final image and seperate it into parts representing were the joints would bend. And just assemble them in ways that makes it look like its moving rotating the image if needed (rotating the image should not be hard because you can simply use GM's built in rotation feature, or most image editing software.

In case you're wondering how I judge a game before I play it when I don't care about graphics, i simply look up an LP and watch actual gameplay. I rarely look at screenshots.

A lot of people are not so. And even for many of the people who do look of gameplay videos, a lot of them still do instantly decide not to play the game if the art style does not reach some standard.

Edited by Saijee, 22 February 2012 - 06:02 PM.

[11clock]

If you're not going to play my game, then please at least watch this video. It includes the cave area and the second boss, both unavailable in the alpha at the moment.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=_EoWGqN6oJw

[Saijee]

OH GOD! That talking sound effect. I had to mute my volume because of it.

And your choice of colors is really bad, it literally hurts my eyes to look at your sand level. Too much florescent in there.

[11clock]

OH GOD! That talking sound effect. I had to mute my volume because of it.

And your choice of colors is really bad, it literally hurts my eyes to look at your sand level. Too much florescent in there.

Want me to lower the tone of the talking sound effect, or remove it?

I'll take a look at the sand level. Is the cave area okay?

[chance]

Want me to lower the tone of the talking sound effect, or remove it?

It wasn't too loud for me. But I felt like I needed a fly-swatter. bzzz.... bzzz And I laughed at the sound when you SAVE. Sounded like flatulence.

Overall the game looks good. Nice use of particle effects.

The graphical backgrounds could be better. Maybe some texture for cave walls. Just to break up the monotony.

[11clock]

Want me to lower the tone of the talking sound effect, or remove it?

It wasn't too loud for me. But I felt like I needed a fly-swatter. bzzz.... bzzz And I laughed at the sound when you SAVE. Sounded like flatulence.

Overall the game looks good. Nice use of particle effects.

The graphical backgrounds could be better. Maybe some texture for cave walls. Just to break up the monotony.

I don't know how to make a detailed tileset that loops smoothly. Maybe later I'll try.

EDIT: I darkened the background and plants in Judonus Desert to make it easier on the eyes. There is a scan-line effect, as well. Better?

Edited by 11clock, 24 February 2012 - 01:08 AM.

[Saijee]

It's a bit better. But when the colors are too bright as in they are too saturated with color. I'd making the colors a bit more grayed out.

[11clock]

So I got a new monitor that displays color more colorful and crisp.

*takes a look at first screenshot of game*

Ow, my eyes! No wonder you were complaining!