Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Manveru Taurënér]

Eh, I think that's fine. Everything in this art style is a bit caricaturized, for example look at the human for scale in Meph's image; his head is nearly a third of his total height. The main problems were shape/giss, but although there's still some things a bit off there (I think the breast is too fat, for one) it's definitely recognizable as a peacock now, and would be even without the color or tail.

I know, was just thinking the difference might just be a bit too big in this case (with a human for example it would be more like the head being half to two thirds of the while thing). Just though I'd mention it since I hadn't even realized that's what felt off to me before making a closer comparison. But yeah, minor thing overall, definitely says peacock more than anything else ^^

[Starver]

Everything in this art style is a bit caricaturized,

Which is, ultimately, necessary. Photorealism (especially within 32x32-or-whatever limitations) would make it far less clear to differentiate possibly similar creatures that wouldn't even be an issue under the default ASCII-like tiles.

One artist's ideas of character to pump into their caricature will differ from another's, of course, as far as quirks go. It's one of the reasons why there are so many different versions of tilesets from different sources, with legitimately admiring adherents to each. That our two thread-artists aren't too dissimilar in style (though I've no doubt there'll be subtle style-wars waged behind the scenes, at various points, to resolve or demarcate mismatches in overlapping illustrative territory) probably bodes well for the choice to ask them to both work together in this task.

[Meph]

though I've no doubt there'll be subtle style-wars waged behind the scenes

Generally we stick to Mikes designs, while I make the majority of the sprites, sticking to his ideas for the most part. I usually just yell angrily at clouds whenever things are too small/too large in comparison to their RL size, that's about it.

[Mike Mayday]

Yeah, I think our styles and natural choices differ quite a lot, but we're trying to put the differences to good use. Meph is always there to point out when I've gone too far (or not far enough).

Anyway, dragon, cyclops (repurposed from the small colossus), plus small colossus fixes:


Dragons may grow to be even larger than colossi so I was tempted to make the sprite larger as well, but wide sprites will look reaaally dumb when next to walls:



This is what the dragon looks like in a 1-tile corridor. Do you think I should squash it to have both left legs visible in the tile?

[Cruxador]

That cyclops is a dude that always misses leg day. The arms are also a bit small proportionate to the torso. The bottom dragon actually looks pretty dynamic, like you're hiding in your dwarf hole and suddenly a dragon pokes his head in to eat you.

[Mike Mayday]

I must admit I'm largely inspired by Uderzo when drawing "brutes": https://i2.wp.com/www.pipelinecomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/asterix_v12_gluteusmaximus.jpeg?resize=600%2C261&ssl=1
Of course, my skill level is probably at 1% of his... I don't mind making the arms meatier, but the legs are actually exactly how I'd like them to stay.

[Manveru Taurënér]

Colossus looks better indeed! Seconded on that the cyclops might need a bit of a thigh workout or something. Also, the dragons back hind leg feels a bit too undefined maybe?

[Superdorf]

Well, if you're going for an Uderzo-style brute... maybe size up the arms instead? They're pretty stringy right now, and the arms on that athlete are very much not.

The colossus is looking better.

[Mike Mayday]

MORE fixes for the colossus, beefied up the arm of the cyclops, and made the dragon 2px narrower so that both his legs are visible in a corridor.

[Magistrum]

Awww, I'm so used to the bottom heavy dragons, now your chinese-esque one feels weird.

[Mike Mayday]

Well, it doesn't have any wings, so the eastern style seemed more appropriate.

[Manveru Taurënér]

Makes me think of Glaurung (from the Silmarillion/Children of Húrin) and similar Tolkien wyrms, which is a good fit. And those pixels on the leg definitely helped (as well as the other fixes) ^^

[Meph]

Cave dragon has (limp) wings on it's side, so there will be both. Although I'd use the same body, different head shape, add wings, done. ^^

[Mike Mayday]

Giant, Ettin... and carp.

[voliol]

If the dragon is too wide, why not squish it up by having it curl up its tail, or have it being seen more from the front rather than in profile. Something like Vettlinger's dragon though of course not in that style and without wings.