Personally, I find MM9 charming. This sprite argument, on the other hand, is wholly ridiculous.
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Personally, I find MM9 charming. This sprite argument, on the other hand, is wholly ridiculous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by neoalphazero
This was raised in regard to one game released on two 8 bit systems. To the casual player on a standard TV it looks like the developer simply devoted more of the color palette to the character including the debatable outlining. Character design is constant in both cases and in Dragon's case a good forgery of the original ideas. A few comparison shots on this page:
http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.c.../wonderboy.htm
The differences are slight and daresay only noticeable to those defending the chastity of a SMS great. After playing through both I actually found Lizardman and Hawkman's SMS incarnations a bit lacking in color. To each their own.
Nice pig though. *-neo
Well the proportions suggested by the heavy outlines are probably not 100% intentional. He has a snowman's build with a basketball torso. All evidence would suggest this is a result of struggling with the low resolution and not a conscious design choice.Quote:
Originally Posted by cigsthecat
Colored outlines are effectively a way to suggest or imply thinner outlines, and reinforce the form better. It's also a simple means of anti-aliasing.
This is all stuff that any experienced pixel artist will tell you, and it's nothing I made up. I learned this from people much better at pixel-pushing than me.
Unfortunately the way they do this (by just shading from the outside in) destroys the geometry, and makes things seem either flat or bulbous, but generally distorted. Consistency of lighting becomes especially important in animation, and it's part of what makes the animation in games like Sonic the Hedgehog work so well.Quote:
The highlights are also being used largely to break up and define forms rather than portray an accurate light source.
Well obviously we are at a difference of opinion here regarding more than just my edit. I think the NES games and MM7 look like crap, but the X games and MM8/R&F look great. I prefer the human proportions consistent with the character designs.Quote:
The Mega Man NES sprites are more appealing largely because of the great proportions. As time went on he got more and more human. It's a good thing the NES had the limitations it did or we may never have gotten those great designs.
Well I don't trust anyone's opinion on art until I see their results. And your edit looks terrible. In addition to ruining the proportions and form those light outlines will get lost and look awful in the context of a game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Frogacuda
Well that's where we part ways.Quote:
Well obviously we are at a difference of opinion here regarding more than just my edit. I think the NES games... look like crap
Most people do. I prefer imagination and real character design.Quote:
I prefer the human proportions
Mega Man 8 says what's up.Quote:
Originally Posted by cigsthecat
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1214541448
Lighter, colored, shaded outlines. Never had any problem on different backgrounds in the context of the game.
But it doesn't look like the design. At all. It wasn't imagination, it was weak technique, effectively an "accidental" improvement (if you can indeed consider it better)Quote:
Originally Posted by cigsthecat
Cigs, you're all-right.
Weren't you the one who brought up how shitty MM7's art was in the first place? I'm pretty sure you were. So why defend it now?Quote:
Originally Posted by YellerDog
Hm?
At least that's how I understood it. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Anyway, I like how cigs' soulution is just to remove colors from the palette rather than find a way to use them to more effectively suggest the proportions and design he prefers. Obviously when I made my edit, I was interpreting somewhat how I felt the character was "supposed" to look, but a different interpretation does not suppose that you need a crude solid black outline.
cigs and I have a difference of opinion about art style, and cigs is an artist and I am not, so I'll let him have that debate. My point was just one of technique and it's one that is used by a lot of games praised for their art, like Street Fighter III, and later Mega Man games. Having more available to you should not hinder your art style. You'd think there would be a way to use that to bring you closer to your vision.
Yeah, this looks super gross too. If this looks appealing to you I don't see the point in arguing about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Frogacuda
The reason I did that is to give a quick example of how I would improve THAT sprite. I still don't find those proportions as appealing as the original Mega Man. Changing the proportions and reworking the sprite to suit my tastes requires a complete redraw, not crudely removing a few pixels here and there. I'm not taking the time to do that right now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Frogacuda
That is where I'd hoped this new MM would go- trying to recapture that first iconic design at a slightly higher resolution. Next best thing for me is what they are doing, as long as we get new enemy and boss designs.
I understand now that you were trying to morph that sprite into the taller proportioned tiny head dude of the later games. It's not that simple though, and right now I have other things to work on.Quote:
cigs and I have a difference of opinion about art style, and cigs is an artist and I am not, so I'll let him have that debate. My point was just one of technique and it's one that is used by a lot of games praised for their art, like Street Fighter III, and later Mega Man games. Having more available to you should not hinder your art style. You'd think there would be a way to use that to bring you closer to your vision.