The Mana World Forums

The sprite is nice, no doubt. But I'd like to ask: what about standing still? No one simply stands still. They may shift their weight, breathe, etc. What's the LoE(level of effort) for that (development and graphics), and is it a good idea?

Idle animations WILL come, but adding more now is not an alternative, we just need to push this into production ASAP since it has been hanging around for quite too long. It's definitely not the best way to do this, but we'll try anyway, for me this is an interesting experiment about workflow management (partially building this in parallel instead of completing and releasing).

Maybe we should think about showing the difference between a peaceful character walking in the city without handed weapon, and a prepared to combat one with a sword or something else on the fist.

I personally think we should head to have two separate standing position.
But I'm not an artist, and i just point out

Also, while at it, why not have the possibility to run and jump ?

Because no one thought about it yet..

ok... so far the games been a project of mine for in my free time just work on some stuff every now and then... no names or anything major yet. I have lots of ideas and all though that are slowly panning out.

Talaroc wrote:

HaLLanHype wrote:question for you tal and tmw in general. I know the liscense this is under you can more less use anything from the game right...

well I was wondering if you cared if I used the above sprite set for my game... I wanted to use that just as a base... even if it is like I said about im still going to ask cause thats how I am I would never use it without your permission. I wanted to use it as a base and then do paperdolling and all ...

so let me know thanks

Wow, cool, heh.
Quite a compliment, here.

Yeah, go ahead and use them. Although GPL might not apply just yet since they haven't made it into the game yet, I made them with the intent to release under GPL. I ask two things, for using my graphics:
1. That your project also be released under GPL, or, that it be made clear that, at the least, those particular sprites are under the GPL.
2. That I be given attribution for having made them somewhere. Doesn't have to be intrusive or anything, of course, just a mention in the credits or something, under my real name (Ryan Voss).

So yeah. There'll be more on the way from me in the very near future, and that's my policy regarding all of my graphical work, so if you want to hang out and grab a more complete version, feel free.

What's the game you're working on, by the way?

Bertram wrote:Maybe we should think about showing the difference between a peaceful character walking in the city without handed weapon, and a prepared to combat one with a sword or something else on the fist.

I personally think we should head to have two separate standing position.
But I'm not an artist, and i just point out

Also, while at it, why not have the possibility to run and jump ?

Standing/walking sprites while holding a weapon won't be hard to do; actually, they would be unnecessary for the most part. The simple addition of the weapon in the proper position would work just fine for most weapons, since just standing around (or walking) while holding a sword doesn't really change the way you stand (or walk) any. I do think a "ready position" would be good for, say, between strokes in combat or when you're being attacked, but that's a vastly different look.

Running, I talked to people about way back in the day, and will be implimented at some point. Jumping I hadn't thought about, though it would indeed be a good addition.

Oh the weekend is over and someone said "I will upload something this weekend"

Well you cannot be sure he hasn't uploaded it already, but just hasn't posted here yet..

Now that the forum is finally back online (maci!!! )...

Everything's finally more or less back to normal on my computer. As you can see below, I didn't get much done over the summer, and I haven't really had any working time terribly recently (not that it would have mattered, before I got Photoshop reinstalled...), but looking ahead I'm seeing some good chunks of time in the next week or so. If I keep remembering to take the little happy vitamin pills that get rid of my ADHD, I may have a completed spritesheet for you by next release.

I say "may" because, although the knife-stab animations and getting-hit frames are easy enough to make (I can composite them from other sprites, reshade them, and I'm done), the bow-firing animations and death frames are going to be somewhat more difficult, as I'm likely going to have to start with nothing and fully hand-build them to keep them from looking bizarre.

Of course, the fortunate thing about that is, the more hand-built sprites I have in the spritesheet, the more resources I have for compositing new sprites later.

Anywhoo, here's the new-and-improved spritesheet, and underneath it is the animated version of the stabbing animation, using a little knife graphic I made.

sprites:



Criticism is, of course, welcomed. I still have to do some editing on some of the preexisting sprites, but at this point I think I'd rather leave that process until after next release, and just try and get a complete spritesheet done for this one.

First of all a couple of remarks: the getting-hit frames are not required, nor necessary (at least for the moment), so you can skip them for the moment.
Then the release will be in about 11 days so I see that hardly we could include the new playerset in the next one: please don't take this advice as if you will have 1 more month to complete it, I want to see all the sprites even if not shaded for the end of September (Yeah I'm the boss here I have to give orders ). I said hardly, because before switching we will have to adapt the code to use a different number of frame, a different size for the sprite, we will have to create the frames of the hairstyles for every player frame and color and of course replace the knife and bow animations. I'm talking about weapon animations not player animations (and no we won't use that gray knife )

Now the interesting part. Ok first of all I'm very happy that production started again and with nice results. In my opinion though, it should better move the upper part of his body more than the legs. I mean the head and torso should rotate accordingly to the right arm, while the left arm should move more backward. About the legs, in my opinion the shouldn't move. I'd prefer to have a standing attack more than a walking attack. Probably it's because I'm used to our player sprite, as you see he only moves his torso (even if that was planned to be a punch attack it well suits the knife attack as well if you ask me). I'm not saying legs shouldn't move, but I see a bending knees movement better then a step.

Here I posted some example of how I'd like it to be (Ok I know the use a different weapon, they use a different size, they use a different style, but well that's exactly what I mean):





I renew my request of seeing better sit frames (at least the front one) and to add pants (you probably will tell me that this will be the final touch, ok then)

About the shading I can't see how it could be improved more...great work.
Hoping to see new frames coming soon, let me only say it's nice to have you again on board. Keep up the great work.

oh, and PLEASE could someone implement clothing before putting the new spriteset online? some pants at least.

Talaroc wrote:

I think the stabbing motion should be more with the shoulders instead of the legs.
The right foot should be a lot more static. the right shoulder should move forward. and the left leg should move slightly backward for pivot compensation.

...I think.

ElvenProgrammer wrote:First of all a couple of remarks: the getting-hit frames are not required, nor necessary (at least for the moment), so you can skip them for the moment.

Gotcha.

I said hardly, because before switching we will have to adapt the code to use a different number of frame, a different size for the sprite, we will have to create the frames of the hairstyles for every player frame and color and of course replace the knife and bow animations. I'm talking about weapon animations not player animations (and no we won't use that gray knife )

Yeah, but that only takes about ten minutes, right?
And no worries about not using the knife--took about two minutes of my time to make that thing. I just needed something to put in his hand in the animation.

Now the interesting part. Ok first of all I'm very happy that production started again and with nice results. In my opinion though, it should better move the upper part of his body more than the legs. I mean the head and torso should rotate accordingly to the right arm, while the left arm should move more backward.

Torso rotation I can see, with of course the requisite movement in the arms, but I don't think the head should rotate. If you're stabbing something in front of you, why would you turn your head away?
(here's where Talaroc's martial arts training comes in handy)
I didn't include a twisting motion in that one mostly because I wanted to see if I could get away with not having to hand-build a 45-degree torso, but I guess there's nothing for it. I'll have to build it for the bow firing animations, anyway.

About the legs, in my opinion the shouldn't move. I'd prefer to have a standing attack more than a walking attack. Probably it's because I'm used to our player sprite, as you see he only moves his torso (even if that was planned to be a punch attack it well suits the knife attack as well if you ask me). I'm not saying legs shouldn't move, but I see a bending knees movement better then a step.

Kedokke.
In actual fact, thinking about it, I think I agree with you, in particular because done right, the animation can also be used for punching. The one I've got now really can't, at least not well.

Here I posted some example of how I'd like it to be (Ok I know the use a different weapon, they use a different size, they use a different style, but well that's exactly what I mean):

They're nice examples, but they aren't using the same motion. This is a stab/thrust attack, whereas you've got slashing attacks (VASTLY different movement) shown here. It's allright though, I get what you mean.

I renew my request of seeing better sit frames (at least the front one) and to add pants (you probably will tell me that this will be the final touch, ok then)

No worries, I do want to work on the sitting frames.

Since I like giving the player options (even dumb ones), I'll include shorts for all frames...but in a separate spritesheet.

About the shading I can't see how it could be improved more...great work.
Hoping to see new frames coming soon, let me only say it's nice to have you again on board. Keep up the great work.

Many thanks.

Talaroc wrote:Since I like giving the player options (even dumb ones), I'll include shorts for all frames...but in a separate spritesheet.

Ok I'll be waiting for my white pants with little red hearts on them

And I guess I should finnish the clothes I did for the down-walking animation in all directions.

(No update, just some memmaric refreshment)

Talaroc, there are also shorts under those pants. Either I can finnish them or I can send you the spritesheet so you can finnish them. Another option is that you draw a new (maybe alternative) one. For example you could draw some nice Hawaiian swimming gear.