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I made Ike, but I need help with the edits and colors.

Started by PigonMuffin123, September 05, 2017, 04:38:20 pm

PigonMuffin123

I just started spriting and I managed to make the Ike sprite. However, nothing is perfect and I need help refining this sprite if anyone is up to it.

Props to DarkShade's sprite "Fayt" because I used it as the base of the sprite.

I did what I can to make the sprite. I decided to leave Ike's left arm red to make him match with the steampunk stuff in the game (kinda makes him look badass and unique).

Problems to note:
-One of the walking animations shows a red dot (I believe it's frame 9) and for some reason, I can't remove it.
-I do not know how to make changes to the portrait because the colors are not the same. I dug around some forums on this site but it made it more confusing. That's why the portrait in the Base.BMP file looks off.
-I do not know if the portrait is good enough to pass, so if anyone can critique it, I would like some advice.
-Cape looks off. An attempt to make it more fluent and flowing >.<

Thanks if you helped me with this spirte! Some person requested this sprite in some forum....I'll let that person know that I completed it!

Cheers.
  • Modding version: PSX

Nyzer

One thing I'd definitely mention is that the reds and blues come across as way too bright; this is especially jarring when they're compared to each other. They also look brighter than even the official artwork, if you ask me:



Something you probably want to do is to bring them closer to grey or brown as they get darker.

Quote-One of the walking animations shows a red dot (I believe it's frame 9) and for some reason, I can't remove it.


One thing that can cause issues is if you have the wrong black in that spot. Looks fine on the image, but it's actually an identical black from a separate palette. GraphicsGale has an option to count colors used in the image at any one time - if you're ever over 16, you're going to get color errors when you use that image in something that only uses 16 colors at a time. Which FFT sprites do.

Quote-I do not know how to make changes to the portrait because the colors are not the same. I dug around some forums on this site but it made it more confusing. That's why the portrait in the Base.BMP file looks off.


The sprite uses the first palette. The portrait uses the ninth. This typically allows one to get more color detail for the face and hair by dropping colors from the armor and clothing.

I know I got a lot of advice from Twinees, and he's definitely the go-to sprite guy. He gave me a few tips when I was working on a sprite of my own - you might find them useful.

I'm definitely not a great spriter by any means, so that's about the limit of what I can offer for help and I can't promise that it's 100% accurate either. Sorry!
  • Modding version: Other/Unknown

Lionheart537

Yo I'll take a look at this if you don't mind. I'm no expert spriter but I'd consider myself above novice now. There arleady concepts fpr Ike to use for inspiration here
http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=9180.0
I'm always working on my own projects but I need practice with total racalls. At the least I can definitely improve the colors and some of their placements, possibly the palette too. Also everything Nyzer said is solid from my experience. Great help as always bro
  • Modding version: PSX
It's not much yet but check out my spriting thread!
http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=11772.0
Here's a look at my vanilla mod thread, progressing one step at a time!
http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=11785.0

PigonMuffin123

I'm redoing the sprite. Here's my progress so far. I think that the yellow is too bright but if I bring it too low, it would blend with the brown.
  • Modding version: PSX

Nyzer

The red and blue are still way too vivid. The yellow is too bright, and too green as well. Something I was advised by multiple people in the topic I linked was to use colors from existing sprites whenever possible.

The yellow still doesn't look right, because it's using only one color when there's too much of it to get away with that - you should either throw some skin or armor colors on with it, IMO. But here's what your sprite preview would look like with a less vivid palette, having taken colors from a few Jot5 sprites:
  • Modding version: Other/Unknown

PigonMuffin123

Thanks for the critique. I lowered down most of the colors (also incorporated your schemes) and this is how he looks now. I figured that this Ike is closer to the Fates version. I'll use that as a reference rather than the other Ike pictures I see online.

Tell me if I made any improvements....Honestly, I think this version looks better than the one I did first time.


EDIT: I realized that the red and blue is WAY to vivid again (got too carried away...), so I'll tone it up(?) or down. I'll experiment.

EDIT 2: Fixed it and this is now the proper version. For some reason, the program didn't register the blue and red properly so I went back.
  • Modding version: PSX

3lric

Quote from: PigonMuffin123 on September 06, 2017, 10:56:25 pm
Thanks for the critique. I lowered down most of the colors (also incorporated your schemes) and this is how he looks now. I figured that this Ike is closer to the Fates version. I'll use that as a reference rather than the other Ike pictures I see online.

Tell me if I made any improvements....Honestly, I think this version looks better than the one I did first time.


EDIT: I realized that the red and blue is WAY to vivid again (got too carried away...), so I'll tone it up(?) or down. I'll experiment.

EDIT 2: Fixed it and this is now the proper version. For some reason, the program didn't register the blue and red properly so I went back.


What program are you using? And you really need to be using Vanilla colors. Make a list of the colors you need, then export vanilla sprites from shishi that has said colors, then use those colors in your sprite... Currently very few of the colors actually match the vanilla sprites so itll stand out like a sore thumb in game.
  • Modding version: PSX

Twinees

Definite improvements over the original sheet you posted. Colours are better too. The shoulder pad in particular is fairly messy and needs to be simplified.

Quote from: PigonMuffin123 on September 05, 2017, 04:38:20 pm
Props to DarkShade's sprite "Fayt" because I used it as the base of the sprite.


Btw, the parts you are using from 'Fayt' are used from my sprite, Dart.
  • Modding version: PSX

PigonMuffin123

Props to Twinees for being the original!

List need to do: [check means finished and needs advice]
:v/: Portrait finished!
:v/: Simpler armor (White/Grey pants, One Pauldron) [Critique from Twinees]
:v/: Used vanilla color schemes [mostly] from Agrias and Elmdor for blue/grey, red respectively (Critique from Elric)

*Note* : Elmdor's bright red looked too bright on Ike, so instead, I made it 21/6/3

Arm sets
Critical sprite
Attack animations
Casting animations
Hit animation

Progress is progress! My internet is down for now, so I'll post the pictures on Imgur and later transfer to here.

Thanks for the help! I'm a slow learner, but I think I learned a lot!

EDIT: Had to edit in order to put in .bmp files on my phone. Woops! Will be up momentarily!
  • Modding version: PSX

Twinees

Are you using the same colours for the sprite and portrait? They should not be shared at all. They need to be separate. 16 colours for the sprite, and 16 colours for the portrait.
  • Modding version: PSX

Lionheart537

Man you're updating so fast, nice work Muffin. I only had about 20 minutes this morning to look over the sprite concept and make a few edits to the center sprite. It's mostly roughdraft but I wanted to push out something before you move on again.
1. Changed reds to darker, browner shade
2. Changed grays to browner, more iron-looking shades
3. Small edits to headband and cape
4. Enlarged shoulder pauldron and removed some gray (it's a front view you wouldn't see the gray from the back)
5. Colored a rough outline for the pants (very rough, sorry)
6. Colored interior of cape, it might look best as the shading color but I prefer to use that as a border not a full on color/shade (if that makes sense)
7. Slight change to eyes

Again sorry for the sloppy work, I wanted to give you some contribution today though. Use/improve what you like and discard the rest.

-Cheers!
  • Modding version: PSX
It's not much yet but check out my spriting thread!
http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=11772.0
Here's a look at my vanilla mod thread, progressing one step at a time!
http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=11785.0

Twinees

This is a suggestion for both PigonMuffin123, as well as you Lionheart537; the diagonal views are the most important frames to get correct and should be priority. These angles are always viewed in game, therefore the side, front and back frames should be a second thought.
Also, its generally harder to get the diagonal frames to look the way you want them to. So if you are not happy with the outcome of the diagonal frames, you should probably rework it or think about other alternatives.
  • Modding version: PSX

PigonMuffin123

September 09, 2017, 12:06:57 am #12 Last Edit: September 09, 2017, 10:51:51 pm by PigonMuffin123
Hey guys! After 3 days of hardcore work, I finally finished Ike, the Radiant Hero!

HOWEVER.....

I see that his pauldron switches whenever you change the angle of the camera left or right. Twinees did mention about the diagonal part is the most important and of course, he is definitely right. I tried changing it to the other side, but it wouldn't stop flipping....

I might change his shoulder but it wouldn't be the signature the "One-hand swinging, One-Man-Armying, Aether Spamming" look of Ike. As I said, it wouldn't stop flipping even though I changed it to his right arm instead of his left.

If it is how it is, I'll just leave it be. Anyways, before I post it, I couldn't get the right blue color for his hair in the portrait. I kinda need help >.<  . Also, I'll put in the .BMP to get the OKAY.

Thanks for everything guys!

EDIT: If anyone wants the file, I'll provide it down here as well.

UPDATE: I made the portrait more smooth than the previous, but I don't know if it's enough to make it look like the other portraits in the game. I'll leave it down for you guys to decide.
  • Modding version: PSX

Nyzer

QuoteI see that his pauldron switches whenever you change the angle of the camera left or right. Twinees did mention about the diagonal part is the most important and of course, he is definitely right. I tried changing it to the other side, but it wouldn't stop flipping....

I might change his shoulder but it wouldn't be the signature the "One-hand swinging, One-Man-Armying, Aether Spamming" look of Ike. As I said, it wouldn't stop flipping even though I changed it to his right arm instead of his left.


That's how sprites like this work. Take a look at your file - do you see any point where the shoulder closest to the camera is not wearing the pauldron?

That said, when the sprite is in game it's not going to draw attention in some jarring manner. Jot5's Cloud is pretty darn asymmetrical, and, while I knew that, I didn't really notice it until I was making an event with him in it that featured some camera rotation. Which was like... a year and a half after I got into it?
  • Modding version: Other/Unknown

PigonMuffin123

I just loaded in Jot5's Cloud into Shishi and examined the frames when the camera rotated around the character....The same thing applies to this Cloud like my Ike.

So I guess leave it?
  • Modding version: PSX

3lric

Quote from: PigonMuffin123 on September 09, 2017, 01:53:20 pm
I just loaded in Jot5's Cloud into Shishi and examined the frames when the camera rotated around the character....The same thing applies to this Cloud like my Ike.

So I guess leave it?


That's what he just explained to you.
  • Modding version: PSX

Lionheart537

If this was your first experience doing any kind of spriting I'm pretty impressed. A custom sprite like this is ambitious. Keep tweaking improvements or come back to it after some more projects. It's beyond the scope of what I've worked on so far. Congrats mate!

Also thanks for the advice Twinees, Nyzer, Bossman!
  • Modding version: PSX
It's not much yet but check out my spriting thread!
http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=11772.0
Here's a look at my vanilla mod thread, progressing one step at a time!
http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=11785.0

PigonMuffin123

I couldn't really nail the colors down, even when I used the vanilla colors. Something is off about the portrait....

I am still getting used to spriting, but seeing what I used to do compared to now, I think that I've gotten better at it. Maybe it's shading part I need to work on.
  • Modding version: PSX

Nyzer

You could always use Twin's portrait of Ike in the previously linked topic. Just make sure you credit him for it.
  • Modding version: Other/Unknown

PigonMuffin123

Quote from: nyzer on September 13, 2017, 07:02:46 pm
You could always use Twin's portrait of Ike in the previously linked topic. Just make sure you credit him for it.


Yeah, his version looks WAY better than mine.... I'll try changing the colors to his to see if there is a significant change but if not, I will probably have to. I'll study it and maybe, I'll understand the concept better.
  • Modding version: PSX