Maybe, possibly, doubt it...

[Cottage Cheese]

So, I've been thinkin' about it, and I've finally come to the conclusion that I'd like to become a spriter. I know how difficult it must be, but I can't help trying it out. ^_^ Even though I don't have much confidence in my skills, would anyone like to help me get started? How do I begin spriting?

[Llednar]

well even though I am not a spriter, I have some theories onto how it works.  

Every Thing in the game is a sprite, as you know.  Now then, lets take a look at Ramza's Chapter 1 sprite shall we.  This sprite is made up of many different images.  It has an image for turning left, right, up, down, a separate constant walking image for whenever it is facing any of these directions, getting hurt, blocking with a shield, using a spell, using a bow/crossbow, dying in any direction, and the list goes on to staggering lengths.

Now the way I see it, spriters have to make images for each of these actions.  That is why many of the "sprites" that are seen are actaully more pallette swaps not entirely new sprites, because the amount of work it takes to make an entire new sprite is insane to say the least.  So your job as a spriter would be to make images for everything and connect these images using code so that they flow naturally.

Am I far off spriters?

[Xifanie]

You would get more help in the spriting forum.
To put it simple, you use shishi sprite editor to open a spritesheet (the closest looking to the character you want to make), then you export it to a bmp and edit the hell out of it. After that you can import it back into shishi to look the animations and/or save it back to a spritesheet file.

[Llednar]

Was I right, Wrong, or somewhere in between?

[Xifanie]

I have no idea where you got that code stuff and there is nothing like making an image for everything.

Most basic sprites (standing and walking) are full body sized while most of the rest are only body parts (mostly arms) assembled. This is why you need to use shishi to make sure every body part is at the right place and doesn't look weird.

[Llednar]

Well the code stuff was pure speculation on how to make the "walking" motion work right.  So shishi sort of keeps general shapes and stuff?  I remember in a programming class that to make a plane's propellers work in a cheap 2d game you had to have like 3 seperate images of the plane constantly changing.  Fortunantly we didn't have to make it, we just had to put everything together.

[Vanya]

Plus only the units and spell effects are sprites. (maybe the lines on the map, too.) Everything else is either a 3D bitmap or a simple image.

[Cottage Cheese]

Thanks for replying, everyone! ^_^ It doesn't sound too awful hard... Or maybe I'm just hearing what I want to hear. XD

[Archael]

So, I've been thinkin' about it, and I've finally come to the conclusion that I'd like to become a spriter. I know how difficult it must be, but I can't help trying it out. ^_^ Even though I don't have much confidence in my skills, would anyone like to help me get started? How do I begin spriting?

Spriting requires patience, alot of it... along with a good eye!

Best of luck if you decide to learn, I'm sure you'll do fine.

[Cottage Cheese]

^_^ Thanks! I hope I can catch on.

[LordNerick]

completely out of context but: I LOVE YOUR picture of FLonne!!!!

sorry just had to!

[Cottage Cheese]

~^^~ Isn't she cute?