A-Red's sprite art (Sorrow, etc) -- In: Harvester, Thresher

[A-Red]

Much like the flood, except that it can't operate freely of a host--you won't get little facehugger-shrooms leaping at you. Also, the animation of the zombie has nothing to do with the parasite in this case--it's just another way of killing people, who are then reanimated by the same magic as the other undead. This is useful to the leaders of the undead, because walking corpses spread plagues a lot faster than stationary ones.

Some improvements, hopefully:



ankles and wrists are among the most difficult things to represent at this size--I looked to the mainline units page for inspiration, and found that it basically isn't attempted unless the sprites has legs the size of, say, a troll's (and yes, Elf Druid, that means you). I think this latest attempt is pretty decent though, and should keep the thrall's legs from looking so formless.

[Huston]

the legs are not right on the sprite on the hunchback sprite. no one stands that way except for one person i know, and she is half paralyzed.

[A-Red]

No one stands that way except for one person i know, and she is half paralyzed.

That's about right. I was trying to imagine the way a mindless zombie with an enormous mushroom growing out of its back and shoulders would stand. If it actually looks like a person with motor coordination problems (which I'm sort of glad to hear it does, though I don't wish to make light of your friend's problem), then I got it right. We had a similar discussion with the level 1 variant, and as long as the pose is accurately depicted, I'm keeping it out of preference.

[stimj]

The eyes of the plague bearer are still really light and hard to see. Maybe follow Turuk's advice and make them darker?

[Zerovirus]

Heavy Thrall.
+
Sunglasses.
=
Looks like a medieval Terminator.

Make eyeholes look like eyeholes. Maybe antialiase the edges or something. You've been told this before and I agree.

And I really do think you should darken the plague bearer's skin. No real explanation except that all zombies look dark. That and it looks awesome and would let you expand on the whole "mushroom parasite eating his brain" idea with the mycelium.

[Jetrel]

I sense a certain borrowing of ideas here, from Myth:TFL.

Exploding Wights?
Thrall as skele-zombies with axes?
Floating skele-ghosts with spears?

It's fine, though, because they can't really copyright such basic designs like that. No more than people can copyright orcs. I also find myth to be one of the most awesome videogames ever:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyCUS5AJ ... re=related

[Ryorin]

Myth is a great game, one of the all-time greatest RTSes ever made.

Probably contributes to why these sprites are awesome.

BTW, regarding the legs on the Heavy Thrall. Why isn't he wearing pants? Or something... I mean, if there is a reason why then it's fine, I've just been wondering why.

[A-Red]

TFL is one of the best games I've ever played. Generally speaking I'm more interested in applying Myth's gameplay principles to Wesnoth than its units, but a few of the really iconic ones were just too good. On the other hand, I've made a number of units that weren't borrowed at all (insofar as anything can be original at this point). On a similar note, the thrall isn't wearing pants because the source monster didn't either, and I liked it that way. I've tended to stick with a fair amount of bare skin on my zombies because I think it makes them look...you know, fleshier.

Please bear with me a bit, everyone. All the changes I make look much more dramatic in Photoshop when I can have both the original and the correction occupying the same space, as I'm sure some of you know. I'll update again soon.

[Ryorin]

Really? Weird, I always assumed that the Thrall had brown pants on... Hmm... Gonna have to replay it now.

Oh well, enough off topic.

Keep the great sprites coming!

[Lord Ork]

It's hot enough under a chain mail, so I think it's ok to refresh the legs.

[Neoskel]

It's hot enough under a chain mail, so I think it's ok to refresh the legs.

Which would be a factor if the wearer wasn't already dead and uncaring...

[Mabuse]

It's hot enough under a chain mail

no its not
(or was that a joke or something )

[A-Red]

Pants are silly and unnecessary, as a whole.

[Zerovirus]

And that's why I'm not wearing any right now.

I like the change to the Plague Bearer's eyes.

Suggestion time (Imagination engine charged at full capacity...)

Make the level 3 version of Plague Bearer like a shriveled up mummy-skeletal corpse lying on the ground with all these tentacles coming out of his back. Maybe have the corpse in the air being held up by the tentacles on his back ala Doc Ock.

If you don't make this one I will, XD.

[PsychoticKittens]

Heat would likely still be a factor with a zombie, even if its just pants it could increase the rate of decay (and thusly decrease the lifespan and usefulness of an undead warrior). So no-pants is a good choice.

and only do the tentacle-version if you do one that is completely covered in fungal growths, and can pop them at will to create a mist of flesh-eating spores.