Mainline campaign sprites and animations needed

[doofus-01]

Is there some particular reason for why the clothing and armour is so different than in the portrait? For example, the reason why there's so little space for the stripes (well, one reason; see below) is because there's a tunic covering half of his thighs.

Dirt-stash is too small for a sprite, at least for my skill level. Since a sprite is supposed to emphasize the relevant attributes (at least I think that's true, is that wrong?), the cod-piece and big legs (to draw the stripes) would seem like a bad idea. I suppose I could be more faithful with the cape/cloak, but then that says "mage" rather than "fighter" or "commander". He'll end up looking like that Khalifate Hakim. That was my thinking, and why it doesn't follow the portrait, I could be wrong.

The leveled versions are really short. He's a lot shorter than pretty much any comparable unit.

The sword is a bit weird. ...

Uh, yeah. The shortness is what I get for not testing it in game. The sword was a quick piece of crap, it can be changed easily.

The cape doesn't really look like a cape, it's more like something draped over one arm.

It wasn't really supposed to be a cape, more like some royal cloth thing draped over one arm. Some ancient expensive outdoor kit providing cover without burdening the sword arm. I'd have given him a shield, but that would have deviated from the portraits even more.

My standard gripes regarding the pose.

Right, but first things first.

[pubby8]

I think you could improve his right arm and add more fine detail to his face

I've been waiting 5 years to say that.

[Paulomat4]

I like the direction that those sprites are going into. Apart from the things that have already been said, it looks really good.

While we're at it: I never noticed where Haldric's lvl 0 form ever appears. Is there even any reason for it to exist?

[ForestDragon]

I like the direction that those sprites are going into. Apart from the things that have already been said, it looks really good.

While we're at it: I never noticed where Haldric's lvl 0 form ever appears. Is there even any reason for it to exist?

the lvl0 appears if you choose hard difficulty.

[doofus-01]

Well, I have no idea what's going on with the noble, but the Royal Warrior looks like a low-hanging fruit (it's in core, looks like an old sprite). Is this a desired improvement? (It's an edit of the marshal sprite.)

[ForestDragon]

Looks great now! yeah, the old one was extremely outdated

[vultraz]

Sweeeeet

[Andrettin]

Well, I have no idea what's going on with the noble, but the Royal Warrior looks like a low-hanging fruit (it's in core, looks like an old sprite). Is this a desired improvement? (It's an edit of the marshal sprite.)

Wow Pretty cool stuff.

[zookeeper]

Dirt-stash is too small for a sprite, at least for my skill level. Since a sprite is supposed to emphasize the relevant attributes (at least I think that's true, is that wrong?), the cod-piece and big legs (to draw the stripes) would seem like a bad idea.

I'm not entirely following. I've not suggested that he should specifically have a moustache (I presume that's what dirt-stash refers to) or a codpiece, and I don't see how the latter and/or his legs could suggest something about his unit attributes that would be misleading. Stats-wise he's just a generic sword-and-bow leader hero, so there's not much that would specifically need to be emphasized in the first place.

I suppose I could be more faithful with the cape/cloak, but then that says "mage" rather than "fighter" or "commander". He'll end up looking like that Khalifate Hakim. That was my thinking, and why it doesn't follow the portrait, I could be wrong.

It wasn't really supposed to be a cape, more like some royal cloth thing draped over one arm. Some ancient expensive outdoor kit providing cover without burdening the sword arm. I'd have given him a shield, but that would have deviated from the portraits even more.

Well, okay. Of course no shield.

And I don't mean that a more faithful cape would have to be positioned as in the portrait, only that it'd be a cape. Just the same thing that the old sprites and half of all lvl3 loyalist units have. In the portrait, the cape is pretty much just a cape even though it's draped around his arms and chest in the non-mad variants, instead of hanging behind him.

As usual, of course hair/clothing/armour/weapons/etc can and will differ between sprites and portraits. I think that there should still be some kind of reason for differences, whether it's technicalities of pixel art (making a sprite when the portrait exists) or having to make things more detailed, realistic or interesting (making a portrait when the sprite exists) or that something different simply looks a lot better. I'm just saying that in this case I simply don't see those reasons; as far as I can tell, pants+breastplate+cape would work perfectly well, with levelups resulting mostly in things like a longer cape, added pauldrons, sleeves and gold trim.

[zookeeper]

Well, I have no idea what's going on with the noble, but the Royal Warrior looks like a low-hanging fruit (it's in core, looks like an old sprite). Is this a desired improvement? (It's an edit of the marshal sprite.)

I hadn't really thought of that one as needing improvement, but on closer inspection it wasn't as new as I thought it was (it's from 2007) and the face is little more than a mess...

So, sure, your version looks a whole lot better. What I'm not sure of is the colour of the armour; even though it's actually more like brown-gray, the abundance of gold trim might cause it to end up being perceived as "golden armour" overall. Also it sort of blends in with the beard since they're of so similar colour. In any case, I didn't actually try it out in-game.

If you agree, then maybe going for a darker tone would work better. There's still enough gold and TC to make him look sufficiently royal.

[Shiki]

Since you're still working at it, I read recently that the morning star and maces were unknightly weapons, so it's maybe not the best for a royal warrior. But it's not that important.

[zookeeper]

I read recently that the morning star and maces were unknightly weapons

That's such an unusual claim that surely you don't mind if I ask for the source?

[nuorc]

Regarding the mace: what kind of model is that inspired by?

The thickness of the shaft varies pretty much from thinnest to thickest, which I didn't see in the pictures I found online. Also, the head seems a bit 'primitive'? (Like a stick with some metal around it at the top.)

And the middle part definitely needs to be re-aligned to make it fit with the other two parts.

[Celtic_Minstrel]

The cape doesn't really look like a cape, it's more like something draped over one arm.

To me it kinda looks like a toga, or at least part of one.

I read recently that the morning star and maces were unknightly weapons

That's such an unusual claim that surely you don't mind if I ask for the source?

I don't have a source, but I do have a vague explanation. Bashing weapons, especially those with spikes added, can be seen as inherently more "brutal" than simple swords. For example, a morningstar with is spikes will produce messy wounds, whereas a broadsword will tend to produce more clean cuts. Treating sword wounds may also be easier than treating morningstar wounds, for the same reasons.

I'm not entirely sure if that's all backed up by evidence, but it also doesn't necessarily have to be, as it's partly about a perception of the weapons rather than the facts.

Anyway, a better question would be, why is "maces are unknightly" a reason for the royal warrior to not have them? Is the royal warrior supposed to be knightly somehow?

[nuorc]

I'm not entirely sure if that's all backed up by evidence, but it also doesn't necessarily have to be, as it's partly about a perception of the weapons rather than the facts.

Perceptions are fine, but I hope you don't mind if I try shaping mine by evidence and facts. Among which Wikipedia mentions use of maces as signs of power, suited for certain fighting applications (armors) and for example king Stephen the Great using one (guess that'll be knightly enough).