Akladian (campaign ANO) - Team Coloring

[viorc]

I have start TC-ing the sprites of the akladian faction from the campaign A New Order.
I am not the author of these sprites that have a long history (mostly lost, due to disk space saving consideration). I therefore hope the authors will forgive me for any deterioration I could bring in the quality of their work.

The first four TC-ed units are the Homeguard, Light Infantry, Pikeneer and Shieldguard (originally from wayfarer).

[viorc]

When team coloring these units, I try to stay as close as possible from the original idea.
For Akladian Clanmember, the original coloring (done by creating several units with same caracteristics but different sprites) was done on the jersey of the unit. However when I do this with the TC, I get a result that is not good (see first attachment)

I have checked other factions and it sees no unit has been colored on a surface as wide as that. Is it on purpose ? Is it because the result cannot be good on such a large surface ?

As a work-around I put a leather armor on the clanmember to break the uniformity of the TC.
I did the same thing on the Akladian Warrior for the same reason (both original sprites from wayfarer).
What do you think ?

[viorc]

I thought the leather armor for the Clanmember was looking to much like a wooden checker board.
I try to make it look more gross (large pieces of leather put together). It make sense as this level 0 unit is described as being lightly armored.
Isn't it better ?

[viorc]

Here are more TCed units: Akladian Chieftain (level 2) and Akladian Lord (level 3)
These are the most heavily changed ones (original sprites by szopen) as I did not find any proper way to TC the existing sprites (and because it is fun to do more than cosmetic changes too).
The Chieftain's chain mail is shortened to show his colorful trousers.
The Lord has his posture changed (I thought it was not 'lordish' enough before) and get faction colors: green trousers, grey cape, new shield and team coloring.

As I am currently only indenting TC the units that currently have a team version (unit id: *_g, *_c) the last frame for me will be the Akladian Wiseman. Next, I will start using the new frames to replace the current animations.

[Disto]

The sprites really need a lot of things done to them, improvement wise I mean.

I don't know how good you are and I don't know how much you want to do but look at some of the tutorials from this page, I particular want to point out the TC one and Shadow one.

[viorc]

The sprites really need a lot of things done to them, improvement wise I mean.

Thank you for your support

I don't know how good you are and I don't know how much you want to do but look at some of the tutorials from this page, I particular want to point out the TC one and Shadow one.

It is good you point out the shadow problem. I have read the manual put did not apply it to all the units. One thing that is not very clear after reading is were the shadow should be (position of the light) and how large it should be. Second, I thought that the shadow should be put on empty pixels only but I am now seeing that after gaussian blur, it gives strange effect (shadow is lighter) close to the body of the unit. I changed that for the akladian lord, so it should be right for that one at least. I will edit all the units to correct all shadows.
[edit] Homeguard, Pikeneer, Shieldguard, Light Infantry, Warrior, last Armored Clanmember and Chieftain shadows updated.[/edit]

BTW, I do not think I am good nor talented for drawing and I do not plan to start a career as a sprite designer. I just thought TC was something that required less skill than drawing and could help the campaign 'A New Order' to move to version 1.1.x.
Thanks for your helpful feedback and keep on criticizing.

[ascendant]

You don't need to be talented in drawing to do sprites, actually. It can help you, but is no must. And I got into it with TCing, too.

[viorc]

And I got into it with TCing, too.

Good, I am not the only one
So I keep on working on TCing akladian and I come up with the wiseman unit tree. I have done the level 2 (holyman) and level 3 (wonderman) (original sprites from szopen).
I still have no idea how to TC the wiseman (original sprite from wayfarer). It probably would require some change in the design but I would make it looking not as good as now (idea anyone ?)
Maybe make some minor change at the collar ...

[viorc]

I have done a tentative TCation of the Wiseman.
I tried to stick to dark color so that it would keep the same personnality.
As a consequence, after TC is applied, the team of that unit is not as clear as for the other units (which is probably a problem as it is the purpose of TCing units )

... I will keep it anyway until something better comes out

[viorc]

Finally I achieved some kind of animation for the melee attack of the clanmember (only to be currently with animation). What do you think ?
I personnally think it is a lot of work for such a result

[Jetrel]

Finally I achieved some kind of animation for the melee attack of the clanmember (only to be currently with animation). What do you think ?
I personnally think it is a lot of work for such a result

Animation is always a lot of work.

To keep things in perspective, Disney "in-betweeners" typically make (and this is just the black and white lines of a character, nothing else) about 24 frames per work day, each.* That means for a very good - nay, the best available animation professionals, they're putting out about one line drawing per half hour, based heavily on the other frames, which means they don't have to think a lot about what they're drawing (as compared to say, me sitting down and drawing a portrait for a unit, wherein I need to design almost all of the unit's costuming, choose a pose, mess with perspective/camera angle, etc).

That's it. Kinda surprised me when I first found out.

I thought those guys were spitting them out every five minutes, but it ain't so. I can only imagine what disney could do if they started using flash.

AS FAIR WARNING TO EVERYONE, PLEASE DO NOT DERAIL THIS TOPIC - those who wish to discuss this (besides viorc) can quote this post and put it in OT.


* This, I heard from an ex-disney animator, FWIW.

[viorc]

Finally I achieved some kind of animation for the melee attack of the clanmember (only to be currently with animation). What do you think ?
I personnally think it is a lot of work for such a result

Animation is always a lot of work.

To keep things in perspective, Disney "in-betweeners" typically make (and this is just the black and white lines of a character, nothing else) about 24 frames per work day, each.* That means for a very good - nay, the best available animation professionals, they're putting out about one line drawing per half hour, based heavily on the other frames, which means they don't have to think a lot about what they're drawing (as compared to say, me sitting down and drawing a portrait for a unit, wherein I need to design almost all of the unit's costuming, choose a pose, mess with perspective/camera angle, etc).

I should say my doing this Akladian TCing task is teaching me to have more respect for Art Developpers and Contributors.
When I downloaded the game and saw these units, it just seemed natural to have them. But once I try to make one, I realize how massive work has been done on graphics for the game.
So at least my spending time was useful
I will tell you if I have the same feeling next time I go to see some Disney (probably not soon )

AS FAIR WARNING TO EVERYONE, PLEASE DO NOT DERAIL THIS TOPIC - those who wish to discuss this (besides viorc) can quote this post and put it in OT.

I will stay on topic then.
This is the defense "animation" (only one new frame) for the Akladian Clanmember.
The posture is coming from the original unit animation (by szopen).