I need to know how most people create a sprite specifically. I do have a scanner and a *crappy* paint program so i have to tools to make one but it seems so far-fetched. I want it to look good even at 16x32 or 32x32 like in Golden Sun. And what does it mean to pixel something in? Does this mean that what you scan in is like only a template for drawing it on the computer???

pixel = drawing pixel per pixel (look at http://pixelation.swoo.net)

dont try to make sprites with CG..

.lick

Well, from what I can tell, Golden Sun used prerendered sprites. Meaning, they made a 3D model, animated it, and then just took 2D still from the animations. To be honest, I think the Golden Sun sprites suck. They''re all alike and lack a lot of personality. I prefer to do all my sprites from scratch, pixel by pixel. I don''t recommend scanning a drawn image in, that is too imprecise. It IS however a good idea to sketch out ideas for the sprite first; then just go in and turn the idea into a sprite. Making a sprite requires skillfull shading and highlighting. You have to know good color theory to make an effective sprite. Sprite design relies heavily on implying details, rather than actually making them.

Divinus Entertainment
Land of Relics Art Director
http://divinus.net

And where would i learn sprite design??

thats a rather broad question... i think you would do best to think of other 2d games with graphics you would like to closely emulate (strictly golden sun? maybe some other styles?) What kindof sprites are you trying to create? how big are they?. If you know what game you would like to immitate graphically, best thing to do is to study those graphics from resources off the net, or from .gif/.png rips (NOT jpg images) so that you can study their pixel placement, color usage, etc. No tutorials that i could point you to on the net would help you with golden sun type graphics since most of it wasnt hand pixelled. (if you look at their character sprites, alot of their pixel placement seems almost random with which colors are placed where, evidence of some sort of scaling or compression. Their battle sprites are pre rendered 3d models, programmed particle effects for spells and such).

There's plenty of places to learn how to create pixel art. As another mentioned, the Pixelation forums are a good place to post and get comments on your work which will help you get better. Then there's tutorials. StOven has some tutorials at his site. Tsugumo, the person that runs Pixelation, has a few good tutorials on his site also. (Both Pixelation and Tsu's site may be down right now since it seems that swoo.net is having some troubles.)

[edited by - BlckHwkSphere on October 19, 2003 3:59:58 AM]

I recommend Character Maker 1999 for making sprites.

quote: Original post by dagamer34
And where would i learn sprite design??

I don''t know any sites but what I''ve done was pretty simple.

I started out by building a library of ripped sprites from games, sources on the internet, etc. Most of my first projects used these ripped sprites, pretty much no actual modifications or effort on my part for these.

Then I started trying to modify them a little. Palettes at first, then some minor things (lenghtening hair, changing cloths...)

Then I started studying the styles used and noticed that many sprites shared similare styles. For instance, FF6''s sprites all have a basic face. Feminine faces have a lighter band of pixels at the bottom, near the chin, whereas male ones have black outlines there. Eyes are also affected. Then hair is applied over it. That there''s your basic head. So forth.

After a while, you begin understanding how sprites work and start trying a few things of your own. They suck, of course, since you''re trying to emulate sprites drawn by artists with far more experience than you. But it''s a start. My first honest attempt looked good enough to be in an old low-budged SNES game.

Practice makes perfect