My RPG Continued...
Hehro again. Still trying to figure out a style for my rpg, and a style that benefits my current skillset. Given that i lack the drive to become an artist able to make photorealistic art in any medium, i've decided to go with a cartoony, simplistic look. But more than just a way to half-ass things, i really really like the simpler style.
My main inspirations are TF2 and Wind Waker, and various other highly stylized games. What can i improve upon in the design area, and does anyone have any tips for making cel shaded environments (should i avoid outlines for non main characters?)
---
and the 4 character classes so far, these are the warlord, wizard, battlemage and ranger, bonus points if you can guess which are which...
i think i stylized the 2 males pretty well, but i was having trouble making the 2 females stylized, because i would either go too far and they don't look in the least bit appealing, or too close to normal human proportions and don't mesh with the other male designs, any suggestions would be great.
My main inspirations are TF2 and Wind Waker, and various other highly stylized games. What can i improve upon in the design area, and does anyone have any tips for making cel shaded environments (should i avoid outlines for non main characters?)
---
and the 4 character classes so far, these are the warlord, wizard, battlemage and ranger, bonus points if you can guess which are which...
i think i stylized the 2 males pretty well, but i was having trouble making the 2 females stylized, because i would either go too far and they don't look in the least bit appealing, or too close to normal human proportions and don't mesh with the other male designs, any suggestions would be great.
Replies
And no, bad, essential anatomy is not excusable with "stylizing".
Definately this..A simple solution if you do not wish to read the human anatomy. Go to Youtube and watch it.
Also, if it is related to the same project as you were doing before, please use the same thread.
The idea that you think that working in a cartoony look is the lazy/easy option is kinda insulting don't you think? While different from creating photo realistic work it still requires alot of creativity, skill and patience.
It all looks rushed and like you spent 15-30 mins on it.
You lack the drive? oh ok.
Idono, if you lack the drive you might think of becoming a dentist or an accountant instead of an artist. It's easier work and you can make more money. Try telling a stripper that you're an artist, then next weekend tell another one that you're a dentist. You'll notice the difference.
If you make crap quickly, you'll only become faster at making crap.
You have some talent but you need to but more effort into those props.
jesus, excuse me, i wasnt trying to insult anyone, i just think that this style better suites my style of art.
But seriously, i think it's a bit simpler to make a cartoony character than a photorealistic character. Which one of these concepts would take longer and overall be harder to make?
that being said, i don't think game developers choose these styles because they are easier. I feel these cartoony styles can stand out from the games that take themselves too seriously, it really adds something neat to it, a certain timelessness.
30 years from now, a game trying to look like a cel shaded storybook, won't have really improved on windwaker. Its timeless because it doesn't try to mirror reality. Where as 30 years from now a game like crysis will be left in the dust because there is something even more realistic.
So please do not understate the efforts of those who make great visual styles like TF2. I can assure you that making something like that necessitates a much clearer vision and much sharper sense of art direction that creating realism does.
So do not dare using a "simple" style as an excuse to be lazy. Besides, if you dont really care about putting effort into the art, why are you posting here?
Last time I checked, this is a community for people who live and breathe for art.
Imo the only differene between them is the style. Sure the bottom one might be harder to render but if it had a crappy design no rendering in the world could save it.
I would like to say more but everyone before me have already covered everything I could think of.
Keep at it and I'm looking forward to see your next update with all of the advice taken into practice.
All other things being equal, it is simpler to make an art asset in a simple style than it is in a complexly rendered photorealistic style.
Yes, you still need to be able to make badass art in order to make badass simple art, but achillesian is not saying he's going to make the next tf2 or windwaker or Mad World here, just that he'll find it easier to work on something simple.
Both me and a badass disney animator would find it easier to draw a stick figure in a dymanic pose than a fully realized, realistic painting -- the disney animator's will look way cooler than mine, but we'll both find it easier and simpler and less time consuming to do.
But also, to understand this reaction in context, check out his response to feedback in other threads. That attitude is what tires me a bit.
If it was just a new guy who actually used the crits he got, I would personally be a lot nicer and a lot more tolerant. But this is not the case, sadly.
everything is simpler depending on how you go about things, saying that, everything has a theory too, I think the style your going for is cool, but depending on how much you want your rpg to contain will still require your undivided attention if its to be rich with life.
Remember story will usually drive a game to, how they present that story is a big factor the style adds to the story.
I say keep going, but listen to what they have to say.
He's acted like a douchebag a lot, yeah, but he's fine so far in this thread. Don't start shit for no reason!
As long as he keeps on it, his drive is still there.
But yeah, to get back to the topic. What you need to do is spend some time on your assets, also I would advice to listen to the dudes giving critique here, most of these dudes are the big dogs who knows their shit.
Sir SupRore;
Please review his post again before falsely accusing him of such things. According to his post and my observation of the previous thread of OP. Mr. Achillesian does not listen at all. He did what he wanted to do regardless of all our crits and suggestions. At certain point makecg and others have started making fun of his work, and he still didnt listen. So I'll side with bbob.
Hez not starting any sort of shit. kthxbie.
my point is, what you have in your original post is just as close to that first pic of link as it is to the second picture of link as far as "quality of art" is concerned. even if you want to do cartoony stuff, treat it as if you are still making the best art you can.
second point is, ppl who kick out awesome stylized work like that do not do it cause they dont have the drive to do photo real stuff, cause i'm sure they can do realistic stuff just as good.
what you are doing is using stylized as a crutch and an excuse to not really "try"
http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?t=69588
Different thread, different time, different place. How is he going to learn anything if the art elitist circlejerk shark pack follows him from thread to thread and picks fights?
You're really not helping the situation by being the OP's white knight. Neither am I, for making this post. Sigh. Best to stay out of these things.
-= FIGHT =-
God, i laughed so hard.
I'm pretty happy with each of these concepts besides the ranger girl, i'd really like some input on her on how i can achieve an interesting, stand out, stylish look, but also be somewhat appealing. I spent the most time on her. And TBH i spent about an hour and a half on each of these. I am trying. I am trying to make something stylish and interesting, but simple.
my wip on the warlord
But yeah, looks too early in the process to give any real critique.
hehro, update. Trying to take some advice, especially in the time department. Spent probably a good 3 hours on this. The only problem i'm concerned with is bad seams with the stone part. And i'm not sure how big of a deal that really is, can you tell this is a torch? Does it read well? Completely self lit, forgot to do an occlusion on the stone part, may do that, or paint in some shadows.
Inspiration:
I liked the wind waker torch alot, but making a permanent torch out of wood didn't make sense to me, so i made it stone, also, my idea behind the size of the stone area is it catches ash (the stone part is hollow, and you can drain the ash at the bottom) so the ash can be used as a fertilizer later.
Also regarding stone texture, i would recommend to make "stones" more tight with each other. Now they look like floating bubbles. Also i'd make less saturated color, otherwise they might start looking like wood.
Now, aside from what has been said, you could probably have all four legs share the same UV space.
Also, from a pure conceptual point of view, it seems weird to give a stone structure wooden legs, instead of just continuing it down, and doing a stone base. It also seems very impractical to have a wooden ring to hold the cauldron, as the fire would make that very short lived.
wip on armor texture, reference is my concept art in OP
i may get rid of the little decals, depending on how it looks in unity with toon shading, i'm going for simple yet interesting like these
Well, that "stone" texture looks like bunch of elipse shapes in PhotoShop with "bevel/emboss" and "outer shadow" layer effect. Therefore normally it is very quickly done without baking anything.
still wip, going to keep repainting it until i like the result more. Still trying to keep it simple and stylish.