Why can't I do pixel art?!

Oh, and I can tell what they did here.

They took a texture for the water and stretched it out and lightened the color towards the bottom. Then they offset the texture along the changes and made an image of each frame. Finally they took those frames and limited the colors and lowered the resolution to get the colors and pixel size they needed.

 

To me pixel art done well adds to the game as it is clear enough to convey what is there & happening yet 'fuzzy' enough to let me fill some details in with my imagination. I think that's why a lot of the old games held up so well, the players had to invest a bit of themselves in each character.

 

A patched up teddybear with a jetpack?

Maybe that's the issue Some people can only art if they're inspired or if the art has a purpose.

Are those two things related? You work at 4am? I did that on monday. Experiencing deadlines like that is the reason I stopped pursuing game design as a career and kept it as a hobby.

 

I agree completely and this is one of the reasons why I am not big on graphics. Although I can certainly notice superb graphics and appreciate them to me that is really nothing to do with the game at least in some ways. A big part of the appeal of retro gaming is the primitive graphics.

When we played such games our imaginations took over. No longer were we controlling a blocky little blob looking somewhat like a disfigured human and instead it was us. The graphics themselves really "disappeared" other than providing a frame of reference communicating important information... we are here... two baddies are to the left.... a treasure is to the right.

Much of the game experience was in our minds. Sometimes I think there is a big difference with the modern gamers. I don't know if it is a lack of imagination or what really but they seem to almost need exceptional graphics in order to get into a game. Whereas for me those same graphics can serve as an obstacle to get into the game.

 

@Not_Sure as promised, here's the results of my 3D => 2D example. The hand drawn images died in a fire, but I textured the model as a compromise.

I think @Ony and would enjoy this as well.

Spoiler: Prepare your eyeballs

 

That'd be pretty awesome to see a game done entirely in that style. Both the 3D and the 2D. I really like the 2D look of your character. Kind of imagining a whole screen filled with objects done in this style I think it would be pretty interesting.

 

I figured the end result would look deliberate I definitely want to make something, just not sure what yet. I've been completely out of ideas. I can't even work up the will to build a module.

 

You seem in some Big Burnout
I just look or play at some old games to find inspiration , is there not some style game you would want to make but with your own graphics and style ?

 

Maybe just a simple, short little platfomer as a sample. A character on one of those electronic billboards in an area saturated with them (Japan? Times Square?....) escapes & starts moving & jumping across other billboards to get to the other gender model on a sign elsewhere. Should also help fit in with the slightly flickery look.

 

Yeah @Tomnnn I get that burnout too. It just happens as a result of too many projects I think. I'm always designing and developing at work. In any given week I'll work on maybe 3 to 10 projects just depends on what the current situation is. Sometimes there is a pressing need so I focus on one project for a couple days.

I always have multiple personal projects of one kind or another going on. And same with those. I work on one for a bit. Then another for a bit. Sometimes I just need to take time away completely. Like today have done nothing so far on projects. Been playing NES games with my girlfriend.

Maybe just don't work on anything for a few days and you'll suddenly have a strong urge to make a certain something. Or if you are bouncing between many different things just taking a break from them all can recharge battery too. If you are doing nothing no projects then yeah just play games and get ideas!

 

This is energy dispersion.
Make yourself clear , choose some project that motivates you the most and put some goals like finishing a demo, it is better than loosing energy among too much things at same time perhaps ?

 

That part is for my job. Never know when there will be an emergency so must switch gears to handle it. That is not often of course that it floats to me but happens. More common is simply switching focus to help other members of the team. That is very common. Motivation for that stuff is just to get it done and help take some stress off the other people. And it is my job. The expectation is to be pretty much always "on". Yet I still find time to make mini brain breaks and check these forums or twitter.

It is a factor though in why after work sometimes I don't have much drive to jump on yet another project even if it is a game I want to make. Normally I put in some time on my personal projects every night though.

 

You are the team saviour it seems.

I understand if you are in such job all days of the weeks, you need a real break.
Still just find one project only that motivate you a lot , and just try working some times on it , otherwise it remains work dispersion instead of trying to finish one.

 

I don't know. Even when I try hard, the best I can think of is some medium complexity module I don't feel like developing. I haven't even been in the mood to game. It might have something to do with working 120 hours over 2 weeks. I can't do anything I can't sleep, I'm not interesting in watching / playing / doing anything. I think I just need time to be inanimate.

The flickery look was having a perspective camera & leaving the lighting in, which you can see in the 3D image. I turned off anti-aliasing so the shadows became solid black. If I leave anti-aliasing on, the shadows are a nice fade but would probably blend in too easily with any background elements. As for actually making a game, I'll make something... eventually. Probably zombie related.

That sounds like a pleasant alternative to voluntary catatonia. I should get me one of those! Haha! Just kidding.

 

Yes it might be just what you need. A great way to unwind from any bits of stress clear the cobwebs out of your mind.

 

Said every salesman ever when selling.

ewww

Where there are webs, there are spiders! And unfortunately, the overworked gears in my mind never stop turning and the heat kills any fauna that wander too close

In other news, it would seem that my jester's wit is sharper than ever. Strange, the one part of my brain I can't quite figure out and yet the only one still running 100%

 

Ewww? Oh! LOL! Let me rephrase... getting your mind away from projects and playing some video games with your girlfriend is a great way to unwind and get rid of any stress. Ha ha! Although yeah I guess the other would fit well too.

Maybe your niche is "games that make people laugh"? It seems like you would really enjoy such a project and probably turn out something very good.

 

Indeed.

 

Not everyone can appreciate anti-art and keep their sanity, but I figured you could handle it. My favorite part about that is how they gif frames are in sync with their full and reduced res images haha.

You just can't help yourself can you.

I could just show them my attempts at drawing or modeling

 

You need some retirement and time relaxation indeed

 

Tim Burton has made an entire genre from this - and to a very lesser extent so has American McGee. I can see you creating something along those lines, with witty humor woven throughout.

If you go the 3D -> 2D route - reduce the spec level of all the textures down to zero. It produces a solid white pixel in the 2D renderings that shouldn't be there.
The rest of the treatment is cool looking though.

 

To the OP, have you tried doing larger sizes? I think it is extremely difficult to get good looking pixel art with that few pixels, but just my gut feeling from the few times I have tried it.

I'm pretty much resigned to just using placeholder art these days and paying artists for quality when I get close to demo'ing something.

 

They gave me 2 days off. Today and tomorrow. So, of course, all that means is more time on the forums!

Oh that's a good idea. I left the light in because I wanted a cheap way to have it appear shaded. If I take off the specularity it won't shine as much but still appear shaded! At that point I can even turn anti-aliasing back on and get better shading instead of the hard black.

And in case anyone's wondering, yes, my uv unwrapping skills are just as bad. Those crazy lines on the skin are from trying to paint in the viewport lol. It worked somewhat...And yes, I did mark these ridiculous seems myself. I don't know why, but it seemed like a good idea. The head is unwrapped 4 ways... I have no idea what I'm doing