Pixel Joint Forum: Small NES Project

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DStuart
Seaman
Seaman

Joined: 25 September 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 19

Topic: Small NES Project
Posted: 14 September 2010 at 7:54pm

Hi,

I'm working on a small NES project, and would like to know some opinions.

Here are the first characters aka the good guys. :)

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Psychotic_Carp
Commander

Joined: 02 April 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1008

Posted: 15 September 2010 at 8:30pm

I think the frames are out of sequence and if they are jumping they should fall forward or they should sway forward then back. maybe sway forward do a little shake then fall back?

got game?

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DStuart
Seaman
Seaman

Joined: 25 September 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 19

Posted: 15 September 2010 at 8:48pm

Hi, thanks for the opinion, and gif sample.
It does need that detail. :) I'll arrange it.
The frames are not only for a jump, its intended for a few more stuff.

Here in this next image I added two frames (also located a bit random) for a pseudo-hit each character will be able to do.

First two are for walking / running

Three is for jumping.

Four is for landing or when you press down on D Pad.

Five and Six is a hit.

Seven is a riding function, over a veichle.

Eight is getting hurt when hitted by some enemy.

Nine and ten is when eight happens but you don't have any more lives, so you die. :P

Anyway, its still pretty simple, doing as time shows up.
Also working on the music for the NES currently. ^_^

Thank you once again for the animation. :D

Edit 17-09-2010 3:07 >>
A new update on the sprite. :)

A rotating item.

QTE

T. vanishing.

Edited by DStuart - 16 September 2010 at 8:05pm

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Psychotic_Carp
Commander

Joined: 02 April 2005
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Posts: 1008

Posted: 16 September 2010 at 8:40pm

the walking just seems like the feet are switching back and forth, reminds me of elevator action :p

I dont kow if you were going for that look or for a reg walking cycle if your going for a reg walking cycle try to add a couple frames with the foot on one side halfway in between maybe?

got game?

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DStuart
Seaman
Seaman

Joined: 25 September 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 19

Posted: 16 September 2010 at 8:53pm

Sorry, what's a "reg walking cycle"?

I'm influenced also by the memory limits of the NES so I can take the most out of it. I'll try and add one more frame for the walking and will correct the jump as mentioned before. :)

Thank you for your help.

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Psychotic_Carp
Commander

Joined: 02 April 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1008

Posted: 17 September 2010 at 4:43am

this is one of the better gif's that show walking

http://www.netanimations.net/awboxer_e0.gif

your welcome

Edited by Psychotic_Carp - 17 September 2010 at 2:00pm

got game?

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DStuart
Seaman
Seaman

Joined: 25 September 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 19

Posted: 17 September 2010 at 9:51pm

Hi,

I made some improvements based on your critics, take a look and see if its gotten better or worse. :P

Also, I found out a bit more about the NES limitations and some additional info on its pallet. So I made a recolor test but the result it's not pleasing to me.

In this version, please ignore the Mario, I was just testing it with the pallet I was using, instead of is original colors.

This below is the main character with the new test colors, I really prefer the original version but now I'm in doubt if the NES will support it correctly, but I'm almost sure it should...

Here I substituted one frame to add the additional walking frame, but I'm not sure about this one...

The NES is a very limited system in memory and graphic capacity, but nothing a bit of creativity wont solve. :)

Edited by DStuart - 17 September 2010 at 9:54pm

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PixelSnader
Commander

Not a troll!

Joined: 21 May 2026
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3194

Posted: 18 September 2010 at 7:56pm

The orange skin is a bit better, yes but still not great sprites.

Why are they so small? Why only 4 colors? Why overly simple?

Take a look at the Mario sprite, it grows to multiple hardware-sprites. Look how it does not use outlines. Look at Megaman, how it uses overlay sprites to get more colors (in the face). Look at fat guy how it uses 3 colors for shading.

Look at Castlevania, how it uses 3 colors very efficiently. Look at the Contra sprite, how it uses 2 sprites and gives the pants a different color. You can look at the ninja sprite which uses overlays, separate colors and more tricks but that will get complicated, so you can also forget it.

My point is: YES the nes has limitations, but NO you are not near those yet. Look at this video for instance. Or some of these shots:

Which show a lot nicer NES graphics, without using much trickery. And to see just how far the nes can be pushed:

▄▄█ ▄▄█
▄█▄ ▄█▄

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ellie-is
Commander

Joined: 12 September 2021
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 706

Posted: 18 September 2010 at 10:52pm

I'd just like to point out that the Batman game used a chip that allowed it to have better graphics, but other than that I agree with everything. :p

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DStuart
Seaman
Seaman

Joined: 25 September 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 19

Posted: 19 September 2010 at 8:23pm

Fantastic! Thank you very much. :D

That will help me try and risk on betting on better and bigger graphics. I'm trying to understand how far I could go, you now have extended my horizons. :)

I'll be remaking all my characters real soon, hope something better comes out. ^_^

What's the ideal character size to work with on the NES? Does anyone know?

Once again, thank you very much for the constructive critics. They are much wanted and helpful.

Edit 29-09-2010
I'm stuck on this, all new sprites I did suck really hard. Still trying though...

Edited by DStuart - 28 September 2010 at 8:41pm

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WIP (Work In Progress)
Pixel Joint Forum : Pixel Art : WIP (Work In Progress)

Author	Message
DStuart Seaman Joined: 25 September 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 19	Topic: Small NES Project Posted: 14 September 2010 at 7:54pm
	Hi, I'm working on a small NES project, and would like to know some opinions. Here are the first characters aka the good guys. :)
	IP Logged

Psychotic_Carp Commander Joined: 02 April 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1008	Posted: 15 September 2010 at 8:30pm
	I think the frames are out of sequence and if they are jumping they should fall forward or they should sway forward then back. maybe sway forward do a little shake then fall back?
	got game?
	IP Logged

DStuart Seaman Joined: 25 September 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 19	Posted: 15 September 2010 at 8:48pm
	Hi, thanks for the opinion, and gif sample. It does need that detail. :) I'll arrange it. The frames are not only for a jump, its intended for a few more stuff. Here in this next image I added two frames (also located a bit random) for a pseudo-hit each character will be able to do. First two are for walking / running Three is for jumping. Four is for landing or when you press down on D Pad. Five and Six is a hit. Seven is a riding function, over a veichle. Eight is getting hurt when hitted by some enemy. Nine and ten is when eight happens but you don't have any more lives, so you die. :P Anyway, its still pretty simple, doing as time shows up. Also working on the music for the NES currently. ^_^ Thank you once again for the animation. :D Edit 17-09-2010 3:07 >> A new update on the sprite. :) A rotating item. QTE T. vanishing. Edited by DStuart - 16 September 2010 at 8:05pm
	IP Logged

Psychotic_Carp Commander Joined: 02 April 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1008	Posted: 16 September 2010 at 8:40pm
	the walking just seems like the feet are switching back and forth, reminds me of elevator action :p I dont kow if you were going for that look or for a reg walking cycle if your going for a reg walking cycle try to add a couple frames with the foot on one side halfway in between maybe?
	got game?
	IP Logged

DStuart Seaman Joined: 25 September 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 19	Posted: 16 September 2010 at 8:53pm
	Sorry, what's a "reg walking cycle"? I'm influenced also by the memory limits of the NES so I can take the most out of it. I'll try and add one more frame for the walking and will correct the jump as mentioned before. :) Thank you for your help.
	IP Logged

Psychotic_Carp Commander Joined: 02 April 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1008	Posted: 17 September 2010 at 4:43am
	this is one of the better gif's that show walking http://www.netanimations.net/awboxer_e0.gif your welcome Edited by Psychotic_Carp - 17 September 2010 at 2:00pm
	got game?
	IP Logged

DStuart Seaman Joined: 25 September 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 19	Posted: 17 September 2010 at 9:51pm
	Hi, I made some improvements based on your critics, take a look and see if its gotten better or worse. :P Also, I found out a bit more about the NES limitations and some additional info on its pallet. So I made a recolor test but the result it's not pleasing to me. In this version, please ignore the Mario, I was just testing it with the pallet I was using, instead of is original colors. This below is the main character with the new test colors, I really prefer the original version but now I'm in doubt if the NES will support it correctly, but I'm almost sure it should... Here I substituted one frame to add the additional walking frame, but I'm not sure about this one... The NES is a very limited system in memory and graphic capacity, but nothing a bit of creativity wont solve. :) Edited by DStuart - 17 September 2010 at 9:54pm
	IP Logged

PixelSnader Commander Not a troll! Joined: 21 May 2026 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3194	Posted: 18 September 2010 at 7:56pm
	The orange skin is a bit better, yes but still not great sprites. Why are they so small? Why only 4 colors? Why overly simple? Take a look at the Mario sprite, it grows to multiple hardware-sprites. Look how it does not use outlines. Look at Megaman, how it uses overlay sprites to get more colors (in the face). Look at fat guy how it uses 3 colors for shading. Look at Castlevania, how it uses 3 colors very efficiently. Look at the Contra sprite, how it uses 2 sprites and gives the pants a different color. You can look at the ninja sprite which uses overlays, separate colors and more tricks but that will get complicated, so you can also forget it. My point is: YES the nes has limitations, but NO you are not near those yet. Look at this video for instance. Or some of these shots: Which show a lot nicer NES graphics, without using much trickery. And to see just how far the nes can be pushed:
	▄▄█ ▄▄█ ▄█▄ ▄█▄
	IP Logged

ellie-is Commander Joined: 12 September 2021 Online Status: Offline Posts: 706	Posted: 18 September 2010 at 10:52pm
	I'd just like to point out that the Batman game used a chip that allowed it to have better graphics, but other than that I agree with everything. :p
	IP Logged

DStuart Seaman Joined: 25 September 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 19	Posted: 19 September 2010 at 8:23pm
	Fantastic! Thank you very much. :D That will help me try and risk on betting on better and bigger graphics. I'm trying to understand how far I could go, you now have extended my horizons. :) I'll be remaking all my characters real soon, hope something better comes out. ^_^ What's the ideal character size to work with on the NES? Does anyone know? Once again, thank you very much for the constructive critics. They are much wanted and helpful. Edit 29-09-2010 I'm stuck on this, all new sprites I did suck really hard. Still trying though... Edited by DStuart - 28 September 2010 at 8:41pm
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