Pixel Joint Forum: Pixel art on 3D models

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As this is my first post - hi! I'm not posting in the job offering forum as this isn't really one, yet, and I'd rather have some discussion here first. But to explain my interest in the subject I will introduce myself and my project.

I'm Paul and I've been a game developer for... quite a few years now (7?), though longer as an amateur. Here's my website: http://teatimecoder.com. I'm both an artist and a programmer (I've got papers to prove it ;) ). I've started a side project last summer called Metal Crusade and its website is here: http://metalcrusade.com. There's a video and a design doc that explains what I intend for the project. There's no activity now because I'm on my christmas holiday and I'm the only person working on the project for now.

I've noticed I keep reaching for the phrase 'labour of love' when trying to explain why I started it but it is the most concise, even if terribly clichéd, way to put it. I like mecha, I like tactics, I like economical sims and building things and that's what the game is about. And since there's no money in sight for it (the code is GPL, assets are CC) the term is perfect.

The game uses OGRE for rendering graphics and is 3D and does require a reasonably modern PC to run (though it runs fine on built-in graphics on my ancient motherboard, I'm hoping for the game to playable on underpowered netbooks). I want to use 3D graphics for the action parts of the game but I want them to mimic pixel art. Has anyone ever toyed with a concept like this or knows of any projects like that? I don't mean sprites in 3D space, I mean actual polygon models, but made chunky, low-poly and painted with low-res textures (with filtering turned off), low-res textures on the terrain and particles and low-res pixel art on the HUD. In an ideal world I'd be building my own voxel engine but I'm trying to be realistic with the project's scope and I'm trying to fake the look and feel with traditional rendering methods

Anyone every toyed with such an idea? Any visual examples or theoretical musings are much welcomed.

Edited by Paul_S - 07 January 2011 at 4:38pm

Author	Message
Paul_S Seaman Joined: 07 January 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Topic: Pixel art on 3D models Posted: 07 January 2011 at 4:36pm
	As this is my first post - hi! I'm not posting in the job offering forum as this isn't really one, yet, and I'd rather have some discussion here first. But to explain my interest in the subject I will introduce myself and my project. I'm Paul and I've been a game developer for... quite a few years now (7?), though longer as an amateur. Here's my website: http://teatimecoder.com. I'm both an artist and a programmer (I've got papers to prove it ;) ). I've started a side project last summer called Metal Crusade and its website is here: http://metalcrusade.com. There's a video and a design doc that explains what I intend for the project. There's no activity now because I'm on my christmas holiday and I'm the only person working on the project for now. I've noticed I keep reaching for the phrase 'labour of love' when trying to explain why I started it but it is the most concise, even if terribly clichéd, way to put it. I like mecha, I like tactics, I like economical sims and building things and that's what the game is about. And since there's no money in sight for it (the code is GPL, assets are CC) the term is perfect. The game uses OGRE for rendering graphics and is 3D and does require a reasonably modern PC to run (though it runs fine on built-in graphics on my ancient motherboard, I'm hoping for the game to playable on underpowered netbooks). I want to use 3D graphics for the action parts of the game but I want them to mimic pixel art. Has anyone ever toyed with a concept like this or knows of any projects like that? I don't mean sprites in 3D space, I mean actual polygon models, but made chunky, low-poly and painted with low-res textures (with filtering turned off), low-res textures on the terrain and particles and low-res pixel art on the HUD. In an ideal world I'd be building my own voxel engine but I'm trying to be realistic with the project's scope and I'm trying to fake the look and feel with traditional rendering methods Anyone every toyed with such an idea? Any visual examples or theoretical musings are much welcomed. Edited by Paul_S - 07 January 2011 at 4:38pm
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jazcks Seaman Joined: 26 May 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20	Posted: 08 January 2011 at 7:50pm
	i remember a nice 3d flash zombie game, called "big pixel zombies" with low-poly models and pixelart textures. ps. take a look at this Edited by jazcks - 08 January 2011 at 7:53pm
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cure Commander Joined: 23 March 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2859	Posted: 08 January 2011 at 10:58pm
	check the threads on this board: http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?board=17.0 I know something fitting your description is occasionally posted there. minecraft is a popular example of pixel textures on low-poly models.
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Paul_S Seaman Joined: 07 January 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Posted: 09 January 2011 at 12:11pm
	Thanks for the links. I wanted to post on the way of the pixel as well, it's just not as straightforward to register there as it is here. I was looking in the wrong place - I was expecting to find examples among PC games. DS and flash games use this kind of art out of necessity so there's plenty of examples there. I'm not exactly in the avant-garde of art :) though I want to use this style as an aesthetic choice, not because of the platform. Still, there's plenty of interesting projects to look at there, thanks.
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jalonso Admiral Joined: 29 November 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13537	Posted: 15 January 2011 at 3:50pm
	Zelda for DS uses pixel textures on very lo poly models really well. Edited by jalonso - 15 January 2011 at 3:50pm
	PJs FAQ <•> Sticky Reads
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Qube Commander Seaman Joined: 02 October 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2	Posted: 27 May 2011 at 6:47am
	hey paul, i'm not sure whether you already found a solution for your game. you may find qubicle very interesting. have a look here: http://www.qubicle-constructor.com Edited by jalonso - 27 May 2011 at 10:03am
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angely Seaman Joined: 27 June 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5	Posted: 27 June 2011 at 11:06pm
	I have to say that I am extremely glad to see your site. It seems you are really an ardent game developer as it is very well seen on your website. I guess now you are working on a project right now as well. I think Pixel art on 3D models could very well be what the future would look like apart from the fact that certain modifications would indeed occur. As far as visual examples go, I have yet to think of one.I am on the look for more and more games, does anyone know where we could find good deals? Edited by angely - 12 July 2011 at 10:49pm
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Paul_S Seaman Joined: 07 January 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Posted: 30 June 2011 at 3:55am
	I'm writing this post a second time - I keep getting errors from the forum (courtesy of the Microsoft backend of this forum) :( The website and the git repo have been quiet lately because of crunch at my day job. I'm getting little sleep - let alone free time at the moment. Should be over with in a couple of weeks and I'll be back to my weekend commits schedule. I got contacted once by some artist but in the end I never got anything back from him so I'm yet to make any progress in the art department (looking on the bright side though I'm all sorted for music). I made a simple pixel explosion myself and I have to say I've got even more respect for you guys. Pixel art is hard :P , a fact I hitherto assumed and now confirmed first hand.
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