PixTana Sprite Template

[Alisatana]

Hey folks, a few months ago I said I'd be working on a new sprite template and library. Well, today I finished up the walk templates, and I'd like to give you guys a preview. It's quite a bit larger than even the FullKaizers, as I'm trying to keep more modern resolutions in mind for any developers using Unity or other engines.

You can download the NPC templates here: https://gumroad.com/l/PixTana_NPCTemplate

https://www.patreon.com/alisatana Patreon patrons will get a discount on anything listed in my store, which will include commission prices. You'll also get to vote on what I should add to the Pixtana Library next.

 

[MysticalNinja]

Always wanted to make something this big, but i've always been too lazy to take it any further than the completed template, ..and of coarse nobody wants to work on any template (even regular xp rtp sized) unless you have a very good amount of character sets completed..
Anyway, By the size of these and the image on your page they will have more than 4 frames of animation right? In any case I look forward to seeing these in action :grin:


I only have one small gripe, and it has to do with the head of the adult male and female, IMO they are too low, something i don't see with the rest.
I feel that with the head being so low, adding pieces like shoulder armor would not look right.
----
Aha 4 frames, just visited the DA page.

 

[Alisatana]

@MysticalNinja: there isn't a "Male" and "Female", I've tried to keep the template androgynous, but I think you're referring to the furthest two on the right (the Average and Tall). I see what you mean, and I'll probably lower the heads on the other templates, as the Average sprite is the perspective that I intended them to be in, and I think the other sprites are the ones that are incorrect.

As far as frames of animation, they're still the 3~4 frame walks, although for Hero characters, I'm working on a slightly altered walk cycle where the 1st and 3rd frames aren't just the idle frame. Run cycles (for Heroes only) will be 6 frames, meant to run twice as fast of a frame rate.

I’ve been working on the first character for the library, and since I designed them wearing what appears to be a sort of uniform, I decided to make some companion NPCs wearing the same uniform to match.
I’ll list all the NPCs as a bundle (when the library is large enough to start up my store), and when I create more NPCs going forward, they’ll come with hair an color variants as well.

 

[Alisatana]

I've been forgetting to keep you guys updated!

So I've finished my first tileset, complete with animated water, and today I finished up my first Hero, all 44 frames.

I'm planning on releasing my sprites for sale via Theme Packs, that will contain 1 Tileset, decorations (such as animated tiles, trees, etc), 1 Hero sprite, and a number of NPC sprites. Enough assets to make a simple game. I'm planning on selling each Theme Pack for $50, but individual pieces will be available a la carte. I'm making sure to include the option to download everything formatted for RPGMaker XP, but the sprites work right now in Unity (I recommend waiting until 5.5 when they release tilemap support in June, but 2D Toolkit works fine), Tiled, and I'm sure lots more game engines. I won't be supporting RPGMaker VX/A or MV right away, since the formating for those will take a lot more adaptation.

Next month I'll be working on NPCs to go with this first Theme Pack, and I'll definitely include some animals. I'm still debating if I want to tackle the horse now, or wait until I get to the farm. But I'm definitely on track to release the Grasslands on February 1st. You can sign up for updates at http://www.jadechimera.com but I'll probably also post about it here when that happens.

Also, I've defined my Patreon a little bit better. Patron pledges will be credited back to you towards the purchase of Theme Packs, so they're similar to pre-orders, but you'll also get a discount on everything else in my store (art prints, a la carte sprites, etc).
AND, as I get more patrons, I'll add more things to each Theme Pack, without increasing their costs. For example, my first goal is $20 and I'll include portrait art for the Hero character when I reach that goal. After that, the next goal is at $50 (so if just one person pre-orders in full through Patreon), I'll also include portraits for the NPCs. So the more people that are interested, the more everyone gets!

 

[Juan J. Sánchez]

That's super nice. Good work.

 

[Alisatana]

OH, I forgot to mention, a long term goal is to be able to offer these for free, but I still need to be able to pay rent and feed my kitties. So I'm setting a hard goal of $2000 through Patreon for the Theme Packs to be free, and I'll drop the price according to the percentage of that total goal I reach. So if 40 people pledge $25 each, everyone gets it for $25, 160 people pledge $10, everyone gets it for $10, etc. As the total patronage goes up, I'll also increase the bonuses for Patrons.

 

[Ellie]

This is looking great. I've never used Patreon but I'll take a look. I'd think long and hard before making them free though - it sounds nice (and is) but you have a mouth to feed and by the looks of it resource packs on RM Web sell very well.

 

[Alisatana]

This is looking great. I've never used Patreon but I'll take a look. I'd think long and hard before making them free though - it sounds nice (and is) but you have a mouth to feed and by the looks of it resource packs on RM Web sell very well.

The free is conditional to the Patreon goal, if the Patronage drops below $2000, then they won't be free any longer. Basically a group of people paying for it makes it free for everyone else, which is a standard model for web comic artists on Patreon. The cheapest that a true everyone could get is if 2000 individuals pledged $1.00 each - I'd still get $2000 total, (minus fees) but the most anyone would have to pay for the theme pack is $1, but the point at which the Theme Packs would be listed for free would be with me getting a guaranteed $2000.

I'm also planning on making things like Mini Packs, Extra Animations, etc, that will be included for patrons at higher tiers, but that I'll sell on my site, so the full-sized Theme Packs aren't going to be my only source of income.

:smile:

 

[coyotecraft]

Basically a group of people paying for it makes it free for everyone else, which is a standard model for web comic artists on Patreon.

That's dumb.
Also, everything you said seems backwards from how I picture patreon.
You're asking for subscriptions instead of donations.

You provide free content and patrons get early access and bonus content as a thank you.

"I make stuff; pls support me on patreon"
not
"support me on patreon and then I'll make stuff"

edit: But I understand the need to supplement your income. Maybe sell "How to" videos for people who want to add on to your templates themselves.

 

[Alisatana]

That's dumb.
Also, everything you said seems backwards from how I picture patreon.
You're asking for subscriptions instead of donations.

You provide free content and patrons get early access and bonus content as a thank you.

"I make stuff; pls support me on patreon"
not
"support me on patreon and then I'll make stuff"

edit: But I understand the need to supplement your income. Maybe sell "How to" videos for people who want to add on to your templates themselves.

I can respect what you're saying, and I want to be clear, I'm creating these sprites and tilesets regardless of funding. I also know that part of the appeal I had when I was working on sprites 10 years ago for RMXP was that I offered sprites for free.

What I do know is that I want to make Theme Packs that are 1 tileset, 1 Hero and a set number of NPCs. I also want to make Mini Packs, that are 1 or 2 special NPCs that will have special animations, and some tileset add-ons/decorations (such as Baba Yaga and her hut). I'm also trying to figure out Patron rewards, and the one that makes the most sense to me is a discount on sprites. Given those three things, I can think of a few different models:

• Full Theme Packs are $50, Mini Packs are $15; Patrons get a discount on both (current model not counting funding goal)
  
  Full Theme Packs are $50, Mini Packs are $15; Patrons get Mini Packs for free, and a (smaller) discount on Full Packs.
  
  Full Theme Packs are free, Mini Packs are $15; Patrons get a discount on Mini Packs, and exclusives like character portraits (projected model after funding goal)
  
  Full Theme Packs are $50, Mini Packs are free; Patrons get a discount on Full Packs, and exclusives like character portraits, etc

I'm thinking about letting Patrons vote for what sort of exclusive they get, but I also don't want to add too much extra work that it becomes too much to handle. A lot of artists do request lotteries, that one random patron each month a commission for free, which is something I'd be willing to do.

I have been considering making tutorials, but I have no idea the timing on how long those would take me, or even how many I could make before I ran out of topics. I'm reluctant to have tutorials behind a paywall, but I also know that some of the most successful art Patreons have tutorials exclusive to their patrons. I could have tutorials be the object of the funding goals... For example, when I have $50 worth of funding, I'll create a pixel art basics tutorial, at $100 I'll create a hair tutorial, etc.

I also expect that it will probably be awhile before I get any sort of real attention; that until I've got 5 or 6 Full Packs finished, my sprites won't be usable except for in the most simple games, and people aren't going to want to buy them until they can make a complete game. So until then, I'm definitely open to suggestions.


Edit: also, I'm trying to figure out if I can also offer a reward for patrons that aren't game developers - which seems odd, but both of my patrons right now aren't.
Oh, and I forgot to post of gifs of the hero

Walks are 4 frames, Runs are 6.

 

[Alisatana]

Okey-dokey, I've re-organized my Patron a bit for now... The long and short of it is that Patrons will get to vote on what thing I add to the PixTana Library next, and also get to vote on what the milestone goals are.


Also, I finished organizing the NPC templates, which you can download here: https://gumroad.com/l/PixTana_NPCTemplate
They're free, but donations are appreciated.

 

[fucbillgates]

I just noticed this post, Good work. I love your character design style.