THE HKCP :: The Half-Kaizer Construction Project.

[violettonks]

Coupla questions - I've got several HKs in the making which I'll submit to this (awesome) project.

Would I take the ones that I've started (ie, done the first frame for) and chop the clothing into bits - shirt, pants, shoes ect and submit them seperately?

Second is that I know that the skin palette must be used, but are the hair and clothes palettes mandatory too? I'm not overly fond of them, especially the hair colours, so would I recolour my stuff in those colours for this project and put my original colours up in another project as an alternative, or just submit both?

And just to be a complete pain in the arse () how would I handle semi-transparent stuff like stockings? :D

 

[___]

If you use Gale, just plan your palettes to have the same color counts and you can easily palette swap, it takes all of about 30 seconds (see Venetia's hair tutorial, I dropped in a quick tut on how to palette swap in Graphic Gale).

As for transparency, the best solution IMO is to just create a palette about halfway between skin tone and the color you want the transparent item to be.  Another solution might be a semi-transparent layer (assuming you use a decent graphics program, Gale is free *plug*), but that will end up multiplying your color count and might end up sloppy.  Finally, you could dither.  I'm not sure if the HKCP guys have chosen a standard for that yet, I'm sure they'll let you know if they do.

Oh as for separation, what I like to do is split the templates up into frames in Gale and do each different part on a different layer (I use Photoshop slices to do that but you could easily area select->copy->paste in Gale as well).  That way I can use the onion skin feature and flipping back and forth from frame to frame to make sure they animate cleanly. 

After you're finished, you just hide all the parts (including the template) on each frame except the one you want to save and then File->Export, choose Combined File, 4 rows, and it will generate a nice sprite sheet, repeat for each part.  An additional perk is that you can save the whole thing to an animated gif to demo it (if you have the pay version, for a measly 1800 yen/18 bucks, which only adds gifs and Windows cursor save types).

Whew what a novel.

 

[Venetia]

Oh--oh--jeebus--I just spat Dr. Pepper all over my computer monitor after looking at the fat Viking Helga sprite there!!

:lol:

That ... Is ... AWESOME.

You do these things so fast! I have a hard time getting a piece done in a whole night. Of course I work and have a husband to tend like a child (happy V-Day hon). Anyway, frickin' slick.

Okay I'm gonna have to add these to the library here pretty quick. Lemme get all this together

Nphyx's comments are solid, there. I didn't want to set rules on the way anyone pixels in particular, but yeah, a good use of a fairly large palette (5-8 shades per color) is preferred over everything.

Only the Pale skintone is necessary in your palettes. The other palettes are optional; I made them with the intention of anyone picking it up and using it, to recolor quickly and easily. The colors were picked with the idea that they'll be compatible with (atleast most) of the rest. Admittedly, they're a little bland. But fully cross-compatible palettes will almost always be >_>;;

If you make a palette you'd like to share, by all means! That can be considered a resource, too, y'know. Just so long as it uses roughly the same number of colors in these pre-made palettes, and you submit a decent number of colors which'll go together.

As for transparent things--I'd like to discourage them. Atleast, for clothes. It's okay in tilesets but I generally don't like to see it in sprites since you get muddy textures and movement issues. If you really want there to be transparency, however, and you use it well, by all means. I'd specifically endorse dithering or palette blending, though. I can see where transparent colors may come in useful ... Such as in deep shadows (like in a large hood), or in something that only adds some color, like panty hose.

Okay well here I go. If you don't mind, Nphyx, I'mma recolor the rose armor a few times to get a good range of colors, before posting :D

Don't get carpal tunnel everyone! Make sure to massage your wrists and take regular breaks :tongue:

EDIT:

Would I take the ones that I've started (ie, done the first frame for) and chop the clothing into bits - shirt, pants, shoes ect and submit them seperately?

Yes, that's fine. But finish the pieces to the point where they can be compatible enough with any piece. Like, if you edit out the shoes from a pre-made sprite with pant, and use the shoes, make sure the shoes are finished, so that even a sprite wearing shorts could wear them.

 

[___]

By all means go for the recoloring.  I already have the palette set up.  If you load it up in Gale (did you ever try Gale? ) the first color set is the thong, the second color set is the armor, and I used one of the leathery browns for the straps.  The whole rest of the clothing palette is below.   I didn't do it myself because... *drum roll* laziness.

I don't really get things done "fast", it's just that the only work I'm doing right now is contract work and I'm fresh out of contracts so I'm doing... nothing.  That's going to change soon though, I need some more steady income at the moment so it's back to work for the fuckin' Man.  Ugh.

Oh, I made a tutorial based on my last post, thought it might be handy, here's a link:
http://www.rmxp.org/forums/index.php?topic=39353.new#new

Edit:  got another piece done while watching a dumb movie.  Delicate shoes for a delicate lady:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/ ... -shoes.png[/img]

 

[keisukeyui]

Would this be a decent enough skin palette for someone with albinism?
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/6438 ... zerfy3.png[/img]

 

[Showkaizer]

Not to throw a wrench in things - cuz this is really amazing- but there are updated versions of the chubby and average male templates on the HK template thread. To be honest it's far easier to make sprites on them than the original.

If I made sprites again, which depends if I can recover data from my broken hard drive or not ,  I'll be using those two, and I doubt the outfits can be transfered to the regular temp easily...Again, not trying to wreck things.

 

[Venetia]

What the--

Dangit I thought I was using those >_<. I must've gotten my files mixed up.

Well ... The newer versions look a little more soldier-y, a little more muscular. I'll have to add those in and call them Type-B templates. Thanks for the heads-up, SK. And I'm still trying to contact my friend who had her HD recovered. She won't answer my calls/emails ;_;.

This isn't a big deal. There haven't been any Heavy dude resources submitted yet, and the adult male things will have a Type-A and Type-B. Now that I'm looking at your files, your Elder looks a little different, too. The one I have just looks curvy. Or maybe I have the Amazon one?

Bah

Don't worry, this'll be cleared up. It's no biggie :D

Edit: While I'm here, can anyone recommend a good php-based image gallery? I'm trying to set one up so sorting and everything'll be faster but I'm really not loving Coppermine much.

 

[Venetia]

2-15-08 : UPDATE - CHECK 1ST PAGE ANNOUNCEMENTS.

Okay, I added Nphyx's Rose Armor & Biggun Hair, plus recolors. I also added ShowKaizer's Male-AdultB and the "Husky" templates to all skintones.

-------------------------------------------

@Nphyx: I'd forgotten about those shoes when I updated! Hehe. I'll get that tomorrow probably. Also yes I am slowly trying to figure out Gale because I see how useful it is, but oh I am so resistant to change you wouldn't believe it ;')

@keisukeyui: You're on the right track ... I think the lightness is good, but the saturation needs to be reduced and the skin itself needs a tinge more of the yellow value. He looks pink as a fetus right now :D

@ShowKaizer: (I know I already replied), but I forgot to tell you thanks for the heads-up on that!!!

@CeruleanSkye: I know you posted a little while back, but I wanted to say that it's totally cool if you have life stuff going on. You know you have a seat on the team whenever you're back in the game ;D

@Everyone: ILU <3

 

[keisukeyui]

Okay, I increased the yellow in the base color and reduced the saturation by 20.

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/1028 ... zeryc3.png[/img] http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/5363 ... no2np4.png[/img]

EDIT: Not sure which one looks better.  What do you guys think?

 

[Venetia]

That looks much better, I think the higher-contrast one to the right is a better pick, but it's hard to tell on a white bg. Develop a palette out of him like what're on the first page, and maybe add some more shades to make it more complete, and I think you'll be in business.

Next time, if you could put the items up for critique on their own topics then just PM me when they're done, I'd be appreciative :smile:

 

[bojjenclon]

No pants?! Whats up with that? I had this guy going and I was about to finish him when I relized he had no pants.

 

[Venetia]

I'm working on Adult Male Pants right now, bojjenclon. It was never stated that this is in the stage that can be used widely; now is a time for artist contributions.

 

[___]

Pants are an uncomfortable and unnatural creation of the Man to oppress you!  I think I speak for all of the HKCP when I emphatically say "WE DO NOT SUPPORT PANTS!"  If you doubt me, simply see my HKCP user bar in my sig.  I, sir, am Elite.

Edit: GRAAAGH Venetia beat me to the post.

 

[Venetia]

hehehehe http://www.pixelcocktail.com/hosted_ite ... vavoom.png[/img]

Whee! I have enough material again to say that tonight'll bring another update of good size.

You people rock my socks <3

 

[bojjenclon]

Venetia:Thats fine, just saying. (I have seen you...)
Nyphnx:lol Thats funny. I know how you feel, but my game can't be made of nudists

 

[Venetia]

2-16-08 : UPDATE - CHECK 1ST PAGE ANNOUNCEMENTS.

Alrighty!

Thanks, me, for adding some casual-yet-dressy slacks for the Adult Male!
Thanks, Britchik, for adding some casual-yet-adorable dresses for the Female Child!
Thanks, Nphyx, for adding some casual-yet-hilarious slipper-shoes for the Female Biggun!

Got some other things on the way soon. Still working on the generator. Oh, I hate code ;_;

Still looking for php gallery recommendatiiiiiiooooonnnsss .......

[/love]

 

[bojjenclon]

Well if you really don't like teh set up make a basic site with forums for each type of clothing and just post the clothes and such in spoilers.

 

[Venetia]

Weh, I'd rather something a little simpler and more gallery-ish. Good idea, though.

 

[bojjenclon]

Well that was just as a filler while you were waiting, but thats cool.

 

[punched2death]

Yay! The pants have arrived! I'm so geeky, this is the happiest day of my life!
Good work, HKCP Team!
(by the way Ven, I'm only 12, but I get that reference! [/feels older than Ven])