Graphics Hacking

[Chrono'99]

Just wondering guys, once I finish up the status pics:

1. Would anyone be opposed to me attempting a redesign for Kasmir? If not can someone post a spritesheet of the current frames?

2. I don't know how far along the King Zeal final boss sprite is, but I'm wondering:
        a) Do we want to edit it to look a bit more like his human form?
        b) If animations are made for it, can they be implemented?

Of course I don't want to step on any toes, so I wouldn't touch these unless Chrono'99 is ok with it.

Feel free to edit them I've attached the Kasmir spritesheet and a PSD file of King Zeal.

The current plan for the King Zeal final boss, since we only have animations for the flames, is to have his body be part of a tileset while the flames would be animated sprites. Animations for his body could definitely be implemented with sprite assembly though.

Concerning his design in itself, I actually like how his face and body look very generic, as this goes well with the Lavos=mankind theme that we explore in the game. I don't know if making him look more like his human form (i.e. more of an "individual") would really be a good thing. Still, I'm definitely okay with you editing the sprite if it really comes off better, especially if you do animated frames too. Do you have something in mind for an edited design?

[Darkken]

For Kasmir, can I just edit the spritesheet directly, or are there the usual limits where some tiles are mirrored or reused elsewhere?

For Zeal, I was thinking of adding his robes to the sprite, but I have no problem leaving it the way it is and just animating it. I'm thinking a breathing animation for when he's idle, animations for the head to look left and right, and a generic spell casting animation.

Also, here's some progress on the Krawlie mech warrior:

Can someone make me a patch where I can cycle through Krawlie's anims? That would make the process go smoother.

Anyways I'll leave this stuff aside for a bit and try to finish the status pics finish.

[Vehek]

Something to consider is that Hexapods, which use the Krawlie graphics, also appear in Crimson Echoes.

[Agent 12]

Something to consider is that Hexapods, which use the Krawlie graphics, also appear in Crimson Echoes.

For a new sprite, I'm wiilling to replace them (they're only in the final dungeon right?) Or heck i'll give em a new pallette and call it a new enemy

For Kasmir, can I just edit the spritesheet directly, or are there the usual limits where some tiles are mirrored or reused elsewhere?

I think Kasmir's tileset is unique (i.e no other enemies use any of it), but there's almost certainly mirrored tiles within his character.

Can someone make me a patch where I can cycle through Krawlie's anims? That would make the process go smoother.

Geiger released an animation checker it should be in kajar, but I'll just attach it here.

You just press Y/X while on the enemy to cycle to the enemy you want, then press Y/X on the savepoint to cycle over the savepoint.  It's pretty self explanatory.....Oh...you'll

--JP

P.S. That patch should automatically load you in the right room, let me know if it doesn't.

[Darkken]

Started animating King Zeal:

[Chrono'99]

  Awesome!

[FaustWolf]

Oh man, that is sooooo creepy. Like something from a Mortal Kombat background. Great stuff!

[Darkken]

Next one is fairly simple spell anim, as I could reuse the frames from the first one.

In case King Zeal ever wants to rain destruction from the heavens:


I also experimented with the colors of the shell a bit.  Which do you guys prefer?
Any suggestions for further animations?

[FaustWolf]

...I am going to have nightmares after seeing that. Man, it's like something right out of an H.R. Giger landscape. This is the creepiest final boss since Zeromus. King Zeal has literally become Lavos.

From a technical standpoint, '99, will you be inserting the body as a sprite and the shell as part of the background? If that's the case, the CE crew shouldn't need to worry about making the shell and body all one palette. I personally find the previous palette scheme more attractive, but then again it's not like I know anything about art design.

[justin3009]

Yea, the other color scheme is a little better.  I think with that new coloring it's an over-excessive use of the same color.

[Chrono'99]

Yeah, it might be a bit too much especially if we go with the "fiery galaxies" background (the other possible background is purple galaxies so it's a similar issue).

We'll probably make the shell part of the background map, with its custom palette so it doesn't affect other maps.

Darkken, the frame with the Lavos eye open uses more colors than a sprite can have (13 colors I think?), but don't worry about it. It's perfectly fine: when we'll insert these graphics, we can just have the shell and the Lavos eye be part of the background, and King Zeal's body be a sprite that covers the eye in the idle animation but reveals it in the spell casting animation. There would essentially be a transparent hole in the body in one frame, but the eye under it will fill that hole and players won't notice the trick.

Concerning further animations, I don't have any idea... I think this wraps it up nicely. Lavos in CT didn't have a special "hurt" animation.

[ZeaLitY]

That's fantastic.

It's amazing to see how dramatically things come together at the last moment. I've got two group projects, three individual projects, and a trip plan to deal with before I'll be back in action. What release date is everyone shooting for right now?

[Chrono'99]

I'm just shooting for May 31 personally. We'll definitely "finish" everything before that date (perhaps by the end of April), but a last round of polishing and fine-tuning in the "remaining" time can only be a good thing.

[ZeaLitY]

Okay. At least by May 1, I should be able to work again, so my focus will be working with Ramsus to get the site and release materials ready and doing a final playthrough myself. I'll be out 15-28, so I should be back in time to watch the release.

Edit: Damn, now I remembered the last thing we needed to do for CE intensively: music. I'll have to ask Lord J if he's close to finishing.

Right now, Chrono'99 and utunnels know how to insert custom music. I'm keeping a record of the songs used at http://www.chronocompendium.com/Term/CE/Music.html, but it probably needs to be updated. That's how we determine how many unused song slots we have.

[Agent 12]

Hm, I was thinking mid may, but if you are gone 15->28th there's no way were going to release w/o you.  And 99 is right.  I actually think we'll be done by end of april.  I  literally have one more ending and a few bugs to do.

We should probably make a list of things that we want to finish before we are content with the game.  I'm pretty sure this is in another thread so I'll move it there.

Oh yea Darkken.....Hell yea that is so awesome!!!

--JP