Games Development - Task 2: Art Asset Development
23/4/2025 - 29/5/2024 / Week 5 - Week 7
Cindy Clarissa Leslie / 0367677
Games Development / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 2: Art Asset Development
Games Development / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 2: Art Asset Development
LECTURES
INSTRUCTIONS
In this task, the creation of the sprites are prioritized before starting the mechanics and coding the game. We made designs of each characters and also the environment, which will then be animated using frames instead of rigging.
Task 2: Art Asset Development
Ideas and Reference
Before I started sketching my designs, I created a moodboard and tutorial reference as a way to provide inspiration. I've compiled them where they have a specific concept, pixelated and robotic. Furthermore, I saved tutorials that could assist me in colouring.
Figure 1.1 Moodboard created for character and environment design
It was decided that we should keep the designs in the character simple and not too overcomplicated for efficiency.
Sketches
Next, I started sketching ideas and concept physically on a paper. I was required to come up with 4 different character designs. Starting from the main player itself, roaming enemy, following enemy and lastly the miniboss.
Figure 2.1 rough sketches of byte
Figure 2.2 rough sketches of byte and enemies
Figure 2.3 rough sketches of miniboss
Figure 2.4 Final design character sheet
While I was designing the characters, I had an idea in mind where I wanted to make Byte as friendly looking as possible, yet heroic. Meanwhile, for the common enemies, I made their designs while I wanted to incorporate 'bug' elements as seen in their eyes and legs to capture that they're computer bugs well. Lastly, for the miniboss, I will be creating it in a bigger size to make it seem more intimidating, especially since it has larger HP.
Process of pixel art
The main tool that I use to create these assets are by using Adobe Photoshop. I set the canvas as 64x64 and used the brush tool.
Figure 3.1 Process of creating sprites
First, rather than creating the outline, I focused on creating their shapes and sillhouettes with flat colours before moving onto shading and highlight. I also created these shapes in different layers to represent the different parts of the character, making the animation process easier.
Figure 3.2 Final sprite result
Using difference layer, I shaded the shape and then by using the colour dodge layer, added highlights. Lastly, I outlined it using black colour and played with gradient maps/curves to set a nice constrast in colours.
After creating the still sprites, I then started creating the different animations for each of the characters.
Figure 3.3 Creating animation
Essentially, the most effective way was to create different storyboards by copy and pasting, tweaking the parts that I only want to move. I did this one by one.
Final Task 4: Final Project
Byte
Figure 4.1 Byte sprite
Figure 4.2 Byte animations
.png)
Figure 5.1 Roaming enemy sprite
Figure 5.2 Roaming enemy animations
Following Enemy
.png)
Figure 6.1 Following enemy sprite
Figure 6.2 Following enemy animations
Miniboss
Figure 7.1 Miniboss sprite
Figure 7.2 Miniboss animations
UI and Tiles
Figure 8.1 Buttons
Figure 8.2 Life asset
Figure 8.3 Tiles
Compilation and Presentation
REFLECTION
I was responsible for most of the art assets, which was quiet the challenge at first. In my experience, I was rather unfamiliar of drawing in a pixel concept. I had a to learn from tutorials and references, starting on which canvas sizes are appropriate or how to tweak the export settings. Due to my experience in using Photoshop however, fortunately the learning process went well for me. I've observed how I can apply the basic illustration principles I already had to drawing pixels, using Photoshop, I was familiar with the tools.
Comments
Post a Comment