[js71]

Well, as some of you (or maybe just one or two of you) may know, development on my Indie-RPG, Worlds Beyond, has recently been majorly jumpstarted, and the engine is near completion. Anyhow, since this game has been my pet project for a long while now, obviously I want it to look good--
So I decided on 128*128 battle sprites, which would presumably look great if done properly. So I set to work, and these are what I got, about a day later:







Now, to tell the truth, I'm seriously not very happy with these at all. Plus they're absolute HELL to animate...
But I want your opinion.
Be harsh if need be, if you honestly think they're the worst thing you've laid eyes on in the past five years say so, heh- Though even I doubt I'll get that kind of response.
But anyway, I still think these are usable, but I'd be much happier if I had the skill to do better ones...
Anyhow, I know this next part will probably be largely frowned upon and perhaps ignored, but here goes:
I know there's not TOO many artists on this board, but I'm looking for some help here. Either a skilled pixel artist to help animate the above sprites, or completely redo them in either 128*128 form or 64*64 form. If anyone at all is even mildly interested, please let me know.
Thank you for your time-
~Frog

EDIT: By the way, that's not a pom-pom in the first one's hand.
It's supposed to be a ball of energy...
I've gotta practice that.
Also, here's some screenshots for you...
Testing the menu system:
http://swordofsilence.250free.com/FRoGs_stuff/art/screenies/scr1.png
Testing the visual item system:
http://swordofsilence.250free.com/FRoGs_stuff/art/screenies/scr2.png
Viewing character stats in the derelict reactor control:
http://swordofsilence.250free.com/FRoGs_stuff/art/screenies/scr3.png
Cody walks among a field of Baano Fruits, testing the text engine:
http://swordofsilence.250free.com/FRoGs_stuff/art/screenies/scr4.png

[valderman]

OK, I guess I'll give you some critique. First off, all of the characters (except the slime/blob thingy) need larger/better defined noses IMO. I can see this is a style choice, but I really think it'd look better with more well-defined noses.

Second, the girl/bishonen (I'm having a hard time distinguishing between them - especially at 128x128 ;)) with the orange hair has got WAY too small hands, the feet might also need enlarging, though not nearly as much. Also, the shading and coloring on her hair seems a little weird. The red outline doesn't really fit in, and the streaks of lighter yellow instantly got me thinking of semen stains (sorry - it did). Her butt looks a little small too, but that's probably just me.

The hands of the brown-haired guy when he's got those branches/tentacles/whatever coming out of his back look a little weird - at least the one on his left.

Very anal remarks that you probably shouldn't be paying attention to:
Mostly when drawing pants, the most noticable cloth folds are in towards the crotch. I think the pants on all characters who wears them would look better if you looked into that.
The brown-haired character's hair might be coming out too far from the back of his head. I can't decide if it does or not.
The decorations on the energy ball guy's shirt look a little weird and unnatural to me. His left pinky finger is also very large compared to the other fingers.

Finally, I just have to say: A blob/slime thingy with a halo? Is there some logic behind this that I am not aware of?
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[js71]

Well, like I said, I'm not very happy with them.
And that slime (Baano Slug) is a secret character- There's no logic behind the halo there, it's just the way he is- Odd.
Well thanks for the crituque, anyhow- Yeah, if I can't find anyone for the job I think I'll go with smaller sprites... Ones that you can tell what's going on with the character- As the first one was supposed to be a girl, but you're right, it certainly does look like guy.
Well, thanks again.

[valderman]

If #1 is a girl, then you should have made given her chest and butt areas and, unless she's supposed to be wearing very baggy clothing, a thinner waist. It should be possible even in 128x128...I think.
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[Grytpype]

I think Valderman pretty much nailed it on the head, I'd echo his comments (apart from the bit about the semen stains). It was the hands and feet that seemed the strangest to me.

The Kira picture also looks odd where the sword (I presume it's a sword) goes into the top of her hand, but doesn't have a pommel/hilt section coming out the other side of her hand - Cody's is the same. It's as if she's holding a lump of steel at the very end.

With Anne's picture, I think the hair looks good, but she doesn't seem to have any mouthline like Syr and Cody do. Kira doesn't have one either, but I 'spose the viewing angle wouldn't allow for much of one. Anne's eye seems a bit far down on her head too, giving her a fairly long brow area. And of course, she's got no nose (but Cody does & and it looks good for the angle).

Now I'm nitpicking, but the leading legs on Anne & Cody look as if the knee joint is really far down on their legs. Cody's is most obvious, as he's got a really skinny, elongated thigh.

Oh, and about the 'stains', it might be the jump in tone from subdued orange to the bright yellow that makes it seem as though the highlights are something on the hair, but not part of it - a bit like the red outline that Valderman mentioned.

Anne does look a bit androgynous, but I reckon her and Cody are your best examples.

Nothing wrong with the Baano slug though ;P
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