Ana's Updated Sprites

[Anacybele]

Ah, alrighty. I did check out some others in the thread I was linked to in here, and those are some pretty sweet maps.

Heh, I've never met anyone who likes that kind of a hard game. XD

[Jubby]

it makes me feel smarter when i can beat it, i guess :P also you get a lot more attached to your characters 'cause you pretty much need a full party to beat them.

[Anacybele]

Ah, yeah, the great feeling of accomplishment when you complete a hard game or a hard part of a game. Reminds me of when I finally got that last star in Super Mario Galaxy 2. So...freaking...difficult. It took me months to finally beat it lol. I felt so accomplished and so skilled at the game.

But to get back on topic, I'll do as much editing as I can on the Kiara mug and the map, but I'm going on vacation soon, so I don't know how much I'll get done before then.

[Feaw]

I've also begun doing maps. Here's the one I did recently. It's the battle map for chapter 2 of my fic.

The blue units are Ranulf and Elincia (she's reclassed to a Swordmaster) and the green guy up top is Ike, whom is actually unarmed in this chapter because these bandits stole his sword (despite that I love him, I also enjoy picking on Ike, lol). Read more here. I made Ranulf's overworld sprite myself. I also realize some of the units are placed incorrectly. I got a program called Mappy to make maps with and I still don't know how to add unit sprites with it. I had to do that part in Paint. Could someone help me out? xP

Okay so, zigzag paths are a big no-no. They're super artificial looking, and overall not fun to move through. Make them curve more, and more interestingly shaped (and shorter to travel through).

That.... is a really long path you got there. Generally, paths break up a few times, since they're made of dirt, and dirt gets washed out after millions of people walk over them day in day out. You should remove about half the amount of path you have now, and substitute a bit of that with light grass (and other things if you feel it's too empty).

Also avoid straight paths. Your paths are generally curvy enough, but it's too straight in places, especially at the top.

The mountains are too straight, but I guess that's becuase you don't really know how to work well with mountains yet. Mountains are the bane of young mappers, but you'll get the hang of them with practice.

That mountain line at the top of the map... I'm not a fan of it.

Unit setup is incredibly boring. Could use a few other classes instead of only Brigands (Fighters would work, and perhaps Myrmidons, Mercenaries and Archers).

Why the fuck would Ike get his weapons stolen?

Here's a map I made some time ago, and your map design reminds me a bit of it, so this might help you;

http://i132.photobuc...eaw_2007/09.png

As for placing units, I use Photoshop for that, since it has a grid function, so that allows easy placement.

Edited August 21, 2012 by Feawture

[Anacybele]

Yeah, I know, people already pointed out most of what you said. Thanks, though!

About there being only Brigands...well, the chapter's enemies consist only of axe users (to help compensate for how difficult it would already be, really), but I didn't think of adding a few Fighters. I'll replace some Brigands with them.

As for how Ike got his sword stolen, it's simple. At the time, he's quite depressed, but starts to train some anyway. Bandits soon appear to take advantage of the situation. Ike tries to attack, but he's suddenly knocked out from behind by another bandit that was hiding previously. Then, they pluck his sword and run off.

You could ask, why didn't they kill Ike after? Well, aside from the fact that it would be incredibly dumb of me to have him die like this or die this early, the bandits aren't that intelligent and believe that he would never be able to follow or track them down.

As for placing units, I use Photoshop for that, since it has a grid function, so that allows easy placement.

You just had to say Photoshop... Damn it. I unfortunately can't use it right now because my desktop computer can't boot up properly anymore and I can't find the stupid PS disc. Does GIMP 2 have a grid function as well? I downloaded that program as a substitute on my laptop.

[Feaw]

I don't really use Gimp, but looking around the version I have (2.6), it does have a grid feature.

EDIT: Also, if anything, the bandits would be more inclined to kill Ike when they're that stupid, but I don't really care about that fanfic of yours (not personal, I just don't like fanfics at all).

Edited August 21, 2012 by Feawture

[Anacybele]

Ah, great, thanks. Yeah, I prefer Photoshop too, but it's too expensive to buy a new version, so I've gotta work with what I can get.

[Mercenary Lord]

piratingpiratingpirating

Ok, well, I'm just saying this first off that my sister's name is Kiara.

Second...off...

Actually, I have to go somewhere now, but when I get back, I see a few things that could stand to be fixed in those battle sprites. :)

[Anacybele]

...Uh, nobody's pirating anything. And really? I named this character after Simba's daughter in The Lion King II, one of my favorite Disney movies. XD

Anyway.

That collarbone look better now? And is the shoulder and chest less pillowy?

I also deleted a pixel from one of the battle sprites. Noticed it was unnecessary. lol

Edited August 21, 2012 by Anacybele

[Feaw]

He's saying get PS by pirating. In which I say, fuck yes do that.

[Elieson]

He's saying get PS by pirating. In which I say, fuck yes do that.

nobody does that anyway teehee

[Anacybele]

He's saying get PS by pirating. In which I say, fuck yes do that.

Oh. No. It's illegal. Besides, I really just need to find my disc.

[Anacybele]

So, I feel like posting a couple of my weapon sprites since I've never really shown any. I made them to go with my fic.

This is Olegxing, an axe that only Leyon, an Axe Paladin, can use. Its stats:

Dur: 50

Rnk: Star

Mt: 16

Hit: 80

Crit: 10

Wt: 14

Rng: 1-2

Cost: --

Effect: +5 to Leyon's defense

Read more here. :)

This is Anacybele, a legendary magical lance that was blessed with light magic by Ashera. It can only be used by Azura, who is the lord character. It also uses the magic stat instead of the strength stat (I hate how RD changed magic weapons so they didn't use the magic stat anymore...). And, of course, it's where my username comes from. :P Its stats:

Dur: --

Rnk: Star

Mt: 24

Hit: 90

Crit: 5

Wt: 15

Rng: 1-3

Cost: --

Effect: +3 to Azura's magic and resistance

Yes, this thing is damn powerful and its magic can reach far. Read more here.

I also have more item sprites here. :)

Edited August 22, 2012 by Anacybele

[eclipse]

I don't care for the item names, but this is a sprite topic, so. . .

Venoxic - The bottle of poison looks really flat compared to the antidote.

Anacybele - Maybe those rope things show up better on Rajaion Red, but on default skin and on dA, they're really hard to see.

Erondite - When I first saw it, I thought it was an upside-down staff. Unfortunately, I can't give you much more than that.

Royal Emblem - My favorite, but something on the left looks off (I'm guessing shading).

Miracle Stone - Looks more like a button than a stone. I think it's the design itself.

[Anacybele]

Why do people keep hating on the names I chose for my items? I'm like the only person that likes these names... ;_;

Yeah, that bottle was hard to recolor. xP

Odd, I can see them just fine. But yeah, they do show up better on Rajaion Red, which is the skin I use here.

It's Eronite with no D lol. Anyway, it was supposed to be a bolt-shaped blade, but yeah, that was hard to pull off too.

[Anacybele]

I've touched up that map! :D I decided to wait to replace the units though, until it's all good to go.

Does it look much better now?

[Primefusion]

It's definitely an improvement from before but your mountains could go even further. When it comes to mountains, references are your friends. Let's take a look at 10A and 12A from FE8 as well as Ch 24 from FE7.

Notice how the peaks aren't nice and neat. They slope back and forth which adds interest to them. Your mountains, while not the super lines they were before, still all move in a pretty linear direction: up and down.If you vary what direction your peaks travel, not only do you create a more natural look, you also give the eye something to trace, follow, and take interest in.

[Anacybele]

Yes, I know. I did use references. xP And maybe it's just my inexperience, but I don't see how my peaks look much different from the ones on those maps. o_O

I'm not saying I won't listen to you, I'm just confused, is all.

Also, keep in mind that the ranges of mountains on this map are supposed to be fairly vertical, and that you can't even see all of the mountains in either range.

[eclipse]

. . .I see it.

Copy the linked maps, and paste them into something that you can scribble in. Trace the peaks in each of the maps. Notice how they're curved and more-or-less irregular? Now, do the same with your map. It's a lot more linear. You'll want to get closer to the irregularity in the linked maps. I'm not sure how, though, as I don't make maps.

[Sunwoo]

I've touched up that map! :D I decided to wait to replace the units though, until it's all good to go.

Does it look much better now?

The map definitely looks better. However, if I may, I would suggest breaking up the path a little bit more. Like ... the two "C" shaped parts of the path where it bends? I'd suggest placing the break so that path isn't so ... symmetrical on both sides of the map. Make the "C" part of the path uneven. I can't show you visually, sorry, but do you get what I'm saying?

[Anacybele]

Oh. Well, I don't know how either, honestly. I just had to make such an early chapter map have mountains. xP

EDIT: Seoyeon: Ah, I think I see. Thanks a bunch, I'll do that.

Edited August 29, 2012 by Anacybele

[Primefusion]

Copy the linked maps, and paste them into something that you can scribble in. Trace the peaks in each of the maps. Notice how they're curved and more-or-less irregular? Now, do the same with your map. It's a lot more linear. You'll want to get closer to the irregularity in the linked maps. I'm not sure how, though, as I don't make maps.

Took the words right out of my head.

I even have some scribbled on pictures all ready to go too!

Ana's map

12A

Notice how yours are fairly long, vertical lines while 12A has some diagonals. Not only that, but while your peaks are sloping back and forth, they're doing so in really big chunks. If you look at 10A, it's got the same kind of thing you're going for, but the peaks seem more natural.

[Anacybele]

But HOW do they seem more natural? I don't understand, nor do I understand how to further improve these mountains still. Could you be more elaborate?

[Chocolate Kitty]

they don't look like they were done by a human, they look natural, like actual mountains.

idk what else you're looking for

[Primefusion]

To be more specific, your mountains seem like they were put together through copy/paste. You have large, repeating sections which gives it an artificial look. Mountains are formed through erosion and the collision of tectonic plates. Erosion does not happen at a uniform rate and collisions usually produce a big mess-o-something.

Here's some more red line:

Your map

10A

Notice how yours are long, straight lines while 10A varies the length of each "section".