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I am a gamer, an artist and a hobbyist video game designer. When I'm not doodling one resource or another, I love to read books, make paper crafts (cards) and bake yummy goodies.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Progress: Week 4

I've mostly been tackling the database this week. I know that there are some people who love doing database work, but I'm definitely not one of them. The good part of doing the database is that I can be better organized. The bad part is that it takes very very very long and my head starts hurting from all the number crunching. I'm very seriously considering hiring someone to help me with the database - or, at the very least, help me with the battles. So not looking forward to battles ...

Here's a more detailed list of what I've done thusfar:
- Lots of labeling: class names, weapons, item names/types, skill types, some extra states/buffs/debuffs
- Redesigned two of the characters' weapons, skills and background.
- Got the battler graphics set up for the battlers in the first area. Also worked on some of their skills and AI.
- Redesigned the intro (again). Not entirely happy with it yet, so it will probably go through at least one more change.
- Started on configuring the quests in the quest script.
- Got all the icons into the menu.
- Started mapping some extra areas.
- Worked on NPC graphics. I may try for some poses at some point, but I think that will be something I do much later, as it's not essential.

That's my week in a nutshell!

Oh, I also played around with another sprite style:
Alistair (travel clothes), Alistair (bartender) and Cordelia (travel clothes)

It's a very cute style and it would make the game that much more unique, but I'm not sure that it fits the seriousness of the themes enough.

For comparison sake, here's how the same characters look right now:
Alistair (bartender), Alistair (travel clothes) and Cordelia (travel clothes)
 I really have to pick just one style and stick with that. It's pretty hard! :(

6 comments:

  1. I for one prefer the current style.
    The one you were playing around with look just strange to me.
    They're so... skinny... As if they wouldn't get anything to eat.

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    Replies
    1. It definitely takes getting used to! Especially when you compare it directly with the XP-counterparts.

      However, the custom style sprites fit very nicely with the RTP size. So, I would be able to salvage some of the existing maps without too much issue. I have to remake them all to fit the taller XP size otherwise.

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  2. I love both, but the first would take quite some time, would it not? 3: To be honest, I'd rather you take the last, just because it looks like a lovely new RTP and I think it could be helpful to more people if you released later in time after TUAH. The second one is definitly unique though. Dx Gah, can't choose!
    In the end, you should decide. ^^

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    Replies
    1. It takes about the same amount of work to do the completely custom as it does to adapt the XP one. And I'm actually working on a set of sprites on the custom base that I can use for NPCs and the like.

      So, it's pretty much down to which style people prefer. So far, the custom style is winning by a landslide.

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    2. Ow, I did not think the XP one would take so long (or is it the other way around and is the custom one so quick?)

      Anyway, I'll be happy with either :3

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    3. Combination of both. The XP has to be adjusted, aligned and some parts fixed (like the ridiculously short arms on certain characters or parts of clothing that need to be redrawn because the original sprite had long hair). The heads from VX also have to be cropped out. It's not terribly long, but it's not super quick either.

      The custom base is very easy to sprite on, so it goes just as quickly as editing XP stuff. :D

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