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[AxleMC131]

Hey axle, if you still want it to be in the vulture class, here's a thought:

https://vulprokidscorner.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/11951711_10153307945218557_73756186267937361_o.jpg

name it based on the type of vulture. I think the Ruppel or Lappet would be an interesting name for it

That's one hell of a reference image! XD Thanks, I'll keep it in mind.

EDIT: I suppose there's always "Turkey Vulture" too.

[kazi]

Hey axle, if you still want it to be in the vulture class, here's a thought:

https://vulprokidscorner.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/11951711_10153307945218557_73756186267937361_o.jpg

name it based on the type of vulture. I think the Ruppel or Lappet would be an interesting name for it

Those are adorable. Never thought I'd say that about vultures.

Anyhow, sat down and spent some time with krita again for the first time in awhile. This is a bit of a weird post for me, because it's actually at the start of a painting session instead of at the end (this is where I ragequit last time). Have mostly hashed out a rough shape, but there's a lot of parts I'm not happy with, notably the rear wing bits (feels like they don't diverge enough), and the general proportions (it doesn't quite feel heavy or massive enough). This design was also supposed to be a lot more curvy. Not sure where weapons go (except for one  ). Bleh.

Anyhow, might post back in a bit with an updated version depending on how things go. Also, I like fins and glowy bits.

Spoiler

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[AxleMC131]

Dang, that's awesome! The painterly method of spriting is really impressive, but I feel you need a hugely steady hand which I do not have. XD

[AxleMC131]

Meanwhile, on my side of the world, I'm having far too many ideas for ship designs, and this one might actually end up as a new mod. Believe it or not, these are both kitbashed, and while they might need some work, I'm pretty comfortable with the design.

Spoiler

On the left is a light civilian crew/cargo transport, while the right ship is a more military-style combat frigate.

     

I'm really proud of these designs because they only look kitbashed if you stare hard enough at them. For context, both of these ships are designed from a common "chassis" (a Paint.net image with all relevant parts in separate layers), and comprise recoloured/extended/touched-up bits from the Buffalo MkII, Ox, Tempest, and Kite. (Obviously the ring on the left ship, which is actually animated in-game, is original. Also the left ship shown here is an outdated image, and has been updated with the same bluer colouring as the right ship.)

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[kazi]

On the left is a light civilian crew/cargo transport, while the right ship is a more military-style combat frigate.

     

Being extremely nitpicky here (this nitpicking is done with the best of intentions!):

• If you're going to create some kind of space, make it larger than 1px. 1px feels just *slightly* too close. 2px might actually be okay here.
• Deepen the contrast and shading. I know this is not necessarily starsector-kosher, but will result in a more realistic looking sprite. Also the lighting feels like it's coming from the wrong direction in places (but a lot of this is probably due to the nature of kitbashing).
• Make a slightly deeper outline around the edge of the sprite (very slightly), the edges currently look slightly indistinct, especially on the orange bits.
  
• I'm not sure I like the bridge on either sprite. They just don't feel right somehow (sorry I can't articulate this more).

Also, glad you like things! Decided I would try out a different color palette/style from my usual stuff. The "painterly stuff" actually isn't quite as tough as you might think - just need to have a tablet and start scribbling until you have something you like(ish), then work up from there. Zoom in a lot, paint over/erase the scribbles you don't like, and enhance the ones you do. The overall "feeling" is more important than the actual details (I recognize that I don't seem super coherent right now...). Speaking of which, I ended up refining my scribbles slightly.

Spoiler

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[cjuicy]

That looks sexy.

[AxleMC131]

On the left is a light civilian crew/cargo transport, while the right ship is a more military-style combat frigate.

   

Being extremely nitpicky here (this nitpicking is done with the best of intentions!):

• If you're going to create some kind of space, make it larger than 1px. 1px feels just *slightly* too close. 2px might actually be okay here.
• Deepen the contrast and shading. I know this is not necessarily starsector-kosher, but will result in a more realistic looking sprite. Also the lighting feels like it's coming from the wrong direction in places (but a lot of this is probably due to the nature of kitbashing).
• Make a slightly deeper outline around the edge of the sprite (very slightly), the edges currently look slightly indistinct, especially on the orange bits.
  
• I'm not sure I like the bridge on either sprite. They just don't feel right somehow (sorry I can't articulate this more).

Nitpicky is fine - I'm still an amateur spriter after all. In response of course:

1) Can do easily enough. I was trying to get a feeling of a flush near-joint in the left ship with the habitation ring because it rotates separately to the rest of the ship, and that comes across better in-game when you can see the animation, but I could probably afford a bigger gap. The right-side ship was more trying to follow the theme, and I actually hadn't noticed it looking quite as tight as it does until you mentioned it. (Incidentally, there's going to be a radar dish/some kind of greebly thing in the middle between those armour turret panels.)

2) A lot of the contrast/shading/lighting issues emanate from the kitbashing process, yeah. As I said, they still need some work, but it's mostly just clean-up.

3) Interesting. I've been told on other sprites of mine (hand-drawn ones rather than kitbashed) that my outlines are often too prominent and unrealistic, hence a slight attempt to counter that here. Looks like I need to find a Goldilocks Zone between the two... (Having said that, it probably looks quite different on a black/dark background)

4) Don't worry, I don't really like the bridges either. XD I'm sticking with them because a) the right-side one actually looks good with weapons around it, and b) I toyed around with a bunch of concepts for bridges, and nothing worked better than these. Still, I might find an alternative.

[AxleMC131]

Little update: Edited the combat ship somewhat. Here's a before-and-after look. Most obvious change is to the the lighting on the armour panels, and the increase in spacing between them.

Spoiler

   

 Before        After

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[Tartiflette]

Beware with the lighting: it comes from the top, not the front. Only the highlights on spheres are sometimes slightly put to the front to make things look better but that's artistic license.

[kazi]

Beware with the lighting: it comes from the top, not the front. Only the highlights on spheres are sometimes slightly put to the front to make things look better but that's artistic license.

Eh, vanilla sprites are lit from the top and slightly in front, but it's really pretty close anyways.

Also that's a big improvement over the previous sprite- the small things really make a difference!

[AxleMC131]

Beware with the lighting: it comes from the top, not the front. Only the highlights on spheres are sometimes slightly put to the front to make things look better but that's artistic license.

Eh, vanilla sprites are lit from the top and slightly in front, but it's really pretty close anyways.

Yeah, I try to work to the "above-and-slightly-in-front" light source. If it ends up looking too far forwards, that's just my cackhandedness.

[Snrasha]

Hello, maybe if my ship do not have texture (i am pretty too bad, the texture here is a free texture.)
I remade my ship for more simple, so well: For know, this is better than the old? (A day, i promise, i go work my texture.)

Spoiler

My ex-ship:   6 smalls mounts(2 hidden to front of the ship and 1 for each "cube"), no shield and big armor.


=>
=>

My new ship:   4 smalls mounts(2 belove and above for each grey cube), no shield and big armor.
 


Thank you ^^.

This ship is limited per the big armor(many defect like engine very very bad and no shield)
This is a frigate(not a battle frigate, but weapons of my mod are very good).(Yep, huge frigate)

[close]

Spoiler

He have always a dock and 4 smalls mounts, but i prefer the new version '.'.  For the engine, this is better in game, when active.

[close]

[Takion Kasukedo]

They seem like an improvement from the last ones.

It depends on what you truly think of them however.

[Snrasha]

I have search more simple, like this is ugly, so try less polygon.

Thank.

[Tufted Titmouse]

Decided to try to make a cruiser because i was bored
Made it with Battleships forever's ship maker



Thoughts?