Fractal Softworks Forum

Starsector => General Discussion => Topic started by: Ragnarok101 on April 25, 2025, 10:34:51 AM

Title: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Ragnarok101 on April 25, 2025, 10:34:51 AM
I want to level with y'all: the ships are very well-done from a design perspective, conveying their general role very effectively just from the artwork alone.

Hammerhead? It's very obviously built for a guns-forward, direct approach.

Sunder? Big guns, very spindly, same deal.

Anubis? Looks weird, some bits point forward, but seems more an 'interceptor' and looks a bit like a blown-up fighter.

Onslaught? THE BRICK.

Invictus? BRICK CUBED.

The Dominator? The Fat *** with tons of guns and not much in speed.

You get where I'm going. I think it's very impressive that the game manages to line up the intended roles of its ships with the artwork intuitively.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: ThirdBrother on April 25, 2025, 11:16:57 AM
You're damn right, I love the spritework in this game.  The Conquest (fresh on my mind from the recent controversy) looks like it's description: faster and lighter-armored than a battleship with the same level of armament.  The Paragon has as much, if not more, aura as the Onslaught, with a completely different design and design perspective.  Come to think of it, I think that's one of the most terrifying aspects of the [SUPER ALABASTER] (and now Shroud): what is the purpose of these designs?  The effectiveness is apparent, but the origin... 
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Thaago on April 25, 2025, 11:21:11 AM
David is an amazing artist!
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Selfcontrol on April 25, 2025, 11:52:47 AM
Agreed. I just love the sprites in this game !
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: GrayingGamer on April 25, 2025, 12:12:28 PM
All the battle aesthetics are top notch - graphics, animations, sound effects, etc. Definitely one of the big selling points of the game.

Starsector and Mount & Blade are two of my favorite games, and that's largely because both of them have battles that are just viscerally fun to watch and be part of.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Not a Pirate on April 25, 2025, 04:52:12 PM
I'll throw in my half-penny here too and mention the “Shrines” questline.

In my latest new version playthrough I was taking it slow and thought “I'll get some cheap XP with my tiny fleet by going to these places”.

The art, the music, the writing…. I was a bloody convert at the end of those missions, and I didn't even want to be!

A lot of this forum is taken up with number crunching and min-maxing, which is cool and all that, don't get me wrong, but sometimes you have to just get in a couple of little ships and really see, SEE, the world we play in.    It's getting deeper and more beautiful all the time.


o7
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: happycrow on April 25, 2025, 05:52:36 PM
Agreed. I'm a fencing coach, so I get plenty of IRL fast-twitch, but the writing and ambiance keeps me in the game.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Cryovolcanic on April 25, 2025, 07:33:18 PM
David is an amazing artist!

He does the art and the writing?

Wow.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Ragnarok101 on April 25, 2025, 10:05:21 PM
I'll throw in my half-penny here too and mention the “Shrines” questline.

In my latest new version playthrough I was taking it slow and thought “I'll get some cheap XP with my tiny fleet by going to these places”.

The art, the music, the writing…. I was a bloody convert at the end of those missions, and I didn't even want to be!

A lot of this forum is taken up with number crunching and min-maxing, which is cool and all that, don't get me wrong, but sometimes you have to just get in a couple of little ships and really see, SEE, the world we play in.    It's getting deeper and more beautiful all the time.


o7

The shrines (and now the new quest I'm doing that was added with Jeff) are enough to make me consider actually doing a Ludd playthrough.

It takes the Church from 'annoying weirdos' to 'genuine religion'.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: David on April 28, 2025, 06:41:08 AM
( Thank you everyone! :D )
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Gris on April 28, 2025, 08:34:46 AM
( Thank you everyone! :D )

Good day David and You're Welcome!  :)

I would love to see your Station Character Illustration of Reynard Hannan sucking a baby pacifier from PTSD after you destroy the blockade fleets, steal the Pristine Nanoforge of Kazeron, Destroy the League Aegis System Defense Fleet and being threatened by John/Jane Starsector.
(If Alex Permits It)

I would love to see your artwork illustration of John/Jane Starsector Punch Reynard Hannan in the face with Hard Punch sfx if Alex Plans to add that option in the future updates if you also destroy the League blockade, Destroy the League Aegis System Defense Fleet and steal the nanoforge.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: happycrow on April 28, 2025, 10:54:20 AM
( Thank you everyone! :D )

You're welcome, write more!  ;)
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Ragnarok101 on April 28, 2025, 12:45:28 PM
( Thank you everyone! :D )

I gotta say, you've got a gift for purple prose (in a good way) and it really does work well for the sense of 'awe and wonder' that the gameplay itself sometimes lacks.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: BregFlr on April 28, 2025, 01:04:21 PM
Only bad thing you could say about the art direction of this game, is that there isn't more artwork. I'd love to see every pirate station, independent and faction planet with their own little picture, but I understand that's like, a lot to do
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Ragnarok101 on April 28, 2025, 01:08:57 PM
Only bad thing you could say about the art direction of this game, is that there isn't more artwork. I'd love to see every pirate station, independent and faction planet with their own little picture, but I understand that's like, a lot to do

Heck, I'm dying for every Core World planet to get its own little description and ditto the stations.

Or for all the ship design docs to match a bit. Some are extremely detailed in the codex, others not so much, and I love the little tidbits of 'this company got embroiled in litigation, the design was found post-Collapse' and stuff like that.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Thaago on April 28, 2025, 01:15:42 PM
I love the text introduced this update when searching abandoned stations, telling what the salvagers discover about how the station went dark.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Killer of Fate on April 28, 2025, 01:50:10 PM
Uhhhhhhhh, the Threat is neat visually

They look like Heroes of Might and Magic 3 necromancers
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: ThirdBrother on April 28, 2025, 01:57:35 PM
I love the text introduced this update when searching abandoned stations, telling what the salvagers discover about how the station went dark.
Two have stood out to me on my .98 playthrough, one involved finding statues and plaques commemorating someone of some import, and another finding a thriving floral ecosystem within the station.  Fantastic flavor. 
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: TK3600 on April 28, 2025, 02:10:45 PM
I wonder how the ships are drawn. Are there parts that they assemble together, or is everything drawn from scratch entirely.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: XJD on April 28, 2025, 02:36:23 PM
love the illustrations too, my favourite is Kazeron for some reason
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: ithis on April 28, 2025, 02:59:30 PM
I wonder how the ships are drawn. Are there parts that they assemble together, or is everything drawn from scratch entirely.
David has shown his workflow in the past; iirc, he tends to 'compose' ships with brush strokes to get the general shape/feel down, then narrows down to the pixel level / kitbashes for rasterizing and details.

Not sure if this was a 0.98a addition (I haven't seen it before, so I think it is?), but one of the galatia academy jobs involves dropping an instrument package over a magnetic field or some other target, except Pathers have already caught on and obliterated the fleet before yours.

If you accept the comms request from their fleet, you have a story point option to bluff that you were actually there to destroy it by giving a whole-ass sermon to the (increasingly flustered) Luddic admiral about the evils of technology and the righteousness of your mission and Ludd and his teachings. It was perfect for the clever, quippy style that usually comes with story points - especially the tongue-in-cheek comedy of telling your bridge crew to mind their own business afterwards.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Doctorhealsgood on April 28, 2025, 04:33:02 PM
I wonder how the ships are drawn. Are there parts that they assemble together, or is everything drawn from scratch entirely.
David has shown his workflow in the past; iirc, he tends to 'compose' ships with brush strokes to get the general shape/feel down, then narrows down to the pixel level / kitbashes for rasterizing and details.

Not sure if this was a 0.98a addition (I haven't seen it before, so I think it is?), but one of the galatia academy jobs involves dropping an instrument package over a magnetic field or some other target, except Pathers have already caught on and obliterated the fleet before yours.

If you accept the comms request from their fleet, you have a story point option to bluff that you were actually there to destroy it by giving a whole-ass sermon to the (increasingly flustered) Luddic admiral about the evils of technology and the righteousness of your mission and Ludd and his teachings. It was perfect for the clever, quippy style that usually comes with story points - especially the tongue-in-cheek comedy of telling your bridge crew to mind their own business afterwards.
I am perpetually grateful that those kind of S-Mod point usages give a full refund in bonus exp. They are so good i just can't resist ''wasting'' points in them. Have you seen the one where you make a whole luddic fleet run away from you by acting as if the device that you are carrying around is a
Spoiler
Mammonite demonic device that obliterates the soul of those within range? And of course you and your fleet are already affected by it.
[close]
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: ithis on April 29, 2025, 07:30:56 AM
Have you seen the one where you make a whole luddic fleet run away from you by acting as if the device that you are carrying around is a
Spoiler
Mammonite demonic device that obliterates the soul of those within range? And of course you and your fleet are already affected by it.
[close]
I wish I did! Though, that just means I'll have to play more :P
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Ragnarok101 on April 29, 2025, 07:36:00 AM
I love the text introduced this update when searching abandoned stations, telling what the salvagers discover about how the station went dark.

Seconding this - the random events are lovely flavor text. Gives more and more life to everything.

Honestly wish I knew how to code. I'd love to write more stuff for this all day just to give more depth to the setting.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Dadada on April 29, 2025, 08:43:27 AM
The art is real good, but have you heard the
Spoiler
threat theme
[close]
? Damn, it really slaps. This game is a gem.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: oorek on April 29, 2025, 09:10:01 AM
My favorite sprite is the Astral, it looks so convincingly 3D
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: FunnyScope on April 29, 2025, 01:50:09 PM
I don't think there's anything that looks bad in this game, artistically. From the Buffalo Mk. II, which definitely isn't a beauty (not that the art for it is bad, I think it perfectly captures the spirit of the thing), to the sometimes genuinely breathtaking artwork in this game - a certain landing with a certain director? Absolutely stunning panel in the stormy high-rise -, to my personal favourite, the Onslaught XIV which I can't help but be a fanboy of. Honestly awesome
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Sarissofoi on April 29, 2025, 06:03:10 PM
Now. Ships are fine but can we get some younger and some prettier faces?
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Doctorhealsgood on April 29, 2025, 06:38:29 PM
Now. Ships are fine but can we get some younger and some prettier faces?
How does a ship look like with a younger face? You mean like Hightech ships or something?
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Arrath on April 30, 2025, 12:14:15 AM
Now. Ships are fine but can we get some younger and some prettier faces?

Life in the sector is rough, ain't no one got time for a proper skin care routine.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Dadada on April 30, 2025, 11:06:02 AM
@ Best looking ships: the HT phase aesthetics are hnnnng :o
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Killer of Fate on April 30, 2025, 11:23:33 AM
Now. Ships are fine but can we get some younger and some prettier faces?
How does a ship look like with a younger face? You mean like Hightech ships or something?
There was a very specific change that has made one character look older

Spoiler
(https://i.imgur.com/DexlZAZ.png)
[close]

Spoiler
(https://i.imgur.com/Vt0xWL7.png)
[close]

Beyond that more portraits would be fine (as in, no pressure)
people in Starsector though could be ageing differently due to radiation

I don't think there's anything that looks bad in this game, artistically.

Blue giants

the new mining laser

the latter is more subjective. I just preferred the old one. So I guess that doesn't count. But the blue giant is very pixelated
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: FunnyScope on April 30, 2025, 01:34:21 PM
I don't think there's anything that looks bad in this game, artistically.

Blue giants

the new mining laser

the latter is more subjective. I just preferred the old one. So I guess that doesn't count. But the blue giant is very pixelated
I don't really agree on the new mining laser, yeah. But I've never noticed the blue giants before, and honestly, upon closer examination they are pretty pixelated... But I've never noticed that before.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Sarissofoi on April 30, 2025, 09:53:21 PM
It would be nice to have some young folks to promote from combat.
>also getting old when you pilot D pirate ships.
Hah.
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Killer of Fate on May 01, 2025, 04:29:32 AM
It would be nice to have some young folks to promote from combat.
>also getting old when you pilot D pirate ships.
Hah.
the life expectancy drastically drops for pirate captains, so it should be the other way around

I don't think there's anything that looks bad in this game, artistically.

Blue giants

the new mining laser

the latter is more subjective. I just preferred the old one. So I guess that doesn't count. But the blue giant is very pixelated
I don't really agree on the new mining laser, yeah. But I've never noticed the blue giants before, and honestly, upon closer examination they are pretty pixelated... But I've never noticed that before.
i find it a bit sad, considering you can just mangle the config files to make a way more hyperactive blue giant

Spoiler
(https://i.imgur.com/QqJBZbL.png)
[close]

This was done without adding any new graphical assets into the game
you can recreate the blue giant specifically by just doing this with its config files

Spoiler
   
   "star_blue_giant":{
      "name":"Blue Giant",
      "tilt":4,
      "pitch":-16,
      "rotation":30.5,
      "planetColor":[42,93,115,255],
      "atmosphereThickness":0.2,
      "atmosphereThicknessMin":10,
      "atmosphereColor":[225,237,242,255],
      "texture":"graphics/planets/star_blue.jpg",
      "icon":"graphics/warroom/icon_star.png",
      "iconColor":[127,190,255,255],
      "starCoronaSprite":"graphics/fx/star_halo.png",
      "starCoronaColor":[225,237,242,100],
      "starCoronaSizeMult":5.12,
      "isStar":true,
      "lightPosition":[0,0,10],
      "cloudTexture":"graphics/planets/clouds_banded01.png",
      "cloudColor":[225,237,242,255],
      "cloudRotation":33,
   },
[close]

But like... Maybe the devs have different plans, and now that the game is more optimised, they might consider upping the star's resolution instead
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Thymera on May 01, 2025, 09:13:11 AM
I love the sprite works!
Title: Re: Can we talk about the game's art and spritework rq?
Post by: Sakamoto on May 03, 2025, 06:00:04 AM
I love how the brown dwarf stars look.
The worst-looking things are D-modded low-tech ships, especially Lasher.
https://imgur.com/a/MipDHB6