[jasonchrist]

Sonica, on 03 April 2012 - 10:09 AM, said:

Problem is with an island like this, where would potential desert or casino themed levels fit in?

They wouldn't, Egg Island would be a small island off the coast of the big, main island of the game. Say Westside/South Island is Britain, Egg Island would be the Isle Of Mann (as an example).

Oh and Sonic is looking just brilliant! Glad you're going for a Sonic 1 vibe.

This post has been edited by jasonchrist: 03 April 2012 - 06:26 PM

[Mr. Mash]

Sonica, on 03 April 2012 - 01:00 PM, said:

Shameful double-post:

New W.I.P Sonic (left). What's that you say, looks like Sonic 2 HD? Well, feel free to compare them up close, they really look nothing alike (forget the colours, they're temporary... they happen to be similar... shh)

Ok, and by the way, obviously once I get the engine basics finished, I'll release a test for people to try and report bugs ...but, to allow people to test different scenarios that I might not have thought of, I will provide a level editor. I am developing it now, so, as soon as I can, along with the finished physics, I will upload it so you can mess around.

The new one is definitely better. The eye that's in perspective makes more sense.

[winterhell]

Sonica,
What resolution are you rendering the game at the moment, and what CPU/GPU do you have?
My concern is that I've seen many GM games choke on high resolutions, performing 5 or more times slower than their "real language" counterpart.

[jasonchrist]

Mr. Mash, on 03 April 2012 - 06:26 PM, said:

Sonica, on 03 April 2012 - 01:00 PM, said:

Shameful double-post:

New W.I.P Sonic (left). What's that you say, looks like Sonic 2 HD? Well, feel free to compare them up close, they really look nothing alike (forget the colours, they're temporary... they happen to be similar... shh)

Ok, and by the way, obviously once I get the engine basics finished, I'll release a test for people to try and report bugs ...but, to allow people to test different scenarios that I might not have thought of, I will provide a level editor. I am developing it now, so, as soon as I can, along with the finished physics, I will upload it so you can mess around.

The new one is definitely better. The eye that's in perspective makes more sense.

The new one with the old ones colours would be win!

[dsrb]

By jove, the man has a point!

[Clutch]

I feel like the spines should have more dimensionality and greater sync with his head for a Sonic that exists somewhere between 94-98. I'd recommend looking at stuff from around that era . Also look at Sonic 3's sprite even if you hate it, since even thought the sprite does have flaws it does indicate a lot of the elements of Sonic's appearance from 1/2 that they were leaving behind.

Being picky yes, but Sonic 4 "As I imagined it" heavily involves Sonic as I imagine him looking in the Saturn Era minus the crappy 90s CG.

[dsrb]

From the above link:




Yes! Just make him look like this. Forget the other ones from that gallery, for the most part—these two are perfect. Also, the latter is named after you, so it's totally meant to be!

Fun fact: When I was younger, I saw the former image in an issue of Sega Saturn Magazine and was all like ‘wao, is he makin naughty finger hand and how can they shoe that'

[Sonica]

Sonic's body size changes form art to art so much it's unreal.

Anyway, I really can't get this to look right. Even tracing those sonic heads directly looks completely wrong if I try and put it on him. The only real difference is the spikes, and the back of his head, I feel the current shapes are the only one that fit.

Maybe someone could actually draw a suggestion, I don't mind, but I'm having real trouble visualizing how this would work.

[Caniad Bach]

I just had a quick idea that could link the Eggman-Island idea to the rest of the game:

A jet-ski level, where Sonic is pulled along by Tails in the Tornado, in a way not too dissimilar to Sky Chase Zone. Fish badniks and seagulls as enemies, throw some ramps in there for ring bonuses. Maybe even add a chase by a giant fish badnik (or Eggman piloted boss), at the end.

[CorralSummer]

His body is also sometimes a perfect circle or an egg shape.

The eyes on the two pictures dsrb posted are taller than yours.
The muzzle has a different shape (it curves with the eyes quite a bit, while on yours it doesn't as much.)
The shading on the back of yours goes all the way up to the top spike. On the official artwork, it stops about midway the middle spike, this gives the illusion that the head is a ball and the spike are coming off it.

Even though they're in a different angle it shouldn't be hard to draw I don't think.

[dsrb]

Sonica, on 04 April 2012 - 07:35 AM, said:

[in response to the pics I posted]

Sonic's body size changes form art to art so much it's unreal.

Anyway, I really can't get this to look right. Even tracing those sonic heads directly looks completely wrong if I try and put it on him. The only real difference is the spikes, and the back of his head, I feel the current shapes are the only one that fit.

Maybe someone could actually draw a suggestion, I don't mind, but I'm having real trouble visualizing how this would work.

That's cool; I don't expect you to rigidly follow any particular style, anyway, and especially not when there's already enough variation between different images from the same artist/set (read: the screensaver in this case, but it probably happens all the time). It was just a suggestion based on personal opinion!

And that's what it comes down to. This is your imagining of what Sonic 4 might have been, so don't worry about giving yourself a bit of creative license. Trying to create a logical extension to Sega's own work is a nice idea, but worrying about it too much will be prohibitive to your time and sanity.

This post has been edited by dsrb: 04 April 2012 - 09:16 AM

[jasonchrist]

Clutch, on 03 April 2012 - 06:52 PM, said:

I feel like the spines should have more dimensionality and greater sync with his head for a Sonic that exists somewhere between 94-98. I'd recommend looking at stuff from around that era . Also look at Sonic 3's sprite even if you hate it, since even thought the sprite does have flaws it does indicate a lot of the elements of Sonic's appearance from 1/2 that they were leaving behind.

If you look at Chaotix/Crackers you'll see with Mighty/Sonic that they were actually going back to the Sonic 1/2 look.

[Black Squirrel]

All the stuff by Akira Watanabe, e.g. this, that, probably that, etc etc etc bears no direct relation with a Sonic sprite you'd see in game. Other than they're both pictures of Sonic.

He was a cover artist. He did the cover (and manual) art... usually after the game art was finished. This is why I have a thing against Sonic 2 HD's choice of colours - they're making game art, based off cover art, based off game art. Cut out the middle man. People aim for the cover art because in most cases, it looks nice, but the colour scheme is chosen in such a way that Sonic stands out against white backgrounds - it's not always appropriate for a video game scenario. That's why there's a dash of purple, and Sonic is generally lighter on screen than on boxes.

My impression is that there was an internal guide on how to draw Sonic used by the game artists, and is probably a bit more reliable. The line drawings here are some of it. Some of it (I imagine) was concept art - it was the basis for which the in-game sprites were drawn, but obviously they can only be a very rough guide as the sprites aren't that big, and they were likely changed upon entering the game. As lovely as it is, there's a very strong chance that Akira Watanabe's work will have been completely ignored. I can't think of any game from the 80s or early 90s which takes design cues from its covers - don't know why Sonic would.

With Sonic 4 you're almost forced to go it alone so the art will be unique. But the basic shape of Sonic's head in your sprite stretches back too far - should be more like these I think

[Sonica]

Well, Forgetting his spikes, I have listened to the critique, and have done some changes:


So the shading is a lot more like the official art, and I have changes his muzzle to curve more like the official art too. I don't really want any more little nitpicks though, I'll just go on from here and do my own thing with it, because I really don't want people to 'community project' all over this (admit it, it's starting)

As a perfect, pristine and professional artist, I promise whatever the end result, it will look nice.

Black Squirrel:

Pfff. Well, I don't see the back of the head problem, the spikes literally come off of the circle, just like the first Pic you suggested demonstrated. As for the colours, Once I have the colours of the levels done, I will change Sonic's palette to fit all of that, I'm using these colours because they just happen to be there for me ;P

And I happen to love the cover art style, so I'm afraid I'll continue to use it.

This post has been edited by Sonica: 04 April 2012 - 12:35 PM

[Sonica]

Well, it's pretty much done:


Well, I'll be editing the hands, they don't look right to me.

This post has been edited by Sonica: 04 April 2012 - 03:25 PM