What are you working on?

He should really lean forward when he runs since he can run so fast. Also, If you collide with a wall, he accelerates slower when you run the other direction. he kinda stops for a while.

Noted. As for the sticking to the wall thing, I think I know a way to fix that. Also, my girlfriend said he kinda jumps like a pansy, and I guess I can see her point. Looks like I'll be revamping the sprites after all.

It happened two times for me that i opened the game, ran straight forward, fell a little bit, and then the game just crashed. It happened two times out of four. Is this happening to anyone else?

Oh man, that sucks It's never crashed on me. I hope this isn't a major issue.

In the square bear screenies you have flowers out on the edge of the 3D boxes. Did you manage to make them move realistically, and stay in place while the 3D box is doing it's magic?

Yep The flowers are also 3D Boxes, with the flower on the front face and the other 5 sides transparent. That way it's basically a sprite, only it stays in perspective with the other 3D Boxes.

The flowers are also 3D Boxes, with the flower on the front face and the other 5 sides transparent. That way it's basically a sprite, only it stays in perspective with the other 3D Boxes.

Aaah! Will put that in my "smart ideas for construct" part of the brain.

Im planning to do "Hacker Simulation Game" but first i must get through exams -.- , and then i'll try to make RPG System on Construct.

A little running animation for Dr. Chromis:

<img src="http://xs124.xs.to/xs124/08061/chromis-run647.gif"> <img src="http://xs124.xs.to/xs124/08061/chromis-run_lg121.gif">

I'm not an expert pixel artist, so crits are welcome...

I'm not an expert either, but I think he looks maybe a little too clip-arty. I think you could fit a bit more personality/charm/distinct qualities into him, maybe by making him look a little worried or giving him a more distinct posture.

Other than that, I really like your basic concept. He's just a little too garden-variety, is all.

Oh, and I'm working on a platformer I like to simply call "Alex" using the physics movement. I don't have a whole lot done; I'm trying to perfect the movement/attacks before I get caught up in the visuals or level design.

It's similar to SNES-era platformers, but the idea here is to incorporate modern ideas to make the game feel less abstract and more "natural". That is, real world ideas have more application, enemies are more than just obstacles, etc.

I'm not an expert either, but I think he looks maybe a little too clip-arty. I think you could fit a bit more personality/charm/distinct qualities into him, maybe by making him look a little worried or giving him a more distinct posture.

Other than that, I really like your basic concept. He's just a little too garden-variety, is all.

I appreciate the feedback, but I really don't know what I would do do spice him up, or even why I would do it. I decided to go low res for a couple reasons:

The first is simplicity. Not only is it easier on me as the game artist, bit it fits in with the character himself. He's just a scientist. He wears a lab coat and khakis. The main focus of the game is going to be the gameplay, so story is secondary. This leads into reason two: he's not a character-driven character, so to speak. His sole purpose is to interact with the game environment, so he doesn't really need to emote or express himself or even stand out in any way. If it were a mascot-driven game then more emphasis would be given to making the character emotive (as in my Squarebear design).

Even so I did try tinkering around with more detail when I was designing him, like a nose, mouth and pocket protector, but it just doesn't look right without bumping the number of colors in the palette way up, which I want to avoid. In fact, in the latest incarnation I've reduced the number of colors even more by taking out the darkest pants color and the shading on the shirt. The point is to make him look as old-school as possible while still looking smooth in the animation.

Speaking of which I did take vinny's suggestion and added a fourth frame to the running animation, and it does look smoother. I'll probably add even more by the time the game is done. I also changed up his jumping frames so he doesn't look so much like a candy-ass leaping around in a field of daisies.

Anyway, I haven't worked on it in about a week. I'm starting to slack again. I got caught up making background and platform tiles when I should really just be finishing up the engine, and switching gears like that interrupted my workflow so it's harder to get back into it. It's a bad habit I need to break.

That stuff looks cool deadeye. The scientist is very 'you', with the glasses. I look forward to seeing more of it, and what you're doing with the pixels.

My project is pretty immense and personal. It's mostly a test of game design and setting/character creation, little to do with Construct itself; Construct is just awesome, so it's probably what I will use to put it all together. The process yet involves a general outline of the world and story, character concepts, and a sad attempt at animating, haha. It's just roughed out but I'm thinking a lot more character could be added. Critique isn't really applicable to this image, it's old, but might be fun to look at.

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/mwahaha/arrt/dmn/run01-copy.gif">

I haven't done a lot of 2D animation ever, so it's a huge learning process. However, it is fun, and I enjoy experimenting with it; surely doesn't hurt to play around. For this one, I cheated just to get a quick result. Referenced some screencaps of a video with someone running. I'll probably go out and find some learning material on animation when my life settles down and I can really dig into this sort of thing again.

In the end I plan to give him lots of animations and make things generally groovy, fast-paced and pretty. So, it should be an interesting journey.

That stuff looks cool deadeye. The scientist is very 'you', with the glasses.

Heh, are you referring to my avatar? That's actually John Flansburg from They Might Be Giants. Though I do wear glasses.

I'll probably go out and find some learning material on animation when my life settles down and I can really dig into this sort of thing again.

Good luck with that. There are a few good resources on traditional 2d animation on the web. You might also look into some dvd tutorials (like the Gnomon dvds, but I don't think they specifically have any 2d animation stuff) because seeing something in motion and having it explained at the same time is much more effective. They can be a little spendy, but not nearly as spendy as art school.

[quote:2qitee52]

If it were a mascot-driven game then more emphasis would be given to making the character emotive (as in my Squarebear design).

I see what you're getting at. I suppose even if the character were more distinct, it would only detract from the simplicity of the presentation.

[quote:2qitee52]

....and switching gears like that interrupted my workflow so it's harder to get back into it. It's a bad habit I need to break.

If it makes you feel any better, I get into the same cycle on a regular basis as well.