Ello guys =), I have been checking out Coldstone now, its looking really cool and I've always wanted to create a RPG its just that I suck at programming =P.

I have a little knowledge on how to draw graphics (Noobie tho), so I was wondering, when you render your sprites to use in Coldstone do you render em all from the same camera angle?. Im using Pixels3D now.

its an awsome program and I got the Particle extra, the newest version and one month in the international pixels university for only 50$ =). (costs bout 400$ normally I think). I just following the tutorials and modifying em to my liking to can create some pretty nice stuff

do you all complete your models in the 3D program "with all details". Or do you render it, create the sprite and then you go into photoshop or something similar and add features like belts, scars and stuff?..if yes which program/s do you use?

Also It sounds as if ppl are working with creating games aleady but Coldstone isnt even for sale yet?, or is it?.

Anyone knows any good information on modelling (Anatomy,how to, whatever) on Internet?

I can't wait to get my copy of Coldstone damnit!..god it would be awsome if we where able to crate online/multiplayer games..it would rock the world cus right now there is only one Mac online RPG, and with the things I see ppl do with Coldstone they could own it.

Take Care!
//Therstil

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//Therstil

Check the "where to get good tools to use with coldstone" thread and log on to the hotline server after downloading hotline and creating an account.

It's got some good alternitive tools and some small tutorials/guides (not very many though) and the server admins (Who are moderators here, and usualy the only people besides me that visit the server) might answer a few questions if you ask.

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Man who fall in vat of molten glass make spectacle of himself

The way you render your sprites depends on how you want your game. Using coldstone you can create character animations with any number of frames, so you would be able to create a very smooth walking animation with lots of frames. If however, you wanted a top down 2D game then you would probably only need about four sprites.

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Here's what I'm doing:

Camera setup is a fixed orthogonal camera. It aims down at a 45 degree angle. The scene also has three fixed directional lights, much like a showroom would.

I center the sprite in the camera and apply my action to it. I repeat the action, and rotate the model around in 45 degree increments, starting with 180 (facing away from the camera) and progressing clockwise (this makes importing to Coldstone easier).

I'm generating an absolutely huge number of sprites, so I'd rather not have to edit them in Photoshop at all. Therefore I'm putting all detail into the decals for my models.

If I wasn't animating (ie, doing exile/avernum/realmz style graphics), I wouldn't bother with using a 3d program. They're a lot of work for so few frames.

I use Animation Master ( (url="http://"http://www.hash.com")http://www.hash.com(/url) ) for modelling, animating and rendering. I've written volumes about it in other threads (try '3d modeller'). I use Photoshop and a Wacom tablet for making decals.

I don't know of an anatomical reference site for artists on the internet, but I would highly recommend "Drawing the Head and Figure" and / or "Cartooning the Head and Figure" by Jack Hamm. I've had both of these books for years, and they've been around forever for a reason.

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Quote

Originally posted by the Necromicon:
**The way you render your sprites depends on how you want your game. Using coldstone you can create character animations with any number of frames, so you would be able to create a very smooth walking animation with lots of frames. If however, you wanted a top down 2D game then you would probably only need about four sprites.

**

If you wanted to make it look like your charicters were walking or doing anything besides hovering over an endless void, I suggest you use at least eight sprites per charicter, two or perhaps three (for better looking games) in each direction your charicter would face.

Necromicon's charicter sprites are a good example of what 2D sprites could look like. They don't have to be all the same size, or all the same number of frames (in case you've ever used EV Edit you would know this)

Painter, a small app on the hotline server (unless necro or glue trashed it, I mean, it's mostly useless) can be used to make 2D sprites, but then you could also use claris/appleworks which should come free with your mac.

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Quote

Originally posted by Madman:
**(snip) unless necro or glue trashed it, I mean (snip)
**

ahem Or one of the other server admins...

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Quote

Originally posted by skyblade:
**ahem Or one of the other server admins...

**

Yeah sorry about the stupid stuff I uploaded, painter, knot, and cutout. I uploaded before I tested for myself, and I thought painter had some sort of advantage over claris/appleworks, I thought knot was some sort of functional 3D modeler instead of some dumb app for making tangled balls of colored 3D cr*p. Cutout isn't that functional, it's just like drawing a layout on a peice of gridpaper, except you can launch it anytime without going hunting for a paper and something to draw with, and it's easier to alter. But then, it's not good for much else than planning towns and dungeons before you make your game.

Oh, and one more thing. Why do you all

Thanks for all the replies =), I understand this sprite thing now..now I just need do learn how to model =P.

"I use Photoshop and a Wacom tablet for making decals."
What is a decal?, like a banner you put somewhere in the game?.

Well anyways, thanks for the help and good luck with all your games everyone =).

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//Therstil

I think by "decals", Sanehatter is referring to what other 3d systems might term "textures" or "image maps".

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Quote

I think by "decals", Sanehatter is referring to what other 3d systems might term "textures" or "image maps".

Yep. AM's decals can contain different image maps assigned to various things such as color, specularity, bump, displace, transparency, ambience, etc.

My process for making decals involves taking a screenshot of the wireframe area the decal will be applied to, opening that in Photoshop, and building in layers. I save the document as "charactername/frontback/layered," and then use "Save a Copy" to make individual files. Check out Dee's posts to the imageboard to get an idea as to what they look like.

The color maps can take up to ten layers... I usually start with a tone, add two layers of blurred noise that are set to color dodge and color burn, and then start adding details. Shading on the base tone is achieved with the dodge and burn tools.

When I decide to use bump/specularity/ambience/etc, I'll take my noise or details or whatever and put them in a new layer. Ambience in particular is really nice for producing a weathered effect.

With this system, all of my maps are the same size and therefore AM will line them up perfectly. I'm now using the screenshot of the wireframe for placement, so it's much easier to get things lined up precisely.

Sigh. Oh well, time to get back to prepping about 3000 stock photos for newsprint. I love the publishing industry. :rolleyes:

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I grew up being told that anyone could be president... now I believe it.

(This message has been edited by sanehatter (edited 01-12-2001).)

Quote

Originally posted by Madman:
**

Oh, and one more thing. Why do you all**