The Shining Source

Yes, I realise I bang on about graphics all the time, but it's one of the things I'm particularly conscious of - because most of what I draw sucks.

Anyways, I'm curious as to what people's views on graphics are - specifically the use of non-original ones. The reason I ask this is I've got a heap of RPG maker tiles and characters lying around, and I can't help but think using them would save years of my life that would otherwise be spent creating the perfect grass tile.

They look awesome, they'd save me heaps of time, but there's the one nagging feeling - they're just not ours. Well, that and the fact that they're a different size so I couldn't use all the ripped SF1 and SF2 characters. And they have no centaurs, but I digress...

What's everyone else's view? Are graphics a big part of what makes our games stand out? Should we sacrifice graphical originality to speed up the creation of the finished article?

Personally I think graphics are of minor importance. As long as people can recognize stuff, it should suffice .

If it's legal, do it(hey, why else do I drink all day and night).

I think you should use whats available to you and 'tweak' the graphics to your own liking.

No centaurs? Thats shocking. Though you could always chop a human sprite and get the bottom of a horse sprite and hey! Bobs your uncle, and not just any uncle, a CENTAUR uncle. Imagine how cool that would be, an uncle who could just totally kick anyones arse ANYTIME he wanted AND hear people from miles away with his large ears.

Back on topic though. Yes, I think you should use the stored graphics. But the n again, the original SO Demo 4 looked awesome in my opinion...its a very difficult debate!

I hate graphics.

I'm still unsure. I'd like to have snazzy graphics, but they lose a bit of that Shining feel. I'll have to mess around at the weekend and mock up some stuff.

BTW, nice to see you back around Edgey.

Edit: So I mocked it up now...



I'm not so sure about it now. Seems to lack any kind of Shining style.

Also I have no idea how you're going to fit more than yourself and two of us others into that tent.
Any more than that and it'll be a really uncomfortable sausage sauna.

The problem with pre-made RPG graphics is that they all seem to have a SNES Mana/Final Fantasy style to them which makes them un-Shining, as you can see from the screenshots. It looks nice and all, but it won't draw in those who like the Shining style if you ask me.

Great in theory, not in practice. Or at least, not this practice; keep looking.

PS Yes, welcome back Edgey!

Work with graphics is about all I'm halfway decent at, so I'd have to say I find it important to try and make your own.  I dunno, I mimic a lot of the time, too, which is a lot easier than simply trying to do your own from scratch, and you can usually get them close to shiny, in this case, while still being different.

Having just played demo 3 again, I've decided to draw everything as before. The game had a nice style to it, which I think was part of it's charm. Besides, every time I look at that picture I posted I see something with no soul. Looks nice, but not for me.

i just creamed in my pants...

you guys are talking about SOnline :O

Well, if you need an occasional help in the sprite or tile department, let me know .

Same goes for me, though we know how reliable I am...