Tired Man's Guide to Color Separation / Yet another .\/. random stuff topic

[Rolento]

As you've probably noticed, there are a lot of silly people these days doing a lot of silly things like color separation on pre-existing sprite sets. While you look at all those fancy color keys, you might think that the whole process is very difficult. Truth be told, as long as you aren't trying to paint in a complex pattern it's actually pretty simple; more time consuming than anything. Here's one way to tackle color separation using a layers and the pencil tool:



Starting off the original sprite, make a color key of the current colors used. Make a copy of the lines that share colors of areas you want to separate. In Cammy's case, it's the legs and blue tones of her suit. From here, make a new layer and draw over the parts you want to separate with colors not present in the main sprite, also covering over those extra color key lines. Change the layer properties to something like Screen so that the original sprite shows through, but with altered colors thanks to the layer on top. Flatten the image and you have something with color separation.

[Edit: now that the main message is safely posted, more stuff.]

Same method used above used to do a little separation on Ryu's hair. Headband was separated before by KoopaKoot I believe. Second image was more of an experiment to see if a faux Cps3 finish could be done, but it was deemed too little bang for the buck to continue for the rest of the set.

The reason I suggest to make the color key earlier is that now with this altered version, you have exact knowledge of what colors need to be added to the original palette to support your new separation. From here on out, you can repeat the layer process on the rest of the set and just apply the final palette with separation in place afterward to finalize things. As you can see, not a hard process overall once you lay in the ground work.

[Duo Solo]

I've been reading your Focus Attack and Ultra Bar / EX Bar System tutorials and I've got to say this is just another thing I'll be using.

Thanks.

[Rolento]

Now to cover some old and new stuff that I never got around to posting for some reason or other.
<- Something for a side project.
<- Redid the older edit to use a palette that makes full use of Gouki's colors.
<- Scratch sprite
<- Have a wip animated version of this somewhere or other...

[Bastard Mami]

I remember teh last one, fuck luck finding it, tho.

[FeLo_Llop]

Man!! That's an awesome method, yet simple O.o!! I wish I knew it before T_T!!!

[Rolento]

Andy: While I do have a Youtube account with some videos, nothing related to spritework. Think you might be mistaking me for Shinra, who does make videos of him working on sprites. At least he is one person who does that sort of thing off the top of my head.

FeLo: Simple is best sometimes, especially when you have to repeat the process a few hundred times over.

Since the topic is revived, here's a fun thing to do: find an older animation you worked on and touch it up.

Hey there Zero, looking a little less stiff there. Still got to touch up that back arm some more, so I guess you're not done just yet. Hah!

[MightyKombat]

What about the Z logo on one of his shoulders?

[Rolento]

Earlier versions had it, but it would suffer from the classic Sagat/Claw issues when mirrored or I would have to do something silly like have a reverse Z drawn on the other shoulder that was color separated and rig it so that the engine loaded a different palette depending on which side Zero was facing ala Gill. A lot of mess for one letter.

[Formerly Hoshi]

Earlier versions had it, but it would suffer from the classic Sagat/Claw issues when mirrored or I would have to do something silly like have a reverse Z drawn on the other shoulder that was color separated and rig it so that the engine loaded a different palette depending on which side Zero was facing ala Gill. A lot of mess for one letter.

THAT IS AN AMAZING IDEA FOR STUFF LIKE THAT!

[Tsao-ri]

Nice zero Dude

[Diepod]

Yes color sep, the bane of my existence.

Is everyone making zero now?

[Rolento]

Hey, I was making Zero before making Zero was cool! .\/.

[Jesuszilla]

Indeed he was. I hit him with my stick so he'd do it.

[Diepod]

Oh, Jhonny-Young-excellent!. 

[ZayOsiris Gaming]

After playing mvc3 I wanted to make a better zero!

[MightyKombat]

Earlier versions had it, but it would suffer from the classic Sagat/Claw issues when mirrored or I would have to do something silly like have a reverse Z drawn on the other shoulder that was color separated and rig it so that the engine loaded a different palette depending on which side Zero was facing ala Gill. A lot of mess for one letter.

That's a shame. The Z logo is one of zero's physical identifying traits next to the booblights. Least they're still there though. :3

[Rolento]

MightyKombat: Maybe I can talk someone into editing it in later once the main sprites are done. Hah.
StormEX: From what I recall, you are aiming towards a VS series based one, whereas I am looking to set up a spriteset that allows options for VS series and more grounded fighters as well.


I blame Eli for this.

[Jesuszilla]

SQUIRRELY

[MightyKombat]

MightyKombat: Maybe I can talk someone into editing it in later once the main sprites are done. Hah.


I blame Eli for this.

1. It would take something like Gill's doublesided ness. But yeah I see why you left it out. Lot of work. Plus it reminds me how Capcom originally planned to have Dee Jay's trousers read "Mantis" but changed it for that reason.

2. MAKOTO CONFIRMED FOR BRAWL *tomato'd*

[Rolento]

Quite a bit of work for little real gain.


And because it is honestly a pretty cheap and easy edit from above, one true Squirrely.