Character Assembly Line

[inktrebuchet]

This idea has been thought about and designed to make it more possible to work on completing a full characters in a timely manner. It is also focused on making sprite work a more realistic and paying job. The goal is to complete quality full character packs in a month or less.

Currently the majority of sprite artists are charging $5 for a single sprite. Which is far less than what they should be earning for the time spent on one sprite. This idea isn't to lower or change prices for sprites but to find a way to make it more realistic to earn a reasonable amount for the time spent working.


The Idea

*This is based around the Gray Scale method of sprite making but with a good bit of changes. The assembly line would have 4 artist working on it, their roles are listed below*
**These roles of course could be divided among more people but the amount earned and the hours to complete the role would also be divided.

Spoiler: SF3 process (click to show)

*The reasoning for a different process is explained here: http://mugenguild.com/forum/msg.2153289

• 
  Role 1-The first artist world sketch out all the animations, finalize outlines and solid fill the sprites blue. Below is the actual size that I prefer to work at, this is 1000% increased from a normal sprite size. I sketch with 1px in colors and finalize my lines with 3px in black.

• Role 2-The second artist would add the lighting to the character, resize and index the sprites. More or less colors can be added in this role to make the job easier for Role 4 later in the line. Below you can see were the sprite size has been reduced to 10% using "bilinear" and color indexed.

Spoiler: SF3 indexing tool (click to show)

Color indexing can be a pain! I have made this tool to speed up the process, it works for single sprites or full animations. To use this tool you will need both items in this link Color choice and photoshop indexing tool.
*It is important to use only the colors used in the "index tool.png", the "SFIII Auto Index Tool.atn" only works with these colors.
*How to install atn file in photoshop
*to view the effects of this tool simply go to file and "Save for Web & Devices...".

• Role 3-The third artist would color separate the sprites and re-index. As seen below this was achieved by making new layers with 40% opacity on top of each frame and using lasso tool to carefully select the desired area to color.

• Role 4-The forth artist would clean and detail the sprites to a finished polished product.

Compare Role 1-3 to official.

Money
The average full character commission is $1000.
That (divided 4 ways) would be $250 for each artist.
That's about 34 hours (Based on U.S. minimum wage 7.25) for each artist to complete their roles in the project. (4 1/4 work days)



Work file Extras
This link has all the work files used for my SF3-Moriggan. I hope you'll find them useful. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zp955o5t5g6ww8f/AAB6IZxxgSZc6-KzGSQNG2nsa?dl=0

• Inktrebuchet's-sf3-morrigan-work-file.psd has role 1 and 2. you'll have to make layers visible/not visible to see the full process.
• Inktrebuchet's-sf3-morrigan-color-seperation-work-file-psd has role 3.
• Inktrebuchet's-sf3-morrigan.gif is role 4 but still has some things I would like touch up in the future.

I would really like to hear some feedback on this idea. ways to improve it and so on.

[hatter]

Wow, that sounds perfect. I conceived an idea like this with Shao-san for a character we're working on for Marvel Super Heroes: Rebirth (which I have to go back to working on now, I'm soo lazy ).

Was the average full character commission $1000? I thought it was 350 or $500 (unless I am missing something here, in which case a small explanation and a wall of text detailing myself being apologetic).

I do like the idea of the 4 way split, though. Easy mulla, everybody. Removing this line of idiocy to ask a better question: Would color separation be considered for this, and if the team would be made of 4 people, would the role be divided amongst them all? Or would you either get somebody to do it or cancel the idea of CSing altogether?

Will this be oriented towards certain styles, such as CPS3 (of which you are the emperor ) or will other styles such as CvS, CPS2, KoF XIII, Yatagarasu, and DBFC be considered to be under the wing?

Either way, like what walt once talked about on you're art thread, it sounds like a great idea.

EDIT: Another question popped up, could this idea be taken to the outskirts of MUGEN, and be applied to possibly the area of indie game development? Since the basis of this idea is the Grayscale Method, and we saw that it can be applied to sprites of different genres (Like this for example), I think it would be worth a shot, with the only thing changing being the price of the comission (I think? Forgive me if I don't make any sense, it's not my strongest suite unfortunately.)

[inktrebuchet]

Was the average full character commission $1000? I thought it was 350 or $500 (unless I am missing something here, in which case a small explanation and a wall of text detailing myself being apologetic).

The $1000 full character is for ones that are remade and animated in full. Not conversions of existing sprite sets.

I do like the idea of the 4 way split, though. Easy mulla, everybody. Removing this line of idiocy to ask a better question: Would color separation be considered for this, and if the team would be made of 4 people, would the role be divided amongst them all? Or would you either get somebody to do it or cancel the idea of CSing altogether?

The color separating is done in the roll of the third artist. I think once I add photos you will see why its necessary.

Will this be oriented towards certain styles, such as CPS3 (of which you are the emperor ) or will other styles such as CvS, CPS2, KoF XIII, Yatagarasu, and DBFC be considered to be under the wing?

This method would work well for any style but it was planned with cps3 in mind.

Another question popped up, could this idea be taken to the outskirts of MUGEN, and be applied to possibly the area of indie game development? Since the basis of this idea is the Grayscale Method, and we saw that it can be applied to sprites of different genres (Like this for example), I think it would be worth a shot, with the only thing changing being the price of the comission (I think? Forgive me if I don't make any sense, it's not my strongest suite unfortunately.)

Of course! It would be silly to only cater to MUGEN.

[hatter]

The $1000 full character is for ones that are remade and animated in full. Not conversions of existing sprite sets.

This method would work well for any style but it was planned with cps3 in mind.

Oh OK. Now I see!

If this idea picks up some steam, you might have me on board it (not sure though, need to survey future university semesters. )

Also, tagging [user id=126]walt[/user]. Share with us your wisdom, o MUGEN Guild elder!

[Demitri]

I hate being that guy, but it's Roles* not rolls in this instance.

I think this is a nice idea but I don't know how many will be on board with it.

Best of luck nonetheless.

[inktrebuchet]

How embarrassing! Thanks man, updated.

Hopefully people will be on board, its $250 for each role which seems reasonable. I plan on trying to do the animations myself (role 1).

This is more or less just trying to build a plan to make something like this work. The hope is teams will form from this being discussed and thoroughly figured out.

[davismaximus]

I'll throw my hat in the ring and provide color separation duties, even though I'm slow as shit these days.  Hell, if it's a character I'm interested in I'll do it for free.

[inktrebuchet]

I'll throw my hat in the ring and provide color separation duties, even though I'm slow as shit these days.  Hell, if it's a character I'm interested in I'll do it for free.

I thought this would be the hardest role to fill!
Davismaximus is this the same or similar method to how you already color separate??

[hatter]

I'll go for the fourth role if this picks up steam (and after making sure of what'll happen to me in my future semesters). I'm not the greatest at detailing like you, Diepod, MotorRoach or Alex, but I can do a pretty good job (although not from scratch, some animations on my CvS XIII Kyo required me to pay attention to details, or the results would have been a terrible mess).

[Gennos]

1000 for a full SFIII character sprite set! thats a steal compared to what the skullgirls dev team explained about character spriting.
hope to see more spriters joining to do this.
one question though would a conversion cost the same? like for example if i want to have SSF4 Cody converted to CPS3 style.

[davismaximus]

is this the same or similar method to how you already color separate??

Basically, I just use the outline tool and paint bucket instead of directly painting over certain areas.  Would be pretty fun a pain in the ass, but an interesting challenge.

[Cybaster]

I'm not a spriter, so I have no idea how reasonable/difficult each role is compared to the other (it may depend on the sprite style too, as KOF style sounds different in terms of applicable workflow).

Anyway, this sounds like a nice idea, and I hope it succeeds, so we can see some good spriters team up and get some awesome work done together ! Good luck !

[inktrebuchet]

I tried to divide the roles as evenly a possible. I don't have as much experience with KoF style but I really think this method would fit any style well, with some slight changes.

[Slayer.]

Well, that sounds really interesting. How new, I'm needing some cash. LOL
Anyway, if you need one more person to make the color separation, I'm in.

[Karasai]

I've been interested in this ever since you proposed the idea, Ink.

[inktrebuchet]

Thanks guys.

A couple other artists and myself are going to test this idea out. Kind of a trial run to see how it works and/or if anything needs changed before any big projects are taken on. I will be sure to post updates.

Any ideas or suggestions are welcomed!

[hatter]

Nice! Can't wait to see more of this! Good luck with everything.

[Bastard Mami]

I got the impression that you are still lacking people for roles 2 and 4, am I correct?
I am also interested in developing methods to create sprites more efficiently.

[inktrebuchet]

If you have any ideas for developing methods to create sprites more efficiently, please mention them here.

This thread is open to any idea that could help efficiency in sprite making.

[hatter]

If you have any ideas for developing methods to create sprites more efficiently, please mention them here.

This thread is open to any idea that could help efficiency in sprite making.

OK, off the top of my head, Kiwi's  Grayscale Index Method is essentially a painting-to-pixels method. There is also the Rumble Fish Method, which is basically 3D-to-pixels method.

In addition, the usage of Spriter for games with graphics in the vain of Vanillaware, Rayman: Legends, DuckTales Remastered, and Tembo The Badass Elephant could be a third, but that's all I can think of.

Based on the route you plan to go for, the first 2 seem feasible, but number 2 would require a fifth slot, so I guess that could be scratched, unless someone could double as one, but that's probably not gonna happen.

CPS3 style could be implemented in that Vanillaware thing I was talking about, but it would probably end up looking like what steamboy33 did (but with a high leve of skill).