I am NOT proposing that CAA band together to create a game

[Midori]

Actually, MP3s are also supported as of a recent version release (they do increase the file size massively, though).

Oh. I don't really have the equipment (or knowhow) to make non-trivial MP3s. If the game has a simplistic graphics system, wouldn't CD-quality music clash a bit? On the other hand, different computers often play MIDI files differently, which is kind of annoying, and the instruments are all so stereotyped...

Another thing. If this project gets rolling around, my sister said she might be able to draw some pixel-art for it (that's a maybe, though). I can vouch for her ability, especially for character/enemy design.

and I'm pretty sure UC himself if fairly capable in this area anyway, carrying over from his first game.

There's something I'm missing here. What is this game? Where can I find it?

[Tsukuyomi]

For the grass tiles.. What shade of green do you want?

[Lil_Ninja]

I'm not too familiar with making tiles/sprites (does making stuff in paint count?) but I'd sure love to give y'all a hand the best I can ^^ (my brother probably knows the basics so I could ask him)
And if there is enough people and stuff, I'd love to help with ideas for the story and whatnot ^^
Is making the sprites/tiles in paint an option? o_o
Oh, one last question. What is the ideal look you're going for?

[Fish and Chips]

There's something I'm missing here. What is this game? Where can I find it?

It's Antagonist, and it's right here.

[Tsukuyomi]

I've just started a thried row of a different shade of green (pretty easy to make once you get a rhythm going) ^__^ How do I send them to you O_O? Or, at least show you so you can tell me if I need to add anything to them ^__^?

[uc pseudonym]

I need to post some example tiles, but unfortunately I am not prepared with such at the moment. I will make a sincere effort to acquire some by tomorrow.

Oh. I don't really have the equipment (or knowhow) to make non-trivial MP3s. If the game has a simplistic graphics system, wouldn't CD-quality music clash a bit?

Not necessarily. I'd say there's no reason to have lower quality anything.

For the grass tiles.. What shade of green do you want?

Hate to blunt your enthusiasm, but tiles can't be a single shade of a color. Usually you want to get a sense of individual pieces of grass.

Is making the sprites/tiles in paint an option? o_o
Oh, one last question. What is the ideal look you're going for?

Yes, Paint is an option. Any graphics editor is, provided that the dimensions are correct and you save them as 4-bit files. Those two cannot be stressed enough.

As for your second question, hopefully the examples I intend to get will provide somewhat of an answer. I'm not going to be picky.

[Lil_Ninja]

Okie dokie ^^

So I'll start working on some random tiles/sprites (hopefully), and let'cha know when I'm done with a couple ^^

[Tsukuyomi]

Alrighties ^ ^ I'll just make due with the "Undo" button \o.o/

[GeneD]

I am interested in helping with this. I have no experience in anything of this kind though, but I am willing to learn and see what I can do. I am sure I can "make a few tiles" and I can try sprites, if that's what is needed. I can work in Paint or GIMP, I'm just not sure what other programs I will need if this takes off. If someone would be kind enough to direct me to a link. (It's probably here already and I just missed it) XD

I will wait for your examples, UC, before attempting my own.

[Warrior4Christ]

If it looks like it will actually progress further than making a few tiles and then dying, I would highly recommend setting up some form of online collaboration/version control system, so that everyone can see everyone else's tiles and the style can be consistent.

How do you propose to manage all the different files and contributions from different people?
Having done group/collaborative work before, I'd suggest Subversion(SVN), which is a revision control system that works well. The only problem is that someone would have to set up a server for it...
Of course, this suggestion is not very helpful unless there's sufficient interest to actually get it started.

PS: I have little experience with CVS, but would be willing to try and set something up, if it looked like it would be a worthwhile endeavor. I could also setup a separate collaboration site for working on it, but we'd want to be sure we have the momentum first.

[uc pseudonym]

Everyone who wanted a reference, this is the post. Because these tiles are so small in true form (they're larger in game) I recommend saving the file and then looking at it in more detail.

First, here is a tileset that I consider actually decent:


Here is what I have so far:


Hopefully everyone can "read" those properly. And if my art is too bad to tell, I was aiming for grass tiles, then all the different directions and curves for a dirt path (haven't wanted to embark on diagonal paths yet, plus I'd like to make path beginnings/endings in multiple directions.

I can work in Paint or GIMP, I'm just not sure what other programs I will need if this takes off. If someone would be kind enough to direct me to a link. (It's probably here already and I just missed it) XD

Actually, any image program will work provided that you keep to the rather restrictive limits (pixel size, 4-bit color). If you just draw, all you need to do is create the files and then someone else can upload them with different programs.

If it looks like it will actually progress further than making a few tiles and then dying, I would highly recommend setting up some form of online collaboration/version control system, so that everyone can see everyone else's tiles and the style can be consistent.

This seems like a good idea, but I hesitated to speak up because I can't personally manage such and it doesn't make sense to overreach here either. While this kind of system would be helpful, I think we could also make do by delegating and posting tiles here, if necessary.

[Warrior4Christ]

Am I correct in saying that provided the tiles are 4-bit colour, the palette of those 16 colours can be anything at all (ie. not the same 16 colours used in every tile)? Because it does look like more than 16 colours in total there.

Also, JPEGs are really bad for pixel work - definitely save them in PNG, as it is lossless. (Unless that was just a 'tile overview', and not the original tiles..)

[Tsukuyomi]

*Nabed*

I'll use your tile as a reference ^__^

[RidleyofZebes]

So we're already making tiles? I'll get to work on it here soon. I think I'm gonna start on... some indoors-y tiles.

[Saint Kevin]

I've been in the world of video game QA (as a tester) on and off since July of 2006. I would not mind at all putting in about 100 hours of QA on this project.

One thing I would say is that I'd like to see the script BEFORE any of that gets into the game, if possible. That speeds up the QA in a project like this about 10-100 fold, since most of the bugs will be text-related. I'd also volunteer to write non-essential script elements for NPCs (clueless townspeople, etc).

I'd like to add something else I've learned during my time in the industry:

It is valuable to have a lead programmer doing the majority of the programming (for reasons of program cohesion and integration) and a lead producer (for mostly logistical reasons). It is also important that these two roles aren't done by the same person.

In conclusion, I'd volunteer to do QA no matter what the project (even going so far as to write up test cases for other "testers" if you like), and I'd also volunteer to edit or even write some non-essentiall copy. PM me if you guys get this off the ground.

Also, I'd like to add that a Game Design Document is extremely valuable not in creating the original game ideas, but in refining them and making sure everything is thoroughly thought out. It will make your programming go a lot faster, and will give you a very good estimate of the scope of your project so that you know if it is realistically accomplishable with the amount of volunteer hours you've managed to get commitments for. If you guys should ever draft a GDD, I'd definitely like to read it over and give you my thoughts.

[uc pseudonym]

Am I correct in saying that provided the tiles are 4-bit colour, the palette of those 16 colours can be anything at all (ie. not the same 16 colours used in every tile)? Because it does look like more than 16 colours in total there.

Yes. I think, however, that they must be from a 256 color master palette. Fortunately, you can have as many master palettes as you want (more than 32 000 anyway). But here I’]Also, JPEGs are really bad for pixel work - definitely save them in PNG, as it is lossless. (Unless that was just a 'tile overview', and not the original tiles..)[/quote]
At the moment I’m trying to figure out how I changed them into JPEGs. The OHR engine wants BMPs for everything.

So we're already making tiles? I'll get to work on it here soon. I think I'm gonna start on... some indoors-y tiles.

Those were just the ones I made to test and see if I could make tiles. If you want to work on some, go for it, though don’]I've been in the world of video game QA (as a tester) on and off since July of 2006. I would not mind at all putting in about 100 hours of QA on this project.[/quote]
That’s certainly a generous offer. At the moment it seems that this will be a fairly casual project, but I don’t mind having your professional opinion on things. It is mostly too early to address these issues, but I have a few responses.

One thing I would say is that I'd like to see the script BEFORE any of that gets into the game, if possible. That speeds up the QA in a project like this about 10-100 fold, since most of the bugs will be text-related.

By far the most irritating limitation from a writer’] It will make your programming go a lot faster, and will give you a very good estimate of the scope of your project so that you know if it is realistically accomplishable with the amount of volunteer hours you've managed to get commitments for. If you guys should ever draft a GDD, I'd definitely like to read it over and give you my thoughts.[/quote]
Again, I’m looking at this from the opposite perspective. I want to get a sense of the number of volunteer hours before I decide how ambitious we can become. Most importantly, the number of characters.

[Felix]

I'm no star composer, and certainly no star designer, but I would be willing to take a stab at a few tiles or perhaps some enemy sprites... and I might be able to rig up a few retroesque tunes on this music composer (the one pixel used for cave story)

[Tsukuyomi]

Glad to have you aboard ^__^