Alien Melee Attacks

[moriarty]

well, the palette problem once again...

I don't think we can use any outside artwork without express permission. sorry.

as for the chryssalid arm: maybe you could reduce it to just the claw, facing up? that way it wouldn't look that much like a left arm, and could also be used for the right hand weapon.


EDIT: what graphics program are you using?

[Nickolaidas]

Ah, I see. Not sure how to read these colours though ...

Moriarty: Photoshop ACS5.

[Warboy1982]

i PMed you an image with the right palette and dimensions already, use that as a "base"

[Nickolaidas]

I saw it. If I copy paste anything inside that pic, will that change the new pic's colours based on the pallette?

[Warboy1982]

depends on your settings, but generally yes.
alternatively, you can save the palette and then apply it to another image.
just remember that the FIRST colour in the palette represents "transparent", so avoid using it for anything else.

[Nickolaidas]

Hmm ... I found it, it is labeled "color table" on photoshop. I saved the pallette and loaded it in the chryssalid hand file, but the colours get completely messed up.

Does this mean I have to replace them dot by dot?

[Warboy1982]

try the following:

open the claw image.
convert to RGB (image->mode->RGB color)
convert to XCom palette (image->mode->indexed color)
settings in indexed color:

Palette: Exact
Forced: Custom (will open a window from which you can load the xcom palette)

et voila.

[Nickolaidas]

Okay, got it, thanks!









This time, I used a bear's open mouth for the reaper's mellee attack. I hardly think that ANYONE would claim copyright for this one -- it could be taken anywhere by anyone with his own camera, it's not art or sketch. Besides, it's so pixelated it's unrecognizable.

Moriarty: Since the Chryssalid has both hands ending in claws, he could just as well have BOTH inventory slots with a claw hand, one for left hand, one for right. One horizontal invert on the pic, and it's set.

[Nickolaidas]

Warboy, Moriarty, what do you think on the bear mouth for the reaper attack?

Also, are those ok for the 256 X-COM color palette?

[Hythlodaeus]

Warboy, Moriarty, what do you think on the bear mouth for the reaper attack?

Also, are those ok for the 256 X-COM color palette?

Personally I think it looks ugly as hell. That bear snout is laughable and completely out of place. If there really needs to be an icon, I'd say use a simple set of teeth kinda like the Alien Breed logo. For a clawing attack, I believe a very simple "3 scratch lines" icon would suffice.

EDIT: The set of teeth on the enemy movement screen should do fine for the bite icon. It's also original game artwork, so need for coming up with new stuff.

[Warboy1982]

as far as the palette is concerned, they're perfect, but i can't say i'm a huge fan of the bear jaws to be honest, they don't really fit the visual theme of xcom. I preferred the D&D jaws, but the downsizing kind of ruined all the detail. this is the problem with sprites, and why i have so much respect for sprite artists. To accurately depict what you're trying to represent in such a limited resolution is a difficult feat in and of itself, let alone making it look GOOD.

[Nickolaidas]

The set of teeth on the enemy movement screen should do fine for the bite icon. It's also original game artwork, so need for coming up with new stuff.

Excellent idea!! I'll work on it right away!



Decided to put the eyes at the last minute, figured it is easier to make it out -- just the jaws seemed way too little in terms of information.

[moriarty]

Great idea, hythlodaeus, and great implementation, nickolaidas!

This is a great example of "less is more" this can be a generic "alien close combat attack" icon, it might even work for the celatid spitting attack.

Maybe you could emphasize the teeth a bit more? I agree that the eyes are probably needed, but maybe you could dim them a bit? Or colorize the teeth? I don't know what would look best.

[Hythlodaeus]

They might work as decent placeholders, but in the long run, I still believe we should ask a proper pixel artist to do set of icons.

[Nickolaidas]

Fine by me, Hythlodaeus! Pixel creation isn't really my field (I'm a graphic artist, basically modifying existing pics and blend them with text, instead of making pics & art myself), so anyone who can do better is welcome!