Pixel Artist :)

[TFM]

Just found that thread! Very nice GFX in MODE 1. Great work. Well MODE 0 is imho not good for that, because lines which are nearly vertical are terrible in MODE 0 - and here we got plenty.
Furthermore if I look at both pictures: MODE 1 colors (4) seem to be enough anyway! 


Oh, and welcome to the forum! Have a great time here! 

[invent]

Thought I would update here (not sure if it's worth creating a new thread or not)


The Game at least has a starting title "The Last UFO"
These are more experiments

[Carnivius]

Is it even the same game as before?   It looks great anyways.  Is it flick-screen shooty fun a bit like Cybernoid?

[reidrac]

Those look really good, with four different styles (different worlds?). My favourite is probably the first one, but all four should work fine!

Re: scanlines; I don't like them too much. Perhaps they look nicer if you're at some distance of the screen, otherwise they look too blurry to me. WinAPE calls the effect "Pal" but the Pal effect in other emulators (eg, Fuse for the speccy) are more realistic emulating a TV (IMHO).

@Carnivac: your screenshots are always beautiful and there's a lot to learn from them, but I'd love you shared non-scanlined shots too so we can "get" all the details without the scanline interference

[invent]

Hi Carnivac,
Yes its a different game to the other maze/butterfly concept and yes similar to Cybernoid/The Covenant. 


Hi Reidrac, Different Worlds, I have a few others but not quite happy with them at the moment.  Trying to keep the Tile usage down so it can work on 64k machines.


These don't have scanlines, seems to blur in this website but is crisp if you open inside a viewer, (maybe I need to post double the size)


This link may show clearer pixels.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-puMIqheTk6A/VffyNbZFDOI/AAAAAAAACl8/SIi7Kp-6K74/s1600/Large_View_Concept.png

[Ast]

Wonderfull... I love what u do.


Edit : Fullscreen or not ? What tool do you use ?

[invent]

Wonderfull... I love what u do.


Edit : Fullscreen or not ? What tool do you use ?

Hi Ast,  I use photoshop, but the pixel tool only.  Tried setting up a custom brush to be 2 pixels wide  with no success so far.  I have a split screen setup the has one side the squashed 1:1 pixel screen 160x200  that I draw on, then once I save the drawing the other screen 320x200 updates and I see how the pixels really look.  It's not ideal.  The 160 screen is also a photoshop smart object contained in the 320? Layer. Tempted on using your art program or some other art program.  I have thought about using other tools. (PC, Amiga etc). Happy to eventually do a tutorial if people would find it useful (still learning) . The software I use isn't essential, it's just I use it at work all the time so is more convenient.


To help, I has setup a palette that I can import any graphic and convert to Amstrad 27 colours.  While this isn't perfect it gives me some draft ideas that I can refine later.


By the way, if I need to import or see what any graphic might look like in mode 0. I'll squash the graphics to 160 wide then stretch to 320 to give a squarish ratio.


Hope the info helps.   

[reidrac]

In case it helps, I'm using just this with GIMP: Creating images for the Amstrad - CPCWiki

Disabling "Dot for Dot" does the trick just nice and the pixels aren't "square" any more. Looks exactly like in the real hardware.

[Ast]

Why don't you use iMPdraw to make your graphics directly on Cpc?
It's really easy to use.


Concerning your project, have you the idea to make a game?

[invent]

In case it helps, I'm using just this with GIMP: Creating images for the Amstrad - CPCWiki

Disabling "Dot for Dot" does the trick just nice and the pixels aren't "square" any more. Looks exactly like in the real hardware.

Thankyou, the reference was very helpful.  Downloaded Gimp and set it up the way suggested. 
Like the option of the pencil too when you hold down the shift key to be able to draw lines from the last pixel.


Which made me think of changing the Aspect Ratio in Photoshop to (Factor 2.000)
View menu/Pixel Aspect Ratio/Custom Pixel Aspect Ratio.../
Name: "Amstrad Mode 0"
Factor" "2.000" (click ok)


To customise further I have setup the Swatches for the Amstrad Palette, so in Pencil tool mode I simply click the colour required and start drawing. 
Your tips have been very helpful (and I will try to make use of Gimp)




Ast, I will try iMPdraw soon, been following your thread


In regards to this game, I don't have coding skills or programmer/musician.
I have the idea almost locked in.


Personally at this time not looking for people until I have designed every aspect of the game first.
Later though it would be nice to consider a small kickstarter type project to pay people if thats a good way to go