CAP 2 Pre-evo - Part 5 - Sprite submissions

[capefeather]

Mos-Quitoxe confidently approached Art Poll 2, daring him to attack. Realizing he was completely screwed, Art Poll 2 fled across the sea into a nearby mountain range. Mos-Quitoxe yelled at Quanyails for a Full Restore and gave chase.

"Mos-Quitoxe is a genius," Birkal explained to the bewildered paintseagull and Quanyails, the only others who hadn't left. "He was weakened by Art Poll 1 and Art Poll 2 might have been able to take him down if he continued, but Mos-Quitoxe was too convincing. And now, in his effort to surpass Yilx, he has risen to a new plateau. It's RADICAL, just amazing."

"Do you think Mos-Quitoxe is even stronger than Yilx now?" paintseagull asked.

Birkal replied, "Yes, it's a possibility. One of many that may be played out in the spriting stage!"

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Uh, yeah, CAP 2 pre-evo's spriting stage! The sprite that gets picked here is what will possibly represent this Pokémon on simulators such as Pokemon Showdown! and Theorymon's Pokemon Online server. There are nine rules to keep track of in this stage, but it shouldn't be much worse than the art threads as long as you don't do fusions and such. CAP 2's final product can be found here.

There will be a warning before the thread closes. What I'm considering at the moment is to close this after the dex entries, rather than after the movepool entries like with Scratchet.

Pre-evo so far:

Final Submission

Lengthened the stem slightly, and fixed one of the spikes. Barely noticeable, but one becomes picky about that sort of thing.
ecology comic: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31563939/Nectacomic.png

I'm sorry to all of those people who wanted more drastic changes, but I simply don't have the time to make detailed alternate concepts! Best of luck to all successful entrants!

(Actuallly it seems that using dropbox lets changes to existing links happen without incident, so no need to mention that the two pictures are exactly the same ;))

Typing: Grass / Ghost
Abilities: Anticipation / (Telepathy)
Base stats: 49 HP / 55 Atk / 60 Def / 50 SpA / 75 SpD / 51 Spe

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Them thar rules

1. Sprites should be inspired by the winning design from the Art Poll. It does not need to be an exact rendition of every detail of the design; "artistic license" is granted to all spriters. However, drastic deviation from the selected art design is discouraged.
2. All sprites (front and back) can have a maximum size of 96x96.
3. All sprites (front and back) must have a complete, unbroken, distinguishable outline. It does not need to be a black outline, but it must be clearly distinguishable from the adjacent interior colors of the sprite.
4. No action effects, move effects, environment effects or additional objects can be rendered on or around the pokemon.
5. Sprites must be in PNG format.
6. Use 8-bit truecolor (aka 8-bit RGB) or less. This does NOT mean 256 color mode.
7. Use transparent backgrounds.
8. Fusions of other sprites are not allowed. All sprites must be scratch sprites.
9. Do not alter, fuse, recolor or otherwise modify another spriter's submission – unless the original artist explicitly gives permission.

Failure to follow these guidelines will result in the submission being disqualified and the post will be deleted.

Sprite submissions for the sprite poll will be selected by the Topic Leader, based on preference and feedback in this thread. There is no process for overturning the Topic Leader's decision. If you are not comfortable with this stipulation, then do not make a sprite submission. Do not post any complaints here or in later threads.

Additional information

There are 4 possible sprites:

• Front Normal Female
• Front Shiny Female
• Back Normal Female
• Back Shiny Female

In most cases, spriters submit a Front Normal sprite first. Once feedback comes in and the poll nears, they make the other sprites.

Animations are not required and will not be used as part of the final product; however, it does add to the "appeal" aspect of your submission.

Shinies are just recolors, so that’s not too tough. There’s lots of people that can’t scratch, that are willing to recolor your shiny, if you really don’t want to do it yourself. Just ask in the submission thread and you’ll get plenty of offers to help.

Please look at your transparent sprites against different colored backgrounds, not just white. In Pokemon Showdown!, the sprite will be displayed in a dynamic battle background that changes due to field effects.

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"I didn't want to do this, but I'll have to unleash the Sprite Polls..."

 

[Quanyails]

Alpha sprites:

Following Mos-Quixote's footsteps!

Well, can't do too much with the thankfully simpler sprite. :) Glad that it is simpler compared to Necturna, but there's less room for creativity.

I used Igglybuff and Togepi as a size scale to compare my sprite to, since they're roundish, baby pokemon.

Only thing I'm unsure of is the sprite's shiny colors; the red is to compare to Necturna's (garish) pink, and the green is meant to be more vivid compared to Necturna's wilted ocher. Should I change the green leaf to ocher? The shiny sprites remind me of Hoppip.

 

[EspyOwner]

Alpha sprites:

Only thing I'm unsure of is the sprite's shiny colors; the red is to compare to Necturna's (garish) pink, and the green is meant to be more vivid compared to Necturna's wilted ocher. Should I change the green leaf to ocher? The shiny sprites remind me of Hoppip.

If there's any comments I would have on the shiny sprite it's that I think you should make the underbelly of babbyturna a bit less vivid, it seems almost nonexistent with the current colours. I also feel like you shouldn't use such a light colour for the stripe on the leaf, it makes it seem like it disappeared.

 

[Mos-Quitoxe]

Well that "stripe" was just a line to denote the angle rather than a feature.
Quanyails I love how dumpy you made her, but I must ask if it's possible for you to make the hind-leg spikes on the frontsprite "flow" more in-contour with the leg? I'm not really liking that indentation below the lowest one.
For the leaf-thorn thingy, I think it needs to be a much darker shade on both regular and shiny(the eyespots on shiny are almost invisible), and I'd also much appreciate it if the stem could be made longer and curlier.
Other than that this is a solid entry!

 

[Quanyails]

Better? I'm not too sure if I rounded the back of the sprite enough; I don't want it to look like it's a straight line, either. Additionally, I fixed up the leaves (shiny leaf is darker, but quite vivid) and made the eyes more noticeable. I changed the second-darkest shade on the shiny to make it less bright. Now I wonder if I should desaturate the shiny's leaf. I should.

Heh, dumpy. :P

Edit: Added that indent on the design's middle, made the bump on the leaf more prominent, and darkened the shiny leaf's colors.

 

[Mos-Quitoxe]

Looking good! If you can find a way to bring out the mild indentation in the middle of the face then that'd be ace :)

 

[MikaDo]

Hmm, although my first sprite wasn't that succesfull, this sprite seems much less difficult. By the way, Quanyails, I would think it looks better if it's stem is a little longer

 

[zyrefredric]

This is my first attempt at spriting, so I'd really appreciate some constructive criticism. Also, there are a few things I don't know yet, so i have a few questions:

• Use 8-bit truecolor (aka 8-bit RGB) or less. This does NOT mean 256 color mode. - What does this mean?
• Use transparent backgrounds. - How do I do that? I only use MS Paint.

 

[MikaDo]

My submission:

Its shiny forme is based on Necurna's shiny sprite.
I like it personally. I only think the front sprite misses something. I don't knnow what. I have to go now.

 

[Mos-Quitoxe]

• Use 8-bit truecolor (aka 8-bit RGB) or less. This does NOT mean 256 color mode. - What does this mean?
• Use transparent backgrounds. - How do I do that? I only use MS Paint.

This means you are basically restricted to 15 colors (the transparent background counts as the 16th) but there's some leeway either way since 1: there's no CAP LC and 2: PS!/PO don't have the same restrictions as the handheld games do, at least in principle.
The other issue, if you're using paint, can be solved by uploading it to http://www.iaza.com/, converting the file to a gif and transparentifying the background there.

 

[MikaDo]

This is my first attempt at spriting, so I'd really appreciate some constructive criticism. Also, there are a few thing I don't know yet, so i have a few questions:

• Use 8-bit truecolor (aka 8-bit RGB) or less. This does NOT mean 256 color mode. - What does this mean?
• Use transparent backgrounds. - How do I do that? I only use MS Paint.

I use photofiltre to make things transparent. You can download it for free

 

[Quanyails]

Minor edits; made the back sprite's back spikes one pixel lower, and made the front sprite's front a little rounder.

• zyrefredric: Very nice for a first sprite, but small things to consider when outlining the sprite; make the edges smoothly curved; for example, the slopes of the front of the design on the left is inconsistent, while the top of the head on the right is a sharp bend rather than a curve. A gradual change in slope works to smooth out the figure. Additionally, the eyes look a little angular. If that pixel on the top-left corner of the right eye is erased or changed, I think it'd make the sprite look smoother. Now, I'm not too keen on the green shading for the design; differently-colored shading as opposed to a recolor is very G/S/C era. You could make the white parts in the shiny a light shade of green, and the green shade a darker shade of green. :P 8-bit truecolor is any color that can be seen on an 8-bit screen (or something), which is mostly all colors you use. Other art programs usually can make a background transparent, but not MS Paint, unfortunately (I sprite my stuff in Paint, then use Photoshop to clear the background).
• MikaDo: The sprite first looks a bit big; for a first-stage pokemon, I'd reduce its size to--as I've mentioned, something like Igglybuff or Togepi. Secondly, the forehead is a bit large, so you should the eyes and mouth up or move the leaf down.

 

[zyrefredric]

@Quanyails, thanks you so much for all the suggestions. And thanks also Mos and Mikado for the transparency suggestion. I really appreciate all your help, and with that here's an update to my submission.

I tried to do most, if not all of Quanyails' suggestions, and I agree it makes the sprite looks smoother. Also, if you'd notice, I made the berry inside exposed both in the front and back sprite. I interpreted the art design as a berry, where the white parts bearing the eyes and teeth are oversized sepal. Any suggestions for shading of the berry inside? I'm also not too sure I made the spikes of the back sprite right.

 

[Quanyails]

Excellent progress, zyrefredric. The spikes on the back sprite are horizontal to each other, while the rest of the sprite is at a tilt. One side of spikes should be moved to keep that consistency. Speaking of, the leaf/tuft is curving the opposite way compared to Mos's picture. Minor fix. :P
Now, for the berry's shading; the front sprite is good, although the shadows in the backsprite should cover the entire black part. I wouldn't think that round, light part would be visible. One other thing you might need to look at is how much contrast you made for the berry part of the shiny sprite. It resembles two different colors compared to your sprite's other shadows.
Hmm, you've still got to fully recolor the shiny's green area. The highlight's still quite white.

 

[chrysthehamster]

is it too late to submit sprites?/

 

[Kyuzeth]

No, Chrys, there's planty of time! Go ahead and post! :]

 

[chrysthehamster]

this may seem a dumb question but how do i put in my sprites which are in PNG format?
cut me some slack im only thirteen

 

[chrysthehamster]

my sprites
im newish to spriting so comment please
i figured out how to show pics
whoops, see next post 4 actual sprites

 

[chrysthehamster]

my sprites (ateempt 2)

 

[MikaDo]

Hmmm.... edited the size a bit, and changed the colors.

By the way; Quanyails, the tekst says it should be inspired from the art, and it doesn't have to be exactly the same. So the vine's side isn't really a problem, I think.

 

[Quanyails]

chrysthehamster, I recommend you edit your post instead of making a new one. But, onto the sprite itself. The front sprite's face looks like it's leaning back. Maybe that's intentional, but then the rest of the sprite (most prominently, the leaf) has to emulate that. The light, peach-ish outline on the shiny is a bit too bright, so could you darken that?

MikaDo: The forehead still's a bit big--in fact, the head looks rather oblong from how you outlined the front. Again, move the eyes/mouth up, or move the leaf down. :)
There's an inconsistency in the back spikes between the front and back sprites. How many are there? Because the front sprite has two, while the back has two and a third pair of somethings I don't really know. Maybe if you explain it, I'd understand. Yes, artistic license allows you to make edits to a sprite from its design, but it's, hmm, a bit prevalent in the original design? Not like Necturna, where the immense detail required some spriters to tamper with them.

 

[MikaDo]

chrysthehamster, I recommend you edit your post instead of making a new one. But, onto the sprite itself. The front sprite's face looks like it's leaning back. Maybe that's intentional, but then the rest of the sprite (most prominently, the leaf) has to emulate that. The light, peach-ish outline on the shiny is a bit too bright, so could you darken that?

MikaDo: The forehead still's a bit big--in fact, the head looks rather oblong from how you outlined the front. Again, move the eyes/mouth up, or move the leaf down. :)
There's an inconsistency in the back spikes between the front and back sprites. How many are there? Because the front sprite has two, while the back has two and a third pair of somethings I don't really know. Maybe if you explain it, I'd understand. Yes, artistic license allows you to make edits to a sprite from its design, but it's, hmm, a bit prevalent in the original design? Not like Necturna, where the immense detail required some spriters to tamper with them.

Thanks for all of your tips by the way! Yeah the backsprite sure needs editing, also in colors. I just wanted to try some things out and see how people will react. The eyes will be edited.

Edit:

When will the next CAP take place?

 

[chrysthehamster]

i edited the outline to a darker colour and i tried to make the leaf lean back more also made the leaf curve the other way

thanks quanyails for the suggestions

 

[Juicebox 001]

I'm surprised that I managed sprites like this!!!! I'm getting all emotional.. *sniff*

But seriously, these are my sprites for the CAP-2 Pre-evo. I'm kinda new to spriting so comments on how I can improve it are welcome. (Just be nice! :) )

 

[chrysthehamster]

I'm surprised that I managed sprites like this!!!! I'm getting all emotional.. *sniff*

But seriously, these are my sprites for the CAP-2 Pre-evo. I'm kinda new to spriting so comments on how I can improve it are welcome. (Just be nice! :) )

good sprites brother
however i personally think that the leaf on his head looks to staight up and the whitecovery bit is too long
but thats just my opinion