CAP 24 CAP 24 - Part 10 - Sprite Submissions

[Birkal]

Sprite Rules

• Sprites should be inspired by the winning designs from the Art Poll. It does not need to be an exact rendition of every detail of the designs; "artistic license" is granted to all spriters. However, drastic deviation from the selected art designs is discouraged.
• All sprites (front and back) can have a maximum size of 96x96.
• 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
• No action effects, move effects, environment effects or additional objects can be rendered on or around the pokemon.
• Sprites must be in PNG format.
• Use 8-bit truecolor (aka 8-bit RGB) or less. This does NOT mean 256 color mode.
• Use transparent backgrounds.
• All sprites must be scratch sprites that are completely original works by the spriter. Fusions of other sprites or pixel-overs of other artist's lineart (including the main design) are not allowed.
• Do not alter, fuse, recolor or otherwise modify another spriter's submission unless the original artist explicitly gives permission.
• All sprites (front and back) must use roughly the same size and pose when compared to each other.

Final Submission Post

All spriters must make a final submission post conforming to the sprite rules (listed above) and the following:

• The post must have "Final Submission" (in bold) as the first line, with the sprites at the top, and any additional description or comments (if applicable) below them.
• Final submissions must contain a minimum of 4 sprites - Front Normal, Front Shiny, Back Normal, Back Shiny. If spriters choose to include gender differences (Male and Female versions of each) then 8 sprites must be submitted. Gender differences are NOT required.
• Only submit ONE PNG that contains all the submitted sprites. Please do not submit separate images for every sprite. One "cutsheet" makes it easier for mods to track submissions and ensure each complete set of sprites stay intact.
• Only make one (1) final submission post.

All legal final submissions will be included in the sprite poll.

Advice for Spriters

There are 8 possible sprites in a Sprite Set:

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

In most cases, spriters post a Front Normal sprite first. Once feedback comes in and the poll nears, they make the other sprites. You do not have to make different Male and Female sprites. Typically there are only minute differences between male and female sprites, but some spriters make noticeable changes between genders, which is also fine. Shiny coloring is completely up to the spriter to choose, even if the design artist posted suggested shiny coloring with their art design submission. Please look at your transparent sprites against different colored backgrounds, not just white. In Pokémon Showdown, the sprite will be displayed on multiple background colors in battle.


Art Design:

CAP 24 So Far

Topic Leader: Drapionswing

Topic Leadership Team:
SHSP: Typing Leader
Drew: Ability Leader
reachzero: Stats Leader
mxmts: Movepool Leader

Concept:

• Name - Snow or Shine (or Sand)
• Description - A Pokemon that abuses 2 weather conditions for different effects
• Justification - Currently in CAP, there is only one form of weather that is really worth using: rain, and only one really type of weather abuser: offensive sweeper. This concept means to address both of these issues by creating a new niche for two weather conditions. This concept would fill the archetype of a weather abuser, but I feel it also fits into the Actualization category as it would also aim to create a new role for a weather abuser for 1 or more different weather conditions.
• Questions To Be Answered
  • Why are hail, sun, and sand underrepresented in the current metagame?
  • What makes rain the best weather condition currently?
  • How can this CAP encourage the use of other weather conditions? What do hail, sun, and/or sand need? Sweepers? Setters? Walls?
  • What weather effects are underutilized? How can we successfully use these effects?
  • How can one Pokemon utilize different weather conditions for different effects and sets?
  • Should this Pokemon be able to function outside of weather-based teams? If so, what niche would it need to fulfill? If it sets it's own weather, is it enough to abuse the weather condition on its own?
• Explanation - For those who don't fully see how a not-sweeper weather abuser could work, take Lileep in LC for example. Lileep, mainly back in BW and XY as sand is quite uncommon in SM, is on most sand teams, as it can abuse its Rock-typing to boost Special Defense, the passive damage from sand, and its access to Recover and Toxic to become a weather abusing wall. Another possible interaction would be running Ferrothorn on rain teams to semi-nullify its Fire weakness. Not only typings are underexplored though! There are many moves, items, and of course abilities that can be used to abuse different weather conditions in a way that no Pokemon really does currently.

Pokemon we want to beat:

Sun:
Heatran, Crawdaunt, Latios, Mega Latios, Pajantom, Zygarde,

Sand:
Heatran, Landorus-T, Tapu Bulu, Tomohawk


Pokemon we want to pressure/threaten:
Mega Mawille, Cawmodore, Ash Greninja, Kartana, Marowak-Alola, Celesteela

Pokemon we want to check Cap24:
Fire-Types: Volcarona, Marowak-Alola, Pyroak(Sand), Blacephalon, Victini
Steel Types: Mega Scizor, Excadrill, Magearna(Sand)
Poison Types: Plasmanta, Mollux, Crucibelle, Mega Crucibelle, Toxapex, Mega Venusaur(Sun)
Priority Users: Kitsunoh, Mega Pinsir, Mega Scizor, Syclant, Cawmodore
Other: Mega Alakazam, Hawlucha

Pokemon we want to counter Cap24:
Mega Venusaur(Sand)
Mega Charizard Y
Pyroak(Sun)
Chansey

Typing: Grass/Fairy
Abilities: Drought/Trace
Stats: 92 HP / 63 Atk / 97 Def / 124 SpA / 104 SpD / 96 Spe

Weight: ≥500 kg

 

[Mova]

Here's my front sprite of the baobuddy.

 

[Mintly]

Here's my version with a total color count of 15!

 

[G-Luke]

Here's my version with a total color count of 15!

This looks well done!

 

[Morghulis]

WIP

probably will clean up the outline a bit more -- thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[the_4_end]

Here's my front sprite of the baobuddy.

I love the colors here, and I think you did a great job with the belt. Good sprite!

One thing I find missing from all of the sprites submitted so far is the appearance of action. I like how the original art has CAP24 mid-dance and in motion - it gives a different character than standing still like any other tree. It would be cool to see some different poses.

 

[Mintly]

I love the colors here, and I think you did a great job with the belt. Good sprite!

One thing I find missing from all of the sprites submitted so far is the appearance of action. I like how the original art has CAP24 mid-dance and in motion - it gives a different character than standing still like any other tree. It would be cool to see some different poses.

The problem with this is that most Black/White sprites aren't really in motion. Most of them are pretty still, and its the animation that gives them the movement.

Take these three sprites:

Notice how none of them are in a dynamic pose, they're all just standing there.

Now take their animations:

Here's where the movement and life is brought in. A pose like what you mentioned is more relating to Sawk's Black/White animation:

It moves into a raised leg position for a few frames before dropping back down.

and to make this post not totally filler, heres an update:

Im trying to pick shiny colors! The leftmost one is the Original, and the others are ideas. im personally in favor of Pink/Yellow and Green/White. let me know what you guys think!

 

[the_4_end]

The problem with this is that most Black/White sprites aren't really in motion. Most of them are pretty still, and its the animation that gives them the movement.

That's a fair point. Thanks for the examples. I'm always impressed by what you guys can do for sprites.

and to make this post not totally filler, heres an update:

Im trying to pick shiny colors! The leftmost one is the Original, and the others are ideas. im personally in favor of Pink/Yellow and Green/White. let me know what you guys think!

I really like the green as a shiny primary color, as in #4, but the darker belt in #3 is a nice touch to differentiate from the normal color scheme.

 

[Falchion]

WIP

Wave those branches in the air like you just don't care~

Just a sketch for now - I still need to add those belt-flaps and make some minor proportion adjustments. I tried to go with a more lively pose like in the source art, like he's doing a little dance. If this sprite were animated, I imagine he'd totally throw down with Omastar on the dance floor! :D

EDIT: Added the remaining roots and also flat color! I'm glad Pipotchi provided a color study to use as a reference, so yeah. Thanks, Pip!

 

[StephXPM]

WIP

Probably gonna lower the front leg and adjust some colors. Still gotta add the tufts to the shimenawa, too.

Update:

 

[Mova]

WIP

Edited the sprite based on advice from Sunfished DatHeatmor

EDIT: Added a shiny.

 

[Frostbiyt]

Does the outline of the sprite have to be all one color?

 

[Clawed Nyasu]

Does the outline of the sprite have to be all one color?

Nope! All Pokemon-style sprites in every generation use sel-out to break up the outline color (usually lightening toward the light source.)

 

[Darquezze]

WIP

Probably gonna lower the front leg and adjust some colors. Still gotta add the tufts to the shimenawa, too.

Update:

Wow those are great! Are the minor changes gender differences?

 

[StephXPM]

Wow those are great! Are the minor changes gender differences?

Oh, no. I was just putting those side by side to compare the shading on the stomach, haha.

While we're at it, I've updated the leaves to look less like flowers and more like, well, leaves. I'm gonna touch up the bow on the back to be a little thinner, too.

 

[Wulfanator]

WIP

He will hug you. Be afraid.

Size comparison

 

[Sgt.Moose]

I might as well to post it in the thread too, even though I'm not sure if I will final submit anything.

 

[Falchion]

WIP

(Old version, for comparison)

Colored outlines! Also slimmed down the top part of the main body and modified the face to fit the concept art better; may practice refining the body shape a little more before adding the shading.

There's ten colors used in this pic overall; that means I'll have to shade with just six more colors. No pressure!

EDIT: Finished the front sprites with shading and shinies! And now for the back ones...

Special thanks to Wulfanator72 for the inspiration regarding the male/female color differences! Kinda like Hippowdon lol. :D

 

[Wulfanator]

WIP

Since there were mixed opinions regarding gender specific variations, thought Id just leave this here

 

[Quanyails]

For spriters who need it, Pipotchi posted lots of great references for the baobab design! Here are his posts with supporting art:

• https://www.smogon.com/forums/posts/7714708
• https://www.smogon.com/forums/posts/7719151
• https://www.smogon.com/forums/posts/7746635

These show the baobab's features quite well, including some small details that people might miss, like the asymmetry of its bands and ropes, or how the ropes on the arms don't loop all the way around.

--

Anyway, here's the rough draft for my front sprite!

I wanted to go with a stance that was more suitable for fighting than dancing, and one that would look "balanced" for animation. I give my thanks to Meepbard, Pipotchi, StephanXPM, and Sunfished for feedback! I'm still open to feedback about the sprite before I get to the back. :)

In general, looking over the above sprites, I don't think baobab is a 'mon that needs gender differences. After Gen. IV, the only Pokemon with gender differences express sexual dimorphism, where the genders differ much more drastically than palette and details. I personally don't think the baobab is the right 'mon for that sort of difference. Besides this general feedback, I've given suggestions to other spriters through Discord. If you haven't checked your sprite in there, you're missing out!

 

[Reviloja753]

Hippowdon

Hi! I love your sprites atm, especially the gender differences. I also like what you did with the shiny’s face and leaves. But frankly, I don’t like the shiny body color. The green isn’t very appealing. Maybe try some other colors? If you wanna start from scratch with it, perhaps use DatHeatmor ‘s pink/yellow shiny pallet.

 

[Quanyails]

Made a back sprite, as well as made tweaks to the front sprite. ^_^

Changelog for the front sprite:
* Made forehead tuft bigger
* Adjusted shading
* Made bow smaller

Thanks to Darquezze, paintseagull, and philiptsmithii for feedback. :)

 

[StephXPM]

I think I'm about done with these two, but I'm open to hear what others think!

Since my previous iteration, I've done a few touch-ups to get it more on-model:

- Adjusted the number of bands on the ribbon
- Moved the belt more upward on the front sprite, touched up the roots
- Made feet a little wider
- Gave the waist patterns more visibility
- Fixed some shadows

This is an outdated sprite, but it's what I was thinking of going for in terms of shiny palette (with some color fixes to the mask).

EDIT:

 

[Wulfanator]

Front and back

 

[StephXPM]

Final Submission