A few weeks ago me and my pal @The Zombie Penguin were chatting and they brought up a super hero series they’re working on. I wasn’t raised around super hero stories, but I thought I’d have a go to see what I could come up with.
Premise:
People with powers are called/have Fireworks. Anyone can get powers, it’s just a phenomenon that started up in the 90’s (let’s say after a meteor shower, ok?).
Everything is firework terminology. So there might be comet, sparkler and wheel class people etc.
All Fireworks have the capacity to ‘explode’, becoming ten times as powerful at the cost of becoming monsters. Only some ever recover.
They can also burn out, losing their powers (likely more a mental block than permanently), becoming bitter or jealous, though a few happily retire.
Not really called Jack Gamble, naturally, Altan Ganbaatar is a translator from Mongolia, whose Firework ignited when a common crook Inferno tried to burn down the embassy he was working at. His power is to have the direct opposite power of whoever he’s facing… though no necessarily a better or more effective power. He struggles against those that have mastered their power, but his wit and creativity give him an undeniable edge. Altan is unsure of his identity, sexuality and even if he ‘counts’ as a Mongolian due to his mixed heritage, and his powers reflect that feeling of being in constant opposition with society.
Young Medusa was a model, rapper, dancer, actress, the works. But all that changed when acid was thrown over her by a jealous lover. This caused her Firework to ignite; the ability to reduce kinetic energy. Basically, she can do stuff like freeze bullets mid-air, a kind of reverse super speed—whatever she looks at slows down. Her power is a metaphor for he being forever stuck in the moment that ruined her life, but over time she can learn to live with this new outsider’s perspective.
Whiplash was a rising star, son of a beloved hero, but he exploded early in his career when two people were put in danger beyond his reach… until they weren’t, and Whiplash spent the week as a half a mile long ball of goo and prehensile limbs. Implanted with an experimental stabiliser, called a “snub”, Whiplash became something like his former self, with greatly reduced power. A mental illness metaphor, Whiplash is normal now, but feels like a shadow of his former self. Yet, if he took the snub out, would he explode again?
Otherwise known as The Tomorrow Woman, Kal Aurat cannot (or won’t) interact with the physical. This allows her to fly, pass through walls and disrupt all manner of technology. Widely considered the smartest woman alive, she prefers to act as a scientific consultant than a super hero. What she looks like under the helmet is a well kept secret. Her powers are simply put: I am so aloof I literally can’t be touched. This self inflicted isolation is a curse that she sees as a blessing—until it’s too late.
—
I guess there’s no reason for them to hang out, but that’s where a script comes in.
It’s mostly going to be pixel art once I get a pixel art app I like (on my budget of not much money cost please), but for now it’ll be doodles as I think it over.
It’s basically an imaginary four player adventure game. I’m calling it Quadruple Quest!
A proper designer would do multiple costume designs, but for now this is it. After all, I’ll be converting it to tiny pixel art soon enough.
I really wanted the wing shaped cloak and hood, though I’m not entirely sure physics would allow for this exactly.
The look I want is “impractical knock-off version of a legendary hero’s outfit”. It doesn’t really provide any protection, and the bright tabard is an addition to the hero’s attire that allows people to show off family coat of arms or some personal symbol. The boots are modelled after old swashbuckler movies, bringing to mind The Princess Bride and Pirates etc. The gloves are for archery, and because fingerless gloves are cool.
Ignore the head on there, that’s just a mannequin for the outfit design.
I’m not trying to score progressiveness points, but it seems to me nothing is gained by giving genders to the playable characters in simple top-down pixel art game. With that in mind, I’ve tried to make them a mixture of all possible outcomes while still making each one unique to look at. In addition, since I couldn’t get every sort of skin tone in there I tried to do as even spread as four characters allow; there’re of no particular race, but you can put upon them whatever you imagine. All this is done in the hope of making it friendly—it’s nice to see yourself in a hero.
For now they’re called Nori, Keld, Pata and Toku.
Toku’s pink hair is a reference to the game A Link to the Past.
Just in case anyone cares, my choices intentionally lean towards red. Even the ‘white’ is a very faint pink, while the ‘black’ is actually a desaturated, dark violet. I want Quadruple Quest to have a warmth to it.
There are two ‘sad blues’ in there that defy this, which will be used for water and things to do with the divine.
I may have to take the plunge and go for much bigger sprites, more equivalent to the Gameboy Advanced, which will be far more work but allow me to reveal their personalities more. Perhaps I’ll save that for a “sequel” after I’ve masted this small 16 by 16 pixel style.
Extremely speedy passes on the final boss of Quadruple Quest.
A. Inhumanly tall person in mourning garb, wearing a veiled hat.
B. Ancient princess floating on air in a dress that trails the ground.
C. Generic NES era beast king. Potentially a really good fit for QQ!
D. Four headed dragon. Keeps the 4 theming one character.
E. Unassuming elderly person is actually the villain. Extra points if it’s a “twist”.
F. Just a big general type guy. Could be a monster too.
G. Sentient random shapes?!
H. Unsettling human headed dragonfly god. No idea why I keep coming back to that.
I. The eye the represents evil for some reason. Probably possesses someone for the last fight.
The beauty of a final boss is that it can have three phases that use any combination of forms. Means I could have a hottie or cool edgy human-like first form, then switch into a monster and end with something truly weird.
I like the idea of hidden collectibles, like stars from Mario or Koroks from the latest Zelda game. Especially in a multiplayer game, it might be nice to give a younger/inquisitive player something to do while others are more focused on combat and completing the current area. I’ll add that in this fictional game it’d be fun if the things you find follow you around for the rest of the level. This’d provide no benefit, it’d just be cute.
A. A nature spirit. I absolutely can’t use this, even if my project isn’t for sale, as this is just stealing the Korok concept.
B. Riffing on Mario stars, but I’m already not into this star pixie idea.
C. Kinda dig this pebble spirit! I imagine they make little ‘tink tink tink’ noises as they walk.
D. Based on the dog I had growing up! A winged fluffy dog. Dig this one too.
E. Fragments of the divine quadrangle, or whatever. Easiest to make in pixel art, but not very friendly.
F. Basically one of them fluffy snakes on a string.
How it works is upper case letters are floating dots, while lower case letters are the cross with a line added to them. Then, by forcing the font to squish together, the letters begin to overlap in a fairly unobtrusive way.
Less plausible in dialogue text, but on sign posts this language could be entirely linked together.
My thought process was basically:
- Evil princess to make a not very original spin on the save the princess routine.
- Opera singer. Drama, scenery chewing monologues.
- Everyone loved the giant lady from the latest Resident Evil.
- That one Power Ranger’s villain.
- Very long hair could be used for attacks.
- This would be a good excuse to draw improbable catwalk fashion.
- You don’t get as many female villains that don’t have weird issues (child stealer, crazy, attracted to hero, need to become beautiful or young) and aren’t subordinate to others. This villain is large and in charge, with the power to take over the world!
So many fun ideas! This is super inspirational coming into your thread and seeing your brainstorming in-progress.
I have to admit that this part of the process is one of my weaker areas. I can paint a portrait or landscape without too much effort, but a blank page has brought me to tears many a time.
So many fun ideas! This is super inspirational coming into your thread and seeing your brainstorming in-progress.
I have to admit that this part of the process is one of my weaker areas. I can paint a portrait or landscape without too much effort, but a blank page has brought me to tears many a time.
Keep up the good work
Thank you. Ideas are my bag, it’s more the execution that holds me back. C:
Not art, just a size comparison. The heroes, the villain, an enemy and a boss.
Once I’ve made the mountains of pixel art that comes with an adventure game, this’ll no doubt be tweaked to fit the size constraints, but it’s an idea.
Posts
I am doing plenty of art today, but none to show here. Not yet anyway.
Premise:
People with powers are called/have Fireworks. Anyone can get powers, it’s just a phenomenon that started up in the 90’s (let’s say after a meteor shower, ok?).
Everything is firework terminology. So there might be comet, sparkler and wheel class people etc.
All Fireworks have the capacity to ‘explode’, becoming ten times as powerful at the cost of becoming monsters. Only some ever recover.
They can also burn out, losing their powers (likely more a mental block than permanently), becoming bitter or jealous, though a few happily retire.
Not really called Jack Gamble, naturally, Altan Ganbaatar is a translator from Mongolia, whose Firework ignited when a common crook Inferno tried to burn down the embassy he was working at. His power is to have the direct opposite power of whoever he’s facing… though no necessarily a better or more effective power. He struggles against those that have mastered their power, but his wit and creativity give him an undeniable edge. Altan is unsure of his identity, sexuality and even if he ‘counts’ as a Mongolian due to his mixed heritage, and his powers reflect that feeling of being in constant opposition with society.
Young Medusa was a model, rapper, dancer, actress, the works. But all that changed when acid was thrown over her by a jealous lover. This caused her Firework to ignite; the ability to reduce kinetic energy. Basically, she can do stuff like freeze bullets mid-air, a kind of reverse super speed—whatever she looks at slows down. Her power is a metaphor for he being forever stuck in the moment that ruined her life, but over time she can learn to live with this new outsider’s perspective.
Whiplash was a rising star, son of a beloved hero, but he exploded early in his career when two people were put in danger beyond his reach… until they weren’t, and Whiplash spent the week as a half a mile long ball of goo and prehensile limbs. Implanted with an experimental stabiliser, called a “snub”, Whiplash became something like his former self, with greatly reduced power. A mental illness metaphor, Whiplash is normal now, but feels like a shadow of his former self. Yet, if he took the snub out, would he explode again?
Otherwise known as The Tomorrow Woman, Kal Aurat cannot (or won’t) interact with the physical. This allows her to fly, pass through walls and disrupt all manner of technology. Widely considered the smartest woman alive, she prefers to act as a scientific consultant than a super hero. What she looks like under the helmet is a well kept secret. Her powers are simply put: I am so aloof I literally can’t be touched. This self inflicted isolation is a curse that she sees as a blessing—until it’s too late.
—
I guess there’s no reason for them to hang out, but that’s where a script comes in.
How’d I do? Super hero-y?
It’s mostly going to be pixel art once I get a pixel art app I like (on my budget of not much money cost please), but for now it’ll be doodles as I think it over.
It’s basically an imaginary four player adventure game. I’m calling it Quadruple Quest!
I really wanted the wing shaped cloak and hood, though I’m not entirely sure physics would allow for this exactly.
The look I want is “impractical knock-off version of a legendary hero’s outfit”. It doesn’t really provide any protection, and the bright tabard is an addition to the hero’s attire that allows people to show off family coat of arms or some personal symbol. The boots are modelled after old swashbuckler movies, bringing to mind The Princess Bride and Pirates etc. The gloves are for archery, and because fingerless gloves are cool.
Ignore the head on there, that’s just a mannequin for the outfit design.
Thoughts?
I’m not trying to score progressiveness points, but it seems to me nothing is gained by giving genders to the playable characters in simple top-down pixel art game. With that in mind, I’ve tried to make them a mixture of all possible outcomes while still making each one unique to look at. In addition, since I couldn’t get every sort of skin tone in there I tried to do as even spread as four characters allow; there’re of no particular race, but you can put upon them whatever you imagine. All this is done in the hope of making it friendly—it’s nice to see yourself in a hero.
For now they’re called Nori, Keld, Pata and Toku.
Toku’s pink hair is a reference to the game A Link to the Past.
In practise they’ll just be black knight mini-bosses, but I’ll always know what they look like.
1. Chatty crow.
2. Many haunted skulls.
3. Dough person.
4. Pine tree person.
5. Unsettling dragonfly god.
6. A guru.
7. Terrifying yet friendly creature in shadows.
8. Bamboo person.
9. Tooth fairy.
10. Many haunted swords.
11. Rotating faux-3D square.
12. Sassy cat.
13. Disassociating totem pole.
14. Dark Souls unobtrusive floor words.
Right now I’m making a palette for Quadruple Quest. I won’t be beholden to it, but I find the limitation creates cohesion with pixel art.
I’ve managed to make a pixel width brush in Procreate so I’m just going to try it in that, rather than getting a focused pixel art app.
There are two ‘sad blues’ in there that defy this, which will be used for water and things to do with the divine.
A. Inhumanly tall person in mourning garb, wearing a veiled hat.
B. Ancient princess floating on air in a dress that trails the ground.
C. Generic NES era beast king. Potentially a really good fit for QQ!
D. Four headed dragon. Keeps the 4 theming one character.
E. Unassuming elderly person is actually the villain. Extra points if it’s a “twist”.
F. Just a big general type guy. Could be a monster too.
G. Sentient random shapes?!
H. Unsettling human headed dragonfly god. No idea why I keep coming back to that.
I. The eye the represents evil for some reason. Probably possesses someone for the last fight.
I like the idea of hidden collectibles, like stars from Mario or Koroks from the latest Zelda game. Especially in a multiplayer game, it might be nice to give a younger/inquisitive player something to do while others are more focused on combat and completing the current area. I’ll add that in this fictional game it’d be fun if the things you find follow you around for the rest of the level. This’d provide no benefit, it’d just be cute.
A. A nature spirit. I absolutely can’t use this, even if my project isn’t for sale, as this is just stealing the Korok concept.
B. Riffing on Mario stars, but I’m already not into this star pixie idea.
C. Kinda dig this pebble spirit! I imagine they make little ‘tink tink tink’ noises as they walk.
D. Based on the dog I had growing up! A winged fluffy dog. Dig this one too.
E. Fragments of the divine quadrangle, or whatever. Easiest to make in pixel art, but not very friendly.
F. Basically one of them fluffy snakes on a string.
Less plausible in dialogue text, but on sign posts this language could be entirely linked together.
My thought process was basically:
- Evil princess to make a not very original spin on the save the princess routine.
- Opera singer. Drama, scenery chewing monologues.
- Everyone loved the giant lady from the latest Resident Evil.
- That one Power Ranger’s villain.
- Very long hair could be used for attacks.
- This would be a good excuse to draw improbable catwalk fashion.
- You don’t get as many female villains that don’t have weird issues (child stealer, crazy, attracted to hero, need to become beautiful or young) and aren’t subordinate to others. This villain is large and in charge, with the power to take over the world!
I have to admit that this part of the process is one of my weaker areas. I can paint a portrait or landscape without too much effort, but a blank page has brought me to tears many a time.
Keep up the good work
More concept art for the main villain.
Thank you. Ideas are my bag, it’s more the execution that holds me back. C:
Once I’ve made the mountains of pixel art that comes with an adventure game, this’ll no doubt be tweaked to fit the size constraints, but it’s an idea.
Just chilling with some enemies.