Even arid mountain cities get rain.
Pyr is going to have ash falling most of the time. But there’s a 4% chance of a rain happening for a little while.
It’s tough to see the rain in a still image. Take my word for it.
Variety in the weather
Category: <span>Graphics</span>
New menu layout
Full EXP and JP:
This new layout is very dense with information. But as someone who has spent many hours grinding in Final Fantasy 5, checking the menu to see my character’s current JP is very convenient.
I’m debating whether or not to keep the larger text for the current HP and MP. Technically it’s not very important to draw the player’s eye to these values, since they are refilled after each battle. I may put this layout into the battle UI, and change this menu to have a current-only value.
Bravely Default menu
Final Fantasy 5 Menu
RPG Maker MV default menu
FCQ menu V1
Bravely Default, and the job-based Final Fantasy series before it, is a big influence on this project. The way their menu organizes information is a lot more elegant than what I have now, so I’m going to have to move in that direction.
FCQ menu V2 (Updated December 2016)
Automating pixel art
Using filters to turn full-colour illustrations into pixel art usually results in a sloppy final product.
But… it’s much less time intensive than drawing each sprite by hand. I’ve iterated on my automated Photoshop action many times, and it really fits the style I’m going for. In lieu of a budget and artists, it’s a good fallback.
I appreciate how the low fidelity of pixel art allows your imagination to fill in the details. Of course, my opinion is overwhelmingly coloured by nostalgia.
Image from RPG Maker MV. A low-resolution version is used for the purposes of education and commentary.
Iterating on the enemy design
Iteration 1
Iteration 2
Notably, the palette has been restricted to match the rest of the game. True black no longer exists.
Shadows have been removed, since they’re difficult to do manage consistently, especially if characters will be floating/jumping.
Iteration 3
Between iterations, the average sprite size became a little larger, then scaled back down again. I’m trying to keep them all relatively the same size. Larger = psychologically more threatening, so I’m saving larger sprites for boss monsters.