Hand-drawn animation coming to Monster Boy
Dear lovely Monster Boy fans, friends and followers
we'd like to share some news with you today. Are you in a comfortable position and ready to digest another graphics overhaul posting? We sure hope so! :p While we continue to work on our major graphics update for all the levels and areas in the game, we also decided to rework the characters and their animations in the game. Since the early days of the project, the character sprite animation was a big subject in all the internet discussions about the visuals of Monster Boy. We greatly value all your feedback that reaches us via emails, blog, internet message boards, reddit and of course NeoGAF. It's been tremendously helpful to understand where we are and what we need to improve to create not only a fun game but also a game that's gorgeous to look at. Worry not, though. It's not just the graphics we work on. We also use the time to keep improving levels, especially towards the end of the game and several story bits. All the polishing on graphics and gameplay will offer a level of variety that's rare to be seen in a single game. It's like playing 6 games in one!
Now that you're up-to-date, please check out this first preview image of new Jin:
We'll reveal the other characters in future blog updates. It's really important to understand that with the new approach we're able to animate everything and create a very dynamic character that has unique movements. It's a pure joy to see the results in motion. We can also let him interact with the environment in a more realistic way.
In comparison with the old Jin sprite you'll also notice a brighter coloring which is the result of the new animation technology. Some may think that the new traditional animation has drawbacks regarding the visible changes of cloth, armor, weapon, shield and boots but worry not. We have implemented a technology that allows us to still show different weapons and equipment right on the character sprite. Please look forward to see our new tech in action. Until then we hope you have a wonderful time with many cool game releases this Fall and Winter. We'll be hard at work to finish Monster Boy in the meantime. See ya!
we'd like to share some news with you today. Are you in a comfortable position and ready to digest another graphics overhaul posting? We sure hope so! :p While we continue to work on our major graphics update for all the levels and areas in the game, we also decided to rework the characters and their animations in the game. Since the early days of the project, the character sprite animation was a big subject in all the internet discussions about the visuals of Monster Boy. We greatly value all your feedback that reaches us via emails, blog, internet message boards, reddit and of course NeoGAF. It's been tremendously helpful to understand where we are and what we need to improve to create not only a fun game but also a game that's gorgeous to look at. Worry not, though. It's not just the graphics we work on. We also use the time to keep improving levels, especially towards the end of the game and several story bits. All the polishing on graphics and gameplay will offer a level of variety that's rare to be seen in a single game. It's like playing 6 games in one!
Now that you're up-to-date, please check out this first preview image of new Jin:
This new version of Jin will tremendously benefit from fully hand-drawn animation.
We'll reveal the other characters in future blog updates. It's really important to understand that with the new approach we're able to animate everything and create a very dynamic character that has unique movements. It's a pure joy to see the results in motion. We can also let him interact with the environment in a more realistic way.
In comparison with the old Jin sprite you'll also notice a brighter coloring which is the result of the new animation technology. Some may think that the new traditional animation has drawbacks regarding the visible changes of cloth, armor, weapon, shield and boots but worry not. We have implemented a technology that allows us to still show different weapons and equipment right on the character sprite. Please look forward to see our new tech in action. Until then we hope you have a wonderful time with many cool game releases this Fall and Winter. We'll be hard at work to finish Monster Boy in the meantime. See ya!
Comments
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Giorgio Tiretti on :
I'm writing from Italy for a little italian videogame blog and I have a question for you. Do you have information about the release month of the game?
Thanks.
FDG,Thomas on :
Alberico on :
Jon on :
Being able to see the change in equipment is a big deal for me. I found it really disappointing in MW4 not being able to see any progression with your character.
I'm surprised(and pleased) that you have the time and resources to polish the game to perfection. Really looking forward to the finished product
FDG,Thomas on :
David on :
With the older models, the game seemed (at least to me) more like a phone game. I'm sure the game will be worth not only the wait for us as players, but also the hard work for you guys as developers. Keep up the good work! Don't be discouraged!
FDG,Thomas on :
Junior lima on :
By what I` ve understood, the character sprite will change
according to the equipment we are wearing? If thats so, that
looks really interesting!!!
I just think Jins face has become a bit too `kind`, if you know what I mean...
Keep it up guys! great work!
FDG,Thomas on :
Isaac V on :
Miguel on :
FDG,Thomas on :
Paul on :
FDG,Thomas on :
Hurdler Kenning on :
Steven on :
FDG,Thomas on :
deefy on :
I'm just a gamer, but very passionate.
I love the new type of animation, a lot, really,
but to make your game even more exciting and great,
I would suggest softly to include a mode with the original animations, so as to have a product with bonuses and at the same time being able to use the work already produced so far.
Of course, time and resources permitting.
Thanks for the dedicated time ... and good luck!!!
FDG,Thomas on :
Alfredo Rodriguez on :
FDG,Thomas on :
Mike on :
Also the looks of the game are not everything. If you spending that long on developing a game I hope you are putting some extras in it that add replay value after the game is finished. Like a challenge mode, or nightmare mode.
I just think if this is going to be your standard wonderboy game that can be finished in 5 to 10 hours max with beautiful grafics it simply wont be enough in 2018. You will have spent an extra 2 years + developing something that wont make any headlines on games sites.
I believe you certainly need to add a new twist to the whole game that goes beyond what we have seen in previous wonderboy games. And I havent read anything along those lines here yet - only screenshots of grafic redos.
Just my 2 cents
FDG,Thomas on :
Jonas Lönnqvist on :
Hallo on :
FDG,Thomas on :
Ronny on :
Zell on :
FDG,Thomas on :
Jason on :
Goati_ on :
I don't think it makes what came before (in the way of character sprites) a "waste" or whatever some comments here seem to suggest.
I also did not watch the recent full gameplay, cause I'm overly sensitive to spoilers.
Anyway, I am not sure how I feel about the new Jin, I prefer oldstyle-looking-pixel-visible sprites but I realize that was never the style here. He feels a bit too cartoonish maybe?..
I don't know, but I don't like that smile he has
Either way I don't mind, it's just for the sake of feedback.
Game's gonna be awesome and I am glad you guys seem to be able to work on it as much as you want
FDG,Thomas on :
jj on :
FDG,Thomas on :
Shion on :
Ken on :
dont let us too long wait for the Game.
We need the game soon...
after playing your game my next game will be Castlevania.
Bring out ... Its a good time for Christmas
Lets go,
Regards from Germany
Ken
FDG,Thomas on :
Wir geben unser Bestes aber die Qualität ist uns extrem wichtig. Dieses Jahr wird es leider nicht mehr klappen..
supermdr on :
patiently waiting on :
Jeff on :
Tom on :
As a designer, I've always felt the flash way of animating (moving/distorting flat assets with keyframes and paths) gives a very flat, puppeteer style look to characters. I know that drawing each frame is much more time consuming than it was when characters were 16x16/32x32 but the result is so much nicer.
I Just hope that you stick with the same art style as before, even though it's now becoming hand-drawn, because I really am not a fan of the WB3 remakes ADHD approach to art direction.
Hugh on :
Nausicaae on :