Old Style Graphics- How?

How do you make old graphics like in Super Mario? I've always wanted to know.

[Moot]

Like... NES Sprites, or something?

[Koshizu]

A program that can render pixels like MSPaint, a burrito, and some patience.

At least, I think thats how its done.

[anjilfan]

That would be cool.i want to know how too.Hmmmm....

[Yoshi Master!]

That got tiring for me so I just use the game sprites.

[Moot]

If you want "authentic" NES Sprites thouigh, you'd have to limit yourself to 3 colours... seeing as thats all the machine is actually capable of.

[Yoshi Master!]

Hero, do you like, want the old sprites or what?

yoshimastar said:

Hero, do you like, want the old sprites or what?

...huh? Sorry, I wasn't listening. (JK)
Sure. I love the NES graphics.... but I never knew how to make them. I think you have to make a small picture and then keep resizing and saving... over and over. If there is a different way... please share. ;D

[Moot]

MSPaint should do them easily enough, just make a normal sprite, then doublesize it if you want that effect. Usually making it, then stretching the image by 200% each way will do it.

Just bear in mid for it to be a "proper" NES sprite you can only use 3 colours and the transparency.

WOW! THANKS! I'm guessing MS paint is Microsoft Paint?

[Moot]

Yeah, the very same

Awesome, I can't wait to try it out! Thanks again!

[Koshizu]

Graagh, as I was busy making a tutorial Mister Frog beat me to it. Blasphemey.

Oh well, here goes nothing.


This is basically what you start out with. Because sprites are so small, its usually a good idea to start with a small canvas. 50x50 pixels is great. To resize the canvas accurately, go to -

Image > Attributes > Change the figures in the width and height box to '50'

But thats a little too difficult to work with at normal viewing, so zooming in is essential to see your pixelling clearer.



To help more, its good to set the grid on your canvas, its much easier for measuring out, etc. You can reach this stage by -

View > Zoom > Custom > 800%
And then -
View > Zoom > Show Grid

With me so far? Ok. Next a little mention of pixel...erm...'rules'? Well, more like tips, heh.


Now, heres two examples of two lines. The first one is a bad example. 'But why Koshizu?' I'll tell you why. See where the arrow is pointing, and where all those little crosses are? Those are bad pixels. To make a sprite look like a sprite and not a mess of blocks, you need to learn to keep your lines clean, and as unnecessary-pixel free as possible...the marked pixels here are nothing but uneccessary, as they only make the line bulky in places. Not good, heheh.
(of course, in some situations these are alright, but for the most part...they're just messy. )

Now, the bottom line, that is perfectomundo! See how it joins together without all the messiness of those bad pixels as shown in the first example? You may think it looks all scraggy and junky, but thats only because we're working at a zoomed in state. Its a must to always zoom out occasionally so that you can see glaring errors which you might have missed otherwise.


But mostly with pixel work, its just trial and error. You may come across some really annoying pixels that just won't work any which way, but if you keep trying and don't lump together too many in one line(as explained above) it works out fine. Remember, sprites are tiny! Therefore detail is usually uneccessary and lost when you zoom out...keep it small, keep it simple.

Annnd...I'm done. Hope thats useful in some way or form, haha.

Definately! Thanks! ;D