"Styled" and "recolored" graphics - what's the difference?

[HeroLinik]

I've seen this problem not just here, but this is also the case on many of the other SMBX forums on the internet, in particular in Graphics, particularly when it concerns modding them to prevent clashing. The problem in question is that there seems to be a major confusion between "styled" graphics and "recolored" graphics, and lots of people seem to use these terms as if they are the same. However, there is a fine line between the two, as shall be explained now:

The truth of the situation is, as blandly as it can be put, the two terms are actually not the same. "Recolored" graphics are basically the same graphic as before, but it has merely been edited just so it can use colours of the style that it is meant to imitate. "Styled" graphics, on the other hand, are completely different to recolored graphics; they look like exactly the same object they are meant to imitate, and their design has been radically changed in order to match that standard, as well as putting the colours on it as well.

You don't get me still? OK, let me demonstrate using images. Suppose I have a SMW blue pipe, as here:



There is nothing special about this pipe. It hasn't been tampered with, styled, recolored or anything. It is, in fact, styled like your average SMW pipe. But watch what happens when I try to apply the SMB3 palette to it so the colours have been altered...

(credit Chad for this - he used it in SMSE)

Looking closely, even though the colours have been altered so it looks like it would belong well in SMB3, it still possesses the exact design properties of the other SMW pipe I showed you earlier. It still has the same design of that pipe as well. In other words, the only thing that's changed is the colours - it has been recolored to SMB3's style, or as you would put it in the community, it's a "SMB3 recolor of a SMW blue pipe". However, it has not been styled to SMB3, as we will see now.

Turning to the Ultimate SMBX GFX Pack, we are able to find a graphic that still replaces this SMW pipe, but it is not the same graphic as the one directly above. It is completely different - it looks like it would originate in a SMB3 game. The graphic in question is in Legend-tony980's SMB3 recolor pack, but I found that the pipes are not strictly "recolored" but they are actually SMB3-styled, as we'll see here:



If you look really closely, this pipe actually uses exactly the same colours as the other recolored SMW pipe. It also looks like the pipes that can be seen in the SMB3 pane in SMBX's Blocks and Tiles window; in other words, it looks like an SMB3 pipe, whereas the other pipe still looks like an SMW pipe. This is an SMB3-styled SMW pipe.

Now I hope you've taken all this on board with you when you go around criticising graphics. Now go and criticise some graphics!...but preferably not in AVGN-style.

[zlaker]

This is actually very useful ofr those who can't the difference. This should be stickied.

[Karl Marx]

Yeah this is pretty thorough explanation.

Thusly, styled graphics usually require a lot more effort than recolored graphics, so keep that in mind when you request something

[Fuyu]

I think I stated the difference on my Tutorial about recoloring SMW stuff to SMB3, but I think a unique thread about it would help others get the difference. Of course, there are always people that refuse to read these things in order to act as they know everything. Anyway, good thread you have here, I'm sure it shall help others distinguish the difference.

[Eternity]

I honestly disagree with the second example; if you look closely, quite a few changes were done to the SMW pipe to make it fit better with SMB3, the most obvious example being some of the shading, so I would consider it a SMB3-styled SMW Pipe personally. The last one also doesn't really look restyled, but just recolored. It doesn't seem to require as much effort as the second example, imo.

Other than that it is a helpful guide, but the examples are a bit weird.

[Fuyu]

I honestly disagree with the second example; if you look closely, quite a few changes were done to the SMW pipe to make it fit better with SMB3, the most obvious example being some of the shading, so I would consider it a SMB3-styled SMW Pipe personally.

The shading obviously got to be changed so it would fit without clashing into a SMB3 atmosphere level, it's impossible to recolor a graphic to SMB3 without changing its shading.

The last one also doesn't really look restyled, but just recolored. It doesn't seem to require as much effort as the second example, imo.

I'd suggest you to take a closer look at it and compare it with both, SMW's and SMB3's version of the pipe, because there's a way bigger difference between both.

Other than that it is a helpful guide, but the examples are a bit weird.

Agree.

[Blake Izayoi]

That helps me out somewhat.
I do know some stuff on this topic,but I learned from this topic.

Wait...LEARNED?NOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooo......

[SuperYoshiLol]

IMO styled graphics are superior just due to them being modified even the tiniest bit, while recolors are just changes of the color pallate.

[NathanBros]

Nice point bring to light, but I must agree with Eternity, one may get confused by the second pipe example as pixel content is altered to meet the shading standard.

[underFlo]

I feel like a pipe is a bad example in general tbh, there are way better exampls bc a pipe is a fairly simple graphic.

[aero]

You guys really shouldn't bump.
Idk if you guys did bump but oh well.

[UltraEpicLeader100]

This is a bump so do not be alarmed!

as for the topic about the difference of Styled and Recolored is that if you recolor you just slap a different color to something and call it good and styling is you take something and change the style it is in like this for example:

Spoiler: show

->

(well sorta...but you get the idea...)

[underFlo]

This is a bump so do not be alarmed!

as for the topic about the difference of Styled and Recolored is that if you recolor you just slap a different color to something and call it good and styling is you take something and change the style it is in like this for example:

Spoiler: show

-> (well sorta...but you get the idea...)

Thanks for literally repeating the op.

[UltraEpicLeader100]

This is a bump so do not be alarmed!

as for the topic about the difference of Styled and Recolored is that if you recolor you just slap a different color to something and call it good and styling is you take something and change the style it is in like this for example:

Spoiler: show

->

(well sorta...but you get the idea...)

Thanks for literally repeating the op.

Your welcome...

[Squishy Rex]

Thanks for literally repeating the op.

Your welcome...

Please do not be rude to other users and in future, please put larger images in spoilers.

[suckhacker]

"style graphics" have had extra colors or features added.

"recolored graphics" are like if you use paint fill can to change existing colors. no other tools used.

[underFlo]

"style graphics" have had extra colors or features added.

"recolored graphics" are like if you use paint fill can to change existing colors. no other tools used.

Did you just read the title w/o reading the op and assumed it was a question?

[StrikeForcer]

I have been meaning to post in this for the past year but because of activity, I have the chance to say this: You have done a shit job on the second and third images because the second image, you have done slightly more than just a recolor (any addition of shades/tints to the basic image is no longer considered to be a recolor at its strictest) and the third image is just a recolored SMAS-SMB3 pipe. (Unless you want to skirt your definitions around if you consider the second image to be a recolor of the loosest sense.)

Castlewars, use this as the third image because it is an actual SMW pipe that uses the texture from SMAS-SMB3.

[Arceus88]

I think styled is for other games and Recoloured is for recoloring the current graphic, or are both the same. I don't know why I'm bothering to say this. Yes, they sound and look the same.

[HeroLinik]

I think styled is for other games and Recoloured is for recoloring the current graphic, or are both the same. I don't know why I'm bothering to say this. Yes, they sound and look the same.

That's what I was essentially trying to say. I went in depth because some people still don't get it.
Styled: make it look like it came from another game
Recoloured: keep the same style but use different colours on it