Link -> Black Mage graphics

[SMB3]

A few months ago I asked about the organization of character spritesheets for a custom character I was making. If you saw that, this is the result - months later than it should have been, because I'm a lazy little bugger and had a month's break in between sheets 6 and 7. From then it was another month and a half before I put in-game screenshots on Imgur and put the spritesheets in Dropbox.
Originally based on these sprites by isaiahk9 on DeviantArt. I essentially took some of those sprites and revamped them, then changed the colors of his hat per powerup and added necessary stuff (e.g. statue form, powerups into colored potions).

In-game screenshots (warning - there are 18 of them):

Spoiler: show

Explanation for that last one: after taking all the other snips, I noticed my computer had decided to have some fun with my head and not use the fire flower's replacement sprite. I fixed it, but I wasn't about to take seventeen snips again.

Known issues:

Spoiler: show

• Sprites extend several pixels to the right of the hitbox (will eventually be fixed, using the Playable Sprite Calibrator I just found out about)
  Sprites are several pixels shorter than the height of the hitbox (will eventually be fixed, using the Playable Sprite Calibrator I just found out about)
  Running animation may seem slightly odd (so other people have told me)
  Stabbing sprite lies slightly about where it hits (will change animation soon to a stab rather than a slash)

Download from my Dropbox folder:

Spoiler: show

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mwde64rcyhhc ... ZPgJa?dl=0
Click the link, then click the blue "Download" button in the top-right corner and select "Download as .zip." Extract the contents to your battle folder to test it in the main game, or simply extract them and browse to them in the editor, in order to use the test level.

This is my first custom character spritesheet. Any constructive criticism is welcome, and please alert me of any issues you find (that aren't listed in the above spoiler).

Edit: fixed Dropbox link

[Fennor]

I think the walking animation is okay. It is a little stiff, but I know that animating can be very problematic sometimes. I think it would help if his robes would move a little to the right and back to the left when walking. Not every frame but maybe every second frame. And not the whole robes, but part of the texture/shading and especially the arms.

Sprites extend several pixels to the right of the hitbox

I noticed that Link in general overlaps with the walls more when walking to the right than he would when walking to the left. (By 2 pixels) Since your graphic is 4 pixels wider than the normal Link, it is 6 pixels instead of 2. Only way to solve this is to make a Luna Lua version, increasing the hitbox by 4 pixels.

About the stabbing part, I recommend making the stabs horizontally, that will also fit the hammer bro animation better. Many attacking animations also have to be moved horizontally. For example if you duck and stab to the right, the mage won't move horizontally at all, but if you duck and attack to the left he will move really far to the left.

Also, projectiles can hit him in the face and they will just fall off. But I noticed that very many Link graphics seem to just ignore the shield.

[SMB3]

If I'm correct, his shield only does anything if he's standing still, which would be why most people ignore it. I personally tried to make it look like his sword was where the shield usually is, but that only affects the stabbing animation, so it didn't really serve a purpose.

make a Luna Lua version

You can extend hitboxes with LunaDLL?

[Fennor]

If you have downloaded LunaLua you can use Sprite calibrator in order to modify hitboxes. You can't move the hitboxes yet, (change offsets) but you can change the width and height. After you changed them and saved it, link-x.ini (x ranges from 1-7, depending on which powerup state you use) file will appear. You have to put it into the folder of the level (not the world). Also you have to create a txt file in your level folder that you rename to "lunadll.lua". Open the file and insert the following code:

Code: Select all

function onLoad()   
    loadHitboxes(5, 1, "link-1.ini")
    loadHitboxes(5, 2, "link-2.ini")
    loadHitboxes(5, 3, "link-3.ini")
    loadHitboxes(5, 4, "link-4.ini")
    loadHitboxes(5, 5, "link-5.ini")
    loadHitboxes(5, 6, "link-6.ini")
    loadHitboxes(5, 7, "link-7.ini")	
end

There are 7 hitboxes, one for each powerup. Increasing the width of the hitbox shouldn't be a problem, changing the height can be a little problematic for Link, though. That's because the hitbox of his sword attack and shield are independant of Link's normal hitbox. The spawn point of the fireball from the fireflower will move up though if you increase the height of the hitbox, and move down if you decrease the height. That means that the fireball spawn point won't be exactly on the same height as the sword attack hitbox anymore.

The shield is not only used when standing still. It is always active when you are not attacking. So if you are running towards a projectile it will also be blocked. If you are ducking or jumping the shield hitbox will move down, blocking anything at the bottom part of Link's normal hitbox.

[SMB3]

I was using the PGE SMBX editor, and it installed with that tool. However, it warned me not to use that feature for SMBX. I'll try it out and see what it can do, though, and if I'm correct it also showed a red box for the attacking hitboxes.

Edit: The red hitbox was for the item he's holding, though with Link I don't need to bother with it, do I?
Also, I'm curious how adjusting the hitbox will be reflected in-game. It saves a .ini file to the sprite's directory, but does the game know what to do with it? Or was that what your LunaDLL code was for? Yeah, I just don't read carefully enough.
What are you referring to when you say I need LunaLua? Do I need a separate plug-in or program, or do I just need SMBX 1.3.0.1?

[Fennor]

I think the red boxes are for grabbed items.

I honestly don't understnad what the warning is trying to say. But since you don't overwrite anything with it and instead create a completely new file that you can delete again any time, you can't do anything wrong with it.

[SMB3]

The warning says:

This is a physical settings for a sprite, this need only for creation of new character sprite
If you want to use this sprite in SMBX, please, don't edit this settings.
Do you want to continue?

If your LunaDLL code works, it shouldn't be a problem. Speaking of, what did you mean when you said "if you have downloaded LunaLua?" Is that SMBX 1.3.0.1 or do I need something outside of the game?

[Fennor]

You need something outside from the game. Here is the LunaLua thread http://www.smbxgame.com/forums/v ... =69&t=6973

[mechamind]

It's looking good. Is there something that can be done about the sprites with which only the hat changes color? It would make sense for the hue of the robe to be slightly different when it can, at the very least.

[buddyroach]

Probably not the right place to put this but I was wondering if there was an easier way to edit the sprite sheets of Mario and the other players? Because it is too difficult to place the graphics I want precisely in the right spot on this:

Spoiler: show