What graphic style to use for your game
This a tutorial I wrote quite some time ago, and since it turned out to be more of an essay I hesitated to put it out. So if you read it, please let me know what you thought of it! ;3When it comes to RPG Maker games, there have always been discussions, whether one should or should not stick to the default RTP style.
And since this is something that can have a massive influence on your game, it is something you should know at an early stage of development.
I)Know your budget
This might be the harshest point, but as it is said: Beggars can’t be choosers. You are not to blame if you don’t want to or can’t invest a lot of money on your game’s graphics, but knowing what you can or can’t get helps a lot with this decision.
Art is expensive and if you need something exclusive, it is very unlikely you’ll get it for free.
I.I You have no budget
If there is no art budget, you don’t have to worry. There are enough options to go with, as there are several free art styles out there.
https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXehusa-x7IR6N3Zs4P3kcqcH0ScyNh_0U2WCeBPRKlWbdOnrreKj2UFZvBCYk3YbM64rhFFFll1AGr20zWkt5ka3EBhk99FXhcZV6FhhYb1ML7f627rA-s4iyfqD-pyeIAYpqbX51Z8lfv1mfF7jz5kYsc?key=n6FMt0KKpwKjKMB6FgCKuQ
I.I.I RTP
No matter which maker you might use, all of them come with free default graphics. All of them were also expanded by users which makes them the options with by far the most content. Also, given that the base is available for everyone who has the engine and may be edited, it is much easier to get requests fulfilled.
MV RTP with custom additions can look very nice and has a broad range of things you can use it for.
Pro:
[*]free
[*]broad range of available bonus content
[*]for most makers are either default or user made character generators available
[*]requests get usually fulfilled if they are reasonable
Con:
[*]the flavour of your game is limited to what can be displayed with the default style
[*]as most people know the default graphics, you might need invest some collecting end editing to come up with a nice look that doesn’t look like everyone else’s game
I.I.II Free art styles
There are several people that made their own graphic styles and were gentle enough to share them. Due to their nature of having usually one person only working on them without profiting from it, they are limited in size and options.
https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeWUpK1p5OmVOkas06zvjgBdCpjk0XYvKMcMXiQZ-lE4_14rB4vw5ES2rLQKq_rOWptKnLfqgqCJO4Y_PDGJtV1uKkgff17nfJ_YLumvDm14dBb3rGiu-m-j0ooSl3cFvF33xhHESFQC5qaD3B3mh8Etho?key=n6FMt0KKpwKjKMB6FgCKuQ
The Mighty Pack! by The Mighty Palm is a great option if you look for a free resource set.
https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfsPGotvaFsm3j9zNliuTblxFKVOBI8ZOvNl-JBl_kNV_PtsuC21r6r9RdUQO2cy0mtHTgXhnCXfBmVgqo_Idl33AsJOd2fWbY7LOUVdI9Grf1ib5KsfyRJbbztBDlXXWgmJzT8eM3NlDIWQJmEIzpYIg?key=n6FMt0KKpwKjKMB6FgCKuQ
Crazy_Leen's Crazy Resources & Retro Resources inspired several people already to make a game with her style, here featured on a screen by Jinxed.
Pro:
[*]These styles are usually made with a lot of care, people create the things they really wanted to make
[*]Sometimes the artist is still around and willing to expand the style if there is enough interest
Con:
[*]Some of the styles are discontinued and not finished, you might have to put in some work to get everything you need
[*]The terms of course differ from style to style, so it might be possible that you have a hard time finding people helping you with the resources if for example editing and posting of edits are not allowed
I.II You have a medium budget
I.II.I All of the above things, but with custom things
While a medium budget will not bring you as many things as one might wish it did, depending on your style and needs you can give your game these extra touches you might want to have. Maybe you want special character art, exclusive graphics for some characters or a specific monster and what you need is too much to get it for free.
Pro:
[*]With a style at hand, it is usually easier to communicate what you exactly need
[*]Due to the amount of references, it is easier to find an artist
Con:
[*]If your budget is limited, you are still restricted in some areas. You cannot expect to get full tile sheets for a quick buck and getting all the graphics for a character can already eat a lot of your savings.
I.II.II Store packs
Store packs offer all kinds of graphics you might want to have for a fair amount of money. As the resources are not exclusive, you pay a lot less for the art than you would if you ordered it as a commission for example.
You can either get expansions for the RTP or resources in a whole new style.
https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfJLZQEI_XRkd_xNw20TteLWDW6qih5FkBr2M5zo7gjrul9MnCsiBkzursYJ3Xs9c8JL4Qcq96PfzxWn30i-g7k8xEoHG07XmX4kDFKy9SA1ngk7Zj6WY0FHUMT8dgspVjhJOGDNMtWFNCDEJLXaoU9e3Y?key=n6FMt0KKpwKjKMB6FgCKuQ
So many things available!
Pro:
[*]Given that the creators expect you to pay money for their stuff and that they had to pass Degica’s quality control, you can expect a certain level of expertise was used to create them
[*]If a pack is successful, there might be even more expansions in the same style by the same artist
[*]The packs are made to be “round” and finished, so you can expect e.g. enough tiles to map a certain area
Con:
[*]It is very difficult to find someone who helps you with requests for free, as the pack resources may only be edited by people who own the pack and results cannot be posted or shared otherwise
[*]Therefore, you might have to commission an artist to make additions from scratch, if you lack something
I.III You have tons of money
I.III.I All of the above plus a lot of custom content
If you are not really limited in what you want to put into your games, you can just rely on any of the above options and commission everything that is not existing yet - exclusive characters, tile options and so on.
Pro:
[*]You get whatever you need
[*]You can provide style references for everything
[*]Your game will look very unique
Con:
[*]This definitely is expensive
I.III.II An exclusive style
If you consider this option, you need a lot. Several reliable artists, the money to pay them, know what you want from the beginning so everything goes into the right direction…
Pro:
[*]A lot of freedom in what you display and how
[*]You game will be unique in every aspect
Con:
[*]You will need a fortune and very motivated artists with enough time on their hands
II)Know your game’s flavour
Before you pick a style, you should lay back a bit and think. What flavour does your game have? Is it a more serious setting? Then you might consider going with default RTP but tuned down colorwise and maybe “just” alternate larger sprites?
You have an old school RPG in mind? Then one of the many retro styles like Time Fantasy might be what you want.
Some things to think about:
Does the style of the assets match the tone I am looking for?
[*]Chibi chars and super serious games can be a problem
[*]a fun and joyful game can feel off if you use gritty and dark tiles
Does the style of the assets match the gameplay I am aiming for?
[*]Retro can be difficult to put that much details on your map
[*]a hyper realistic style could look weird in combination with some sorts of puzzles
III)Know your game’s content
There are two ways to tackle this, though most people end up mixing them, you usually pick a main approach.
III.I)Build the content around what’s there
It sounds simple, but actually it is not. This is the resource wise easier way, but the more difficult way for the developer:
First you gather all resources you can get in the style you want to use. Then you adjust your game so all your settings and characters are covered.
This can lead to major changes, new areas and entire races changing depending on what you get.
Pro:
You never run out of stuff, you can keep working and don’t have to wait and hope for resources
Con:
You have to be flexible with your game’s content or at least the optic of it, leading to having to bend your expectations. Maybe you have to switch out your dwarves for a different exotic race or use a different animal as a companion...
III.II)Look for the stuff that matches your content
This is difficult to realize without art skill or budget, if you really want to play this through. Your hero has a specific look the generator cannot help you create? Depending what files you need (just the sprite or also battler and bust) you can expect to sink a lot of money into this. If you have something very specific in mind you want to achieve you will either have to be able to create it on your own or be able to offer something in return.
Pro:
Your games look just as you wished
Con:
This can be very resource consuming, either your time or money.
There is no perfect way, you can mix some of the decisions here - for example adjusting some areas to the given resources and create resources for another section.
I hope some of these thoughts will help you with your decision on which style to use for your game! Happy Game Making!
本贴来自国际rpgmaker官方论坛作者:Avery处,因国际论坛即将永久关站,为了存档多年珍贵资料,署名转载到本论坛存档,由于官方帖子为英文原帖，需要中文翻译请点击论坛顶部切换语言为中文就可以将帖子翻译成中文浏览,方便大家随时查看,原文地址：https://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/threads/what-graphic-style-to-use-for-your-game.158946/
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