Okay, so you want to make comix?

[X-3]

Thank you Introbulus. Now I know what to do!

[Nintendo JJW]

I've updated my Tutorial . Next I plan on doing "Changing Sprite's Colors" and "FAQ".

[Super Sonic X]

Thanks to this page, I've made my first comic!



Does it work for you guys?

[ April 18, 2004, 06:19 PM: Message edited by: Super Sonic X ]

[ludwigvan]

can't direct link from there apparently. You might want to post the comic in your own topic.

[Sim Kid]

Is it okay if I bring up some sprite comic No-No's?

[ludwigvan]

that would be nice.

[Sim Kid]

Okay, so here we go:


Here's what not to do in a sprite comic:


-Carbon copy jokes from BnG or NC or any other comic

Quite obvious, if I want to see Fred Death ray the hell out of Kirby, i'll just go to NC.

-Use no backgronds

Two-toned backgrounds are alot better than no backgrounds at all. Be careful with two toned backgrounds though. It's best to use a background ripped from a game.

-Save the comic as a .jpg, .jpeg, or .bmp

Good god, that is a SEVERE no-no. Jpgs and jpegs cause terrible distortions in the look of the comic and .bmps are HUGE. .pngs are much much better and .gifs also work well but .pngs are much better because .gifs sometimes causes colour distortions, but it's better than a huge file-size or a terribly mutated comic.

-Steal other people's characters

Stealing custom sprites without permission can land you in trouble and get you banned from some forums, but public domain characters, just go right ahead. If you use a character that's not yours, ALWAYS ASK PERMISSION AND/OR GIVE CREDIT!!

-Use irritating backgrounds

That's pretty much why you should avoid two-toned backgrounds or hand-made backgrounds in MSPaint because it's really easy to make them irritating.

-Mix up the bittage like crazy

No one wants to see an 8 bit character next to a 32 bit character. Most authors use 16 bit sprites because they are alot more detailed than 8 bit sprites and are easier to edit than 32 bit sprites. Try to pretty much avoid mixing up the bittage at all because you neverk now how bad it may be.

-Make the author the centre of attention unless s/he plays a significant role in the story

You know, like the story's about Megaman and Roll or whatever and almost every few comics, you interrupt it to bring the viewers about like 11 comics facing around the Author. If the author plays a significant role in the comic besides the author, than it's okay to make them the centre of attention, but that pretty much goes either way.

-Self-bash your own work to get pity praise

Oh dear lord DO NOT DO THIS!!! That will only result in people hating the comic and hating you and may result in you getting bashed. That just sounds pathetic.

-Have the text overlap the characters

Ouch. That's a big one. Try to limit the text to word balloons or make big panels if you aren't making any word balloons. Plus if the text overlaps the characters, then it might confuse the readers to who's talking. Use coloured Text but avoid hurtful colours like what Jay does.

-Use Stick Figures

If you're doing a hand-drawn comic, avoid stick figures!! Stick figures show pretty much a lack of talent and sprites are much better. Sure, Jay uses stick figures with heads of acutal people or characters, but you try finding a full body pick of Bob Dole that fits the panel, heck, try finding a full-body pick of Bob-Dole period.

-Mix up sprites and stick figures

Ugh, that looks terrible. Sure, Jay did it but he's using real people and real-life characters, and you'll notice he changed his sprite too.

-Use poorly done violence

Paint. Spraypaint tool. Couple colors. You get the idea!

-Use catchphrases to win praise

I have fury at people who do that! Sure, occasional catchphrases are okay but endlessly using then over and over again wears them out and using a million of them to win praise pretty much won't do you any good.

-Put status portraits from video games on stick figures

That's pretty much telling people "I am too lazy to rip the actual sprite of this guy or to edit a sprite of him/her". It's okay to use them in text boxes or bogus menu screens but not as actual characters.

-Make fun of stereotypes

Making fun of Gay people, black people, and pretty much any group of people/ethnic race or video game characters with stereotypes about them is just plain mean and use of inappropriate slangs can land you in trouble in some forums.

-Invert sprites and backgronds

Oh good god, that has to be one of the laziest and most irritating effects ever. It looks plain ugly and is exceptionally irritating. If you're using them for like evil versions, then just edit some evil versions that aren't irritating colours.

-misuse the Spray paint tool

This is probably one of the laziest sprite effects ever. Beams, waves, leaves, and blood have been abused the the spray paint tool, and pretty much avoid using it.

-Endlessly swear

Using comix or images to evade censors will get you banned, and try to keep it PG rated and censor the truly terrible words.

-include scathing kid-show icons, make them stupid, have them be the villian, and kill them.

It's funny the first few times but it easily gets boring. I've seen enough Hamtaro/Spongebob/Pokemon/Dora the Explorer/Barbie bashing to be bored of it.

-End the battles in super-cheap ways

Yeah, in comix, fighting scenes is limited which is why people have fights in flash. Don't use super cheap moves to end battles because, well, that just shows a lack of creativity.

-Throw out endless DBZ/FF7 ripoffs unless that's what the comic is about

If you're here, then don't do that because we're all bored of DBZ and FF7. If you're doing a serious comic, then avoid that but if you're trying to be funny, then go for it.

-put pornogrophy or make sprites naked and anatomically correct.

Most of the time, kids and teens make and/or see comics. In fact, most of the people who make/view sprite comics ARE kids and teens!
Plus...No one wants to see megaman naked. Ugh.

-Start a comic without an actual reason for doing so

That's kinda why we have so many NC spinoffs and Megaman spinoffs on the internet, you just want to make a comic. Try to think up an actual reason for making the comic.

-Bash MSPaint if you're using photoshop or Paintshop Pro or bash MSpaint, Paintshop Pro and Photoshop if you're using Flash.

That is pretty much making people who use MSPaint or whatever program is being bashed for comics feel bad and stupid, and plus, if you're all "I AM COOL BECAUSE I AM A MASTER OF PAINTSHOP PRO!!", that's showing off and may get you bashed.

-Change the storyline at the very last second

This pretty much applies to story-telling/serious comics. Changing the story at the very last second will confuse people, but it's okay if you're trying to be funny.

-Endlessley use l33t sp33k and AIM talk

That gets on people's nerves and is sometimes hard to understand. Occasional l33t sp33k is okay but if you do a comic where they ONLY speak in l33t sp33k is confusing and annoying for some people who aren't "l33t".

-Put blank space in it

What a waste of file-size. EDIT OUT THE FREAKING BLANK SPACE BEFORE POSTING A COMIC DAMMIT!!

-Mispell words

That was already mentioned here, but try to avoid mispelling words because people might bash you. If you're unsure how to spell a word, look it up.

-Act like someone just called you and your mother a **VERY** mean name when they give you constructive criticism

Oh good god, that's just going to get you bashed and flamed half-to-death and get the thread closed. That pretty much lead to the Zak Bashing around the NC forum about a year or so ago because he couldn't take constructive criticism. Do keep in mind that at least one person will not like your comic, and if they do, it's not the end of the world.


Let's talk about Bashing

Bashing can indeed be pretty funny, as Kamek's comic and Screw These Comics show, but there is a thin line between just being funny and just being mean. If you give the people you bash Bad grammar or have them be incredibly stupid, then that's basically telling them "You are a ****ing moron". Plus, some mean bashing can land you in trouble, such as how you can already get into some trouble by stealing their sprites and even more trouble because mean bashing counts as flaming which is against the rules. And it's not just the comic that can get you in trouble-Lots and lots of flaming insued after Kamek bashed Max, and it had almost elevated to the level of the DVG/BSD bashing, and it can happen to just about every comic in which someone is bashed. In all, you should be careful when bashing, because it's very easy to cross the line between being fun and just being mean, and if they're offended either way, don't chase them out of the Fan Comix forum flaming and bashing the living daylights out of them, because that will only get you in trouble.

[ April 25, 2004, 02:08 PM: Message edited by: Douglas ]

[Marshman18]

Can I ask why its so bad to mix 8 and 32-bit sprites? Some of my characters are 8 some are 32, I can't find the rights ones I need, and not many people seem to mind.

[Sim Kid]

It's bad to mix them because they look terrible.

-Mix up the bittage like crazy

No one wants to see an 8 bit character next to a 32 bit character. Most authors use 16 bit sprites because they are alot more detailed than 8 bit sprites and are easier to edit than 32 bit sprites. Try to pretty much avoid mixing up the bittage at all because you neverk now how bad it may be.

[Introbulus]

Hehehe...those are some good calls, Digi. Of course, there's always the "if you're good" exception, where you're sometimes allowed to stretch rules a bit to make the comix funny (although that hardly applies to the technical rules like "always use GIF" and "No Nudity", but a few of the rules, if you're good, can be used as a joke to play off of other sprite comics. However, you should only do this if you have plenty of experience in making sprite comics and want to try something new.

[Codiekitty]

-Save the comic as a .jpg, .jpeg, or .bmp

Good god, that is a SEVERE no-no. Jpgs and jpegs cause terrible distortions in the look of the comic and .bmps are HUGE. .pngs are much much better and .gifs also work well but .pngs are much better because .gifs sometimes causes colour distortions, but it's better than a huge file-size or a terribly mutated comic.

You do realize that .pngs are only good when the file is small, right? Ever wonder why 8-Bit Theater take forever and the Triassic Period to load? They save those massive things as .png files.

If you have Animation Shop, you can save the file as a .gif and lose little to no color.


Where are these lemmings going? The Super Nintendo Super Shire! Hop in line and follow them there!

[Sim Kid]

^[OFF TOPIC REPLY] Yes, and have you noticed how big my comix are? [/OFF TOPIC REPLY]


Well GIFs usually cause colour distortion in MSpaint, and alot of people start off with MSpaint. GIFs are better if you're making it like as big as those 8-bit theatre comics.

[Codiekitty]

Originally posted by Digitalpotato:
^[OFF TOPIC REPLY] Yes, and have you noticed how big my comix are? [/OFF TOPIC REPLY]

I was adding that as a general statement. You made that note sounding like no matter what the size of your comic is, always go with a .png.


Where are these lemmings going? The Super Nintendo Super Shire! Hop in line and follow them there!

[Alink - VCR Man. VCR.]

bumpady bump bump

What're you ralking about?

the 8-bit theatre is super fast at loading. I click on the link to the latest comic and it's already loaded. Well, that's my comp anyway. And yeah, saving files in photoshop etc. as compuserve gif lose like no color. er.. yea

[ludwigvan]

It's at the top. You didn't need to "bump" it, it's a sticky thread! Anyways, yeah, 8BT loads at different speeds depending on your computer speed, your connection speed, the server's current output, etc. So, yeah, it may load fast for you, but it could be hellishly slow for CK.

[Alink - VCR Man. VCR.]

Yea. I guess I didnt consider that. Oh yes, about the bumpady bump, Y'know beofre the king speaks or something the trumpets playv in that tune? Twas no bump...yeah... *shifty eyes*

[Codiekitty]

Okay, I've got a comment about .pngs v .gifs

While I was working on that last Lemmy comic, I wanted to make an effect. The blue stone Lemmy holds starts shining after he says a particular word.

These are actually the only two .png files I had in the entire Why? With a .gif, that effect came out horribly.

- PNG

- GIF

So, I guess if you're using fancy effects, .pngs are a good idea. But I'd do what I did and save most of the frames as .gifs and the "fancy" ones as .pngs if the effects come out crappy.


Where are these lemmings going? The Super Nintendo Super Shire! Hop in line and follow them there!

[Sim Kid]

Originally posted by CodieKitty:
If you have Animation Shop, you can save the file as a .gif and lose little to no color.

*Trys it*
*Looks at the image*

<3 Animation shop 3 and Codiekitty

[L007ING AND POLLUTING IS NOT THE WAY]

JPEG Imager also does miracles! I managed to get a JPEG file in without any distortion at all. Time to do more comics... because the Shareware of it expires in 30 days x_x


Visit Chao Adventures in the Comix Thread! Go and read them, now!

[Beam Yosho the Drunkard]

^....Are you serious? Holy crap.