Sprite Monsters Like Duke Nukem --- How?

[Baker]

How can someone make sprite monsters for Quake that are purely 2D with different animation frames?

The answer can DarkPlaces specific.

Sprite monsters would cut down on the skill level required to make monsters substantially. I'm curious ...



The Duke Nukem action is so awesome in eDuke32 I don't even care that they are sprites even though it is obvious. Which got me thinking about this ...

What file format? etc ...

[leileilol]

Sprite monsters would cut down on the skill level required to make monsters substantially.

wrong

[gnounc]

Yeah, I'd imagine convincing sprites are just as difficult to make as a 3d model. Theres a lot of frames and angles and variations (with weapon, without weapon etc) to iterate through, unless you're using a 3d model as a source...in which case you have to be skilled at modeling anyways.

[frag.machine]

Doom/Doom 2 (and I believe that's was the case for Duke3D, too) used real miniature models as the base for all monsters, obviously with lots of manual post-retouch. So yes, using this technique, a US$10 GI JOE action figure, a digital camera and Photoshop/GIMP one could create a new character from scratch without much effort (maybe a day or two of work in total).

[Baker]

So yes, using this technique, a US$10 GI JOE action figure, a digital camera and Photoshop/GIMP one could create a new character from scratch without much effort (maybe a day or two of work in total).

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I guess part of what I ask, is there even a good file format that, say, DarkPlaces supports to do this?

I guess Quake sprites have multiple frames. I haven't looked into DarkPlaces sprite32s or whatever. It would require a 2D format with multiple frames for sure.

[Dr. Shadowborg]

I guess Quake sprites have multiple frames. I haven't looked into DarkPlaces sprite32s or whatever. It would require a 2D format with multiple frames for sure.

Looking for a high-tech solution to this is pointless (unless you really want to for the exercise) when you can do this with even the normal vanilla quake .spr files.

Just do it the same way you would do .mdl frames, only with different perspectives. (i.e. front, back, diagonal, etc.)

[frag.machine]

So yes, using this technique, a US$10 GI JOE action figure, a digital camera and Photoshop/GIMP one could create a new character from scratch without much effort (maybe a day or two of work in total).

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I guess part of what I ask, is there even a good file format that, say, DarkPlaces supports to do this?

I was just rebating the statement that creating sprite-based avatars requires the same effort as creating a full 3D model. Sorry if I created some confusion, of course I understand your question is different.

[I guess Quake sprites have multiple frames. I haven't looked into DarkPlaces sprite32s or whatever. It would require a 2D format with multiple frames for sure.

AFAIK .spr32 is funcionally equivalent to the vanilla .spr format, the main difference being the color depth. Both support single frames and group frames, pretty much like the alias models.

[Spike]

quake's sprites don't support directions, so you need extensions.
customizeentityforclient would allow you to change the frame based upon angle.

and yes, spr32 = spr, the only difference is that the frame data is 4 times as big, and doesn't use a palette - oh, and the typical extension+version number too.

[leileilol]

as an artist i find it 7x more difficult making sprite monsters as opposed to model monsters

lower technologic approach != easier. The only time that holds true is in creation of basic (sector-based) maps.

Lordhavoc told me once the spr directions could be pulled off with csqc with lots of tracelines iirc

[Spike]

why tracelines? csqc or customizeentityforclient will both do the job the same way - and no tracelines in sight.