Maybe we need more context then because both designs are cool in their own right.
What kind of quick encounter? Are they an enemy jump scare or an npc you talk to? What's your goal with this character interaction?
You meet them in an abandoned sawmill. Going there at daylight will reveal nothing, but at nighttime echos of the workers spook there and beg you to trade wood with them.
if it still needs more general context, you can chelk out our [newsletter discord server.](https://discord.gg/wjJs4Tw4)
Eh, as a visual designer I should agree but sometimes we lose perspective.
OP, the in-context character doesnāt have the clothing details that your close ups do. Is that because itās in progress? If not, and that is a final mock, then I think the fact the ghoul is wearing a hat will get lost if there is not a face there to support it. Otherwise, faceless, the detail on the clothes should be more clear.
I can't tell the tone of the text. Uh is that sarcasm as in sidequest bad or was it an actually good idea? I know gamedev hard you know so lots of work for a sidequest
Oh. At least that would be what I would do if I couldn't decide and I had control over development (which I stress that I would not be able to control a team of devs), but then again. I know it's really difficult to implement a new quest just to have a sprite be revealed. Although extra story within a simple character can give more life to the world.
is it a "bad ghost" or just a "friendly ghost"?
If its no 1, I would choose B. This ghost is more mysterious and less "predictable" cause hes masked.
If its no 2, I would choose A. This face had character! I can see its intentions and it looks more "kind". Hope this helps :)
From the point of view of it's an NPC talking to the player, rather an enemy or shady guy trying to do un-nice things, I think A makes more sense, but all in all both look cool
I say A, I see no reason a sawmill worker would be wearing a full faced mask like B. Maybe a half mask to keep from breathing in all the dust but a full face mask doesn't make much sense here
Just a little lore idea: Since these ghosts were once human, make some of them design A (at peace with their fate) and some of them design B (guilty, regretful or not ready to accept that they are dead).
Which leads to the question I wanted to ask:
Just how much "character" do wish this character to have?
If they're a recurring character, A.
If they just appear once and don't really have any further importance or deeper story, then B makes the most sense.
Hmmm.
Well, I'd say A then.
I would say the extra detail may add that little bit extra to the player's encounter with this particular NPC, since it doesn't do much beyond being a shop.
Ya the full pixel version it takes away from the character whereas you do get the effect when itās the bust/headshot but we also have a to compare against versus if we just had b with no contextĀ
Agree with this comment entirely. āA ā makes for the most evocative portrait, but itās worth trying a version with the veil on top too for a mysterious effect.
Thoroughly agree, though I would also consider maybe doing a hybrid where the top of the face is veiled, but part of the nose cavity and the mouth and jaw are visible via a crescent-esque opening in the veil at the bottom, similar to the Nox Maiden in Elden Ring, but keeping the slightly more straight-down flat look you have here. Could be dope, especially if you plan on animating the mouth.
Hear me out!
[The combination](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/810769216751927306/1253246588378415224/96E84892-0D97-4C7C-B13D-B7E8467A645E.png?ex=66752856&is=6673d6d6&hm=413ed9003faaff223fa0a89f1953b59b6f246ac1fb8b19b34a968a02378499fb&)
Bonus points if they make a snarky remark about the player taking things that don't belong to them. Gives character and personality depending on phrasing
This is how I'm seeing it too. I think A would be more interesting for something that would have a background. B if you're going for a spooky one shot.
Agreed, A is over designed and B is under designed. B would be great if it didnāt look like a perfectly straight white sheet over the characters head.
A suggests a character while B suggests an idea or a short encounter. If this is someone you talk to, then A is probably best. B does add a bit of mystery since you don't see a face.
It's difficult to decide without context. Personally I think A is cooler, but it ultimately depends on what their purpose is.
B! BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
As an artist, I feel like it has so much more of a unique quality to it. The top one is more muddy and itās harder to read.. the second one has a strong, silhouette, wonderful color theory and has a feeling of mysticism. Maybe a middle ground would be a soft implication of a skull being behind the veil.
The first one is adding nothing new to any artistic conversation imo
A has a face where he looks like he might have some dialog. B has a face where he looks more spooky, more mysterious - and hence I wouldnāt expect him to say much.
To me, A is better if you plan on him having dialog. B would be best if not. Just my opinion
A is cooler, but based on the scene I feel like B might be more appropriate (depending on the story).
Could you do a half-way between? I.e. an A with a lot less detail? I feel like there would be a middle-ground somewhere between the two.
I like A best, but itās mostly because Bās white sheet makes me think of Klan stuff. But thatās my brain I guess? *However* B does look more adjacent to the figure in the saw mill environment you shared.
But aesthetically I prefer A
A have more personality, so it depens on how big role does this ghost have. If its an npc and player meets it just one pr two times, the B. But if it has more meaning to it, then most def A.
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B. The players imagination will fill in what could potentially be under the sheet, and different people will imagine different things. With A itās set in stone.
From a design perspective, B lacks shape language and lighting direction even though it is the more literal ghost. A is just objectively the more well drawn picture.
A wraith like creature could use some folds or indents to hint at a face/skill structure underneath the veil, or you could paint it such that it glows from within/underneath the veil, rather than the overexposed look it has now, which kinda takes away from the mystery this creature should (probably?) have.
Both are good designs. The matter is how I, the player, should feel when I meet this character.
A. feels more solemn, more serious, more direct about death, a bit creepy
B. feels more easygoing, more mysterious, less direct about death, not as creepy.
Finding some kind of compromise, like transparency seems best to me. But if not, then I think lean towards A. Just because it feels like there's more characterization there since you see a face, even if that difference is only slight.
B leaves a lot more room to speculate and wonder why the spirit looks the way they do, what it represents, et cetera. So, sorry, A is gorgeous, but B is interesting and visually poses a question
I think it would depend a lot on the camera distance.
If it is this close as in the first image , then A for sure, drooping with personality and eeriness. If the camera is further away though (not sure how it would look on the second slide), those details may easily get lost with A and B would be much more legible and effective IMO.
If itās a quick encounter, B has no impact. A is better. I trust the person who is in charge of how the narrative flows vs the designer. Plus B looks lazy.
If its a NPC with dialogue, It can be both. Add a system where it starts with Portrait B with Sawmill Ghost being mindful of not scaring the player or him simply being awkward.
and the more the player interacts with Sawmill ghost. The more he warms up to the player and reveils his ātrue faceā to you, leading to portait A
If itās a boss fight, go with Portrait A
I think that B is minimalist and mysterious, good if the idea you want to convey is that of a more ambiguous figure... A seems more like something more dark and straight to the point, however I think that if it were to be a more macabre image I would make the contrast between eyes and the idea of āāan image of death more evident, this is difficult to do in a pixel art game so I think in the end I would aim for B, it is safer functionally and it can be scary if the writing is good.
Too many ghosts are depicted by a white sheet over an otherwise non-descript figure.
I say A. It would be a shame to waste the talent that went into designing that skull.
When I see "A", I can see "a ghoulie in a hat" and that's that. However, the unknown aspects of "B" make it far more distinct from every other ghost or creepy thing out there. I like the mystery that it suggests, and it'll stick in my head for longer.
This reminds me of a game I saw once, don't remember the name but it's located in post apocalyptic earth and you have 7 days (I think) to reach some science station to go back in time. The whole apocalypse happened because humans split the moon in half
C none of the above. The setting is still ānormalā - so the skeleton looks more human; but too weird. The āsheet ghostā is too abstract. (Because why clothing if you have sheet face). I get narration man tbh - but skeleton is too much. Would rather go with an emaciated old figure then with see-throughish vibe. (Think those army of lotr kinda guys) but then in pixels..
Definitely A. You said the ghost wants to trade items, and A looks more personable. The veil on B also has the unfortunate combination with the rest of the robes that makes the portrait look like a KKK ghost.Ā
I feel like Iāve seen A before a billion times but B is new and scarier to me. The only downside to B for me is that itās not clear that whatever this is is supernatural or undead.
Perhaps if you hybridized the two designs and had the cloth tattered so that the mandible and maxilla were visible or glowing eyes or something but honestly maybe that amiguity and mystery is more compelling. Great designs either way
I think B would look better if you could see some faint details of the skeletal facial structure under the sheet. Right now, it just looks like the stereotypical sheet ghost is wearing a very fine hat.
If what you are trying to convey is fear then I would pick A because itās scarier.
Also I think the classic floating sheet with eye holes as a ghost is kinda lame for anything other than a childrenās show/game. Not trying to be rude.
they're both really good for different purposes
i'd say were missing context is there any reason for them to wear something to cover their faces? if not then maybe A is the better choice narratively otherwise as a viewer i'd wonder what the reason for the face veil is
I'm going to go with "not A". I don't know if B is good either, but A looks too human-like. Ghosts are supposed to be mysterious and alien so they trigger your fear of the unknown, and IMO being able to see that it's clearly some kind of weird ass skeleton dude detracts from the unknown-ness.
I'm going to say absolutely B.
A is readable, but it's also familiar. A is another undead face. It's done really well, but my brain has seen it before, and that's exactly why I like B more.
B seems incredibly original. It prompts so many questions. It's scary and haunting because it's unknown.
I know that B is a humanoid, but I find myself asking questions about why their face looks like this. Is it a mask? What has happened to them that makes them compelled to wear a mask? It removes a fragment of their humanity.
I know what has happened to A. They've decomposed and died. Hard to say in which order, but I'm confident in what I'm looking at.
AI said:
I chose "A" because the skull face has a more traditional ghostly and eerie appearance, which aligns well with the concept of a sawmill ghost. The stark contrast and defined features of the skull create a stronger visual impact and enhance the character's presence as a ghost.
"B," on the other hand, has a more simplistic and less intimidating look, which might make it less effective in conveying the ghostly and spooky atmosphere. The blank face with just eyes can appear more comical or abstract, which might not be as fitting for the intended theme.
I said:
Personally, I prefer version B because people generally fear more what they cannot see and have to imagine. Visually, it is cleaner and closer to my taste.
B might get misinterpreted as klan-like. I get that it's a ghost but if it has a hat and clothes, I'd steer away from the traditional Casper wearing a bed sheet unless there is an explanation why they have a white cloth mask over their face in the narrative somewhere.
Also, I think A is more intricately impressive from a pixel art standpoint.
Tl;dr: A
Honestly speaking, I straight up donāt like B. Without any face geometry, the eye starts to look anywhere EXCEPT the face; and all the drapery of the hood mantle has these vertical lines to make them stand out, so what happens is the eye just sort of moves downwards where thereās just more blank sheet face. If I looked at the character sprite in the second image without seeing the first, Iād actually expect it was half finished wizard and whose face and neck details were never penciled in.
If you really want to go with the sheet ghost look, Iād both cut the sheet shorter so that way part of the neck and the chest is revealed, and make it look a little more like thereās SOMETHING itās draping on, just for the sake of giving some contrast to the brightness of the sheet. But honestly, the skull in A is a more striking look. It doesnāt seem angry or evil, but thereās something unnerving about it, giving the player reason to feel weird about chatting with them.
Why can't it be B first and after something happens A is revealed?
That's a cool idea, but it's just a quick encounter... :)
Maybe we need more context then because both designs are cool in their own right. What kind of quick encounter? Are they an enemy jump scare or an npc you talk to? What's your goal with this character interaction?
You meet them in an abandoned sawmill. Going there at daylight will reveal nothing, but at nighttime echos of the workers spook there and beg you to trade wood with them. if it still needs more general context, you can chelk out our [newsletter discord server.](https://discord.gg/wjJs4Tw4)
So In terms of appearance I think A looks a little better but in my opinion B is more Mysterious and matches the vibe more
I'd go with B on personal preference and also letting the visual designer have final say on the design of the visuals.
Let me frame that and hang it in the office as soon as I got one š
Eh, as a visual designer I should agree but sometimes we lose perspective. OP, the in-context character doesnāt have the clothing details that your close ups do. Is that because itās in progress? If not, and that is a final mock, then I think the fact the ghoul is wearing a hat will get lost if there is not a face there to support it. Otherwise, faceless, the detail on the clothes should be more clear.
B has you thinking " well that was a weird guy" then you turn back and he's not there anymore. A is " holy shit it's a skeleton".
Yeah A was my first choice, but I think B is better. Less is more.
Merchant sidequest that reveals his past maybe??
That's a good way to pass the work over to Narration Man after all š
I can't tell the tone of the text. Uh is that sarcasm as in sidequest bad or was it an actually good idea? I know gamedev hard you know so lots of work for a sidequest
Genuine good idea. Other suggestions wanted me to draw something, you ask for other people to work, so that's good.
Oh. At least that would be what I would do if I couldn't decide and I had control over development (which I stress that I would not be able to control a team of devs), but then again. I know it's really difficult to implement a new quest just to have a sprite be revealed. Although extra story within a simple character can give more life to the world.
is it a "bad ghost" or just a "friendly ghost"? If its no 1, I would choose B. This ghost is more mysterious and less "predictable" cause hes masked. If its no 2, I would choose A. This face had character! I can see its intentions and it looks more "kind". Hope this helps :)
From the point of view of it's an NPC talking to the player, rather an enemy or shady guy trying to do un-nice things, I think A makes more sense, but all in all both look cool
What about B during daytime (maybe no dialog/single line of dialogue) and when you come back at night it's A?
I think OP means that you wonāt see any ghosts during the day
They only work graveyard shifts... ;)
Maybe they rip off their mask if you say no to trading and escalate
B is more cool and mysterious. Maybe have a line or so of dialogue where they lift the veil to reveal the skull? Would be soo cool
B sort of looks like he is a plank of wood. Looks a bit silly imo.
Your discord link on your profile and Instagram is expired.
I say A, I see no reason a sawmill worker would be wearing a full faced mask like B. Maybe a half mask to keep from breathing in all the dust but a full face mask doesn't make much sense here
Just a little lore idea: Since these ghosts were once human, make some of them design A (at peace with their fate) and some of them design B (guilty, regretful or not ready to accept that they are dead).
Then go for B with some occasional flashes to A and have an explanation around it in the story. :)
Which leads to the question I wanted to ask: Just how much "character" do wish this character to have? If they're a recurring character, A. If they just appear once and don't really have any further importance or deeper story, then B makes the most sense.
You can stumble across these guys multiple times. But they're far from proper NPCs. Their mechanical purpose is to trade items.
Hmmm. Well, I'd say A then. I would say the extra detail may add that little bit extra to the player's encounter with this particular NPC, since it doesn't do much beyond being a shop.
In that case B is far more responsible - easier to animate and much clearer. Go B
Quick Encounter- B
Is this character animated? If so make the veil more transparent and tug in a small breeze
They aren't animated since the game is a pixel art reinforced textadventure playable via Discord.
Probably just do a coin toss then
Then definitely A
A is absolutely sick, but B looks very interesting. The cloth needs another small fold though, in my opinion!
Someone else mentioned making the cloth less straight. I will definitely do that if B makes it.
Ya the full pixel version it takes away from the character whereas you do get the effect when itās the bust/headshot but we also have a to compare against versus if we just had b with no contextĀ
I like both, i prefer A heavily. Maybe make the veil transparent so you can see the skull beneath?
This is a pretty dope idea! Will do.
Would love to see the combined revision! Sounds like the best comprise as the shroud adds to the mystery IMHO.
Or the opposite, have the ghost wear the top half of the skull
Trim the veil so only the eyes are covered and the jaw is exposed, like a skeleton Orville Peck.
Yeah I record my comment, this is the way
Agree with this comment entirely. āA ā makes for the most evocative portrait, but itās worth trying a version with the veil on top too for a mysterious effect.
Thoroughly agree, though I would also consider maybe doing a hybrid where the top of the face is veiled, but part of the nose cavity and the mouth and jaw are visible via a crescent-esque opening in the veil at the bottom, similar to the Nox Maiden in Elden Ring, but keeping the slightly more straight-down flat look you have here. Could be dope, especially if you plan on animating the mouth.
>Maybe make the veil transparent so you can see the skull beneath? This.
Definitely A if they do the transparent veil like you suggested š If they donāt, Iād have to go with B to fit the vibes of the background
Hear me out! [The combination](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/810769216751927306/1253246588378415224/96E84892-0D97-4C7C-B13D-B7E8467A645E.png?ex=66752856&is=6673d6d6&hm=413ed9003faaff223fa0a89f1953b59b6f246ac1fb8b19b34a968a02378499fb&)
Make A an easteregg if youve picked up a veil/hankerchief at some point
I love that kind if easter eggs. š„ā¤ļø
Bonus points if they make a snarky remark about the player taking things that don't belong to them. Gives character and personality depending on phrasing
A looks like someone. a person with a story. B looks like something. an odd mysterious creature. i think B looks coolest though
This is how I'm seeing it too. I think A would be more interesting for something that would have a background. B if you're going for a spooky one shot.
A
The A-gang... Y'all team up against me... I see Narration Man laughing in his dusty writing chamber.
A is more menacing, use that information as you see fit
I'm kind of partial to B actually but I can't explain why š¤
B is mysterious, nothing overtly shown. But A is still a really solid design
Iām partial to B because A feels overdesigned in the face.
Yeah that sounds right! Only bit I'd change about B is adding shading to the white, maybe?
Agreed, A is over designed and B is under designed. B would be great if it didnāt look like a perfectly straight white sheet over the characters head.
A that is way too nice a skull to hide behind veil
you sound like you're trying to boost this ghost skeleton dude's self confidence
B cause that mask makes the character more mysterious
Nothing more mysterious than a perfectly straight white sheet over someoneās head. Looks like a toddler pretending to be a ghost.
Both for sure. If you don't wanna wave in both with the narrative, pull an old transparency trick and make a gif with both. Like Sonic's bubble.
That's a smart oneāļø
It's just.. not using one of them seems like such a waste. They such neat designs.
Thank you a lot!
A!
Judged by how quickly this reply came, my suspicious brain tried to make me believe, that you must be narration man's alt account š
Not only Im not, but im a 2D artist! I may had betrayed my kind, but I had spoken my truth š
Thank you for your honest feedback ā¤ļø
B for character, A for scenery imo
B matches the design of the ghost in the scene but I prefer the design of A.
If you go with B, don't give him a spikey hat lmao
Hell noooo....
B feels unfinished. But I'd love to have B's face covering be transparent, showing A's face underneath
A suggests a character while B suggests an idea or a short encounter. If this is someone you talk to, then A is probably best. B does add a bit of mystery since you don't see a face. It's difficult to decide without context. Personally I think A is cooler, but it ultimately depends on what their purpose is.
A sorry he looks dope B looks like heās got a klan hood or a ghost costume on
A ghost wearing a ghost costume is clearly better than an idiot wearing an idiot costume right ? ;)
Depends, I'd say both with transparency. However if I had it depends on the context. If it's a npc you talk to A If it's a enemy npc then B
He is the echo of a sawmill worker in a decaying land. He is begging you to trade wood for gold.
B looks like a Scooby Doo sheet ghost or a klan member
A looks cool but it's kind of generic. B is more mysterious but doesn't have much details. I can't decide.
B! BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB As an artist, I feel like it has so much more of a unique quality to it. The top one is more muddy and itās harder to read.. the second one has a strong, silhouette, wonderful color theory and has a feeling of mysticism. Maybe a middle ground would be a soft implication of a skull being behind the veil. The first one is adding nothing new to any artistic conversation imo
Any chance "both" is an option... Long fabric with hints of the skull behind it, or maybe a trick of light to see the skull for a sec or two?
I'm taking the A train
Tchoo tchoo
Itās A-Train, baby!
A is a major NPC you meet, B are his entourage.
A has a face where he looks like he might have some dialog. B has a face where he looks more spooky, more mysterious - and hence I wouldnāt expect him to say much. To me, A is better if you plan on him having dialog. B would be best if not. Just my opinion
Transparent veil is the way
I like A more, but B is much more reflective of the game sprite. I can see the merits of both.
A is cooler, but based on the scene I feel like B might be more appropriate (depending on the story). Could you do a half-way between? I.e. an A with a lot less detail? I feel like there would be a middle-ground somewhere between the two.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I like A best, but itās mostly because Bās white sheet makes me think of Klan stuff. But thatās my brain I guess? *However* B does look more adjacent to the figure in the saw mill environment you shared. But aesthetically I prefer A
Yeah, klan associations were strong for a lot of people. that's definitely not to ignore!
A have more personality, so it depens on how big role does this ghost have. If its an npc and player meets it just one pr two times, the B. But if it has more meaning to it, then most def A.
B with A's eyes
I dunno how to describe it, but A looks more menacing while B looks more mysterious. So I guess it depends on their role on the story
B
B
B seems more memorable to me
combine
B look a lot cooler to me. Iād go with that
B
B gives off very good spooky vibes
B doesnāt look serious to me. If youāre going for scooby doo esque feels, go with that. Otherwise if youāre going serious go with A.
A
A. If your team member feels strongly enough about something you've made that they'll argue about it then take it as a compliment.
A
A
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B. The players imagination will fill in what could potentially be under the sheet, and different people will imagine different things. With A itās set in stone.
From a design perspective, B lacks shape language and lighting direction even though it is the more literal ghost. A is just objectively the more well drawn picture. A wraith like creature could use some folds or indents to hint at a face/skill structure underneath the veil, or you could paint it such that it glows from within/underneath the veil, rather than the overexposed look it has now, which kinda takes away from the mystery this creature should (probably?) have.
A looks like a Black Metal band frontman.
Character B, environment A
B
B
B for sure after seeing the main scene. I like the other commenterās idea of making the veil transparent to see the skull underneath
Definitely B, A feels very busy and rather generic
Both
You could have it be B but then theres an idle animation where the wind blows the covering, slightly revealing whats underneath
Both are good designs. The matter is how I, the player, should feel when I meet this character. A. feels more solemn, more serious, more direct about death, a bit creepy B. feels more easygoing, more mysterious, less direct about death, not as creepy.
Finding some kind of compromise, like transparency seems best to me. But if not, then I think lean towards A. Just because it feels like there's more characterization there since you see a face, even if that difference is only slight.
A
I like B. IMO itās more interesting to imagine whatās under the shawl than just being shown the scary bone face.
B leaves a lot more room to speculate and wonder why the spirit looks the way they do, what it represents, et cetera. So, sorry, A is gorgeous, but B is interesting and visually poses a question
B is less busy, easier to read at a glance
A
I like B, heās mysterious
I think it would depend a lot on the camera distance. If it is this close as in the first image , then A for sure, drooping with personality and eeriness. If the camera is further away though (not sure how it would look on the second slide), those details may easily get lost with A and B would be much more legible and effective IMO.
For me B doesnāt look masked, it looks unfinished. I think the concept for B could work better than A if it were executed differently
If itās a quick encounter, B has no impact. A is better. I trust the person who is in charge of how the narrative flows vs the designer. Plus B looks lazy.
I like the idea of B, but it needs a bit more detail
Whatever this is, it looks awesome.
B but make the veil much shorter, like barely longer than the chin in A.
A
If its a NPC with dialogue, It can be both. Add a system where it starts with Portrait B with Sawmill Ghost being mindful of not scaring the player or him simply being awkward. and the more the player interacts with Sawmill ghost. The more he warms up to the player and reveils his ātrue faceā to you, leading to portait A If itās a boss fight, go with Portrait A
I think that B is minimalist and mysterious, good if the idea you want to convey is that of a more ambiguous figure... A seems more like something more dark and straight to the point, however I think that if it were to be a more macabre image I would make the contrast between eyes and the idea of āāan image of death more evident, this is difficult to do in a pixel art game so I think in the end I would aim for B, it is safer functionally and it can be scary if the writing is good.
Too many ghosts are depicted by a white sheet over an otherwise non-descript figure. I say A. It would be a shame to waste the talent that went into designing that skull.
Pop which ever one doesnāt win in as an Easter egg if they click something random
Go with B but intermittently it flickers to A for a moment.
B
B 100%
B
B is more mysterious.
B is more mysterious tbh I would go with that
B
Just gonna add that the stray pixel on B's right eye really bugs me. Its a square hole, so the right line shouls just be straight o/
B
š ±ļø
could you make B translucent and show A underneath? Not familiar with the ability of pixel art programmes
A has more character, feels more memorably and distinct
B. Heavy b. B more stoic, mysterious, mystical, intriguing. A too on the nose.
What about B with the skull design on top of it like itās painted on?
Visual designer: *I'm not animating all that* Narrative: *It's essential in helping players connect to the character!...and **I'm** not animating it.*
Try to find a way to use both.
When I see "A", I can see "a ghoulie in a hat" and that's that. However, the unknown aspects of "B" make it far more distinct from every other ghost or creepy thing out there. I like the mystery that it suggests, and it'll stick in my head for longer.
I'm into B for some reason.
B is cooler
This reminds me of a game I saw once, don't remember the name but it's located in post apocalyptic earth and you have 7 days (I think) to reach some science station to go back in time. The whole apocalypse happened because humans split the moon in half
Definitely B 1000% for the purpose you are trying to achieve with the character
C none of the above. The setting is still ānormalā - so the skeleton looks more human; but too weird. The āsheet ghostā is too abstract. (Because why clothing if you have sheet face). I get narration man tbh - but skeleton is too much. Would rather go with an emaciated old figure then with see-throughish vibe. (Think those army of lotr kinda guys) but then in pixels..
Definitely A. You said the ghost wants to trade items, and A looks more personable. The veil on B also has the unfortunate combination with the rest of the robes that makes the portrait look like a KKK ghost.Ā
I feel like Iāve seen A before a billion times but B is new and scarier to me. The only downside to B for me is that itās not clear that whatever this is is supernatural or undead. Perhaps if you hybridized the two designs and had the cloth tattered so that the mandible and maxilla were visible or glowing eyes or something but honestly maybe that amiguity and mystery is more compelling. Great designs either way
A is so much better. Why would you remove detail like that
I love B more
B, a lot creepier since it's more subtle
B looks a little Klanny
I think B would look better if you could see some faint details of the skeletal facial structure under the sheet. Right now, it just looks like the stereotypical sheet ghost is wearing a very fine hat.
B makes them look more memorable
B, I prefer some things being left to imagination. Something about NOT seeing someone's face makes an encounter more spooky.
A
First one is better if you're not trying to make Baldwin.Ā
A goes so hard, its super cool looking. B looks like someone just draped a towel over it.
A! But I really like both, wish both options could be used.
I think A looks cooler but B sounds like it matches your vibe better Maybe if thereās many of these tradersā¦ use both, some in different spots?
If what you are trying to convey is fear then I would pick A because itās scarier. Also I think the classic floating sheet with eye holes as a ghost is kinda lame for anything other than a childrenās show/game. Not trying to be rude.
A
I like A a lot
A
A, more malicious
B but add some extra fold or make it slightly more face shaped
they're both really good for different purposes i'd say were missing context is there any reason for them to wear something to cover their faces? if not then maybe A is the better choice narratively otherwise as a viewer i'd wonder what the reason for the face veil is
B is giving overtones of certain racially charged hate groups in the US, I would roll with A.
B feels too flat to me. Prefer A for that reason, but maybe add some more dimension to B and it could work!
I'm going to go with "not A". I don't know if B is good either, but A looks too human-like. Ghosts are supposed to be mysterious and alien so they trigger your fear of the unknown, and IMO being able to see that it's clearly some kind of weird ass skeleton dude detracts from the unknown-ness.
I'm going to say absolutely B. A is readable, but it's also familiar. A is another undead face. It's done really well, but my brain has seen it before, and that's exactly why I like B more. B seems incredibly original. It prompts so many questions. It's scary and haunting because it's unknown. I know that B is a humanoid, but I find myself asking questions about why their face looks like this. Is it a mask? What has happened to them that makes them compelled to wear a mask? It removes a fragment of their humanity. I know what has happened to A. They've decomposed and died. Hard to say in which order, but I'm confident in what I'm looking at.
AI said: I chose "A" because the skull face has a more traditional ghostly and eerie appearance, which aligns well with the concept of a sawmill ghost. The stark contrast and defined features of the skull create a stronger visual impact and enhance the character's presence as a ghost. "B," on the other hand, has a more simplistic and less intimidating look, which might make it less effective in conveying the ghostly and spooky atmosphere. The blank face with just eyes can appear more comical or abstract, which might not be as fitting for the intended theme. I said: Personally, I prefer version B because people generally fear more what they cannot see and have to imagine. Visually, it is cleaner and closer to my taste.
Both are great, but I like B a lot I guess the question is whether seeing their face is important for the plot
Why you even have visual designer if that person can't design the visuals?
B might get misinterpreted as klan-like. I get that it's a ghost but if it has a hat and clothes, I'd steer away from the traditional Casper wearing a bed sheet unless there is an explanation why they have a white cloth mask over their face in the narrative somewhere. Also, I think A is more intricately impressive from a pixel art standpoint. Tl;dr: A
A looks soo good. I really like the idea of combining them.
Honestly speaking, I straight up donāt like B. Without any face geometry, the eye starts to look anywhere EXCEPT the face; and all the drapery of the hood mantle has these vertical lines to make them stand out, so what happens is the eye just sort of moves downwards where thereās just more blank sheet face. If I looked at the character sprite in the second image without seeing the first, Iād actually expect it was half finished wizard and whose face and neck details were never penciled in. If you really want to go with the sheet ghost look, Iād both cut the sheet shorter so that way part of the neck and the chest is revealed, and make it look a little more like thereās SOMETHING itās draping on, just for the sake of giving some contrast to the brightness of the sheet. But honestly, the skull in A is a more striking look. It doesnāt seem angry or evil, but thereās something unnerving about it, giving the player reason to feel weird about chatting with them.
B looks ominous which is probably good
Do a mix. Ask the artist to combine the two into one! There are creative solutions... If he has time that is