Changes in this section

Started by doesn't matter September 23rd, 2008 10:41 PM
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Posted August 21st, 2021
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As I mentioned in this announcement, I wanted to discuss changes for sprites and tags. Yes, I know these aren't the most important things, but they need to be addressed.

Sprites. What do you all consider a sprite? The rules state that you need 4 examples of sprites to have your own thread, but only one example of pixel art.

While sprites are technically a utilisation of pixel art, we've separated them here so that we don't get a hundred threads showing one simple (and sometimes bad) recolour, fusion, or whatever. Here though, we've basically included them under the vague classification of "anything small" and regarding the larger pieces as pixel art. I don't like that so much, since there are so many beautiful smaller pieces here that are regarded as sprites.

Sprites should be anything that is a recolour, revamp (and devamp in some cases) or fusion/splice, while anything that is created entirely by the users hand should be regarded as pixel art from now on, regardless of size.

Thoughts?

Tags. With the latest vB update, the forum has now been given the ability to apply tags to every thread. I'm afraid that this doesn't serve much purpose here though, well at least none that I can see. Furthermore, those that use tags often use them incorrectly, putting either their name or really specific tags. Ausaudriel has written a guide here that has been in the announcements for some time, but some of you haven't really taken note of it.

So anyway, if we are to utilise tags in this section, I'd like a list so that we don't get unnecessary tags floating around. Suggestions?

In addition, is there anything else you'd like to bring up while this is here? Maybe something about the pixel projects section or something. And no, before you ask, sprite shops will not be allowed once again.

Thanks for your input, it's appreciated :)
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
As I mentioned in this announcement, I wanted to discuss changes for sprites and tags. Yes, I know these aren't the most important things, but they need to be addressed.

I'm assuming since you left this open you wanted replies. Even though I really only pop in and out of the section, I may as well provide some feedback.

Sprites. What do you all consider a sprite? The rules state that you need 4 examples of sprites to have your own thread, but only one example of pixel art.

I consider sprites and pixel art to be the same thing, but some times are obviously a lot different and harder to make than other types.

While sprites are technically a utilisation of pixel art, we've separated them here so that we don't get a hundred threads showing one simple (and sometimes bad) recolour, fusion, or whatever. Here though, we've basically included them under the vague classification of "anything small" and regarding the larger pieces as pixel art. I don't like that so much, since there are so many beautiful smaller pieces here that are regarded as sprites.

I agree; there are many small beautiful pieces. However, they don't really turn up much. Most small things are fusions, recolors, edits, revamps, etc, so the type of art you are mentioning is uncommon.

Sprites should be anything that is a recolour, revamp (and devamp in some cases) or fusion/splice, while anything that is created entirely by the users hand should be regarded as pixel art from now on, regardless of size.

I'm not entirely sure about this... what do you mean by something created entirely by the user's hands?

Thoughts?

Tags. With the latest vB update, the forum has now been given the ability to apply tags to every thread. I'm afraid that this doesn't serve much purpose here though, well at least none that I can see. Furthermore, those that use tags often use them incorrectly, putting either their name or really specific tags. Ausaudriel has written a guide here that has been in the announcements for some time, but some of you haven't really taken note of it.

Tags are dumb... ;-; They make sense for Youtube... but not for a message board. Anyway, the username in a tag is the least of anyone's worries. At least that's not totally random.

So anyway, if we are to utilise tags in this section, I'd like a list so that we don't get unnecessary tags floating around. Suggestions?

In addition, is there anything else you'd like to bring up while this is here? Maybe something about the pixel projects section or something. And no, before you ask, sprite shops will not be allowed once again.

Thanks for your input, it's appreciated :)
Comments in bold. I can't think of much else to implement here, but I'll bring it up if I do.
Age 30
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Your Mother
Seen June 29th, 2010
Posted May 29th, 2010
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17.3 Years
I think that in a section like this would be one of the few places that tags could be used to their full potential. A tag for threads that contain recolors, a tag for revamps, a tag for scratch work. If all threads were tagged it could make looking for threads that contain certain types of pixel art easier to find, and to get an idea of what to expect before entering a thread. If, for example, you were in the mood to look at some revamps, you could hover over the little tag () icon, and check if the thread contains revamps. Or I could go to the tag search page and type in revamps to get a list of threads.

But, to accomplish this, a list of tags would be good idea, so you get consistent tags throughout the section, and, hopefully, not get any irrelevant tags.

Maybe have a thread with the list of tags that are allowed, and state in the rules that these are the only tags that may be added to a thread. There might be a few cases where a tag not on the list would be appropriate, but I don't see that happening very often.

Of course, none of this will matter much at all if tagging isn't encouraged more. Right now I see 3 threads with tags on them on the first page. So, for any of this to work, the amount of tagged threads in this section would have to be increased.
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
I think that in a section like this would be one of the few places that tags could be used to their full potential. A tag for threads that contain recolors, a tag for revamps, a tag for scratch work. If all threads were tagged it could make looking for threads that contain certain types of pixel art easier to find, and to get an idea of what to expect before entering a thread. If, for example, you were in the mood to look at some revamps, you could hover over the little tag () icon, and check if the thread contains revamps. Or I could go to the tag search page and type in revamps to get a list of threads.
Thing is, if you want to see some Revamps, just type in Revamp in the Search this Forum bar. If the word is anywhere in the thread, the thread will show up as a search result. No one needs to tag a thread with things that are listed in it; if the word is in the thread it'll show up anyway.
Age 30
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Your Mother
Seen June 29th, 2010
Posted May 29th, 2010
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17.3 Years
Thing is, if you want to see some Revamps, just type in Revamp in the Search this Forum bar. If the word is anywhere in the thread, the thread will show up as a search result. No one needs to tag a thread with things that are listed in it; if the word is in the thread it'll show up anyway.
I know it will show up during a normal search as well. It won't show up while regularly browsing the forum, though. Moving the mouse over a little icon is much easier than searching.

And I never said anyone needs to. No one is forcing them. If someone wants to take 5 seconds out of their life to type a word into a box that could make things slightly easier to find, then good for them. If they don't want to, then that's fine.
Age 32
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Posted October 28th, 2010
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Well let's see, apart from the fact they take the total of 2 minutes, no talent and what must be classed to a degree as borderline sprite theft, they're also boring.

Everything is bad about them. It's not effort or talent, it's taking Nintendo's sprite(s), then taking Nintendo's colours from another sprite, and then haphazardly putting them together.
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
Well let's see, apart from the fact they take the total of 2 minutes, no talent and what must be classed to a degree as borderline sprite theft, they're also boring.

Everything is bad about them. It's not effort or talent, it's taking Nintendo's sprite(s), then taking Nintendo's colours from another sprite, and then haphazardly putting them together.
Sorry, that's pretty much untrue.

Recolors, first of all, can be good if you know what you're doing. Randomly putting colors all over the place is dumb, you're right. But transferring patterns from one Pokemon to another Pokemon is actually something worth looking at. Those don't take two minutes. Those require talent. Those... well, no recolors should be classified as sprite theft.
Age 32
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Seen May 16th, 2011
Posted October 28th, 2010
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18.4 Years
Sorry, that's pretty much untrue.

Recolors, first of all, can be good if you know what you're doing. Randomly putting colors all over the place is dumb, you're right. But transferring patterns from one Pokemon to another Pokemon is actually something worth looking at. Those don't take two minutes. Those require talent. Those... well, no recolors should be classified as sprite theft.
Talent? Excuse me? You use the "pick colour" tool, and then the flood fill. It doesn't take talent. It's worthless.

You can sit here and argue with me as much as you want, but you obviously don't know what you're talking about. Go on pixeltendo or Pixeljoint and post a recolour, you'll be ridiculed then banned. People who work for Mobile phone Game companies, DS game companies, Ex Sega staff etc, hang around PixelJoint, feel free to tell them a recolour requires talent.
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
Talent? Excuse me? You use the "pick colour" tool, and then the flood fill. It doesn't take talent. It's worthless.

You can sit here and argue with me as much as you want, but you obviously don't know what you're talking about. Go on pixeltendo or Pixeljoint and post a recolour, you'll be ridiculed then banned. People who work for Mobile phone Game companies, DS game companies, Ex Sega staff etc, hang around PixelJoint, feel free to tell them a recolour requires talent.
Wow, it's great that you didn't listen to what I said, like, at all. I'm talking about recolors where you actually have to copy a pattern, a color scheme, a number of colors from one Pokemon onto another. Fixing the shading, making sure the pattern looks alright, and then making it genuinely look like the other Pokemon does require talent.
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Posted August 21st, 2021
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Mobile Tsk: Yeah, I want the contributions of people who come here, so if you're one of them then that's good :)

The only reason why you believe them to be uncommon is because they keep on getting hidden by the lesser items of work. Someone could post a custom and another could post a bunch of recolours and fusions - guess who would get more attention in here :/

Name tags are stupid because if you want to see all the threads a person has made, just go look at the user's stats in their profile.

Froslass_Maniac: Yes you can, no need to worry.

~Kenji: Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I'll sort it out later then. Also, I can un/tag any thread I want, so we could have a full page of tags here in no time... but that's just making more work for me, haha.

Foxhound!: ohohoho I wish I could. You're correct in that the level of skill they require is practically zero - contrary to what you think Mobile Tsk, they do not take any skill. That's why beginners often try their hand at it.

And that's why, in a sense, they can't be abolished. If beginners didn't have a place to take their first step, no matter how small, then this place would fall apart pretty quickly due to lack of activity.

Fixing the shading? What for? You're only swapping the colours.
Age 32
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Posted October 28th, 2010
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Wow, it's great how you make a really simple task sound almost hard.

a color scheme, a number of colors from one Pokemon onto another
They all have the same amount of colours, give or take 2. You have to have a consistent amount of colours in any game sprites because of style and technical issues.

All you've done, is describe a simple recolour, in about over 9000 lengthy steps.

O hai Ray, you posted as I did =/
But yah, the thing is, it's not just the beginners, people do them because they know they'll get replies like "OH WOW KOOL RECULR HW DO U DO IT??!!"
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
Fixing the shading? What for? You're only swapping the colours.
Maybe I should've just stated this the beginning.

I'm not talking about turning Wigglytuff into Azumarill's blue.
I'm not talking about turning Geodude yellow.

I'm talking about taking Seaking's spots and making them fit in proportion to Snorlax's fat body.
I'm talking about taking Elekid's stripes and patterns and making them round enough to put on a Seedot.
I'm talking about coloring Butterfree's wings to make it look like Ho-oh's.
Age 32
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Posted October 28th, 2010
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I'm talking about taking Elekid's stripes and patterns and making them round enough to put on a Seedot.
taking Elekid's stripes and patterns and making them round enough

taking stripes and making them round enough
That's not "the exact same amount of pixels" if you're making them rounder.
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Posted August 21st, 2021
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lmao Matt, over 9000. hai :D

Edit is too broad a term.

But calling them recolours still don't boost their status. I know what you're thinking Mobile Tsk, you're trying to put them all on the same level. I used to think that way too, but the truth is that they're nothing a like except for the fact that you can make them both in MSPaint ♥

One of the issues we have here is that some people never move away from simple edits like recolours. They stay there and consequently this place stagnates (as it already has at times). We don't want to encourage simplicity, we want to encourage users to push themselves, see what is the most they can do, and then go further.
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
Look Mobile Tsk, the issue we have here is that some people never move away from simple edits like recolours. They stay there and consequently this place stagnates (as it already has at times). We don't want to encourage simplicity, we want to encourage users to push themselves, see what is the most they can do, and then go further.
Sometimes that's all a person can do, is recolor. Simple recolors. I don't see a problem with creative recolors, or even good simple recolors for that matter. As long as a sprite thread isn't filled with mutilated Charizards paint red and lime green, I don't see how recolors would be a problem. Plus, usually, recolors are posted in the same thread as other sprites, meaning that they are just additional sprites.

Then it's still talentless. You're just putting seaking's stripes on Seedot.
Nope, you're making them fit Seedot, too. It's not talentless. You'd have to recolor specific parts of Seedot (meaning the bucket fill tool won't help much), and then make it look like an actual Pokemon by fitting the new stripes to the sprite.
Age 32
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Seen May 16th, 2011
Posted October 28th, 2010
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18.4 Years
Sometimes that's all a person can do, is recolor. Simple recolors. I don't see a problem with creative recolors, or even good simple recolors for that matter. As long as a sprite thread isn't filled with mutilated Charizards paint red and lime green, I don't see how recolors would be a problem. Plus, usually, recolors are posted in the same thread as other sprites, meaning that they are just additional sprites.
If you don't see a problem then you probably are one of the people who aren't giving good crit or trying to encourage progress.
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
If you don't see a problem then you probably are one of the people who aren't giving good crit or trying to encourage progress.
Sorry, I'm out of ways to respond to you. That doesn't make any sense. Do you have a problem with someone recoloring a sprite if it actually turns out well? I might say, "Hey, you should try something harder," but I'm not going to completely disregard recolors.