Open Surge Forum

A fun 2D retro platformer inspired by Sonic games and a game creation system

You are not logged in.

Announcement

Our community has moved to Discord! https://discord.gg/w8JqM7m

#1 2015-03-13 01:32:15

MajorLunaC
Member
Registered: 2015-03-12
Posts: 3

Quick Way to get a Ton of Bricksets

I've been looking around this project for a while now, but I wasn't sure if I could help much. However, I may be able to make some things a bit easier (I hope) by offering quick and easy techniques to get tons of bricksets. I'll try to keep it simple. Most of it has to do with simple patterns that you can just copy and paste wherever you want.

*Use OpenGameArt Assets + Cut-Out Technique

I noticed some have already been collected and there are far too many others available too, but they were never used:
http://opengameart.org/content/open-surge-1
http://opengameart.org/content/scrapped-projects

I found a way to make them easily usable. Here's how
1) Open Desert1.png with GIMP.
2) On the Toolbar go to "Select" -> "By Color", and select the magenta background meant for transparency. Right-Click and "Copy" the selected magenta area.
3) Go to "File" -> "New" image of the same size (640 × 800 pixels), and click the "Advanced Options" triangle to see and set  "Fill with:" to Transparency. Click "OK". Click off the new image to anchor it.
4) In the Toolbox, use the "Rectangle Select Tool" to select as small a rectangle as you easily can around any one brick cut-out (transparent space where a single brick was). Copy that small rectangle.
5) Open one of the OpenGameArt assets with GIMP.
6) Paste the brick cut-out and move it until you're pleased how the final brick will look. Anchor the brick cut-out by clicking off of it.
7) In the Toolbox, use the "Rectangle Select Tool" to select the brick cut-out which now has an image in the background of the transparent space. Copy the selected rectangle.
8) Go to "File" -> "New" image of whatever size you want your final new brickset sheet to be.
9) Paste your brand new brick into your final new brickset sheet.
10) Repeat steps 4-7 and 9 until you have a full brickset.

Notes, Tips, Tricks: You can actually just paste your new brick into the same exact spot on the magenta cut-out page, potentially removing the need to use the brickset editor, although this may reduce originality and the number of overall bricks. Maybe only use it on some. You can also resize the cut-outs by copying and pasting selected rectangles on the magenta cut-out sheet. Shift the magenta rectangle to trim off however much you want out of a cut-out. Change the "Foreground & background colors" to transparency for the selected rectangle if you want to make your brick bigger (You can also erase). You can also use different "Layers" to simplify some of the process and resizing.

*Shadow + Light Patterns Copy-And-Paste

On http://opengameart.org/content/scrapped-projects
you'll notice lights and shadows are actually a bunch of lines and checkered patterns repeated. You can try to copy that by using GIMP's "Select by Color" as described above (might need some selective cleaning or before-hand selection depending on image) or make a VERY short pattern to mimic that. Then, you can copy and paste that pattern anywhere you like, on any brick you like (especially plain-colored ones) and trim as much as you want (before and after any copy and paste). Remember to just copy and paste that pattern, or any small bits of that pattern, as many times in a row as you need it. Remember to use both a "Light" pattern and a "Shadow" pattern in the same brick at least once each (maybe more) to achieve the best results.

*SVG-Patterns Export
This may not work on high-detailed characters, but it works quite well for bricksets. Just use Inkscape or another SVG-editor program to make 2D AND 3D patterns for bricks. Remember to group and un-group them with with Ctrl+G or the menu or Toolbar options. Use gradients and blur to add lights, shadows, and even metallic or globe effects. To export to PNG properly, you have to resize the brick to the exact size you want to export it to. This helps the final result look better. You can use the exact coordinates at the Toolbar to get things lined-up and sized correctly (Remove "Stroke" by pressing the "X" button in "Fill & Stroke") . Note that there are tons of easy and even fun tutorials out there for making SVGs, but there are also numerous free and open-source SVGs out there too, even on OpenGameArt. Searching for "SVG patterns" helps in general.

*Note that I get the feeling there's a reluctance to do anything except sticking to a set plan, which has sadly ended up not doing much of anything (no offense). Some projects plan a lot but execute a little, while others plan little but execute a lot. Planning is a very good idea, but it looks like it's been lots of planning with little execution, especially with such strict requirements. At this point, there's not much you can lose by accepting using any assets you can and dealing with the results later. I would say it's better to just use a large portion of the better assets already available, as a collection, and make a story out of that. Some of the greatest stories have come out of improvisation and imagination using inspiration. If you want, the current story can be Part 2 or 3 made at a date when it's possible or better supported. I really like this project and want to see it achieve something great. I'll try to help whenever I can, although the techniques above are very easy and very quick.

EDIT: Added a bit about layers.

Last edited by MajorLunaC (2015-03-13 14:48:15)

Offline

#2 2015-03-14 20:35:34

KZR
Member
Registered: 2010-07-14
Posts: 1,447
Website

Re: Quick Way to get a Ton of Bricksets

MajorLunaC wrote:

I get the feeling there's a reluctance to do anything except sticking to a set plan, which has sadly ended up not doing much of anything (no offense). Some projects plan a lot but execute a little, while others plan little but execute a lot. Planning is a very good idea, but it looks like it's been lots of planning with little execution, especially with such strict requirements. At this point, there's not much you can lose by accepting using any assets you can and dealing with the results later. I would say it's better to just use a large portion of the better assets already available, as a collection, and make a story out of that. Some of the greatest stories have come out of improvisation and imagination using inspiration. If you want, the current story can be Part 2 or 3 made at a date when it's possible or better supported. I really like this project and want to see it achieve something great. I'll try to help whenever I can, although the techniques above are very easy and very quick.

no one ever said this better. agree 100%


SD_sml.pngSeD_sml.pngLTot_W_sml.png
https://discord.gg/w8JqM7m ---> Open Surge's Discord server

Offline

#3 2015-04-28 19:11:06

MajorLunaC
Member
Registered: 2015-03-12
Posts: 3

Re: Quick Way to get a Ton of Bricksets

Please mention if you want any specific OpenGameArt resources modified to be used for Open Surge.

More useful resources I plan to modify to be usable for Open Surge ... eventually:

*Plee The Bear:

http://opengameart.org/users/julien

*Iron Plague

http://opengameart.org/art-search?keys=Iron+Plague

*Bricks

http://opengameart.org/content/forest-themed-sprites (Plea The Bear)

*Objects:

http://opengameart.org/content/iron-plague-checkbmp (Egg!)
http://opengameart.org/content/iron-plague-bshipbmp (Egg!)

http://opengameart.org/content/iron-plague-factory1bmp (Teleporter!)

http://opengameart.org/content/iron-plague-wavebmp

http://opengameart.org/content/iron-plague-minebmp
http://opengameart.org/content/spike-ball

http://opengameart.org/content/flying-platform-wood

http://opengameart.org/content/stakes-o … rest-style
http://opengameart.org/content/wall-plant
http://opengameart.org/content/bramble
http://opengameart.org/content/large-bu … f-a-ground


*Enemy Resources:

http://opengameart.org/content/lpc-beetle
http://opengameart.org/content/34-view-beetle

http://opengameart.org/content/animated … or-glasses
http://opengameart.org/content/animated … y-hazelnut
http://opengameart.org/content/animated-frog
http://opengameart.org/content/animated … roll-style

http://opengameart.org/content/iron-plague-launcherbmp (Mini-BOSS!)

http://opengameart.org/content/space-ic … ps-scenery
http://opengameart.org/content/top-down … animations
http://opengameart.org/content/top-down … animations
http://opengameart.org/content/top-down … animations
http://opengameart.org/content/top-down-bee-animations
http://opengameart.org/content/planetcute-enemy-bugpng

http://opengameart.org/content/iron-plague-ship6bmp
http://opengameart.org/content/iron-plague-ship3bmp

*NPC Resources:

http://opengameart.org/content/animated … en-actions

Offline

#4 2015-09-22 19:50:31

jobromedia
Member
From: Stockholm, Sweden
Registered: 2009-11-01
Posts: 1,072
Website

Re: Quick Way to get a Ton of Bricksets

I find this most helpful, so sticking it for easier access for everyone. cool

Offline

#5 2018-04-21 13:49:03

alexis9000
Member
Registered: 2018-04-20
Posts: 11

Re: Quick Way to get a Ton of Bricksets

this is good. finally something really helpful, I would be more than glad to find something more than just Green Hill here. smile

Offline

#6 2019-05-04 02:40:11

CrazyPencilDawg
Member
From: Gensokyo, Japan
Registered: 2018-10-12
Posts: 54

Re: Quick Way to get a Ton of Bricksets

Whaddaya mean by "Load up desert1.png"? Am I SUPPOSED to use the Chilpoctli Temple brickset?


Touhou fan who is currently working on a game about a blue cartoon rat and a game about mildly-infuriated plastic balls.

Offline

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB  hosted by tuxfamily.org