EXTREME OVERHAUL BUMP
The majority of the first page has gone through a serious change. Insofar as cosmetics, the initial first post appears the same, but now includes an animated gif 3x scaled in size to show half kaiser battlers in action. But in addition to this, the heading for Standard Conventions now relays that the individual frames within a battler spritesheet has been increased in size, and suggests to anyone interested to examine the templates to see how large the works are.
The second post merely provides links to tools that I used for the development of the graphics within. However, the Layered Battler tool described is one that permits end-users to use these graphics to make their own custom battler, mixing and adjusting as they see fit.
The third post contains a development log of sorts, containing text from posts made from late September 2020 up to early January 2021. With this log now present, I was able to delete two pages worth of posts no longer needed. Some screenshots may have been deleted, but such images were no longer necessary.
And finally, a number of new 'Reserved' posts were added to hold just below in order to hold any upcoming resources, be they armor, shields, shirts, pants, or the like. These could be for resources which I crafted, or works that YOU created.
Yes, you! I'm looking at you. You spriter you. You can contribute, remember?
YOU ARE FREE TO CONTIBUTE!!!!
2021/01/19
Resources and Design Bump
Hear ye! Hear ye! In the first page of the thread, not far from the list of Tools that were designed for, and used to make, the Half Kaiser resources, I now have a post with two lists: A list of folders and resource types for the project, and a list of the 40+ poses possible for any submitted resource.
Okay, guys. Not ever resource supplied must have every pose filled. I mean, if you're making a Japanese Kimono for a Samurai warrior, I'm pretty sure the Samurai won't be using a rifle... Some poses subject to ... um.. what you wanna make.
As towards resources, new ones are available.
New BODY templates are available for both genders and the three current skin tones. The difference is that there are no eyes nor ears appear within. As towards why, this is for the ability to create non-standard eye and/or ear resources. This in the event someone designs cyclops eyes or cat ears. Hell, even Mimbari ears (Babylon 5) are placed oddly.
And speaking of ears, there are three new sets of separate EAR graphics.. for both male and female characters AND of the three current skin tones. These ears are standard-human ears, elf ears (akin to anime elves like Deedlit*), and more sharply pointed Vulcan (or Tolkein elf) ears. There are no cat ears designed, but any cat ears made would be placed higher on the head.
*Deedlit: Character from Record of Lodoss Wars. (Img gone)
2021/01/21
GOTTA FACE UP TO THIS!!!
Yep, we gotta face up to this. All of the Half Kaiser battlers have the same facial contours. Fortunately, plans were in the works for this resource project and the Layered Battler Tool, to allow for a face resource.
SO WE NOW HAVE A NEW FACE RESOURCE!!!
Qapla'! tlhIngan maH! (Translation: Success! We have a Klingon face!)
Yes, if it looks a bit... Star Trek™ based, we now have 'Klingon' forehead ridges!! Included with this face, a slight subtleness was added to the brow where the eyes belong, and some very prominent indentation on either side of the head was added too.
As a face resource, it has no ears nor eyes as YOU fill those in with the available optional resources. But the resources are building.
Don't forget, you can supply and submit resources of your own.
2021/01/27
NO MORE KOJAK
Are you tired of having bald-headed battlers. If so, you now have access to a small selection of hair styles.
As of posting, there are merely five different female styles now available. They are based on a particular style from the HKCP (Half-Kaiser Construction Project) that used to be hosted at HBGames. Though the resource links at HBGames and Pixelcocktail hosted by HugeDomains.Com are now dead...
WARNING: While one may wish to acquire the original HKCP resources, be warned that Trojan viruses were encountered and blocked attempts at retrieval with the Wayback Machine (web.archive.org).
While the original versions had multiple custom recolors, only one colored version of each is present. Tone adjustment can help, but I do intend to make the multiple color variations which the original artists made available. Still, all five female hair styles from the HKCP have been represented. Original female hair artwork was produced by Venetia, KazeN, Akaire and Deebs, and it is 'required' to give due credit for their use.
These hair styles did require some extra editing to match the Half Kaiser animatics. The battler heads are wider, and the ear placement is roughly 3 pixels lower than the Half Kaiser charactersets by Showkaiser. So it does take some time to properly adjust each one.
However, more will be coming soon! I hope.
But hey, remember! YOU CAN MAKE SOME TOO!!!
EDIT: I added additional content above related to artists, all five female HKCP hair stiles available, and requirement for their specific use.
2021/02/02
BUH-BYE BAD HAIR DAYS
Not long ago, I posted that we have a small selection of hair based on styles from the HKCP (Half-Kaiser Construction Project). Well, that small selection has grown.
What was four or five hair styles has become a selection of 80. There are multiple color variations of five female hair styles and a large number of colored versions for men. And all of the recolors are based on the same recolors of the HKCP, this to be respectful towards the original works.
Along with that, I just created some... SHIELDS!
Yes, there are now two round wooden shields created by yours truly. :Happy And I think they came out just fine, even if I do say so myself. One of the wooden shields uses a bronze trim while the other a steel trim. I don't have any other shields as yet, though it didn't take THAT long to sprite.
Oh, and the main page's animated gif now sports some of the new resources, including the hair, ears and a shield.
Hey, remember! YOU CAN MAKE SOME TOO!!!
2021/02/07
Cover up those Bad Hair Days
PROTECT YOUR NOGGIN!!!
This week, three distinct medieval helms are now available within the Headwear Section of the thread. Along with the base Bluecap that was part of the original Half Kaiser resources, you now have actual helmets for your heroes or heroines to wear!
There is a classic, but basic, Knight's Templar Great Helm that covers the whole head. This being different in design and appearance of others that may sport accents on the face resembling a gold cross, or a Crusader helm that may have a conical section above the eyes.
There is a medieval nasal helm. Not far from what would be called a salad helm (shaped like a bowl), but with a fixed nose guard across the face.
And there is a basic viking helm. Though one would expect horns on the side, that would actually be a Norman Viking helmet. This classic helm is also based on a Salad helm style, but with a fixed protective mask to guard the wearer's eyes.*
* A variation of the Viking Helm was seen in Conan the Barbarian when guards arrested Conan and Valeria before being taken to King Osric. Though their protective masks were hinged.
The three styles were made with a basic grey metal color scheme, eye slits given a 50% darkness shade so eyes behind appear darker. And it wasn't too difficult as there are only four head positions used by the battler: Standard, struck-like, weakened, face-down-dead. So if anyone else wished to make helms, I would say "Go for it!"
HAPPY SPRITING!
2021/02/10
(From Holder)
You're becoming quite the spriter :) You'll be taking up colour theory next!
2021/02/10
The main helmets produced are steel workmanship. Granted, I opted for a grayscale-based palette as some helms like the Knights Templar cylindar helms were never anything but steel... with the exception of Crusader helms that have gold crosses across the face.
I can see recolors for the others, making them darker for a more worn effect, or perhaps a slightly dull orange spectrum for brassworked Barbute helms. A Barbute helm is a kind of classic style. You can see some semblance to it used by the Greeks in the movie TROY, or a more sci-fi conical style used by.... The Mandalorian. Laughing Granted, the face is covered by a solid black visor in that case.
And you can sprite stuff here too. Winking
2021/02/10
PROTECT YOURSELF! LEARN THE RIDDLE OF STEEL!
Okay, I'm crafting this post while listening to the Conan the Barbarian Soundtrack (Basil Poledouris). Big fan. Still, I am here to relay that two more pieces of protective gear have been created.
The Barbute helmet that I just mentioned the other day (above) is now within the Headwear post within this thread. An italian design of the 15th century, it has no actual visor. But it has a distinctive T or Y shaped opening for the eyes and mouth. Betcha didn't expect a history lesson, did ya?
Of the Barbute, there are some helms that have appeared even before the 15th century such as ghe Greek Corintian helms seen in the movies Troy or 300 are recalled. And while initially visorless, it is not too uncommon that someone hadn't fixed a protective guard at some point, even if but to protect the wearer's mouth. Oh, and then there's Boba Fett's helmet if you want a sci-fi spin.
The Tower shield is my newest shield which may be found within the Shields post. A tower shield is a large shield, sometimes referred to as a great shield, seen mainly of steel construction as this one is. However, there have been tower shields made of wood, fastened together and reinforced by steel, iron or bronze.
The design presented here is a basic steel tower shield with no accents or decoration other than the workmanship around the shield's edges. However, it would be quite common to see more workmanship such as extra steel forming pattern across the face, or a painted standard representing the bearer's allegiance to some lord, or the owner's own heraldry.
Painter Again, I do wish to point out that helmets are not so difficult to design as long as they bear no plumes or hackles to animate. Plumes, the feathered decoration on helmets, were meant to intimidate the enemy while giving the wearer a taller appearance. A trick-of-the-eyes as it were.
If a helmet requires no custom animation between frames, then it's actually quite easy. Having made four spritesheet resources for helmets, I can easily relay that you only need four individual frames used over and over throughout. A main sideview frame that is used over and over, a helmet angled to show the actor was struck, a helmet that appears to be facing the game player more, and one that actively doesn't show the face of the user as the actor is lying face-down dead.
Shields? Well... I use a few more as the bearer's arms move from side-to-side. I recommend multiple edits with 15° angles, and at least two that appear to be pressing forward (for a defense shield-use pose) and held back. And at least one set up to be lying on the ground would be good.
Remember. Anyone may contribute to this thread. I can clear space and reorder posts while YOU, the artist, can maintain the contents of your posted artwork.
And it would be so entertaining to have a collaborative package with various artists to release.
EDIT: The CD's done? Did I really listen to the entire CD while typing this? Sweat
2021/03/02
A minor update of sorts
As now I made some shorts.
It took some time
To make this rhyme
Now a Battler pirate can fight at the ports.
I'm definitely not a poet.
Yep, I began working on shorts, the first pairs now available for the male and female characters. Only denim now of course, and clean cut... no discolored white fringe at the bottom. And no male shorts ready as yet... yet.
You can find this within the Clothing - Lower Section of course.
2021/03/05
(to Holder) You basically have the main angles down
for a shield work resource!
This is my base before base pasting.
The work on that kite shield is pretty premium. I'd actually hate to mess it up IN combat. Well, I guess it's filename would be something akin to Shield-Kite02-Bronze-Holder, whereby the one I made will be rewritten Shield-Kite01-Steel-DerVV. Gotta have standards, eh?
When it has been fully prepped, your (above) post will be altered/moved to be directly under my Shields post in this thread. It being your SHIELD(s) post which you may still have editing permissions. And this post re-purposed and replaced with an official bump!
Yeah, I can do that.
Still, our content should still be visible for the week at least, so readers can see that detailwork. Dayum.
EDIT: I had to do a little editing as the shield angles side-to-side. Lighting on the proper side ya know.
The image of the shield on the top-right began with a horizontal flip. However, I had to edit the shading and highlights, and I admit that I'm not so much of a spriter like you. And the shield image at the very bottom left when the battler is holding it behind himself required some lighting tough-ups too.
I can work with this just fine, as my procedure is to use a 'translucent copy' of the image to find the best placement of the shield for every cel frame (yep, that's tedious), and then replace them with a final solid and opaque product. And I am beginning the translucent phase right now. If you can improve on what I did, hey, lemme know.
Again, Dayum!
EDIT: Dayum, you already did. Laughing
2021/03/05
(From Holder)
Took your template and altered mine to suit.
Pleased you like it.
There's a awful lot of frames in the entire sheet, originally I was going to set it up into the sheet, and yeah there was a lot.
There's a plate I was working, feel free to do all the bits and bobs to it.
2021/03/05
Another tower shield? Rather ornate!!! Oh, please... do the bits and bobs for an above WIP sheet. Be my guest!!
But as you can see below in the spoiler, I am done with phase 1, the transparency placement of the shield over a stock 2-color character.
(Spoiler with Transparent placement no longer saved in log)
And now, I begin working on the actual solid work and area removal now that this part has been accomplished. And making a simple handle for the one reverse angle frame that demands it.
OKay... I gotta take a break for lunch. THEN I'm gonna work on Phase2.
2021/03/11
The weather is changing and it may be getting warmer soon. So the discerning young woman may want more variety with her apparel. So this week, a new article of clothing was added....
The Tube Top!
This version comes in a nice violet, though one may have fun with hue adjustment. And like the shirts, this too is found in the Clothing Section.
Meanwhile, the denim pants for both Male and Female have been re-uploaded as the bottom trim of the legs have been re-bordered.
2021/07/05
Prepare yourself. Action battlers have taken a new step. Get ready to...
DIE HARD
The John McClane Tank Top!
Um, he is kinda bald nowadays too, right?
Yes, your action hero can now sport the tank top that some have referred to in the late 90s as the 'wife beater'... who comes up with these names? And it comes in a fairly lack-luster white. And as it is a shirt, you can find it and others within the Clothing Section.
2021/08/02
Sometimes, you just want to do something with style. And when it comes to style, Holder has it all with the latest addition to the Shields, his ornate Plate Shield!!!!
This heavy shield clearly makes a statement. And woe to those on the wrong side. As with his other, Premium Design Kite Shield, you can find it within a separate post set up for Holder's Shields.
2021/10/05
Now for a time of elegance....
Two new spritesheets of similar design are now available. Inspired by Holder who supplied an original design, a knee-length dress can now be found within our CLOTHING: One Piece Section, along with a strapless variant.
Currently, the dresses are of a single color, that of the image on the left. The strapless dress's color was hue adjusted. However, other color variations may come soon. And perhaps skirts for the Clothing: Lower section.
2021/10/06
Ah, well perhaps a dress might be too much...
Now available is a simple skirt, the skirt based upon the dress designs posted only just yesterday. Yes, indeed. It didn't take long to make such a garment, and it can be found within our CLOTHING: Lower Section with the denim pants and shorts. However, only a green variation is visible.
It doesn't look too bad, does it? You just need to be a fashion consultant. Laughing
2021/12/31
Release just before the New Year, a touch of the orient...
As of now, you can obtain an actual short-sleeved Kimono spritesheet for the ladies. Currently, the spritesheet only comes in rose pink, and not available for male battlers. Also, it is only the Kimono itself, not including the sash (called an Obi) worn about the waist. That will be a later addition, and meant to be separate for easier color handling options. For now, the Kimono itself can be found within our CLOTHING: One Piece Section.
2021/12/31
(From kyonides)
It certainly looks a lot like a pijama. Laughing
Thinking That reminds me if there will be a full pijama available any time soon. Just a friendly suggestion.
Happy with a sweat You never know when you'd be attacked by some feral monsters at midnight!
Is it possible to wear this kind of fedora hat?
2021/01/01
Pajamas can be two pieces or one piece... and many variations per-say.
A fedora? Yep, possible. I prefer the suede fedora that Indiana wore. Feeling like doing some spriting?
And would you prefer the category being called 'onesies' ?
2021/01/01
A seamstress did a bit of work just now.
The Kimono spritesheet, while colorful and vibrant, had a few issues. First, some of the spritesheet frames had non-kimono arms. That is, the sleeves were not open and flowing, but were more that of the battler's own. Second, work was done on the rose kimono's color. Some of the colors were a bit muted than desired, and had to be intensified. And some ares were just not dark enough for shading principles.
Now, the rose kimono has been updated.
An Obi may be coming soon.
2021/01/04
Fine needlework was painstakingly done upon the silken threads again.
There were two more arms that were not reworked to give the open flow of the sleeves, and the bottom hem in some frames needed to be updated. However, the design of the woman's kimono has been complete.
But moreso, there are now other colors available.
The female kimono now comes in Sakura (or Cherry Blossom Pink), Peach, and Daffodil yellow. Other colors may come, but these light colors look quite nice if I say so myself.
2021/01/08
For the finest in oriental silks, one needs the finest in accessories to bring out their beauty. And so this week, we now present three styles of Obi, or sash-like belts that accompany the kimono. Currently, each are available in four pleasing colors.
Presented is the traditional Fukuro Obi, one that has the keeps the extensive length folded up as a bundle fixed along the back. Second is a basic obi that is tied in a knot along the front. And the third is another basic obi, but with the excess folded and wrapped-tucked along the front.
Neither actual clothing, armor or weapons, these are the selection's first accessories and can be found within the Accessories Section.
2021/04/20
(from JayRay)
Didnt you also have a big thread where the HKCP project was being reborn as well? (non-battlers)
2021/04/20
That's the CharGen Extended tool in ... um... Tools.
2021/07/19
Engarde!!!
At long last, the finest steel was smelted in the foundries of imagination and hammered and forged with great patience. For this week, the Half Kaiser Battler Project now has its first Sword Template!
As you can see, our kilt wearing hero is carrying a sturdy blade, not exactly a claymore but more along the line of a crusader sword with a straight cross guard, arounded pommel and fuller along the length of the blade.
It is the first blade of its type in the Half Kaiser Battler Project, but surely will not be the last. And this base template for swords can be found within the Weapon Templates Section.
2021/07/30
CRY HAVOC! AND LET SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR!!!
It wasn't long ago that the foundry at Save-Point was put to use, offering its first Sword Template. This week, the smiths returned to the foundry, and now the Half Kaiser Battler Project holds a new sword template for your pleasure!
Held up high, our lovely elvish maiden now carries a sword longer than before, longer in blade and a hilt longer to allow for two-handed use (if you use any pose that uses two hands).
If the first was akin to a crusader blade, this is closer to a claymore. And is likely the longest ranged sword given the number of pixels allowed on all sides before clipping. And now, you can find the base for this sword with its elder brother within the Weapon Templates Section.
2021/08/26
Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die...
It took some time, but the first of the thinner bladed swords has now appeared courtesy of the Save-Point foundry. And this week, the smiths have returned to the Half Kaiser Battler Project with an all new sword for use!
Presented by a hero with the striking familiarity of a Spanish Swordsman from The Princess Bride, we see a finely crafted rapier with a D-Guard and long dark walnut handle, both the guard and pommel in the finest brass.
True, the handle itself is a bit long for a rapier, but this is just one style of rapier as others have both a D and cross guard combined, some with handles of ebony, others ivory and so on. It is as long as the crusader's sword if perhaps a pixel longer bladewise (I haven't measured). And today, you can find the base for this sword with its bretheren within the Weapon Templates Section.