After using hundreds of resource packs through out the years I played Minecraft, I decided to take a crack at making my own. Since I am not a great artist, I decided to do something easy: create a resource pack based off my old Nintendo Entertainment System. I googled a few images online of sprites, along with the original NES palette and I got to work. I got a few mobs and blocks done when I came across this and it is amazing. I especially love the shading, but I have absolutely no idea how to shade a resource pack. I can shade a 3d drawing easy since I know where my "light source" is, but how does that work with a resource pack? Any tips for an artist who doesn't want to create a bucket fill, which compared to the link, is what mine begins to look like?
It's normally a pretty good idea to just shade from directly above the block, since the sun's most likely to be above it. If you want to shade anything, imagine your light source either directly above or a little to either side of above (it's a good idea to keep this consistent throughout the pack).
It's normally a pretty good idea to just shade from directly above the block, since the sun's most likely to be above it. If you want to shade anything, imagine your light source either directly above or a little to either side of above (it's a good idea to keep this consistent throughout the pack).
After using hundreds of resource packs through out the years I played Minecraft, I decided to take a crack at making my own. Since I am not a great artist, I decided to do something easy: create a resource pack based off my old Nintendo Entertainment System. I googled a few images online of sprites, along with the original NES palette and I got to work. I got a few mobs and blocks done when I came across this and it is amazing. I especially love the shading, but I have absolutely no idea how to shade a resource pack. I can shade a 3d drawing easy since I know where my "light source" is, but how does that work with a resource pack? Any tips for an artist who doesn't want to create a bucket fill, which compared to the link, is what mine begins to look like?
Thank you very much for your time
It's really a lot simpler than you're making it. Just choose where your light source is and then stick with it throughout the pack. I recommend above and a little to the left since that's where people are conditioned (ironically by 2d NES/SNES-era games) to thinking light comes from in situations like this. Pretty much anywhere other than directly in front of the tile (pillow-shaded) or below (which will make the shading seem inverted to most people) will work though.
Try not to think of your lighting as a 3d in-world thing, but rather that each tile is lit individually from the same relative location. That's how most packs do it. Remember: you're always going to have something a little off because of the nature of Minecraft. Don't fight this imperfection, but rather embrace it.
Or just build your pack around SEUS shaders and let the lighting engine do all the heavy lifting.
Now, that's only the advice for blocks. For mobs, I recommend hanging the light right above their heads since that's the usual direction they'll be lit from anyway... and because it looks the best.
Items you can light however you want. Again, though, try to keep it somewhat consistent.
It's really a lot simpler than you're making it. Just choose where your light source is and then stick with it throughout the pack. I recommend above and a little to the left since that's where people are conditioned (ironically by 2d NES/SNES-era games) to thinking light comes from in situations like this. Pretty much anywhere other than directly in front of the tile (pillow-shaded) or below (which will make the shading seem inverted to most people) will work though.
Try not to think of your lighting as a 3d in-world thing, but rather that each tile is lit individually from the same relative location. That's how most packs do it. Remember: you're always going to have something a little off because of the nature of Minecraft. Don't fight this imperfection, but rather embrace it.
Or just build your pack around SEUS shaders and let the lighting engine do all the heavy lifting.
Now, that's only the advice for blocks. For mobs, I recommend hanging the light right above their heads since that's the usual direction they'll be lit from anyway... and because it looks the best.
Items you can light however you want. Again, though, try to keep it somewhat consistent.
I believe my shading is doing well now. I feel as if my stone is the weakest link out of my three textures since it doesn't tile well, then again tiling is not an NES thing.
I do have another question, am I forced to use the block overlays or can I just make the grass colour the same in every biome? I am trying to limit the game to using only the colours the NES could run at the time, so the biome shading would ruin that endeavour.
I do have another question, am I forced to use the block overlays or can I just make the grass colour the same in every biome? I am trying to limit the game to using only the colours the NES could run at the time, so the biome shading would ruin that endeavour.
Making the biome overlays totally white will remove the biome coloring. Just know that you're going to have to resort to using MCPatcher to remove Birch and Spruce coloring since those are hard-coded into Minecraft.
Making the biome overlays totally white will remove the biome coloring. Just know that you're going to have to resort to using MCPatcher to remove Birch and Spruce coloring since those are hard-coded into Minecraft.
Thank you, I might have to watch a few MC patcher tutorials then. May I have your opinion on my sprites so far? I expanded the image in gimp so you do not need to squint to see them.
Thank you, I might have to watch a few MC patcher tutorials then. May I have your opinion on my sprites so far? I expanded the image in gimp so you do not need to squint to see them.
In-game screenshots will tell me a lot more than just screenshots of GIMP.
Incidentally, either temporarily enlarge them and save a copy in a larger image size or learn to crop. I don't need to know what's on your bar to critique your textures.
In-game screenshots will tell me a lot more than just screenshots of GIMP.
Incidentally, either temporarily enlarge them and save a copy in a larger image size or learn to crop. I don't need to know what's on your bar to critique your textures.
Haha sorry about that. Screenies coming up.
Stone:
The stone has those grid lines on it, which not only don't tile well but just plain don't look good.
The dirt likewise has a really obvious pattern to it. The two-tone look isn't helping any either.
The side-grass is probably your best texture, but is let down by the dirt part and the fact that the breaks in the grass itself repeat in an obvious fashion.
The top grass forms a grid with the 0s which line up a little too perfectly.
The cobble isn't bad, but you have big black areas that form an obvious pattern. It needs some cleanup to be good.
The coal ore would look better on a superior stone texture, but the coal parts look OK.
I recommend checking out the NES Challenge for some inspiration if you intend to use this palette. Just starting out, though, the NES palette can be pretty brutal. I recommend using something else until you're comfortable making textures.
Hey there, I am collaborating with Freedomna on this Project, I am In charge Of Mob skins, Items (for the most part) and The Paintings. Similar to Freedomna, I am trying to make shading right and I just wanted to double check something, Do the Mob Skins follow the Same layout as Player Skins (so back, front, so on same place)
Hey there, I am collaborating with Freedomna on this Project, I am In charge Of Mob skins, Items (for the most part) and The Paintings. Similar to Freedomna, I am trying to make shading right and I just wanted to double check something, Do the Mob Skins follow the Same layout as Player Skins (so back, front, so on same place)
Most of them do to a certain extent. I recommend looking at the Mob Skin Templates to be certain as they don't always work the way you think they do.
It's really a lot simpler than you're making it. Just choose where your light source is and then stick with it throughout the pack. I recommend above and a little to the left since that's where people are conditioned (ironically by 2d NES/SNES-era games) to thinking light comes from in situations like this. Pretty much anywhere other than directly in front of the tile (pillow-shaded) or below (which will make the shading seem inverted to most people) will work though.
Try not to think of your lighting as a 3d in-world thing, but rather that each tile is lit individually from the same relative location. That's how most packs do it. Remember: you're always going to have something a little off because of the nature of Minecraft. Don't fight this imperfection, but rather embrace it.
Or just build your pack around SEUS shaders and let the lighting engine do all the heavy lifting.
Now, that's only the advice for blocks. For mobs, I recommend hanging the light right above their heads since that's the usual direction they'll be lit from anyway... and because it looks the best.
Items you can light however you want. Again, though, try to keep it somewhat consistent.
I have been searching for shading help in making textures (for the All-Inclusive UPDATED Guide to Texturing page), & Alvoria, you come out telling us stuff that makes sense & was so obvious that I can't believe I didn't know this already. You are like a God for Texturing Knowledge.
The stone has those grid lines on it, which not only don't tile well but just plain don't look good.
The dirt likewise has a really obvious pattern to it. The two-tone look isn't helping any either.
The side-grass is probably your best texture, but is let down by the dirt part and the fact that the breaks in the grass itself repeat in an obvious fashion.
The top grass forms a grid with the 0s which line up a little too perfectly.
The cobble isn't bad, but you have big black areas that form an obvious pattern. It needs some cleanup to be good.
The coal ore would look better on a superior stone texture, but the coal parts look OK.
I recommend checking out the NES Challenge for some inspiration if you intend to use this palette. Just starting out, though, the NES palette can be pretty brutal. I recommend using something else until you're comfortable making textures.
Thanks for the advice . I knew my textures weren't up the snuff as this is the first time I actually attempted making a Resource Pack, glad I now know the extent. Anyways it seems my main problem is the Stone (just as I figured) as the grass top is an easy fix with some better shading. I am going to check the link to see what others did, as so far I have only been using the one RP I linked to as inspiration. Perhaps the others did better. So far I really like what Fire_Fist did with the dirt on , would you agree?
Give me a day or two and I will have the textures updated with (hopefully) better looking ones.
Edit: Okay, here is my updated Dirt. Spent a good part of the morning on the shading of it after watching God knows how many youtube shading tutorials; May you please tell me if I am going on the right path with it? There is some slight tiling errors if you look closely at it, but just like the Cobblestone it is just trial and error to clean up. I used Danori's dirt as a great model (http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/1258970-x16-nes-challenge-ffa-mode-activate/page__st__120#entry15441581) and I think it helped tremendously.
Edit 2: Broken link
^Fixed
If this is good I will fix the Grass_Side and Snow_Grass_Side onto it; Use what I learnt to touch up that cobble and fix it's tiling errors; and see what I can do about that stone.
Okay, here is my updated Dirt. Spent a good part of the morning on the shading of it after watching God knows how many youtube shading tutorials; May you please tell me if I am going on the right path with it? There is some slight tiling errors if you look closely at it, but just like the Cobblestone it is just trial and error to clean up. I used Danori's dirt as a great model (http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/1258970-x16-nes-challenge-ffa-mode-activate/page__st__120#entry15441581) and I think it helped tremendously.
If this is good I will fix the Grass_Side and Snow_Grass_Side onto it; Use what I learnt to touch up that cobble and fix it's tiling errors; and see what I can do about that stone.
That looks WAY better. It sounds like you already see the tiling problems I was going to mention, so I won't bother. But to answer your question, yes, you're definitely going in a good direction now.
That looks WAY better. It sounds like you already see the tiling problems I was going to mention, so I won't bother. But to answer your question, yes, you're definitely going in a good direction now.
Haha thanks Alvoria! I will begin work on the rest of the textures. When I get the classic minecraft blocks done (Dirt, Stone, Ores, Cobble, Oak Wood, Gravel, Water, and Lava) either Bricks or I will open up a WIP thread.
Thank you very much for your time
This is very helpful, thank you
Try not to think of your lighting as a 3d in-world thing, but rather that each tile is lit individually from the same relative location. That's how most packs do it. Remember: you're always going to have something a little off because of the nature of Minecraft. Don't fight this imperfection, but rather embrace it.
Or just build your pack around SEUS shaders and let the lighting engine do all the heavy lifting.
Now, that's only the advice for blocks. For mobs, I recommend hanging the light right above their heads since that's the usual direction they'll be lit from anyway... and because it looks the best.
Items you can light however you want. Again, though, try to keep it somewhat consistent.
I believe my shading is doing well now. I feel as if my stone is the weakest link out of my three textures since it doesn't tile well, then again tiling is not an NES thing.
I do have another question, am I forced to use the block overlays or can I just make the grass colour the same in every biome? I am trying to limit the game to using only the colours the NES could run at the time, so the biome shading would ruin that endeavour.
Thank you, I might have to watch a few MC patcher tutorials then. May I have your opinion on my sprites so far? I expanded the image in gimp so you do not need to squint to see them.
Incidentally, either temporarily enlarge them and save a copy in a larger image size or learn to crop. I don't need to know what's on your bar to critique your textures.
Haha sorry about that. Screenies coming up.
Stone:
This time no startbar
The stone has those grid lines on it, which not only don't tile well but just plain don't look good.
The dirt likewise has a really obvious pattern to it. The two-tone look isn't helping any either.
The side-grass is probably your best texture, but is let down by the dirt part and the fact that the breaks in the grass itself repeat in an obvious fashion.
The top grass forms a grid with the 0s which line up a little too perfectly.
The cobble isn't bad, but you have big black areas that form an obvious pattern. It needs some cleanup to be good.
The coal ore would look better on a superior stone texture, but the coal parts look OK.
I recommend checking out the NES Challenge for some inspiration if you intend to use this palette. Just starting out, though, the NES palette can be pretty brutal. I recommend using something else until you're comfortable making textures.
Thanks
I have been searching for shading help in making textures (for the All-Inclusive UPDATED Guide to Texturing page), & Alvoria, you come out telling us stuff that makes sense & was so obvious that I can't believe I didn't know this already. You are like a God for Texturing Knowledge.
Thanks for the advice . I knew my textures weren't up the snuff as this is the first time I actually attempted making a Resource Pack, glad I now know the extent. Anyways it seems my main problem is the Stone (just as I figured) as the grass top is an easy fix with some better shading. I am going to check the link to see what others did, as so far I have only been using the one RP I linked to as inspiration. Perhaps the others did better. So far I really like what Fire_Fist did with the dirt on , would you agree?
Give me a day or two and I will have the textures updated with (hopefully) better looking ones.
Edit: Okay, here is my updated Dirt. Spent a good part of the morning on the shading of it after watching God knows how many youtube shading tutorials; May you please tell me if I am going on the right path with it? There is some slight tiling errors if you look closely at it, but just like the Cobblestone it is just trial and error to clean up. I used Danori's dirt as a great model (http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/1258970-x16-nes-challenge-ffa-mode-activate/page__st__120#entry15441581) and I think it helped tremendously.
Edit 2: Broken link
^Fixed
If this is good I will fix the Grass_Side and Snow_Grass_Side onto it; Use what I learnt to touch up that cobble and fix it's tiling errors; and see what I can do about that stone.
Haha thanks Alvoria! I will begin work on the rest of the textures. When I get the classic minecraft blocks done (Dirt, Stone, Ores, Cobble, Oak Wood, Gravel, Water, and Lava) either Bricks or I will open up a WIP thread.