tutorial Create own Tilesets [2Brain's tutorial]

[Doublebrain]

Create own sprites

 

I will just cover some basic stuff here. But I think if you got all the basics you can reach the “advanced” status by yourself very easy.

That’s something you should always remember: to do advanced stuff you just need practice. After creating a bunch of basic chairs, tables and doors you can start doing completely new stuff like machinery for factories or objects with round surfaces.

 

How to start:

First of all you need a program where you can edit PNG-files.

Some free programs you can use:

GIMP

Paint.NET (That’s what I use)

Project Dogwaffle

 

If you haven’t downloaded the Project Zomboid Mapping Tools already I recommend you to download them so you can easily access to the standard PZ tiles.

The tiles are in the “Tiles” folder.

 

Looking at sprites:

Now the best thing you do is to open a tileset. I will open the tileset for chairs because they are very simple and easy to edit.

I opened the file with Paint.NET

 

Cut out a basic chair so you can work with it.

Sprites are usualy 64x128 pixel.

 

I have no idea how I should explain this in English... but I guess you get what I want to tell you with the graphic.

 

Try to create this very basic cuboid. Do some small ones, some big ones. All kind of shapes. It will help you. Also its a good thing to do it just with the pencil. No copy&paste or other tools. It will help you to get used to the pencil, the tool you will use 99% of your time when doing sprites.

 

Create a very bacis chair:

When you start doing own sprites its good to follow these steps to get a good result. When you get advanced you can skip most of these steps.

 

First of all we create a new 64x128 sheet and paint an isometric square on it like this:

 

Now a isometric cuboid about the size we want our sprite

 

Change the cuboid step by step to create a shape that looks like a chair

 

Add some color

 

And some first details

 

If your chair looks like this at the end you did pretty good. There is a lack of highlights and good shadows on this chair but for now its fine.

 

Some tips:

If you want to create objects with round surfaces its good to use the standard sprites  as a template. For example in the indutry_02 tileset.

 

 

Remove everything you dont need

 

 

Have a nice round surface!

 

 

[AliceCooper]

Oo thank you so much Doublebrain! next time you`re on TS i got loads of questions for you haha.

[Sangennaru]

That's a great start! I'll follow the development with interest,

Cheers

Jack

[Doublebrain]

Added a step-by-step tutorial for a chair and a nice tip for "creating" round shapes!

[Sangennaru]

That's very interesting! Is anyone starting from 3d models to have the sprites? Personally, i take much much less time in creating a 3d than a low pixel sprite. if there's any way to convert them it would be the best!

[Suomiboi]

That's very interesting! Is anyone starting from 3d models to have the sprites? Personally, i take much much less time in creating a 3d than a low pixel sprite. if there's any way to convert them it would be the best!

Check this: http://theindiestone.com/forums/index.php/topic/6312-custom-tilesets-and-fences-for-pz-map-editor/ I tried it and it worked great. I'm just shitty at doing 3D so I prefer hand drawing.

[Doublebrain]

That's very interesting! Is anyone starting from 3d models to have the sprites? Personally, i take much much less time in creating a 3d than a low pixel sprite. if there's any way to convert them it would be the best!

 

Yea mostly. You can see a tutorial about that right here. But they usualy lack in detail and don't realy fit the style of the standard PZ tiles.

 

Edit:

Damn got ninja'd by Suomiboi!

[Sangennaru]

My concern was about the lights and the shades, that in a 3d are much more easy to achieve. Besides, i can show the 3d edges to have more definite areas, i'll surely make some tries! ^^