Wanted: 2D Art Resources

#1 I think that's a cool idea and one that I've been thinking about. The only problem is that unless everybody encrypts all of their assets, somebody else can just take and use them. I'd like to see some T2D packages but not at the expense of being unable to learn from other people's work/technique :P

We do need to get a repository started of particles and such. I know there was talk of such a thing, but I don't remember anything else other than that.

#2 I have been thinking of this, but since T2D is early adopter I have no idea what is going to change as the version numbers increase, and if the 1500 categorised particle effects I made (hypothetically speaking) become obsolete, i will be sad.

#3 The problem is that if I create a particle effect, I need to supply the effect, and the image files that are used. And if I encrypt those files, you can't use them unless I also supply details of the encryption. And because you don't have the unencrypted files, you are forced to use my encryption routines for those files. Will you develop a seperate encryption routine for your own art assets? Could be tricky getting the engine to seperate the difference between your .png file for the player sprite and my .png file for the explosion particle.

You can bet your bottom dollar that if I were to actually design some graphics and particle effects for sale, the license for them would require that you do not use or distribute the files in a form that will enable other people to easily extract them. You're therefore forced into using some kind of encryption in your game which requires engine changes. Maybe not difficult for some, but it would stop the beginner from using the art packs and then posting up a demo of the game on this (or any other) site.

It would be a useful thing to have packs of high quality art and effects, it's just that making them easily available whilst protecting the assets (and the income of the artist) is a tricky balancing act.

#4 Anyone know if if the T2D packaging utilities will ever include merging all assets into a single data file to run with your exe? While not encrypted, it at least makes it more difficult and not a no-brainer excersize is extracting artwork.

Also, I'm not entirely sure why everyone is so worried about their assets being hijacked. Fact is, anyone lifting your art probably wasn't going to find you to buy it anyway. AND, based on the online sprite collections I've seen, artists that want to can pretty easily grab and extract art that they want from any nintendo or sega game out there...

Along that same train of thought, NOT building art packs in case they get stolen is kind of a head in the sand approach. Not making money from T2D devs at all because you're scared of losing money to people that steal it just doesn't make sense.

#5 It's like Nauris said. 2D art, unlike 3D art, is inherently easy to steal, should the end-user want to do so. It's basically up to you to figure out if you're prepared to share your stuff.

#6 If T2D eventualy supports data files (sort of like allegro dat files), where the programer can use script to access a resource like "RESOURCEFILE_NAME&[password]/directory/image.png", and if the resources are optionally encrypted with a password, then distributing resource packs should be a synch. This makes subsequent ripping and distribution of the included resources or passwords without permission a much more deliberate act than say if they were in a folder and un-encrypted.

In its current state, T2D packs would be difficult to encrypt however I think zip files can be used, and I know that zips can be encrypted somehow, but the details elude me and whether T2D can use encrypted zips, I dunno, but its something worth looking into.

Perhaps there should be an ongoing free (for T2D owners) resource-pool for suitably philanthropic individuals to contribute to.

#7 I purchased that 3D TGE Weapon pack... imported the objects into the free 3D modeler "Blender" and took some good renders of it, can get renders at any angle /light setup and then bring those in as sprites

#8 TBH, that's how I do most of my graphics too. Load up the 3D models, wobble them about, light them and render them as static images.

In *most* cases, the licenses for 3D models allow you to take static renders of the objects and use them for any purpose, but always double check. I have downloaded a few cool models, and been disappointed to read that you can only render them out for personal use.

I always delete these models so I don't end up using them by accident.

#9 @Matt/Philip,

I'm using this approach too (as well as luckily having a bunch of specific models already setting around from a similiarly themed project to use), and it will serve my purposes for the majority of the "objects" in my game. I have no doubt that the vast majority here will do the same for at least a few things that they need, if not all of their content.

Effects and the effects sprites, however, seem to be a completely different beast. I'm pretty good with photoshop, but I can't seem to really get good effects to come out properly, and I'm convinced that a lot of it has to do with a lack of skills when it comes to building out variable transaprency images and animations, and visualizing what I need for an image to get it to translate into a killer effect. Because of that, I thought that putting out a Particle and Effect pack for T2D would give the artist the most bang for the buck. Especially since using the editor you can easily tweak effects to make them unique to you. Which is something you can't really do if you're buying "object" sprites...

#10 I'll add that I asked the creators of the Weapon Pack for permission in using renders in a 2D game before doing so :)

Quote:I thought that putting out a Particle and Effect pack for T2D would give the artist the most bang for the buck.

Not a bad idea