Help with creating sprites for 2d games

Where would one start if i would want to make 2d sprites.... As in 2d mario like characters or stuff...

I'm afraid it's all down to learning to draw (assuming you don't already). There really aren't any shortcuts - unless you want to make and render 3D models or something. Well, I guess that's a shortcut, isn't it...

After that, you just need some software capable of drawing non-antialiased (hmmm, aliased) pixels and of saving in the proper formats.M

Im currently studying courses on modeling but mean while im gonna stick to 2d art. How about my creating a large "drawn" image/charatcer then resizing it to like 64x64. Would that be how one would create a "sprite"

The best way is to have a look and study how someone else has gone about creating the image(s), and having ago yourself. Zooming in on the image to see how its drawn is a great method!

This link maybe of use to you to start with
http://panelmonkey.org/

There are others, just try google to find some more 2d sprites etc.

I just made this without any help....

Look good, but is it that kind of character you want in your game? And downscaling seems to be a good method, just make shure you don't screw up the alpha channel.

I remember a while back i was doing some 2d sprites. I used a vector drawing program. Corel Xara i think it was. Anyway, i made it up so that the upper arm, forearm, hand etc etc, where all different items, and i could rotate them to fit the characters pose. With a bit of work, it looked not bad :)

Propixel is also very good for creating 2D sprites! It's by pacific software,really is an awesome package and costs £20 for a boxed version!!

A friend of me still swears to DeluxePaint 2 in a dosbox. Another friend of me does his 2d stuff in Photoshop, saying that once you know all the functions and keys, PS is no problem for sprites. I guess it depends on personal taste.. tho I might say: try to look for stoneage design tools.. they're probably freeware these days and were made for ppz who did 2d games, yesteryear.

Propixel is very Deluxe Paint inspired btw!

What game are you creating btw?

@ mikey & guys thanks for the tips. At this moment i know the systax very well and programming would not pose sutch a problem. It's more the eye candy that im concerned with. Im working on a lil 2d rpg along the lines of alone in the dark. It's gonna be pretty phat but it's be 2d not 3d. My first actual attempt @ 2d so. I realy need any help i can get. I also will try using photoshop since i have no problem with that....And id have to purchase everything else....

What I am going to do is create skeleton (stick) animations and later draw the characters on top of those.
Another method I have, this for getting fluid animations is to capture movement with a webcam. Again drawing the actual characters ontop of the captured images.

There are also a number of Loomis books online that deal with drawing that are worth checking out.

No worries Darklordz mate! I love 2D stuff, and all the best with the project! :D

i writed a sprite editor, still available at bitzcoder but i fear it's buggy, i'm making the new version at this time but it's not ready to be released check this link
spriteed