I have graphic and programming skills in iOS, using Xcode and Swift 4, and I am looking for a graphic able to draw isometric sprites for a zombie game. The game is a European RPG where there are four game modalities:

• Training: the hero is in a shooting range. He should hit targets in a given time and when the time ends, a score is assigned to him.
• Exploration mode: the hero is in a huge map, where he may find coins, gems and rare items. As far as the hero moves to further parts of the map, he meets harder enemies and it's more difficult for him to survive. In the hardest part of the map there is a mob, which if killed can give a lot of coins/gems. For each game a player is assigned a score. 
• Scavenger mode: the hero needs to pick up the maximum amount of items in a given time. If he survives, at the end of the time he is assigned a score.
• Survival mode: the hero needs to survive the longest possible, and the score is given by the time of the game.

Each game modality has many levels, that can be unlocked. For example: in the first level of the training mode, there are only a few and standing still targets. In the second level the targets start moving and they are harder to destroy, and there is an increased level fo difficulty for each level. In the exploration mode, the first level is in a city. The second level in the desert and there are also animal zombies, etc...

The character may be trained by increasing his skills (HP, aim, strength, etc...), and the player can also buy armored vests, boots and equipments that give some bonuses (more HP, resistance, etc...). There are many weapons that may be bought and they also may be modified and boosted in order to increase the damage, fire rate, etc... 

The whole game system would be based on in-app purchases: the players can buy new levels, weapons, etc... using in-game money that may be collected in the game, but they may also be purchased for the users who want to go on quickly. There would be also ads but not during the game, just in the main screen. 

I have already fine programming skills to make this project, but the problem is about the enormous amount of work to do in order to design the sprites. Since it's an isometric game, the main character and the zombies should be drawn in different orientations using vectorial graphics programs because iOS developers are required to provide different resolution versions of the images, in order to adapt to different screen resolutions. For now I am using Inkscape but any tool would be fine. I am also open for suggestions if someone wants to modify the game mechanics/rules. Answer here or write me an email to: ramy100689@gmail.com

1 hour ago, Ramy89 said:

because iOS developers are required to provide different resolution versions of the images, in order to adapt to different screen resolutions.

A quick tip here before you work your artist to death, you only need to make the maximum resolution one.

Most engines will allow you to create mip maps, this is smaller versions of the images you have generated for you. So instead you only need to make art for the ratios not the resolutions.

So because 4:3 and 3:2 is very similar you can use the same assets for both. Then you only need a 16:9 or 16:10 one for wide screens. Last you need 17:10 one for tablets. That is 4:3, 16:9 and 17:10.

So from these 3 sprite sheets you can make mip maps so that the art works on all mobiles in that range.

Even better, make a background that extents beyond any of these scales, then instead of adjusting the rendered image to fit the screen you adjust the camera in game to match the screen and correct it's projection.

12 hours ago, Scouting Ninja said:

A quick tip here before you work your artist to death, you only need to make the maximum resolution one.

Most engines will allow you to create mip maps, this is smaller versions of the images you have generated for you. So instead you only need to make art for the ratios not the resolutions.

So because 4:3 and 3:2 is very similar you can use the same assets for both. Then you only need a 16:9 or 16:10 one for wide screens. Last you need 17:10 one for tablets. That is 4:3, 16:9 and 17:10.

So from these 3 sprite sheets you can make mip maps so that the art works on all mobiles in that range.

 

Even better, make a background that extents beyond any of these scales, then instead of adjusting the rendered image to fit the screen you adjust the camera in game to match the screen and correct it's projection.

In iOS we are required to provide 1x, 2x and 3x version of every images. The goal is not to adapt to the aspect ration, but to adapt to wider screen resolutions. The 1x version will be surely used in older generation iPhones like the 4s for instance. The 2x resolution is used on an iPhone 6s, the 3x resolution on an iPad. 

11 hours ago, Ramy89 said:

. The goal is not to adapt to the aspect ration, but to adapt to wider screen resolutions.

The amount of knowledge  you are missing here has filled websites and books, considering the project you are doing it's now the best time for you to learn.

The 1X,2X,3X thing is done for you by the engine NOT your artist unless you plan on wasting there time.

There is a reason we use power of two textures, not only do they perform better they also scale better and so produce correct mip maps. You will be using mip maps for many things so generating them is important.

A mip map is a smaller version of the texture you imported. So if you import a 128* 128, it will make 64* 64, 32*32, 16*16, 8*8, 4*4 2*2, 1*1 mips for you.

To apply this to the genX rules think of it like this: you import X3 (128* 128) and the engine makes X2 (64*64) X1 (32*32) for you. It needs the mips anyway for filtering and such so use them.

So that means your artist only needs to make the X3 for the game. Your resolution problems stem more from screen ratios than the sprite sizes.

Notes:

To use the Unity file import as a custom pack, click on the level.

The script is one line long. Here buttons are used in a game you will check to find what X phone a person uses.

A vid for those who don't have Unity is attached.

This example uses a 3X 128* 128 for effect.

Normally you work 1X upwards: so you would have check to see that 64*64 was the best 1X. So 2X would have been 128*128 and 3X 192*192.

Genx.avi

GenXUnity.unitypackage

I'm not using Unity, I am using Xcode/Swift with SpriteKit. 

10 hours ago, Ramy89 said:

 

I'm not using Unity, I am using Xcode/Swift with SpriteKit. 

 

That gives you even more control because you can make your own mip maps, making them follow the genX rule, without conflicting with the software.

The point I was getting at is that X1 = 1*1, 2X = 2*2 3X= 3*3. So using mips that are 1*1, 2*2, 4*4 isn't that far off.

If you plan on using pixel art the X doesn't matter because you will always be using 1*1. If you don't use pixel art you don't need pixel perfect results, making the X just a guide.

While aspect ratios that are 4*3, 16*9 and 17*10 is much more of a concern. Especially as you will notice that not one of them is fully divisible by 3*3 or 4*4.

On 6/24/2017 at 10:21 PM, Ramy89 said:

using vectorial graphics programs because iOS developers are required to provide different resolution versions of the images, in order to adapt to different screen resolutions.

All this is saying is that you want your artist to limit there software because you don't know how to scale down a image using code. There is many opensource code that you can use for doing this, lots of new ones made by developers who make mobile games.

If I remember correctly you can send any data as the X inputs using tags, so all you do is name the generated mips as the inputs.

The 3X rule only means that if a line is thinner than 3*3 it won't be visible when scaled down to 1X. It doesn't matter if they are using Vector or Pixels, if the line is too thin it won't render.

A artist experienced with mobile games will know this and use 9*9 brushes. Using vector software is limiting, yet makes it easier for people new to art to scale; it doesn't mean there is no loss from scaling the same rules apply.