Level 3 Year 2 Extended Project
For my final project, I've decided to do an animation loop cycle of the characters of Dig Dug, but in an comparison between the original arcade form and a remastered version for modern day gaming.
The reason I'm doing this Dig Dug animation as my final project, is because I like playing the old retro arcade games as my passion like Pac-Man and Galaga (to name a few games.) Because of the simplicity of the classic format and gives me feeling that I'm experiencing the 80s style of gaming. Also there are at times where gaming industries may want to try and bring back some of the popular retro games, but with more enhanced details and features, so that way it's different enough for modern day generations audience, for which will give them the chance at experiencing these classic culture games.
What you're about to see is the full production of my Dig Dug remastered animation work.
For the start of this project, I began doing a short prototype animation loop of Dig Dug (the main titular character), doing the running movement (like he would do in the original arcade game.)
This is the first Dig Dug frame one design movement.
You can see for Dig Dug's actual remake design is I have given him some details to the helmet, and also given him gloves, boots and a belt with a buckle and two arrows facing down on his body.
Most of them detail features, he did used to appear in his early original artwork appearance on the arcade cabinet.
The second frame design of Dig Dug's running movement.
The third frame design of Dig Dug's running movement.
The fourth frame design of Dig Dug's running movement.
The outcome of the test animation loop.
You can see I tried to use the keyframes methods where I would animated the important frames from beginning to end first, then add the remaining frames for a smoother result.
After making the animation test of Dig Dug, I planned out about remaking the original 8-bit versions of the characters first. So that way when I do the full remaster version, I can then compare the original and the remake's design different.
In this next stage, will be the remaking of the original arcade designs of the Dig Dug characters.
Dig Dug's 8-bit design animation process.
The 8-bit arcade remake design of Dig Dug.
The original background design with the shaded yellow ground and the dark moderate blue sky.
The animation process of Dig Dug in 8 frames of animation movements.
Pooka's 8-bit design animation process.
The 8-bit arcade remake design of Pooka.
The animation process of Pooka in 20 frames of animation movements.
Fygar's 8-bit design animation process.
The 8-bit arcade remake design of Fygar.
The animation process of Fygar in 8 frames of animation movements.
The final outcomes of the three Dig Dug character's original 8-bit animation remade.
After making the 8-bit remakes, I began the full production work of the remastered designs of the Dig Dug characters.
Dig Dug's remastered design process.
For the start of Dig Dug's remastered design, I tried to work out the layout design and how I wanted his appearance to look like.
This is a rough thumbnail design of Dig Dug on frame 1.
If there are anything that I feel doesn't look right with any of the thumbnail designs for each frames, then I can always go back on some of them frames and re-adjust the thumbnail sketches.
After making a total of 12 frames full of single movement designs, I started going over the 12 frames filling in the details for Dig Dug.
You can see, like I did for the prototype design, I included the helmet, gloves, boots and body features.
You may notice the lines from Dig Dug's head is showing over the helmet. But I left it like that, because after I include the final details to Dig Dug on all 12 frames, I will overlap the colours onto the helmet. Which won't show the outlines of the head.
In this part, I started adding the colours to Dig Dug mainly red, white and blue.
This is the colours Dig Dug would have appeared on the original arcade cabinet appearance.
You can see I added Dig Dug's face after filling in the colours to his body.
Here is the final remastered design of Dig Dug.
I also added the light blue colour to his head after designing the face.
The final outcome of Dig Dug in the animation movements.
Pooka's remastered design process.
For the start of the next Dig Dug character Pooka, I do know that his design is pretty much basic, because his body is a circle, and also wears goggles with a tail and legs.
I'm not sure how I could make my Pooka design different to his original appearance.
So I'll just have to see what I can do with my own version of Pooka.
The thumbnail design of Pooka on frame 1.
You can see that the design it's in a basic form with just circles, and a couple of lines for Pooka's legs, feet and tail.
The next stage after drawing the layout of Pooka's body, I started adding the goggles and the big oval eyes.
Next, I started adding Pooka's legs and feet.
You can see that I have added the legs over the thumbnail sketched legs. Which after I finish adding all the details, I'll remove all the unwanted thumbnail parts.
The next feature I added is Pooka's tail.
The tail is in a shape of a long rectangle, but nearly the tip of the tail usually sticks up.
The full thumbnail design of Pooka.
In this stage, I will start animating Pooka's movement, to see how many frames I can make before getting to the colouring process.
After making Pooka's animation movements, I've managed to make 11 frames. So now this next part will be the colouring.
The final look of Pooka's remastered design with colours being added on frame 1 with the main colours of red and yellow.
You can see that my own design of Pooka is pretty much similar to how Pooka's original design is on the arcade cabinet. But I guess it is what it is with Pooka's design appearance.
The final outcome of Pooka in the animation movements.
Now that the remastered designs of Dig Dug and Pooka are done and animated, I wanted to think about doing a side by side comparison between the 8-bit arcade and the remastered forms. To show you the differences of the animation movements, and the appearances they have from each other for both Dig Dug and Pooka.
So here are the side by side comparisons of the 8-bit and remastered designs.
First off, we have Dig Dug's 8-bit and remastered forms.
You can see with the two Dig Dug's appearances are completely different from each other.
With the 8-bit version, the pixel art design is basic. Because in the 80s era of gaming, most games that were made in pixels form were mainly basic.
With my remastered version, it has quite some details and more characteristic to Dig Dug. For starters, you can see the body has a few details such as the two dark orange arrows pointing down, and a blue belt with a buckle on it. Also with the helmet, I included more details to make the helmet look more appealing. You may also notice I included gloves and boots as additional clothing.
Next, we have Pooka's 8-bit and remastered forms.
With the two Pooka appearances, they are pretty much the same.
With the 8-bit version, like Dig Dug the pixel art design is basic. But the one difference is that Pooka's hoping movement is made by just two pixel sprites. The second sprite where Pooka leaps in the air has a pause to make that move a little bit longer.
With my remastered version, the only thing that is different to the 8-bit version, is the animation movements is more smoother. It also has as a bit more anticipation when he crouches down, then bounces off the ground, and slightly leans back while he's floating for a short seconds in the air. Which gives a little bit more anticipation bouncing movement compared to the 8-bit animation.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of timing with Dig Dug and Pooka's animation work, I didn't have enough time to do Fygar's remastered design appearance and the animation. So Dig Dug and Pooka are the only two characters I was able to do during this project.
But apart from that.
That's my presentation, explaining what old retro games could look like, if they were brought back as a remaster for new audience. Inspiring old time gamers who may have played the first original version of the games, can have the chance to try out the fully new enhanced details and new graphics style games.
But most of all, new generation gamers can get their chance to experience what remaster games looks and how it appeals to them, comparing to the old version that some of them may not have known about before.
Thank you for taking the time to check out my presentation.
