The document describes experiments conducted to create animated sprites and pixel art for a video game. In the first experiment, the author drew stick figure sprites and animated a walk cycle. In the second experiment, the author designed a platform game background and created a simple player sprite with different poses. Multiple sprite poses were animated into a walk cycle. Sound effects and music were added in Premiere Pro to complete a demo video. Lessons from the experiments will inform the final video game project.

1. Experiments
Spencer Fox

2. Process
First, I used the pencil tool to draw a little stickman. I made sure his
limbs were a different colour so that the ‘player’ knew which arm was
which etc. I then drew two different stickmen with opposite limbs
outstretched. I opened ‘timeline’ from the “window” section in
Photoshop and made each frame 0.1s long to make the frames skip
very quickly.

3. Reflection
• What elements of your experiments will you
include in your final product?
– I will create a walk cycle, not too dissimilar to the
one I created here, using the same technique,
however I will be changing the style at which the
character walks as he/she will be much more
elaborately designed and will most certainly not
be a stick-figure.

4. Process
For this second experiment I actually
designed a background before
creating the sprites that make up the
character, unlike the first experiment.
I decided to go with a platformer-style
setting for the character to make his
way through. I decided to make the
start of the level at the very bottom
right, with his goal being to reach the
top right of the screen, navigating his
way up and over the various bridges
and broken down urban terrain to
reach the house at the top right of the
screen.

5. Process
I created this extremely simple sprite to
act as the character that the player
controls. I went for such a simple model
as pixel art is not my strongest suit,
however I feel this character will be just
fine for this initial section. To make it
look like the character was walking,
crouching and jumping, I had to create
a few different versions to alternate
through during the animation stage. I
did this by duplicating the original layer
and then changing the look of the
character, including making it shorter
and changing which leg he is standing
on.

6. Process
After creating the background and the
various character models/sprites, I began
animating. I did this by establishing a
timeline in Photoshop, then adding frames
as the ‘player’ moved the character along
to the end of the level, the house in the
top right. I duplicated each frame once all
the layers containing the various characters
were finished and made the layer I
required visible, while hiding the other
layers. This meant I can give the impression
that it is just one sprite that moves, rather
than separate frames that are swapping
out for one another.
I finished the animation with over 80
frames of animation, and I plan on using
many more during the production
section, to make the movement much
mire fluid.

7. Reflection
• What elements of your experiments will you
include in your final product?
– I will use the same technique of creating a
background first, to simulate a landscape for the
‘level’.
– I’ll use the same style of creating numerous layers,
duplicating the original sprite, before altering the
character in the way I need.

8. Process
I needed sound effects and a soundtrack for my
second experiment to create a demo-like
example for me to best express my intentions
for my finished video game. I created a win
theme, walking effect, jump (and double jump)
effect and a soundtrack to back it all on a
website called “beepbox”, which allows users
to make ‘chiptune’ audio.
I created a quick jingle using drum beats and a
higher pitched group of notes to create
something upbeat.
I used lower pitched notes to create a walking
sound effect, before then making a jump and
double jump noise.
Finally, I made a small, high pitched win theme
to indicate when the player had beaten the
level.

9. Reflection
• What elements of your experiments will you
include in your final product?
– I will use beepbox for my final video game as it will
allow me to make relevant music and sound
effects without limit. It is also very easy to use,
even if you can’t make a song to save your life.
– I’ll use these audio files during the edit in
Premiere Pro adding them over the animation at
the relevant points.

10. Process
Before I could begin this stage of my second experiment I
encountered some issues as Premiere Pro would not open on
the the college Mac I am using, so I would only be able to edit
the video on my laptop at home as that was the only one
accessible. I knew, however, that I had the latest version of
Premiere, when these college computers only have 2015’s
release, meaning the project is unable to be opened while at
college. During the editing process, I forgot to take screenshots
as well, so everything you see on this page is taken from the
internet thanks to the issue I stated above.
I added the sound FX that I had created
with beepbox into the sequence bar
along with the exported video-version of
the animation. I synchronised the
sounds with the correct visuals (the
character walking and jumping) before
laying down the soundtrack and ‘win
theme’. I made the music quieter than
the effects as I thought it would
overpower them and make the whole
animation messy and sound blown out. I
also made the footsteps less loud and
made the jump animation louder so that
it was more obvious.
Once I had finished, I exported the video
and I feel it turned out fairly well for a
first try.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muEztdp_egw&feature=youtu.be

11. Reflection
• What elements of your experiments will you
include in your final product?
– The techniques I used while adding the sound
effects to the animation will be the exact same
when it comes to the finished animated ‘video
game’.
– I’ll add the soundtrack on last, like I did with this
experiment, so that I can make sure the effects are
all in the correct places before finally adding the
music and win/lose themes.