Welcome to the summer 2022 art challenge. Platformer is this seasons genre.

The challenge and voting starts 1st June 2022.

Votes are tallied 1st July 2022.

Submit your entries anytime...

 

ANY art that hasn't already been submitted to OGA qualifies for the challenge!

 

Tag your submissions with both a "platformer" and "2022" tag to be in the running...

Post a link to your upload in this thread or in the Discord Art Challenge Submission channel:

https://discord.gg/eDvn4Ehs5D

The submission with the most favourites by 1st July 2022 wins!

 

Prizes include a shiny new OGA medal for participants and the winner.

  

Also, appear a cut above the rest on the OpenGameArt.org Discord server by gaining the following roles:

 

🥇 Art Boss (for the winner)

🥈 Art Contender (for all entrants)

 

Art used in the banner image:

https://opengameart.org/content/a-platformer-in-the-forest

https://opengameart.org/content/pixel-fonts-by-pix3m

 

The following is a guide on the art required to make a platformer. Good luck!

 

Notable subgenres include Action Platformer and Metroidvania.

 

2D side view perspective.

3D third-person perspective.

 

2D tile sets that enable the developer to create full stages and worlds.

Here is a good template covering all the angles:

https://opengameart.org/content/platformer-tileset-template

Pixel art can't be scaled on the fly... I recommend a tile size of 16x16px with sprites at 24px and above.

 

Stage backgrounds Preferably at a 16:9 aspect ratio to fit well on modern screens.

If possible, layer the backgrounds for a parallax scrolling effect.

A good resolution for pixel art backgrounds is 384 x 216. This fits the 1080p resolution perfectly when scaled up 5x.

 

Special tiles

Breakable blocks

Power-up blocks

Hazards (water/lava, etc., spikes, traps).

Ladders or ropes

 

Objects

Background/environment objects (rocks, trees, fencing, etc.). 

Interactable objects (crates, switches, buttons, save-points, spring boards/trampolines).

Collectables (coins, 1Ups, power-ups).

 

Player character

Core animations: Idle, Running, Jumping.

Secondary animations: Attacking (Shoot/Stomp/Punch), Climbing (Ladders), Pushing (Blocks), Death, Hurt, Walking, Dash, Slide (Wall/Ground).

 

Enemy types

Shooter (Standing/Crouching).

Core animations: Fire/Shoot (plus an accompanying projectile), Aim/Tell (this warns the player before the shot).

Secondary animations: Hurt/Hit, Dead, Ready/Idle.

Jumper (Jumping towards the player).

Core animations: jump or bounce forward.

Secondary animations: Hurt/hit (this could be stun), Dead.

Static Jumper (Jump up and down on the spot. Could also be fire shooting up from a lava pit).

Core animations: jump.

Secondary animations: Moving (in-motion idle loop like a projectile), Hurt/hit (this could be a stun), Dead.

Patrolling (walking back and forth atop a platform)

Core animations: walk/run.

Secondary animations: Hurt/hit (this could be stun), Dead, Pause/Idle.

Caterpillar (moves up and over/under different platforms, sticking to the surface).

Core animations: Moving forward.

Secondary animations: Hurt/hit (this could be a stun), Dead, Pause/Idle.

Flying

Core animations: flying (duh).

Secondary animations: Hurt/hit (this could be stun), Dead, Attack (Swoop/Shoot/Drop bombs).

Angry (charge when they see the player).

Core animations: Walk, Run (charge), Shocked (alert to the player).

Secondary animations: Hurt/hit (this could be stun), Dead, Pause/Idle/Sleep.

 

Concept art

Cutscenes

Faux box/cartridge art.

Press kit (hi-res backgrounds, logos, cinematic screenshots, banner images).

For Itch.io game page images, check out this size guide:

https://starwest.itch.io/itch-page-image-templates

 

Music

It can be any style or genre, e.g., orchestral, electronic, chiptune, etc. Mood is important.

Type 1 main menus, levels, or credits scenes are rollicking, cheerful, fun, sweet, and amiable or good-natured.

Type 2 main menus, levels, or credits scenes are passionate, rousing, self-assured, boisterous, or rowdy.

Type 3 main menus, levels, or credits scenes are amusing, silly, campy, quirky, whimsical, witty, or wry.

Game Over is literate, poignant, wistful, bittersweet, autumnal, or brooding.

Boss fights or cavern stages are aggressive, fiery, tense, anxious, intense, volatile, visceral.

SFX

Should fit the sprites' animations, power-ups, special effects and game objects.

Also, menu select, e.g., button pushes, navigation.

 

Prime examples of the genre for inspiration:

Super Mario World

Shovel Knight

Celeste

Mega Man 2

Super Ghouls and Ghosts

Sonic the Hedgehog 

Braid

Super Castlevania IV

Super Metroid

Super Mario 64