109 replies to this topic

[batari]

Allan, on Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:48 AM, said:

espire8, on Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:34 AM, said:

salstadt, on Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:48 PM, said:

Something you need to keep in mind is that on Atari, artists are not needed. I don't see the original post you guys are referring to, but a lot of artists come to these forums with a sort of "What? You don't want my ideas and art? Pshhh, fine then!" attitude. The people on this forum can do everything that's needed, and do it well, on these homebrew games. The only reason to get involved in Atari hobbydev is because of a consuming passion for the specific platform, and even then it probably won't be enough because, again, the people here don't need artists. Or ideas. They're swimming in them, and it takes time and passion to make these games. If you're just interested in collaborating on some homebrew games, you'd have a much easier time in something like the NDS scene. Only try to find work on these boards if the Atari platforms are very important to you, and in that sense just getting the opportunity to contribute to a game should be far more important than any credit, cash, or anything else that could come from the experience.

The atari platform can never be more important to an artist as it is to a programmer, so it's very easy to push artist's away by lording all over it.
Atari back in the day never hired artists to work with programmers anyway because they were too cheap. Now you say artists tend to have attitudes for not being wanted? Too many out there, eh? Must be the economy.

Actually that is not correct at all. Atari hired a whole bunch of artist to work with the programmers. Go look at the pages for each game here on AA and many of them have the artist next to them. There are even more but some of the games just don't have the artist listed.

Allan

Are you sure the artist wasn't for designing the label, box art and promotional materials?

I'd be surprised if they had pixel artists back then, especially since the sprites were usually not impressive and often looked like they were designed by programmers.

[jaybird3rd]

batari, on Fri Sep 25, 2009 4:42 PM, said:

I'd be surprised if they had pixel artists back then, especially since the sprites were usually not impressive and often looked like they were designed by programmers.

The programmers generally designed their own graphics, certainly in the early days at Atari. I've heard that Imagic was the first company to pair up artists with programmers; Michael Becker (who designed Imagic's distinctive packaging) talked about this during one of the Imagic discussion panels some years ago at CGE.

[Allan]

batari, on Fri Sep 25, 2009 4:42 PM, said:

Allan, on Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:48 AM, said:

espire8, on Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:34 AM, said:

salstadt, on Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:48 PM, said:

Something you need to keep in mind is that on Atari, artists are not needed. I don't see the original post you guys are referring to, but a lot of artists come to these forums with a sort of "What? You don't want my ideas and art? Pshhh, fine then!" attitude. The people on this forum can do everything that's needed, and do it well, on these homebrew games. The only reason to get involved in Atari hobbydev is because of a consuming passion for the specific platform, and even then it probably won't be enough because, again, the people here don't need artists. Or ideas. They're swimming in them, and it takes time and passion to make these games. If you're just interested in collaborating on some homebrew games, you'd have a much easier time in something like the NDS scene. Only try to find work on these boards if the Atari platforms are very important to you, and in that sense just getting the opportunity to contribute to a game should be far more important than any credit, cash, or anything else that could come from the experience.

The atari platform can never be more important to an artist as it is to a programmer, so it's very easy to push artist's away by lording all over it.
Atari back in the day never hired artists to work with programmers anyway because they were too cheap. Now you say artists tend to have attitudes for not being wanted? Too many out there, eh? Must be the economy.

Actually that is not correct at all. Atari hired a whole bunch of artist to work with the programmers. Go look at the pages for each game here on AA and many of them have the artist next to them. There are even more but some of the games just don't have the artist listed.

Allan

Are you sure the artist wasn't for designing the label, box art and promotional materials?

I'd be surprised if they had pixel artists back then, especially since the sprites were usually not impressive and often looked like they were designed by programmers.

Noop. Those were other artist.

For example:

http://www.atariage....rogrammerID=265

http://www.atariage....rogrammerID=108

http://www.atariage....rogrammerID=210

Allan

[Allan]

jaybird3rd, on Fri Sep 25, 2009 5:00 PM, said:

batari, on Fri Sep 25, 2009 4:42 PM, said:

I'd be surprised if they had pixel artists back then, especially since the sprites were usually not impressive and often looked like they were designed by programmers.

The programmers generally designed their own graphics, certainly in the early days at Atari. I've heard that Imagic was the first company to pair up artists with programmers; Michael Becker (who designed Imagic's distinctive packaging) talked about this during one of the Imagic discussion panels some years ago at CGE.

Not true. Atari was the first. See my post above.

Read this interview: http://www.digitpres..._churchill.html

Allan

[GroovyBee]

Allan, on Fri Sep 25, 2009 5:03 PM, said:

Read this interview: http://www.digitpres..._churchill.html

Thanks for that. It was an interesting read.

[batari]

Allan, on Fri Sep 25, 2009 5:01 PM, said:

Noop. Those were other artist.

For example:

http://www.atariage....rogrammerID=265

http://www.atariage....rogrammerID=108

http://www.atariage....rogrammerID=210

Allan

I find it amazing that a pixel artist was needed for 2600 Defender sprites. Looks like he did some decent work later, but 2600 Defender?

[Rev. Rob]

I really have nothing substantive to add, but wouldn't it be hilarious if someone made a collection of minigames based on these title?

http://mightygodking...from-yesterday/

heh

[retrorussell]

I proposed this idea to the Colecovision thread, and I'll post it here, as I believe it can be done on any system:
Out Of This World/Another World

[Blues76]

IMO, if you are not contributing with either:
1. Money
2. Programming
3. Music or art
4. Equipment

You don't get to give an idea!

[Csonicgo]

Blues76, on Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:49 PM, said:

IMO, if you are not contributing with either:
1. Money
2. Programming
3. Music or art
4. Equipment

You don't get to give an idea!

I wouldn't say that! Ideas are what drives a good inventor, not capital. However, If you could hack up a quick concept using Java or some other BASIC language, that always helps.