Mod: Nation - Tomb Kings - v1.03 released (March 2009)!

[llamabeast]

Incidentally Sombre - I am getting increasingly impressed with your sprites as I realise the amount of work that goes into them. You've done an amazing number of really high quality sprites.

And Kristoffer - even more so!

[Lazy_Perfectionist]

Since you're going with an Egyptian theme, how about making your scouts the Royal Cat? Could go with something like the Uba's shifted form. Though whether mummified or skeletal... hmm...

I'd think to do something with a Skeletal consort, but seduction doesn't seem likely, unless you've got a real 'boner'. Oooh.. painful pun. Well, I'll leave it in.

"Royal Court"? Ritual summon to awaken an army?
Skeletal Consorts were entombed against their wills when their king died. No longer beautiful or pampered, they are driven by _blank_. Perhaps they resurrect lesser skeletons? Have some haunting/terrifying wail? Cause paralysis, curses? No real good ideas atm.

[llamabeast]

Hmm, I've really been struggling with what to do for a scout. A royal cat might be an interesting idea actually, I will have a think about that. The question is, how did it get intelligent?

A consort sounds like an interesting idea as well, although I also can't immediately think of what to give her. I'll bear it in mind though, it's suitably creepy and tragic.

[Lazy_Perfectionist]

Well, it doesn't have to be intelligent like a human, some animals can be fairly smart, and a few centuries of death will give you some learning time. With training, and possibly the voices of the dead whispering commands in your ears, you to can do things. The tricky part is that its a cat, why would it obey YOU?

For an unusual twist, maybe you can make it an immortal scout and/or assassin recruitable only from the capital. Considering that opponents usually build dominion walls at their borders, there would be some limits to their utility. But if they're slow to get going in the early game, then it would be a way to assist expansion.

Considering that the egyptians held cats in high regard, maybe it could be permanently blessed?

[Kristoffer O]

> I'll attach a sequence showing the steps he went through, just because I think it's interesting and you might too. Man, looking back on the early stages is hideous!

Interesting indeed! Hideous? No way! Most sprites start up as a vaguely humanoid lump of color. I'd say your mode of work is rahter similar to mine, but I think you have some good shape-up strategies. I tend to get stuck in details of a particular part of the sprite. You increase detail level mote evenly than I do, and I believe that is good.

And thanks for the compliment

[Lazy_Perfectionist]

While I have plenty of technical skill (transparencies, animation, editing basically), let it never be said I have artistic, aesthetic talent.

Here's my attempt at making the King live again.
Zombie Elvis (attached).

[llamabeast]

Actually LP, the shape and proportions of that are pretty good. It just needs shading.