Maybe this doesn't qualify as a project, but it is what I am working on with Sphere. It may very well end up as just one more abandoned RPG game idea. I am learning how to use Sphere bit by bit. The main theme is the breeding of corn/maize. I am starting with illustrations I can use for textual instructions, then I will make animations of some of the instructions and then a fantasy adventure RPG with puzzles and possibly goal-based scenarios. For exterior scenes I am currently using Daniel Eddeland's farm tileset that is available at Open Game Art ( http://opengameart.org/content/lpc-farming-tilesets-magic-animations-and-ui-elements). I have slightly modified it by making untextured path/aisle tiles and some tiles to represent soil marking. So far I have made a simple tractor sprite and a wooden stake from a slightly different perspective. I made the wooden stake from a picket fence in a rural tileset. I need to learn a lot more about making pixel art and programming Sphere. I am using the Sprites from Aquatis by Metallix creations until I get my stickmen with transparent bermuda shorts made. Actually, I am thinking about making a sprite like Fixit Felix with blue jeans. I tried giving Radnen's Hero a dye job and brush cut. I am considering using Plantman's 3d Blender people for some posed shots. Currently I am working on a simple soil marking animation animation with the tractor.
What a strange mix of sprites! This looks really cool. I had an idea of doing a farming simulator as well, in the vein of Harvest Moon. I got sorta far (a complete planting system and day/night cycle. I stopped when I was working on the NPC personality system: the one from Harvest Moon/Rune Factory where if you give a certain item to someone they'll like you more, or if you talk with them, or do deeds for them.
Yes, it's a very strange mix of sprites that other people have made. I eventually will make my own semi-transparent textbox with a portrait on the left side and a name cartouche above like in RPGMaker VX etc. There is so much art work to make and I am no artist or even a programmer! I have heard that making an RPG must be a team effort and I am just one person. Looking over the code of AQUATIS, I can really appreciate the amount of work one must put in. The object oriented code looks complicated too but I'll figure it out. I like the size of the sprites Metallix made for Aquatis but getting all the art work on the same scale is looking like its going to be a chore. I like your monk sprite and might ask if I can use it as a reminder of Gregor Mendel and the resident Genetics expert. I have portraits to make and lots(!) of other artwork that I can't find online. I got lucky with the farm set. I don't even own a desktop computer anymore! I'm currently working on how to make an animation for the marking of lines in the field. I need to get my code in a proper set of object oriented update and render functions. I need to make a tractor with a 3/4 overhead perspective to match my 3/4 overhead stakes. Next, I am going to make art for a 100 ft. measuring tape to be used by two characters to measure where to place wooden stakes for marking the pathways/aisles between ranges in the Nursery. I will make a static sprite of a set length first and static pictures. Later I will make a dynamic animation of a lengthening measuring tape.
I saw pictures of your blockman(?) pioneer sprite hoeing away in a field. It looks good and so do the tiles. I want to eventually make an animation of a character hoeing lines across the field as well as the marking of lines with a mule or horse and with a wooden two-prong rake pulled dragged by a character (Sometimes the tractor might not be ready).