Seeking graphics help to remix my NES games

I've heard rumors on the Internets that the deadline for making remixes of my old games in order to get them onto a multicart is in a few short months. I haven't been able to put as much time into these games over the past couple years as I had originally planned for two reasons: my obligations to Retrotainment Games, and my own writer's block as to what to build.

The games in question:

• Concentration Room (ROM, source)
• Thwaite (ROM, source)
• Zap Ruder (ROM, source)
• RHDE: Furniture Fight (ROM, source)
• robotfindskitten (ROM, source)

The cut scenes in some of these games are so primitive (just text and very small sprites in the case of Concentration Room) because I was fitting it into NROM-128. With the advent of CPLD mappers and suitably large NOR flash, this isn't quite as necessary as it used to be. I'd like to use the space to improve their production values for a remake.

What I should be able to add by myself:

• All: Attract mode
• Zap Ruder: Mouse support in ZapPing and Axe

What I have:

• Concentration Room: Redone character portraits for cut scenes (by SECricket)

What I might need help with:

• Concentration Room: Illustrate the story seen in the orange box on this page
• Thwaite: Brainstorm what the villagers look like, with aim toward adding portraits to dialogue in cut scenes
• Zap Ruder: Redesign Podge and Daffle to look a bit more different from Gus, the mascot of my port of 240p Test Suite; figure out how to make the AI less perfect
• RHDE: Expand from three to eight families, one of them pigs; explore what could be done in a single-player tutorial (even if not a campaign)
• robotfindskitten: Revamp the title screen with a rescue robot that balances on a ball; add more NKIs that fit the sense of humor
• All: Play testing; figuring out what else is worthwhile to add

As for compensation: I don't really want to exceed what I've already been paid for my existing compo entries.

Kasumi suggested looking at these accounts. Some but not all may be open to commissions:

@adamjmarin
@h3xmode
@mnrART
@Fusionnist
@ptoing
@_t3nshi
@sinclairstrange
@pixeltao
ryumaru at pixeljoint
@SnugBoat11
@Gypopothomas (who worked on a demake of Resident Evil 4)
@Phoenix849
@hawkun (not very active on Twitter; possibly smart enough to know when to leave that platform alone)
@Namatnieks
@Emppixel

One approach that Kasumi suggested was to browse the Pixel Dailies yearbook, find a style you like, and look for artists who draw in that style and are open to commissions.

But my immediate next concern is to figure out exactly what I'd need drawn if splitting my prize money across five games.

I may be able to contribute some artwork to one of these games.

Could you tell me what your time frame is for completion? Is there a game here that takes priority for you as far as importance?

Do you have any sort of reference points or inspiration for pixel art that you are looking for specifically? Or, would you prefer it was left open to the artist?

I have some sketches and (of course) the games' current assets. I'll try to round them up into a proposal over the next few days, even if only to tell how much of the budget would go to each project.

As for schedule: The whole thing has to be ready by sometime in third quarter 2019 (I'd have to ask others involved in the project whether July or September), and I'll need time to extend the game programs to display the new artwork and run it past testers. So if "third quarter 2019" means July, I might need it by the end of May.

Ok, well let me check out these roms and determine if it would be something I would be capable of doing. That seems like plenty of time to complete something.

Hopefully I will have some time tonight to check them out and get back to you, so as not to leave you hanging

Tepples,

I may be able to help add some updates, I checked out your roms last night and feel I may be able to add something the Thwaite design if you'd like. I am very familiar with Shiru's Nes Screen tool. Is this something where I could simply make edits to the tile set? Or is there a better way ?


Also, I am not sure how to share an email privately on this forum. If you care to send me a message, I can send my email.

thx,