Newgrounds.com — Everything, By Everyone.

Looking at this beast, I have come to a few conclusions. First of all, I will not be putting life bars in this movie. The fact is that there are too many hits being exchanged to make life bars effective. Let's not forget the fact that it will push back the release of this movie by at least two weeks. I am already feeling the crunch of self-imposed time restraints and I would like to get this movie finished and released with as few roadblocks as possible.

Secondly, there is no way in hell that I am going to get this movie under 10 MB. I've got two "Capcom" fighters with over 1500 sprites each. I'm going to have over half a dozen cameo appearances adding to the file size as well. The musical track (and therefore the fight) is over a minute longer than that of Episode 1.

The fact that I got Episode 1 under 10 MB was a towering monument to sheer luck. Even though I have developed some new file size-saving techniques since then, the simple fact is that Episode 2 will require administrative approval from Newgrounds in order to appear here. This will not deter the project. I cannot help the file size, so my only recourse will be to make a battle so incredibly epic that it will be worthy of administrative upload.

-----------

Now, I made a promise in my last news post that I would no longer place my news posts on the front page unless I had a screenshot to go with them. Since I want this to appear on the front page, I suppose I have to offer you guys a screenshot!

As you can see, Ibuki will be making a cameo appearance in Episode 2! In this particular image, she is looking into the soul of Remy Boudreaux, and she doesn't like what she sees. In this instant, she sees his true form as well as many of the people whose deaths he is responsible for, including four slain Exiles. You might remember a couple of them from Episode 1!

Oh, and he will be adding several more to his "collection" by the time this fight is over!

R1665

Updated: 03/05/09 4:23 AM Log in to comment! | Share this!

The People Have Spoken

30 Comments

Mar. 5, 2009 | 6:44 AM 14hourlunchbreak says:

Yay!

Mar. 5, 2009 | 6:25 PM TheWikKid says:

I hope that's not Terry Bogard....

Mar. 6, 2009 | 12:22 AM R1665 responds:

The analogue of Terry Bogard from Earth 5580-81 was one of the four Exiles that were slain during the Acolyte ambush that preceeded the events of Episode 1.

Although Remy Boudreaux was not directly responsible for killing Terry, Boudreaux still considers Terry one of his "victims" hence his appearance in this vision.

You may take some comfort in the fact that the version of Terry Bogard from Earth 5580-616 was completely unaffected by these events.

R1665

Mar. 5, 2009 | 6:25 PM TheWikKid says:

Oh yeah looking 4ward to it by the way:)

Mar. 5, 2009 | 9:04 PM Neo-Fusion says:

Looks sweet

Mar. 7, 2009 | 6:44 PM Trixiaoyu says:

"I will not be putting life bars in this movie - it will push back the release of this movie by at least two weeks."

So? Good work need to be polished off to the very end man! Insert life bars. I am inserting life bars into 32-bit tournament-2

Mar. 8, 2009 | 6:45 AM R1665 responds:

I already apply insane amounts of polish. The issue is, as always, a cost/benefit analysis of one particular thing.

If I can develop an AS life bar system of acceptable appearance and functionality, I might consider using it, but if I have to do it manually like I did for Episode Zero, then I will probably pass on the idea. It was extremely glitchy.

R1665

Mar. 7, 2009 | 11:35 PM WhiteGhost says:

Nice but I gues I will have to see what's going on. I should get started on my flash movie as well considering its 50% done so far.

Mar. 8, 2009 | 12:30 PM Trixiaoyu says:

Proxicide knows how to do the AS version. I am doing mine manually as I do not know how to do the AS version. But still, the reason I use life bars is to add the 'suspense effect'. When both of their lives are small, who is gong to win. That sort of thing.

Mar. 8, 2009 | 5:33 PM R1665 responds:

Well, I doubt that I will be able to make a life bar system that works like his, but I just might be able to develop my own AS system. As usual, it will have to be a series of simple coding effects as I lack the knowledge to make complicated code sequences.

I've been thinking about it for the last few hours, and I think I might have deduced a way to make functional, non-square, non-standard life bars. Of course, I have to do some developmental tests before I can know whether or not they would be effective.

On a personal note, I think that the whole, "both fighters are one hit away from defeat and struggling for the final hit" thing has gotten a bit cliche'. I regret having done something similar to that in Episode 1. I'd like to find a better way for Episode 2.

I HATE cliches'.

R1665

Mar. 8, 2009 | 9:47 PM youtube-xin0 says:

That's what I'm thinking with my flash movie, to allow Newgrounds to host the whole movie if it's over 10mb.

But I am sure they wouldn't allow it. They would if your flashs are REALLY big. Like Haloid. Anything to cause traffic to their site.

If it's Proxicide's MK v SF, of course they'll allow it.

Mar. 8, 2009 | 10:33 PM R1665 responds:

I may be wrong, but I believe that I might stand a good chance of getting an admin upload.

The 10 MB limit seems to be in place in order to keep flashes optimized. Of course, the description of "optimized" is subjective. A sixty second flash that is 10 MB because of poorly-compressed music is not optimized. At the other end of the spectrum you have movies like Power Star 4, which was around 20 MB. It was also a VERY long, graphically intensive movie. One would expect a movie of that scope to be that size. There is only so much optimization that can be done.

That said, I must repeat the only recourse I have to this issue- VG Exiles Episode 2 will have to be good enough to justify the upload. If Episode 1 is seen as indicative of my work, then I take the site's response to it as a good sign.

I have no choice but to remain optimistic.

R1665

Mar. 9, 2009 | 12:19 PM Trixiaoyu says:

If it gets too big, over 10MBs, Just break it in two parts and submit it half and half. Simple! But try to reduce it below 10MB. Unless that you are as good as Proxicide I doubt NGs will allow sprite animations above 10MBs. That is why I always stay below the limit. Remember this, the limit used to be 5MBs so you really have no excuse. =o/

Mar. 10, 2009 | 12:02 AM R1665 responds:

"Just break it in two parts and submit it half and half. Simple! "

I'm afraid that's out of the question. Episode 2 will be seen at full-length or it will not be seen at all. The action sequences of my movies stop at nothing. That's one of my core animating principles. From "FIGHT" to "FINISH HIM", there must be no extended delays. No dialogue sequences. No distractions.

That's just how I roll.

To force the action to stop and make a viewer load another entire movie is absolutely out of the question. I would rather not show the movie at all.

--------------

"But try to reduce it below 10MB"

I will reduce it as much as I can, but it will not be below 10 MB. That much is certain.

-------------

"Unless that you are as good as Proxicide I doubt NGs will allow sprite animations above 10MBs."

I believe that it depends on how well the flash is made. Power Star 4 was over 20 MB. That tells me it's possible.

As you know, a flash submission larger than 10 MB requires admin upload. The fact that Episode 1 made front page proves that SOMEBODY in admin likes my work.

I take nothing for granted, but I believe that I have reason to be optimistic.

Oh, and you haven't seen Episode 2 yet. I'll tell you right now that it blows Episode 1 right out of the water. I'd have to let admin decide if it is "as good as Proxicide".

That's a bridge that I can cross only when I reach it.

R1665

Mar. 9, 2009 | 10:13 PM Greenbottle48 says:

Good luck my friend. Your sprite flashes are truly incredible.

Mar. 13, 2009 | 1:38 AM HeiarchyMikeo20 says:

Don't use life bars. They only telegraph who the winner is going to be, and take away the need to actually watch the fight and determined the winner. It's not like he's playing a game. So why do r1665 need it? To explain myself, i'll give you an example. when you watch a UFC match you don't have a life bar to tell you who is winning and who is losing or even if the match is even. You determine that through watching and the same can and should be done for this flash and any flash like this in the future.

Mar. 14, 2009 | 9:54 PM TheWikKid says:

Can't wait for this man, i really like the Marvel Exiles concept you have going on here. It's a pretty cool idea and it's working well for you, I hope you don't abandon it.

Mar. 15, 2009 | 12:13 AM R1665 responds:

Actually, I was going to abandon it after Episode Zero. (That's why the series started on zero instead of one.)

I was going to do a six-part series called, "MK vs. SF - INVASION". That series was actually what I had planned to do from the beginning and VG Exiles Ep. 0 was only meant to be my "test run" in flash.

I did VG Exiles Ep. 1 in lieu of the INVASION project because the first episode of the INVASION series was going to be extremely difficult and I needed more practice.

After I finished VG Exiles Episode 1, I decided that I did not want to commit to six more fights and I abandoned the INVASION series. I realized that I wasn't wild about the thought of animating three of my planned fights because they involved characters I chose for story purposes and not because I actually liked them.

Therefore, I have scrapped the INVASION project and will be adapting the fights from that series that I did like for the Exiles. I'll be changing a couple of the characters because Exile fights can't all be MK vs. SF.

I'm 100% committed to the VG Exiles now.

R1665

Mar. 15, 2009 | 12:54 AM youtube-xin0 says:

if your file is over 10mb, how would you notify the administrator that you want to upload a good flash over 10mb?

I can't see it anywhere in the Submit Content page:/

Mar. 15, 2009 | 1:00 AM R1665 responds:

I suppose I'd have to send Tom Fulp an email.

R1665

Mar. 15, 2009 | 2:11 PM TheWikKid says:

"I'm 100% committed to the VG Exiles now."

Good to hear man, good luck with the rest of the series.

Mar. 15, 2009 | 2:34 PM Neo-Fusion says:

Don't worry about the 10 mb thing, Tom will raise your limit don't worry.

Also, don't insert lifebars the system in ep. 1 worked perfectly.

Mar. 15, 2009 | 3:01 PM R1665 responds:

Yeah, I've kind of come to the same conclusion regarding lifebars. The only possible reason to have them would be to do that whole cliched, "Fighting on the last bit of health" thing.

HeiarchyMikeo20 was correct when he said, "It's not like he's playing a game."

The only "gamelike" thing about my flashes is my use of game graphics. I don't use game physics or game choreography, so why should I bother with game lifebars?

R1665

Mar. 15, 2009 | 5:42 PM Trixiaoyu says:

Just to let you know that I have hit the 30 second milestone for 32-bit tournament 2 battle scene. It's going to be 5 mins in total. I am catching up to you man! So hurry up. LOL!

Mar. 15, 2009 | 5:47 PM R1665 responds:

You'll have to add another 60 before you can catch up to me now!

R1665

Mar. 16, 2009 | 11:13 PM Neo-Fusion says:

I hit 5000 frames total for MK 1 Eps. 2.

The second fight is at 45 seconds right now and should be a 2 min total fight. Bringing a total of about 3-4 minutes total fighting counting the two mini fights as well!

Mar. 17, 2009 | 12:18 AM R1665 responds:

I'm glad to hear it!

MORTAL KOMBAT!!

R1665

Mar. 20, 2009 | 8:31 AM skater007 says:

"I'm glad to hear it!

MORTAL KOMBAT!!

R1665"

NO! No and one more time NO!

STRAIGHT FYTA!!

SkateS

Mar. 20, 2009 | 12:37 PM R1665 responds:

"STRAIGHT FYTA!!"

I'm sorry, that just doesn't seem to have the same sense of ferocity...

LOL

R1665

Mar. 20, 2009 | 10:02 PM Neo-Fusion says:

Mortal Kombat owns SF

Although as of recent SF owns MK... Sad really.

Mar. 21, 2009 | 4:29 AM R1665 responds:

I've not played MK vs. DCU, but I was very pleased with Armageddon.

I thought that the overly-complicated combo and fighting style systems of Deadly Alliance and Deception were intolerable, so I was glad to see that Midway cut it back for Armageddon. Maybe they did it for space. Don't know, don't care. I'm just glad they did it.

Of course, if I were in charge, I would have removed both the Konquest mode as well as Kart Kombat and used the space for giving fighters individual fatalities, or for adding more features to the create-a-fighter (which was AMAZINGLY good for the first CAF system in MK.)

Konquest and Kart Kombat were my only real gripes because of the wasted disc space that could have gone towards better things.

R1665

Mar. 21, 2009 | 9:11 AM khote says:

nice pic,
so this is the next animation you are working on.
take your time i am waiting.

Mar. 21, 2009 | 9:12 AM khote says:

nice pic,
so this is the next animation you are working on.
take your time i am waiting.

Mar. 23, 2009 | 2:17 AM Yeury says:

wow nice work dude! Its fun to watch other artist's flashes, cause you learn new things in the process. I learned a lot from watching your recent flash. Keep up the work man, it looks real good.

oh.....and no lifebars. they wouldn't fit your fight style.

Mar. 23, 2009 | 11:40 AM Trixiaoyu says:

R1665, have you by any chance watched the cartoon: Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm?

Mar. 23, 2009 | 11:59 AM R1665 responds:

I've seen a few clips on YouTube, but never a full episode.

R1665

Mar. 24, 2009 | 8:52 AM Trixiaoyu says:

I do not like that cartoon as it is aimed at 9 year olds because there is no blood. Have you seen Scorpion's harpoon move on that show? It's a rope that ties around his opponent as he tells them to, "get over here" . How sad is that? Takes away the horrifying element of Scorpion.

Mar. 26, 2009 | 10:50 PM Neo-Fusion says:

Lol Trix... THE FREAKING FCC.

That is ridiculous don't even do a cartoon if you aren't allowed to make violence... GOD PEOPLE HAVE A CHOICE TO GO UP TO THE TV AND TURN IT OFF!

Mar. 29, 2009 | 5:37 AM greyshadowskyknight says:

damn i leave newgrounds for 2 months and i come here to see a epic ass post...cant wait! i'd figure you couldnt do the health bar..its kinda interesting not knowing how much of a beating these guys cane take, so enjoyable.
heres to another badass flash on newgrounds.

Mar. 29, 2009 | 3:05 PM R1665 responds:

See? The lesson to be learned here is "Don't leave Newgrounds"!

Oh, and I COULD do the health bar. I just won't.

R1665

Apr. 1, 2009 | 7:03 PM ShinKuHadoken says:

whaaaat? I cant see your episode zero anymore whyyyyyyy boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Apr. 1, 2009 | 11:21 PM R1665 responds:

It promotes social disorder.

R1665

Apr. 2, 2009 | 11:00 PM xheartxbreakxkid says:

are there two gambits?
whats up with that?
well if you can't reveal that then i will just wait
hope you can upload the video

Apr. 2, 2009 | 11:30 PM R1665 responds: