Introduction

If this is your first time reading this, you will need to send me your email to access the google drive files.

I suggest that you play the game a few times before reading this part, since I will not be explaining the mechanics of the game. Instead, I will go through the various components and artwork required to make the game function.

The customisability of Stylized is what sets it apart from other Fashion games, but it is also what makes drawing art for it so complex. Personally, I use macros and scripts to be able to format thousands of images per set. I also realise that this is where artists might start to lose interest. This is one of those projects where you never see what you’re working on until you’re finished. It can be frustrating at times and requires some trial and error, but trust me when I say it is immensely rewarding to see your artwork transform into a dress-up game.

Unlike the usual dress-up games, the items are not going to be flat images but white sprites. These will be explained below.

Please contact me if you need access to the Google Drive files.

Set Assets

So now that we know what is in the game, we need to discuss the assets needed to make it function. There are a few keywords that are consistently used and it’s important to not get them confused:

• Model/Doll - refers to the base template of a specific art style.

  • For example, some current dolls/models are Kimi, Peaches and Adeline.

• Set - refers to the collection of hair/clothes and accessories in a specific themed web game.

  • For example, Adeline has 2 sets at the moment.

• Section - refers to (usually) 6 layers that form TfOHSM.

Importantly, each model only has one set of ‘character’ features (explained below), which are used for each subsequent web game using that same model. The ‘hair’, ‘clothes’ and ‘accessories’ are new for every set.

You may choose to make multiple sets of the same model or different models each time.

Categories

The categories are the same for each game. Each category houses subcategories (in the order they appear in the game):

Sections

Each section usually has 6 layers that form a part of an item (if they have multiple parts), or the whole item (if they only have one part). The only items that deviate from the 6 layer norm are the Character category items.

Linked Sections

Linked sections are two or more sections that make up one whole item. Some items may have a front and back (and a side part as in the case of Hair > Styles). They are controlled by the same colour options. To see the full list of which sections have multiple components, see the Categories entry above (via blue text).

TfOHSM

OHSM are the most important layers of an item, T and f layers are additional customisable details.

As mentioned before MOST sections have 6 layers, all of these are optional and an item only needs 1 of these files to register as an item:

• T - Two tone pattern

  • This layer shows the alpha of a secondary colour. The player will be able to toggle on the secondary colour function. Potentially, an item may have the illusion of two sets of OHSM with this function.

  • Each item may have one pattern but this is optional. The items that do not have this file will simply not have the toggle visible.

  • This feature is not active for the webgl version of the game because of performance issues. If you have these T files for a mobile game, we can easily remove it for the webgl version.

• f - flat

  • This layer holds an illustrated image file that is permanently on top of the item, unaffected by the colour sliders.

  • The file name for these files are 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. if there is more than one flat image, the player will be able to change them using a button. If there is 0 or 1 flat file then there will be no button.

• O - Outline

  • This outline will be automatically coloured according to the formula of the chosen texture and main colour.

• H - Highlight

  • This highlight will be automatically coloured according to the formula of the chosen texture and main colour.

• S - Shadow

  • This shadow will be automatically coloured according to the formula of the chosen texture and main colour.

• M - Main

  • the main colour will be chosen by the player using the colour picker options and will dictate what the OSH colours will be.

Retrofitting fOHSM

You may have been invited as an illustrator but realise that you do not draw with the typical Outline, Highlight, Shadow and Main method. All OHSM really does is create depth between the same hue. You may also think of it like this:

• O - The darkest colours that pop

• H - The lightest colours that pop

• S - The darker gradient to make it less flat

• M - The fill

Using a rudimentary gradient map technique I was able to create depth on Photoshop. Trial and error will create the best results.

Just like how there is a million ways to draw an apple there should be a million ways to create artwork that can be retrofitted into the OHSM format. If you need help with this then please contact me and we can work out the easiest method for you to retain layers and create depth on your dress-up game.

For complex items I recommend just using flats and having no OHSM. You do not have to limit your creativity to what the template dictates.

• Eyes

  • L - Lashes

    • colour modifiable by mascara

  • f - flat

    • explained in TfOHSM, for eyes they can be stickers like hearts or tears etc.

  • O - Outline

    • colour modifiable by base

  • CW - Contacts White

    • colour modifiable by eyes

  • CO - Contacts

    • colour modifiable by eyes

  • CM - Contacts

    • colour modifiable by eyes

  • W - White

    • colour remains as is, if you do not want pure white scleras then turn down the opacity of the layer.

• Eyebrows

  • M - Main

    • colour modifiable by eyebrows

  • S - Shadow

    • colour modifiable by base

• Nose

  • O - Outline

    • colour modifiable by base

  • H - Highlight

    • colour modifiable by base

  • S - Shadow

    • colour modifiable by base

• Lips

  • f - flat

    • explained in TfOHSM, for lips they can be teeth, fangs, tongue, piercings etc.

  • O - Outline

    • colour modifiable by lips

  • H - Highlight

    • colour modifiable by lips

  • S - Shadow

    • colour modifiable by lips

  • M - Main

    • colour modifiable by lips

  • FO - Face Outline

    • colour modifiable by base, I use this when I want to draw a simple line smile (like in anime). You can also use this as a shadow by turning the opacity down to 30%.

• Base

  • T - [Face] Two tone

    • explained in TfOHSM

  • f - [Face] flat

    • they can be anything in base as long as they stay within the original Face Outline.

  • O - [Face] Outline

    • colour modifiable by base

  • H - [Face] Highlight

    • colour modifiable by base

  • S - [Face] Shadow

    • colour modifiable by base

  • M - [Face] Main

    • colour modifiable by base

  • BT - Body Two tone

    • explained in TfOHSM

  • Bf - Body flat

    • they can be anything in base as long as they stay within the original Body Outline.

  • BO - Body Outline

    • colour modifiable by base

  • BH - Body Highlight

    • colour modifiable by base

  • BR - Body Rouge

    • colour is always #ff0000, it adds a small blush of red to the body for depth.

  • BS - Body Shadow

    • colour modifiable by base

  • BM - Body Main

    • colour modifiable by base

Every item in the Categories Hair, Clothing and Accessories adhere to the basic rule of TfOHSM + Side/Back and are only colour modifiable by their own sliders.

*note that the file names for base items are different to what’s listed here because they were made before it was changed to fit the uniform naming convention.

The artist must make sure to create adequate coverage regardless of gender.

If you are not drawing humans please contact me so I can decide whether or not this is necessary.

FAQs

Why is Base also Character, Blush also Rouge and Eyebrows also (Y)brows?

These two have alternative names in the game and files because their initials have already been taken by something else. This only occurs in the Character category and nowhere else.

If you have anymore questions please send them to me and I will add them to the FAQ wall so that they can be easily referenced.