akumi

Reskinned Model

I'm still adjusting the model but this is getting closer to the fun charming design I'm looking for. 

Which do you prefer?

• My long lanky character designs
• Or my short curvy character designs
  

Mock-up Battle Phase!

Battle Phase!  Characters run to the right to meet the enemy and auto-battle each other.  You should either be able to modify their formation before battle OR maybe their aggression meter determines whether they hang back or charge forward?   

( Idea from Chrono Trigger )
Power bar auto fills to max and then triggers the character to auto use their "Special Move". Could be mass heals, more damage, defense buffs. Maybe for a Necromancer a max powe...

Character Menu Mock-up

Okay here's my latest mock-up of the character menu. Since there will be a lot of characters, the stats should be simplified. 3 stats:  
• Damage
• Defense ( or Damage reduction )  
• Health Points.

3 levels max, 5 points to allocate each level to make the character unique. When they hit level 3 they get a skin upgrade.

Aggression meter? Characters will auto battle so maybe a higher aggression makes the character aggro  more of the enemy attacks? Or...

Jade Jogger

Okay, it's been a while but I'm back to doing color work and animations again. Here I'm experimenting with my old Akumi art style. Adjustments need to be made but I think this style bring out more charm and life in the characters.

More examples on the way!

Drawing Exercises

Bought this book called "300 Drawing Prompts" last year. There's a bunch of random suggestions on each page for you to draw. I just started it last week. I figure this will be a good creative exercise to make me draw things I would never think of drawing to open up my mind more. I'll post the results of these as I go.

Onwards and Upwards!

-Miltonius

Creature Concept

Just a quick literal living fur-ball. :D  Could be a cute companion or enemy in the game. Maybe they move in packs like wolves!

Monsters Men and MORE!

More sketch ideas I did during the week. This really got me into a mental flow of creativity. Although the ideas weren't particularly innovative, it got easier and easier to just create characters with little effort.

For any artists out there, I cannot stress enough the simple practice of just finding a free flowing method of drawing that you enjoy. The momentum builds as you continue to do this... with anything really.  Whatever your craft is...

You can tell my earlier drawi...

Character Design Shift

Design shift??? Some of you including Adam might be thinking, why are you making a design shift? The style looks fine! Well it's more of a design refinement than a shift. I was slightly changing my style every time I'd go to make a new character. Some would have more detail while others we're more simplistic. Some would have heavy shading and others flat.

So I've decided to rework some things from the core. That's why I'm starting from scratch so to speak. I'm establishing a consistent ...

Akumi War's Art Direction

It's 2020 and we're already into February and you might be asking, what's the news? I've been burning pencil lead trying to find that "secret sauce" of art direction. Yes, I do have somewhat of an art style but it hasn't been polished or refined in a very long while and so that's what I've been looking for.  Above is a bunch of exercise I've done but it's still not there. The long lanky style I'd been using doesn't compliment the game I'm making. We need characters that are a bit more me...

Akumi at Anime Impulse this Weekend!

 It' almost here! If you nearby, come say hello!

• Saturday-Sunday  January 18-19 10AM-7PM
• Artist Alley Booth#1201

What will be different in 2020?I know I've been absent a while but it was needed so I could clear my head. 2020, time to see clearly. Long-story really short, I bought a planner, a Passion Planner. I'm writing things down and making goals. My pl...

Update: Anime Impulse Convention - Akumi Booth #1201

In 2018, I applied to a bunch of conventions to get an artist booth. 2019 I was accepted by one, the Anime Impulse Convention in 2020. January 18-19, 2020 that is! So I've been rushing to prepare, blu-rays, fliers, banners and art prints. I'll be promoting my sites and upcoming game for the most part.

If you live close, come visit me at the Anime Impulse Convention in Pomona, California. This will be my first booth ever! You can meet me and Dave, the Akumi song writer. I'll post more up...

Animation: Defeat

If you ate too much yesterday, you might be feeling like this....

Lets build this Akumi Wars rpg game! Onwards and Upwards!

-Miltonius

Animation: Dazed

Here's what happens if she's hit with a stun attack... or eats too much. Later, special effects will be added to have animated stars above her head.

More posts coming after the Thanksgiving holiday! Have a great Thanksgiving and thank you for your support!

-Miltonius

Animation: Dodge

What she'll look like when she dodges an attack. Again, trying to add life to the characters with facial expressions this time around. Before, I just didn't know how to achieve that in the Spine software.

Akumi Run 'N Gun

How Akumi would run with her pistol weapon option. Akumi wil have a ton of different outfits and weapons to use so this is just one idea of many!

More animations posting tomorrow! Onwards and Upwards!

-Miltonius

Animation: Walks

Base female model walk with a dash of "jiggle".

Akumi: Pistol Attack

Here's Akumi firing her weapon in her new outfit. Gun fire effects and lighting will be added later!

More animations posting tomorrow! Onwards and Upwards!

-Miltonius

Animation: Gun Attack

Where are the gun effects? This is something I'm gonna animate separately to keep files small. So once my focus is on special effects, I'll repost these animations with the appropriate effects added to them.

But note I'm able to animate the facial expressions and blinks which are not present in my past Akumi Wars models. I really want these character to come alive.

Animation: Idle

Who knew standing in one place could have so much movement!

More animations posting tomorrow! Onwards and Upwards!

-Miltonius

Animation: Runs

First of all, my apologies for the long silence. I have good reasons though. I've been in the trenches: cleared out my workspace, cleared my schedule, dumped all distractions/projects I had on the side, been studying games, watching GDC (Game Developer Conference) videos, refreshing my knowledge of the Spine software and building a new base character model system starting with the female.

I had to relearn the software but once it started to click, I was able to use it with far more expe...

Male & Female Base Avatar Mock-ups

Okay got some male and female mock-ups ready. Still need to animate them to see how well they can move but we're getting close to an official base model to build from.

The picture with the gun/sword will be used to test different attacks. I think it can also be just one of the items you special supporters will receive upon launch.  I'll make a full character set based on this weapon later.  Time to build some animations now!

Onwards and Upwards!

-Miltonius

Akumi Wars - Male & Female Template Test

So I have this bad practice of building game characters from scratch out of "artist pride" or something... I did this with my game Oversoul. Every character I built was 90% from ground zero. From the art to the animations, I almost always redid everything.  This is a terrible method, it made it very impractical to build upon effectively. It made everything take longer. It's why AE doesn't update the game often... it's very hard to do because of the way I built it.

I started to do t...

Monster List (Akumiverse-fied)

I was talking to Adam the other day and he pointed out we have a lot of hero/boss looking characters but nothing for them to really fight except each other. We needed stock monsters for our heroes: rats, slimes, etc.  That's when I decided to make the list above. This will be a guideline for the monsters I'm gonna make because of course these monsters must be designed to fit into the Akumiverse. This is gonna keep me pretty busy.

Do you have a monster idea? Let me know in the comme...

Akumi Wars Gameplay

Okay friends, it's time to get to the finish line with Akumi Wars. Above are ideas of one way the gameplay could work.  The game is a "Tower Defense" model but these are IDEAS that could be implemented to make gameplay more unique. 

• First, I want the characters to be bigger on screen. This could mean a dynamic scrolling/zooming camera. In past footage, I felt the characters we're displayed too small on screen.
• Maybe you choose a smaller defined party? One hero/l...
  2019-09-25 22:33:59 +0000 UTC View Post

Akumi Wars - Akumi Variant

Here is the latest Akumi redesign I have in the works. Still not the final but it's close. Akumi will have a variety of looks in the Akumi Wars game. Some of the variants will have different character stats and fight styles: sniper, melee, tank, agility.  I want her side kick, Drone, to effect Akumi in different ways too. Maybe he can buff her stats or have his own attack for instance.

Although the game is meant to be a "tower defense"style gameplay, the mechanics are still in the ...

Akumi Blu-Ray Animations Released!

  Akumi Blu-Rays now Available!  - 10 in stock   U.S.A. Residences only!

See what the Akumi Wars game will be based on! You're hearing the news here first Patrons! Almost went insane getting the final blu-ray polish done the past 3 days. 12 messed up disks ( 5 of them we're on the final blu-rays with the printed logos on...

Happy 4th of July!

Akumi showing her appreciation of Merica. Happy independence day everyone! :)

More Akumi Wars updates coming this week! Onwards and Upwards!

-Miltonius

Design Notes #2: Akumi Wars Game

So I spent today animating this little loop. The final animation will have Akumi and Drone having a conversation but this is just a nice little showpiece.

Things are really moving. Just talked to Adam again today. Told him how I've figured myself out and how I best work. I gotta get up and go straight to my computer and GO! Do anything before that and I procrastinate. 

We're both hyped again to make this game. I told him this little story element is really pushing the game in...

Design Notes #1: Akumi Wars Game

The other day Adam (Artix) suggested I work on some story elements for the Akumi Wars game. Story elements that could provide choices for the player. The idea is there could be multiple endings.  So I thought why not work on the story I was going to make as the next Akumi animated episode?

Picture this: Akumi and Drone have been on vacation enjoying all that hard earned bounty. Not to spoil any of the fun stuff, but before they know it, they're out of cash. Akumi is forced to work ...

Akumi Wars Patreon

Hello Patrons! This page will be hence forth dedicated to Akumi focused projects and be suitable for most audiences.  Currently, my main focus on this page will be the development of Akumi Wars game me and Adam (Artix) are creating as partners.  I'm shooting for a release December 2019.

All updates and design notes on the Akumi Wars game will be posted here! Stay tuned for opportunities to have your very own character commission put into the Akumi Wars game!

Onwards and ...