On the occasion of the launch of the fourth numbered episode of the saga more than twenty years ago, its creators explain its design methodology.
With a Streets of Rage 4 that will end the absence of new numbered installments of the SEGA saga for twenty-five years, the team of Lizardcube, DotEmu and Guard Crush Games, in charge of this rebirth, have explained what their artistic priorities have been to redesign the classic characters of the license.
Ben Fiquet, Art Director of the video game and CEO of Lizardcube, has shared through the official PlayStation blog some details of the redesigns of characters such as Blaze and Adam, who are just two of the 17 characters included in this installment (12 of them retro and five hand-drawn heroes in full HD.)
Unlike in previous installments, where it was not possible to provide the animation of each character with so many frames per second, this time the game will have "about 1000 frames per second". Additionally, enemies have between 300 and 400 frames per second each. All hand-drawn "frame by frame, in PhotoShop".
Blaze Fielding: so it will be in its 2020 version
In the case of Blaze Fielding, which has appeared in every installment since the beginning of Streets of Rage, his style has changed enormously over the years and chapters. "The challenge was how to version it for the 2020 players," he explains.
“I decided to start with the part that the players remembered best: the original sprites. One of its characteristics is the red color scheme, accentuated by the miniskirt and the fitted top ”, she adds, and concludes:“ It was important to maintain these attributes, since they not only represent the character, but also evoke the memories of many players from all the world". Fiquet admits that he loved the jacket he wore in the first episode because it gives him "a more urban look." For this reason, it has maintained it and given it a more modern touch. Finally, she indicates as an anecdote that, as she is also an animator, she took into account the movement of the belt so that it moves in a striking way when she does it herself.
Adam, unrepeatable glasses
It is Adam's turn, with which Fiquet points out that he has followed the same guidelines as with Blaze. The difference is that he had only appeared in the first episode and therefore had much less material … and more scope for creativity. He has had to change more things because his shoulder pads, for example, were "too eighties" and he explored other ideas: "The glasses make it look more mysterious and remind me of the look of the old sprite, where his eyes were barely distinguishable."
I also try, although in a failed way, to incorporate a coat, but in the end he opted for the design that we will see in the game, with short sleeves. Finally, she wanted Adam to carry swords out of the ground for his ultramovement, and this is how the green aura will look with this movement.
Streets of Rage 4, developed by Lizardcube and edited by DotEmu for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Switch, will go on sale this April 30.
