Ok, I just got some very special stuff for this contest. This time it's all about using your imagination to create some cool enemies for Sonic and yes, the reward will be worth the effort.


WHAT
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You just need to create three original badniks (not just edit existant ones), following the rules:

-They should use the Genesis/MD graphics and color rules (you can't use colors from more than one palette for each sprite or 8x8 tile, etc).
-It should be possible to put them in at least one of the levels in Sonic 1, 2, 3 or Sonic & Knuckles, without showing any corruption in the graphics or colors used by the level and the main characters of that game. However, for each enemy you can only choose a level where it could actually work when used (ie. you can't put non-flying badniks in a level with no ground such as Sky Chase). Also, you can't put badniks in a level that doesn't have any, such as Death Egg.
-You can remove the graphics and colors from one of the badniks featured in the level you choose, to make some place for your creation in the VRAM. Keep in mind that you can't modify any colors used by the level or by the first palette.
-You can use any techniques used for the badniks as long as they were used in the chosen game (ie. In Sonic 2, they can't load uncompressed graphics in real time like in Sonic 3, etc). I suggest you to use the "L0st Library" tool to experiment with the sprites and the many ways to assemble them. If you can't make the animation with it, it's quite possible that it doesn't follow this rule.
-Also, you can only use one of the first two palettes when choosing the colors for each of the sprites that make each animation frame.
-You can never use more tiles than the badnik with a maximum number of tiles in that game. This includes both VRAM graphics (every game) and the possible decompressed graphics inside the ROM (Sonic 3 or Sonic & Knuckles only). Bosses aren't included in this contest.
-Each of them should be based on one real animal of your choice (so fantasy animals and hybrids can't be used, among others).

Remember that it's possible to make enemies built with different sprites (overlapped or not) that use different palettes, and you can also flip or mirror each of them at will for making the animations and saving some VRAM space in the process.

*NOTE: If you're using Gens and want to get the correct colors (with RGB values of 0, 32, 64, 96, 128, 160, 192 and 224), open gens.cfg and make sure that you have the following lines somewhere under "[Graphics]":
Contrast=90
Brightness=100


HOW
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You must present each of them in both of the following ways:

-Digitizer style (sprite sheet): Just show the animation frames for each of them over a BG color you want. The sprite transparencies don't need to use a different color than the BG. If you want some animation frames to move the whole enemy a little to any direction, you might want to specify it.

Example:

*Frames 2 and 4 should go 1 pixel down.

-VRAM style: Showing all the used 8x8 tiles one after another, preferably in rows of 16. The file should be in a format that allows it to have their palette/s stored in the same order as they would be stored in the Genesis/MD (GIF, BMP), so it should display correctly when loaded in the "L0st Library" utility.

Example:

(If you're not going to use the last tiles, just leave them blank)

You can also include animated gifs to show how would it act when placed in the game, and any additional info/data you think would be interesting. However, this is not necessary and thus won't be counted when choosing the winners.

Example:



WHERE
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You can post your badniks either here or at any other forum that doesn't require to register (so anybody could check the entries). In order to do that, you must create a topic at the other message board where the members would add their entries, and just post a link to that topic.


PRIZES
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The prizes will consist on the following DIN A3 size prints:

-3rd prize: Featuring four prototype badniks (wasp, gator, dino and snail), and signed by their pixel-creator.


-2nd prize: A facsimile of the original Metropolis concept design, signed by the main guy in charge of its graphics.


-1st prize: You'll be the first (ok, second) Sonic fan to see (and keep) a copy of the very first and only known piece of artwork depicting the original concept for the mysterious Genocide City (then known by a different name). Of course, signed by the "Zone Artist" who was assigned this level before it got cancelled.



NOTES
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It's not needed to code anything and make it actually work, although anybody with the needed knowledge should be able to do so.
People will be able to post their comments on any of the submitted badniks, including those from external boards.
Any points not described above such as deadlines, etc, have not been decided yet.
The artwork will be properly released at my site some time after the prizes are sent, or as soon as the three winners confirm they've received them or just wish to do so.
There will be no refunds if the prize gets lost in the mail, there's many other people to blame for those things.
The rules and other points described above are subject to change when and if I see it necessary.

Also, do not use the "attach file" feature in this message board, host your pics somewhere else so you won't eat the site's bandwidth.




Special thanks go to Tom Payne for being such an amazing guy and making this possible.