Hey, Adventurers! In the last Dev Update we’ve talked about music being your companion throughout the game, anywhere you go, the music is there. Today we’d like to share more details about the pixel-art and cinematics that are present in [b]Janosik 2[/b], and spill some tea about their creation process. [h3][b]Creating Sprites and Backgrounds[/b][/h3] [b]Janosik 2[/b]’s visuals are a love letter to classic games, combining retro pixel art with fresh animation techniques. The game’s sprites and backgrounds were drawn by hand, one pixel at a time in Aseprite. To keep the vibe of old-school platformer, Marcin used a limited color palette and focused on clean, and readable designs. The final pixel-art is simple, yet vibrant and expressive, mixing modern animations with retro charm. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40648059/e5efd1527c9c0f2b2cf3c74074339ef5dccdbf3d.png[/img] [h3][b]Rotoscoping Magic[/b][/h3] All cinematic sequences in [b]Janosik 2[/b] were created using the rotoscoping technique. This process involved recording short video clips of desired animation sequences, which were later redrawn frame-by-frame in Aseprite. Every movement - from running and weapons swings, to more complex gestures - was first recorded to make the animations as precise as possible. By doing so, Marcin was able to achieve smooth and lifelike animations, which are hard to achieve while drawing pixel art. It’s a bit like creating a flipbook, but with each pixel carefully placed in the sequence. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40648059/a1f0da0ad26f599f2bf28d253bb26fab6417e30a.gif[/img] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40648059/e387d2e9d5d68f9d6c2d69bc41949b6f16f28b1c.gif[/img] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40648059/00a6a1a073e0196a21a18120b91c7b1efa63a450.gif[/img] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40648059/9397b866aea2d8f409ea52d74fc770cd44acda2a.gif[/img] Thanks to rotoscoping and hand-drawing all pixel art,[b] Janosik 2[/b] is a game that feels both familiar and fresh, combining smooth, lifelike animations with the charm of classic pixel art. Every scene, movement, and background element was crafted with a dedication to detail and an appreciation for the art form, creating an experience that, we hope, will appeal to fans of pixel art and newcomers alike. [h3][b]Wishlist Janosik 2[/b][/h3] https://store.steampowered.com/app/1640400/Janosik_2/ [h3][b]A Glimpse into Western Fashion[/b][/h3] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40648059/b0bb339abbbc34aaf11ec57684f5c5362c0b7681.png[/img] For those curious about the pixel art in a distinctly different setting check out [b]Undead West[/b]—a gritty, black-and-white pixel adventure set in a haunted Wild West. Where [b]Janosik 2[/b] brings bright colors and lifelike rotoscoped animation, Undead West goes old-school with a bold, 2-bit palette inspired by classics like [i]Downwell[/i] and [i]Minit[/i]. It’s a different kind of retro: stark, shadowy, and packed with western action. [h3][b]Wishlist Undead West[/b][/h3] https://store.steampowered.com/app/2527880/Undead_West/ See you in the next one!