1. Eliminate the Edge! (By Crusader2)
Far too many times I've seen a potentially great resource brought down to the lowly level of average because of a very thin and hardly noticably white edge surrounding it. What most people don't realize is that, when you use a real picture of something to base a resource off of, there is a blur caused on the edge of the object. When you are zoomed in, the edge just looks like any other pixel, and most people don't ever think of it as more. HOWEVER, when you zoom out, there is a faint edge surrounding your image that is caused by that blur. So, it is best to eliminate exactly ONE row of pixels from the edge of an object. This should either eliminate or drastically cut down the edge surrounding the object.
2. Not too Perfect! (By Crusader2)
Sometimes it is better to make some imperfections in a resource so as to retain the idea that it is in a video game. In 3d modeling, modelers smothe out the edges of a box so as not to give it perfect, clean cut, razor sharp edges which don't exist in real life, unless it's the edge of a kitchen knife or something. Similarily, something should not look exactly lifelike because it stands out too much from the rest of the game. Objects need to blend in with everything else unless they are made to stand out.
3. Keep it in Style! (By Crusader2)
When making a game, it is best to try and keep all of the resources at about the same quality. If one object looks like it came straight out of real life, then ALL of the objects should look like that. Unless you want to make new characters, you should keep everything at about the same quality as the character; make it look like it was made one pixel at a time. There are a multitude of different ways to do this, such as creating a blur or any other effect. Use something other than MS Paint, just because it is incredibly limited. I reccommend GIMP. I haven't tried it yet, but have heard that it is amazing.
4. Test it Out! (By Blood Raven)
You made the resource, but didn't take the time to test it to see if it works properly. This causes the downloader trouble, and makes him or her angry. I've seen a few resources, not going to name them, where the holding frames are all jacked up. Or on some environments the collision rectangle is too small, or too large. Or there is no ammunition item.
5. Symbol! (By Blood Raven)
I've seen symbols on resources that are great, or real images, awesome! But please, if you took the time to make the symbol great, make the actual resource good too. Or if the symbol is real, try to make the actual look real.
6. Use shading! (By ZhugeLiang)
Shading is the process of lighting and darkening the same color when adding layers to make an object look more realistic. Many people just outline in black then fill in with the color of choice. This makes the resource look really plain and like you didn't put in any effort into what you were making. By taking the time to shade, the quality of your resource goes up, and more people are likely to download it.
7. Textures! (By Scaveleon)
Either make your game full of textures, or drop it completly. Think about a game which doesn't fit together because some things are textured, where others are not. If you plan on using textures, it's best to use it everywhere.
8. Be Reasonable! (By Mr. Numbers)
Dont use an out of the ordinary item unless its really needed in your game. Like lets say you are making a realistic war game, don't make a giant hot dog come out of no where and kill you. It just does not blend in.
9. Realism! (By shadowwarrior)
If you are making an RPG Game, don't have a computer or TV in your maps! Make your resource in a normal program first, then take them higher into a more experienced prgram, like GIMP or Photoshop. You can add great stuff, like lighting, blur, wet things and so on with these programs!
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