i know you're going to throw this back in my face but hear me out. a dseg has 2 visual parts, the dialogue box and the scene. technically the only parts that are required in a dialogue box are the Title, Continue button, M, E, T, A and L buttons, the Text box for the dialogue itself and the menu Backdrop. That is 9 sprites. The maximum sprites available to you is between 100 and 120. That leaves at least 90 on the stage. If each character sprite is pre-rendered they each take up 1 sprite per action. So if you want to have a lot of particle effects then less characters and less actions for each character. For example a character with 10 actions will very quickly use up that 90 spare sprites with every copy of them. Most likely you'll need at least a standing, walking and attacking sprite in an action game, likely a jumping and jumping attack one too or at least 3 or more likely 5 expressions for a text adventure. That would be 18 characters on screen at the most without any particles involved. You'd get 5 particles for every 1 less character on screen. Only 2 characters would give you 80 particles. 4 would give you 60. 6 would be 40. You get the idea. Now bare in mind I've not included any background, foreground, platform or object elements in this. Every image used to make each of these is another sprite. That's why nobody does foreground objects like data or status symbols above the heads of characters. In terms of platforms you can just make 1 really big image containing all the platforms in the level. You can even cheat by fusing a backdrop to the platforms but that requires a lot more editing since the backdrop has to be shaped around the placement of the platforms. Objects is the toughie though, doors, collectibles, sliding objects, switches, moving platforms, etc. Basically anything that's not a character that's subject to change. Every object on screen is an extra sprite. But not just that. Since it has to be held off screen when not in use, every object that has the potential to appear in that area adds to the sprite count regardless if it's on screen or not and the same applies for characters and even particles. Smaller areas with defined exits where it can suddenly ping into the new area means less things in storage clogging up the sprite count because each area is independent. Reusing objects and enemies for different parts of the same area means that when one goes off screen it can held ready to place in the position of the other when they go on screen. Visually try to keep the sprites on screen as the original image rather than converting to symbol. Each time you make it a symbol it creates a new sprite. This means that any fancy effects you have planned will have to be pre-rendered most likely. Each new special effect on each image is another copy of the sprite to add to the count. Having certain characters rooted to one specific area gives you more spare sprites and having items only appear in certain places helps too. They'll only add to the sprite count in the places they appear.
Anyway, that's my advice. I hope it helps
i know you're going to throw this back in my face but hear me out. a dseg has 2 visual parts, the di
