I hate to ask this cause I know I read about it somewhere here before. I was wondering what would be the best way to change the main Player Char's sprite set to coincide with something like the effects of time, physical growth and experience. I'd like to show for example a slightly bulkier sprite for a character that increases to higher levels as a fighter. If anyone has ever played the old arcade game Altered Beast you'll understand what I am visualizing.
And also I'd like to show when a player becomes physically disabled or maimed, such as losing arms or legs or walking with a limp, or a glowing green aura after becoming overexposed to radiation or gamma rays. Or maybe even use a 50% transparent copy of the original sprite to indicate an invisibility spell or predator-like camouflage technology. Or we could have a fat char lose weight and become slim and fit like one of the early Leisure Suit Larry games when Larry works out enough times.
I was thinking of permanent or semi-permanent change of all the character's relevent spritesets at once. So that the change is reflected in the idle/walking sprite, the attack sprites, the item sprite, the skill sprites, the jumping sprite, the sneaking sprite, etc. At first I thought something like the name change thing might work, but it isn't that simple with the main character is it?