Notices

Yes, first of all I think that we should go with a plain 2D view. Isometric will be difficult to animate. So all the elements seen from above.
I wonder how cartoonish elements would look like on a 'real' background? Won't it give a nice 3d impression?
I like the pens made by @markusm they are not-entirely-2d and should work nicely.

[edit] but I'm artistically handicapped, so whatever you, artistic people, think is best.

what fences were those?

My grass will fit just fine for cartoonish topdown shaded sheeps if you ask me

i agree wholeheartedy wazd
thanks for the grass!

top down will work better for the accelerometer controlled levels as well

I really don't mind which set of designs you do with. The image in my head is not actually 'top down' but rather on an angle. But if top down is easier for the accelerometer go with whatever will work.

To be honest, I am blown away by the degree of skill and art, technical ability and most of all willingness to play with this idea. If we end up with a playable game that we can say started out as an idea on the back of bus in Barcelona I shall be utterly thrilled. I've never really been involved in anything quite like this before!

Edit: I just sucessfully logged into garage (scary!). So if someone wants to create a project, please go ahead.

Here's my quick attempt at a nice sheep. It's made in inkscape.

well, the topdown approach is a bit easier because is possible to minimize the animation (a bit of head shacking and no legs) but a 45 or 30 degrees view is a bit more sheepstacular (and could be possible to stare the sheeps into the eyes.

Wow guys, congrats on participating in probably the coolest project on maemo right now! Maybe not the game itself, although don't get me wrong, if I had the money for a N900 I'd be neglecting my studies to help the poor sheep find their pens. But what's really cool here is how everyone is just gripping onto this loose idea and helping out in any way they can, it's truly amazing to follow!

I would help out but he only thing I've ever coded is a hello world! and my drawings are usually in the form of stick figures, so I feel my "help" would probably sink the project. I would however like to offer my sincere appreciation as a enthusiastic future user of maemo devices!

Oh wow! Yet more cute sheep! Admit it, you guys are all closet welshmen, aren't you? We have some amazing designs.

I think the plan at this point may be to create something using several different design sets (possibly user-select?) and different levels using different forms of sheep-control. Lcuk and I were mulling it over on IRC and reckoned the more options the better.

Oh, and Freppas, you exactly sum up my feelings. The community is amazing.

I really like the idea of the design sets. That way you could have several styles of sheep and even other kinds of animals like others have suggested.