SpriteJam - tree with personality - Winner Announced.

[Misj']

TREE WITH PERSONALITY

This week's jam is a bit different from the usual jams since it won't concern a (to be animated) character, but rather a sprite that would be the main object of interest in a background...so it's a bit of a cross-over with the Background Blitz competition (and hopefully it works well).

Everything can be made interesting by breathing some personality and character into it. While this is obvious for character-sprites, it is equally true for any inventory- or background-object. For this Jam I was inspired by a page from Ben Caldwell's book Fantasy Cartooning.

goal
Draw a tree that has a distinct and interesting character/personality.

rules
1. The tree must be an actual tree (no forest spirit or ent...it may be a fairy tree or one with magical properties though), and should not have an actual face, hands, etc...branches and shapes may however suggest such properties.
2. There is not colour or size restriction, except that it should be AGS compatible.
3. The tree (at least the part above ground) must be entirely visible (it may be partly obscured but not cropped off).

You may add a context (environment) for the sprite but must also provide an image with the tree on it's own...which will be used to decide the winner; jam ends July the 12th.

Be creative...
                   ...have fun!

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Unlike most background elements, I actually enjoy drawing trees.  I don't know what it is about them, but spending time on the bark and the shape of the branches greatly interests me, and since I'm working on a rather low-color game idea right now I figured a Hangin' Tree would be perfect.

Here is my rough or conceptual stage version with a character beside it for size reference:






It's currently 4 colors, and I like how it's coming along so much that I may not add more (though I might).  The idea is that the Hangin' Tree was a favorite place for impromptu hangings until lightning struck the tree, destroying the upper portion of it entirely.  Since then it's been an object of fantasy, it's claw-like hands often scraping or catching hold of people as they pass by.  An important item lies clutched in the lower right-hand branch and the protagonist will need to get it.


Edit:

Updated version with 2 more colors for an additional highlight and an additional shade and added some hanging swamp moss for added effect.





I could probably sacrifice the highlight with little impact on the overall look.  Next I may add some moss to the base of the tree.  The muted colors will work well since the scene will take place at night.

Edit 2:

Barring more ideas/time, this is the final version.





I've added a sickly-green moss around the base of the tree and used the same two colors to touch up the moss, adding a bit of color variety.  I also took the brown from the moss and used it as an additional shade for the tree, adding a bit of needed brown to offset the purple-gray.

[ThreeOhFour]

I've always liked drawing trees, and I couldn't resist drawing something I'd put in a fantasy game .



A bit different from my usual low colour entries, but I had fun making it.

Nice palette there, ProgZ!

[rharpe]

Not sure if this one will qualify, but here goes...


I designed this a year or two ago, only utilizing a 16 color EGA palette.

[None]

Willow's Love.

My Entry, I took the personality part a BIT literally.

[Buckethead]

[Evil]

I couldn't come up with any creative ideas, so I thought I'd make a tree to match the style of another sprite I did. I only had two sprites on hand; Camp Copycat and some ninja fighter sprites from a jam a while back. Since I knew Progz would get on my case about Copycat, I decided to make a tree for the ninjas to fight around. 




The tree on the left is the limb structure I drew and the one on the right is the same tree with leaves. I tried to go for a Japanese cherry blossom thing, and I didn't want the tree to stand out too much. Not sure it was really that successful. I think if I spent a lot of time making each individual "blossom" it would look more natural and detailed. But fuck it.

[EdLoen]

here's my attempt:


Once again dynamic shading escapes me.  I tried to do i nice reddish-blue glow on the tree but i couldn't just get it, so once again a boring,  flat-colored sprite.

[loominous]

Gave him a little feathered friend for company.

Edit: Some progress stuff for those interested



Start out with a darker silhouette, then add light and lastly colour.

Photoshop (cs2) file (about 0.5 mb)

[Chicky]

had a go.

[Ghost]

Trees may look harmless yet suggestive...



... and to prove my point, they never are.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Get Chuck a chainsaw!

[Matti]

Well, this turned out quite different to what I originally had in mind, but who cares. Doesn't have much personality I'm afraid but like some others here I like drawing trees.

[Misj']

Ok...hmm...well...I get to choose the winner of this week's Jam...and apparently a lot of people like to draw trees:


ProgZ, I only take your final version into account, since I think the added details really added to the character of the tree. It's definitely interesting enough to capture the player's attention, and it has enough personality/character to draw the player to it...even within a (crowded) background.

Ben304, I really like the round and curly 'movement' of the branches, and the light-thingy adds to the tree but isn't a necessity. On the downside, I have the feeling it isn't quite finished yet, and would need an extra day or two to fine-tune and have it really pop.

Rharpe, my first impression was that it's a Driad similar to the one in Quest for Glory 1, and that it therefore doesn't fit the actual rules...however, while you create the illusion of a female form in the tree, there is no indication that it's anything but an actual tree. I am however certain that a player will investigate this particular tree when playing...even if it's part of a forest.

ShonenAiGuy, your version - even more that Rharpe's - looks like a tree-shaped creature...it is however interesting and I could imagine how a scene with these sprites would play out in a game.

Buckethead, well, my wife really likes the head hidden in the leafs. And while the shape of the tree itself is rather 'common', the hidden face does make for an interesting and original take on the theme.

Evil, you really like red and black - but I have to admit that the style works in a strange but appealing way. It isn't the tree with the most personality of all the entries, but it is a very good tree that works well in the style that you've chosen.

EdLoen, it's weird but it definitely has a clear personality...as in: I wouldn't go near that thing for I'm pretty certain it doesn't like me (or people in general). But there's nothing wrong with that, and I do like it.

Loominous, the tree almost created an entire world all on it's own (with a little help from the bird). It's interesting, you used bold shapes and proportions...it's a completely different take of a tree than your background blitz image.

HTMI, I'm very disturbed (is that a baby in a nest on the left?), it is weird, completely larger than life, odd palette, an odd composition...and it completely drags me in.

Ghost, somehow I feel that it lacks a bit of personality...something you tend to give your sprites very well. It does work as a tree though, and it fits the Charlie Brown antagonistic role well.

Mr Matti, I think the design would work as a tree within a forest, but - with the exception of the blue leafs - it wouldn't draw my attention...it does lack a bit of personality, but as a tree it works well.

Choosing a winner was difficult, because I think all entries have really good qualities...but in the end I decided to go for one that is completely not-me but did fit the rules of the Jam.

HTMI I find your tree completely weird, but there's definitely something there that made you the winner. Congratulations!

[Chicky]

I won?... Algebraic!

I'll put the next comp up within the hour.