Tutorials, advice on topdown graphics

[JackAnimated]

Hi all,

I've just started a project which is from the top-down viewpoint (inspired by DreamWeb), the res is 320x200 so its nice and pixelated. I'm finding it quite a challenge with light and shadows, defining object...

Does anyone have any tips, links to other games done in this style, tutorials etc... which could help?

Many thanks.

[EliasFrost]

There are lots of resources to look for and it can sometimes be hard to know what to look for but here are a few links that I think should be helpful:

http://www.natomic.com/hosted/marks/mpat/shading.html
http://www.pixeljoint.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11299 (this one is particularly helpful, as it covers not only lighting and shading, but lots of other things that are good to know)
http://gas13.ru/v3/tutorials/art_tutorial.php (this one covers lighting not specifically about pixel art but it's a great resource nonetheless)
http://www.yarrninja.com/pixeltutorial/chapter13.htm

It's also a good idea to look up resources about tradition art techniques.

[Ghost]

Does anyone have any tips, links to other games done in this style, tutorials etc... which could help?

Two games that come to mind are Albion, which had nicely done "RPG"-style graphics:
[imgzoom]http://www.abandonia.com/files/games/428/Albion_9.png[/imgzoom]
and the even more retro Amberstar.
[imgzoom]http://www.abandonia.com/files/games/405/Amberstar_4.png[/imgzoom]

I suggest you do a google image search. Both games make a point of having nicely looking and READABLE tiles, which I think is a must in a top-down game. I think they make nice references

[Armageddon]

Hotline Miami.

[Daniel Eakins]

http://opengameart.org/content/tiny-16-basic

[arj0n]

elves [1992]

[selmiak]

all 8bit and 16bit zelda and Final Fantasy games, Chrono trigger, basically all NES/SNES RPGs are topdown...

[StillInThe90s]

Sorry for being a pundit but, with the exception of Hotline Miami, none of these games are really top-down Dreamweb style. They use a pretty-high-down perspective, which I don't believe is what Jack asked for.
It seems that very few decent looking games have been made using straight top-down perspective.
I suppose the old Alien breed games would qualify but there is not much interesting shading going on there...

[EliasFrost]

Lighting is done practically the same no matter what perspective you use, if you know how light and shadow work, then you can use whatever perspective you want. I think it's good practice to look at other games and draw inspiration and knowledge from how they did it, as well as the know-how the boring way (study). That said, it doesn't really matter if the top down view is straight above or tilted to a certain angle, unless you want to copy but I don't think Jack is looking to copy styles but to study how to get his lighting right, and what better way than different perspectives?

[JackAnimated]

Thanks for the suggestions, Hotline Miami looks very appropriate actually. Its true that light basics are very important from any angle, which I have studied to great length in the past, but there is certainly a specific look to representing object and people from a straight topdown perspective. So yes, I was enquiring for dreamweb style graphics.

Anyway, the style has now been defined, so watch out for a pics soon

[StillInThe90s]

Looking forward to them.

@EliasFrost: The tutorial links are surely helpful, but the game tips; 8 bit Zelda and Elves? I'm sorry guys but those games don't provide very much help with either shading or light. 

[Lasca]

GTA 1 & 2. Was straight top down, no?

[Secret Fawful]

elves [1992]

Listen to this man!