Background Blitz - Juxtaposition! - Winner(s) inside!

gingersnap · Fri 04/07/2014 05:10:35

Time to cast your votes now!

Please use the following criteria:

1) Concept: how creative or effective is the juxtaposition? Is the idea interesting, possibly unique? Does it make you think or feel anything?
2) Artistic merit: Composition, values, etc... Does the image read well? Is the concept well executed? Do you like how it looks?
3) Play-ability: Would it work as a background? Does it have walk-able areas, obvious exits and/or points of interest? Are you already furiously clicking the image hoping to explore it further?

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Ladies and Gentlemen! It is time to stretch those well trained brain cells and do what adventure gamers do best; combine two unlike things in a creative (and possibly terrifying) way!

Juxtapose: to place side by side, especially for contrast or comparison
(in art) two or more contrasting styles/colours placed next to each other for stylistic effect

Like some sort of vast metaphysical inventory puzzle, you must take two different 'things' (concepts, styles, places...) that become more interesting when placed next to each other. Just as an oasis in a vast sandy desert is more interesting than your local duck pond, the drama of these backgrounds will come from the comparison or contrast. No technical limits, but these are the criteria by which the backgrounds will be judged:

1) Concept: how creative or effective is the juxtaposition? Is the idea interesting, possibly unique? Does it make you think or feel anything?
2) Artistic merit: Composition, values, etc... Does the image read well? Is the concept well executed? Do you like how it looks?
3) Play-ability: Would it work as a background? Does it have walk-able areas, obvious exits and/or points of interest? Are you already furiously clicking the image hoping to explore it further?

Good Luck!

Stupot · Fri 04/07/2014 05:34:59

Nice topic. I'm in. I've just started dabbling in watercolors, so this will give me something to work on :-)

jwalt · Sat 05/07/2014 14:52:42

My choice of critter to put in here turns it into a cartoon, so the juxtaposition may not be as obvious as it should be. Other words, I've got some 'splainin' to do. I thought taking a look at camping/camp grounds might inspire me, since there are some contradictions in what we seem to need to live the simple life outdoors. I found a captivating photo, that someone had staged, of an old pickup in front of a new looking fifth-wheel trailer. Set out to model it. This is what happened along the way:

It also answers the age old question about what a bear really does in the woods: he drinks coffee and works on his AGS game.

I may work some more on this. I have a couple of things I want to do with the truck model, and I'd like to work some more on the terrain, close and distant. Make no promises, however.

selmiak · Sat 05/07/2014 16:26:16

hey jwalt, this looks really cool and you are improving very much.
I think animator has its limits and you'll soon reach these, may I suggest you switch to blender or something similar now before you know animator in and out, reached the limits and don't dare to switch anymore as you don't want to learn a new program. Blender is free and I think you'll really like it and you'll make even bigger and better stuff with it.

edit: wohah, I thought this is the ponchytrouble thread, but still... now I maybe shall make my own entry for this bg blitz, dunno if I get it in in time but the theme is very interesting

Cassiebsg · Sat 05/07/2014 16:55:10

Yeah, great theme... also have a few ideas, that I could even include in my game, but doubt I'll have the time (and skills) to do the BG... might try it anyway, lol. The "scene" just keeps poping out in my mind whenever I read this thread...

gingersnap · Sat 05/07/2014 20:28:09

Hahah, use 'bear' with 'laptop'; and now you're left with a grizzly AGS game

I'm glad to see some interest. I have had to narrow my ideas down drastically, but I think I've got something I want to run with. It always good to submit something, a good way to practice.

gingersnap · Fri 18/07/2014 05:26:24

Hum, this isn't quite as strong as I would like, but this is what it ended up being. Ended up being an experiment with only using texture and not colour. Except, well, the obvious.

Cassiebsg · Fri 18/07/2014 17:01:01

Nice one.

I thought it was a b/w photo for posting incentive for a while... lol

But I had totally forgotten about this... is it midnight the deadline?

gingersnap · Sat 19/07/2014 01:00:23

The end of today, so sure, midnight. Would you like an extension to Sunday?

Cassiebsg · Sat 19/07/2014 11:22:42

That would be nice. I ended up not having time yesterday either.

I'll give it a try now and see if I can get it done in the short time left.

EDIT: Oh well, not that pretty, but think it conveys the idea.

Not sure if I'll use this BG... maybe...

Babar · Sat 19/07/2014 23:29:39

Wow...it's been a really long time since I pixelled. apologies for the gradient and over-AAing. I wanted to add some form of texturing to the building surfaces, but I realised I have no idea how. I'm not sure I'm feeling up to working on this any longer, so presented as is:

gingersnap · Tue 22/07/2014 15:05:34

Get yer votes in, here, get yer votes!

Stupot · Fri 25/07/2014 05:18:19

Sorry I said I ws in for this one but it somehow slipped my mind.
Here are my voteses.

Concept: gingersnap
Artistic: gingersnap
Playability: gingersnap

:-)

Gurok · Fri 25/07/2014 05:19:53

I see your gingersnap votes and raise you some Babar votes.

Concept: Babar
Artistic: Babar
Playability: Babar

Babar · Fri 25/07/2014 10:29:59

1) Concept: Cassiebsg
2) Artistic merit: jwalt (with an honourable mention for ginger, not sure if it counts, since you're hosting)
3) Play-ability: jwalt

AprilSkies · Fri 25/07/2014 10:55:06

My votes:

- Concept: Babar
- Art: gingersnap
- Playability: Babar

selmiak · Fri 25/07/2014 15:13:14

Concept: jwalt
Artistic: gingersnap
Playability: babar

Adeel · Sat 26/07/2014 15:38:55

I see your Babar votes, Gurok, and raise you some jwalt votes.

Concept: jwalt
Artistic: jwalt
Playability: jwalt

Why? Because jwalt's background is the most awesome one here.

(gingersnap's background isn't counted because he's the host of this competition himself. But his artistic merit is surely amazing as well!)

gingersnap · Thu 31/07/2014 05:51:37

Uh, so guys, you weren't supposed to do this. You were supposed to make it easy for me. Keep it simple. I'm an artist, not a math... person.

First Place: Jwalt - Babar (6 votes each)
Second... uh... place? Jwalt - Babar (again... 6 votes each)
Third... next? Gingersnap. (5 votes)

So, the only logical thing to do to determine the winner is a fight to the death. Obviously. Unless you guys can come to some sort of accord or agreement or something. You guys are both winners, but it will be up to you to decide whether you are going to host the next blitz jointly, or to concede to the other. I'm going to busy for the next couple weeks (holidaaaays!), so I really don't have time to sort this one out (as much as I'd like to hold a death-cage-match) and I won't have internet for most of it. Good luck!

(Watch out, babar, jwalt's got a bear. And possibly a cow.)

Gurok · Thu 31/07/2014 05:53:35

Congrats on the joint win, Babar and jwalt. Looking forward to a joint comp.