BACKGROUND BLITZ: Eerie - WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

lorenzo · Thu 15/02/2018 20:12:14

EERIE

Images from: Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Carceri d'invenzione.

Your job is to draw an eerie, scary background. It can be anything you want, as long as it gives you (and the viewer) goosebumps: a haunted house, a ghost-infested castle, an abandoned asylum, a foggy cemetery, a dark and seedy alley, a frightening attic, or a dreadful public toilet (those things can be scary, when not properly cleaned). Or something else entirely, providing that it is scary!

Deadline: 5th of March 2018

Voting:

Concept: your background should tell us something about the place you have depicted.
Playability: does it have clearly defined walkable areas, things to interact with, etc?
Artistic Execution: does the image convey the wanted atmosphere? What's the feeling of the place? Is it scary/eerie enough? Would you pass the night alone in it? (if the answer is "yes", it needs to be scarier)

Good luck!

DBoyWheeler · Fri 16/02/2018 02:07:46

Anyone getting the vibe of maybe even an H.P. Lovecraftian location?

Anyway, best of luck to others. (I'd take part in it, but I want to focus on my MAGS entry.)

lorenzo · Sat 17/02/2018 19:31:21

Sure, an eerie, half-sunken city (complete with non-Euclidean geometry and unimaginable monstrosities inside, naturally) would be a great location for a background!

Quote from: DBoyWheeler on Fri 16/02/2018 02:07:46
I'd take part in it, but I want to focus on my MAGS entry.

Well, the competition ends on the 5th of March, so maybe you'll be able to find time for both.

Good luck on your MAGS entry!

DBoyWheeler · Wed 21/02/2018 00:50:15

Okay, I made a quick entry for this--my attempt at a Lovecraftian setting.

TheFrighter · Wed 21/02/2018 06:24:39

Ehi, it's the Emerald City by night!(laugh)

_

morganw · Wed 21/02/2018 21:14:39

Hopefully this qualifies for something...

lorenzo · Thu 22/02/2018 09:04:14

DBoyWheeler: I love the contrast between the dark sky and the green city! I wouldn't want to find myself alone on that island at night (or even during the day

).

morganw: cool background, it looks ready for an adventure game! The black and white (with a splatter of red) is very atmospheric.

Cassiebsg · Sun 25/02/2018 01:00:22

I made a sketch... not sure I'll do anything more to it though... might try and make it as a 3D model though.

Spoiler

[close]

PS - Thanks for the inspiration morganw.

EDIT: Uhm... does it even fit the theme?? I know I had fun doing it at least, but scary? Probably not... confusing and weird, most likely.

lorenzo · Sun 25/02/2018 09:38:19

Interesting sketch Cassiebsg, that place is trippy!

Quote from: Cassiebsg on Sun 25/02/2018 01:00:22
Uhm... does it even fit the theme?? I know I had fun doing it at least, but scary? Probably not...

I wouldn't say that it does necessarily have to be scary. It can be unsettling, eerie, unearthly... You can feel there's something wrong with the picture, even if it's not scary.
I hope that makes sense.

Glenjamin · Tue 27/02/2018 18:31:15

Great topic, I was inspired from start to finish.

[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/YuoQxg1.png[/imgzoom]

DBoyWheeler: I really like your concept and framing. Having a huge winding bridge lead to an isolated city seems like a great way to kick off an adventure.

morganw: This one makes me think in a lot of good ways. Lots of mystery... What are those three structures in the back I wonder.

Cassiebsg: The thought of this as a 3D model makes my head spin. Cant wait to see it if you decide to do it.

Cassiebsg · Tue 27/02/2018 18:40:37

I am doing it.

the basic model is done and it now just needs some detailing and texturing... and then figuring out how to light the scene.

Gurok · Wed 28/02/2018 02:36:42

Yeesh, Glenjamin. That's very unsettling.

lorenzo · Wed 28/02/2018 10:07:37

Glenjamin: I'm glad you liked the theme! Your entry is very creepy, with many details you don't notice at first glance. The image tells quite a story... and it's probably not a pleasant tale!

Cassiebsg: Can't wait to see your finished entry!

Matti · Wed 28/02/2018 12:11:25

Some eerie forest:

[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/JwHLD5b.png[/imgzoom]

I wanted to do pure pixel art, but then I thought the fog would be a nice touch

lorenzo · Thu 01/03/2018 08:52:13

That's a very atmospheric scene, Matti! I love the creatures lurking in the background, quite eerie.
And I agree, the fog is a nice touch!

Mandle · Thu 01/03/2018 22:50:46

Reminds me of the movie "The Mist"

Cassiebsg · Sat 03/03/2018 22:53:40

Guess it could use better scene lighting... but I suck at that... and don't feel like working on this any more.

Mandle · Sun 04/03/2018 00:42:40

Cassie... it looks amazing! It's Mr. Escher's house!

And yeah, the lighting is a little flat so it's hard to see that the path goes off into the distance.

Maybe you could put some lamps/burning torches along the path to show it off a bit more? And a light or two in one of the buildings casting a warm glow outside through the doors/windows might work?

lorenzo · Sun 04/03/2018 16:18:34

Great background Cassiebsg! Nice to see how the scene evolved from the initial sketch. I would love to see characters walking in it!

Cassiebsg · Sun 04/03/2018 17:21:35

Thanks...

@Mandle, yes more detail and better lighting would make it tons better. But don't have the time and I'm not going to use it for a game, so...

@lorenzo: Sure...

Spoiler

Of course the character would need to be upside down after he walks behind the house.

But that required more than 5 min work.

[close]

lorenzo · Sun 04/03/2018 21:37:34

Quote from: Cassiebsg on Sun 04/03/2018 17:21:35
Of course the character would need to be upside down after he walks behind the house. But that required more than 5 min work.

That's pretty cool nonetheless! Thanks!

horusr · Tue 06/03/2018 00:41:31

That is wonderful concept and I checked forums in March 6th unfortunately!

DBoyWheeler that's lovely. Reminds me of Adventure Time, I can even bet that bridge is the Dog from the cartoon. Wait... Is that a dinosaur getting out of it's egg on the moon?
morganw that gave me the feel of Hostage movie, that one with Bruce Willis in it.
Mattie sorry I can't see imgur links...

Cassiebsg hi... I said "wow, is the up a floor too!"(second language activated)

lorenzo · Tue 06/03/2018 09:11:44

Time to vote!

Entries:

1. DBoyWheeler's Lovecraftian background!

2. morganw's unsettling black & white (& red) scene!
[imgzoom]https://www.dropbox.com/s/f659o451geojjf3/window.gif?raw=1[/imgzoom]

3. Glenjamin's creepy background!
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/YuoQxg1.png[/imgzoom]

4. Matti's eerie forest!
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/JwHLD5b.png[/imgzoom]

5. Cassiebsg's Escheresque scene!

Voting categories:

Concept: your background should tell us something about the place you have depicted.
Playability: does it have clearly defined walkable areas, things to interact with, etc?
Artistic Execution: does the image convey the wanted atmosphere? What's the feeling of the place? Is it scary/eerie enough? Would you pass the night alone in it?

Voting ends on the 11th of March 2018.

horusr · Tue 06/03/2018 11:49:20

May someone share non-imgur versions of Glenjamin's and Matti's works? I don't want to vote before seeing them

Cassiebsg · Tue 06/03/2018 14:47:23

Can you see mine? If so you seem to have a problem not with imgur, but with https imgur (just remove the s from the https):

3. Glenjamin's creepy background!

4. Matti's eerie forest!

Blondbraid · Tue 06/03/2018 15:09:46

My votes are as following:
Concept: DBoyWheeler - I'm just a big Lovecraft fan!
Playability: Cassiebsg - I do like the perspective, lots of puzzles could be built around it.
Artistic Execution: Matti - It's beautiful.

horusr · Tue 06/03/2018 18:12:20

Quote from: Cassiebsg on Tue 06/03/2018 14:47:23
Can you see mine? If so you seem to have a problem not with imgur, but with https imgur (just remove the s from the https):

Wow I can see it! Was it that easy to see them? Weird... Thanks a lot Cassiebsg.

Concept: morganw
Playability: Cassiebsg
Artistic Execution: Glenjamin(I even missed you had an entry, sorry)

HanaIndiana · Wed 07/03/2018 00:51:42

Nicely done everyone!
Concept: Cassiebsg (mysterious and interesting to explore)
Playability: Glenjamin (lots of eerie things to interact with!)
Artistic Execution: Matti (really like the atmosphere in this)

Riaise · Wed 07/03/2018 13:03:39

Concept: Glenjamin
Playability: Cassiebsg
Artistic Execution: Matti

Glenjamin · Fri 09/03/2018 15:07:42

Concept: morganw
Playability: Matti
Artistic Execution: Cassiebsg

morganw · Fri 09/03/2018 21:33:43

Concept: DBoyWheeler
Playability: Cassiebsg (and thank you for the encouragement)
Artistic Execution: Matti

Side note: I think Glenjamin's is the best combination of the three voting categories

Cassiebsg · Sat 10/03/2018 08:52:42

Concept: morganw
Playability: DBoyWheeler
Artistic Execution: Matti

DBoyWheeler · Sat 10/03/2018 12:09:04

Concept: Glenjamin (mainly for the creep factor)
Playability: Cassiebsg (many places to enter--maybe to chat with an NPC, or find an importan item)
Artistic Execution: Matti (it reminds me of that game "Limbo" for some reason; just feels like a forest in the realm of the dead--if that realm had forests)

dactylopus · Sat 10/03/2018 17:21:28

Concept: morganw
Playability: Cassiebsg
Execution: Matti

Great work all around!

lorenzo · Mon 12/03/2018 09:14:20

RESULTS

On 1st place we have... Cassiebsg and Matti!
You both get this terrifying Nosferatu trophy!

(I hope he doesn't give you too many nightmares...)

On 2nd place we have... Glenjamin and morganw!
For you, this scary Frankenstein's monster!

On 3rd place we have... DBoyWheeler!
Here's a mummy for you!

Thank you all for participating!

Cassiebsg · Wed 14/03/2018 18:14:48

Oh cool! Thanks all!

And congrats to the remaining participants.

Blondbraid · Wed 14/03/2018 21:30:47

Congratulations to all the winners!

Matti · Wed 14/03/2018 22:40:44

Thanks, and congrats to all

DBoyWheeler · Thu 15/03/2018 13:25:59

Congrats to all.

As for my award... I guess that's a good way to "wrap up" this contest!

*dodges tomatoes*

Cassiebsg · Thu 15/03/2018 19:48:09

Okay I've had a chat with Matti and we agreed that I'll host the next comp. So give me a couple days to think of a decent theme and hopefully I'll start it over during the weekend.