Quick style for backgrounds

[Oz]

I've never attemped a traditional adventure game background before, as I've only pixeled top-down tiles - but I gave it a go. I wanted to come up with a style that will allow me to quickly produce background, and I think that I've found one that works. These took me a couple of hours, and as you can see they are pixeled and dithered. I will erase the black outlines eventually.

The main problem, as I see it, is that they are very "stiff". The perspective is kinda boring, and all the angles are sharp and straight, which is partly due to the motif (buildings, etc). I will try this style on a few other backgrounds with different motifs and see how it works. What do you think?

[ThreeOhFour]

You may think they're stiff, but I think they look very nice. I think the style is very good. Unless you want to set a comedy sort of feel, this style is good. I think that the style feels cold, which is what I think you were trying to achieve with the colours... perhaps I am wrong. I particularly like the sky.

[Haddas]

I don't think you even necessarily have to get rid of the black outlines, as I think they fit quite nicely.

Really lovable backgrounds.

[Babar]

Very nice perspective trick. However, it's also probably what causes it to be so stiff, seeing that everything is so "horizontal".

[Helm]

It is stiff. But I urge you to his this style throughout your game, it lends it an air of originality that you'd lose with traditional-style 1point perspective.

[Cluey]

Definatly, for me it gives a retro vibe but for the other type of games of yore.  The backgrounds ar very good and I would keep them as they are.

[voh]

It's beautiful, and I suggest you to keep it

[Steel Drummer]

They look awesome! Can you show me how to draw like this?

[Ubel]

There's something to them that reminds me of Silverfang. Good job Oz! I love it how you can make your backgrounds look so realistic.

[Oz]

Thank you guys! I'm glad you like the style. About the flat perspective... yes, it's stiff and boring, but that's part of the "quick" concept. Like I said, I'll see how it works with a different motif.

They look awesome! Can you show me how to draw like this?

This is not really a tutorial, just a collection of different "saves". I don't know if they are helpful at all, but anyway:

[voh]

As far as I can see, you were the only one to mention they were boring - and I'm fairly sure none of us agree

They're pretty, and I can see them working quite well in a game. Knowing myself, I choose which games to try based on graphics (I'm a graphic designer and a sucker for eye candy, and shallow), and I'd play this

[Ali]

I love this style. The 'flatness' of it reminds me of the original Dizzy game, though your colours are more tasteful. I chose 'flat' perspective for the game I'm working on for reasons of speed too. Your backdrops have the look of a stage-set.

[Maltjik]

It looks great and it's just soooo atmospheric. Keep 'em! Snuggle 'em!

What mood are they suggesting? I'm not sure...

[BerserkerTails]

Once again, those are great. They kinda remind me from the foreign camp from "John Carpenter's The Thing", if anyone's seen that movie. I think the flat style is really great, and would love to play a game in that style.

[DoorKnobHandle]

I love those as well, however I can somehow hardly imagine a real adventure game taking place there, in my opinion it would work way better for some sidescrolling-shooter-kind-of-game!

[skw]

I like them as they are. There's no need to change/add anything, as the number of details is quite large already. They aren't boring at all, but they beg for a snow plugin!

I'm looking foward to play your game.

[Moresco]

I love them too.  But, if I were to critique it at all, I'd want to see small hints of other color here and there just to break up the blue.  The yellow helps, but only to some degree.  My opinion and I'm probably wrong =]

[R4L]

These pics remind me of Final Fantsay 3.

But to be on topic, your pictures are awesome!

[Darth Mandarb]

When I saw a (non-music) post in the CL from you I got super excited!  I still remember that last one you did with the orange sunset overlooking the city ... fantastic work then and fantastic work now.  I love your pixel style!

The only thing that stood out (that bugged me) was the mountains in the background ... I think they just don't look right somehow.  Maybe they're too bright ... I'm not sure.  They don't convey distance to me.

(The second picture has some lighting effect across the front of the building (on the right) which I'm not sure if it was intentional, but it doesn't look bad)

Other than that just great stuff!!  Keep up the great work!

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I think the perspective works fine, but I would definitely work on the mountains to give them more depth.  Also, your use of dithered gradients is fantastic.