Intimidated ><

[LRH]

So here's my story:
I've always wanted to make a survival-horror game. I first attempted this with my most familiar game engine, Game Maker 5.3. Game Maker is fantastic for begginers and I've made wonderful side-scrollers with it, but it just didn't do adventure games justice. After some 'prototypes' the game was decent, but lacked any horror effect, as scripting is incredibly limited in the Game Maker Language. So one day surfing the net, I find the infamous Chzo Mythos series and give it a shot. This put me over the edge. Seeing what AGS was capable of made me download it and try it myself. After several hours just discovering the basics, I've developed a few playable rooms. The atmosphere is PERFECT, I compose a lot of my own music, but here is my problem:

Does everyone have perfect graphics? o.o

Looking in the works in progress section, about 95% of the games seem to have fantastic graphics. My graphics are all drawn in paint by myself, my girlfriend, or some of my buddies. They're ledgible in the sense that you can understand what everything is, but my game is about a seven year old boy who is left home alone while his parents attend a get-together hosted only a few blocks away, and it gets pretty twisted from there, I wont ruin it, it's based on a nightmare I had when I was 7 But just as an example:

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/5176/gamelz3.jpg
This is just my style, I kinda like it like that.
On the bright side, my music is good :>
You can look at and interact with everything, but it lacks the wonderful graphics and I fear this will mean everyone will overlook gameplay because of that. Any comments?

[Ubel]

Looking in the works in progress section, about 95% of the games seem to have fantastic graphics.

Really? In my opinion and experience 90% of all AGS games look like utter shit. Okay, I'm exaggarating but you get the point.

No, not every AGS game looks perfect. Actually I would have to say that no AGS game looks perfect. Well, except LimpingFish's games, those look just awesome. But anyway, again, you get the point...

You're right, a lot of people probably will overlook your game if you don't have beautiful graphics. But not all of them. To many people in the adventure game community graphics don't mean much anything as long as the story and the overall atmosphere is good.

Also an important thing to remember is that while 95% of the games in production may look great, 95% of those never get released anyway. So as long as you finish your game, you're a lot better than those guys!

[LimpingFish]

Well, except LimpingFish's games, those look just awesome.

Aw, thanks, 'blo.

Pablo makes a number of valid points, Domithan. Yes, some people will pass on games that don't visually appeal to them, but not everyone. And if your game makes up for it's lack of flash with it's gameplay and story, then you'll find people will play it anyway.

[Alarconte]

Really? In my opinion and experience 90% of all AGS games look like utter shit. Okay, I'm exaggarating but you get the point.

Real as life xD

You will maybe study to perfectionate a little the graphics with critics lounge's tutorials and people help (more shadows and details), but if the game is good, there's no need to change the graphic style, I think..

[Matti]

Yeah, take a look at Washed ashore for example. It's very simply drawed, but it's a funny game worth to be played.

[LRH]

Thanks all I appreciate the confidence boost
I'll keep workin on this then

[Dualnames]

Actually if the gameplay owns, and I mean owns, the graphics will be nothing more than getting a cool present but having it tied up in a shitty box..no offence.

[miguel]

As a game maker who comes up with poor graphics (me) on his games,
I believe that due to the nature of adventure games and its almost static layout, graphics are very important and play a big part on its acceptance by the audience. Good plots and good graphics equals good games most of the time.
But you will find AGS forum members to be fair and just and you will not be judged only for your game graphics.
I myself get amazed by the art quality of some of the guys here, you'll find them on the critics lounge.
May the Force be with you, Domithian.

[GarageGothic]

One word for you, Domithan: Pleurghburg. The simplest graphical style possible, yet one of the all-time AGS greats.

[alkis21]

I totally agree about Pleurghburg.

As another maker of a game with poor graphics (I'm mean Other Worlds, as I didn't design the ones in Diamonds in the Rough -thank God-), I agree that there are plenty of people out there who are willing to overlook visuals if the story & puzzles interest them.

[GarageGothic]

Yes, Other Worlds is another excellent example. Simplistic, yet charming characters on top of photographic backgrounds found on the internet. And still it's one of the most immersive AGS games I've ever played.

[radiowaves]

I learned to draw because I wanted to make games. You can do the same. Its a 3 year progress though.

[scotch]

The first rule of game art for non artists should be consistency. Make things the right size in proportion to each other, choose sane, realistic colours and keep using them. You don't need to have drawing skills to do a Pleurghberg or a Yahtzee game. You just need to think about what you're doing and work in a regular fashion.

Addressing your art specifically, don't use high res if you can't draw, many good low res pixel artists can't draw. The smaller you draw the less difficult choices you have. 320x240 is the standard resolution in this scene. The scale of your objects is all over the place. Think about how big a flower is in proportion to a boy's head and how many feet tall a lamp shade is, how tall a room is, etc. Once you have drawn one room you can reuse the sizes so your characters will fit right. Colours are difficult initially and you seem to be going for a dark room effect, which isn't an easy lighting situation. Find a graphics editor with a good colour selector and a similar piece of art and copy the colours, it's a good way to learn.

[Dave Gilbert]

90% of the games in production might have nice art, but also remember that barely 25% of them ever get finished.  

[InCreator]

Wise words, wrong smiley!

You made me sad again... 

[Ubel]

I just want to add how much I agree with scotch. Consistency. The most important factor in game art. And in all art for that matter. In my opinion all completely consistent graphics are good, no matter how well you can draw. If your game has a photographic background and a pixelly low-res character on it, I probably would not play it.

[Ogre]

Just to add my two cents, I find that I am more likely to play games that have graphics similar to the games I loved in the 90's... Nostalgia goes a long way for me.

Also I am more likely to play games with a fantasy theme, because I am a nerd.

What I am saying is it really is a crap shoot, but regardless of what game you make, it might be the perfect thing for someone, someone is wanting just this certian perfect game made that they enjoy for whatever reasons.

And it's not always about graphics, or having  a high rating. 6 day assassin is still one of my all time favorite AGS games, and it only has a two view walk cycle.

[Ozzie]

I also agree with scotch.
You know, I can't draw a thing on paper, except ugly heads.
Yet I think I produce solid low-res pictures. Nothing special or attractive, but it won't scare anyone away either.
I would recommend Paint.Net to you.
It's also free and ideal for low-res images, and makes the work so much easier. It allows multiple layers, so you don't have to think about how the table continues behind those chairs, for example. You don't have to fill in the gaps in your head. You can draw the full table and then lay the chairs on top off it.
I also think that you should import a character so that you can measure how big everything should be relative to him.
Of course, you should keep in mind that the character gets smaller the deeper he stands in the picture.
Personally, I'm a bit allergic against graphics that obviously ignore the concept of a vanishing point. So, imo, you should draw the room outline and objects with depths against a vanishing point.

I think that should be enough to produce solid graphics. Well, and don't use garish colours!

BTW, when you start Paint.Net it is set to smooth pixels. You can change this though to "hard", blocky ones, just like in Paint.