Adventure Game Studio

Creative Production => Competitions & Activities => Topic started by: Pinback on Tue 07/12/2010 15:44:46

Title: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12) WINNER ANNOUNCED
Post by: Pinback on Tue 07/12/2010 15:44:46
BACKGROUND BLITZ!

Topic: The Oubliette. However, it does not have to be an underground medieval dungeon.
I will accept any confined, forgotten, little room. For instance, it could be grimy and shallow Orcish dirt pantry. Perhaps an ancient wheat silo filled with cobwebs and owl pellets.    
The only visual requirement is that the sole entrance to your room must be an opening in the ceiling.
Small-medium size rooms are recommended for a true Oubliette vibe.

Rules: AGS compatible is a must. A solitary opening/entrance in the ceiling is mandatory.

Voting: Voting will commence on December 22nd.

You didn't really think I'd start an X-Mas theme Blitz did you? :D
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: DuncanFx on Sat 11/12/2010 14:56:32
Not sure if this technically counts as an Oubliette, but I've been determined to enter this Blitz and I'm having a rather fun time coming up with daft ideas for it. ;D And yes, that is supposed to be a golf ball - trying to create the dimpled-effect a real golf ball has produced some very ugly results, so I decided against them in the end. :-\

(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i281/Freshmetal/Oubli002.png)x3 (http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i281/Freshmetal/oubli001.png)x1
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Pinback on Sat 11/12/2010 16:48:21
Nice entry DuncanFX, I like your imaginitive use of the guidelines and there's some good use of perspective in your entry too with the flag pole. Having a puzzle situation in the BG is definitely bonus point materiel, in my book at least.

Personally I'd yank out the worm- tie it to the golf tee, and use that as a grappling apparatus.

Well played!
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Daniel Thomas on Sun 12/12/2010 11:42:37
(http://www.danielthomas.se/upload/pics/backBlitz201012.png)
Old Scruff's Butchery
"It sounded like a good idea.." - Scruff after several weeks in business without any visiting customer.
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: tzachs on Sun 12/12/2010 12:09:19
 :o :o :o

I just had a tiny orgasm...
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Sughly on Sun 12/12/2010 12:17:24
Holy crap, are you kidding me zyndikate!? How long did that pic take you exactly...?
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Tabata on Sun 12/12/2010 12:47:05
 :o
WOOOOOW!
Did you steal that from an not released commercial game?
WOOOOOW!
Can't get enough of it!
WOOOOOW!
I'm going to faint!
WOOOOOW!
... (if you watch this pig â€" I'm nearly a lookalike right now) ...
WOOOOOW!
.. need searching for an oxygen tent now ...
WOOOOOW!
:o
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Sslaxx on Sun 12/12/2010 14:52:24
Zyndikate, is there any chance of updating the Journey of Iesir thread with this pic? And the one from the other background blitz if not done already?
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Pinback on Sun 12/12/2010 16:23:11

Beautiful entry Zyndikate, although I think you may have skimmed over the competition requirements a little too quickly;

Quote from: Pinback on Tue 07/12/2010 15:44:46
...the sole entrance to your room must be an opening in the ceiling.

The door to the right of your background is one entrance too many I'm afraid. 
The restrictions of this competition were imposed on everyone- and it wont be fair to those who keep to the rules if you don't suffer some kind of penalty. I will be asking voters to keep this in mind when casting thier votes.   

I really hate to write this because your entry is so cool!
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Galen on Mon 13/12/2010 04:34:27
Well Luminous now has company as "That guy".
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Daniel Thomas on Mon 13/12/2010 12:34:05
Thanks all! :)

@Pinback fixed in the first post.
@Sughly around 15-20hours or so.
@Sslax This background isn't for JOI, only an BG blitz entry. But we should have an update soonish.
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Pinback on Mon 13/12/2010 12:59:22
Color me impressed! Well done Zyndikate- that's right on the money now!
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Sughly on Tue 14/12/2010 02:13:29
That's really impressive zyndikate. I couldn't draw a BG a quarter of that quality in twice that time! Makes me want to be a better illustrator though, so for that extra motivation I really truly thank you! And sorry to everyone else, I don't mean to continue making this an 'I love zyndikate' thread, just wanted to make that my last point on it ;D
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Derrick Freeland on Fri 17/12/2010 14:44:35
Man, I love these competitions.  I think this is one of the best yet.

On this note,
my contribution:

(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/overcastproductions/Oubliette_for_AGS.png)

This might be stretching the definition of 'Oubliette' a bit, but I couldn't resist.
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Pinback on Fri 17/12/2010 15:48:09
Ooh hella nice Derrick! A very good interpretation of the guidelines.
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Dualnames on Sat 18/12/2010 11:35:11
I didn't know really where to say this, but I wanted to do somewhere legit and where people would actually see it. I'd terribly be interested to join a background art workshop competition, like the one that loominous did a year or so ago. Is anyone also interested? I'm not really the best host for this, so I think Loominous would be really great to be the host for this. Is anyone interested as much as I am?
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Misj' on Sat 18/12/2010 16:46:19
Quote from: Dualnames on Sat 18/12/2010 11:35:11I didn't know really where to say this, but I wanted to do somewhere legit and where people would actually see it. I'd terribly be interested to join a background art workshop competition, like the one that loominous did a year or so ago. Is anyone also interested?
Has been discussed here (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?action=profile;u=988) (assuming you're talking about the Workshop Edition from two years ago)...who knows, it might happen. I'm up for it if I have the time.

On a sidenote: I'm working on something...hope I'll be able to show something for it.
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: theo on Sun 19/12/2010 21:50:29
mmhmm zyndikate that warm light is so smooth I wanna lick it.  :o
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: loominous on Sun 19/12/2010 23:14:46
I got an entry half finished, but will be knee deep in work for the next few days, so I hope the deadline could be extended a day or so.

Re: workshop

Zyndikate and I talked about it some week ago, and we thought around mid January would be a good time for a new workshop.

We're hoping to get people to contribute mini tutorials about stuff they think is important (hopefully in addition to participation), so if you have something cooking, or got some idea for a tiny to large tutorial, all would be welcome.
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Pinback on Mon 20/12/2010 14:41:52
Quote from: loominous on Sun 19/12/2010 23:14:46
I got an entry half finished, but will be knee deep in work for the next few days, so I hope the deadline could be extended a day or so.

Re: workshop

Zyndikate and I talked about it some week ago, and we thought around mid January would be a good time for a new workshop.

We're hoping to get people to contribute mini tutorials about stuff they think is important (hopefully in addition to participation), so if you have something cooking, or got some idea for a tiny to large tutorial, all would be welcome.

Deadline is now extended by 2 days. New deadline is 24th December!

Workshop sounds hella cool! I'd be happy to contribute a mini-tutorial, not that I have any idea what I'm doing!
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 22/12)
Post by: Misj' on Tue 21/12/2010 20:10:29
Quote from: Pinback on Mon 20/12/2010 14:41:52Deadline is now extended by 2 days. New deadline is 24th December!
Thanks! - That should give me some breathing-space as well...

Quote from: loominous on Sun 19/12/2010 23:14:46
We're hoping to get people to contribute mini tutorials about stuff they think is important (hopefully in addition to participation), so if you have something cooking, or got some idea for a tiny to large tutorial, all would be welcome.
I'm in...But I'm sure you already guessed that (and I actually already have an idea; it has to backgrounds and environments (and possibly layers)).
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12)
Post by: oraxon on Wed 22/12/2010 23:34:46
Terrific entries so far!
I felt in the holiday spirit, so here's North Pole Oubliette:
(http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/356/1/1/north_pole_obliette_by_oraxon-d35fzby.jpg)
...and I'd love to learn from a workshop next year!
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12)
Post by: Wyz on Fri 24/12/2010 00:18:50
That would have made a really great Christmas card :D
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12)
Post by: Pinback on Fri 24/12/2010 10:18:09
Cool entry Oraxon, good to see you experimenting with rendering styles here too. Nice to see some X-Mas themage here!

Warning: This Background Blitz will end in T Minus 14 hours from now!
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12)
Post by: Misj' on Fri 24/12/2010 14:47:32
Inside the Genie's Lamp
(http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/bigbluecup/20101224_Misj_BB_GeniesOubliette.png293201232)
(not the Genie from Aladdin, another Jinn altogether...this one is cute, and feminine; but I didn't have time to draw her)


Slightly different from my usual render-style (and I didn't get to really finalizing the right area, but lack of time is a contagious disease (somehow others are always the cause of my lack of time)). I tried to think about the rules in an original direction, and some reason my thoughts ended up inside the Genie's lamp. It's a confined area, there's one exist at the top (the cloudy thingy stuff), and it's even a prison. Now all you have to do is make someone rub it...

ps. Great entries, nice theme (though it was quite difficult for me to come up with a usable layout).

Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12)
Post by: Pinback on Sat 25/12/2010 08:54:34
Great entry Misj'!

I'm going to leave this open a couple more hours just in case we have any eleventh hour entries.

Blitz closing in one hour- for realsies!

Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12)
Post by: Pinback on Sat 25/12/2010 13:20:06
Voting will now commence for Background Blitz!: The Oubliette. Categories for voting are as follows;

Idea: Was it an original/creative interpretation of the theme?
Atmosphere: Was an interesting world created? - Did the scene evoke a feeling?
Design: How well the individual elements are designed, from clouds to doorknobs.
Composition: How well the elements are combined to create a pleasing whole, and lead the viewer to the points of interest. This also includes the background's in-game functionality (hotspots, walkable areas, etc.)
Technique: How well it's rendered (within the chosen style!), in no way meaning the more elaborate the better.


[b]Idea[/b] -
[b]Atmosphere[/b] -
[b]Design[/b] -
[b]Composition[/b] -
[b]Technique[/b] -
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12) VOTING
Post by: Daniel Thomas on Sun 26/12/2010 13:29:12
Idea - Oraxon, hilarious! :)
Atmosphere - Misj', Oraxon as a close runner up
Design - Derrick
Composition - Misj'
Technique - Derrick
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12)
Post by: Misj' on Sun 26/12/2010 19:05:29
Idea - Duncan - While I think it could be slightly better excecuted (scale- and compositionwise), and i don't think I would have gotten the scene without the insertion of the character-sprite...but I like this interpretation of the theme. It's original and unexpected (I also think Derreck's interpretation was original, but unless my biology is really off shouldn't there be an exit down as well ;) ).
Atmosphere - Zyndikate - Nice use of colours, shadows, and lightning. They all contribute to a great overall atmosphere of the piece.
Design - Derreck - Nice use of textures to give the separate elements a well designed feel. Particularly the skin of the animal looks really leathery, and it adds to the overall quality of the piece. Zyndikate was a really close second, and I really liked the design and quality of almost all separate elements in the scene...except for the hanging meat which felt slightly off (which is a pity considering it's a scene about a butcher).
Composition - Zyndikate - There's a nice line of action, use of open and closed spaces, colours and light indicate important elements to enhance the composition (but the composition does not rely on it)...
Technique - Zyndikate - It's a great style that is rendered really well. It fits well within a game (even with character-sprites that are rendered slightly different (as is common in high-res and cartoon styles)).


ps. Loominous, I still expect you to share your unfinished or concept piece...
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12) VOTING
Post by: Derrick Freeland on Sun 26/12/2010 22:46:11
Idea -  Oraxon (effing hilarious, unique take on the theme.  also very topical.)
Atmosphere -  Zyndikate
Design -  Duncan (definitely the strongest actual game design on this one.  not an easy thing to do for a single room.)
Composition-  Zynidikate (very well laid out.  it's obvious what you would interact with, who you would talk to, where to go, etc...)
Technique -  Oraxon (I like the hand-painted look of this room.  very refreshing.)


Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12) VOTING
Post by: Pinback on Tue 28/12/2010 08:36:27
Idea - DuncanFX
Atmosphere - Zyndikate
Design - Derrick Freeland
Composition - DuncanFX
Technique - Zyndikate

Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12) VOTING
Post by: Tabata on Tue 28/12/2010 18:31:30
Idea -   DuncanFx
Atmosphere -   Misj'
Design -   zyndikate
Composition -   zyndikate
Technique -   zyndikate
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12) VOTING
Post by: loominous on Tue 28/12/2010 19:27:00
Idea - DuncanFx - really neat.
Atmosphere - Zyndikate.
Design - Misj, for the interesting lamp design among other things. DuncanFx's whole design is nice as well, and Zyndikate's scene is filled to the brim with brilliantly executed elements, though most of them on the generic side (that gargoyle is terrific though).
Composition - Zyndikate. Just excellent.
Technique - Zyndikate. Again, simply excellent.

I worked a bit more on my would-be entry, though it has yet to reach a finished stage, but here it is, with a generic Disney-esque character added:
(http://marcus.krupa.se/AGS/bb_101224.jpg)
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12) VOTING
Post by: Misj' on Thu 30/12/2010 12:48:58
I think it's time to end the voting...?

Loominous, already in this stage, the cardboard opening and matches-ladder look great with nice volume and substance.
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12) VOTING
Post by: DuncanFx on Thu 30/12/2010 14:00:47
Quickly throw my votes in.

Idea - Derrick
Atmosphere - Misj'
Design - Zyndikate
Composition - Zyndikate
Technique - Oraxon
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12) VOTING
Post by: Pinback on Fri 31/12/2010 00:34:41
Ok, the votes are in-

Zyndikate is the winner!

Rocking entries all round, and a well deserved win in my opinion. Great work everyone!
Zyndikate- the BlitzBall is in your court!
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12) VOTING
Post by: Misj' on Fri 31/12/2010 09:58:31
congatulations Zyndikate...justly won
Title: Re: Background Blitz! The Oubliette (08/12 - 24/12) WINNER ANNOUNCED
Post by: Daniel Thomas on Sat 01/01/2011 11:09:43
Thanks everyone! I will be making a new topic shortly.