THE AFTERLIFE OF LAVERN
Turns out there is an afterlife, but it's not one of those lame Mormon summer camp on clouds
dealies, or horrid torture dungeons for that matter, but instead a specially tailored destination
based on the life and preferences/dislikes of the deceased.
Lavern, having recently passed away, has just arrived at the destination.
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Guidelines: Depict this place.
No technical limitations other than those of AGS.
If you want to include the character, feel free to do so.
(Any lack of definitions/specifications in the above is meant as
being up for interpretation.)
Edit: Btw, please include a description of the life of Lavern that explains
the pleasant or grim eternal fate.
-
Btw, everyone is encouraged to post some work in progress pictures, partly because they're
fun and interesting to look at, and partly because it livens up the thread and provides some
continuous material, and at least something even if a background doesn't get finished.
Good luck!
Edit: Added another guideline
Edit: Extended the deadline
Quote from: loominous on Fri 20/07/2007 05:00:26
THE AFTERLIFE OF LAVERN
Lavern has recently passed away and has just arrived at the destination.
Are we talking about Lavern
e from Day of the Tentacle? - Or can it be the afterlife of any Lavern/Laverne/LaVern/LaVerne we can find in, on, or around Wikipedia? :)
Quote from: Misj' on Fri 20/07/2007 15:45:12
Are we talking about Laverne from Day of the Tentacle? - Or can it be the afterlife of any Lavern/Laverne/LaVern/LaVerne we can find in, on, or around Wikipedia? :)
Any lack of definitions/specifications in the description is meant as being up for interpretation by you guys.
What format and image size do you want?
Format - Normally PNG or GIF (only if the image has less than 256 colours) Not BMP or JPG
Image size, anything possible in ags so, 320x200/240, 640x400/480 or 800x600
First I started off with a very rough sketch, just to test out a coloring technique I wanted to try:
(http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs18/f/2007/202/8/3/Road_by_masochisticcannibal.png)
I quite like this sketch actually, except for the lack of a horizon and other distance cues. It has a nice coloring book feel, I think.
Anyway, I then jumped right into the main piece, and a couple of hours in Artgem later, boom:
(http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs16/f/2007/202/c/6/Jungle_clearing_by_masochisticcannibal.png)
It probably would have turned out better if I had used some reference, but this was just for fun and practice. There are still a few things that bug me slightly, like the emptiness of it and the lack of definition in the branches, but unless I decide to start over from scratch, this will be my entry.
Oh, and Lavern always liked jungles, hence the background.
And I am very lazy, hence the abrupt description of Lavern. :P
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/afterliferoom.PNG)
What Lavern got when he died was
what everyone gets when they die which
is locked in a room with no windows
and no doors.
What you do inside this room is
you think about what you done.
How you feel about what you done,
you decide.
Tried your best? Meant well?
Hitler meant well.
And after the room?
Not never no after.
Not never no after.
Just the room.
no end.
This is a really neat topic. Unfortunately, my only idea is a hall of mirrors, which is far beyond my ability to pixel. :/
I hope more people are planning to get entries in.
Extending it another week.
Not sure if people might be taking this topic too seriously. Could be anything: an opera hating Lavern who finds himself in a land where everything is a one big opera play, with only decors for objects and singing characters (not sure how well this would translate into a background) or whatnot. So anything really.
Edit: updated date
I dunno. I've had a few ideas, but I haven't started on anything yet. I haven't gotten an idea yet that I would be passionate about carrying out. Also, the topic to me feels serious enough that it would require quite a realistic concepty style, so that undertaking is probably holding me back as well.
Aw what the hell, I'm gonna start sketching right now :D.
Hope you'll come up with something. Perhaps some WIP pics in case it doesn't turn out as planned.
-
The topic is extremely flexible really, in that pretty much every background blitz entry in history would be a valid submission, since any environment could be either hell or heaven for at least one person, so it shouldn't really warrant any special effort or style.
Course, the more generic the environment the less exciting it will be, and won't probably get many 'idea' votes, but that's true for any other blitz topic.
An operatic afterlife would be like heaven to me! :D
The theme is very interesting, and I'm finishing a background for this topic - although I don't have much skill. Soon I'll post it here.
Editing (08/04):
That's my entry. (I know it's lame, but I told you I have no skill... :))
(http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/9981/afterlifegw3.png)
Walk until you reach that cross over there, Lavern. Then, look at the other side of the hill, and you'll see a huge white City, a place you could never imagine before. That's the place you'll live from now on.
I finally have an idea, hopefully I will have some time this week :)
EDIT: It seems I will not have time after all :(
So, any entries in progress?
Quote from: José Luiz on Mon 30/07/2007 20:27:36Walk until you reach that cross over there, Lavern. Then, look at the other side of the hill, and you'll see a huge white City, a place you could never imagine before. That's the place you'll live from now on.
Reminds me of the menu screen for Cannon Fodder (http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/original/1051908882-00.gif) for some reason.
Quote from: José Luiz on Mon 30/07/2007 20:27:36Walk until you reach that cross over there, Lavern. Then, look at the other side of the hill, and you'll see a huge white City, a place you could never imagine before. That's the place you'll live from now on.
Reminds me of the Power and the Glory. :)
Turned out there's an afterlife for sufficiently advanced AIs, too. But it's vastly different from what we've been told.
(http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/FAMILIAR_QUEST/afterlife.png)
Very broad competition. I kinda wish you described Lavern's personality, so we had a better idea at what he would be into.
Well, I had abandoned all earlier ideas, but I got one today that I got very excited about.
Here's a quick, cruddy and messy sketch of the scene:
(http://users.evtek.fi/~ilarim/bgblitz_lavern_sketch.jpg)
It came out a lot more boring than I had planned, but I guess it'll have to do. Give me a few days and I'll get back to you with a painted version.
EDIT:
I won't be finishing the bg, but I might as well tell ya'll what it was about. I got the idea before I noticed loom's wikipedia reference and the name LaVern, so I think he may have anticipated this idea :).
LaVern Baker (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaVern_Baker) was a Blues/Jazz/Pop singer who enjoyed the peak of her fame in the 1950's and 1960's. She was probably most known for her Pop songs Jim Dandy and Jim Dandy Got Married (http://youtube.com/watch?v=wf3Op7xl030). She was even taken into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame for the former. Anyhow, she died just 10 years ago in 1997 and I'd like to think her afterlife would be something like this - a Jazz club in the heart of Chicago, where she initially started out.
Interesting vids:
Tra La La (http://youtube.com/watch?v=mI_NafG_E4A) (1929)
Playing The Game Of Love (http://youtube.com/watch?v=iKtQiywrvxg) (1957)
Tomorrow Night (http://youtube.com/watch?v=xYs5OWe4wR8) (1988)
Great, looks like it could turn out really good! (the foreground sections look really interesting and unforced)
Would be great if you could keep us updated on the process with some more WIP pics, as they would give an indication on how much time you need (so we don't wait a week just to find out that you've given up on the idea), and would provide an insight into how you work. Plus it would fill up the thread with some perty pictures.
Btw, if someone else is trying out some sketches, just post them here, regardless of whether you think they look like crap, or whether you think you'll end up with a finished pic. The more the merrier!
I tried to help someone with a forest in the CL and since there are already 2 forest backgrounds I thought why not post it here too. Ok this may be lame, but whatever...
The steps:
(http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/35xi-x.gif)
The final picture:
(http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/35xi-y.png)
It took me about 3-4 hours.
I have to apologize that I won't be able to finish the bg in any reasonable amount of time :(. I just don't have the time or energy to get fully into it. I'll have to leave it as it is.
I'm all for commencing voting. I'll try again next time :). Sorry!
Aw, that's a shame.
Oh well, since someone else might have started on something in the meanwhile, I'll hold off the voting until tomorrow afternoon (12 hours from now), so if you've started on something, please tell within this time frame.
Lavern was a simple woman, her most treasured possession in life being her family.
She died recently at a ripe old age, but her afterlife is simply to exist in her self-designated prime. Because of this, she has been reverted to her state 30 years ago. For eternity, she shall be dusting, cleaning and nagging her husband and son.
And she will love every minute of it.
WIPS
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/TikiTikiMan13/bgwplines.jpg)
Hand-drawn lines are scanned
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/TikiTikiMan13/bgwp1.jpg)
Color rough
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/TikiTikiMan13/bgfinal.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/TikiTikiMan13/bgchars-1.jpg)
And Lavern with her family.
Sorry for being so late, but I only started this about 8 hours ago, upon seeing this thread and the time extension. Style is veeery different from my usual. Inspirations include Bill Tiller, Peter De Seve and 101 Dalmations.
Lavern and her family were also created today, in Flash. Everything else is 'shopped.
Ok then, let's get the voting started. The entries:
Odysseus:Quote from: Oddysseus on Sun 22/07/2007 03:26:18
(http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs16/f/2007/202/c/6/Jungle_clearing_by_masochisticcannibal.png)
Oh, and Lavern always liked jungles, hence the background.
Creed Malay:Quote from: Creed Malay on Sun 22/07/2007 14:40:02
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/afterliferoom.PNG)
What Lavern got when he died was
what everyone gets when they die which
is locked in a room with no windows
and no doors.
What you do inside this room is
you think about what you done.
How you feel about what you done,
you decide.
Tried your best? Meant well?
Hitler meant well.
And after the room?
Not never no after.
Not never no after.
Just the room.
no end.
José Luiz:Quote from: José Luiz on Mon 30/07/2007 20:27:36
(http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/9981/afterlifegw3.png)
Walk until you reach that cross over there, Lavern. Then, look at the other side of the hill, and you'll see a huge white City, a place you could never imagine before. That's the place you'll live from now on.
cobra79:Quote from: cobra79 on Tue 07/08/2007 23:56:04
(http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/35xi-y.png)
Tiki:Quote from: Tiki on Fri 10/08/2007 05:59:18
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/TikiTikiMan13/bgfinal.jpg)
Lavern was a simple woman, her most treasured possession in life being her family.
She died recently at a ripe old age, but her afterlife is simply to exist in her self-designated prime. Because of this, she has been reverted to her state 30 years ago. For eternity, she shall be dusting, cleaning and nagging her husband and son.
And she will love every minute of it.
The categories:Idea - The underlying idea to the background. Doesn't
necessarily have to coincide perfectly with the theme of the
week, just strike you as interesting/amusing/inspiring; a place
you'd really enjoy visiting within a game.
Atmosphere - How well the image manages to evoke a certain feeling or mood.
Design - How well the elements in the image are designed,
such as landscapes, buildings, decorations, clouds, doorknobs,
etc.
Composition - How well the elements in the image work
together/are positioned in relation to each other.
Functionality - How well it would work when adding sprites, i
ncluding appropriate walking distances, a good angle for
character sprites, clever walkway solutions, easily understood
exits, etc.
Technique - How well the ideas are executed in form of
rendering.
Here's the code for the categories, for your copy-n-paste convenience:
[b]Idea[/b] -
[b]Atmosphere[/b] -
[b]Design[/b] -
[b]Composition[/b] -
[b]Functionality[/b] -
[b]Technique[/b] -
Anyone is welcome to vote, and it would be
great if all participants could provide their own.
You don't have to vote in all categories, and
if you provide multiple names in a category,
then please be clear about which one is your pick.
The voting will end about the same time tomorrow (12 pm GMT).
Haha! Awesome, Tiki :D. I love the new style.
Votes:
Idea - Creed Malay. The most original, witty and depressing entry in the bunch :D. Tiki and José running up.
Atmosphere - cobra79. The lighting and the foreground makes this look pretty dramatic. I'm expecting a car to drive by and dump a dead body or something :). While Tiki manages to communicate the atmosphere better, Cobra's influences me more.
Design - Tiki. Very cool design. An open, colorful room with some old influences. I like the personality and the fact that the apartment actually feels lived in. I have to commend on the orange floor. It mixes very well with the near-black blues on the furniture and with the red on the wall paneling.
Composition - Tiki. To me the obvious choice - while the other entries have pretty basic workable composition, Tiki takes it a level further. I like the angle, too.
Functionality - Tiki. This was a bit more difficult for me. Usually people tend to go for the more simple entries with functionality, but I really had to think hard about this. While the other entries are perfectly functional, Tiki made it a bit more interesting.
Technique - Tiki. As I said, I love the new technique. It reminds me of a bunch of short animations. I like how every line is a little dodgy - you clearly didn't use a ruler :D. I also like how you can clearly see the pencil finish. And there are all these small mistakes that make it all the more cooler. I'd definately like to see the rest of the house/apartment.
Idea: Creed Malay. Very depressing though...
Atmosphere: Tiki.
Design: Tiki.
Composition: Tiki.
Functionality: Tiki.
Technique: Tiki. Great background!
---
I also planned taking part in this, and started a BG;
(http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/184/progressrollercoasteruu6.png)
It was going to be a rollercoaster full of underwear hanging around - Lavern's two biggest passions in life. Strangely, I lost interest when I got to the underwear part.
Idea - Creed Malay, an original idea which captures the topic of this blitz very well.
Atmosphere - Creed Malay dark, gloomy and desperate. Not a place I would want to spend eternity.
Design - Tiki It is a well designed interior, which reminds me of my grandmother's house. Runner up Creed Malay.
Composition - Creed Malay It is simple and effective.
Functionality - Abstention, I can't decide on that one.
Technique - Creed Malay I like the color choice and the rotated canvas is also a nice idea.
Let me add that the WIPs and sketches make the competition much more interesting.
ildu and Neil Dnuma - real disappointed that you guys couldn't finish those. They look like they'd be spectacular
Idea - Creed Malay.
Atmosphere - Creed Malay
Design - Creed Malay. Simplistic, but still well done.
Composition - Odysseus
Functionality - cobra79. Very clear entrances and exits, a few possibilities for interaction
Technique - Odysseus. A little sloppy, but I definitely like the colors used.
Idea - Jose Luiz
Atmosphere - Cobra. I really like the forest mood you've managed to capture.
Design - Tiki. I love the setting you've created.
Composition - Tiki. Nice angle.
Functionality - Creed Malay.
Technique - Tiki. Love the new style.
Shame that many entries seem to have been abandoned halfway through,
but we ended up with a nice little collection nevertheless.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The results:
Idea - Creed Malay, with José Luiz as the runner up
Atmosphere - Tie between Cobra and Creed
Design - Tiki with Creed as the runner up
Composition - Tiki with Odysseus and Creed as runner ups
Functionality - Tiki (bit of a surprise there), runner ups: Cobra and Creed
Technique - Tiki, with Oddysseus and Creed as runner ups
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All in all, Tiki's entry got the most votes, with Creed as a pretty close runner up.
Take it away!