Background Blitz :: [April 1 - April 15] Winner Announced!

[TheJBurger]

Topic: The lighthouse

Restrictions:
None

[ThreeOhFour]

I just recieved my first shiny new Wacom tablet in the mail this morning - and I wanted to have a go at drawing something with it

This is the result 



Yes, it's awful. But it is the first picture I've drawn with a tablet, and the first time I've really tried "painting" with my computer, so don't be mean !



Even though the pic is kinda crappy, I had a good time brushing away while doing it. I remember Andail did a tutorial on how to make nice backgrounds, I might go have a look at that and see if I can turn this scribble into something worthy of me posting here. And yes, I know that it's not that functional as a background. I just wanted to draw something, ok!?


EDIT: With the power of my magic wand (stylus thingo) I've done some editing to this, as well as some attempted colour mixing (by which I mean yes, I know it is too dark now ). Still looks kinda crappy, but at least it has some real contrast now .



EDIT 2:

Yep, I can't stop touching it up  . I'm getting a bit happier with it now though:

[TheJBurger]

I know how you feel. I recently just drew my first tablet background too (it was actually the one in the last background blitz, and believe me, it looked 10x messier than when I posted it!).

Thanks for entering, though!

[ThreeOhFour]

It's nice to hear I'm not the only one .

I have to say, though, I've had a bit more of a play with it, and for all my ineptitude, it's still a groovy little machine. I've done some work on the background, so I'll update my other post.

[Jack Sheehan]

I like the style of the picture but I'm not sure how well it would function as a backround.

[Andail]

Ben, feel free to show this over at the Critics Lounge and we'll have a talk about it

[ThreeOhFour]

I might do just that.

Cheers

[yarooze]

No restrictions? ok. Here is my animated background with the lighthouse: 

click here -> <- new with lens flare!  8)

[Daniel Thomas]

Ill post my now since I dont feel like finnishing it up - it wasnt a very exciting piece so Ill leave it like this.
The cropping is because of the changes in the composition.
I like the colors though.

[ThreeOhFour]

Teach me your ways!!! 

[PixelPerfect]

Yeah that's really beautiful.  :o
This piece would make a fine tutorial, if you zyndikate would have time to do it. I would read it in a heartbeat. Very nice work.

[Svartberg]

top notch entry zyndikate, very inspiring and a pleasure to look at

[Dualnames]

I know a good one when i see one this looks gorgeous, I even made it as my wallpaper.

[brokenbutterfly]

Here is an unfinished, messy background, that I don't really like but I'll post it anyway:

Ill post my now since I dont feel like finnishing it up - it wasnt a very exciting piece so Ill leave it like this.

I realize the more people say they don't like their piece, the more said piece is beautiful! 

zyndikate's entry is sooo romantic!! Insta win 

[TwinMoon]

Ill post my now since I dont feel like finnishing it up - it wasnt a very exciting piece so Ill leave it like this.

Some people here have way too high standards...

You could make Rembrandt jealous with the way you drew that fog!

[Daniel Thomas]

Thanks all for that! - Just wanted to add that I didnt hate it, it wasnt exciting enough(for me) to push further.
For those asking for tutorials and such, have a look over here:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=34237.0

[rock_chick]

Thanks all for that! - Just wanted to add that I didnt hate it, it wasnt exciting enough(for me) to push further.
For those asking for tutorials and such, have a look over here:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=34237.0

Surprised no one had replied when I checked it out but I just did anyway and your background is awesome and I doubt you wont be the winner!

[nihilyst]

Surprised no one had replied when I checked it out but I just did anyway and your background is awesome and I doubt you wont be the winner!

It's too early to say, since I definitely will enter ^^
EDIT: (if I get this grass and leaves !%"§$! done)

But heck, you're right. You have made a very atmospheric piece there, zyndikate. Your choice of colours is top-notch.

EDIT2:

Okay, here it is. I hate grass. It really looks messed up.
2x


And for the records: The first stage, done in EGA colours, changed later on (removed tree etc.).

cheers
nihilyst

[nihilyst]

*bump* Here I am.

[rock_chick]

Very impressive background, I see you've used more of a pixel art style or do I have no idea what I'm talking about here? Just wondering why there's a letterbox in it, why would a lighthouse need one?

[brokenbutterfly]

That's a very nice background! I love pixels!

zyndikate for the romance, and nihilyst for the pixels! 

Very impressive background, I see you've used more of a pixel art style or do I have no idea what I'm talking about here? Just wondering why there's a letterbox in it, why would a lighthouse need one?

Well I think a lighthouse keeper is living there, there was a time when lighthouses were switched on/off manually 

[toonaholic]

this was fun, although I drew this instead of working on my game. maybe I will be able to use it later.

[Neil Dnuma]

Good topic, JBurger.

[ThreeOhFour]

Awesome entries everybody!!!

It's great to see so many people entering this thing!

[ildu]

Ahh, greatness. I love the hedge on that bg, neil. And yours looks awesome too, zynd . I probably won't have time, but I hope to enter. Activeness and the quality of the blitz does wonders to my motivation .

[Traveler]

At first I wanted to ask for an extension, but unfortunately, it's very unlikely that I can finish my image on time, so here is a WIP version. The (planned) final scene would've shown the lighthouse from an angle closer to Neil Dnuma's.

[TheJBurger]

I suppose it's time to vote, then?

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,
including 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.

Voting will last 48 Hours.

[Daniel Thomas]

Idea - nihilyst
Atmosphere - Neil Dnuma
Design - Neil Dnuma
Composition - Neil Dnuma
Functionality - nihilyst
Technique - nihilyst

[Neil Dnuma]

Idea - Zyndikate. I like the idea and challenge of putting the lighthouse in the fog. It takes a little while before you notice the actual lighthouse, since the eyes first focus on the building on the right. I wonder if the effect would have been stronger if the image was flipped, but thats probably my western way of reading things left-right.

Atmosphere - Zyndikate. Again the fog does the trick, along with the nice hues. To criticize something, I feel the massive yellow inside the door, with no distinguishable details is a bit hard to buy (at least for me), even in these romanticized circumstances. But then again you said it wasn't finished.

Design - Close, but I give this to nihilyst. There's a great deal of creativity with different elements; the tree, the rocks, the cloud. Another very good pixel background from you. I liked Ben's lighthouse as well, a certain cuteness to it.

Composition - Zyndikate pulls off the most interesting composition IMO. I think the setting in nihilyst's BG is exciting enough, but perhaps the different elements could have arranged in a different way, and also I didn't like the cropping of the top of the lighthouse.

Functionality - Zyndikate.

Technique - Zyndikate. I'm very impressed.

[Twirlly]

Idea - nihilyst
Atmosphere zyndikate
Design - Neil Dnuma
Composition - Neil Dnuma
Functionality - zyndikate
Technique - zyndikate

Some of these were very close in my eyes, but choices had to be made. Great effort all. I suck at drawing, so I wish I had half your talent.

[Traveler]

Idea - nihilyst
Atmosphere zyndikate
Design - nihilyst
Composition - zyndikate
Functionality - zyndikate
Technique - zyndikate

[Babar]

Idea - nihilyst

Atmosphere - zyndicate

Design - nihilyst

Composition - nihilyst

Functionality - nihilyst

Technique - nihilyst

[Snarky]

Idea - zyndikate (certainly somewhere I'd like to visit in a game)
Atmosphere - zyndikate (by a mile)
Design - Ben304 (I really like what you've done with the rocks, waves and tower. The rest still looks very unfinished)
Composition - zyndikate (I also like Neil's, especially for the pallette)
Functionality - nihilyst (mainly for having the most obvious points of interaction)
Technique - nihilyst (love the rocks, the fringes of grass on the cliff and the tree. zyndikate's unfinished entry still has a few too many rough edges. I also like Neil's very effective flat swatches.)

I do feel a need to point out that nihilyst's lightsource is all over the place. The shadows point one way (and aren't quite parallel), the shading another, and the shades of the grass (on the cliff vs. the ground) yet a third.

[brokenbutterfly]

Idea: zyndikate, I would love to see that place in a game, and visit the tavern(?)

Atmosphere: zyndikate all the way. So romantic as I said before.

Design: nihilyst. I like the looks of the cliff, the mailbox, bulletin board, and the little bulb at the top of the lighthouse.

Composition: Neil Dnuma. I really like the little stone wall next to the lighthouse, and the little house is right where it should be.

Functionality: nihilyst. I can imagine a little sprite walking around. Reminds me of the tower in Knightsquire

Technique: zyndikate. Even though he says otherwise 

[TheJBurger]

Zyndikate is the winner of this round! Congrats.

Thanks to everybody who entered.