Background Blitz: Dream Sequence (Results)

[Sinitrena]

Dream Sequence

From time to time, characters stumble into scenes that are not part of reality as we know it. The world might get a surreal feel to it, or there are small things that just don't fit anymore, making the background idyllic or nightmarish.

For this Background Blitz, I want you all to lead us into a dream: good, bad, neutral, surreal, confusing - it doesn't matter, but something in the background must tell the viewer that the character has left the real world. It can be a small element, like a lamp that is upside-down, somthing a bit larger like an escheresque staircase or something completely weird with abstract forms and colours. It doesn't matter, as long as the player gets this dream-like feeling when looking at it.

Deadline: 11. February

[stylez75]

Mind Eraser
[imgzoom]https://i.postimg.cc/FzkBTC45/Mind-Eraser-copy.png[/imgzoom]

[FanOfHumor]

Nightmare Woods

[Sinitrena]

A day left. Anyone else working on something?

[ildu]

I'm working on something that I really want to finish. Would it be possible to extend the deadline to the same as the Sprite Jam, so Feb 18th?

[Sinitrena]

This is a long extension, but it does make sense to have the same deadline for both competitions.

So, deadline extended: 18. Feb

[Reiter]

The Gates of Horn and Ivory.

[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/M3PGIOq.png[/imgzoom]

You have breached the walls of sleep, as ordered. But to rescue your trapped friend, you must go deeper still, beyond the gates and into the depths of dreaming. You must tease open the great jaws, the jaws of horn and ivory, and be swallowed whole and awake. Tread carefully. You remember the risks, the dangers of the psychonaut. This mimicry is not the office, and it will eat you alive at a false step and you can already see undigested refuse secretly disgorged in the dreamscape. Yet it is too late to surface. The jaws await.

[Sinitrena]

Oh, three entries, not bad. But there's always room for more, and there's still a day left.

And if you need a bit of inspiration, there's the Share your dreams thread in a different part of the forums.

[ildu]

I'm still trying to finish mine for tomorrow, so hopefully I make it . I guess I'll post it even if it's unfinished.

[Sinitrena]

I think I waited long enough. I'd love to see your entry, ildu, even though it won"t be eligable to win.

But we do have three four entries that are eligable, and so I kindly ask everyone (participants and interested readers) to cast their votes in the following categories:

Concept: What is your background about? What sort of mood does it spark? What is, as it were, the big idea?
Playability: What is its opportunity for gameplay like? Walkable areas, hot-spots, and so forth?
Artistic Execution: How well does the picture convey an atmosphere? How well is it executed?

Get your votes in until 24. Feb.

[ildu]

Oh, I just finished it now . But a day late, so no worries about being included .

I wanted to draw a cemetery, which otherwise is normal, but is populated by dreamy Miyazaki-like spirits. I didn't go as ambitious as I wanted (I will finish this piece later), but at least one ghost is there to hold down the fort . Perhaps in a game the player enters a dream in order to help out the ghost with a task from its past.

[Sinitrena]

Oh, I'm not that strict. Nobody has voted yet, so I accept the entry.

We have four entries, voting is open, as described above.

[Sinitrena]

This competition needs more love (or any love at all, for that matter) in the form of some votes.

Remember:
- everyone is allowed to vote!
- additional comments are nice, but not necessary (posting just the categories and names is perfectly fine!)

[Racoon]

Concept: stylez75 (Hypnotic, I feel it fits the theme the best)
Playability: Reiter (There is a lot of possible hotspots and places to walk on)
Artistic Execution: ildu (Really beautiful artwork. Looks very professional. Would look great as wallpaper)

[Sinitrena]

Oh, votes!!! Votrs make the competition admin happy 

A few more would be nice, though. As it stands, this is a three-way-tie with four participants.
Voting is open for a couple more hours.

[ildu]

Suppose I'll throw in my two cents .

Concept: Reiter. This piece covers the theme nicely and I can already see it working in a game (which is something I would typically score highly).
Playability: Reiter. I think this is clearly the functional one. I can imagine how things would act and react.
Artistic Execution: stylez75. This one has got an interesting, abstract thing going for it. I like the colors, symmetry and general weirdness .

[cat]

Concept: Reiter
Playability: Reiter
Artistic Execution: ildu

[Sinitrena]

And we have a winner - a pretty clear winner, considering the amount of votes.

4th place goes to Pajama Sam: This entry didn't receive a lot of love, but that doesn't mean it's bad. I like the idea, the murderous trees looking down on the protagonist in their eery landscape - a classical theme for a dream. From an artistic poont of view, it might need a little more work, but I could see this as a delibarate contrast to a more colourful and detailed real world.

3rd place goes to stylez75 (technically ildu and stylez both received 2 points, but because ildu voted and stylez did not, I use my executive tie-breaking powers): This is very surreal and psychedelic. I would say the character stumbled into a drug-induced dream, not just a normal one. It's a bit difficult to tell (at least for me) where walkable areas would be and which elements are just background, but that just adds to the strange atmosphere and feelings this background oozes.

2nd place goes to ildu: What a cute little ghost! This is a very artistacilly pleasing background and I'd like to walk a character through it. It doesn't feel much like a dream to me, but in context with other backgrounds in a game it might. It's still my favorite of the bunch.

1st place goes to Reiter: I'm reminded of Trilby's Notes (I think it was, unless I'm mixing up the games in this series) in style, atmosphere, general feeling abd theme. This is a background that's easy to use, clear defined walkable areas, objects, hotspots and an accompaning story - basically, it's ready to go. Now go and make the game, I want to play it!

But first, start the next round of the Background Blitz. Congratulations, Reiter.

[ildu]

Congrats Reiter! Let's hope we get a little bit more activity next round .

[Reiter]

Goodness! Why, thank you all very much for the votes! I do apologise that I did not submit mine in a timely manner. There were some very splendid entries in this competition, well done to everyone, and thanks to Sinitrena for an excellent theme!

I shall ensure to start the next round of the Background Blitz very soon, so keep an eye out! Thanks to you all, once again!

As for making the game around that background, well... You never know. I do like the doll's house style when it comes to interior backgrounds. In this case, it is interesting because the dream nature allows you to subvert and distort it. I looked up Tribly's Notes, mind, and I do see the resemblance. It is a good way to work with 320 by 200, I think.

I shall get to work on setting up the next Background Blitz shortly!