Background Blitz - Troll's Lair (WINNER!)

Sughly · Sat 21/08/2010 02:14:19

Alrighty, more background fun! With the three billy goat's gruff story in mind, I thought it would be interesting to consider what the troll's home may look like, so let's draw...

A Troll's Lair! It can be under a bridge or in a cave - wherever a troll may call home.

I'll take Jim Reed's line and say the image should be AGS compatible, and you have free use of any colours you like.
You've got til 4th September - go go go!

Sughly · Tue 24/08/2010 06:15:18

...aaaaaaand go!

Go...?

Alun · Tue 24/08/2010 06:22:56

Quote from: Sughly on Tue 24/08/2010 06:15:18
...aaaaaaand go!

Go...?

For what it's worth, I intend to make an entry... but I'm not sure how soon I'll get around to it. Hopefully before the 4th, though...

Sughly · Tue 24/08/2010 14:09:34

Woo! Thanks Alun! And I shall match that intention with my own... which is to say, I may not get it done either

Mad · Tue 24/08/2010 18:16:01

Not quite finished, since I lost interest, because the BG is not really very imaginative!
But there you go:

Maybe I can motivate myself to continue this some time later this week...

EDIT:

Made a night version.

Just. Very. Cheaply. Straining. After. Effect!

Anian · Tue 24/08/2010 19:17:37

Somehow it always reminds me of this story: http://www.last.fm/music/Neil+Gaiman/_/Troll+Bridge
(narrated by Gaiman himself, it's a reimagination of the myth, as many of his works are, not completly for children though)

Hope this inspires people a bit.

Sughly · Wed 25/08/2010 02:15:50

Wow, that's amazing Mad. Love the colour palette and the use of light, very nice!

Quote from: anian on Tue 24/08/2010 19:17:37
Somehow it always reminds me of this story: http://www.last.fm/music/Neil+Gaiman/_/Troll+Bridge
(narrated by Gaiman himself, it's a reimagination of the myth, as many of his works are, not completly for children though)

Hope this inspires people a bit.

That's pretty interesting, I haven't listened to one of those spoken stories in ages. It's got me motivated! Though I have to go back to uni work now... :'(

Kelma · Fri 27/08/2010 02:30:34

The troll and his bridge meet modernity and industrialization!

abstauber · Mon 30/08/2010 14:31:35

Home is wherever you roll out the "carpet"

Wonkyth · Mon 30/08/2010 14:42:39

I was waiting for someone to do that.

Sughly · Sat 04/09/2010 03:29:06

alrighty well, technically it's the 4th of Sept down here in Aussie land, but I'll give the rest of the world the benefit of the doubt and wait until they reach the date too. Not sure there's any more entries coming, but you never know...

Alun · Sat 04/09/2010 03:40:05

Quote from: Sughly on Sat 04/09/2010 03:29:06
alrighty well, technically it's the 4th of Sept down here in Aussie land, but I'll give the rest of the world the benefit of the doubt and wait until they reach the date too. Not sure there's any more entries coming, but you never know...

I had definitely been planning on making something, but it doesn't look likely that I'll be able to get to it after all. I just got laid off from my job, so I've got a lot to deal with right now. So... I may get something done tonight, but don't wait up for me.

loominous · Sat 04/09/2010 21:20:02

Have an entry cooking, so if you could delay the deadline a few hours, that would be appreciated.

Sughly · Sun 05/09/2010 01:13:24

Quote from: loominous on Sat 04/09/2010 21:20:02
Have an entry cooking, so if you could delay the deadline a few hours, that would be appreciated.

Your request is granted! A loominous pic will be worth the wait I'm sure

Also Alun - very sad to hear. Hopefully things work out and we'll see you back in it with future comps...

loominous · Sun 05/09/2010 11:43:05

Ugh, these outdoor pics never cease having areas to refine, so scaled it down to 480xsomething, to conceal some roughness, which I don't think is supported by AGS, but 320x just lost too much detail.

Sughly · Sun 05/09/2010 12:03:17

Well done loominous! Alrighty, I like the idea of passing responsibility on so I'll put it up for a vote. I also liked SookieSock's catagories so I'll steal them. So if everyone can put a vote in for the following...

Idea - The creativity and originality of the work
Design- How innovative and intriguing is the depiction of the idea/theme? How well do content and details enhance the work?
Technique-The artistic skill and style employed in depicting the theme.
Functionality- How well the background would work in a game.

Snarky · Mon 06/09/2010 09:20:06

I should point out that voting is how we've traditionally always decided the Background Blitz. It was only last time that the host apparently got confused with the Sprite Jam, and simply declared a winner.

My votes:
Idea: Kelma
Design: loominous
Technique: Mad
Functionality: Mad

Mad's background immediately made me think of a game where you just hear the sound effect of someone walking on the bridge, then you have to ask them a series of questions to figure out if you're going to let them pass, and only afterwards do you see what kind of creature or person it was. Seemed like a decent concept for a one-room game.

Mad · Mon 06/09/2010 09:59:08

Idea: abstauber - Just a nice twist on the whole Troll-Bridge-Toll Theme.

Design: loominous - It is a wonderful composition, with great use of light enhancing the funny details like the sign on the door and the donation bowl!

Technique: loominous - Again, this piece does it for me. I would just love to play a game in this style. Everything seems light and airy, without looking too washed out.

Functionality: Kelma - The BG has well defined walkable areas and likely, clearly visable hotspots.

Ilyich · Mon 06/09/2010 13:05:26

Idea: abstauber - ridiculously silly, but really funny and creative. And it has a strong Gobliiins vibe, which is great.
Design: loominous - no comment.
Technique: loominous - again, not much to say - beautifully done.
Functionality: Kelma - it's really easy to imagine this location inside the game, the possible dialogue, puzzles and hotspot descriptions just write themselves.

loominous · Mon 06/09/2010 13:18:06

Idea: abstauber - Really like his expression.

Design: Mad - Nice colours and values.

Technique: Mad - Nice strokes.

Functionality: Mad - Pretty good angle, and clear limits.

Anian · Mon 06/09/2010 16:09:33

Idea - Kelma
Design- Mad
Technique- loom
Functionality- loom

Atelier · Mon 06/09/2010 16:30:41

abstauber
Mad
loominous
Mad

straydogstrut · Mon 06/09/2010 18:39:47

Idea - Kelma
Design - loominous
Technique - loominous
Functionality - Mad

Outstanding entries, everyone=)

abstauber · Tue 07/09/2010 07:43:24

Idea: Kelma Does the troll wait for a truckload of goats?

Design: Loominous I simply love the silly use of signs

Apart from that the composition is great as always

Technique: Loominous I just wonder if that technique could ever create crisp images...

Functionality: Mad I would go for Loominous as well, but it's way to blurry for a real game. Mad's entry also has an easy viewpoint, so a character's sprite would fit in nicely.

Sughly · Tue 07/09/2010 13:46:56

I feel like I've left this going on a bit, and I was going to leave it a little longer to give Mad the benefit of the doubt that other voters could help his tight race but since I'm lame and have no trophies to give out I'll just call the winner...

1st - loominous with 12 overall votes!
2nd - Mad with 10 votes
3rd - Kelma with 6
and 4th - abstauber with 4.

Glad to see everyone with a good share of love - you all did awesome, so congrats! Thanks for not leaving my first comp empty

In all honesty I wanted to vote but couldn't split them for different reasons, so thanks again guys. And sorry for the trophies - I don't know pixel art

loominous · Wed 08/09/2010 11:09:35

Quote from: abstauber on Tue 07/09/2010 07:43:24
I would go for Loominous as well, but it's way to blurry for a real game.

I tend to get a lot of comments of this kind, and I'd appreciate it if these weren't stated as facts, especially since they're often given by people with dubious credibility in hi-res art.

Express doubts by all means, but stating that something isn't viable as a background or sprite is a bold claim, unless you're intimately familiar with the technique in question.

-

That said, nice entries all around, and I'll have the next round up shortly.

Anian · Wed 08/09/2010 12:21:42

Quote from: loominous on Wed 08/09/2010 11:09:35
I tend to get a lot of comments of this kind, and I'd appreciate it if these weren't stated as facts, especially since they're often given by people with dubious credibility in hi-res art.

Express doubts by all means, but stating that something isn't viable as a background or sprite is a bold claim, unless you're intimately familiar with the technique in question.

Well I think viablity is not the case, it's more of practicality, I mean indie production wise, are there any games with these kind of backgrounds or sprites? (far from the fact that that would be great)

abstauber · Wed 08/09/2010 15:10:49

QuoteExpress doubts by all means, but stating that something isn't viable as a background or sprite is a bold claim...

@Loominous:
Now that I re-read my statement it might sound a bit too harsh. But still, even though I don't have half your talent, I definitely can compare your work to other talented artists.

That being said, congrats to your well deserved win

tzachs · Wed 08/09/2010 16:04:52

Quote from: loominous on Wed 08/09/2010 11:09:35
Express doubts by all means, but stating that something isn't viable as a background or sprite is a bold claim, unless you're intimately familiar with the technique in question.

You know, the best way to prove your point would be to create a game with this technique

Spoiler

Pretty please?

[close]

Oh, and a deserved win, the other entries were also of high quality...