I decided to go with a different style yet again.
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc46/dntlookdown/hotelroom-1.png)
I'm not too happy with the peeling walls. I've been trying to work on it a little more to make it creepier, but somethings missing. I was thinking about trying to make it as if it were in a vampire-ish game.
Suggestions, C&C, paintovers, as usual!
There is nothing creepier than a dark room with dark shadows. Could use a little darkening.
(http://www.bryvis.com/images/other/agsf/suitor_darker_room.png)
I lowered the brightness and contrast and darkened the shadows. Looks a lot less inviting, much more creepy.
Regarding the peeling walls, there are two problems.
The first problem is that there's no visible trauma that would lead to the peeling of the paper. Maybe if there were water stains around the peeled area it would make more sense that the glue has given way.
The second problem is that the flaps don't match the missing segments. Look at the peel in the top right corner, for example. If you were to fold that bit of paper back into its position, it would be far too large and the wrong shape. If it were too small, we could accept that part of the peeled flap has been torn away, but it doesn't ever make sense for it to be too large.
a quick edit from Ryan's edit. I experimented with some grime. I'm at my sister-in-laws, house sitting, or I could do a lot more. So I'm somewhat limited in ease with mspaint.
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc46/dntlookdown/motelroomedit.png)
I like this style and the progress so far has been neat. My only gripe is that I've never seen a hotel room with the sinks outside the bathroom like that. :=
Quote from: pslim on Sat 31/05/2008 23:54:48
My only gripe is that I've never seen a hotel room with the sinks outside the bathroom like that. :=
Wow, really? I have to agree with you maybe on hotel rooms, but I've stayed in plenty of Motels that have the sinks outside.
On second glance I think I'll remove those ugly lines running down the walls. They were supposed to be the seems in the wallpaper.
Nice work! You're improving, this definitely looks better than those first bg's in the Jack Hurt - WiP thread.
I don't spend a lot of time in hotel rooms, but two sinks? I only see one single bed.
Quote from: The Suitor on Sun 01/06/2008 00:24:25On second glance I think I'll remove those ugly lines running down the walls. They were supposed to be the seems in the wallpaper.
I think the line behind the painting gives the room character. I'd keep that one.
Also, leakage usually only happens at a few spots. Having stains through the whole room looks a bit excessive.
Cleaned her up a bit... and one sink does make more sense. :P
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc46/dntlookdown/motelroomedit-3.png)
Although, I think the dark colors are TOO dreary and strainful on the eyes, I really like it. The portrait could use some work, but other then that, it's great!
Also the friend with me (who doesn't play any point and click games noticed..If the room is dark, would there be that many noticeable shadows?)
I'm not really sure about the shadows myself, but I do think the shadows on the bed is great.
Quote from: JuuJuu on Sun 01/06/2008 07:53:43
but I do think the shadows on the bed is great.
Yeah I was just giving him ideas on crossing objects with shadows to kind of connect the objects in the room, rather than separating them like they were in his first posting.
The darkness of the shadows probably don't look as good since I didn't darken the back wall (the one with the painting) on my edit. I didn't even darken the shadow from the dresser.
Suitor:
I'm not a big fan of the peeling wallpaper that is on the left wall. It almost makes the eye believe that the corner of the room is where the vertical line of the peeling wallpaper is.
What I'd seriously do is get rid of that hanging bit of wallpaper on that wall, and replace it with three slices in the wallpaper as if Wolverine slashed it with his 3 knives. Or something along those lines. Make the player think something bad may have once happened in this room.
And since JuuJuu mentioned it, I may as well say it too. I'm not too fond of the picture on the wall. Too cartoony and distracts the player from the possibly fearful environment this could be.
Perhaps something like this: http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h128/MFX13/oil3__.jpg (googled up 'scary oil painting')
Also that separating line between the wallpaper sheets behind the painting should be very soft and almost unnoticeable. I keep staring at it. (or just get rid of it completely)
I also like the stain in carpet, perhaps it could be a touch lighter as well. I'd try it just to see what it looks like.
Too washed out. No need to lose all contrast while adding those shadows. For instance, making the light-bulbs glow would do miracle to this background.
I agree with Andail, the simply contrast lowing was a bad change from the first bg, since it really need a change, but a good change, not a simply low contrast modify; Maybe lowing brigthness but Up with contrast (from the first bg), and color edit, maybe more efficient.
In the left wall, maybe needs some objects to do a better perspective, not this broken wallpaper; maybe some little wooden squares with little notes with motel and surrondings telephon number or something like that, something that can give perspective to the wall.
You guys don't think the washed out colors set the mood for a droopy and scary environment? I thought it did, otherwise I wouldn't have led him into that direction. Let me know.
I don't know really. I just saw his first image and figured it was too bright with color like a family Disney cartoon.
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc46/dntlookdown/hotelroom-1.png)
Doesn't this look scarier?
(http://www.bryvis.com/images/other/agsf/suitor_darker_room.png)
I plan on making a horror game eventually; if I'm in the wrong direction perhaps it's better to know now before I start working on it.
as for the painting on the wall, something from Edvard Munch would do nicely imho. They tend to be spooky and not to difficult to emulate.
www.mnc.net/norway/Edvmunch.htm
(http://www.mnc.net/norway/munch-selfpor.jpg)
or something like this..
http://www.munch.museum.no/images/M0024.jpg
I should be home tonight(then i'll have photoshop) and I'll do some more to this one. I want to get it looking right so I'll have somewhat of a reference for the rest of the backgrounds. For what I'm planning on using this for, I like the washed-out look of the colors, but maybe a little more saturation?
It for (Maybe) an anachronistic, mock-gothic, vampire type thing... or something. Still tossing the vampire idea around, don't know if I'll go that direction.
PC is more-than-likely going to be female. (The ideas are sprouting, but haven't formed yet.)
So, I'll do my best to get the atmosphere in my brain onto the screen.
bless you all for the help! And I'll have another edit soon.
I think the way that the room was darkened has simply dulled it. You could probably do a better job of darkening it up.
There's nothing more creepy than an ugly wall paper.
The peeling of the wallpaper is badass in that last iteration, but the top left peel feels weird.
The stain is GENIUS! I love it, it makes me just wonder about it... great effect.
The mirror: it sees like you could do more with this. Maybe the whole thing is cracked, like someone punched it.
The sink area works better with two sinks.
The painting feels a little bland.
The grime is a nice touch. I've got two suggestions; remove the line behind the painting and have some of the grime drip down a little more.
I can't wait to see what you do next.
Home at last...
Better?
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc46/dntlookdown/motelroomedit-4.png)
It overall looks better.
But the picture on the wall is pretty messy looking...
Lot better!
But yeah, the picture seems weird. Are you sure to use green colors? seems like old fashioned computer graphics. DarkBlue colors with some ligths of yellow or red can do a more scary job, I think, for drawing portraits or the Landscape with a castle, or something.
I see you use my idea of the left wall, but maybe is a lot shining. You don't know yet for what are you going to use the BG? this help a lot to adding the details.
Other than being a tad blurry, I like it. I imagine the blur is from upscaling, though.
Flip the picture horizontally, it makes more sense with the face looking that way. Also, Alarconte's suggestion on colours for the picture would be good too.
You could also simplify the face a little, and the background to the picture. Like so:
(http://www.freewebs.com/markbilly/picturecritique.png)
(http://www.freewebs.com/markbilly/picturecritique.png)
And some other colours (sorry, the frame got messed up in these!):
(http://www.freewebs.com/markbilly/picturecritiquered.png) (http://www.freewebs.com/markbilly/picturecritiqueyellow.png)
I think your style is simple, clean and functional. Whilst still being interesting. All the things you ever need really!
Two issues with me: The bulletin board seems a ittle too bright, even if it's meant for character interaction, I don't think it needs to be that bright. It's literally SCREAMING at the player like "LOOK- AT- MEEEEEE!"
Dull it up with the rest of the room, a little.
Then the portrait: it seems a little bit messy, but it's a big improvement. Clean it up a bit and it will be a major improvement.
It's cool but yeah i agree the picture should be made in a way not too draw too much of an attention. Unless that is the purpose..
another edit
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc46/dntlookdown/motelroomedit-4-1.png)
and I worked on the outside
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc46/dntlookdown/moteloutside2.png)
Thinking about changing the room window; looks out of perspective.
I love the outside!! Your style overall is AWESOME~!
I can't wait to see this if it ever turns into a game!
I presume you've used a layer for the room behind the window? Just drag the room down a bit and I think it will look better. The floor looks too high considering the outside view...
Seeing this room come together from that sharp clean 'new' look it started out with - to this - gave me an idea. Not sure if it would work for your game.
I think both looks can be creepy. Perfect rooms, completely undisturbed and without flaw, ooze of strangeness. (Think the bathroom in 'The Shining' or sets from 'A Clockwork Orange'). Now that is completely opposite of the bathroom in 'Saw', yet both feel suprisingly creepy to me. You may have an opportunity to combine them.
Perhaps if the character looks in the mirror, he gets a glimpse of how the room once was (or vice versa). Maybe a cinematic plays - Not sure exaclty - but seeing the other version of the room could lead to some clue to what happened here. Or an event that happens in the mirror now makes an object in the actual room 'touchable' / 'lookable' and provides an item or clue.
Just a thought. Thanks for letting me share.
The door on the right is overly large. Since you're looking almost straight down the wall, that door would be like 8' wide. Other than that, your new background looks great. Although if you are still going for that abandoned or mistreated hotel look, I would love to see some cracks on the stucco walls, the support pillars, and|or the curb/sidewalk.
Is there a reason the white shirt on the painting is so white and bright? If you stare at the center of the background your eyes are drawn to the white shirt more than anything else in the room.
You've put reflections in the external windows, and these look good, but there is nothing to show that the mirror is a mirror. Unless the (implied) fourth wall is completely blank and uniformly coloured (and lighter than the other walls), the mirror would not look like this. As it stands, the mirror could just be a rectangular patch of exposed plaster or concrete. As we don't see a window anywhere in the room, presumably this is in the fourth wall, so the window (and whatever is outside, unless the curtains are closed, which is probably the case as the room as dark) would be reflected in the mirror, unless the window is opposite the picture on the wall.
Is one of the doors in the exterior image meant to be the entrance to the room? If so, the surrounding features of the exterior do not fit with the interior. If it door 101 is meant to be the door to the room, then the wall to the left of the outside of the door would have to extend towards the viewer, and if it's the other door, then although the walls either side do fit the shape of the interior, the mirror in the room would be behind the window on the right in the exterior image.
Quote from: paolo on Thu 05/06/2008 14:07:46
Is one of the doors in the exterior image meant to be the entrance to the room? If so, the surrounding features of the exterior do not fit with the interior. If it door 101 is meant to be the door to the room, then the wall to the left of the outside of the door would have to extend towards the viewer, and if it's the other door, then although the walls either side do fit the shape of the interior, the mirror in the room would be behind the window on the right in the exterior image.
What are you talking about? The layout makes perfect sense. Door 101 is the door to the room, which matches the doorway indicated in the foreground of the interior view.
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc46/dntlookdown/moteloutside2.png)
Is this based on the Bates Motel from Psycho?
Quote from: DazJ on Fri 06/06/2008 01:23:02
Is this based on the Bates Motel from Psycho?
Ahh, not really... Just a shabby motel. I actually was thinking of a motel named Little Abner's that's right down the road from me as I was drawing this. Of course I may have exaggerated the shabbiness. 8)
I am sorry but the room inside does not look right when just copy-pasted into a layer - you'll need to change the angles somewhat.
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/moteloutside2angles.png)
See what I mean?
All you need to do is make it so we don't see the bathroom (?) door - and you should lower the room a little.
I like your style though - I can't really paint with computer programs, I have to cheat and draw on paper, so kudos to you!
Like Ryan said: The right door is too large. It's wider than one of those stoneplates while the door in the back is thiner than one of the plates.
2nd point is: The upper left corner of the right door is below the top of the door in the back which is also perspectively wrong.
But let me say: A nice background altogether. ;)
As for me: In my game I didn't care too much about perspectives right from the beginning 'cause they're just increasing the amount of time I have to spend on the pictures and I basically wanted them to look good rather than look realistic.
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/moteloutsidex.png)
I hate to say it, but they pictures look more dirty than creepy. Like the guy couldn't afford a decent hotel, and there's stains from who knows what on everything.
Quote from: Snarky on Thu 05/06/2008 16:14:38
Quote from: paolo on Thu 05/06/2008 14:07:46
Is one of the doors in the exterior image meant to be the entrance to the room? If so, the surrounding features of the exterior do not fit with the interior. If it door 101 is meant to be the door to the room, then the wall to the left of the outside of the door would have to extend towards the viewer, and if it's the other door, then although the walls either side do fit the shape of the interior, the mirror in the room would be behind the window on the right in the exterior image.
What are you talking about? The layout makes perfect sense. Door 101 is the door to the room, which matches the doorway indicated in the foreground of the interior view.
Ah, I hadn't noticed that. Of course, the other door is the door to the bathroom, as someone already pointed out.