'Re-vamp' of old background for sequel

[vertigoaddict]

Anything else I can work on this background?

I was thinking. Do you think it's safe to use photoshop for the shadows and highlights? or should I, again, stick to pixel art for that?

[GarageGothic]

I'd recommend to add some roots extending behind the tree and not just in front. I'm not sure if it's visible in the edit I did earlier, but I tried to add some to make the tree feel more grounded. Also, the steps/ramp (if they're steps, they're very small) to the front door look weird. Are they cut into the larger "step" or do they extend from it? They have no perspective. If they are indeed steps, I think you should reduce them to a single one in-between the ground and the door plateau. Otherwise they are tiny compared to everything else.

BTW, I love the work you did on the bush. I look forward to see the background after you fix the lighting.

Edit: For the lighting, don't use photoshop filters and avoid effects such as lens flare like the plague. But photoshop itself should be fine, since it allows you to use a different layer just for lightning. Use only a few different tones for the lighting (maybe even reduce/dither the colors by indexing them) and it shouldn't look out of place. Avoid gradient fill unless you reduce the number of tones afterwards.
And as for pslim's comment on the lamp over the door, of course it needs to cast some light, but I figured that was part of the lighting you were going to add later.

[pslim]

I think the bush looks great too.


But I'm surprised nobody's mentioned that now you have a light source over the door but the whole area is in shadow.

[vertigoaddict]

'kay I've finally come around to adding lighting and shadows, what'cha thinks?



Also I've (re-)done another background, the apartment room of two guys (one 'playable' character). There will be cluster on the table. I was wondering if there's anything else I could improve/add; just like the background before, lighting and shadows will come later.



Credits to the original artist goes to Joze Luiz, he was too busy to complete it, so I did.

The original concept:

[Ogre]

That's a really neat idea for a room... I like it a lot.

[vict0r]

The room looks better, but you completely ruined the building bg with that bloom... IMO you should stick to the more pixelly way.

[vertigoaddict]

I am HONESTLY hoping someone would tell me they liked the lighting/ shadow work I did on the building; I know. I know, this is the critics lounge.

I like it because it creates this creepy (almost alien-like) atmosphere; I love the shadow work I did on the windows and pipes. I love the little tiny details that I put, like the farm (windmill) and church of the town in the background. the silhouette of the rooms in the windows and even my user name is there somewhere. How, when you look at the shadow of the tree for a long time, you start to make out the shape of a man (maybe I just have an over-active imagination?)

I worked hard on that background, I'm not used to doing high-res or using photoshop for backgrounds, I'll wait a while and if more people say I should change it, then I will.

[Buckethead]

I thought your version was way too bright so I've tried to make it more moody:



I do like the little details. They should be extra cool in game.

[zenassem]

I like the work you did, and i think bucketheads added to it by darkening it a bit. I have a few crits to add.

1. I think the tree could be a bit more ominous. Something like the the following could be added. Could also use some more smaller branches and detailing.



2. The windows with the lights on should still show some hint of curtains being there.

3. The bricks and a other elements of the hotel could use some aging and lose some of their 'perfectness'; especially the window sills, & pipes. Also some ivy clinging to the sides and fronts would really add to a lived in appearance.

4. Perhaps add some pots with a plant/small tree to either side of the door. And darken the grass on the right rear of the house (the area that is along the edge of the building).

[SSH]

Its looking pretty good now (and zen, that's one scary tree). But I have to say, surely you'd be able to see more detail on the windows that are lit than on those that aren't. As it is there are hints of curtain, room details in the unlit rooms that one wouldn't be able to make out IRL.

[Dualnames]

There's a photoshop effect called radiance try finding it at google and download it and use it there and fade it a little.