First background(DeluxePaint) need criticism please

[Lt. Smash]

hi,
this is my first background I've made in deluxe paint and I wanted you to ask what I should do to improve it.



As you may found out this is Indy's buro and I hope it looks like the style from FOA.

Paintovers would be nice.

thanks

[bspeers]

It's very nicely detailed, the technique I like, and it's functional, but too fuzzy.  Try smoothing out some of that noise, or just using less.  Step back and look and the effect for a moment.

Otherwise, I very much like!

[Khris]

And I'd loose the dirt on the wall.
Don't overdo the AA on small objects like the piece of paper, it makes them look glowing weirdly. Rather don't use any AA with those to make them stand out a bit, especially if they are hotspots.

[Nikolas]

It's brilliant imo.

Jus that the iwndows project something too loud and too close to the window. They look more like paintings than windows. Maybe soften them somehow?

[Lt. Smash]

Thanks for the crit!

I will try to realize your suggestions and will post the result as nearly as possible.

[Sparky]

I hope I'm not too late to contribute to the edit you're working on.

Great picture, you obviously have a lot of talent and you put a lot of love into your art. As for better matching the Fate of Atlantis style, here are a few observations. The original backgrounds are very high contrast, colors tend to be saturated, and edges have sharp antialiasing. There is a fair amount of dithering in the game, but it's usually used as a way to transition from one solid color to another. It doesn't seem to be dithering for dithering's sake, it's just a way to draw colors outside of the palette.

Don't overdo the AA on small objects like the piece of paper, it makes them look glowing weirdly.

If you want to keep the antialiasing but make the object crisper here are a few tricks:
(1) If you have a straight line, you can choose to not antialias it. the top and bottom of the paper could lose the partially transparent strip of pixels.
(2) When drawing objects with corners, make the corners more opaque to sharpen them up, less opaque to make them soft or rounded.

You might not want it this sharp, this is just an example.

[Neil Dnuma]

What the others said...

I think the noise and dithering are working against the readability of the scene, esp. since this is low-res. The table almost disappears. A quick example how clearer light/shadow definitions and more simple structuring can help:


If it looks too simple, you can aim for some sort of middle ground.

But for a first BG this is very good!

[Lt. Smash]

So after a week of learning, learning and learning...., I was able to realize the most of your suggestions:



feel free to post suggestions for improvements to this room.

[voh]

Definitely better, but I get the feeling due to all the dithering that it's all fuzzy. Not everything, as stated before, needs dithering

[SinSin]

True I dont know if it is the long hours in front of a computer or my eyes dont seem to like the whole dotty feeling
hmm   but i cant think of how to change it without changing your style
I reckon you should try a different style of dithering on the wooden objects (an the wallpaper ) as they dont seem smooth enough for what they are. The light shade, the boxes in the foreground and the objects around the room seem fine. its just the furniture which needs work. but dont go mental

Remember simple pictures will help to increase the viewers eyes, too much detail may throw them off (as it may seem messy if the effect you want is not quite matched)

Sin

[Fleshstalker]

I think it looks great, but the grainy look should be added less. Still, I wish I could draw something like that, but I don't have any programs that will let me draw. Or should I say I don't know of any free programs to download to make backgrounds.

[Lt. Smash]

thanks, I know that I must loose some of that dithering but could you tell me where exactly I can use only one color(no dithering) and where I can use a gradient?

it would be a bit easier for me then.

[voh]

Wood, generally, is smooth and shiny (unless it's an old piece of furniture, but even then it won't look like anything you'd need dithering for).

I'd start with your wood (HA HA HA.. Wood)

[zabnat]

I would suggest trying the same dithering style you have on the desk and shelves on walls and floor. I also feel that way it would be closer to the FOA style you were after.

[Da_Elf]

looks kinda like irradiance map samples in vray (sorry if that sounds like gibberish to you guys hehe)

[Peder 🚀]

Damn, really cool style!

I think the last one looks alot better and I would also think what zabnat mentioned could be a good idea

I would suggest trying the same dithering style you have on the desk and shelves on walls and floor. I also feel that way it would be closer to the FOA style you were after.

[radiowaves]

Its good, except that the floor is a bit too noisy and lacks any shadow and colour reflections that usually give lots of atmosphere.

[Lt. Smash]

puh, nearly two years since I started this thread.
Anyhow, just a few days ago I found the latest version of the office (made one month after my last post here) on my HDD
and I thought I have to post it (for the sake of completeness).


what's missing: two lamps hanging from the ceiling, artifacts on floor and in the shelves, tablelamp, telephone,...

progress:

[Kaio]

 :o Wow, it's perfect. Looks just as it would be ripped out of FoA (which of course isn't the case), great job! Are you (still) creating a Indiana Jones game, or is this just a practise of your's?

[Lt. Smash]

Thanks for the praise.
Yes, I'm creating an Indiana Game with a few other guys but I won't be the lead artist. (We have a much better illustrator)
But it will take some time to finish it, we are currently discussing the plot and starting with the script.