Adventure Game Studio

Creative Production => Critics' Lounge => Topic started by: SinSin on Mon 23/05/2016 14:59:21

Title: Forest scene. (Considering camp fire ! )
Post by: SinSin on Mon 23/05/2016 14:59:21
So I have been practising a Kyrandia art style.
Apart from more trees, what would you say about this image??

(http://i.imgur.com/IidRCBw.gif)
Title: Re: Forest scene.
Post by: Danvzare on Mon 23/05/2016 15:26:41
Beautiful.
Although the randomly placed coloured pixels on the grass, make me think that my monitor has some dead pixels.

Other than that though, it's gorgeous.
Title: Re: Forest scene.
Post by: KyriakosCH on Mon 23/05/2016 16:15:06
Quote from: Sinsin on Mon 23/05/2016 14:59:21
So I have been practising a Kyrandia art style.
Apart from more trees, what would you say about this image??

(http://i.imgur.com/IidRCBw.gif)

Nice :D

Love the early 90s style. Any link to more of your project? :)
Title: Re: Forest scene.
Post by: Kumpel on Mon 23/05/2016 17:25:43
Some suggestions apart from the obvious bleakness:

- The left and the middle tree look a bit odd on the base to me. Maybe add some roots that are growing out of the grass so that they look more like strong and venerable plants.
- The bush thingy has the shape of a sleeping dragon (Is it a sleeping dragon? 8-0). It seems a bit small and very lonely compared to the scene you created. Give it a brother (or a sister). Maybe combine that one visually with the rock. Stands out too much imho.
- are these pixels on the ground leaves? maybe you should enhance these on some parts to improve that illusion.

Title: Re: Forest scene.
Post by: SinSin on Mon 23/05/2016 21:15:43
Thanks for the input.

That's no dragon, that's just poor pixeling. :)
As for the bush, its now not as lonely. I've also added more rocks and roots and given the sand more texture.
(http://i.imgur.com/Fc2e8n4.gif)

I've not got any other project links atm. I am working on something but I'm going to keep it on the down low until I have a substantial amount done. :)

Any more suggestions :-D
Title: Re: Forest scene.
Post by: Cassiebsg on Mon 23/05/2016 22:28:22
Yes, don't forget the squirrel collecting nuts. ;)
Lovely and very peaceful.
I like the new scene better btw. The first felt a bit empty and "nothing happening here".
Title: Re: Forest scene.
Post by: SinSin on Mon 23/05/2016 22:32:28
Thanks,  :-D

I have to work on my composition.

I tend to draw from my minds eye (Which is generally blank)
its so strange, this started out as just me experimenting with drawing grass.
Title: Re: Forest scene.
Post by: silverwolfpet on Mon 23/05/2016 23:01:56
Quite nice! Excellent job on the details and I reaaaally love the river animation - simple yet elegant and effective ^^

I just like that there are things to see and you keep discovering new tiny tiny tiny elements as you keep staring at the background.
However, I have to agree here that the "colored pixels" - while looking nice - might make the player think there are things to pickup in those areas. Maybe reduce their number?

Looking forward to see more stuff from you and perhaps even a finished game!
Title: Re: Forest scene.
Post by: Danvzare on Tue 24/05/2016 12:18:10
Quote from: Sinsin on Mon 23/05/2016 21:15:43
That's no dragon, that's just poor pixeling. :)
Shh, don't tell people that you didn't intend for it to look like a dragon. Make people think you did it on purpose, so you look like a better artist. ;)

By the way, I love the little alterations you did. Especially those little eyes poking out of that tree. (laugh)
Title: Re: Forest scene.
Post by: dactylopus on Sun 29/05/2016 05:28:48
Just wanted to say that this is quite beautiful.  I think it captures some of that Kyrandia magic, which is great, because those games were some of the best looking in the genre at the time.
Title: Re: Forest scene.
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Fri 03/06/2016 16:40:36
How many colors at most ?

The kyrandia style has two characteristics:
- very tasteful and soft (yet colorful) color scheme
- perfect use of contrast

Your color scheme is very good BUT considering how flat the ground is, maybe you should reduce the contrast of the "horizontal" grassy surfaces, to make it look softer and less busy.

The benefit of doing so is that it will make the ground compete less with the character and other important visual elements, in the eye of the player.

The easy way of reducing the contrast would be to remove the darker green shades (from the foreground only!), and stick to two shades of green there (I counted 4 shades of green)

======
EXAMPLE: Look at this part, and pretend that the shiny central part doesn't exist. Then all the surrounding grassy parts (in the foreground) have a low contrast. the rocks however have a high contrast.
Spoiler

(http://www.planete-aventure.net/shot/kyrandia1_10.jpg)
[close]

======
Reversely, you made the foreground bush too contrasted in comparison with the rest of the scene. I wouldn't use the black color there, unless you also use it on the trees/rocks.

======
Finally, for your next background, always think of ways to make the ground NOT FLAT. See how they did in Kyrandia. It makes every scene more immersive.
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Final)
Post by: SinSin on Sat 04/06/2016 11:18:29
Thanks for your comments and tips. I'm working today but if I can find some time this weekend I'll update and try your ammendments Ouxx.(46 colours in my whole pallette btw)  ;-D

Edit
(http://i.imgur.com/CMSHBBQ.gif)

I may edit the lighting on this somewhat and then re update. Im kinda happy with where I am in terms of my Kyrandia style now (yes its not KYRANDIA Exactly IMA)   but its my own spin. :)  Honestly I've been working on my art style periodically for 11 years now. and this is possibly my best piece to date, please go easy on me lol..   

For now I am going to continue with my title..    Thanks to all again who commented !  ;-D
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Final update for now!! :) )
Post by: Mouth for war on Sat 11/06/2016 07:37:08
Nice work! It's easy on the eyes and looks pleasant. I would like to see a small wooden bridge at the water though. That kind that bends...you know....curved/semi-cylindrical or how the hell to explain it haha :-D Good work !!!
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Final update for now!! :) )
Post by: Cassiebsg on Sat 11/06/2016 09:11:53
Nice work! (nod) And great fire effect on the trees and surrounding too!
However, my brains keeps telling me that, according to the amount of effect, that I'm looking at a huge fire... but only it's only a little one. Don't think it should give that violent flicker where you put it (due to being so far away), and then the ground/grass has nothing at all, where I would expect to see some.

Otherwise, it looks awesome! Good job! (nod)
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Final update for now!! :) )
Post by: Danvzare on Sat 11/06/2016 11:15:48
Quote from: Cassiebsg on Sat 11/06/2016 09:11:53
However, my brains keeps telling me that, according to the amount of effect, that I'm looking at a huge fire... but only it's only a little one. Don't think it should give that violent flicker where you put it (due to being so far away), and then the ground/grass has nothing at all, where I would expect to see some.
Agreed, the flicker is too noticeable when compared to the size of the flame, and the fact that it's the daytime.
But it's still a really great picture. And as everyone knows, you can edit a picture indefinitely.
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Final update for now!! :) )
Post by: KyriakosCH on Sat 11/06/2016 12:22:31
Very good work, SinSin! :D
Love the shadow play on the left tree.
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Final update for now!! :) )
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Mon 13/06/2016 13:44:07
Great progression! I think this would serve just fine as a background in a game but it could still be improved a bit!

The issue I have is telling what time of day it is. Some indicators would point to night time such as the fade-out in the top/back of the scene and the light play on the trees from the torch. Yet the shading of the water and the foreground shrub seem more day-time to me!

I feel it leans more towards night so I did a quick (down and dirty) paint-over with some lighting suggestions. It's far from perfect but it illustrates the ideas well enough.

(http://i.imgur.com/zN8ZtYw.png)

I just used quick brushes and wasn't "pixel" perfect (as the image was resized so it wasn't 1 to 1 to work on) so you'd want to redo this with pixel precision (not the super soft blurriness of this paint-over). If you shaded like this (maybe not so dark) and put that flickering light pattern back in I think this would be a near perfect BG!

Good luck and I hope this helps!
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Considering camp fire ! )
Post by: SinSin on Tue 14/06/2016 09:05:24
Quote from: Mouth for war on Sat 11/06/2016 07:37:08
Nice work! It's easy on the eyes and looks pleasant. I would like to see a small wooden bridge at the water though. That kind that bends...you know....curved/semi-cylindrical or how the hell to explain it haha :-D Good work !!!
Quote from: KyriakosCH on Sat 11/06/2016 12:22:31
Very good work, SinSin! :D
Love the shadow play on the left tree.
Thanks guys.

Quote from: Cassiebsg on Sat 11/06/2016 09:11:53
Nice work! (nod) And great fire effect on the trees and surrounding too!
However, my brains keeps telling me that, according to the amount of effect, that I'm looking at a huge fire... but only it's only a little one. Don't think it should give that violent flicker where you put it (due to being so far away), and then the ground/grass has nothing at all, where I would expect to see some.

Otherwise, it looks awesome! Good job! (nod)
Quote from: Danvzare on Sat 11/06/2016 11:15:48
Quote from: Cassiebsg on Sat 11/06/2016 09:11:53
However, my brains keeps telling me that, according to the amount of effect, that I'm looking at a huge fire... but only it's only a little one. Don't think it should give that violent flicker where you put it (due to being so far away), and then the ground/grass has nothing at all, where I would expect to see some.
Agreed, the flicker is too noticeable when compared to the size of the flame, and the fact that it's the daytime.
But it's still a really great picture. And as everyone knows, you can edit a picture indefinitely.

I've set about increasing the size of the torch, Nice idea regarding the bridge.

Quote from: Darth Mandarb on Mon 13/06/2016 13:44:07
Great progression! I think this would serve just fine as a background in a game but it could still be improved a bit!

The issue I have is telling what time of day it is. Some indicators would point to night time such as the fade-out in the top/back of the scene and the light play on the trees from the torch. Yet the shading of the water and the foreground shrub seem more day-time to me!

I feel it leans more towards night so I did a quick (down and dirty) paint-over with some lighting suggestions. It's far from perfect but it illustrates the ideas well enough.

I just used quick brushes and wasn't "pixel" perfect (as the image was resized so it wasn't 1 to 1 to work on) so you'd want to redo this with pixel precision (not the super soft blurriness of this paint-over). If you shaded like this (maybe not so dark) and put that flickering light pattern back in I think this would be a near perfect BG!

Good luck and I hope this helps!

Thanks Darth, I love your paint over it has given it some great atmosphere.
I will give it a go and will report back ASAC  :D

Thanks again to everyone who has commented so far. :)


EDIT   Im not totally happy with the torch,  I may tweak it so that it is a camp fire..

(http://i.imgur.com/PxfRyI2.gif)
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Considering camp fire ! )
Post by: Danvzare on Tue 14/06/2016 11:51:55
Ooh, now that looks perfect. At least to me. I'm sure someone could think of something that could be improved upon. But it looks perfect to me. :-D
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Considering camp fire ! )
Post by: Kumpel on Tue 14/06/2016 12:00:15
These tiny eyes need blinking :D maybe after 30 seconds or so (laugh)
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Considering camp fire ! )
Post by: Cassiebsg on Tue 14/06/2016 15:30:17
Quote from: Kumpel on Tue 14/06/2016 12:00:15
These tiny eyes need blinking :D maybe after 30 seconds or so (laugh)

+1

Was just thinking the same. (laugh)

Looks great now. (nod)
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Considering camp fire ! )
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Tue 14/06/2016 15:55:30
Ah! GREAT job!

The only thing left I would suggest is to make the same flickering light pattern on the grass/area around the torch too (maybe make the shadow of the torch poles "dance" a little too)!

Here's a similar example of something I did a few years ago:

(http://i.imgur.com/rnNMpGM.gif)

Aside from that I think this has been another great example of the CL taking a BG from good to great!
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Considering camp fire ! )
Post by: Frikker on Tue 14/06/2016 23:42:14
Great suggestions everyone! , Adding to the flicker topic, I feel that you would get the actual colour of the flame in the areas highlighted by it, like in Darth's example above, you can see the yellow of the flame on the areas affected by it. your scene has got a lot darker now, so it looks as if the primary light source is the torch, but the colour of the overall scene does not match in my opinon. Just needs more yellow/orange, especially in the flicker affected areas. hope this helps
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Considering camp fire ! )
Post by: Mouth for war on Sun 24/07/2016 10:26:35
Darth is that from my game? I remember asking for some help with lighting and you provided that help :-D sorry about going OT. Your bg looks really good!!!
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Considering camp fire ! )
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Mon 25/07/2016 15:52:32
Quote from: Mouth for war on Sun 24/07/2016 10:26:35Darth is that from my game? I remember asking for some help with lighting and you provided that help
Yessir I believe it is/was!

SinSin - any update on the BG? I'd love to see how it turned out!
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Considering camp fire ! )
Post by: SinSin on Mon 25/07/2016 18:14:56

Sorry to disappoint you folks but there has been no further updates as of yet.

Thanks for asking though I will update (at some point) so keep an eye out peeps  :D
Title: Re: Forest scene. (Considering camp fire ! )
Post by: Matsui on Sat 20/08/2016 20:51:16
Really very nice. The changes you've made are good.

I'm no artist so i may be talking nonsense but maybe the ground around the flame should be a little more lit and flickering.