(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Gravyard.jpg)
Here it is. The FIRST background I am pleased with. I have had a lot of trouble doing KQ style BGs, and I think I have figgered out why. PERSPECTIVE. I realized that I was doing eye level perspectives, where KQ usually used slightly higher (more isometric?) vantage points. What do you think? Ignore the blue dot and the vanishing point lines. They were left in by mistake.
Great work! I really like the tree in the far away backgrpund, and the texture on the stone. The road looks a little too sprayish, but still nice. I absolutely love the sky. The only thing that bothers me is how the graves don't seem to be deep in the ground, it looks almost like stones standing on the grass, that can be pushed over anytime.
I also like the way you faded colours when further in the background. :)
This was kind of my rendition of the "Mask of Eternity" Daventry graveyard. There might be a mausoleum in the background later, which will open when the correct puzzle is complete.
Can you believe I never sketched this scene? Digital all the way. :P
I agree about the marker depth. I am thinking of adding some smudges and bits of grass climbing up them, like on the wall.
I don't like the way the path looks quite yet. I think I will put that layer below (it is above now) the grass layer and erode the grass to show it, like the grass had been worn away. Maybe some flat stones in there too.
Maybe the horizontal part of the path needs to be thinner than the vertical part to show perspective?
Just a quicky paintover. (hope you don't mind)
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Gravy_over2.jpg)
Here are some ideas (this is more of an "ideas" paintover so don't judge artistic qualities)
- Having a steady light source that will reflect on the surroundings. Obviously I didn't paint this on the stone wall but rather at the graves and the "building" dummy in the back.
(it would be too much work)
- Changing the layout, but keeping reference to the ?focal? point (purple dot). I've but one object off to add a hint of drama in the scene.
-Dropping down the entire image's brightness. When going digitally, it pays to build the image upwards (from dark to light) not the other way round. Again the wall should be reflecting the green hues on its lighter side.(probably the hardest part of the image to do.. each stone reflects differently..)
Hope this helps a bit.
Also when you are about to draw something, check how a reference works. Research about it. Learn as much as you can. That way you'll have a clear view of what it is you want.
I like the paintover for the most part, and I was intending on darkening mine, but JPEGs are sometimes unusually dark. The other problem was that this scene was NOT intended to be nighttime. If you look at Mask's lighting, it is actually fairly light, but there is a green fog. That was the effect I was trying to get here, kinda like the sun was filtered through dense fog. I like the house, but there is a river beyond the fence, right up next to the tree. :) You can't see it, but it is there. I am re-arranging the areas, but the general feel should be the same.
I am thinking of using Ultima 9 for a few of my complex scenery ideas, and doing a paintover. I have felt that KQ8 would have been a much better game if it was more like U9. The style is almost exactly the same, but the engine is far superior.