Ideas for a Background

[steptoe]

Hi

I am creating a Mr Potato Head type game where he is hunting for sweets.

He Leaps up, Jumps over objects and does other moves to get them.

I have this very basic background and I am not sure how to have it.

Do you have any ideas for a style? Maybe contribute?

GUI's and other stuff are yet to be done.

Cheers

[Kastchey]

Something like Zool backgrounds, perhaps? The old Amiga platformer.

   

[Ghost]

The Zool backgrounds rock and the candy/toylanf theme is a good fit, but I think the screenshots are a bit too crowded. I'd go for muted colours or light pastel, maybe a skyline/cloud pattern like in Kastchey's second screenshot. If the idea is to catch moving things, they should stand out.
A light blue background with a simple cloud pattern as they used it in Toy Story comes to mind.

[steptoe]

Hi,

Thanks so far guys. I have come up with this based on comments so far.
Comments/help very welcomed.

Try and get all the sweets you can! Not always easy though!

[CaptainD]

Nice work.  I too thought the Zool backgrounds were a little overpowering!!

I'm intrigued by this game... is it the world's first point and click platformer?

[steptoe]

Hi CaptainD,

Thanks for your comment 

Well, I don't know about it being  "The world's first ags point and click platformer."

I remember a Member creating a short demo platformer a while back, not sure if it went to full game.

In this game you can jump up to grab sweets, leap over objects, climb a ladder, use a rope and hook and much much more in your quest to devour all the sweets and finally meet the Sweet Monster!

I want to get Room 1 background done as best as I can before I move on. It's important that it has the kind of appeal that would be acceptable to most folks.

Updated image of Potato Head Jumping up:


Keep em' coming... Ideas always welcomed.

Cheers

steptoe

[Hudders]

The bright pink GUI is not very pleasant to look at.

[steptoe]

The bright pink GUI is not very pleasant to look at.

Color, look or both?

Any suggestions then Hudders?

[Kastchey]

Saturation, the color scheme is eye-hurting. GUI color scheme should match the main graphics, otherwise it will stand out too much.

[Ghost]

+1, the background is really nice now but the GUI clashes a lot. Pick a colour from the background and use it as a base for the GUI, maybe shiftig the tone a little. I think a pale blue or green would work well. If you want to emphasise the "border" between level and GUI, add a one-pixel line or a "bevel" in a darker hue; that should give you a nice working base:

[Hudders]

The bright pink GUI is not very pleasant to look at.

Color, look or both?

Any suggestions then Hudders?

The brightness is the main issue. If it were less... bright, it would be more palatable. Ghost's suggestion looks good too.

[steptoe]

I used sky/ a sweet color to make GUI's (top gui text is now white)



Thanks guys

[arj0n]

Maybe make all the candy (especially the ones in the clouds, these look bigger then those in the tree) a bit smaller, like max. 1/4th of the size of mr. potato head.

[Kastchey]

I would suggest two more things:
1. Desaturate non-interactive parts of the background, otherwise they might distract the player. It might also be worth trying to use a similar brush type for all background elements.
2. Perhaps use images of more common sweets as objects? I used a couple of random royalty-free images to show what I mean:

[steptoe]

Thanks guys, I have taken all your comments on board 



Thanks again

[Moresco]

For some reason when I see this it reminds me of Dizzy's Fantastic Adventure, etc...the various Dizzy games.  It's awesome, keep at it! I think if I had to give a critique it's the addition of shadows on the grass, whereas on platformers the side is usually just a sheer 2D clip.  Here you have the beginnings of some slightly 3D environment but the tree is flat against the surface like it's clipped off.  I hope what I'm saying makes sense, it just seems like you're trying to mesh the two types together and it looks strange.  Right now my biggest complaint is that you should either draw the tree and bush like they're not sitting on the top, or cut the shadows off and ditch the grass (or make it the very top layer of the side being grass, followed by dirt...or candy...).

Cheers.

[steptoe]

Hi  Moresco

I sort of know what you mean: The bush and tree do look 'flat' being level with the top of the grass.

I have decided to move the bush and the tree onto the grass. It does look a bit better I must admit.

The shadows would be 'seen' in the real world so I think they are essential. The player also tints in the shadows.



Not sure what you mean by:

whereas on platformers the side is usually just a sheer 2D clip.

Thanks for your comments 

cheers

[Moresco]

Yup, that's what I meant perfectly! Looks more cohesive now.

[steptoe]

Cheers

It's proberbly wasted on here