Adventure Game Studio

Creative Production => Critics' Lounge => Topic started by: viktor on Mon 28/06/2004 16:52:07

Title: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Mon 28/06/2004 16:52:07
This is the latest background I made for the second part of the king of rock 2 game.
I'm not at all pleased with it. It looks realy funny. That's why I posted here. I need critisism badly and a paintower if posible.  Well anyway here it is:

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Livinjg_room_3.PNG)

HELP!?  :-X
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: switcharoo on Mon 28/06/2004 17:14:51
First thing I noticed is that the ground looks very erm... smooth, so does the biulding actually, and the grass come to that... Could use more texture and detail.
Also there's no detail in the sky. Cool pic though, nice style.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Mon 28/06/2004 17:40:00
I edited the picture a bit.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Mon 28/06/2004 18:33:54
Here's some ideas I had:
(http://www.twin-design.com/ags/help/viktor_help03.gif)
- added some [more] depth to the door and window on the shed
- changed the color of the shed's roof
- changed the color of the door/window trimming
- changed the ground color
- changed the color of the coon-skin hat
- altered the background elements (skyline, colors, etc.)
- varied the colors of the dirt piles

Even though I made a lot of alterations ... I still really like the original too.  These changes, at least to me, make it clearer what's going on in the scene!

Hope it helps!
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Mon 28/06/2004 19:11:17
It realy makes a big diference. Would you mid teling me witch program you used? ::) It shure wasn't MS paint... And I'll try to make my own remake of the background with that program.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Mon 28/06/2004 20:08:41
Hey! where did the bloody pictures go?
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Phemar on Mon 28/06/2004 20:32:07

I think this is a very nice background...The thing I noticed was the buildings and grass at back look a little too flat...Also I think shading is a little wrong...
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: switcharoo on Mon 28/06/2004 21:00:31
WowzaÃ,  :o I like Darth's edit (no offence Viktor).

One little thing though, the city on the horizon IMHO might look better with more buildings, in a darker colour behind the ones already there maybe.

I would give it a paint over but I'm on my brother's laptop.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Mon 28/06/2004 21:30:27
Non taken. That's why I posted here. For you to tell me what's wrong. I want ewerything to be perfect. Well near perfect. But there is one strange thing. I can't see my picture or Darths edit. I did see them at first. But I can't now. What's hapening. Darth could you post again please?
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Evil on Mon 28/06/2004 21:46:36
Wow. I love this background. Darth made some good edits, but personally I like the look of the orangish ground. What killed Darths edit, IMO, was the gradient over the city. Maybe use some lighter colors for the buildings and a better sky color, but the gradent just makes me go "Uck."

The style is amazing though. I totally think "Full Throttal" when I see this. I am way excited to play this game. I've even written on a sticky to remember. I would LOVE to see more stuff like this. Dont change your style one bit.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Tue 29/06/2004 00:35:38
Quote from: viktor on Mon 28/06/2004 19:11:17
Would you mid teling me witch program you used?
I use PhotoShop CS.Ã,  I've been using Photoshop since version 2.0.Ã,  Good lord I'm getting old ... that was back before it used Layers ...

Quote from: viktor on Mon 28/06/2004 20:08:41Hey! where did the bloody pictures go?
If you're referring to my pictures??Ã,  Sometimes my server goes down and all images I have on here will 'vanish' until the server comes back up!
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: InCreator on Tue 29/06/2004 02:31:01
Go for Darth's edit or even better - try to learn from it. If we had an artists awards, I'd nominate Darth to "Colorer of the year".
Your style include too much super-bright orange and yellow tones and after awhile, it makes eyes hurt.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Tue 29/06/2004 07:55:40
cool thanks for the tip. The thing is that I was making some desert backgrounds a few days back for a friend and It looks like I'm still to much in the stile of hot sun. I'm curently editing the background with photoshop. I colored the scky as darth did. I also shaded the gras.

Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: loominous on Tue 29/06/2004 11:39:19
Some modifications:

(http://w1.872.telia.com/~u87210460/AGS/viktor_help03_mod1.gif)

(i) Made the shadows darker, brightened the mid/highligts, added highlight to the piles, all to give more depth to the image.

(ii) Removed some confusing shadows from the roof and wall in particular.

(ii) Removed darth's gradients that sort of clashed with the style imo.

(iii) Decreased the saturation of certain colors.

(iv) Changed some colors.

The image becomes more sterile when depth is added which can be countered by adding textures (handmade) and details.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Tue 29/06/2004 11:42:13
that's realy good but now the image is to bright...
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: loominous on Tue 29/06/2004 12:00:16
My monitor seems to be somewhat inaccurate so I m not sure how bright the picture actually is, but since it s a sunny day the highlights should be bright, almost glowing since they re reflecting strong sunlight, and the horizon almost white.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Tue 29/06/2004 12:45:26
I agree but not that bright. That picture is so bright it's almoast blury. But all in all it's a good edit. Just a bit to bright. Mind if I use that background with changed colors?
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: switcharoo on Tue 29/06/2004 14:47:37
I think the grass/sky/city stand out too much now... I think the cities in loominous' and Darth's edits look more like they are in the distance.

And the grass is waaay too bright.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Chronos on Tue 29/06/2004 19:34:04
Nice style! But maybe the walls of the house could use another color than dirt.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Tue 29/06/2004 19:40:47
Quote from: Chronos on Tue 29/06/2004 19:34:04
Nice style! But maybe the walls of the house could use another color than dirt.

No I'll leave it at that. The thing is that this is a shack of a poor (well not that poor)
caretaker. The only thing I would fix is a crack in the wall here and there...
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Fri 16/07/2004 21:10:34
I updated the first post. The image and the info are there!!!
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Fri 16/07/2004 22:38:58
The pespective on the side walls is off ... actually the perspective is pretty wonky in general.

(http://www.twin-design.com/ags/help/viktor_help04.gif)
NOTE: I darkened the image so my perspective lines would show up better.

Other than the perspecitve issues ...
I would define the light source.Ã,  It looks like there's light coming from several places at once, but there's nothing visible casting the light.Ã,  No window, lamp, fire, anything.Ã,  Not a huge deal, but would tie the picture together better I think.Ã,  Is the TV on?Ã,  If the door is casting a shadow as it is, wouldn't the fireplaces backside surfaces be in shadow?

I would also suggest adding some more detail to the walls/ceiling.Ã,  There's not much happening there.

I just realized this sounds harsh ... I don't mean it that way.Ã,  Just trying to help get this BG up to par with the other's I've seen from you :)

Hope it helps.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Sat 17/07/2004 07:56:24
heh I expected something like this. Thanks. But the light source is a window in fact. The picture with the hill and orange background isn't a picture at all. It's a window  :P
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: [Cameron] on Sat 17/07/2004 08:16:56
It strangly reminds me of 5 days a stranger.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Sat 17/07/2004 10:22:37
you mean becouse of the moose head and the fire place. Well can you imagine an old willa or an estate without them? I know I can't.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Pumamam on Sat 17/07/2004 17:17:09
You have very nice art, tho the perspective knows to go a bit out of line.  8)
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Sat 17/07/2004 17:41:48
Quote from: Pumamam on Sat 17/07/2004 17:17:09
You have very nice art, tho the perspective knows to go a bit out of line.  8)

Thank's. When I'm going to have time to fix the perspective I'm going to post again...
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Sat 17/07/2004 19:01:57
Quote from: Pumamam on Sat 17/07/2004 17:17:09
You have very nice art, tho the perspective knows to go a bit out of line.Ã,  8)
Is this a joke?  I don't get it ... Pumamam I mean??
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Sun 25/07/2004 17:28:26
Well I tried my best and this is what I came up with. Now the fireplace looks to big. Im going to make it thiner. But any paintowers ar ewelcome  ;)

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Livinjg_room.PNG)
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Daz on Sun 25/07/2004 21:25:24
i think the door is still abit off, move the side facing towards us higher,  but thats all i can see, nice work

Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Mephistophilis on Sun 25/07/2004 23:31:48
Pumamam is a oke, on anoter Thread someone was deeply surprised when it appeared CJ had never heard of Garfield - Mutant Lasagne but it was in fact Pumamam here, annoying if your scrolling through the Posts quickly.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Ozwalled on Mon 26/07/2004 06:23:36
The chair is showing up as way too dark on my montor. Hard to make it out unless I get close up.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Mon 26/07/2004 07:29:35
I only had time to fix the door. I also edited the couch.
I just hawe one question at the moment. Does the thing behind the couch look like a painting or a window. Becouse it's supose to be a window...

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Livinjg_room_2.PNG)
.
I'm also going to add some shading to the fire place later today.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: on Tue 27/07/2004 07:13:24
Hmm .. Yes.. looks more like a painting than a window to me. maybe make it taller (windows in my house are closer to the cealing), or adding a + in it (don't know what it's called but i hope you understand me).

Also.. the wall is brighter under the nails the paintings are hanging on...

/Prozail
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Tue 27/07/2004 13:24:14
oh...
how could I hawe missed that. Thanks (about the color of the wall I mean)

About the window. I'm going to try and fix it. Maybee I could add a sheen to it but I don't know how to do that with MS pain or in Paint Shop Pro (I don't like working with Paintshop anyway)
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Ozwalled on Wed 28/07/2004 04:44:30
I do use PSP, and there's a pretty easy way to do a "sheen" effect in there.

-use the "lasso" tool to select the area where the "sheen" will be.
-go to Colors -  Adjust - Brightness/Contrast
-Up the brightness a bit, to whatever you feel is appropriate and looks good
-repeat as necessary (you may want to de-select the area with a  right click to select a new area), possibly oeverlapping selected areas for varried brightness.

That's just one of many ways of doing it, of course. You could also just take a white coloured brush and sweep across it here and there with a lowish opacity or whatever. Or just do it manually by selcting a lighter shade of blue... Whatever you're most comfortable with, really.

Good luck!

PS- I still think that chair is too dark. I seriously have to lurch forward to see the detail on my screen.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Wed 28/07/2004 11:08:22
well then what color do you think the chair would hawe to be ???
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Evil on Wed 28/07/2004 15:30:18
I dont like the photo gradients much. The frames also seem a little high.

The rug could use some new colors, but I think the chair colors are fine.

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/evil_viktor_door.PNG)
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: UP on Wed 28/07/2004 17:29:57
The door doesn't work... The upper-left corner should be a bit higher than the upper-right corner... At least it's not working like this...

Well, just check the pic that Darth Mandarb made... That should clear it outÃ,  ::)

And BTW, I'm talking about the door frames...
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Al_Ninio on Wed 28/07/2004 17:33:31
Heh, you're right, actually, the upper left right corner of the door should be lower.
The door is larger than the frame right now :P
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Wed 28/07/2004 18:44:22
I don't realy get what you mean. I'm working on the window at the moment. Maybe if you sould paintower the door and show me  ::)
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Thu 29/07/2004 12:10:43
here is a little update.

1.) I changed the shadowing of the fireplace
2.) changed the fireplace a bit
3.) fooled around with the door
4.) changed the dolar painting
5.) Added a sheene to the window but i think it's to bright and small.

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Livinjg_room_3.PNG)
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: UP on Thu 29/07/2004 14:12:27
Wich post you don't understand?

Anyways, the window would look better if it was more "deeper" in the wall...

And BTW, here's a bit edited pic, but it's done with paint, so it's not very well done, but will give you some idea (sorry, but the image is a bmp file...): http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/pnteditviktorroom.bmp
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Thu 29/07/2004 14:32:03
heck I don't hawe any problems with BMPs and PAINT. Actualy this whole pic was done with PAINT. Only the window and pictures were done in Paintshop pro.

I think the window would look a lot beter if I would just delete the frame and put the window deeper in to the wall (just as you said).

edit: I took a closer look at your edit NOT YET. I agree with the window edit but not entirely with the door. The uper right part of the door lis far to low for my opinion.
Meybe I should just delet the door and hawe only a door frame like this:

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Livinjg_room_4.PNG)
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: UP on Fri 30/07/2004 10:40:30
Yeah, well I didn't edit the door at all. I concentrated in the frames, as I mentioned. Actually I haven't payed attention to the door at all, just the frames of it...
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: on Fri 30/07/2004 12:21:55
Hi.

I was looking at your image. The first thing I noticed, is that the door and your window are short, comparing the other sizes in the room. They seem too minimalistic. I suggest you try increasing it a bit, so they could get another "comfortable" look.

Also the image has "more weight" to the right. What I mean is that the big objects stand iin the center and right side of the image, leaving the left side "unsupported". It produces an unstable feeling.

Texturing the wall and floor a bit, could fill the room, and make it less cold.
Try varying the tones on the couch too. It gives the look of a black figure with no depth.

I hope I helped. ;)


Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: UP on Fri 30/07/2004 13:11:30
Now that I saw it without the door, the frames are kinda askew... Is that word eve used?
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Fri 30/07/2004 15:59:10
AAA! Shit. Now I see what you mean. You ment the whole frame and not just the top part of the frame. Damn how could I hawe owerlooked that!  :o
I'll fix it as soon as I can.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: on Sun 01/08/2004 10:20:58
You should work on shades and shading to. You said that the light source is the window but the actual shading seems produced by another source. For example the couch sould be all in shades since the light is from the back and the tv back also sould be all shaded and the tv table hasn't shade on the flor.....
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: Oliver on Sun 01/08/2004 18:11:38
I think the floor looks a bit empty. Maybe some carpet would make it a little better?
or something.
Title: Re: my latest background
Post by: viktor on Sun 01/08/2004 21:08:43
I'm going to fix all your helpfull critics tomorow night. Now I'm going to bed and tomorow noon I'm going fisihng (try to relax from all the hard work during the holydays  ;))