Perspective problem - stairs.

Nine Toes · Thu 29/01/2004 05:58:02

Sup?

I'm having a problem drawing in perspective in mspaint. I was trying to draw these stairs, but they came out... well... not right.

Can anyone tell me what I did wrong? Or, could anybody give me some tips as to what I could do different? I used to be so good at this...

Darth Mandarb · Thu 29/01/2004 07:04:46

You're actually pretty close!

It's hard to do this in MSPaint because you can't use layers.

Just add a vanishing point (I followed your floor line starting in the bottom right corner to determine where the vanishing point would be)

Make sure all lines not horizontal or vertical (straight) head towards the vanishing point!

ex:

You almost had it!

I would suggest using a highly dissimilar color to draw lines to the vanishing point. Then use the color you want to color over the line(s) where you need it. Then just erase the off-colored 'guide' lines!

That's probably your best bet using paint!

Good luck!

])]V[

Nine Toes · Thu 29/01/2004 07:36:24

See, that's what I had done... but the steps came out looking like they bow out at you.

It's just the steps that I can't quite get to look right.

I guess I'm on my own for this one... I don't want anyone else to do my work for me.

I'll just go back and start from scratch!

Gregjazz · Thu 29/01/2004 07:39:41

The reason it looks 'bowed' is because the length of each step varies in your picture. You're going to need two vanishing points to make it look right.

Darth Mandarb · Thu 29/01/2004 07:43:43

[YODA]
Yes ... to Geoffkhan you listen. Help you he can!!
[/YODA]

Nine Toes · Thu 29/01/2004 07:48:33

See, the pic above is only a corner of a bg I'm working on. It was only drawn to have one vanishing point... I'm just not really sure a second vanishing point would work...

...er... what I mean is that, I've drawn all of my backgrounds like that (with only one vanishing point), and I'm just trying to keep them all looking the same style.

Could you show me an example?

Nine Toes · Fri 30/01/2004 00:03:27

I think I fixed the problem... it looks better now. I fixed the stairs using a different method. But I guess I'd like some feedback. What do y'all think? Is there anyplace in the picture that needs fixing, perspective-wise?

James Kay · Fri 30/01/2004 00:39:38

Okay, so your perspective is not 100% realistic, but more importantly it looks fine, so I say go for it with that sketch above.

Darth Mandarb · Fri 30/01/2004 01:43:55

Yeah, it's not 100% on.

But I think it looks good!

Once you add some shading, details, etc. It'll look great!

Of course, you might want to add a railing or something (which could be tough!)

])]V[

Nine Toes · Fri 30/01/2004 05:52:09

Wasn't that tough.

I know it's not completely finished (I'm still going to add some furniture, etc). But I just wanted to know what you think of it now.

Also... what do you suppose would be a good way to make the player realize that there's more to the room if they walk off the bottom of the screen?

Some games don't do anything, and finding the other rooms is hit-or-miss (like trying to find the kitchen in Caleb's Drunken Adventure).

Darth Mandarb · Fri 30/01/2004 06:06:13

1) add the black border with a 'hole' where the door is
2) add light coming into the scene.
3) use a combination of both.

Personally, I like the black border method best for the bottom door problem. The light effect is hard to pull off!

I also added some shading ... you can of course discard that, 'cause I'm sure you weren't done yet! I just darkened some areas a little. Well ... you can see

])]V[

TheYak · Fri 30/01/2004 12:45:53

Just a little meanness for Darth here. Odd that the stairs' shadow's furthest point is pointing so very near the open door's light.

Anyway, don't get stuck too much on realism or ultimate perfect perspective. That BG's turning out great and matches the style of the stuff you've recently posted. Absolutely excellent. My only concern at this point is whether you're going to use the char sprites you've been having C&C'd for awhile. This BG seems to be higher on the realism scale with harder lines. I hope the two styles mesh okay.

Nine Toes · Fri 30/01/2004 19:41:48

Here's a screenshot. I have been using the character sprites (even though I'm not going to be using all of them, only a few of them... I guess I just made the others for practice). At first, the sprites looked okay on the backgrounds, but lately I've been thinking that they need some depth, so I might try and do a little shading.

What do you mean by, "harder lines"? Are you referring to how I use black lines to separate the features in the background? I suppose that makes sense, I didn't use any dark colors to separate the sprite's features.

I guess it wouldn't kill me to do a little tampering, so that either the bg or the sprite match the other.

JimmyShelter · Fri 30/01/2004 19:46:24

Cool sky with that orange!

The grass does look flat. Adding some color changes to both the grass and the road would give them more depth. Start sharp in the front and more faded colours in the back.

Aprt from that I really like the picture.

Darth Mandarb · Fri 30/01/2004 20:23:21

Quote from: YakSpit on Fri 30/01/2004 12:45:53
Just a little meanness for Darth here. Odd that the stairs' shadow's furthest point is pointing so very near the open door's light.

That's not mean at all. You're right!

(The only reason I put the light from the door was to show 1 way to answer his question about how to show a door that goes off the bottom of the screen)

I like the new background. What I suggest with your sprites would be to 'outline' them in darker shades of the same colors. Like this:

I also fixed a little bit of the house. .. the grey shading didn't extend over to the eave and it looked a little off (just being VERY nit picky).

I love the detail you've acheived on the house in the background. It looks awesome. The little barn, the shed, great details!! I love pixel pushing!!

Edit - Since I'm being nitpicky (and in the interest of making this picture as good as it can be!) The mailbox's shading is opposite of the background elements. It makes it (to me at least) look like the mailbox is 'inside out'.

Nine Toes · Fri 30/01/2004 20:38:55

Hey, that's a pretty good idea... Why didn't I think of that? I think I will do something like that for my sprites. I like the way it looks (except I'll use a little lighter blue on the outline of his slacks, the way you have it just makes it look too dark).

Normally, I'm very nitpicky too... working on all aspects of my game has sort of divided my subconscious up (you know, the scripting, the art, the sound fx, etc). So I don't always grab all the little details. But it's cool!