Character and Backgrounds

ScottDoom · Fri 02/01/2004 23:11:16

I just made this background last night, along with the character.

They're going to be used in a game I will make, currently titled Jiang Li Lin. It is about a Chinese girl who goes on a quest to save her father, by escaping her home and joining the military.

Here's the background:

It's the side entrance to a Chinese city. I will add building rooftops later.
Is the lighting correct? Is the sky ok? Could the clouds be better? Should I add something to the right side of the road?

Here's my main character:

I'm not really happy with my character. I can't draw characters very well, let alone females. Maybe darker colors on the dress/better shading would help?

Hollister Man · Sat 03/01/2004 03:51:06

The plot sounds like Mulan.

The character looks good, but I recommend a little shading, unless you intend for her to look CGA. If so, it is very good.

Gregjazz · Sat 03/01/2004 04:09:15

ScottDoom, if you're making a game like this, I'd suggest you learn a bit of the Chinese language first. At least download a Chinese dictionary like CEL or something. I also recommend the free NJStar Chinese word processor to get the characters and font right.

Either that, or make sure Gilbot doesn't play this game.

Arasan Nayamu · Sat 03/01/2004 04:16:22

Quote from: Hollister Man on Sat 03/01/2004 03:51:06
The plot sounds like Mulan.

I thought so too but then remembered that 'Mulan' was loosely (very loosely) based on an old Chinese legend. So maybe this plot is also based on the same legend. It's not impossible or infringing since it's like the many people who remade several medieval fairytales. If the legend has any historical factor however, there should be some basic reference to that at least.

Unlike Disney's horrible rendition of 'Pocahontas' and 'Kimba the White Lion'.
*shudders*
But I digress.

ScottDoom · Sat 03/01/2004 09:52:50

Yes, the story does resemble the storyline of Mulan. I was trying to think of a game to make so that I could test my programming skills, and I came up with that storyline and then afterward I realized it was similar to Mulan's story.

Geoffkhan, that is a good idea but there won't be many Chinese symbols within the game, and the game isn't really going to be historically and culturally accurate.

Here is another (unfinished) background:

I will add furniture later, and possibly other buildings visible through the windows.

I need some criticism, please.

Gregjazz · Sat 03/01/2004 20:59:09

I guess I'm just used to working on games where we research background material such as in Apprentice, where Big Brother looked at period clothing, etc. (heheh, not all one period, that is, but good enough)

Make 'em say 'Ni hao' (hello) and 'Zai jian' (good-bye) when you talk to them. Please make it at least culturally accurate.

Archangel (aka SoupDragon) · Sat 03/01/2004 21:14:39

I really like those bgs, the colours look like oil paints. The only things I have to say about the room, is first the perspective on the top of the door is slightly off, and secondly it's perhaps a bit too deep (scaling the character as she walked into the room would look a little silly).

Arasan Nayamu · Sun 04/01/2004 03:18:04

Quote from: ScottDoom on Sat 03/01/2004 09:52:50
I need some criticism, please.

Comments... hmm... beautiful choice in colors. Reminds me greatly of a soft chinese painting. Now it just needs some variety in tones and shades so it doesn't look so flat. Unless you are going for that?

As for a crit, well... it's flat to say the least. And I don't mean the colors this time. I mean the depth. The perspective is way off in places.. the door especially. And another thing, one-point perspective is more often than not for learning basic concepts of perspective. One point perspective, unless done exactly correct, looks awful and disbelieving and the reason being... one-point perspective is virtually impossible to depict in real life. It's usually only used for good looking trompe-loiel (trick of the eye) paintings and drawings. Ditch the one-point perspective way of thinking and I think things would look far better. But it comes down to you and what you want so..

QuoteMake 'em say 'Ni hao' (hello) and 'Zai jian' (good-bye) when you talk to them. Please make it at least culturally accurate.

Agreed. If you aren't willing to take the time to look up some facts of the culture you are basing your story on, then IMHO the story doesn't deserve to be written. Not trying to be rude, but it sounds like you just don't want to research your ideas and that seems lazy to me.

I do hope you don't take my crits too harshly. I am blunt oftentimes and do not mean to sound so. I wish you luck in your endeavor. ^^

ScottDoom · Sun 04/01/2004 03:45:57

Well, I will have many things there that are historically correct, such as the Xiongnu harassing the Han dynasty, under the rule of Han Wudi. I will put in enough historical references and cultural traditions to draw the player into the story and believe in it, but I will not overdo it by writing Chinese proverbs all over the place in traditional Chinese writing, studying correct dress and architecture, or making the characters speak in Chinese. I will have them use "Ni hao" and "Zai jian" (thank you, Geoffkhan) and also other Chinese words if non-Chinese people can understand them within the context.

The reason for not researching Chinese architecture or dress of the time is that I want to be able to create things from memory and imagination, without using reference photos.

In response to the criticism on the backgrounds...
I agree that they look a little flat, and I realize that the perspective is off on the room background. Actually, the top of the door is almost in line with where my horizon line is, so that is why it appears flat. I tried to fix it by slightly slanting the line, but it didn't work either. I think I will redraw the room with different horizon line, and also try to employ the two-point perspective technique. I've never used that before, as I'm not really sure how it works. Could anyone show me a room with windows and a door (black lines only) using the two-point perspective?

I'm not a very good artist. I don't shade well, I can't draw much except square objects and trees either.

This is more of a side project to the main game I want to make (see my signature), but that game is currently on hold while we wait for artists to make graphics. I am making this game to see how well I can draw, see how well I can compose music (which I will do for my other game), and to get used to programming in AGS and learn how to make all the puzzles work right.

Gregjazz · Sun 04/01/2004 05:47:50

Sounds good! If you need any help with Chinese writing or language, PM me.

You don't need to get everything absolutely correct and research THAT much, but just make sure things are believable.

Mats Berglinn · Sun 04/01/2004 08:46:15

What I can say is that the backgrounds are good-looking. About the character, change the clothing so it looks more chinese. As it is now the dress doesn't look like it's from Asia. I have an advice for you: search for "Chinese clothes" on Altavista or Google or whereever to find some designs for your game.

ScottDoom · Sun 04/01/2004 22:55:42

Does this look any better?

I'll redo the room background sometime tomorrow, because tonight I have work and more work.

Hollister Man · Sun 04/01/2004 23:16:25

Wow, I really like the new character! I think she needs one more skin shade level, but the kimono (is that japanese rather?) is beautiful.

As for the new background, it is also very nice, although you need some "foreground objects" to make it more interesting. To illustrate, imagine there's a table the viewer is sitting at, or perhaps a window they're looking in, to make the scene have more depth.

As for the story, I just thought I'd mention it. Look at Sinbad (the new Dreamworks movie.) It takes a bunch of old myths and tweaks them around to make them cool and cohesive. Just make it fun and most people will ignore any discrepancies they see.

(Pocahantas and the Lion King were nothing compared to The Hunchback's terribleness IMHO)

Mats Berglinn · Tue 06/01/2004 18:48:16

I like the new cloth but you should add a belt or something like that. Asian people always wear a belt when wearing this kind of clothes.

Arasan Nayamu · Tue 06/01/2004 23:34:41

Quote from: Mats Berglinn on Tue 06/01/2004 18:48:16
I like the new cloth but you should add a belt or something like that. Asian people always wear a belt when wearing this kind of clothes.

Ancient Chinese women do not wear "belts" as you say. There is a sash called an 'obi' on a 'kimono' in ancient Japan. I believe you are talking about an obi and that would not look right on an ancient Chinese woman. The artist has it right and she looks very nice. Don't change her, though I think a small pretty flower in her hair would look just grand

InCreator · Sat 10/01/2004 16:00:26

Interesting style... Girls could be fatter a bit. about a pixel or two or just shorter - otherwise I could imagine them only as supermodels.

And these girl sprites would look alot more chinese, If you'd tie their hair up to have more "geishaily" hairstyle.

Backgrounds look pretty good. Color choice looks weird, but not bad at all. But there should be alot more things, or It'll be a game where you have nothing much to do or look at.