"The downfall of Joe Davis"-in production for almost 2 years now...

Grim · Fri 17/08/2007 22:19:13

Hiya, Im new to these forums but been ags fan for ages!
Here's a background from a game I've been working on. If this works maybe I'll post some more?

Give me some crits please!

ildu · Fri 17/08/2007 23:36:32

Looks really good, but you should go by the game announcement thread rules, meaning give a description of the game, the team, etc. and include a percentage of completion.

If on the other hand you seek crits, you should post in the Crit's Lounge.

InCreator · Sat 18/08/2007 00:44:57

Looks sketchy, but good.
I wouldn't make shadows in the way you drew them: they feel so flat and drawn-on.

I think that you should add a warning into title, because screenie contains heavy gore AND nudity.

Grim · Sun 19/08/2007 09:55:32

Im warning all of you: the game contains scenes of nudity and violence!:)
I'll post some description later. I'm quite far in the making actually, I just seem unable to take a screenshot...Printscreen doesn't work...neither does save screenshot with save game...I wonder whats wrong...

radiowaves · Sun 19/08/2007 11:20:04

I would make it cleaner. Simple straight strokes and no scribbleing. Trust me, it gives much better look.

Grim · Sun 19/08/2007 17:35:59

You're no fans of pencil drawings then eh?

There is more screenshots in games in production thread.
I think that pencil graphics give my game certain ambience...Its a horror game after all. Also when you enter the world of nightmares I leave backgrounds as they are without colours and make character black & white too so it looks creepy and different...

radiowaves · Sun 19/08/2007 17:49:04

Quote from: Grim Reaper on Sun 19/08/2007 17:35:59
You're no fans of pencil drawings then eh?
There is more screenshots in games in production thread.
I think that pencil graphics give my game certain ambience...Its a horror game after all. Also when you enter the world of nightmares I leave backgrounds as they are without colours and make character black & white too so it looks creepy and different...

Well, actually I am a fan of pencil and drawing, its just that brush isn't a pencil and requires different techniques to look good. And pencil isn't just scribbleing, it also has different strokes. Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to make your gfx look bad, instead I am offering you some good advice because I like your graphics and I see lot of potential in there.

Grim · Sun 19/08/2007 18:48:26

Well this is a kind of style I decided would be good for a game.
I'm quite experienced with pencils actually.
Check this baby out:

tube · Sun 19/08/2007 19:44:43

Quote from: radiowaves on Sun 19/08/2007 17:49:04
Well, actually I am a fan of pencil and drawing, its just that brush isn't a pencil and requires different techniques to look good. And pencil isn't just scribbleing, it also has different strokes. Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to make your gfx look bad, instead I am offering you some good advice because I like your graphics and I see lot of potential in there.

There's no reason why all adventure games should look like the LucasArts classics. I'm not saying you have to like his technique, but I think the backgrounds are refreshingly different. I'd love to see a game in that style, even though I'm not sure I like the theme. Depends mostly on how it's all executed. I'll just have to wait and see.

I do have to agree with InCreator about the shadows though. They are indeed unnaturally flat and the colors seem wrong (especially the warm, dirty brown in the second colored image). Maybe you could use some colder, bluish shades of the base colors instead of using the same color everywhere (I believe a multiply layer would help here?). You could also use the position, shape and intensity of these shadows and highlights to hint at the shapes and textures of things.

Talking about shadows and highlights, I can't actually say where the light comes from in any of your images. This problem is very evident in the right half of that last pencil drawing you posted whereas the left side is tons better in this respect. (If you ignore the amount of light on the ceiling compared to the upper walls if the window is the only light source.). I'd go as far as to say lighting is probably the biggest problem with your technique. Still, you've obviously got so much talent it must be coming out of your ears...

P.S. I am purely an uneducated admirer of art with no actual artistic talent, so I hope you'll excuse the lack (or even abuse) of proper terminology in this post. In fact it might be wise to ignore me and listen to people like radiowaves who are more likely to know what they're talking about.

scotch · Sun 19/08/2007 20:02:29

This is a very nice look, good work so far. I can see what people are saying about the shadows, but I don't find it too bothersome myself.

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Sun 19/08/2007 21:37:51

The only issue I see is that the backgrounds you've shown so far look more like portraits than landscapes for a player to walk through. I find it difficult to imagine a player walking through those areas the way they are drawn and lit currently, though they look very good.

Grim · Mon 20/08/2007 09:41:22

Quote from: ProgZmax on Sun 19/08/2007 21:37:51
The only issue I see is that the backgrounds you've shown so far look more like portraits than landscapes for a player to walk through. I find it difficult to imagine a player walking through those areas the way they are drawn and lit currently, though they look very good.

It actually works out quite well. See games in production thread for more screenshots with character on them. The only time I get to draw is at work, so I can't really do digital stuff there.
Wrong or right, I think it will make this game look a bit special, and that's what I'm aiming for:)