Space Quest Backgrounds C&C

[Blackthorne]

Farsight,

    Updating a game from EGA to VGA graphics takes time, patience and a lot of courage!  You must first learn to use your paint programs effectively - learn about using layers, colors, transparancy and shading.   This is really all trial and error stuff.  I taught myself by reading many of the tutorials I found here, although many of them don't fit the Sierra style.   Using light and shade, dodge and burn helps bring out the style you want.

Tierra/AGDI uses a lot of "collaging" in their images; they take pieces of original Sierra VGA art, ripped from the games, to make new images, using the clone tool and cutting and pasting.  You should perhaps try to assemble a plethora of backgrounds from SQ1VGA and SQ4 to see the kind of "style" you should go for in the creation of your backgrounds.

There is no SIMPLE way to "convert" EGA to VGA.  It has to be rethought and redrawn, and it takes LOTS of time to gain any proficiancy at it.  But given the right amount of grit, you can do it.

NOW - how to rip backgrounds from the game?  You can either use PrntScrn to capture the background from the game itself, and paste it into a program and edit it, or find a program called SCI Studio.  Use google, GOOGLE is your friend.

No one is gonna do it for ya, and unfortuantly, it isn't easy.  But it's rewarding when you get good at it.

Hope this helps some.

Bt

Infamous Adventures
http://www.infamous.iconrate.net/forums

[LGM]

Ali.. You make it look too easy

[Farsight]

Ali:Thanks for your help. I'll definently try it out.
Blackthorne519:That's ehat I've been doing so far, PrntScn and then replacing the character with colours. ???Works for me.
Thanks all for the advice. I quess I just have to keep trying.

[Blackthorne]

Ali:Thanks for your help. I'll definently try it out.
Blackthorne519:That's ehat I've been doing so far, PrntScn and then replacing the character with colours. ???Works for me.
Thanks all for the advice. I quess I just have to keep trying.

Farsight, what I meant is rip backrgrounds from SQ4 and SQ1 VGA..... use them as ideas and basis for collaging.  That's what Tierra does.

[Farsight]

Oh. :-[Thats kind of what I meant.
EDIT: Oh I give up!! I can't even get a decent picture out of the long time I put in. Unless I can get a more amateur tutorial.... I think I'm stumped. BTW I'm using ArtGem v.1.2

[googlebox]

I read somewhere that there is a GIMP program called JrGIMP or something that is an easier freeware program. Parhaps you should try that first so that you get used to the GIMP environment.

If you want to learn how to make a good looking background there is no shortcut I'm afraid. There is only practise that helps.

My suggestion is that you try to make a copy of the image in the tutorial that Ali made here. Go step by step (don't copy and paste his work, but do try to copy his work with your own skill) ones you are happy with the result you can try the other areas of the background and then you might even feel confident to try to make improvements.

[Farsight]

Thanks googlebox. I'll try that. Do you know where I can download JrGimp from?

[Farsight]

Ok I tried your advice Ali and came up with this:

I know it sucks but it's the best I could do.
EDIT: Whoops I double posted.....Darn!

[googlebox]

sorry I think I have to take that back. I think JrGIMP is for debian users only I'm afraid. Maybe someone has some news about this?
/googlebox

[Farsight]

Ok thanx anyway!

[DanClarke]

Ok thanx anyway!

remove the red outlining on the forground objects and change it to a grey colour, add some stars too, and remove the lighter coloured 'scratches' on the inside of the 'dock'(?)

[Farsight]

Here you go:

What do you think?

[Nacho]

mmm... I should go for a totally black space... (and the stars, of course)

You could allways make a milky way with some blue or magenta tones... As a reference, maybe any screenshot of X-Wing would work.

[DanClarke]

lost the gradient and make it all black, afterall, space is as black as it comes.

[Darth Mandarb]

Yes ... make the space background black (or a really deep blue).

When I first looked at it I got the impression that the foreground elements were actually cutting off the bottom of the space station thing and you were seeing the continuation of space at the bottom.

[LordHart]

Actually space has no colour... its vast emptiness gives it a black appearance.

You could use this image: http://www.tdrdesign.net/images/spacefield.gif and copy a part of it, any part of the whole file and then use that as the space backdrop.

Heres an example:



What I did was change the hue and saturation of the background so it had more of a blue tint to it, and then added the black part from down the bottom to the top as you still had the old AGI menu up there, and then of course, I added the starfield to the background. I would have went through and added some detail to the background itself, but I'm in a rush...

Also, changed the background so it is 320x200, as having that backgroun at 640x400 is just a bad idea as its like over 4 times bigger than it originally was.

[LGM]

You've certainly improved, Farsight. Elaborate on DM's update and you'll do good.

[LordHart]

DM's update?

[Erwin_Br]

Actually space has no colour... its vast emptiness gives it a black appearance.

Black isn't a colour, so it's pretty obvious space has no colour   

--Erwin

[Darth Mandarb]

DM's update?

Take it as a compliment

But I like your update Os àšltimo Quão Queijo ^_^.

It's amazing how much better it makes it look!

Farsight - Add in space like that ... it makes a world of difference!