Trying out a new technique

[cianty]

I am pretty impressed. I love the realistic look of this. 4h sounds great for this kind of image..

[Jdinky]

Nice wall textures  Do you have a game project or just for fun?

[mode7]

I have a project but something completely different. These are just for fun and practice. I've got an idea though.

[Sughly]

Really awesome. You're right, you're making great improvements and refining the technique very well and very quickly.

Only because it's so interesting do I nitpick again  - the water surface would curve around the boat rather than have a straight lne, makes it appear really flat. And a massive nitpick is just in the greys inside the concrete that are around the top of the doorway, all the shadow thats on them look too smooth and just don't seem to sit quite right with me. the part on the left of the building looks much much better! Honestly though, these are minor details that are only being suggested because I think it's such a great technique.

Good luck with implementing it - look forward to seeing the results!

[mode7]

Ok, I've experimenting with realistic trees and grass. This is what I've come up with so far. I used this BG to try out various approaches so it's kind of a mess in this picture. But I like the atmosphere.
Basically for grass and trees I use brushes which I edited in a external document (colors, patterns, blending effects) and then use the clone brush to paint them into the scene. Most of the grass in this scene is done the traditional way though. But you can see the difference e.g. under the tree in the midle or the foreground.



actually I think I might be interested to use BGs of this style in a game. But writing and puzzle design are some of my weaker sides. So if anyone is here who thinks: "This perfectly fits my game or the game I always wanted to do" feel free to contact me.

[Dualnames]

I can see some nice elements, there. It's a style I always found myself trying to master and never did on the rate I wanted.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q53/JustLedZep/spacecadet2copy3.png

This is done using a very similar technique but with a twist. You're in a good way. But you must look the picture and judge for yourself. Does this look fake?

And yes it does. The grass is very nicely done in places. And I love the door on the right, but it needs more work. Its a better background than what you did on the first pictures. I'm not too judgmental, I'm just trying to point you in the right direction.

There are some elements that make it so that the background seems fake. It can never be real of course, but it can look as though.

1. Reflections on the water
2. Door on the left needs more shadow
3. Tree on the front near the left door looks wrong. If you can somehow remove it, it would fix lots of staff.
4.Did you use burn on that "chimney" or whatever that thing is (on its top), cause if you did, you shouldn't have. At least not in that amount.
5. Where the hell is the sun? I feel some consistency on the lighting would really make the picture benefit.
6. I can't decide whether the window or that thing over the window is wrong. You should remove it.

On a side note:
I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO MAKE SUCH BACKGROUND

[Anian]

What's wrong with this background? I doesn't have to be super-realistic, this still looks very nice.

[cianty]

Yeah.. While I do agree that it does look artificial here and there (e.g. that "chimney" doesn't look round, except where the "burn" is) it still is pretty damn awesome.

Unless meant for first-person-perspective (which I wouldn't like) I'd still have to see a character sprite to fit in it. I imagine it very difficult to achieve an adequate look for characters that suit this style. Surely it can be done, I just can't imagine it...

Anyways, I want to say that this picture really impressed me.

[mode7]

I can see some nice elements, there. It's a style I always found myself trying to master and never did on the rate I wanted.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q53/JustLedZep/spacecadet2copy3.png

This is done using a very similar technique but with a twist. You're in a good way. But you must look the picture and judge for yourself. Does this look fake?

And yes it does. The grass is very nicely done in places. And I love the door on the right, but it needs more work. Its a better background than what you did on the first pictures. I'm not too judgmental, I'm just trying to point you in the right direction.

There are some elements that make it so that the background seems fake. It can never be real of course, but it can look as though.

1. Reflections on the water
2. Door on the left needs more shadow
3. Tree on the front near the left door looks wrong. If you can somehow remove it, it would fix lots of staff.
4.Did you use burn on that "chimney" or whatever that thing is (on its top), cause if you did, you shouldn't have. At least not in that amount.
5. Where the hell is the sun? I feel some consistency on the lighting would really make the picture benefit.
6. I can't decide whether the window or that thing over the window is wrong. You should remove it.

On a side note:
I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO MAKE SUCH BACKGROUND

Actually it's not that hard. It's only a question of know how and resources. The cool thing is that I could just extend my canvas and some masks and the background could go on in any direction without much editing.

Tried to fix some of the things you mentioned.
It might be a tick better but I think this BG is used up now. I don't know if PS has a layer limit but I'm going to hit it soon if I add any more stuff.




@cianty
I'll do some sprite experiments later on

[Ryan Timothy B]

One thing you should definitely avoid doing is that drop shadow on that newly added tree on the left side. Especially with the shadow being so dense. And if you compare the tree's shadow to the doorway shadow or column it doesn't match.

Not only does it make the tree look like a cardboard cutout casting a shadow. It also makes it look like there are two identical overlapping shapes, which would never happen with leaves and branches all in different directions.

[mode7]

Thanks Ryan, I thought something looked weird there, but couldn't really put my finger on.

Anyway, I made a sprite test. Wasn't that easy but it could work this way. Sorry for the animation it's still not quite right but I was too tired to fix it.



I'm still not sure it will work with the BGs but so far it's the best I could come up with.

[cianty]

It does look apropriately realistic...

[Chicky]

Well done Mode7, you have established a very desirable look. Your sprite fits perfectly but needs a little work on the hands, the character also appears to be leaning backwards.

[Wonkyth]

Yeah, people tend to lean forwards on contact with the ground, as their leg absorbs the impact.

[Matti]

The style of the sprite fits the BGs perfectly I think, but the walkcycle definitely needs to be polished. Like chicky said, he seems to lean backwards and he doesn't stretch his legs which looks very odd.

But you got a nice style there!

[mode7]

Things start to come together for me. Someone mentioned Flashback earlier. Tested it a long time ago and gave it another try. Great concept by the way. I wonder if more adventures were made this way.
I think with a little more polish in terms of handling this could really make a great Action Adventure (with two capital 'A's!!) game.
Actually my upcoming mags game already has a similar gameplay.

Well for the animation I really liked the smooth rotoscopy look of flashback or out of this world. I think I'll try to do this.

EDIT: ...and I did

[Babar]

I'd suggest not having his hands so still and open like that....as if he got jam on his fingers, and is rushing to the bathroom before he gets anything sticky.

[cosmicr]

Everything's looking great! When do we get the tutorial?

[mode7]

Actuallly, I'm working at a mags game so no time until 1st of Oct.

[Anian]

Wait is this for a MAGS game? So you're basically getting feedback on how to improve backgrounds for your game...isn't that kind of cheating a tad?