Two Backgrounds From My Game

[Takyon]

Hi guys, here are two backgrounds for locations in my game. I did not create these as I'm not very good at designing backgrounds etc. But I'd appreciate some feedback on them as would my friend that made them




Any constructive criticism would be appreciated

[Revan]

Erm.. The style seems great.. I like it... Both screens are consistent, you can tell they are from the same game... other than that... I cant offer any more crit. I think your friend should carry on making more...

[Takyon]

Thanks Revan, appreciate the feedback. Yeah I should have some more coming soon, he's made them I just haven't put them onto my computer yet I will upload some when I have though.

The thing we're struggling with is character sprites and animation for cutscenes etc as neither of us have any experience in this lol. But I'm sure AGS forum will help when the time comes

[rbaleksandar]

LoL Great stuff But could you please tell me if the game has anything to do with WarCr*ft?

[Takyon]

LOL no nothing to do with warcraft. It's based in a fantasy world though, a satirical comedic type though (think Simon the sorcerer) nothing to serious.

[rbaleksandar]

Well, Warcr*ft ain't serious too But enough chit-chat. Nevermind, I love the backgrounds (expecially the second one).
Somethingies to ask:
  Why are there so many light spots? It's night (can see the stars on the dark sky). The house and everything around it is on meadow in a forest. So the moon comes from somewhere above. I can't actually figure that out. Even if the most of the light comes from the lamp above the door it still doesn't make sense to me. They look like stripes of very light green grass. The trees have light spots too. Even on places where they are overshadowed during the day.
  The light in the second image is much more realistic since you see - there's a big meteor falling form the sky that lights the trees (love how they look).

[SpacePaw]

Those meteors will look strange if static, should be animated in a loop of falling down

[rbaleksandar]

Yes, but it's very complicated omho since the author will have to change the shading of all objects in the image in each and every frame.  :o

[ALPHATT]

Animate the smoke too!

[Takyon]

Yes we really want to animate it and will, but we have no idea how lol?

Well, Warcr*ft ain't serious too But enough chit-chat. Nevermind, I love the backgrounds (expecially the second one).
Somethingies to ask:
  Why are there so many light spots? It's night (can see the stars on the dark sky). The house and everything around it is on meadow in a forest. So the moon comes from somewhere above. I can't actually figure that out. Even if the most of the light comes from the lamp above the door it still doesn't make sense to me. They look like stripes of very light green grass. The trees have light spots too. Even on places where they are overshadowed during the day.
  The light in the second image is much more realistic since you see - there's a big meteor falling form the sky that lights the trees (love how they look).

There's a very low moon



Edit by ProgZ:  Please don't double post.

[rbaleksandar]

There's a very low moon

lol Where? Somewhere in the bushes? Nah, seriously. Need to fix that. Shadowing is totally wrong in the first image. Even if the moon was very very low, the hut is in the middle of a thick forest. It's impossible to have so much light AND in such strange pattern (that is - the light green stripes). Look at the shadow that the small flag (or whatever you call it ) and the part of the root of the tree on the left that's above the earth - it's towards the viewer so one gets the impression the light comes from the opposite direction -> the very very thick forest . And even if it was possible for the moon to "produce" so much light, the hut should throw shadow which it doesn't.

[Takyon]

It throw's shadow to the bottom right. Thanks for the advice though I see what you mean kinda, I'll ask the designer to sort it out. Really appreciate the feedback rbaleksandar

[rbaleksandar]

Glad to help.

[Takyon]

anyone else ?

[SpacePaw]

anyone else ?

Yes me! In the first background I would desaturate the leafs a bit. They seem too green to me. maybe something more dark-greenish like in the second background?

[Jakerpot]

Maybe if you add more green/blue or lighter blue or even dark blue (don't have certain) tones to the bg, you could achieve a more night looking impression.

[rbaleksandar]

anyone else ?

Yes me! In the first background I would desaturate the leafs a bit. They seem too green to me. maybe something more dark-greenish like in the second background?

Not only the leaves. Grass, tree-trunks etc.

[Andail]

Oh, you definitely need to focus the lighting a bit here. You've got highlights and shades and far too many contrasts spread all over the screens.
Especially the second bg is hard to read because of the jumbled impression.

The further you get from the "central" point of the image, the point which should catch the eye, you need to gradually decrease saturation and contrast.

[Takyon]

Ah right okay guys thanks for the advice. Any paint overs are welcome lol

[SpacePaw]

I think something more like this it's just to show my point - done in few minutes