Adventure Game Studio

Creative Production => Critics' Lounge => Topic started by: Phemar on Tue 17/02/2004 04:01:17

Title: Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: Phemar on Tue 17/02/2004 04:01:17
Here are some backgrounds I am making for an upcoming game:

Please Note: These are not screenshots! They are backgrounds, so therefore you won't see any characters, objects etc.

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/stickmap.gif)

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/StoreRoomOut.gif)

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/StoreRoomIn.gif)

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/prison.gif)

Hope you like! Else tell me how to improve! Don't be too harsh, please!

.:Zor:.
Title: Re:Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: Tarison on Tue 17/02/2004 05:00:42
in the second picture, there is a repetition of a little black pattern which takes away from the image, and makes it obvious you've tiled a texture here. there's numerous tutorials around the web on this sort of thing, though I don't know one of the top of my head.

Basically, make it blend in better.

With the sign (same picture), the red on yellow doesn't work very well -- too hard to read it easily. It also looks like the grass is eating the wall on the left side of the door, rather than covering part of it.


I don't like the shading in general, though it is better than just plain colors. Think of how the rooms are lit (add a light in the third, too), and work out how light would affect the room. (like, with the fourth room, the light from outside coming in.

Don't let anything deter you, however. Sometimes criticism can make you less excited about your game, and you seem fairly excited, so don't let that happen. Keep up the good work.
Title: Re:Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: Phemar on Tue 17/02/2004 13:58:55

You said add a light in the third, should just be floating then?

And which is better: Bulb, bulb with shade, flourescent?
Title: Re:Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: Tarison on Tue 17/02/2004 14:17:47
Quote from: Zor on Tue 17/02/2004 13:58:55

You said add a light in the third, should just be floating then?

And which is better: Bulb, bulb with shade, flourescent?

Add any source of light. Fluorescent lights, bulb, hanging lead lights, or radioactive goo. Try it all out, and work out what fits in with the rest of your game. GL :)
Title: Re:Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: deltree on Tue 17/02/2004 19:58:28
here's a small animation I made using you background:
www.multimania.com/del3/download/zork.zip

and here's a screenshot:
www.multimania.com/del3/screenshots/zork.jpg
Title: Re:Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: Phemar on Wed 18/02/2004 04:03:58

Ha funny...

Thanks, but when you said there was something wrong with perspective, did you mean the way I drew the room, or the way the char got smaller and smaller and smaller and smaller etc.?


.:Zor:.
Title: Re:Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: Scummbuddy on Wed 18/02/2004 16:21:58
The box in the front middle is out of perspective. You can't just copy and paste the one above it and drag it down to keep it in the same perspective.

I do like the general feel of the pics.
Title: Re:Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: Phemar on Fri 20/02/2004 04:30:03
Hey thanx everyone for comments.

I edited the boxroom pic:
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/rikuku.gif)

Things I changed:
*Box in the middle (perspective)
*Added light
*Changed wall color (not so bright)

.:Zor:.
Title: Re:Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: Ali on Fri 20/02/2004 09:56:00
I like them, they have retro charm. You've chosen the colours very well.

The only suggestions I'd make would be for the store room exterior.  I think it would look better if, to the left of the building, we could see a fence in the distance, and perhaps colour the hills slightly differently. This would break up the flat ground that the store room is on, and the hills in the distance. As it is, the grass looks a little like a carpet that curls up behind the building if you see what I mean.

The only thing I might suggest is that you change the sign above the door, because I'm not sure it makes sense.

'No Entry Beyond This Point' sort of means that you can go through that door, but no more. Unless this is the meaning you want I'd recommend:
'No Entry', 'No Access' or 'No Unauthorised Personnel Beyond This Point'.

Apart from that, nice work.
Title: Re:Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: Mage on Fri 20/02/2004 10:58:44
just a quick edit of the shading :
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/rikuku2.gif)
(dunno if you like it)
Title: Re:Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: Phemar on Fri 20/02/2004 15:10:58
Ooooh! I like! Hope you don't mind if I use it...

Here's an edit:
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/StoreRoomOut2.gif)

Changed:
*Sign
*Grass overlapping wall

.:Zor:.
Title: Re:Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: Tarison on Fri 20/02/2004 23:19:51
Definite improvements, though there still seems to be a tile effect on the grass itself. It looks like there is a dark diagonal line on top of green, every so often.


As for shading, if you look at Mage's pic, you'll see how the shadows fall differently due to the position of the light, and the objects in the room. You should try do something like that for the rest of your backgrounds.
Title: Re:Zor's weekly backgrounds...
Post by: Phemar on Sat 21/02/2004 06:00:18
Here, Grass pattern changed:

(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/StoreRoomOutedit.gif)

I'm not so crazy about the bush there, but tell me what you think?

.:Zor:.